Make Peace

After two more cups of tea, the two of them stopped drinking. They would be eating soon anyway. Who could eat after filling their stomachs with water?

"Uncle, I'm going to see how Gu Jia's doing. Let Ziyan show you around."

"Good, good. Tell Gu Jia not to make too much. We're all family, so just throw something together."

Gu Jinghong naturally nodded in agreement. He felt uncomfortable staying alone with Wang Yan.

After exchanging a few words, Wang Yan hauled Xu Ziyan up from the cartoon he was watching.

Although he had not seen his grandfather for quite some time and had missed him, Xu Ziyan was exhausted and did not want to move at all. Unfortunately, he had no room to resist. One glance from Wang Yan was enough to make him behave. He trotted around upstairs and downstairs with Gu Jinghong, introducing things every now and then.

It was such a nice house, and it belonged to his daughter, so Gu Jinghong looked around quite seriously, occasionally interrupting with a question or two.

That gave Xu Ziyan the feeling of showing off like he had during the day. He instantly came back to life and was no longer tired at all, chattering away with Gu Jinghong.

Watching Xu Ziyan ramble on without realizing it, Wang Yan felt somewhat accomplished. The little fellow was now healthy, lively, and cheerful, with decent communication and practical skills. Most importantly, he was sturdy and carefree. Wang Yan simply could not tell whether Gu Jia had laid a good foundation or whether he, Wang, was just that capable.

After tidying up the tea set, Wang Yan went into the kitchen.

Gu Jia was busy stir-frying when she saw him come in. She smiled and said, "Why are you in here? Go outside."

"I finished talking with your father. I came to help you out."

"Wang Yan, my father..."

Before she could finish, Wang Yan said, "Hey, it's fine. Old people are all like that. I understand."

Seeing that she still wanted to speak, he continued, "All right, hurry up and cook. Ziyan's been calling for you for ages."

Gu Jia smiled helplessly. "Go outside. There are only two dishes left."

"I'll help you. I know a thing or two myself. What's left?"

He pulled up the skill panel and found Cooking: LV1, Beginner. Not bad.

Wang Yan had lived on his own for so many years, eating takeout for lunch and dinner every day. He had nearly eaten himself sick of the restaurants within a kilometer or two of his building. Cooking a dish until it was done was not difficult. Whenever he wanted something, he could just follow a recipe and take his time.

The main issue was that he rarely cooked, so his performance was inconsistent. Sometimes he would make a dish with a stroke of genius, and it would be absolutely incredible. Then he would fail the second time because he could not recapture the same feeling.

In any case, he found his own cooking delicious.

"Oil-blasted shrimp and some boiled pork."

"Then I'll make the boiled pork. That's simple."

All it involved was cooking pork belly, slicing it thinly, and putting the soul of the dish into the sauce. The ingredients were the same, but the real question was how to combine them. It was a matter of constant experimentation and summarizing, until practice made perfect.

Gu Jia had already cooked the meat. It was sitting there to cool.

Wang Yan got to work. He sliced the meat thinly—the thinner, the tastier. His knife skills were passable. He had learned them while practicing martial arts, after all; they came as part of the package. Slicing meat was much the same. As long as his hand was steady, that was enough. His control was excellent. Going too fast would not do, so he slowly sliced it piece by piece.

He mixed several bowls of sauce, tasting each with his chopsticks. In the end, he chose the one he thought tasted best and poured it over the meat. Done.

Gu Jia would normally spend no more than seven or eight minutes on this dish, but Wang Yan took over twenty minutes. She had finished her work long ago and was watching him with tender affection and a smile.

The two of them carried the dishes to the table and called over the grandfather and grandson, who were still looking around.

Wang Yan opened a bottle of baijiu and poured Gu Jinghong only a little.

"Uncle, I'm afraid your body won't handle much. Let's just have a little, enough to show our friendship."

Gu Jinghong did not object. He knew his own condition, and the fact that Gu Jia was willing to let him drink at all was already good enough.

