Film and TV: Starting from childhood, I will give up Zhong Yi

Chapter 322 Don't Hide on the Balcony Anymore (Please Subscribe!)
Daisy and Wang Yong were chatting enthusiastically when footsteps suddenly came from the stairs. Jiang Pengfei stepped up the stairs first and went up to the second floor.

She had always looked down on her brother-in-law, who was lazy, addicted to stock trading, and a spendthrift who sponged off his parents. But when she saw a young man following behind him, she raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

Lin Yuan's gaze also fell on the gaunt, thin woman with short hair in a black dress. Her eyes held a hint of scrutiny as she looked at him, and she exuded an aloof air, a quality ingrained from her European upbringing, mixed with a nonchalant, bourgeois air. He thought to himself, "This must be Jiang Nansun's aunt, Daisy."

If Lin Yuan doesn't punish this woman severely in bed and curb her arrogance, then his trip will have been in vain.

Daisy turned to Daiyin, who was lagging behind, and said in a friendly tone, "Sister, you're here."

Dai Yin smiled faintly and responded.

Jiang Pengfei introduced with a smile: "Let me introduce you. This is Lin Yuan from Linxi Venture Capital, and this is my Nan Sun's aunt."

Although Lin Yuan didn't have any good feelings towards Daisy, he remained outwardly calm, simply nodding slightly, his attitude neither too close nor too distant, conveying politeness.

Daisy didn't pay much attention, and nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips. She had met many wealthy businessmen, and Lin Yuan's noble demeanor was quite ordinary in her eyes. Then she briefly introduced Wang Yongzheng, who was standing next to her, to her sister and brother-in-law.

“My friend’s child, Wang Yongzheng, went to the same school as Nan Sun and is now a teaching assistant in the architecture department.”

Wang Yongzheng had a dark, wheat-colored complexion, a square face, and a roguish grin.

Jiang Pengfei nodded indifferently. With Lin Yuan's excellent performance as an example, he naturally couldn't muster much enthusiasm for Wang Yongzheng.

Lin Yuan didn't care at all. He just blinked slightly but didn't say anything. He had no intention of talking to Wang Yongzheng.

After a moment of silence in the living room, Daisy said to everyone, "I'm going out to buy some things. Please sit down and rest for a while."

“I’ll go with you,” Dai Yin immediately replied. She was already standing at the top of the stairs, so she took this opportunity to have a private chat with her sister.

Lin Yuan watched the two figures disappear into the distance, finding it amusing.

Coincidentally, the people he disliked the most in this show all gathered together today.

Wang Yongzheng is hypocritical, narcissistic, boastful, and mean-spirited.

He would call it hypocrisy when others were polite to him, and rudeness when others were cold to him. He could always find fault with someone, and he especially loved to speak ill of Zhang Anren in front of the Chiang family, belittling Zhang Anren to the point of worthlessness in order to show off his own talent and ability. To put it bluntly, he had no upbringing or manners.

Daisy is cold-hearted and indifferent. Knowing full well that Jiang Nansun has a boyfriend, she still insists on introducing her to a playboy who frequents brothels.

Why did they have to start renovating this little villa now that Wang Yongzheng is back? Isn't this clearly giving Wang Yongzheng a chance to show off and get in touch with Jiang Nansun?
Not to mention the series of creative assists Daisy provided later.

Lin Yuan even wondered if Daisy had some grudge against Jiang Nansun, and was deliberately pushing Jiang Nansun into a fire pit.

Dai Yin felt constantly that she was being held back and restricted.

In reality, apart from being disliked because she had a daughter, Jiang Pengfei neither cheated on his wife nor committed domestic violence. Grandma Jiang never withheld her allowance, and she spent her days playing mahjong and dancing.

Such a leisurely and carefree life is what many people dream of, yet she actually complained about it.

After Jiang Pengfei committed suicide, she immediately remarried and even sent Grandma Jiang to a nursing home. She had no attachment to the Jiang family at all, as if the Jiang family had really ruined her life.

This is simply taking exquisite self-interest to the extreme.

Don't talk about being materially wealthy but spiritually empty. Only someone who's got nothing better to do would have such wild thoughts. Besides, who's stopping you from filling that spiritual void?

To use a popular phrase these days, you can't only love the Chiang family when you're enjoying the benefits.

Jiang Pengfei handed over a can of beverage and chuckled, "Lin Yuan, there's nothing in this renovated house except for this Prince Seaweed Water."

