On this very day, the results of the National Physics Competition were announced.
Jiang Yan achieved his goal of winning first prize—only five students nationwide received this honor, and he was reportedly ranked second among them.
This marked the first time Yangming High School had ever received such an award. Immediately, red honor rolls and celebratory posters were displayed throughout the campus, while the school’s official website featured a bright red homepage announcement. The atmosphere was as lively as could be.
Everyone expressed admiration and praise.
Jiang Yan had completed his entire three-year high school journey in just half the time, successfully claiming the highest honor.
Both his homeroom teacher and physics teacher were grinning from ear to ear, though they couldn’t help but sigh when they remembered Zhou Wan.
As Jiang Yan stepped out of the office, the class bell had already rung, yet he was unusually unhurried to rush back to the classroom.
The hallway was empty. Leaning against the windowsill, he gazed at the students playing in the distant playground. Their cheerful laughter and lively energy drifted over, vibrant and full of life.
A rare, relaxed smile spread across Jiang Yan’s face.
He pulled his phone from his pocket, turned it on, and called his mother.
"Hello?" Jiang Wensheng answered. "A-Yan, what’s up?"
"Mom, I won first prize," Jiang Yan said with a smile. "I’ve secured a direct admission spot."
Jiang Wensheng was silent for a long moment, stunned. When she finally spoke, her voice was choked with tears. "A-Yan, I always knew you’d achieve great things. I knew you’d be the most accomplished one."
"Yeah, I will make something of myself," Jiang Yan replied. "Mom, don’t worry."
Jiang Yan hadn’t wanted to get his mother’s hopes up prematurely. Though he’d been about 70% confident after checking his answers, he had never mentioned it to her. Jiang Wensheng’s heart was still racing, and she kept murmuring, "This is wonderful," over and over.
After a while, she asked, "Have you told your father yet?"
"Not yet."
"Then make sure to call him later. He has to know," Jiang Wensheng insisted. "You’ve achieved so much—your father will surely be proud of you."
Jiang Yan chuckled softly. "Got it."
After hanging up, Jiang Yan called Lu Zhongyue, but no one answered. He was probably busy.
He then sent Lu Zhongyue a text message.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that Lu Zhongyue replied with a voice message, his tone cheerful and proud: "Direct admission, huh? A-Yan, you’re amazing. Tell me what reward you want—Dad will buy it for you."
[Jiang Yan: I don’t need anything, Dad. How about having a meal with me?]
[Lu Zhongyue: Sure, but I’m a bit busy today. Why don’t you come to my office after school? We can go after I finish work.]
Jiang Yan froze, staring at the message for a long time.
He had never visited Lu Zhongyue’s company before, let alone so openly.
It seemed winning first prize had truly made Lu Zhongyue proud and brought him face.
…
After school, Jiang Yan headed straight to Lu Zhongyue’s company.
Standing before the towering skyscraper, he felt a surge of aspiration, hoping that one day he, too, could become someone remarkable—someone who stood out, whom no one would ever dare look down on.
He entered the building and approached the front desk, saying he was there to see President Lu.
"See President Lu?" The receptionist eyed him skeptically, clearly doubtful about his purpose. "Do you have an appointment?"
Lu Zhongyue hadn’t informed the front desk in advance.
Perhaps he’d been too busy that afternoon.
"No, I’m…"
Jiang Yan paused, leaving the words "his son" unspoken.If he said that, he might be treated as a madman and thrown out. Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, he said, "You can call him. My name is Jiang Yan."
The receptionist dialed the internal line.
Permission was quickly granted, and Jiang Yan was led upstairs.
While riding the elevator, it stopped at one of the floors, and a man stepped in. Seeing the two, he casually teased the receptionist: "Xiao Lü, is this handsome young man your son?"
"What are you talking about, Group Leader Chen?" The receptionist wasn’t bothered by such jokes. "I’m still young—how could I have a son this old?"
"I’m just complimenting you. Only a beauty like our Xiao Lü could’ve been swept off her feet so early."
In the workplace, such slightly risqué jokes were all too common.
Jiang Yan stood to the side, his back straight, silently clenching his fists.
He felt angry and humiliated, as if he had been deeply insulted.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, he strode out without looking back.
When he entered Lu Zhongyue’s office, the latter looked up, smiled upon seeing Jiang Yan, and stood to pat his shoulder. "Well done, A Yan. You’ve really made your father proud."
Jiang Yan replied modestly, "It’s a pity I was second place in the first prize category, not the national champion."
"What does that matter?" Lu Zhongyue said. "First prize is first prize. No one pays attention to the rankings within it."