Wang Yan raised his glass and clinked it against Gu Jinghong's, taking a small sip.

"Try this boiled pork. How is it?"

Everyone had a taste. Gu Jia and her father praised it repeatedly, saying it was delicious, though they added that it would have been better with a lighter flavor.

Xu Ziyan was the one who gave him the most face. He tasted it, smacked his lips, then picked up another piece and put it in his bowl, mixing it with rice and devouring it. His cheeks stuffed full, he said, "Good! Really good!"

After all, he was used to heavily oiled and salted food, and Wang Yan had adjusted the sauce to his own taste. It was normal that the others were not used to it.

Xu Ziyan was probably genuinely tired as well, which was why he found the food especially delicious. Otherwise, even he might have had trouble accepting it.

Everyone chatted casually about everyday matters. As they talked, whether intentionally or not, Gu Jia steered the conversation toward the nursing home.

"Dad, are you used to things at the nursing home?"

"I am. They take care of everything—eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom. There are also a bunch of old friends to talk and play chess with. It's pretty good."

Gu Jia hummed in response and continued taking care of Xu Ziyan, whose face was covered in rice grains.

Wang Yan understood. Gu Jia was still genuinely worried about Gu Jinghong and wanted to see what he thought.

After all, the two of them had only been living together for a few days. Gu Jia might have been too embarrassed to say it directly, so she was using this opportunity to hint at him.

"Uncle, why don't you move here? The house is quite big, and there's plenty of room," Wang Yan said, picking up the conversation.

"The market and hospital aren't far from here either. It's especially convenient."

Gu Jia brightened at once and quickly urged him, "Exactly, Dad. If you move here, I won't have to worry about you all the time."

Gu Jinghong was somewhat tempted when he heard this, but he cut the thought off as soon as it arose. He was still worried that moving in would affect their life in the long run and lead to conflicts because of him. His daughter had only just divorced. If this rich man's relationship with her fell apart because of him, how could he ever face the world?

"Forget it. I'm doing fine at the nursing home. I've gotten used to it lately, so I won't come over and trouble you."

Wang Yan said, "How about this, Uncle? Stay at Junyue Mansion after some time. It's only a little over ten minutes away on foot, so it's not far."

"That house only has one bathroom, and it's inside the master bedroom. I'll find someone to install another one over the next few days. Otherwise, it wouldn't be convenient if you hired a housekeeper."

As he spoke, he asked Gu Jia, "What do you think?"

Gu Jia felt this was the best solution, so she agreed. Gu Jinghong said nothing, tacitly accepting it. He naturally wanted to live closer as well. At his age, that was about the only thing he could hope for.

The matter was settled, and the atmosphere returned to its earlier warmth.

After dinner, Gu Jia tidied up a guest room for Gu Jinghong.

After coaxing Xu Ziyan to sleep, she returned to the bedroom and saw Wang Yan leaning against the headboard, reading.

She closed the bedroom door, then walked gracefully to the bed. With a gentle motion, she took the book from Wang Yan's hands, turned around, and straddled him.

After Gu Jia teased him like that, Wang Yan could not stand it either. He thrust upward, wrapped his arms around her, and the two of them kissed and whispered.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"You did so much for me. I have to thank you properly," Gu Jia said passionately.

"We're legally married. Why are you bringing that up?" He rolled over and pinned Gu Jia beneath him.

"But I still have to show it through my actions."

They spent a passionate night together.

The next day, Gu Jia's "gratitude" had been too intense, and for once she did not get up early to make breakfast.

After going out for a run, Wang Yan bought breakfast for the whole family.

After their pleasant morning routine, Gu Jia took Xu Ziyan to school and sent Gu Jinghong back to the nursing home.

All that remained was dealing with her tea factory—changing its name, changing its trademark, and settling the mess left from before.

Although Wang Yan did not need to step in, Wang's name and face were more than enough. Compared with the events in the drama, the process went much more smoothly.

