My daily life is getting weird because I am caught between being in a band and being an idol.

The entire room fell silent instantly, as if even the air had frozen. Qin Yin's eyes widened.

Hmm... It seems... I'm a bit superfluous.

Xiangzi's grandfather's face was ashen. He first stared coldly at Chaoyang, then forcefully shook his wrist to break free. While adjusting his suit sleeves, he snorted coldly, his tone extremely displeased.

"......snort."

He walked back to his desk, sat down, crossed his arms on the table, and stared intently at Chaoyang and Xiangzi with the deep gaze of a hawk.

“Since you’re here, Xiangzi, please sit down. Since you and your father have separated, come back to the main family. Becoming a young lady again will only benefit you, not harm you. If you want to support your father, that’s perfectly fine too. I won’t mind if he runs a small company in the countryside to entertain himself. As for the 168 billion loss, my punishment is just to make him leave the Fengchuan family, which is already very lenient. You have no reason to hold a grudge against me.”

Upon hearing this, Xiangzi immediately retorted, his tone filled with anger.

"Was that 168 billion really a loss that my father incurred? Or was he just a scapegoat?"

Upon hearing this, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather sneered and said contemptuously.

"What a joke! He's in charge, so naturally he's the one losing money. I have no interest in arguing with you about these pointless issues. Come back, Xiangzi. If you don't want this man to be dragged down with you."

Hearing these clearly threatening words, Xiangzi's eyes hardened. She glanced at Chaoyang, then strode forward, standing between Chaoyang and her grandfather, and looked directly at him without flinching.

"Do whatever you want. I can never go back. But if you want to fight to the death, I'm ready to go all the way."

The expression on Xiangzi's grandfather's face grew even colder. He slowly stood up, placed his hands on the desk, looked down at Xiangzi, and spoke in a low voice with the last bit of patience.

"Are you serious, Xiangzi? If you apologize now, I'll just take what you said earlier as a joke."

Seeing that Xiangzi remained unmoved, the coldness in his eyes intensified.

"Have you become so foolish as to try to fight a losing battle? And to harm your own family's interests for the sake of outsiders?"

"family?"

Xiangzi sneered, a hint of mockery and sorrow flashing in his eyes, "Where was this so-called family when my father and I were living in poverty?"

Upon hearing this, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather's face darkened further, and his voice carried a clear hint of anger.

"You brought this on yourself. Even if you hadn't gone to take care of your father, I wouldn't have let him starve. But since you went, I have no choice but to force you to come back."

He paused, looking at Xiangzi with a complex expression. His tone was cold, but it revealed a subtle hint of helplessness and admiration.

"However... I really underestimated you. I didn't expect you to be so strong. Your willpower and courage have truly impressed me. Among your generation, no one can surpass you."

Even with such praise, Xiangzi's face showed no sign of improvement; her gaze remained cold, and a mocking smile played on her lips.

"...There's no point in you continuing this stalemate. Why don't you listen to what I have to say?"

Chaoyang broke the silence, speaking in a gentle yet firm tone, "Xiangzi, your grandfather's request is for you to return to the Fengchuan family. How about you make an equal request?"

Xiangzi paused slightly, a complex expression appearing on her face, as if she were hesitating about something. After a moment, her eyes flickered, and her mother's face and those words she remembered vividly came to mind.

She took a deep breath.

"...I want my father to return to the Toyokawa family and clear his name."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather snorted coldly and refused without hesitation.

"A fantasy."

"Calm down, Grandpa."

Chaoyang immediately spoke up to smooth things over.

Xiangzi's maternal grandfather frowned, a hint of displeasure appearing on his face.

"Who is your maternal grandfather!"

Chaoyang remained unmoved, shrugged, and continued speaking in a calm tone.

"Look, even disgraced officials in ancient times could be reinstated. In modern society, business mistakes are commonplace, and many entrepreneurs can even make a comeback after failure. Besides, everyone knows whether it was Xiangzi's father's fault or not. Let's stop with these platitudes."

Xiangzi's grandfather's face darkened slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as if he were pondering Chaoyang's words. He was used to being domineering, especially in family affairs, where he wouldn't tolerate any questioning. However, he was indeed feeling somewhat frustrated in Xiangzi's case. Money and power couldn't tempt him, and other means were out of the question because she was his granddaughter. They had almost reached a dead end. This was because if they continued to leave it unattended, she would truly have to live a good life with Chaoyang, and there might never be a chance for her to return to the Fengchuan family.

I started to evaluate it internally.

Seeing that he did not immediately refute, Chaoyang continued.

“Xiangzi is still a high school student, at an age when she is prone to acting impulsively. Threatening her in this way will only backfire and will not achieve your goal at all.”

He paused, met Xiangzi's grandfather's gaze frankly, and spoke with a hint of probing.

"However, if you really want Xiangzi to return to the Fengchuan family, how about we make a bet, using Xiangzi's high school graduation as an opportunity? You can set conditions, but Xiangzi also has the right to make her own demands. If Xiangzi achieves her goals by then, you will keep your promise, how about that?"

