Chapter 38

Zhang Muyang sighed, took off his thin plastic gloves, and stroked Zhang Xianyang's head. "Relax. No matter what happens, your brother and Dad will protect you. As long as the Old District Zhang Family exists, we won't let anyone bully you."

Wasn't that true? As long as the Old District Zhang Family existed, nothing would happen to Zhang Xianyang. But Zhang Xianyang had been stupid and foolish, had acknowledged a thief as his father, and had revealed the Old Zhang Family's greatest secret, causing everyone to lose their homes and families. Yet he had died meekly without even avenging them. If everyone learned the truth, they would surely never forgive him.

He, Zhang Xianyang, was actually the only coward in the Zhang Family.

Seeing his younger brother look so aggrieved he was about to cry over a single sentence, Zhang Muyang felt even more helpless. He did not know about the mess from Zhang Xianyang's previous life that lingered in his memories, but he had noticed the Li Family's influence on him. Zhang Muyang was not entirely comfortable with it. The Li Family's influence on Zhang Xianyang was simply too great. It had to be said that perhaps this truly was the nature of blood ties. But no matter what, the Zhang Family could not allow that influence to continue. The more influence there was, the more it showed that he cared. And whether that concern came from hatred or affection, neither was something Zhang Muyang wanted to see.

What he wanted to see was for the Li Family to have no meaning whatsoever to Zhang Xianyang, no influence at all. They should be like passersby on the street who walked right past him—visible, yet incapable of stirring anything in his heart.

With that thought, Zhang Muyang immediately dismissed the idea of persuading his father to drive the Li Family out of the Old District. For now, though, his plans could not yet be carried out. The only thing the Zhang Family's eldest brother, who had always spoiled his younger brother, could do was get up, sit beside Zhang Xianyang, and gently pat his shoulder as he comforted him. "Didn't you just ask what kind of girl Big Brother likes? Big Brother likes girls as pretty as Yangyang, gentle and considerate, willing to help out, able to act cute and make money. Most importantly, she has to be good to Yangyang. Big Brother's girlfriend must get Yangyang's approval. It only counts if Yangyang likes her. What do you think?"

Focused entirely on cheering his brother up, Zhang Muyang did not notice that although he was trying to comfort him, the example he had given was clearly inappropriate and biased. Subconsciously, he had inserted his brother's image and feelings into it. But the Zhang Family's eldest brother, who had spent more than twenty years with his eyes fixed on Yangyang, did not notice anything strange about himself. He had never considered getting a girlfriend before Yangyang started his own family, just as their father had never remarried after their mother passed away. Zhang Muyang classified all this as a brother's responsibility toward his younger brother. He also never considered what it meant that he worried about and cared for Zhang Xianyang far more than Zhang Xiyang. In any case, everyone of the Old Zhang Family's generation doted on this younger brother who was not biologically related to them but had still lived with them for so many years. Habit had become second nature, and Zhang Muyang had never thought there was anything wrong with his behavior.

Just as Zhang Muyang was racking his brains to cheer Zhang Xianyang up, Feng Sanxian came out of the kitchen carrying seafood congee and vegetable congee. Seeing the two brothers sitting shoulder to shoulder, Feng Sanxian noticed that Zhang Muyang's features looked much gentler than usual as he spoke softly to comfort his brother. Used to the sight, Feng Sanxian smiled. "Young Master and Third Young Master really are close. You're even closer than the young couples who often come to eat at our shop!"

Hearing that, Feng Xiaobao hurriedly called out, afraid the Zhang brothers would be unhappy. "Dad, what are you talking about?"

Zhang Muyang waved a hand, unconcerned. "Couples may only be together for three to five years. Yangyang and I have lived together for nearly twenty years. It's only natural that we're closer than them."

Everyone felt that Zhang Muyang's words made sense. Still, they vaguely felt there was something inappropriate about them, though they could not think of what it was for the moment. Feng Sanxian set the congee on the table and rubbed his hands together with a smile. "Sorry to keep Young Master and Third Young Master waiting."

Having calmed down, Zhang Xianyang had put the troublesome Li Family aside under his brother's coaxing. He reached for the vegetable congee, ready to eat, but Zhang Muyang stopped him.