She was not short of money either, so there was no need for any pitiful tale about seeking investment.

All those women in the wives' circle knew Gu Jia was doing this. They only had to purchase a batch of gifts. They did not even need their husbands' approval; one phone call was enough to settle it. Even Mrs. Li bought a batch to help ease relations. None of them failed to do their part.

Her company had not even been fully sorted out, yet orders were already piling up.

Wang Yan, meanwhile, went to find a renovation company and had them install a bathroom. Gu Jia had thanked him so enthusiastically—how could he not take it seriously and get it done?

After finishing those matters, Wang Yan went to the company. Handling the regular affairs took more than twenty days, and quite a lot had piled up. Many matters required him to step in personally.

In truth, the only reason he needed to step in was that his subordinates were not qualified enough to negotiate with others. Even though Wang Yan had delegated a great deal of authority, there were still many things they could not handle and decisions they could not make. So once again, he spent his days drinking tea and bragging.

A week passed quickly. He had dealt with everything that needed his attention and finally returned to his leisurely life.

That day, Wang Yan received an unexpected call. Someone invited him to meet and chat.

After thinking it over, he did not refuse. He had nothing else to do, so he treated it as entertainment and drove to the meeting place.

When he arrived, he found a high-end private club that ordinary people could not enter.

Wang Yan had seen plenty of the world by now. This sort of thing was nothing special to him.

Someone was waiting for him at the entrance. After he gave his name, Wang Yan was led to a luxuriously decorated, somewhat dim room.

The owner of the club—and the person who had invited him—was Wei Zhijie, the bastard who had ultimately forced Wang Manni back to Shanghai in the drama. When Wei Zhijie saw him enter, he stood up to welcome him.

Wang Yan walked over with a hearty smile and greeted him. "President Wei, long time no see. Sit down, sit down. There's no need to be so polite. What did you want to see me about?"

"Haha, President Wang, sit, sit. That's not right. Can't I chat with you when there's nothing going on?"

"Of course you can. Talking with President Wei always puts me in a good mood."

This old fellow had been the first Grand Fortune to come knocking when Wang Yan had just begun making a name for himself, hoping to get rich. He had to admit that the bastard had a good eye. Wei Zhijie had all kinds of professionals under him, and his own abilities were not lacking either. He could even be called top-notch, or he would never have built such a huge fortune.

But when it came to grasping the international situation, understanding his old European and American rivals, personal cultivation, overall vision, and knowledge of the future, Wei Zhijie still fell far short of Wang.

When he had sought Wang Yan out, he had been extremely courteous. People like him were always willing to put aside their dignity for someone capable of making a fortune. Wang Yan had found his attitude acceptable, and since he was willing to send money, Wang Yan had let him climb aboard.

Over such a long time, he had made quite a lot of money following Wang Yan.

Once they sat down, the two exchanged all kinds of pleasantries and compliments. They were truly evenly matched, two skilled players meeting each other.

After chatting for a long while, Wei Zhijie could not hold back any longer. Everyone was busy—why waste so much time bragging?

He took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and said, "To be honest, President Wang, I really do have something to discuss with you."

Wang Yan understood. Who would invite a man over for idle chatter without a reason?

He gestured for Wei Zhijie to continue.

"Here's the situation. Someone asked me to plead their case and act as a mediator. They want you to show some mercy. Enemies should resolve their grievances rather than deepen them. Let's shake hands and make peace. You name the conditions."

After hearing this, Wang Yan understood immediately. It was obvious who it was. Since coming to this world, he had only dealt with Old Liang's Family.

It was not strange that they had found out he was the mastermind. As long as something was done, traces would remain no matter how well it was concealed. It was perfectly normal for the Liang family to investigate and find him.

Once they had identified him, finding someone they both knew who possessed some influence was even more natural.

Wang Yan asked, "The Liang family suffered such heavy losses. Instead of trying to kill me, they asked you to mediate?"

