I started by watching videos, and I chose 10,000 combat power.

Yang Xue stared sharply at Lin Zongwei.

"Did you really go?"

Lin Zongwei lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze.

Yang Xue turned to Wang Cuifen and said, "Mom, what do you want to say?"

Wang Cuifen moved her lips and muttered softly, "Just going to take a look, to recognize a relative, what's the big deal..."

"What's the big deal?"

Yang Xue's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

She took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and sat down on the sofa.

"I'm asking you, what did I tell you before?"

No one answered.

Yang Xue continued, "I said, we need to find out where their money came from first. Did they earn it working or doing business? Do they have any connections or background? Once we find out, we can discuss how to approach them and how to start the conversation. That way, we'll have a better chance of getting the most out of them."

She pointed at Lin Zongwei: "What did you say to me back then?"

Lin Chong Wei lowered his head even further.

Yang Xue then looked at Wang Cuifen: "Mom, you too. Have you all just ignored everything I said?"

Wang Cuifen moved her lips, but ultimately said nothing.

Yang Xue's gaze swept over the three people present, finally landing on Lin Mengran.

Lin Mengran leaned against the wall, still silent.

Yang Xue's lips curled into a mocking sneer: "Alright, stop looking like wilted eggplants. Tell me, what happened? Judging from your dejected appearances, you probably didn't get any benefits, right?"

Lin Zongwei raised his head, opened his mouth, and then closed it again.

Yang Xue waited patiently.

After a long while, Lin Zongwei finally spoke slowly.

He spoke in a low voice, recounting the events in fits and starts.

Including how I got to Liuxi Village, how I found the agritainment business, and how I met Li Xiulan and Luo Fei...

And how Li Xiulan chased them out with a broom.

Finally, how did Chen Gang arrive, how did he kneel before Luo Fei, and how did he slink away in disgrace?

As Yang Xue listened, her expression grew increasingly complex.

After listening, she remained silent for a long time.

Then he asked, "That's all?"

Lin Zongwei nodded.

Yang Xue looked at him and suddenly smiled.

There was no joy in that smile, only an indescribable mockery.

"Lin Chong Wei, oh Lin Chong Wei, I'm truly impressed by you."

Lin Zongwei looked up at her blankly, not understanding why she suddenly smiled.

Yang Xue asked, "You just went there empty-handed, without bringing any gifts? You didn't even prepare a proper opening line? You came in and immediately said you wanted to establish a family relationship and asked for money?"

Lin Zongwei was taken aback, then asked, somewhat puzzled, "Then... what else? She's my sister, isn't it only natural for us to acknowledge our kinship?"

Yang Xue sighed heavily, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. She leaned back into the sofa and rubbed her throbbing temples.

"What can I say about you? What's going on in your heads?"

She pointed a finger at Lin Zongwei's forehead and said with exasperation, "The richer and more powerful a person is, the more they care about what? Face! Don't you understand? What is their status now? Do you think you can just show up empty-handed to claim kinship?"

Lin Zongwei was stunned by the question and stared blankly at Yang Xue.

Yang Xue continued, "You didn't prepare anything, you went empty-handed. The moment you walked in, you said you wanted to acknowledge the family, demanded alimony, and even wanted to marry off the daughter someone had raised with such care to a man in his fifties! Who do you think you are? The Emperor himself? Do you think people owe you anything?"

Wang Cuifen was somewhat indignant and muttered under her breath, "But I am her mother, isn't it my duty to support her...?"

"Of course?" Yang Xue looked at her. "Mom, let me ask you, have you ever taken care of her even for a single day?"

Wang Cuifen opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Yang Xue said, "You gave birth to her, but then abandoned her. You haven't seen her once in all these years. Now that she's doing well, you go up to her and say, 'I'm your mother, you have to support me.' If you were in her shoes, would you accept that?"

Wang Cuifen lowered her head and stopped speaking.

Yang Xue continued, "Even if you want to reunite with relatives, you have to be careful about the approach. First, find a middleman in the village who can speak on your behalf, sound out their attitude, and see what their reaction is. Then, prepare some decent gifts and go to their door for a proper talk. Apologize first, talk about the difficulties you faced back then, express your longing and guilt over the years, and convey your desire to make amends. Lay the groundwork first, make them feel comfortable, and then slowly bring up other things. That way, they're more likely to accept."

She looked at Lin Zongwei, her disappointment almost overflowing: "You guys are something else! You didn't prepare anything, and you come in and start making demands, and such unreasonable ones at that. If I were you, I'd have chased you away with a broom too!"

Lin Zongwei's face turned bright red. He wanted to retort, but couldn't find the right words.

Wang Cuifen whispered, "But you can't hit people..."

Yang Xue glanced at her but didn't reply.

Lin Mengran leaned against the wall and suddenly asked, "Who exactly is this Luo Fei? Why did Chen Gang kneel before him?"

Yang Xue looked at her.

Lin Mengran frowned slightly, her eyes filled with confusion.

Yang Xue thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. But someone who can make Chen Gang kneel down is definitely not an ordinary person."

She paused, then added, "But there's no need to worry too much."