Xiangzi's grandfather squinted, his gaze shifting back and forth between Chaoyang and Xiangzi, as if weighing the pros and cons. He didn't speak immediately, and a brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the ticking of the clock.

After a moment, he spoke slowly, his tone still indifferent, but less forceful than before.

"...A bet? That sounds like an interesting suggestion. However, I'll decide the specific terms."

"certainly,"

Chaoyang smiled slightly, "However, the premise is that it must be within a reasonable range."

Xiangzi frowned, her eyes filled with anxiety and dissatisfaction. She stepped forward, blocking Chaoyang's path, and said in a blunt tone:

"Don't just stand there talking to yourself... This has nothing to do with you! Get out of here right now!"

Chaoyang paused slightly, but quickly regained his composure. He sighed softly, his tone still gentle, yet carrying a hint of determination:

"I'm sorry, I also have my own position, Xiangzi."

If those photos are exposed now, my harem dream will be completely shattered! I'll at least wait until these guys have a high enough level of affection for me before I start again!

Chaoyang inwardly complained helplessly, while secretly encouraging himself.

He looked at Xiangzi's maternal grandfather.

"Since things have come to this point, let's resolve this issue once and for all... How about 168 billion? Before Xiangzi graduates from high school, I will increase the current company's revenue to over 168 billion. At that time, we can merge my company, have Xiangzi's father serve as the representative director, and then the Fengchuan family can merge with this new company. This way, Xiangzi's father can naturally return to the Fengchuan family and rightfully clear his name... However, one point to add is that this company will only nominally become a member of the Fengchuan family; control will still remain with me."

After Chaoyang finished speaking, he paused for a moment and added.

"Of course, if I fail to achieve my goal, Xiangzi will return to the Fengchuan family as agreed. However, the current situation is too unfavorable for Xiangzi... Could you give us at least 1 million in funding? Only then will the bet be fair."

After listening, Xiangzi's grandfather's initially cold expression gradually gave way to a deep interest. He stared at the rising sun, a hint of scrutiny and amusement flashing in his eyes, before suddenly bursting into laughter. The laughter echoed in the study, carrying a touch of irony and admiration.

"Three years, over 100 million yuan, and you've turned a company that's currently 300 million yuan in debt into one with a turnover of 168 billion yuan? Hiraishi Chaoyang, your audacity truly surprises me... Isn't this fascinating? If you can really do this, you'll be considered a business genius."

He slowly stopped laughing, his eyes sharpening. "Well, looking at it this way, it's a win-win situation for the Toyokawa family no matter what."

He stood up and looked down slightly at the rising sun.

"Sure. But we need to sign a performance-based agreement, in black and white, and if we breach it, we'll have to bear the consequences."

Chaoyang smiled slightly, met Xiangzi's grandfather's gaze without fear, and nodded.

Chapter 178 A Hatred That Shakes the Heavens and Seas, Even Death Cannot End It (Xiangzi)

Inside the study, a loud crash shattered the oppressive atmosphere. Xiangzi rushed to the desk and forcefully pushed all the documents, ornaments, and tea sets onto the floor, creating a series of crisp thuds. Instantly, fragments and papers scattered all over the floor, and a light dust filled the air.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!!!"

Her voice was filled with anger and resentment, as if she was trying her best to suppress her inner emotions, but her eyes were slightly red.

Xiangzi's grandfather was not frightened by this sudden action. Instead, he showed a look of disappointment and indifference, and his tone became even colder.

"Xiangzi...you've truly disappointed me...I never imagined you had this side to you. If your mother were alive, she would probably be ashamed of you."

He paused, his gaze piercing Xiangzi like a knife. "This man did indeed offer a solution."

"Method?"

Xiangzi sneered, his eyes filled with sarcasm and disgust. "If he really had that kind of ability, how come he was just an izakaya owner not long ago? I only see a foolish man who overestimates himself and thinks he can win big with a small investment, coveting the power of the Toyokawa family! Or is he simply after that hundred million? With that money plus the tens of millions in the company's accounts, he can escape abroad and live a carefree life!"

Xiangzi's maternal grandfather chuckled as if he had heard something extremely ridiculous, his tone slightly mocking.

"It seems this man is really important to you, that you would say such incoherent things just to prevent him from signing a contract."

He paused, then continued, "Hmph, whatever happens here is fine, after all, it was this man who proposed the bet... However, if his talent really reaches this level, it wouldn't be unreasonable to just adopt him as my son."

Although his words contained a hint of approval, Xiangzi's grandfather knew perfectly well that without Xiangzi's participation, even if he won the bet, it wouldn't mean much to him. His real goal was to get Xiangzi back into the Fengchuan family.

The sound of a piano suddenly broke the dull atmosphere.

