Chapter Seventy-One: The Patriarch of the Zhou Family

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On the way, Zhou Ao brought up matters concerning Meihua several times, but each time, Xiao Tianci deftly diverted the conversation. Eventually, Xiao Tianci simply said, “It’s rare to have time to relax—let’s treat this as a holiday. Business matters never end; let’s not discuss work at a time like this.”

Xiao Tianci was well aware of his own intentions. He understood perfectly what his current status represented. At most, his role was to provide a framework, to point out a critical issue for them to solve, and then allow them to build upon it. Of course, that protective shield—so often seen in science fiction films and novels since the last century—was just something he mentioned offhand.

He’d had Chief Steward Lin Jian contact the researchers, but there was no news. According to Lin Jian, they typically responded quickly; this time, however… At moments like this, Xiao Tianci considered several possibilities: perhaps the researchers, aware of the Xiao family’s upheaval, had decided to operate independently, free from Xiao family control. Alternatively, something might have happened to them, preventing contact.

Neither scenario was favorable. Nevertheless, while no one else knew about this card up his sleeve, it was best to make good use of it.

Stepping out of the car, Xiao Tianci looked up to find they’d arrived at a racetrack. Aside from his own fleet and Fang Meng’s group, the entrance was deserted, suggesting it wasn’t a race day.

Zhou Ao explained from the side, “My father is very fond of racing, so he often comes here to watch or even drive himself.”

“Ha…ha… I didn’t expect Uncle to enjoy such thrilling games. If I’m not mistaken, this racetrack must belong to your family as well.” They chatted as they walked inside. Based on Xiao Tianci’s knowledge, wealthy people tended to have these habits: those who liked football bought football teams; those who liked basketball bought basketball teams; racing enthusiasts usually owned their own teams. Families of Zhou Ao’s stature—top-tier in the world—might even own entire racetracks or automotive companies.

Zhou Ao nodded with a smile. “You’re absolutely right, Boss. This is one of our family’s businesses. Do you like cars as well?”

“Of course, I do.” Xiao Tianci thought to himself that while he did like cars, his way of playing was different. In the past, he wouldn’t have dared to dream of this; even now, he likely wouldn’t have time to indulge for a while.

As they spoke, they entered the racetrack. The place was empty, with only a few people stationed here and there, watching the surroundings vigilantly. On the track, two race cars were speeding by.

Walking to the edge of the track, separated by a barrier, Xiao Tianci watched as the two cars roared past. The thunderous sound of the engines quickened his heartbeat and set his blood racing.

Zhou Ao went ahead to notify his father. On the third lap, a deep blue race car stopped in front of them. The person inside didn’t get out but lowered the window, pointed at Xiao Tianci, and gave a thumbs-up toward the car.

Invited to ride, Xiao Tianci didn’t hesitate. He pressed one hand against the barrier and vaulted over it with ease. Though not as strong as Jin Gang and his ilk, such feats were trivial for someone as agile as Xiao Tianci.

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He got into the car. It started, but since they weren’t yet on the track, it didn’t accelerate immediately. Instead, it returned to the circuit. The driver, presumably Zhou Ao’s father, wore a helmet and balaclava, showing only his eyes. When Xiao Tianci climbed in, he merely nodded.

Vroom—the car suddenly surged forward, the intense acceleration pushing Xiao Tianci back into his seat. His heart raced, blood pumping. Fortunately, he was accustomed to driving fast; otherwise, that initial burst might have left him half-dazed.

Once he adjusted, the rest was much easier. After all, this was a professional track and a professional race car. It was a whole different experience from his usual sports cars. In the past, no matter his skill, he was limited by the car and the road. Now, things were different.

The speed increased, and once Xiao Tianci adapted, only one word described the feeling: exhilarating. He even felt his hands itch with the urge to drive. Riding as a passenger was one thing; driving himself would be another. He knew he couldn’t match this level yet, but he was confident that with some practice, he wouldn’t be far off. Perhaps he really did have a talent for driving.

After several laps, the car stopped again. Xiao Tianci stepped out. At the driver’s seat was Zhou Ao’s father, Zhou Renjie, the patriarch of the Zhou family.

“Ha…ha… Not bad, young man. Have you raced before?” At over fifty, he had a head of glossy black hair and looked more like he was in his forties. Sweat dotted his brow as he removed his helmet, and his first question was directed at Xiao Tianci.

