Chapter Sixty-Three: A Scheme in the Shadows? An Open Stratagem? A Fool’s Gambit!

Damn it, I mustn’t act like Lady Extermination. Jiang Xiwen closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, the dampness had vanished, replaced by the composure of a “great man.” He waved vigorously at the crowd below the window, raising his voice: “Comrades, rest assured, I am unharmed! Even if I am sacrificed, do not grieve. Take up my banner and fight the oppressive forces to the very end…”

Laughter erupted from the students below, and even some teachers could not hold back their amusement. Jiang Xiwen was just too good at spouting nonsense—his gestures, his demeanor, his expression, they all seemed so… Wait, didn’t he just say the oppressive forces suppressing the students? Isn’t that us? Some teachers, suddenly realizing, quickly stifled their laughter, awkwardness creeping onto their faces.

At that moment, Jiang Xiwen turned his head toward the teachers and addressed them, “Esteemed teachers, of course I don’t mean you when I speak of oppressive forces. Please, don’t take it personally. In fact, oppression isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The strong suppress the weak—that’s the law of survival in society. The sooner you learn this, the fewer mistakes you’ll make once you join the workforce.”

A snort of laughter escaped from Ponytail again. She really couldn’t understand how someone like Jiang Xiwen existed in this world—at times glib-tongued, at times cold as a blade, and then suddenly so humorous.

Jiang Xiwen himself was equally perplexed. Since his rebirth, he’d encountered two disciples of the Li Cuilian school in quick succession—Ponytail running around canvassing teachers to petition, just as Tan Yutou had warned him before.

Judging by her age, Ponytail should be Li Yuling’s senior. Jiang Xiwen studied her intently as he thought this.

Why is he looking at me like that? Ponytail was taken aback. She was only twenty-two, newly graduated and assigned to Second High as a Chinese teacher—still barely a girl herself. Even being watched by a high school boy like Jiang Xiwen made her heart flutter, a blush blooming from one freckle to the next.

“All right, students. The matter will be resolved. Please return to your classrooms—it’s too cold to be standing out here. Don’t catch a chill,” Principal Li Changtian strolled to the window. Jiang Xiwen’s uninhibited honesty had touched him a little, stirring memories of his own youth. His words now lacked their usual sternness and the perfunctory tone of officialdom.

“Principal, how will this be handled? The teachers are threatening to strike, and so can we. We want an explanation,” Zhang Ya lifted her delicate face, her voice clear and strong, echoing up to the principal’s ears.

Gong Xiang was quick to add, “Yes, Principal. We want to know how you’ll deal with this.”

“Rest assured, students—Jiang Xiwen will not be punished. Teacher Zhu Wen has already been suspended for reflection. Now, Teacher Zhu Wen, please apologize to Zhang Ya in front of all the teachers and students.”

With this, Li Changtian had given Zhu Wen an out. Zhu Wen could hardly object, and Fang Sixiang certainly wouldn’t—after all, the apology was to Zhang Ya. It was a chance to resolve the conflict with her.

“Zhu Wen, come here to the window. You are a people’s teacher. If you make a mistake, you must correct it—only then can you be an excellent teacher and set an example for the students,” Fang Sixiang urged, quick to seize the opportunity, far more adept at this than his wife, Lady Extermination.

Zhu Wen had no choice. Not being criticized at the school assembly was already the bottom line she could accept. Slowly, she walked to the window, taking a deep breath. Fang Sixiang, fearing another outburst, whispered in her ear, “This concerns Zhang Ya. We have to bear it for now. As for Jiang Xiwen, that brat will get what’s coming to him sooner or later!”

The words bolstered Zhu Wen. Once Zhang Yong was in trouble, who knew when that would be, but if she couldn’t get Jiang Xiwen expelled, she wasn’t fit to be called Zhu Wen!

“Zhang Ya, I’m truly sorry. Yesterday, I was in a bad mood and acted impulsively when you stepped into the classroom at the bell. Here, in front of everyone, I apologize and hope you can forgive me.”

Zhang Ya hadn’t told her family about Zhu Wen hitting her. No one had ever struck her before, but now, with the matter behind her, she felt it wasn’t worth dwelling on. When she learned Zhu Wen was in trouble, her concern shifted to Jiang Xiwen.

Though she was class president, rallying the entire class to demand answers from the school was wildly out of character for a lifelong model student like her. She didn’t even know where the courage came from—she simply acted, and did it well.

Just now, hearing Jiang Xiwen’s signature fabrications, she’d laughed too, knowing that with him around, things would be all right. He always managed to surprise people.

As for Zhu Wen’s apology, Zhang Ya didn’t care in the least. She nodded up at the window and smiled, “Teacher Zhu, I was wrong too. Please forgive me as well.”

Fang Sixiang, worried Jiang Xiwen might say something to stir up trouble again, quickly interjected, “That’s settled then—teacher and student reconciled, a good thing, a good thing…”

Next was Xu Hui, who wasn’t about to miss his cue. “Teacher Zhu leads by example, and President Zhang Ya is kind and disciplined. All students should learn from their spirit, and also—”

Before he could finish, the students below had already burst into noisy commotion. Jiang Xiwen and Qi Huanchang had slipped away from the office building long before, the matter resolved and no reason to linger.