Lin Yuan took the can but didn't open it. He slowly asked, "Brother Jiang, which stocks have you been keeping an eye on lately?"

As a "beacon" in the stock market, Jiang Pengfei is someone Lin Yuan can truly avoid pitfalls from.

Sure enough, Jiang Pengfei perked up instantly at the mention of this. The fact that someone like Lin Yuan was seeking his advice on stock market issues greatly satisfied his vanity.

He immediately launched into a long speech, and Lin Yuan occasionally nodded slightly in agreement, which made him even more smug.

Unable to get a word in edgewise, Wang Yongzheng simply went to the balcony to enjoy the view.

A few minutes later, footsteps came from the stairs, accompanied by a soft voice: "Auntie! Auntie! Are you there?"

Jiang Pengfei's eyes lit up, and he stood up with a smile: "My daughter is here."

A man and a woman came into view side by side.

Jiang Nansun was wearing a white dress and white sneakers, with a beige handbag slung over her shoulder. She had delicate features, a beautiful face, and long hair that reached her waist, curving in a sizable arc in front of her chest. She looked very pure and lovely.

She looked slightly surprised to see Jiang Pengfei, especially with a handsome, unfamiliar man beside him. She naturally took Zhang Anren's arm and asked, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

“I’ve been waiting for you.” Jiang Pengfei walked around the table, took his daughter’s arm, and led her to Lin Yuan, introducing her warmly, “Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lin Yuan, the general manager of Linxi Venture Capital. Don’t let his age fool you, he’s very capable. Lin Yuan, this is my daughter, Nan Sun. Isn’t she beautiful? You’re all young people, you can get to know each other better.”

Zhang Anren's heart skipped a beat. Jiang Pengfei was actually going to introduce Jiang Nansun to another man right in front of him.

Although he felt humiliated, he did not react; he simply stood quietly to the side, holding the file folder.

Lin Yuan smiled and extended his hand: "Hello."

Suppressing his displeasure, Jiang Nansun reluctantly shook hands with Lin Yuan: "Hello."

Lin Yuan gently squeezed her hand; it was indeed smooth and soft. He then praised her, "Miss Jiang, Brother Jiang has mentioned you to me; you are indeed beautiful and charming."

Jiang Nansun withdrew his offer immediately, but was somewhat curious about the young man addressing his father as Brother Jiang. He politely replied, "Thank you."

Lin Yuan turned his gaze to Zhang Anren beside him and asked, "And who is this?"

Jiang Nansun returned to Zhang Anren's side and pulled him forward, saying, "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Zhang Anren."

"Hello, Uncle."

Zhang Anren was tall and had a gentle smile on his face.

Lin Yuan chuckled inwardly, knowing he was going to have the "Cowboy" face again, and that the film and television world would likely continue to be filled with it.

Jiang Pengfei nodded indifferently, his expression distant.

He was just thinking about introducing his daughter to Lin Yuan when, unexpectedly, his daughter brought her boyfriend along.

The most important thing right now is to pretend you don't know anything: "When did you start dating? How come I didn't know?"

Jiang Nansun said angrily, "I already told you that."

“I also told you that you should focus on your studies now. You can’t tell which people are worth getting close to, and you should stay away from shady people.”

After Jiang Pengfei finished speaking, he turned to Lin Yuan and smiled. This was the son-in-law he had always wanted.

Seeing that Lin Yuan wasn't in a hurry to leave and didn't show any displeasure on his face, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Lin Yuan must have some interest in his daughter, after all, his daughter was so beautiful.

"Dad, what are you saying?" Jiang Nansun was both angry and anxious. How could she bear to see her boyfriend being treated so badly?

Jiang Pengfei changed the subject, feigning gentleness as he said to Zhang Anren, "Little Zhang, I wasn't talking about you. What brings you here with Nansun today?"

Zhang Anren was a very patient person and did not get angry at this moment. He had a warm smile on his face: "Nan Sun said that my aunt's house is going to be converted into a bed and breakfast, which is also my specialty."

Jiang Pengfei was naturally thinking of making Zhang Anren back down as soon as possible, so as to create some opportunities for Lin Yuan and Jiang Nansun to be alone. He asked casually, "Do you have your own house?" "Yes," Zhang Anren answered readily.

Jiang Pengfei feigned surprise: "Wow, you own a house at such a young age? That's incredible."