Xiao Tianci walked over, looking at Zhou Renjie’s vibrant appearance. It was hard to imagine he was over fifty and Zhou Ao’s father. His first impression was that their personalities were worlds apart, though their facial features were quite similar.

Zhou Renjie had been old friends with Xiao Tianci’s father, also an elder to him. Smiling, he reached out to shake hands first. “Hello, Uncle. I’m Xiao Tianci—just call me Tianci. I haven’t raced before, but I do love cars and often drive sports cars.”

“Oh, so that’s it. Still, for your first time, you did remarkably well. What do you think—consider taking it up?” Zhou Renjie seemed quite satisfied with Xiao Tianci’s response in his car. He handed his gear to an attendant, and with a few helpers, quickly changed into casual clothes.

Zhou Ao laughed from the side. “Heh, my father always hopes everyone will take up racing.”

Zhou Renjie turned to Xiao Tianci. “Tianci, don’t you think men ought to race?”

Xiao Tianci replied, “Technology, speed, power—that’s how I feel about racing. Personally, I agree. But it depends on circumstances. In the past, I wanted to race but couldn’t. Now, I fear I just don’t have the time.”

“Ha ha, well said. You’re truly Xiao Lin’s son. Xiao Lin can rest easy, having a son like you.” By now, he was dressed, and everyone headed to his private lounge.

Before they arrived, Zhou Renjie already understood the recent events thoroughly, as they were hardly secret. Now, Xiao Tianci was head of the Xiao family. Though younger, he stood as an equal with Zhou Renjie—such were the rules of great families. Sitting together, Xiao Tianci and Zhou Renjie chatted and drank tea, with a view of the cars speeding on the track below, while Zhou Ao could only pour tea for them and obediently stand aside, listening.

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“Tianci, I heard you made Will so angry at today’s meeting that he coughed up blood—is that true?”

“Ha ha, Uncle, your information is really up-to-date. But I think, for someone to get so angry, the main issue is a narrow heart. Spitting blood isn’t much—what matters is if it accumulates and causes illness, then that’s trouble. Will is an elder and a shareholder, so I feel it’s best for him to take a medical leave.”

Xiao Tianci answered playfully as a young man, but Zhou Renjie pressed further. “Tianci, your father and I have been friends for many years. Now that your family is gone, I am your elder. If you want to take over Meihua, no one can say anything—it’s your family’s business. But Will has been at Meihua for so many years. If there’s anything, you can take it slow. There’s no need to make things so tense.”

Zhou Ao had long wanted to say these words, but never found the right opportunity. Besides, whenever he brought up related topics, Xiao Tianci would immediately shut them down. Standing there, Zhou Ao watched Xiao Tianci to see how he would respond.

With sincere gratitude, Xiao Tianci said, “Uncle, I understand you’re saying this for my own good. I don’t want things to get this way, but you know, some matters are inevitable.”

Hmm, this young man isn’t just a wastrel; at least he’s got a silver tongue. But in temperament, he’s just like his father: once he makes up his mind, he goes all in. It seemed clear that he and Will were on a collision course. Zhou Renjie saw it plainly. All along, Xiao Lin had used Zhou Ao to balance Will’s power in Meihua, preventing Will from dominating. If not for Xiao Lin’s deliberate arrangement, the Zhou family wouldn’t have such influence at Meihua, nor would Zhou Ao be the third in command.

Zhou Renjie hoped to maintain this balance, but now Xiao Tianci’s appearance had shattered it. Standing in the middle, he wasn’t sure whom to support. If Xiao Lin were alive, he’d trust him and back the Xiao family. But now it was different. Though Xiao Tianci’s drive was reminiscent of his father’s, Will was no longer the Will of old, especially with the forces behind him.

Just as his son said, this was a hard stone to crack. Since this wouldn’t work, Zhou Renjie didn’t press further. Though Xiao Tianci had suddenly requested a meeting, once Zhou Ao explained the situation, Zhou Renjie began to ponder.

After some casual conversation about racing, Xiao Tianci proved his interest, but he lacked much knowledge about modifications, teams, or technical details, so his responses were mostly perfunctory.

When the time seemed right, Zhou Renjie shifted the topic. “I hear from Ao’er that you’ve already solved the issue of the protective shield and are about to implement it. That’s quite the achievement!”

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