Invitation

The next day at work, as expected, Xia Banxia did not see Zhao Yiming coming to the company to pester her again. Instead, several acquaintances called her one after another, all with much the same news: Zhao Yiming had been fired from the company for demanding kickbacks.

Hearing this, Xia Banxia was overjoyed. With such a stain on his record, Zhao Yiming could no longer hope to enter any state-owned enterprise or public institution. His friends had all learned of his true character—no one would sincerely associate with him anymore, except perhaps for appearances’ sake.

Having dealt with Zhao Yiming, Xiao Yao paid him no further mind and continued to stay at home each day, absorbing and integrating Pan Wu’s memories.

Cheng Mo’s transfer had yet to arrive, but an unexpected invitation did.

Housekeeper Luo handed Xiao Yao an opulent-looking invitation card and said, “Chairman Tang of the Tianhui Group has invited you to dinner tomorrow evening at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. After speaking with me on the phone, he sent a formal invitation as well. Would you like to accept?”

“Grandpa Zhao seldom spoke of old friends. Chairman Tang is one of the few he mentioned. This very siheyuan was half-sold, half-gifted to us by him. Such a formal invitation—of course I must attend. Call and let him know I’ll be there on time.”

It seemed the Tang family still paid close attention to Old Master Zhao. The news of his passing hadn’t been made public, yet Tang Zhengshan had personally arranged this dinner, which meant he had already investigated the recent events thoroughly.

The Tang family had been among Old Master Zhao’s key connections in China. Maintaining this relationship was still necessary for Xiao Yao. When Old Master Zhao lived in France, he was unknown among ordinary people, but the true elite had some understanding of his enigmatic abilities.

The Tang family first connected with Old Master Zhao in the 1980s, when Tang Zhengshan’s father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Thanks to Old Master Zhao’s help, he made a miraculous recovery and lived to the age of 105, passing away only two years prior.

After Old Master Zhao returned from France to live in China, the Tang family supported him in many aspects of life, both openly and behind the scenes.

Old Master Zhao valued this connection, too. With the Tang family’s backing, many matters became significantly easier.

Over the years, the relationship between the Tangs and Old Master Zhao remained strong. For Old Master Zhao, the Tang family was a convenience—useful when needed, but not vital. For Xiao Yao, however, such a connection was invaluable. Having just graduated from university, he had almost no social network, let alone access to such elite circles. Now, having inherited everything from Pan Wu, he was no longer ordinary; given time, he might even stand above all others. Still, humans are social creatures. Living in society, no one stands truly alone. For him, this top-tier connection was exactly what he needed.

Though the patriarch of the Tang family had passed away two years ago, the second generation remained active in both political and business arenas.

Tang Zhengshan, who had interacted most with Old Master Zhao, now led Tianhui Group—a massive conglomerate with interests in mining, real estate, heavy industry, shipbuilding, financial investment, pharmaceuticals, network technology, and more. Any one of its subsidiaries would be a giant enterprise in its own right.

To command such a colossal group, Tang Zhengshan’s influence was self-evident.

Housekeeper Lu called while Tang Zhengshan was discussing work with his son Tang Tianhao in the office.

Once the call ended, Tang Tianhao asked, “Dad, is it really necessary to treat him with such courtesy? Since this is our first meeting, wouldn’t it be enough if I went alone?”

“You’ve matured over these past years, and you’ve made progress, but you still haven’t shed all your arrogance. Do you not understand what kind of figure Old Master Zhao was?”

Tang Zhengshan seized the opportunity to instruct him. “Even if his heir is just an ordinary person, our family must show him the highest respect. Setting aside past favors, just from an interest perspective—who can say how many treasures Old Master Zhao held? Any one of them might save a life. Xiao Yao is his sole heir. If anything remains, it must now be in his hands.”

A glint of greed flashed across Tang Tianhao’s face. “If Xiao Yao is just an ordinary man, do you think that once I befriend him, I might be able to coax a treasure or two from him?”

“We must certainly befriend him. When true friendship is established, if our family faces hardship, would he refuse to help? That’s the wise path. Scheming with ulterior motives is a last resort, to be used only when all else fails, and best avoided.”

Tang Tianhao chuckled. “Who knows how many life-saving treasures that Xiao Yao might have? What if he has ten or eight, or even more? Wouldn’t you be envious?”

“I am, but I won’t lose my reason,” Tang Zhengshan replied. “Old Master Zhao was like a sage; he understood the dangers of possessing rare treasures. Either he didn’t pass on the most valuable items, or Xiao Yao has the means to protect himself. Trying to seize things from him through cunning or force is doomed to fail—and might even bring retribution.”

“How long did Xiao Yao even spend with Old Master Zhao? Just a few days—he’s nothing but a lucky boy. Aren’t you overthinking this?” Tang Tianhao was unconvinced by his father’s analysis.

Nonetheless, Tang Zhengshan was quite satisfied with his son—mature, steady, and capable, though still too eager for quick results and not cautious enough. More experience would do him good.

“When it comes to Old Master Zhao, one can never be too careful. Our family spent over thirty years building this relationship. We mustn’t destroy it through carelessness or greed. What kind of person is Xiao Yao, truly? We’ll have a better sense after tomorrow’s meeting. Until then, we owe him full respect and courtesy,” Tang Zhengshan said, his tone growing stern.

“That, I agree with. Whether Xiao Yao inherited Old Master Zhao’s treasures or even a fraction of his abilities, we’ll know tomorrow. Don’t worry—until I’ve sized him up, I won’t treat him lightly. If he’s truly capable, even if he’s only inherited a little, I’ll show him the same respect I gave to Old Master Zhao.”