Jiang Chen ignored Xu Peng and walked straight out of the hotel.
Outside, he stopped beside Wu Feng's Rolls-Royce.
"Boss, please get in," Wu Feng said with a smile, bending slightly in jest.
Jiang Chen got in and chuckled. "Wu Feng, why are you calling me 'boss'? Trying to flatter me?"
Wu Feng grinned. "You see, Zheng Qiang and I are helping you sell the medicinal wine. That makes us your employees—so of course, you're the boss."
"Jiang Chen," Zheng Qiang leaned forward from the back seat, trying to please him, holding out a cigarette. "That move of yours—where you flung two guys at once—could you teach it to me?"
"There's no real move," Jiang Chen thought to himself with amusement. I don't have any martial arts skills. It's all thanks to the system.
"I swear, that was a one-of-a-kind move!" Zheng Qiang said in awe.
"I mean it. I've never studied martial arts. I just grew up doing heavy labor in the fields—got some brute strength, that's all."
Wu Feng and Zheng Qiang didn't quite buy it but didn't push further.
Later, Jiang Chen took a long-distance coach back to Jiang Family Village.
He pushed open the door with excitement and shouted, "Mom! I'm back!"
Seeing the excitement on her son's face, his mother hurried over and asked what good news he had.
But Jiang Chen said nothing, instead asking her to bring his father and sister home first.
As it turned out, his sister had already returned. She had planned to speak with their parents about dropping out of school.
His mother quickly went out to the street, called the others back, and soon the whole family was gathered in the house.
His sister's name was Jiang Juan.
Trying not to make things harder for Jiang Chen, she pretended to be cheerful and said first:
"Brother, I've decided not to go back to school. Staying home and working the land isn't so bad."
Jiang Chen was deeply touched—and also heartbroken.
But now that he had money, all those worries were gone.
He unlocked his phone, opened his bank account, and handed it to his sister.
"Juan, you've got good eyes—take a look. How much is in the account?"
Jiang Juan glanced at the screen, then frowned.
"Forty thousand? Brother, where did you borrow that kind of money? I don't want us going further into debt."
Jiang Chen smiled and gave her a playful glare.
"Who said anything about borrowing? It's mine."
"Yours? What, did you rob a bank?" she teased.
"Thought about it. But I didn't have a gun," Jiang Chen grinned.
"Then you hit the lottery?"
"Lottery? All those CEOs of lottery companies being arrested one after another—what does that tell you? Don't count on winning anything."
"Then tell me!" Jiang Juan pressed. "Where did the money really come from?"
"I earned it. Today!" Jiang Chen said proudly.
Jiang Juan reached out and felt his forehead. "Brother, are you running a fever? I think we've got some Tylenol left. I'll get you one!"
"Little sis, do you really have so little faith in your big brother? I earned that money—honestly!"
"Really?" their mother suddenly snatched the phone, her hands trembling with excitement. "Show me. Where is it?"
"Here, Mom—see these numbers?" Jiang Juan pointed.
"Forty thousand!" Their mother read the number again and again, her voice trembling. "We've made it… We've finally made it!"
Their father, however, frowned. "Jiang Chen, you didn't do anything illegal, did you?"
"Would I?" Jiang Chen laughed.
"Jiang Chen, our Jiang family has always upheld honor and education. You can't ruin our name. I ask you again—did you do anything wrong to make that kind of money in one day?"
"I'll tell you—I created a new medicine."
His father let out a long sigh of relief.
"Ah, that's different. Good, good! Your sister's tuition is covered now, and we can finally start paying off our debts. Kid, turns out your education wasn't wasted after all."
The wrinkles on his father's face softened, replaced with a rare smile.
Money really did seem like a magic wand.
Jiang Chen wasn't a materialist, but if money could bring this much happiness to his parents, he couldn't deny—it was a good thing.
"I'll keep making more," Jiang Chen declared. "So you two won't ever have to worry about money again. Juan, tell me—what do you want? Whatever it is, your brother will buy it."
Jiang Juan hesitated, then said shyly, "I'd like a new phone."
"Done! Tomorrow, I'll take you back to Jiang City for school—and I'll buy you a phone."
"Brother, you're the best!" Jiang Juan giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "But just get me a cheap one, okay? Don't waste money. Save up so you can bring home a sister-in-law."
Sister-in-law?
Jiang Chen's mind immediately flashed to Wen-xian.
No—I've got to hurry back to Taohua Village. I want to share this joy with Wen-xian.
"Dad, Mom, there's still work to do at the clinic in Taohua Village—I've got to head back."