Jiang Yan smiled. "You’re right."
"Then wait here for a bit. I’ll take you to eat once I finish up with these tasks."
"Okay, Dad. Take your time, no rush."
Jiang Yan sat on the nearby sofa. From the time he became sensible until now, he had rarely spent time on his phone, devoting every minute to studying. Now that he finally had a moment to relax, he felt at a loss, unsure of what to do.
He idly scrolled through his phone for a while, then picked up a magazine from a nearby shelf to read.
It was at that moment the office door suddenly opened.
Jiang Yan looked up and saw an elderly man with white hair but a vigorous demeanor. He froze for a moment before quickly realizing this must be Old Mr. Lu.
Lu Zhongyue immediately glanced toward Jiang Yan. Old Mr. Lu noticed and turned, frowning almost imperceptibly.
"Chairman Lu," Jiang Yan nodded.
"Hmm," Old Mr. Lu said. "Step outside for a moment."
Jiang Yan glanced at Lu Zhongyue. "Alright."
He pushed the door open, stepped out of the office, and closed it behind him.
The moment the door shut, he heard Old Mr. Lu’s voice: "You’re getting more and more out of line. Bringing him to the company—what, do you want everyone here to know he’s your illegitimate child, so he can seize A Xiao’s authority in the future?"
"Dad, today A Yan won a national-level competition first prize and secured a direct admission. I asked him to come so I could take him out for a meal later," Lu Zhongyue explained. "After all, the kid has had a tough time all these years."
"He’s had it tough, but has A Xiao had it easy?" Old Mr. Lu’s authority was palpable even without anger. "You two, father and son—the father doesn’t act like a father, the son doesn’t act like a son. If you have free time, you’d do better to focus more on your own flesh and blood."
At this, Lu Zhongyue grew resentful. "What does A Xiao lack? I’ve never restricted his food, clothing, or spending. But he just won’t behave—how many messes has he gotten into that I’ve cleaned up for him? What else can I do?"
Old Mr. Lu let out a cold laugh, looking at Lu Zhongyue as he retorted, "And his turning out this way has nothing to do with you?"
This time, Lu Zhongyue fell silent.Old Mr. Lu pulled out the chair in front of the desk and sat down, placing his cane to the side and resting his hands on his knees. "I heard you've broken up with Xiao Guo?"
Lu Zhongyue's heart skipped a beat. "Yes."
"So suddenly—what happened with her?"
Lu Zhongyue remained silent.
Old Mr. Lu had built his fortune from scratch and, even at his age, still firmly held the reins of power. It was clear how formidable he was. Lu Zhongyue knew that his father's sudden visit to the company today meant he had already gathered all the details.
Old Mr. Lu lifted his eyelids. "I've always said you lack integrity. You need the right person to guide you in life. Shen Lan was the most suitable match I picked for you, but you refused her and insisted on bringing out those who don't belong in respectable circles—first Jiang Wensheng, and now Guo Xiangling."
Lu Zhongyue was, after all, a man past forty. Accustomed to being praised and elevated by many, he naturally felt uncomfortable hearing such disparaging remarks.
"Let's not even talk about Guo Xiangling. Wensheng raised the child alone—isn't it enough that she raised him so outstandingly?" Lu Zhongyue argued. "Dad, back then, it was you who stubbornly refused to let her into the Lu family. Otherwise, A Yan would be your grandson now."
"Jiang Wensheng was too ambitious. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gambled her future on a child back then. Similarly, the child she raised is the same—too much ambition easily leads to a lack of moral integrity," Old Mr. Lu said. "There's a saying I've always believed to be true: 'The poor spoil their children, and it's hard for humble families to produce noble offspring.'"
Jiang Yan hadn't gone far; he was leaning against the door.
The old man's voice, deep and steady, pierced clearly through the door.
His face instantly turned pale, as if the pride and self-esteem that soared to the heavens had been stripped away layer by layer, leaving him in unbearable agony.
Yet he couldn't move his feet, too afraid to burst in and confront them.
"Do you know why I value A Xiao? It's not just because he's my grandson, but because he has integrity and courage—a hundred times better than that Jiang Yan. You always mistake stones for gold, and you never believe it until you see it with your own eyes," Old Mr. Lu continued.
"That's why, even though I saw early on that Guo Xiangling was no good person, I didn't investigate. I waited for you to stumble, because only by falling hard would you finally give up."
Old Mr. Lu chuckled softly. "Now her biological daughter has come to you—a 17-year-old girl with the nerve to threaten you. I really don't know what you've been doing all these years."
Lu Zhongyue said nothing.
