Chapter 39 I Am the Proprietress Here

Liang Jiyong finished his shower in twenty minutes. Beside the dining table, Su Wanqing was holding a book.

As she looked up, her gaze met his. In an instant, a wave of affection washed over him. Liang Jiyong walked over and, before Su Wanqing could react, swept her up into his arms.

"Let's eat first..." Su Wanqing said hurriedly.

"My little brother has been starving for days!"

Liang Jiyong’s words were half-flirtatious and half-reassurance that he hadn't done anything transgressive. He delivered this white lie with such ease.

The corners of Su Wanqing’s mouth curled slightly as she reached out and patted him. "Stop saying such lewd things!"

"Fine, fine. Let me try something more refined: 'The flower path has never been swept for a guest; only today is the wicker gate opened for you.'"

Blushing deeply at the line of poetry, Su Wanqing buried her head in his chest. Breathing in the scent of his pheromones, her own suppressed desire was thoroughly ignited.

As his bathrobe was pushed aside, Su Wanqing kissed his body, seemingly unable to wait a moment longer. Once they reached the room, Liang Jiyong tossed her onto the bed, ready to pounce.

"The... protection..." Su Wanqing stopped him briefly. Liang Jiyong immediately lifted the mattress to retrieve the condom. In that moment, Su Wanqing sat up and turned on the record player.

*Für Elise* began to play.

It was almost a conditioned reflex; hearing the music, Liang Jiyong’s physical reaction intensified instantly. As the melody ebbed and flowed, he listened to Su Wanqing’s melodious voice and a thought crossed his mind: it is truly wonderful to be young. If this were twenty years from now, he mused, the indulgence of the past few days might leave him powerless when facing her—that would be the real tragedy. He resolved to keep exercising and, perhaps, ensure that Jiang Lan’s soft-shelled turtle and mushroom soup became a regular part of his diet.

His thoughts drifted to that night with Jiang Lan, then shifted to Di Yutong. His conviction wavered as his movements quickened. Su Wanqing’s voice rose, drawing his focus back to her. She let out sounds of abandonment, eyes closed, clutching the sheets as her body flushed a tempting pink. Liang Jiyong knew this was the sign that her desire had reached its peak.

He leaned down, kissing her, and whispered in her ear, "Wanqing, I love you."

Su Wanqing opened her eyes, her gaze hazy with love. "I love you too..."

The blending of spirit and flesh—neither the blue-eyed Jiang Lan nor the fiery Di Yutong could offer this perfect fusion. Su Wanqing was not just his lover; she was his soulmate.

The sweet, hearty encounter swept away all of Su Wanqing’s inner hesitation. As she caught her breath, Liang Jiyong caressed her. Women generally loved this intimacy, as men often lost interest and became "ascetic" the moment they were finished, whereas a woman’s emotions did not fade so quickly; she was still basking in the beautiful afterglow.

"Go eat, the food is getting cold again."

"No rush. Let me hold you a little longer."

"Mm." Su Wanqing stopped speaking, lying quietly in his arms.

...

The next morning, fully recharged, Liang Jiyong and Su Wanqing shared another sweet encounter before he rode his motorcycle to take her to school.

As for the car, Zhao Guangming had told him to leave it at the traffic police detachment once he went to get his license after the holiday. Since it was an official Municipal Bureau vehicle, no one would stop him on the road; he could drive it with peace of mind even without a license. Of course, that assumed his driving skills were up to par; otherwise, he would be gambling with his life. In Zhao Guangming’s eyes, however, Liang Jiyong was a steady and reliable young man who wouldn't do anything irresponsible.

The intense review sessions resumed, and Liang Jiyong and Su Wanqing returned to their state of focused study.

Liang Jiyong stopped paying attention to the affairs in Longshan. After returning, he called his second sister and told her that if she wanted to meet Chen Pusheng, she should come back for a visit soon. She agreed without hesitation, telling him to set the time and she would be ready. Knowing the vice president of the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce was an incredibly rare opportunity.

After contacting Chen Purui, they set the meeting for a week later, as Chen Pusheng’s schedule was packed. He had returned to Zhejiang province the day after meeting Chen Purui and would only be back the following week to discuss cooperation with the Hongqi Factory.

The day after classes resumed, the monthly exams began. After a month of studying, Liang Jiyong felt his grades had improved. The tests were easier than the last time, as there were fewer questions that left him scratching his head.

When results were posted on the third day, Liang Jiyong’s score wasn't particularly high: Chinese 90, Math 39, Foreign Language 61, History 70, Politics 77, Geography 55—a total of 392, ranking 81st. Zhao Bin had scored 345, also improving by 42 points, just like Liang Jiyong. Of course, Liang Jiyong’s improvement held more weight, as it is harder to climb higher once you are already near the top. Still, although Zhao Bin ranked exactly 100th, his progress earned him a desk as Liang Jiyong’s seatmate. In that classroom, having no seat meant having no dignity.