"Yeah, 168 billion! That's an astronomical figure I've only ever heard of on the news and TV! The store manager is very capable, but he definitely couldn't do something like this... If it were that easy to do, people in the world wouldn't have to work so hard."

Qin Yin spoke with concern, a hint of helplessness in her voice. However, she suddenly realized a crucial point halfway through her sentence: "Hmm? Come to think of it... even if the bet is lost, the shopkeeper doesn't seem to suffer any losses, does he?"

This made her hesitate, since the details of the bet did not explicitly mention what direct consequences Chaoyang would suffer. However, the figure of "168 billion" was too frightening, making her instinctively worry about Chaoyang.

Upon seeing this, Xiangzi's grandfather's eyes flashed with a cold smile. Clearly, he had completely seen through the core of this bet: Xiangzi couldn't possibly ignore it.

Hmph, the fact that Xiangzi is here is enough to prove this man's worth. There's no need to forcibly drag her back to the Fengchuan family; this is the best way to force her to submit.

He chuckled softly and began to speak slowly.

"...Haha, how could there be a bet that won't be damaged? Besides, with a scale of 168 billion, 1 million is far too little, isn't it? So, it doesn't matter if the bet is slightly modified so that Xiangzi isn't involved. In fact, what I'm willing to give you isn't 1 million, but 5 million."

"5 billion?"

Chaoyang's brow twitched slightly; this number far exceeded his expectations.

However, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming meaningful.

"However, it's not in the name of investment... it's a personal loan to you, not an investment between companies."

"..."

Chaoyang and Xiangzi were both stunned, their expressions instantly changing from surprise to seriousness.

They quickly understood the subtext: according to the law, the interest rate on loan contracts cannot exceed 20%, and if the amount exceeds 100 million yen, the maximum interest rate is even lower, at 15%. However, this only applies to commercial transactions between financial institutions. Private lending is completely unrestricted by these laws.

Chaoyang couldn't help but swallow hard, forcing a calm smile as he spoke.

"...Please continue. You haven't finished speaking, have you?"

Xiangzi's maternal grandfather smiled slightly, a hint of pride in his eyes.

"Of course, judging from your and Xiangzi's expressions, it seems you've already guessed what conditions I'm going to add. That is, if you lose, in addition to repaying the principal, you'll have to pay me interest at 110%."

"110%?!"

Qin Yin stared wide-eyed at the other person in disbelief, feeling that the suggestion in front of her was utterly absurd.

"This...this can't be a joke, right? 5 million in principal, plus 110% interest...this is an astronomical figure!"

After saying that, she felt dizzy and collapsed onto the sofa.

Xiangzi could no longer hold back and abruptly interrupted.

"Enough! How long are we going to keep this ridiculous conversation going...? This absurd bet is completely untenable! Stop talking nonsense!"

However, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather looked at her with disdain and said indifferently.

"Huh? What are you still doing here, Xiangzi? This matter has nothing to do with you anymore, does it? This bet has now simply become a matter between me and this man."

"!"

Xiangzi's eyes widened in disbelief; she hadn't expected her grandfather to say such a thing. Her face turned deathly pale, and her mind went blank. She had come to stop this absurd bet, but it had backfired.

Xiangzi's maternal grandfather continued with a smile, "Of course, if you're still willing to participate, the bet can be made according to the first version, so this guy won't be in any danger."

Xiangzi, no longer bothering with his grandfather's provocations, grabbed Chaoyang's wrist and tried to forcibly pull him out: "Go! How long do you plan to stay here? You're not welcome here at all!"

Chaoyang was pulled towards the door, but he didn't move an inch. Instead, he gently patted Xiangzi's hand, his voice gentle yet firm: "Xiangzi, this won't do. If I leave now, it would be a betrayal of everyone else... I can't put everyone else's safety aside for my own sake."

"..."

Xiangzi froze, his fingers trembling slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Since you're unwilling to participate, then let's proceed with the second version."

Chaoyang looked directly at Xiangzi's maternal grandfather, his tone firm.

However, Xiangzi's maternal grandfather did not show much joy; instead, he frowned slightly. In fact, he did not care whether he could ultimately earn hundreds of millions or billions through this bet. His real purpose was to use this opportunity to bring Xiangzi back to the Toyokawa family and make him the heir of the Toyokawa family.

"...I understand...Let's stick to the first version of the bet...If I lose, I'll go back to the Toyokawa family."

Xiangzi's voice was very soft, but every word was crystal clear, reaching everyone's ears.

"Wait a minute, I have no choice but to let Xiangzi get involved. I'm confident about the second option..."

"Just shut up."

Xiangzi interrupted Chaoyang's persuasion directly, saying only this one sentence before falling silent.

Seeing this, Xiangzi's grandfather's lips curled into a meaningful smile, and he then gave a wink to the secretary who had been standing at the door. The secretary understood immediately and left the room.

A brief silence fell over the study again, broken only by the ticking of the wall clock. A few minutes later, the secretary returned with a stack of documents and respectfully handed them to Xiangzi's grandfather.