Chapter 370: Smart People Know When to Advance or Retreat

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

In the afternoon, the Jiang family also left the Zhang family. Gu Ci and Ziyu were with them. Jiang Junlin sat in a car, and Ziyu said, “Uncle, Mom, I’m going to Grandpa’s house for the Lantern Festival tonight, so I won’t be with you.” “Why?” Jiang Junlin asked. It was Ziyu’s first time celebrating the Lantern Festival with them, and Jiang Junlin didn’t want to miss it after missing the New Year’s Eve.

Ziyu said, “Grandpa has no wife or children. He was alone on New Year’s Eve and will be alone on the Lantern Festival too. 1 want to celebrate with him. We’ve already agreed, and he’s going to make sweet and sour fish for me.”

“Go ahead!”

Gu Ci never interfered with what Ziyu wanted to do, and today they were celebrating the Lantern Festival together. Jiang Junlin didn’t object either. He wanted to celebrate the Lantern Festival with Ziyu, but they were close family, and not celebrating together wouldn’t weaken their bond. There was plenty of time ahead.

Jiang Junlin said, “When we get home later, ask Grandma to prepare some New Year’s gifts to bring over.”

“Sure!” Ziyu couldn’t wait to bring all the goodies to Chen Liangdong.

“Thanks to him for being willing to help with this matter. Otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain,” Jiang Junlin pointed his finger at the steering wheel in the indicated direction. “Tell Chen Liangdong that 1 owe him a favor.”

“You promised to let a person into the underworld in exchange for this favor,” Gu Ci said.

Jiang Junlin replied, “That’s official business, not a personal favor. It’s just an excuse.”

Gu Ci understood, “Did my brother agree to let the person in?”

“He has to, or it won’t work!” Jiang Junlin said, “The dark web of the underworld is a public matter. If 1 refuse to let anyone in, it will confirm their suspicions, and they will be even more wary. But 1 can’t let them release people at will. Old Zhang will handle these matters. I’m willing to give National Security a quota in front of them. Firstly, Old Zhang and Chen Liangdong are good friends, so one person counts as two favors. Secondly, Chen Liangdong will work harder to help Old Zhang settle those people. I don’t need to do anything, just wait for the outcome. With Old Zhang taking the lead, it’s much better than if 1 did it myself.”

Smart people know when to advance and when to retreat.

Having just experienced such a catastrophe, Jiang Junlin should not expose himself too much in front of others. Refusing or agreeing was a dilemma. Now that he had thrown this problem to someone else, he felt much more relaxed.

Gu Ci asked, “What about Lu Zhiyuan? Did he mention any conditions?”

“He and Old Zhang couldn’t agree and refused to cooperate.”

Gu Ci’s heart jumped, and her eyelids twitched. Ziyu watched Gu Ci cautiously, and Jiang Junlin also glanced at her. Gu Ci closed her eyes and whispered, “Brother, is there something you haven’t told me?”

Jiang Junlin fell silent.

Gu Ci said, “This time, from your arrest to the exposure, was Lu Zhiyuan the mastermind behind it?”

“Why would you think that?” Jiang Junlin asked calmly.

“He didn’t agree to Old Zhang’s terms because he has his own connections, and his status isn’t below Old Zhang’s. So, he wasn’t tempted by the conditions Old Zhang proposed,” Gu Ci whispered, “He has long wanted to shift the focus of assets to the east, so exposing you and weakening the influence of the underworld dark web, with various forces involved, he can also take half of the market share. Because he can’t get around you and the underworld dark web, and because of my relationship with Ji Chi, he didn’t want to kill you, so he chose this path.”

Gu Ci’s guess was spot on, but Jiang Junlin hadn’t told her the whole story because he didn’t want her to worry after all the effort she had put in during his absence.

“This isn’t something he can accomplish alone,” Jiang Junlin replied honestly, not wanting to throw stones at Lu Zhiyuan in front of Gu Ci, despite his personal feelings. “The underworld dark web would have faced such a crisis sooner or later, a few years earlier or later wouldn’t have made much difference. The result is better than 1 expected. Whether it’s Lu Zhiyuan or someone else, the outcome would have been the same.”

Gu Ci looked out the window, and Ziyu was a bit worried.

Jiang Junlin said, “My conflicts with him won’t be resolved because of you, Cici. Don’t worry about our affairs.”

“I understand!” Gu Ci smiled lightly. “Brother, you don’t need to explain. 1 understand, and I’m not sad. 1 just feel a bit… late to the party.”

In truth, she had noticed it long ago but hadn’t thought deeply about it.

“Brother, will you cooperate with him then?”

“Not necessarily,” Jiang Junlin said with a smile. “If it’s beneficial, we’ll cooperate; otherwise, we won’t.”

“I see!” Gu Ci said. “That’s good. You already have to face many challenges in your position. You don’t need to surround yourself with more pitfalls for my sake.”

“I’m well aware of that!”

Ziyu, with a pout, propped up his chin, “I’m in a tough spot, Dad, Mom, Uncle, they’re all family, and I’m like a poor sandwich cookie.”

Both Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ziyu, don’t worry too much. Your front teeth haven’t even come in yet. If you keep worrying, you won’t grow tall,” Jiang Junlin once again doubted whether Ziyu would grow tall.

Thank goodness Ziyu wasn’t like Lu Zhiyuan; otherwise, it would be even more worrisome!

“Hmph, Ji Chi said the same thing. He boiled a pot of tea eggs for me to get more protein, fearing I’d turn into a shorty.”

Unexpectedly hearing Ji Chi’s name, Jiang Junlin’s heart skipped a beat, and the smile faded from his face. He had come to Zhang’s house with Lu Zhiyuan today. He wasn’t Lu Zhiyuan’s bodyguard; there was no need to stick so close.

While discussing matters in the study with Old Zhang, his window faced outside, and he could see Ji Chi and Li Jiang talking. He leaned against the car, smoking a cigarette, his face devoid of a smile. Jiang Junlin wondered, what was the little wolf thinking? What were they talking about? He hadn’t made a single phone call to him these past few days. Was he disappointed?

But these past few days, Jiang Junlin had been stretched thin, barely sleeping at night, too busy. Most of the matters accumulated in the underworld dark web had been handled by Gu Ci. Only a few required his personal involvement. After returning home, he had made several trips to the bank and coordinated several operations. It was a turbulent time for the underworld dark web, and he wished he could split each day into forty-eight hours.

On the Lantern Festival, there was a bit of free time, but Ji Chi was with Lu Zhiyuan and left early, so he might have another event to attend, and it was uncertain if he’d have any free time.

After returning home, Gu Ziyu’s grandparents, Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang, prepared New Year’s gifts for him. Chen Chen Liangdong came to pick him up, and the trunk was filled with gifts. The two elders watched him leave with reluctance.

On the Lantern Festival, except for necessary and urgent matters, all other work was postponed. Grandpa Jiang took Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci fishing by the river. However, the old man’s energy was waning, and he felt tired after fishing for a little over an hour, so he headed home ahead of them.

Jiang Junlin watched his grandfather’s figure recede into the distance, his gaze turning somewhat somber. His grandfather had grown old. Jiang Junlin was the only child in the Jiang family, and in order to ensure the well-being of his family, he had to make choices.. He asked Gu Ci, “Cici, if I were to ask you to replace Pei Qiuying and become the leader of the underworld, would you be willing?”