Zhang Muyang served Zhang Xianyang a bowl of seafood congee, poured the peeled shrimp and ribbonfish meat into it, and stirred it a few times. He pushed the bowl in front of Zhang Xianyang with a smile. "Eat this first."

Then he brought the vegetable congee before himself, picked up his chopsticks, and carefully removed the bright red strips of carrot from it. This was another of Zhang Xianyang's bad habits: he ate vegetable congee but did not like carrots.

Watching Zhang Muyang patiently go to all that trouble, everyone in Feng's Congee Shop silently shook their heads. They had been seeing this scene for more than a decade. The Zhang Family's eldest son treated his younger brother better than most people treated their wives. Still, it was someone else's business, so there was nothing they could say.

While focused on eating his congee, Zhang Xianyang looked at the idle workers and owner in the shop and said, "Uncle Feng, your congee is so good. Have you ever considered opening a chain of congee shops?"

Feng Sanxian shook his head with a bitter smile. "Third Young Master, you're joking. It would already be good enough if this little shop of mine could keep us fed. How could I dare dream of opening a chain? Besides, not many people eat congee these days."

"That's not necessarily true. I think delicious food will always be popular." Zhang Xianyang thought for a moment before continuing, "The Feng Family Porridge Shop has three problems right now. First, the location is not very good. This is the Old Zhang Family's territory, so naturally outsiders do not come here. The foot traffic is poor, and Uncle Feng's business is affected. Second, only Uncle Feng can cook this congee. No one else can reproduce his flavor, so supply is naturally limited. Third, congee takes too long to cook. Young people accustomed to a fast-paced life definitely won't want to spend more than an hour waiting for a bowl of congee... So for all those reasons, even though Uncle Feng's congee really is good, it does not sell very well."

As Zhang Xianyang spoke, Feng Sanxian nodded repeatedly. Once he finished, Feng Sanxian excitedly grabbed the hand holding Zhang Xianyang's spoon as if he had met a kindred spirit. "Third Young Master, you're absolutely right. No wonder everyone says you're the best at business. What do you think I should do with this congee shop?"

Zhang Xianyang picked up a napkin from the table, wiped his mouth, and said seriously, "Uncle Feng, what would you think if I provided the money, location, and staff, while you invested your congee recipe and techniques as your share? The two of us could open a congee shop together."

Feng Sanxian hesitated instinctively. Zhang Xianyang's proposal was something he had never considered. It was not that he feared Zhang Xianyang had ulterior motives. The monthly sales of one of his clothing factories were more money than Feng Sanxian could earn in a lifetime. Besides, with the Zhang Family's reputation behind him, Zhang Xianyang would not do anything too outrageous. But for an ordinary citizen to work with someone from the underworld... Feng Sanxian could not help feeling nervous. Furthermore, the congee shop had been passed down through the Feng Family for generations. Being asked to exchange the secret recipe for money made him uncomfortable. It felt as though he were betraying his ancestors' livelihood.

Zhang Xianyang did not mind when he saw his reaction. The idea had only occurred to him on the spur of the moment. Whether it would work still depended on having Brain AI prepare an analysis report after he returned. He simply felt that Feng Sanxian's congee business was genuinely good, and it would be a pity for it to close down like this. Besides, once the shop was established, he could hire some laid-off middle-aged women to work there, which would also answer the city's call to ease the burden on the state. For the Old Zhang Family, which was committed to legitimizing its businesses, it would also be a good selling point.

With that in mind, Zhang Xianyang smiled at Feng Sanxian. "I was only saying it casually, Uncle Feng. Think it over. If you're willing, let me know. If not, just pretend I never mentioned it."

When Feng Sanxian heard that, he instead hurriedly asked, "Third Young Master, be honest with me. Do you truly want to get into the congee business, or do you just want to help old Feng out?"

That was certainly a nice way to put it. Zhang Xianyang smiled. "It isn't solely for any one person. I really have been thinking of opening a breakfast shop. Meeting Uncle Feng is simply an unexpected delight."

