The Zhao family, claiming descent from a Qing dynasty scholar-official, fled abroad before the liberation, taking their wealth with them, believing foreign lands to be a war-free paradise. They spent a fortune to board a ship with their entire household, only to be stunned upon arrival.
True, there was no war abroad, but there was discrimination.
Their status as former Qing scholars meant nothing overseas. With a weak nation behind them, yellow-skinned people were mocked as “yellow monkeys” for years.
The Zhao family’s wealth dwindled rapidly. They opened a restaurant in Chinatown and later a laundry shop. At their lowest, the whole family, young and old, had to pitch in, shedding all traces of their scholarly airs. Up to this point, their struggles were typical for the era.
Surprisingly, Wen Ying admired the Zhao family’s ability to rise again from laundry shop owners.
But Xie Qian’s expression turned odd. “The Zhao family’s comeback relied on marriage.”
Though fallen, the Zhao family invested in educating their children. Zhao Dong’s aunt, for instance, attended a prestigious university, where she met a wealthy boyfriend who genuinely cared for her and proposed after graduation.
His family objected. They were prominent locally, while Zhao Dong’s aunt was merely a laundry shop owner’s daughter, attending university on loans.
“Later, Zhao Dong’s aunt did marry into the family—not to her university boyfriend, but to his father.”
Xie Qian paused, noting Wen Ying’s eyes widen in shock.
Such a move was indeed unexpected.
The original mismatch in family background seemed to vanish with the vast age gap. A young woman marrying a man old enough to be her father faced fewer scrutiny about her origins.
Even bolder moves followed. After soaring through her marriage, Zhao Dong’s aunt realised marriage could elevate the Zhao family’s status. Using connections from her new status, she found a powerful backer for her brother—Zhao Dong’s father.
Through his sister’s matchmaking, Zhao Dong’s father met a wealthy Malaysian woman settled in the U.S. He spent years by her side, and with her financial support, he built a business. The Zhao family finally left Chinatown, and Zhao Dong and his sister lived affluently.
When Zhao Dong’s father “befriended” the Malaysian woman, Zhao Dong was already a few years old. After attaching himself to her, Zhao Dong’s father swiftly divorced his wife, abandoning his son to focus on the wealthy woman.
The woman, being older, never married Zhao Dong’s father. When Zhao Dong was a teenager, she passed away. His father quickly reconciled with his ex-wife and had Zhao Xi. Among the siblings, Zhao Xi was truly born into wealth, while Zhao Dong had known hardship. His aunt and father’s use of “marriage” as a springboard undoubtedly shaped Zhao Dong’s worldview. The Zhao family was now rich, but the void in Zhao Dong’s heart remained unfulfilled.
No money, no worth.
No money, low status.
To make money, any means were justified.
These were likely Zhao Dong’s mottos.
Wen Ying’s eyes nearly popped out!
She realised Zhao Dong was pushing Zhao Xi to “befriend” Xie Qian. In Zhao Dong’s eyes, Xie Qian was like the boyfriend’s father his aunt married or the Malaysian woman his father latched onto—a goldmine the Zhao family needed to thrive. Truly a family tradition—how delusional!
With Xie Qian’s looks, he should be the one sitting back, waiting for others to offer him riches. Yet Zhao Dong, that scumbag, wanted both Xie Qian’s affection and his money.
What nerve!
Did he ever look in the mirror to see if he was worthy?
Wen Ying felt an urge to roll up her sleeves and punch someone.
Seeing her glare and flushed face, Xie Qian knew she was furious, though he wasn’t sure why.
At times like this, Xie Qian found girls’ thoughts hard to fathom.
What was there to be angry about with the Zhao family?
Just then, morning self-study ended, and they no longer needed to pass notes. Xie Qian asked why she was upset. Wen Ying took two deep breaths, “Nothing. Keep going. After the Zhao family’s rise, isn’t it Zhao Dong’s turn?”
Xie Qian nodded, “Nothing surprising. Zhao Dong likely drew inspiration from his aunt and father, but with bigger ambitions. He targeted a senator’s daughter. When her family dug into the Zhao family’s past, they used some influence to drive Zhao Dong out of the U.S.”
Zhao Dong’s aunt and father succeeded, and the Zhao family regained wealth in the U.S., believing they’d re-entered high society. When Zhao Dong sought marriage, he dismissed older wealthy women, aiming for a young, beautiful, educated heiress.
But the heiress’s politician father was ruthless. Learning of the Zhao family’s history, he expelled Zhao Dong from the U.S., leaving no room for recovery.
The Zhao family thought they’d secured their place abroad, but this tore off their facade.
Their return to China wasn’t a triumphant homecoming but a retreat to safety.
Of course, outsiders didn’t know this. Back in Rongcheng, Zhao Dong passed as an elite returnee, easily fooling newly wealthy locals.
“Is your information reliable?” Wen Ying asked.
“The Zhao family’s story has circulated in Chinese circles. My cousin-in-law didn’t know before, which is why he was close to Zhao Dong. It’s easy to verify with some effort,” Xie Qian replied.
