The coal mines in Liu County of Shencheng had long been operated by a select group of wealthy merchants.

The Land Administration Department held the land deeds tightly, refusing to let coal be transported out. The recently deceased Section Chief Wang had been fattened by these merchants to the point of rivaling a New Year’s hog, aiding their monopoly so that anyone in the surrounding areas who needed coal was forced to buy at exorbitant prices.

Now that Section Chief Wang was dead, whoever took office would control the deeds to the coal mines.

It all depended on whether the incoming section chief chose to maintain the monopoly with the original tycoons, or outsource the operations to others.

Whoever could win over the new section chief would claim the fortune.

When all was said and done, people in this world always gathered for profit.

The Jiang family was a renowned trading household in the local area. In the previous dynasty, their ancestors had run armed escort agencies; they had also produced government officials, including a top scholar (Zhuangyuan) in the imperial examinations—a bona fide, illustrious clan of high standing.

Upon Section Chief Wang’s demise, two deputy chiefs stood primed for promotion.

The other deputy chief had an unremarkable track record in the Land Administration Department and lacked familial backing. The Jiang family was different: rich and influential, poised to secure the promotion simply by greasing the right palms and donating some tax funds. Taking advantage of Old Master Jiang’s upcoming milestone birthday, the Jiang family organized the banquet in advance.

On the surface, it was a birthday celebration; in reality, many officials from the Land Administration Department attended, alongside numerous invitees from the Tax Bureau and private banks. Vice President Zhou was among them; a newly transferred vice president naturally needed to be wooed.

Moreover, Zhou Xiao was still waiting on approvals from the Land Administration Department.

The Jiang residence was an imposing mansion. Western-style architecture was all the rage these days. As the Ford automobile rolled through the main gate, a statue of David within a grand fountain came into view. The six-story Western mansion was brightly illuminated in the evening air. A servant stepped forward, opening the car door with deferential courtesy. “Welcome, Vice President Zhou.”

“Where is Li Yuanjing?” Zhou Xiao asked. “Has he arrived?”

“He arrived early, sir! He’s already danced several numbers with Miss Liu,” the servant replied with a beaming smile.

Zhou Xiao turned to assist Yuqing out of the vehicle, mindful of his fragile health. “That fellow is utterly unreliable. He insisted I bring you along, yet here he is dancing with someone else—clearly, he forgot all about you.”

“Do you see? He had a reputation as a playboy in Baizhou, and coming to Shencheng hasn’t changed his nature one bit.”

Yuqing lowered his eyes with a faint, wry smile, murmuring softly, “It is good for a man to be romantic. More offspring bring greater fortune, and the household stays lively. In these times, which man doesn’t have concubines at home?”

Zhou Xiao frowned, looking at Yuqing with utter disbelief. “There is truly no getting through to you!”

“What is the matter, Eldest Young Master? Why are you angry again?”

“Who is angry?” Zhou Xiao scoffed coldly, keeping a rigid face and refusing to admit it. “I simply think your mindset is beyond saving.”

“What is the point of having so many concubines? If a man is ruled solely by his lower half, how is he any different from a beast?”

Yuqing felt genuinely perplexed hearing these words.

He could hardly believe that a man who acted like a wild beast in bed could step out of the sheets and utter such lofty words without batting an eye or missing a beat.

In truth, having spent this much time together, he still found it difficult to grasp the Eldest Young Master’s true disposition.

Just yesterday during dinner, his rapport with Second Young Master Li had seemed quite pleasant—after all, they shared the camaraderie of studying abroad together. Why did he turn around today and badmouth him right to his face?

It was as if no one could ever measure up in Zhou Xiao’s eyes. He looked down on everyone, cared for no one, and never offered his genuine heart, keeping everything strictly superficial.

Like…

Like…

An ungrateful wolf cub—the cold-blooded, treacherous kind.

Even if Old Master Zhou had neglected him over the years, he had nonetheless raised him to adulthood, yet Zhou Xiao showed no gratitude, bent solely on leaving the Zhou household.

Second Young Master Li had grown up alongside him as a classmate, yet he criticized him behind his back without hesitation.

Deng Yongquan hadn’t been seen for days, off attending to unknown matters instead of remaining by Zhou Xiao’s side. Most likely, he had been dispatched elsewhere in Shencheng to serve as a hidden nail or an informant—in any case, it couldn’t have been a light assignment.