Finally, Old Mr. Lu declared, "Stay out of this matter. I'll handle it."
...
After the old man left, Lu Zhongyue sat alone in his office for a long time before remembering Jiang Yan. He pushed the door open but found no sign of him.
He called Jiang Yan.
No one answered.
Jiang Yan's life had always been about studying or being on his way to study. While his classmates went to P.E. class, he stole moments to memorize texts and vocabulary. When everyone made plans to hang out, he always declined, staying home alone to study.
He had done all of this to rise above others, to be respected in the future, and to be acknowledged by the Lu family—to prove he was far superior to Lu Xixiao.
But in the end, what did he get?
Two sentences.
One: "The poor spoil their children."
The other: "It's hard for humble families to produce noble offspring."
He truly couldn't understand what made Lu Xixiao so special.
Idling around, getting into fights—was this what the old man called integrity and courage?
In the bar, the noise of the crowd clamored, and the music thumped loudly.Jiang Yan felt out of place, finding the music deafening and vibrating through his chest, yet he stepped inside as if to prove something.
The bartender asked what he’d like to drink.
“What do you have here?” Jiang Yan inquired.
The bartender could tell he wasn’t a regular—probably a curious good student who’d have one drink and leave, losing interest quickly.
He tilted his chin toward the drink menu posted nearby.
Many of the drink names were flashy, making it impossible to guess their contents from the labels. Jiang Yan had only heard of “Long Island Iced Tea” before, so he ordered one.
The bartender mixed the drink and placed it in front of him.
Jiang Yan picked up the glass and took a sip.
As soon as it touched his lips, he frowned. The alcohol burned his throat, sending a shudder through his body.
After a moment, he threw his head back and downed the rest in one gulp.
Jiang Yan ordered another drink and glanced toward the dance floor behind him. Women in revealing outfits swayed their hips seductively. He sneered, disgusted by the sight.
It was then that Jiang Yan overheard someone mention Lu Xixiao’s name.
He turned his head.
A group of rough-looking boys sat at a table behind him.
The one in the middle looked somewhat familiar. Jiang Yan frowned, recognizing him as the troublemaker named Luo He.
He’d heard plenty of talk at school about how Lu Xixiao and Luo He had always been at odds.
Luo He had suffered numerous losses at Lu Xixiao’s hands, the last time being particularly humiliating. He’d never been so thoroughly disgraced and couldn’t swallow his pride, determined to get back at Lu Xixiao no matter what.
Jiang Yan listened as the group hurled vulgar insults and crude curses.
After a pause, he turned to face them.
One of the boys noticed his gaze and glared. “What the hell are you looking at? Believe me, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”
He could tell Jiang Yan was an easy target and, not satisfied with just yelling, spat in his direction.
Jiang Yan didn’t flinch, still watching them. He asked quietly, “Are you planning to go after Lu Xixiao?”
The next day was Saturday.
When Zhou Wan woke up, the sky was gloomy. She drew back the curtains—it was raining again.
The rain brought a chill with it. The flowers in the garden, newly planted and not yet acclimated, suffered under the downpour. Many had withered, petals scattered across the soil, making the place feel even more desolate.
Zhou Wan frowned.
The rainy season was about to begin.
She wondered if these flowers would last until then.
She remembered how, when Grandma still lived in their hometown, she would sometimes grow vegetables in the empty plot in front of the house. During the damp, rainy season, Grandma would cover them with a piece of black burlap, setting up a simple rain shelter that could be removed as soon as the sun came out.
There seemed to be a general store nearby. Zhou Wan decided to check it out.
Before she left, she wanted to make sure the garden was properly cared for.
Lu Xixiao was still asleep, so she didn’t disturb him. She took an umbrella from the entryway and stepped out.
…
The rain grew heavier. By the time Zhou Wan reached the store, her pant legs were soaked, and loose strands of hair at her back were dripping wet.
It had been a while since her last haircut, and her hair now fell well below her chest.
Fortunately, the store sold black burlap, so the trip wasn’t in vain.
The shopkeeper helped her stuff a large piece into a plastic bag. Zhou Wan paid, thanked him, picked up her umbrella, shook off the water, opened it, and headed out.
Suddenly, she paused, her eyes fixed on a car that had stopped in front of her.The rear car window slowly rolled down, and Old Mr. Lu smiled at her, speaking gently, "Young student, what a coincidence."
Zhou Wan paused, silently tightening her grip on the plastic bag, and nodded politely, "Hello, Grandpa."
"Are you free?" Old Mr. Lu said, "Come chat with Grandpa for a while."
OpenNovel