In the cold winter, the air in the school’s ivory tower was probably at its most stifling inside the overheated office building.

Of course, the cause of the stir was none other than Jiang Xiwen. The whole crowd surrounded him, peppering him with questions about the dramatic events in the principal’s office—how he’d bested Lady Extermination and Fang Sixiang.

Ning Yan, after Jiang Xiwen came down, quietly returned to the classroom. She wanted to recapture that old feeling, the taste of solitude she’d grown accustomed to.

Only when Jiang Xiwen had spun his tale of heroic defiance against Lady Extermination to version 6.0 did he find a chance to escape the throng, heading off with Qi Huanchang toward the computer room.

Every time he argued with Lady Extermination, Jiang Xiwen found there was always something good to come of it—most notably, he could skip class afterward and slip into the computer room, the quietest place in all of Second High. Few classes, fewer people, plenty of computers—anything he wanted to do was at his fingertips.

He’s gone again, without even saying a word. Zhang Ya watched Jiang Xiwen’s retreating figure with a sense of grievance. Though she’d just been sitting beside him in class, her concern, organizing the students, and now this, made it feel as if an age had passed. Whenever she saw Jiang Xiwen, she couldn’t help but want to say so much, yet she hadn’t managed a single word.

Liu Fan trailed at the back of the crowd, blending in as one of the supporters, unnoticed by anyone. He saw Zhang Ya’s disappointment clearly and felt a surge of jealousy. He swore to himself that once his father’s timing was right, he’d get someone to teach Jiang Xiwen a hard lesson. He’d harbored this grudge since last November, and it had festered ever since.

As soon as they entered the computer room, the phone rang. Qi Huanchang hurried over and picked it up, his expression shifting instantly from cheerful to furious.

Before Jiang Xiwen could ask, Qi Huanchang slammed the phone down and turned, “It was Fan Qiang!”

Ring ring!

Barely had it been hung up when it rang again. Jiang Xiwen, worried Qi Huanchang would hang up again, picked it up first. Fan Qiang’s cold voice came through, “Qi Huanchang, don’t think you can play both sides. I’m just letting you know—Tian Weidong’s visit to Yangjiang has been moved up to before the Lunar New Year. But rest assured, I’ll do everything I can to sabotage your pitch. Without Tian Weidong’s approval, you won’t get a cent.”

“Xiwen, ignore him, he’s just—” Qi Huanchang’s words were cut off as Jiang Xiwen pinched his chin. Qi instinctively struggled, then, catching Jiang’s meaningful look, nodded quickly, and Jiang let go.

“Fan Qiang, do whatever you want. If you think you can swindle me out of my money, forget it!” Jiang Xiwen spoke with an angry tone, though Qi Huanchang noticed a faint smile on his face.

“Oh? Xiwen, it’s you,” Fan Qiang sneered, “Since you and Fatty are both here, that saves me a call. I’ll let you know the exact date later. Who told me to be fooled by you and recommend you to Chairman Tian? He insists on meeting you again. That’s all.”

As Jiang Xiwen hung up, Qi Huanchang asked, “Xiwen, what’s going on? That bastard was cursing me on the phone just now—didn’t he curse you?”

“Then I have to thank you. He didn’t curse me the second time, but he did deliver news—Tian Weidong is coming before the New Year, but Fan Qiang made it clear he’ll do his best to wreck the negotiations…”

“Wreck my ass! When Tian Weidong comes, isn’t Fan Qiang afraid we’ll expose him?” Qi Huanchang fumed.

Jiang Xiwen smiled, “Fatty, you always get so worked up at the mention of Fan Qiang. But don’t be impatient—just now when Fan Qiang said ‘meet you again’ about Tian Weidong’s visit, did you catch the meaning? It means the Tian Weidong coming this time is still the fake!”

Qi Huanchang slapped his own forehead, “Who cares! Let’s just get Tian Weidong’s number from Shanghai, call him, and expose Fan Qiang. That’ll settle everything!”

“No need to rush. I stopped you earlier because I wanted to see what Fan Qiang would do. If we expose him now and force him to give up, next time he might pull some new trick. He’s like a fly you can’t swat away—absolutely infuriating.”

“Fine, you call the shots,” Qi Huanchang said, rubbing his chin. “You’ve got quite a grip, you know that?”

Only now did Jiang Xiwen notice the red mark on Qi Huanchang’s chin. Glancing at his own hand, he realized he’d become stronger without noticing, all that practice with Wang Wu paying off.

“Sorry, Fatty, got a bit carried away,” Jiang Xiwen apologized, thumping him lightly on the shoulder.

Qi Huanchang puffed out his belly, “No worries—but you really are something, brains and brawn. Oh, right! There’s someone you have to meet. Remember I mentioned Wang Xunfei? He’s a programming whiz like you, always full of wild ideas, and back in the day he was a real brawler…”

As Qi reminisced, his round face jiggled with laughter, clearly recalling fond university memories.