Now, Jiang Youjia felt humiliated in front of his wife, Lin Lin, and Xie Qian. Lin Lin despised his poor choice of friends. The Jiang family were cultured, so what was Zhao Dong? A family that climbed through marriage, willing to forgo even marriage for enough money, as Zhao Dong’s father proved with the Malaysian woman.
The thought of Zhao Dong targeting Xie Qian made Lin Lin sick!
Wen Ying frowned, “How is this good news?”
She’d hoped to uncover Zhao Dong’s enemies.
The enemy of an enemy is a friend, after all.
But the Zhao family’s reason for returning was so disgraceful.
As long as Zhao Dong stayed out of the U.S. and the senator’s sight, they wouldn’t bother with him.
Xie Qian looked at her oddly, “Of course it’s good news. Knowing the Zhao family’s methods and that Zhao Dong has no bigger backers abroad means his funding and credentials depend on domestic resources. Isn’t that great?”
With no foreign support, there was less to fear from Zhao Dong.
Having lost his foothold abroad, Zhao Dong had to develop in China for years, unable to make a mess and flee. This constrained his actions.
That’s why, when Shu Guobing was arrested and Shu Lu’s mother and daughter were sent back to their hometown, Zhao Dong made no move.
Huh, thinking this way, it was indeed great news.
Wen Ying immediately smiled, giving Xie Qian a thumbs-up.
“I’ve noticed you’re really good at comforting people now. Framed like that, it’s definitely great news!”
Don’t fear enemies; fear unknown ones that breed a sense of defeat. Knowing an enemy’s position and strength means there’s always a way to win.
Xie Qian was taken aback by Wen Ying’s words.
It wasn’t that he’d become better at comforting, but his perspective had shifted. He now looked for positives first, finding advantages even in bad situations. This mindset made any challenge surmountable.
He hadn’t always been like this.
Before, he wanted to take his mother, Zou Weijun, away from the Xie family but hadn’t planned the steps, not realising he couldn’t do it alone—Zou Weijun had to change herself.
Now, Xie Qian had clearer steps to leave the Xie family and help his mother recover from her failed marriage.
All these changes stemmed from the person before him. Xie Qian tilted his head slightly, “Don’t worry about Zhao Dong. I’ll find a way to neutralise his threat.”
Zhao Dong was an external issue. The real conflict was within the Xie family, between Xie Qian and Xie Jinghu. Without their rift, Zhao Dong’s schemes would be powerless.
Hearing this, Wen Ying grew worried.
Xie Qian was so clever—how did he lose in his past life?
A tragic fate lurked behind layers of fog, its fangs ready to strike Xie Qian fatally, making Wen Ying tremble with fear.
“Wait a bit, don’t rush. You can’t be hasty with someone like Zhao Dong. You need evidence.”
So far, Zhao Dong hadn’t done anything concrete to harm Xie Qian, only circling and probing. His actions were distasteful, but to others, he was just a businessman eager to curry favour with Xie Qian and climb the Xie family’s ladder. Xie Qian’s uncle had likely seen plenty of such people and might not take Zhao Dong seriously.
Worse, Xie Jinghu might defend Zhao Dong, legitimising their dealings, making it harder for Xie Qian’s uncle to intervene.
Except for reborn souls like Wen Ying, certain of the Xie family’s internal conflicts leading to Xie Qian’s tragedy, even someone as wise as Xie Qian’s uncle couldn’t predict the future.
…
While Xie Qian was uncovering Zhao Dong’s past in Rongcheng, Xie Jinghu was doing the same in Beijing.
The Zhao family’s rise was too unsavoury for Xie Jinghu to take seriously.
But the world isn’t black-and-white, and people scorn poverty, not vice. The Zhao family’s ability to climb through “marriage” was their own skill. Zhao Dong’s audacity in pursuing a senator’s daughter, nearly reaching engagement, showed that if he’d succeeded, the Zhao family might have truly entered U.S. high society.
Xie Jinghu had almost forgotten Zhao Dong, but his youngest daughter’s frequent transoceanic calls, crying about missing him, kept him tethered.
He wanted to fulfil his fatherly duties abroad but ached over the 2% of shares he’d transferred to Xie Qian.
At this sensitive time, if Xie Yuping caught him, it wouldn’t be settled with just 2% of shares.
Xie Jinghu was constrained, while Xie Qian thrived in Rongcheng. Zou Weijun, who’d been suicidal as “Mrs. Xie III” in Beijing, seemed miraculously healed in Rongcheng, even taking a job, showing no signs of depression.
Xie Jinghu couldn’t help but suspect Zou Weijun was doing this deliberately to torment him.
Was her happiness tied to his misery?
Xie Jinghu couldn’t give shares to his son and daughter abroad but wanted to offer other assurances. Though Zhao Dong was expelled from the U.S., the Zhao family still had some assets there.
Entrusting this to Zhao Dong would likely be discreet.
