As soon as Wu Zhiming gave the order, the Wu family's old mansion courtyard was cleared, and the Wu family began setting up tables and chairs. At the same time, several chefs set up stoves at the side of the courtyard, ready to start cooking.
This was a tradition in Haixia City. Whenever there was a celebration, people preferred to invite chefs to cook at home. It wasn't because they couldn't afford to go to a hotel; rather, having events at home felt more festive and allowed everyone to be more relaxed. Often, the dishes prepared at home were even more luxurious than those at a hotel. For instance, at this lunch banquet for Wu Zhiming's succession as family head, there were giant lobsters, crabs, and even delicacies like black truffles and golden caviar.
In addition to the chefs, the women of the Wu family were expected to help with the preparations, another tradition in Haixia City. Meanwhile, the men played cards, chatted, or watched TV, content to wait for the meal.
"Boss, why did you ask me to let that guy go just now?" Greed Wolf approached Wu Zhiming from behind and asked in a low voice.
"You couldn't have held him," Wu Zhiming shook his head. He had gauged the attacker's strength at a glance; around the seventh rank. Greed Wolf's maximum fighting power was also at the seventh rank. If he had pressed the attacker too hard, it might have forced the opponent to unleash even greater power, potentially injuring or killing Greed Wolf. That's why he didn't order a continued pursuit.
"If it were a fight to the death, I wouldn't fear him!" Greed Wolf's eyes glinted coldly. He was not afraid of death and could unleash even greater power in desperate situations.
"Our cards are already somewhat revealed, and many eyes are on us now. There's no need to show all our cards. Our real enemies aren't Shen Hongyue or the Shen family. They are just small obstacles we need to crush along the way," Wu Zhiming explained.
"Understood," Greed Wolf nodded.
"If we get the chance, I'll take you to the Shen family. Then, you can have a proper fight with that guy," Wu Zhiming said with a smile.
"Boss, do you know that guy was from the Shen family?" Greed Wolf asked.
Wu Zhiming smiled without elaborating and turned to greet his guests.
Dong Jian walked over and, with a smile, said, "The boss knows everything."
"Amazing!" Greed Wolf marveled.
The old Wu family mansion was bustling with activity.
At the same time, news of the events at the Wu family mansion spread quickly through Haixia City's high society.
Yang Sandao had stormed in aggressively but ended up being taken away by the police.
Wu Maohua, confident he could expose Wu Zhiming's backers, was countered by Wu Zhiming's stirring speech.
Shen Hongyue had questioned Wu Zhiming's prestige, only to see many prominent figures from across the country send congratulatory gifts to him.
All of these incidents highlighted one undeniable fact: Wu Zhiming was no longer the same person. He now had the strength to face any challenge!
Whether Wu Zhiming had someone powerful backing him or not, some people believed he had indeed accumulated wealth and connections on his own after lying low for over twenty years. Others, however, thought his success was orchestrated by some hidden puppet master.
After all, acknowledging another's excellence is difficult, especially when it involves admitting the competence of someone previously deemed a failure.
At Tianjiao Corporation, a group of Yao family members had peculiar expressions on their faces. Almost all of them were holding their phones.
In their family group chat, Zhou Yanqiu was sharing short videos, and every now and then, her gloating voice could be heard:
"My son-in-law has just taken over as the head of the Wu family!"
### Chapter 49: No Face Given
"You didn't see how dangerous it was just now! Three men tried to attack my son-in-law, but they got beaten and had to run away!"
"What a joke that Yang Sandao is! He came with a hundred men, and then they left without even a fight!"
"Look at this, this night pearl was given by the boss of Tengying. This painting, I have no idea what it depicts, but they say it's by a famous contemporary artist... All these are gifts for my son-in-law!"
Zhou Yanqiu loved to boast, so every short video she posted came with such bragging comments, making everyone around her extremely uncomfortable.
"Wu Zhiming, he's really been hiding his abilities!" Yao Tianlong took a deep breath and sighed.
"Damn it, I refuse to believe he doesn't have someone backing him! No matter what he says, I just don't believe it!" Yao Shanchuan gritted his teeth.