“Wang Xunfei? I definitely want to meet him!” Jiang Xiwen nodded eagerly, his face alight with anticipation, almost drooling.

“You know him?” Qi Huanchang looked at him in surprise.

“No,” Jiang Xiwen replied, putting on an inscrutable air. “But I have a feeling—I’ll spark a brilliant flame with him that will light up the future of the internet…”

Bang! Qi Huanchang, caught off guard, toppled over backward.

“Seriously? I was just waxing poetic about the spirit of striving,” Jiang Xiwen mused, looking at the hefty figure sprawled on the floor.

In a brief span, different things could unfold in different places. That afternoon, in two corners of Yangjiang, people were scheming over matters that would soon intertwine.

The door to Fang Sixiang’s office was locked from the inside. Lady Extermination, having suffered indignities for two days straight, couldn’t even wait until the end of the workday to consult her husband on how to deal with Jiang Xiwen.

“Wife, I still say you’re making too much of this. It’s just Jiang Xiwen—no need for so much fuss. I don’t believe Zhang Ya’s father is really the deputy mayor. And Jiang Xiwen’s father—what could he be?” The words Fang Sixiang had whispered to Zhu Wen earlier—partly out of malice toward Jiang Xiwen, partly to placate her.

Once the other teachers had returned to work, he’d immediately dug into Jiang Xiwen’s family background. His father was head of the Municipal Policy Research Office—not an insignificant official, but with no direct connection to Second High. There was nothing to worry about. In a week or two, they could find some pretext to call his parents in and let Zhu Wen show off in front of his father—satisfy her vanity, and that would be that.

No matter how clever or mature Jiang Xiwen was, he was still a student. If teachers wanted to punish a student, they could always find a way.

But his wife could be more childish than any child—she couldn’t even wait a short while, dragging him into the office as if preparing for a major battle.

No sooner had Fang Sixiang finished speaking than Zhu Wen shot him a glare: “You promised to deal with Jiang Xiwen, and now you’re backing out? Honestly, I may have a temper, but I wouldn’t pick on some kid for no reason. But look at Jiang Xiwen—is that the behavior of a child? If I don’t make him pay, I’m not Zhu Wen!”

Fang Sixiang frowned, gesturing for her to lower her voice. “Fine, fine, whatever you say. Let’s think of a way to deal with Jiang Xiwen.” Though he said this, he couldn’t help but smile wryly—imagine, the head of discipline reduced to plotting against a student with his wife in the office!

“Mr. Liu, what do you think of this?” Fan Qiang gripped the phone, his face hopeful.

“Sunday. I’ll send a car to pick you up. We’ll discuss the details then.” A deep voice came through the receiver. Fan Qiang’s face showed disappointment, his reply overly deferential, “All right, all right, as you say, Mr. Liu.”

As he hung up, Fan Qiang lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, then crushed it out fiercely on a sheet of old newspaper—right on the image of Tian Weidong, chairman of Tianxing Computer School.

If Jiang Xiwen saw this, he’d guess Fan Qiang had a director’s flair—the kind of move that appears in eighty percent of TV dramas.

Jiang Xiwen, Jiang Xiwen! Just who are you?

Liu Dashan put down Fan Qiang’s call, stroking his chin as his gaze settled on a file on his desk—a dossier he’d commissioned, detailing Jiang Xiwen’s entire background.

A regular student at Yangjiang Second High, mother a teacher, father a municipal policy officer. With such an ordinary background, how had this kid foiled two kidnapping attempts? Old Ning had mentioned that during the last attempt, Jiang Xiwen had crossed paths with both Zhang Yong’s daughter and wife, while Liu Fan, his own son, said Zhang Yong’s daughter might be involved with Jiang Xiwen.

Strange, utterly strange—who was this kid, really? Even Fang Sixiang, the discipline head at Second High, had called to ask Liu Dashan to check Jiang Xiwen’s family background.

Liu Dashan had mingled in the underworld for years, then worked in business in Yangjiang, and was now on the verge of entering officialdom. Yet he couldn’t figure out a mere boy—an infuriating puzzle.

Knock, knock, knock, knock—a hurried rapping at the door interrupted his thoughts. He frowned, then relaxed, “Come in.”

“Mr. Liu, I’ve found something. Do you know Old Master Zhang Song?”

“Hm? Zhang Yong’s father? What about him?”

“Recently, there’s been word in all the municipal departments that the Jiang and Zhang families are old family friends. It was all very secret, but apparently Deputy Director Chen of the Policy Office saw Jiang Xiwen getting out of Old Master Zhang’s car, and he called him Grandpa Zhang.”

“Oh?” Liu Dashan’s eyes lit up. “Are you sure about this?”

“Absolutely, sir. The rumor is that Deputy Director Chen saw and heard it himself. But just to be certain, I visited him personally today—he confirmed everything.”

Liu Dashan nodded. Since deciding to enter politics last year, he’d made it a point to familiarize himself with all the municipal leaders. The Zhangs were always low-key, and few knew the true nature of their family ties. It seemed entirely possible the Jiang and Zhang families had kept their relationship hidden all this time.