How truly strange. Did such unfeeling, cold-blooded people genuinely exist in this world?

Finding the thought rather amusing, Yuqing obediently followed him out of the car.

Old Master Jiang was celebrating his sixtieth birthday.

He had three sons and two daughters. The deputy chief of the Land Administration Department was his eldest son and the current master of the Jiang household, named Jiang Mao.

Approaching forty this year, he was balding, possessed a Buddha-like countenance, and sported a prominent double chin.

Inside, glasses clinked amid lively chatter. Miss Jiang was playing the piano, while Li Yuanjing was dancing a tango with another young lady.

Catching sight of Zhou Xiao, Jiang Mao’s wife—knowing full well that this Vice President Zhou had business with their household and had undoubtedly brought gifts—stepped forward with a radiant smile. “Vice President Zhou is truly a promising young talent! When President Zheng mentioned it to me earlier, I hardly believed it.”

“Who could reach the rank of vice president at such a young age? Only after inquiring did I learn you intend to build a railway! No wonder you were transferred directly to Shencheng. With such vision and ambition, aren’t you precisely the talent we are missing nowadays?”

Zhou Xiao nodded slightly. “Madame is far too polite.”

Zhou Xiao bore a striking resemblance to his father—handsome, dignified, and sharp. “A modest gift.”

“Oh my, this watch…” Jiang Mao’s wife accepted the Swiss timepiece with delight. Even through maritime trade, such an item was rare, let alone in Shencheng, which had no seaport; a Swiss watch did not come cheap.

Under the chandelier’s glow, she peered at the intricate gears turning behind the crystal case. A piece like this could not be bought for less than three or four thousand silver dollars. Her face bloomed into a radiant smile. “Please, come in! We’ve been waiting for you.”

Behind the polite pleasantries, Yuqing followed quietly in Zhou Xiao’s wake. Madame Jiang only caught a glimpse of his profile for a second, but that half-glance was enough to recognize an extraordinary beauty.

Yuqing wore a Western suit, but his hair remained long, swept up neatly with a hairpin to lend him a refined, scholarly grace.

Tonight was Jiang Mao’s moment in the spotlight. For his father’s banquet, guests lined up just to toast him.

Beneath elaborate crystal chandeliers, dancers drifted like flowing water while men clinked glasses and women laughed softly.

Many of Jiang Mao’s subordinates arrived bearing gifts, hoping for his patronage once he assumed the position of section chief.

Holding his wine glass, Zhou Xiao sat nearby, watching Jiang Mao in the distance with narrowed eyes.

One of Jiang’s direct subordinates had brought his wife along; Jiang Mao had an arm slung around the woman’s waist, egged on by the crowd to drink a ceremonial “crossed-arms” cup of wine with her.

Presumably, that was their form of tribute.

Disgusted by these corrupt parasites, Zhou Xiao rolled his eyes. Li Yuanjing stepped off the dance floor just then. “Don’t let your contempt show so clearly. I just made inquiries through Miss Liu—word is the post is settled on Jiang Mao. Be careful in a moment.”

Miss Liu’s uncle held connections within the provincial government; in the span of a single dance, Li Yuanjing had extracted the information that the official appointment papers were on their way, taking effect right after Section Chief Wang’s funeral.

“Let’s try to get a commitment from him tonight. Even if we have to lease the mines, we must secure the land. It all comes down to what cut of the profits he wants,” Li Yuanjing said, nudging him with an elbow. “Yuqing? Why are you only eating cake?”

“Mm?” Sitting alone on a small corner sofa, Yuqing held a palm-sized cream cake. “The Young Master mentioned that since it is my first time attending, I might not understand proper etiquette, so he told me to stay put.”

“Oh, Zhou Xiao, what is wrong with you?” Li Yuanjing grumbled, blaming him for being too harsh on Yuqing.

In reality, Yuqing truly couldn’t afford to linger out in the open. Merely leaning over the buffet table to admire the shapes of the pastries had prompted several young ladies to approach and ask him for a dance.

Yuqing drew too much attention, so Zhou Xiao had instructed him to behave quietly.

His constitution was weak to begin with, and the ladies here came from prominent backgrounds; stepping on their feet due to poor dancing would only cause embarrassment.

Yuqing had merely offered a gentle smile: “The Young Master is quite right.”

Pleased by his unhesitating obedience, Zhou Xiao had fetched him a small slice of cake to eat.