In truth, Zhang Xianyang merely wanted to add a few more respectable businesses under his name, such as restaurants with simpler social connections, kindergartens, nursing homes, several schools, or a hospital with high-end medical equipment... He had even considered opening a drug rehabilitation center. Once the Old Zhang Family earned a respectable and positive reputation, they could make plans for other matters later.

After all, the Old Zhang Family's main business had always been arms dealing. They did not lack this little bit of money.

Feng Sanxian's expression shifted as he considered it for a long time. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Old Feng has a presumptuous request. If Third Young Master can agree to let old Feng serve as the head chef in the kitchen, rather than making me a shareholder with shares but no management authority—"

Zhang Xianyang cut him off directly. "Naturally. I believe that with Uncle Feng's experience and character, the breakfast shop will definitely make more and more money under your leadership."

38

Chapter 38

Zhang Xianyang had merely gone downstairs to have a bowl of congee at the shop, yet by the time he came back, he had obtained the Feng Family's ancestral secret congee recipe and was planning to partner with them to open a breakfast shop centered on congee and assorted side dishes. When word reached Zhang Linmo's ears, he could not help but smile.

His son was not particularly skilled in the ways of the underworld, but he did enjoy thinking about ways to make money. That was not a bad thing. As the national system became increasingly complete, the Old Zhang Family's armed forces had reached a bottleneck in their development. Faced with increasingly powerful government agencies, Zhang Linmo had faintly sensed resistance over the past two years. The days when local forces could act tyrannically and domineeringly as they pleased were gone forever. Zhang Linmo had no ambitions of ethnic separatism whatsoever, so how to build a good relationship with Yanjing and gradually guide his family's influence onto a proper and legal path had become the matter Zhang Linmo considered most recently.

In fact, Zhang Linmo had considered this in his previous life as well. So, taking advantage of Zhang Xianyang's recognition of his ancestry, Zhang Linmo had gone with the flow and placed his hopes on the Li Family and the Kyoto Zhang Family. At the time, Zhang Linmo believed that the Li Family might not be wholly sincere toward Zhang Xianyang, but even a tiger would not eat its own cub. As long as his family's power and influence over the Old District remained unchanged, the Li Family could only worship Yangyang like an ancestor. In exchange, Zhang Linmo did not mind giving the Li Family some benefits concerning the Old District. At the same time, he would gradually legitimize his own family's power and put it on a proper business track.

Unfortunately, Zhang Linmo had judged the situation correctly but misjudged people's hearts. Li Cunzhou might not have been a tiger, but the Li Family was a pack of vicious wolves. Zhang Linmo had let wolves into his home. Though built as strong as a tiger, he could not withstand the pack's assault and ten years of calculated schemes. In the end, not even his bones remained.

Unfortunately, while the mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind. Though the Li Family had painstakingly brought down the Old Zhang Family, someone who had been hiding in the shadows all along snatched the prize from them. The cooked duck had reached their mouths only to be forcibly taken away. Their own despicable actions also earned them widespread contempt. They planned step by step for ten years, only to end with nothing. Even the reputation they valued most was completely destroyed. Because of their morally bankrupt actions, the entire family was gradually excluded from high society and ultimately fell into an insignificant minor clan... That was a later matter and need not be mentioned for now.

At that moment, Zhang Linmo was discussing the construction of a tourist resort with Mayor Gu in his office. After finishing their congee, the Zhang brothers returned with a bowl of Zhang Linmo's favorite pork rib and sticky rice congee. Of course, Gu Zhaohuan, who had arrived at just the right time, also got to share a bowl. Zhang Xianyang took the opportunity while his father was eating to mention his decision to open a breakfast shop.

Hearing this, Zhang Linmo said casually, "Old Feng's congee-making skills are indeed excellent, but he is much less capable when it comes to business. He managed to run even that tiny shop of his into the ground. If you want to open a breakfast shop, I don't recommend giving him management authority."

Mayor Gu, beside him, interjected, "The city is currently promoting reemployment policies for laid-off workers. Your breakfast shop could hire more laid-off workers, and the government has preferential policies available. If you do well, we can set you up as an example. It would benefit everyone."

As he spoke, he did not forget to praise the congee. "This congee is really excellent. I think the breakfast shop business could work."

Zhang Xianyang asked curiously, "What preferential policies are there?"