Despite the Education Bureau leadership’s orders, for the first week after the results, those at the bottom still stood during class. During this period, the second sister returned to Yunzhou, but her meeting with Chen Pusheng took place in Changjiang because he didn't have time to travel to Yunzhou.

Liang Jiyong didn't go to Changjiang to meet Chen Pusheng; he didn't see the point in asking for leave for such a thing. Meeting him wasn't a necessity. Liang Jiyong knew clearly that when it came to business acumen, he was miles behind his second sister. The abilities he displayed now were merely the result of having a "god’s-eye view" and predicting the future; when you know the outcome, correcting mistakes is simple. Thus, he let his sister handle the business, offering advice only when he saw her making obvious or fatal errors. Even then, he let her take some detours to help her improve, as she was a remarkably fast learner.

Although their father was still unhappy about her quitting her job, he knew how hard she worked—in just over a month, she had earned enough to cover the tuition for their eldest brother’s study abroad. In that sense, she hadn't been wrong. Yet, the knot in his heart remained. At least, with the mediation between him and the eldest brother, the father and daughter didn't end up in an argument.

His sister was incredibly excited, every cell in her body vibrating with passion. The stock market was full of infinite possibilities, and her strategy left Liang Jiyong stunned. Instead of soliciting funds through traditional stock speculation—which was risky and often left the manager with only a small service fee—she went to Shanxi province. She negotiated an acquisition agreement for a coal mine, claiming an investment motive. The mine’s actual value was 30 million, but she drew up two contracts: a public one stating a purchase price of 8 million, and a private one. Because mining involved an element of luck—or "gambling on the mine"—in Shanxi, where reserves were often unverified, she kept the true value hidden.

She bought the mine for 30 million but presented it as an unverified prospect worth 8 million. She then took this 8-million-yuan agreement to Lingnan to raise capital. Gambling exists in every era, and she quickly raised 10 million, which she then funneled into the stock market. By next May, when the market peaked, she would cash out, announce the mine's true 30-million-yuan value, and pay off the investors with triple profits. In reality, she would have made thirty times her investment in the market. With 10 million, she conservatively estimated she could make 270 million. She had been inspired by Liang Jiyong’s "empty-glove-white-wolf" (getting something for nothing) tactic, though her scale was far larger.

Her classmate from Shanxi, whose family owned several mines, helped her set up this scheme because she had once done him a great favor. Liang Jiyong believed that even without that connection, she would have found another way, though it might have taken longer.

After just one month, she had reached her goal, but she wasn't satisfied; she now aimed to raise 30 million. She knew, however, not to push too hard, lest she disrupt the market and invalidate Liang Jiyong’s prediction.

As for the meeting with Chen Pusheng, it went exceptionally well. Her business insights surprised him, and though they had no immediate partnership, the foundation was laid. If all went well, the stock market frenzy would net her over 800 million. Going from zero to 800 million in a year sounded like a fairy tale, but Liang Jiyong was full of confidence and anticipation.

Longshan County’s situation was dire, but Liang Jiyong didn't pay it much mind. However, he did notice that public security in Yunzhou had improved. Over the past year, the city had been chaotic due to the Red Star Factory and the State Cotton Factory, but lately, the "rainbow-haired" punks had disappeared. Those who had dyed their hair for the trend were busy washing it out, as anyone with dyed hair walking down the street would be interrogated for ages by patrol officers. In that regard, the authorities had actually done something good.

It was rumored that Wen Ming had died in the hospital from complications. Wen Chongtai had been dismissed from both his posts and was awaiting sentencing, and Wen Chongshan seemed to have resigned as chairman of the People’s Congress due to "health reasons." Yet, it seemed to end there; the Wen family had fallen, but Wang Maosheng remained as steady as a mountain. Liang Jiyong wasn't surprised—Wang Maosheng wouldn't be toppled so easily.

On Sunday, during his day off, Chen Purui invited him for tea to formally express his gratitude, mentioning that his father deeply regretted not meeting Liang Jiyong in person.

"My father said your second sister is the most incredible business genius he has ever seen!" Chen Purui said with a smile.

"I think so too," Liang Jiyong said confidently.

"But I feel you are even more formidable. I don't know if there is anything that could stump you," Chen Purui said, showing immense respect for Liang Jiyong after witnessing his extraordinary capabilities firsthand.

"Plenty. Most urgently, I need to get into university. Currently, my math is still 39, geography is failing, and I finally passed English once. I'm worried to death!"

"Hahaha, I can't help you there. My grades are average, or I wouldn't have only gotten into Yunzhou University!"

"Yunzhou University is good enough. Be content. My ultimate goal is Yunzhou U; I wouldn't dare dream of anything else."