Lin Zongwei raised his head, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes.

Yang Xue said, "No matter who he is, Li Xiulan is his mother. Who is his mother to you?"

Lin Zongwei blurted out, "My sister!"

Yang Xue nodded: "That's right. Whether they acknowledge it or not, the blood relationship is there. You are siblings, and Li Xiulan is Mom's biological daughter. That's an unchangeable fact."

She leaned back on the sofa, her tone carrying a hint of calculation.

"No matter how rich or powerful they are, they cannot erase blood ties. This principle holds true everywhere."

Wang Cuifen's eyes lit up as well.

Yang Xue continued, "They may deny it today, deny it tomorrow, but can they keep denying it forever? We can find reporters, TV stations, and mediators. Let the reporters interview them, and let the mediators mediate. Let's put the matter out in the open and let everyone know."

She looked at Lin Zongwei.

"We'll see if they acknowledge it then. If they don't, they'll be seen as unfilial and heartless. The richer they are, the more they care about their reputation. If word gets out, can they afford to lose face?"

As Lin Zongwei listened, the gloom on his face gradually dissipated.

Wang Cuifen nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, my daughter-in-law really knows how to think!"

Yang Xue glanced at her but didn't say anything.

She had another plan in mind.

Even if they don't get much alimony in the end, it's still good to build a relationship through this.

What kind of powerful relationship must someone have to make Chen Gang kneel down?

Once we get on this line, what will we be afraid of in Qingyang County?

Yang Xue's lips curled up slightly.

-

Kyoto University.

September sunlight filters through the leaves of the plane trees and falls on the paths of the campus.

New students have completed their registration, and returning students are gradually returning to campus.

The campus was bustling with people.

In a classroom in the School of Humanities, Luo Ying was sitting by the window, flipping through the newly issued textbooks.

She was wearing a simple white T-shirt, her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she had no makeup on.

Her delicate features drew a few more glances from the students around her.

The bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class.

Luo Ying packed her things and left the classroom.

Unbeknownst to her, as she stepped out of the classroom, several pairs of eyes were secretly watching her across the campus.

The owners of those eyes are all people of considerable status.

A boy stood under a sycamore tree outside the teaching building. When he saw Luo Ying come out, he turned slightly to the side, pretending to look at his phone.

He is a third-year student in the School of Economics, and his surname is Chen.

His grandfather was a retired leader from a certain ministry.

Yesterday afternoon, he received a call from home.

The call was from his father, who sounded very serious.

"Do you know someone named Luo Ying at school? She's a sophomore in the School of Literature."

He paused, taken aback. "I don't know him. What's wrong?"

His father said, "It's okay if you don't know her. But remember this: from now on, if you see this Luo Ying at school, go around her. If you happen to run into her, be polite and courteous. Absolutely do not provoke her, do not offend her, and do not have any ulterior motives towards her."

He asked, puzzled, "Dad, who is she?"

His father paused for a moment, then said, "You don't need to know who she is. Just remember, if you offend her, you can quit school and go work at a sewing machine."

He was stunned.

Using a sewing machine?

That means going to jail.

His father added, "I didn't say that; your grandfather asked me to tell you."

He hung up the phone and stood there stunned for a long time.

Today, he made a special trip to the School of Literature to see what Luo Ying, whom he considered untouchable, actually looked like.

Now he sees it.

She was just an ordinary girl who was somewhat pretty.

But how could she be an ordinary person to get her family to make that kind of phone call?

He put away his phone, turned around, and left.

On the other side, at the entrance of the library.

A girl with a ponytail was walking out with a book in her hand.

Her name is Li Ya, and she is a third-year law student.

Her grandfather was General Li Zhengxun of the General Staff.

During dinner last night, her grandfather suddenly asked her, "Xiaoya, do you know someone named Luo Ying in the School of Humanities at your university?"

She shook her head: "I don't know him. What's wrong, Grandpa?"

Li Zhengxun was silent for a moment, then said, "It's better if we don't know each other. But Grandpa has something to tell you, and you must remember it."

She listened attentively.

Li Zhengxun said slowly, "If you can get to know Luo Ying, try your best to do so and build a good relationship with her. If you really can't get along, you absolutely must not offend her. When you meet her, you must be very polite and show proper etiquette. If she needs any help, disregard all principles and do your best to help her."

She was stunned: "Grandpa, who is she?"

Li Zhengxun glanced at her and said, "You don't need to know who she is. You just need to know that the people behind her are so powerful that even Grandpa has to treat them with utmost respect."

She gasped.

Who is her grandfather?

The Minister of the Operations Department of the General Staff, a general.

Someone who even he has to treat with respect, what kind of background must they have?

Today, she waited for a while at the library entrance, just wanting to see Luo Ying.

But after waiting for a long time, I still didn't see it.

She wasn't in a hurry; there was plenty of time.

Similar conversations are taking place throughout Kyoto.

Luo Ying knew nothing about any of this.

She walked through the campus, carrying her books, the sunlight shining on her.

Occasionally, classmates would pass by her and glance at her a couple of times.

She simply responded with a polite smile.