A genuine smile spread across Zhang Anren's face. Being able to afford a house in Shanghai was indeed something to be proud of.

Jiang Pengfei pressed on, "Where is your house?"

"In Pudong."

Jiang Nansun knew that her father was a snob who loved the poor and loved the rich, so she pulled Zhang Anren and tried to leave: "Let's go out for a walk first, and give the design drawings to Auntie when she comes back."

"Hey, wait a minute." Jiang Pengfei quickly stopped him. "Let me talk to Xiao Zhang. You can take Lin Yuan out for a walk. Go ahead."

Jiang Nansun stopped in her tracks. She was not going to follow Jiang Pengfei's lead and leave her boyfriend here to stroll down the street with a complete stranger. What kind of behavior was that?

Jiang Pengfei continued to ask Zhang Anren, "Where in Pudong?"

"Sanlin".

Jiang Pengfei's expression immediately changed, and his tone was full of disdain: "The outer ring road?"

“It’s right on the outer ring road,” Zhang Anren explained.

Jiang Nansun rolled her eyes, her peripheral vision meeting Lin Yuan's upturned lips. She looked back defiantly and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

“You’re buying such a remote house. I don’t know how much time and energy you’ll waste on work and shopping in the future. My daughter has been spoiled since she was little and can’t handle this kind of hardship,” Jiang Pengfei continued to nag. “Or you could listen to your uncle and sell that house and buy a new one in the city.”

Jiang Nansun crossed her arms and retorted, "A house isn't like shoes; you can't just change it whenever you want."

Zhang Anren said earnestly, "Uncle, this is our first meeting today, so you may not know me very well. I consider myself to be one of the more hardworking and ambitious people my age. I know that Nan Sun is better than me in every way, and I will work hard towards that goal. I promise you that I will make our future happier than anyone else's."

Jiang Pengfei sneered: "Stop with the slogans, they're empty words. I want the real ones."

Lin Yuan spoke up at the right moment, his tone calm: "Brother Jiang, I can tell that Mr. Zhang's words came from the bottom of his heart, and I believe he is sincere towards Miss Jiang."

Zhang Anren cast a grateful glance at Lin Yuan. He had originally thought Lin Yuan was his rival in love, but he didn't expect that the other party would speak well of him.

“But…” Lin Yuan changed the subject, “I think it’s better not to talk about hard work all the time. Truly smart people don’t constantly talk about ‘hard work.’ Hard work is just a means, not an end. Truly confident people let their results speak for themselves. As the old saying goes, ‘Peach and plum trees do not speak, yet a path is formed beneath them,’ that’s the same principle.”

"Of course, I don't mean to criticize you, this is just my personal opinion."

Lin Yuan thought to himself, "Actually, I'm criticizing you for being neither hardworking nor smart."

He continued, "Just like what Brother Jiang said before, he told you to sell your house in Sanlin and buy a small one in the city center. It's not just about the location; there are many other factors involved."

"For example, in terms of preserving value, even if a house in the city center is older or has a less desirable layout, its price is unlikely to fall because it occupies a prime location and has access to scarce educational resources."

"Speaking of education, if you and Ms. Jiang have children in the future, your children will only be able to attend schools in the suburbs, where the teaching staff is far inferior to that of prestigious schools in the city center. Even if the children work hard, the gap will have already widened from the beginning, and it will be difficult for them to catch up no matter how hard they try."

"There's also the matter of connections. The people you meet are completely different depending on whether you live in a top-tier neighborhood or an ordinary one. As an architect, you might just go downstairs for a walk and meet a wealthy person. If you hit it off, they might hand you a big contract right away. That's entirely possible."

"Don't think I'm joking, I can give you an example. I have a friend whose husband runs a fireworks company. They originally bought that apartment in the Huangpu River neighborhood for their child's schooling. Later, she learned that there was a family in the neighborhood that ran an amusement park business. She had a very good relationship with the other family's wife. After a little persuasion, she got the fireworks order just by checking their qualifications. That one order alone made them five million."

Even Jiang Nansun listened thoughtfully, as if every word made sense.

Seeing that Lin Yuan had finally stopped, Jiang Pengfei immediately clapped.

clap clap clap!
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Little Zhang, you need to broaden your horizons."