"I look forward to you being my junior next year. At the orientation dance, I’ll introduce you to some pretty senior students!"

"No need for introductions. I already know several pretty seniors," Liang Jiyong said with a laugh.

"Oh, right—Di Yutong and Jiang Lan both count, and they are both beautiful, single seniors!"

Liang Jiyong shook his head helplessly, thinking of the two seniors he found hard to let go of yet difficult to face squarely.

"I have things to attend to, so I must go. This is from my father—he asked me to pass it to you. Thank you for saving my life."

Liang Jiyong was surprised as Chen Purui handed him a set of car keys.

"I really can't take this," Liang Jiyong declined.

"Take it. It’s just a token of appreciation. It’s a Desert Prince—not a luxury car, but it suits your style, and I think you need a vehicle. Don't brush this off as 'not a life-saving favor'; I consider it one. Let’s not haggle over it; take it, and let’s consider the matter closed. We won't mention it again."

Liang Jiyong hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. Thank you and thank your father for me."

"Good. I’m off. I ordered you a meal; I couldn't just treat you to plain tea. Enjoy. Bye!" Chen Purui waved and left.

He was actually quite hungry. The kid had a conscience after all; otherwise, inviting him to tea at noon without even a snack would have been quite rude.

A Desert Prince! Liang Jiyong had forgotten what they looked like, but it was certainly a decent car for this era—a sturdy, rugged off-roader.

"Knock, knock."

"Come in."

A waitress in a cyan *qipao* embroidered with clouds and blue birds entered. The lines of the dress were soft and natural. Liang Jiyong watched as she smiled and set down a clay pot, three small dishes, and a bowl of rice. Then, she sat down across from him, her blue eyes fixed on him.

"Sir, I’m afraid there’s no delicious food to be found on my face."

Liang Jiyong chuckled. "I thought Purui’s expression was odd when he left. So, he was playing a prank! Is this part of a work-study program? This Yalanju place must be doing great business."

"It’s not work-study. I own half the shares of this shop. I’m the landlady here."

"Oh? And who is the boss?" Liang Jiyong picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of bamboo shoot.

"If you wanted to be, you could be the boss. But I know I don't have that luck," Jiang Lan said, her expression slightly forlorn.

Liang Jiyong felt his mouth was too reckless—why bring that up?

"Did this shop just open?" he noticed it was a new establishment.

"Yes, our first day. The front is for tea, with snacks and medicinal cuisine. The back is private. So far, you and Chen Purui are the only two guests."

"Yalanju," Liang Jiyong couldn't help but smile.

"Xiao Ya is very lucky. Although Chen Purui isn't a man you can entrust your whole life to, he is at least responsible. He put up 70% of the capital, I put up 30%, and I manage it. Xiao Ya and I each hold 50% of the shares. Once she gets the hang of it, I'll leave the management to her."

Liang Jiyong knew Xiao Ya was one of the girls who had toasted Chen Purui that day. Both were beautiful, but Chen Purui had chosen Xiao Ya. In that sense, he was a traditionally "good" man; a slightly worse man wouldn't have made a choice at all. This place would be the property he left for her, ensuring she would never have to worry about food or clothing.

Jiang Lan served him a bowl of soup. The familiar smell made him recall that night—he had drunk three bowls, and it was potent! Jiang Lan’s face turned red; she seemed to be thinking of the same thing.

"This dress is beautiful. Did you make it recently, or was it an old design?"

"I just finished a batch. I think this one is the most beautiful."

"Mm, it suits you. Whether something is beautiful or not depends on who is wearing it."

"Thank you, you have a good eye."

Jiang Lan handed him the bowl. Liang Jiyong took it but hesitated to drink—if he drank it, trouble would follow!

"The turtle the other day was thirty years old. This one is ten at most. It’s not that potent," Jiang Lan said, looking down. A piece of okra sat by her mouth, but she didn't eat it.

"Haha, is this a case of 'once bitten, twice shy'?" Liang Jiyong took a spoonful. The taste was about the same; whether it was ten or thirty years, the flavor shouldn't differ much.

"Who is the snake?" Jiang Lan pouted, acting like a young girl.

"You’re not a snake. You’re a succubus—a man-eating succubus!" Liang Jiyong seemed to have completely relaxed.

Jiang Lan didn't speak, instead serving him rice. She asked about the garment factory and Red Leaf Villa, both of which seemed to be progressing as expected.

"Zhao Qiao has taken over as the police chief of Longshan County and has been appointed as deputy county magistrate. If it weren't for his lack of seniority, he would have likely become a high-level official in the political and legal department. He’s only thirty this year," Jiang Lan remarked.

"Oh, that’s normal," Liang Jiyong wasn't surprised. As Zhao Guangming’s nephew, it was his turn.

"The current leaders in Longshan are all very young. You should know the county secretary. Guess who it is!"