He had recently been busy handling his previous affairs and had not paid special attention to what was happening with the Liang family.

To him, the sense of accomplishment from being the mastermind behind the scenes had lasted only that one moment. Afterward, it was over. The Liang family was merely meat on a chopping block. The moment he acted, their fate had been sealed.

More than half a month had passed. The Liang family had struggled on, and their exhaustion was now obvious. They were almost unable to hold on. Of course, "almost" still meant it would take some time. It was not as if they would vanish instantly.

After the truth was finally investigated, Old Master Liang had nearly died of anger. Because of one woman, and because he wanted to show off, someone had nearly destroyed the Liang family?

Naturally, he had also cursed Wang Yan's head off. Was such a minor matter worth making such a fuss over? Did it really have to become a fight to the death?

That was only from his own standpoint. He had never considered what had happened to the people Liang Zhengxian had tormented before. Those bastards had brought it on themselves. If they had not rushed to compete for a woman's affections, they would have gotten away with a little punishment. Had they not knelt plenty of times in their daily lives anyway? What was wrong with enduring it? They had insisted on flaunting their status, and after showing off, they still could not beat the other man. Who could they blame?

A lifetime of illustrious reputation had been ruined overnight. Old Master Liang had suddenly felt young again, raising his cane and beating Liang Zhengxian nearly to death before driving him out of the family.

That had happened yesterday. His subordinate had specifically reported it, so Wang Yan knew.

Wei Zhijie said, "President Wang, the thing is, the Liang family..."

He told Wang Yan about some things he had not managed to uncover, emphasizing that the family still had deep reserves. Although this time Wang Yan had crippled them and damaged them to the core, if he stopped, they could still recover and rise again.

Wang Yan fell into thought after listening. The grudge had already been formed. If one struck a snake without killing it, one would suffer its retaliation. Even assuming the best, if the Liang family did not come after him once they recovered, Liang Zhengxian would still be a son of Old Liang's Family. They would not watch him starve. In the end, that would still be a loss of face for them.

Then what was the point of all his effort? Was it only for the money he had scraped up so far and the Liang family's compensation? What about the future grudges and endless retaliation? Wouldn't that make him a fool?

Bringing them down would give him even more. Crushing them completely meant he would not have to worry about revenge. What could be better?

Besides, Wei Zhijie might not have told him everything just now, but what did it matter? Hadn't they already been beaten to the verge of ruin?

"President Wei, let me put it this way. This time, I wasn't operating with only my own money. I don't have that much."

As he spoke, Wang Yan raised one finger. "For now, the money you've earned through me amounts to this much."

Wei Zhijie's eyes widened abruptly. That was all real cash.

Wang Yan continued, "If the Liang family is brought down, and we include what you just mentioned..."

Wei Zhijie could do the rest of the math. He knew how much money he had with Wang Yan, and he instantly arrived at a rough figure.

His face immediately blossomed into a smile. He did not mention mediating again. Instead, he stood up and said, "Haha, President Wang. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Come on, come on. I've got a new master chef. His skills are incredible. Give him some pointers and help him improve."

Perhaps their wealth differed, but when it came to status and ability, Wang Yan was unquestionably qualified. They were players of the same caliber, so Wei Zhijie was not afraid of embarrassing himself in front of him.

He simply gave Wang Yan no chance to speak.

He pulled Wang Yan along as he said, "I know you especially enjoy baijiu. Isn't it a coincidence? I happened to get a bottle of fifty-year-aged liquor a couple of days ago. I've been saving it specifically for you to taste."

Wang Yan was too lazy to say anything about Wei Zhijie's behavior. In the drama, the man looked respectable and dignified, wearing a deadpan expression as he showed off his superiority. He acted as if he were something special. In reality, his true face was ugly, with plenty of tricks behind the scenes and a truly black heart.

The two of them then ate, drank, and muttered nonsense for quite a while.

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