Lin Yuan looked serious, as if he was genuinely offering advice: "Or you could rent an apartment in the city center. I think with your abilities and income, that shouldn't be difficult. Even if you really can't find an opportunity, you can return the apartment. You might lose a little money, but investments are never guaranteed to make a profit."

"President Lin, I understand what you mean, and I will seriously consider it."

This was just Zhang Anren's excuse. He was such a frugal person that he couldn't even bear to order more dishes when he ate. Asking him to rent an apartment in a high-end neighborhood would be more painful than cutting off his own flesh.

Lin Yuan spoke very politely, smiling slightly, "I'm just making a suggestion, and I'm very grateful that you're willing to listen to me."

“Xiao Zhang, it’s like this, you and my Nan Sun are not on the same path. Do you know how Nan Sun was taken care of when she was little? It’s a long story. You can’t even buy a house near us. As her father, I really can’t bear to see my daughter suffer with someone else. Please understand me as her father.”

Jiang Pengfei compared Lin Yuan and Zhang Anren in his mind. They were not even on the same level. They were worlds apart. How could his daughter have such poor taste?

“Narrow-minded!” Jiang Nansun retorted without hesitation. “Living on Fuxing Road, I don’t feel particularly happy.”

“Living on Fuxing Road doesn’t guarantee happiness, but living in such a remote suburb definitely won’t make you happy! This isn’t about whether the house is expensive or not, or whether the location is good or not; it’s about the difference in your lives! Do you understand?”

Jiang Nansun got angry: "In your eyes, the difference between people is whether they have money or not?"

"Is it wrong for Dad to want you to have a better life in the future?" Jiang Pengfei said with a straight face.

Jiang Nansun took a deep breath and said to Zhang Anren beside him, "You said you wanted to see my father, and now you have seen him and witnessed his life. That's enough, let's go."

Although Zhang Anren's face turned ashen, he stopped in his tracks and grabbed Jiang Nansun, preventing her from leaving.

"Wait a minute." Jiang Pengfei quickly spoke up to stop Jiang Nansun. He had said so much just to force Zhang Anren to leave, but the kid was so patient, and it was Jiang Nansun who was the first to get angry and leave.

“Xiao Zhang, you can leave. Nan Sun, you have to stay. Your aunt is inviting us to dinner. She has to leave in a few days.”

Jiang Nansun defended her boyfriend, saying, "I'll take him home first, and I'll go say goodbye to my aunt another day."

"No, no, no..." Jiang Pengfei immediately stopped him.

Zhang Anren advised in a low voice, "Nan Sun, how about this? I'll go back first, and you stay here to have dinner with your uncle, aunt, and little aunt. You can look at the blueprints for now, and call me anytime if you have any questions."

Anyone else would have been furious, but Zhang Anren was an extremely meticulous person with great inner forbearance. Since he had decided to climb the social ladder by marrying into the Jiang family, he could bear this little bit of grievance.

Jiang Nansun was both angry and heartbroken, but she still took the file bag from Zhang Anren's hand.

Lin Yuan noticed the file folder in Jiang Nansun's hand and asked curiously, "Mr. Zhang, did you bring a design proposal with you today?"

"Really? What's wrong?" Zhang Anren asked in return.

Jiang Nansun also looked at Lin Yuan with curiosity.

"Here's the thing, Miss Jiang's aunt invited Teacher Wang to come and participate in the design. Why don't you let Teacher Wang take a look first?"

"Teacher Wang?" Jiang Nansun repeated in confusion.

Lin Yuan called out towards the balcony, "Teacher Wang, stop hiding on the balcony, come out."

You, Wang Yongzheng, aren't you a foul-mouthed person?
Don't you like eavesdropping?
Don't you like to gossip behind people's backs?
I've called you out now, so you either keep quiet and talk badly about Zhang Anren behind his back, or you say it now and offend Zhang Anren.

Wang Yong heard the entire conversation from the balcony, but couldn't find a suitable opportunity to come out, so he simply stayed on the balcony to observe the situation. Unexpectedly, Lin Yuan called him out.

He had no choice but to go into the living room. When Jiang Nansun saw it was him, she immediately became furious: "What are you doing here? What are you doing here?"

Zhang Anren initially thought it was some teacher Wang, but it turned out to be Wang Yongzheng, a teaching assistant at the same level as him.

At the same time, a chill ran through him. What was wrong with the Jiang family? Lin Yuan in front, and Wang Yongzheng behind—they were coming for him!
(End of this chapter)