With a fondness for sweets, Yuqing curled up on the small sofa, savoring it slowly with a dessert fork.

Back in the traditional manor, he had only ever eaten sweets like chilled milk curd, occasionally sending Zhao Fu to the confectioner’s for candied dates; cream cakes were entirely novel to him.

It tasted quite good.

He enjoyed the quiet leisure, untroubled by the Young Master calling him uncultured. After all, one second Zhou Xiao would call him ignorant, and the next he would bring over a fresh pastry, much like coaxing a child.

Stubborn, yet somewhat endearing.

From their brief exchanges, however, Yuqing grasped the essence of the situation.

Jiang Mao was someone they had to win over; they merely didn’t know the price of getting him on board.

While they spoke, Miss Jiang began performing a piano piece dedicated to her father, drawing warm applause from the surrounding guests.

Swaying her hips, Jiang Mao’s wife whispered a few words in her husband’s ear while showing him the watch. President Zheng joined them, and the group glanced toward Zhou Xiao’s direction.

Taking advantage of the crowd listening to the piano, Jiang Mao approached alongside his wife.

After formal greetings and pleasantries, President Zheng remarked, “Section Chief Jiang is well-acquainted with several private moneylenders. Xiao Zhou, why not consider it?”

Jiang Mao hadn’t even assumed the title of section chief yet, but Zheng Jiashui was already laying on the flattery, drawing a booming laugh from Jiang. “Bah, nothing is official yet! Don’t spread rumors. But if Vice President Zhou wishes to build a railway, you needn’t worry about funding…”

Li Yuanjing’s heart skipped a beat. Zhou Xiao replied, “Oh, so the person President Zheng mentioned a few days ago was you, Section Chief Jiang.”

President Zheng had urged Zhou Xiao days ago to take out private loans to fund the railway.

After circling around, it turned out the two had been colluding all along.

It seemed the prerequisite for bringing Jiang Mao on board and securing the mining land was simple: Zhou Xiao had to take out a loan.

And it had to be borrowed through Jiang Mao’s private channels.

He undoubtedly operated illicit moneylending syndicates beneath the table. Zhou Xiao sneered inwardly at the thought of these vermin.

Once he took out loans for the coal mines, even if the railway opened, construction would span several years. By the time profits materialized, Jiang Mao’s interest rates would have skyrocketed into the stratosphere.

At that point, a single claim that the returns couldn’t cover the interest would not only rob Zhou Xiao of the railway blueprints and imported parts from France, but saddle him with crippling debt.

Noticing his hesitation, Jiang Mao raised his wine glass with a sly glint flashing across his eyes. “Ambitious young men like Vice President Zhou who strive for the welfare of the people are rare nowadays. Rest assured, since the firm is under my watch, it’s merely a formality…”

Once the formality is done, you’ll probably have me killed so you can claim the railway for free. Do you take me for an idiot?

“Is that so?” Zhou Xiao clinked glasses with him. “Then I shall truly have to rely on Section Chief Jiang.”

He placed deliberate emphasis on the words Section Chief Jiang.

“Oh? Is that Yuqing?” President Zheng’s gaze finally landed on Ruan Yuqing, who was rising from the sofa behind them.

Having finished his cake, Yuqing was standing up to swap his plate. Noticing the strained tension in Zhou Xiao’s face, he offered a polite, detached smile. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

“Yuqing?” Jiang Mao’s eyes locked onto him. “An acquaintance of President Zheng?”

“Why, yes! An acquaintance of the late Section Chief Wang, hahaha—” President Zheng chuckled. “You’ve grown so much! I remember you played the lute exquisitely! What brings you here tonight? Who brought you to celebrate Old Master Jiang’s birthday?”

Ruan Yuqing smiled faintly. “It is…”

Jiang Mao was utterly captivated. The moment Yuqing stood there, a delicate fragrance of jasmine drifted through the air. Zhou Xiao stepped in front, shielding him from view. “He came with me.”

“Vice President Zhou truly has a boundless future,” Jiang Mao remarked, setting down his glass as his gaze remained fixed unblinkingly on Yuqing.

__

Author’s Note:

Yuqing: The cake is quite nice.

Date Pit Bro: It seems they’ve lived long enough; I’ll slaughter them all tonight [angry]. All they do is stare at my wife [angry]. Why don’t they all just drop dead [angry]