"It doesn't matter if he has someone behind him or not. Just his performance at the succession ceremony is enough to prove that Wu Zhiming himself is extraordinary. We've been deceived all these years by appearances!" Yao Tianlong remarked.
"So what if we were fooled? Aren't we already cooperating with the Wu Group now?" Yao Shanchuan said indifferently.
"You don't understand," Yao Tianlong shook his head. "If we had seen through Wu Zhiming earlier, we could have invested in him sooner. When he was still unknown, any support would have been immensely magnified now. Unfortunately, we only saw his weakness and incompetence, not his endurance. Our current cooperation is just because of Yao Jing's relationship with the Wu Group, which is a very fragile bond. It's even weaker than when Wu Zhixing was around. Sigh!"
"Grandpa, we still have the Li family!" Yao Shanchuan suggested.
"The Li family is a powerful clan in Tianlu City, but we are in Haixia City. If we had known Wu Zhiming would be this successful, I wouldn't have bothered with the Li family. Unless we plan to move our company to Tianlu City, the Li family's help will always be limited. Now that Wu Zhiming has risen, it's almost impossible to separate Yao Jing from him, which could sever our ties with the Li family. We are now in a position where we could lose on both fronts," Yao Tianlong said with a sigh.
"Then what should we do, Grandpa?" Yao Shanchuan asked.
"It's all because of you people!" Yao Tianlong glared angrily at those around him. "The company makes profits every year, but how much do you take out? The entire company is restless, and we have hardly any long-term employees left. If we can't secure strong partnerships, the company will be hollowed out by you eventually!"
The Yao family members around him hung their heads in embarrassment.
"Luckily, Wu Zhiming is still Yao Jing's husband! Shanchuan, go home and fetch the bottle of Maotai I've treasured for over sixty years! I'll go to the Wu family myself!" Yao Tianlong said seriously.
Yao Shanchuan's face stiffened, and he remained motionless.
"What's the matter? Can't I count on you?" Yao Tianlong asked with a dark expression.
"Um... alright, I understand." Yao Shanchuan nodded and then turned to leave.
After about half an hour, Yao Shanchuan returned holding a box.
"Let's go. You're coming with me," Yao Tianlong ordered.
"Grandpa, do I have to go?" Yao Shanchuan said, looking awkward.
"Don't forget, you bullied Wu Zhiming the most in the past. Bringing you along to apologize and clear up any grudges is crucial for better cooperation in the future!" Yao Tianlong said.
"Alright!" Yao Shanchuan forced a smile and reluctantly followed Yao Tianlong to the Wu family's mansion.
Meanwhile, many members of Haixia City's upper society, who had learned about the events at the succession ceremony, were also quietly making their way to the Wu family mansion.
Previously, they had refused Wu Zhiming's invitations because of Shen Hongyue's influence. But now, seeing Wu Zhiming's capabilities and connections, they realized that to continue thriving in Haixia City, they needed to align with Wu Zhiming.
It may be a harsh reality, but that's how the world works: when you're down, people avoid you, but when you're up, everyone comes knocking at your door.
Back in the courtyard of the old Wu family mansion, the scene was bustling with activity.
### Chapter 49: No Face Given
The flames from the stove roared under the wok, and the burly chef, his neck thick and his face red, skillfully tossed the ingredients, creating a mesmerizing display.
Wu Zhiming sat in the living room, calmly flipping through the Wu family genealogy book. Yao Jing hesitated for a long moment before approaching him. In a low voice, she asked, "Did you go to the bar last night to investigate my kidnapping?"
Wu Zhiming remained silent, his attention still on the genealogy.
"You knew all along that this A-Yong character was behind my kidnapping, didn't you?" Yao Jing pressed on.
Still, Wu Zhiming gave no response.
"The people who rescued me last night, they were your men, weren't they? I remember one of their hands clearly—it was just like the hand of the person protecting you earlier today," Yao Jing continued, seeking a reaction.
But Wu Zhiming kept his eyes on the book, his demeanor unchanging.
Yao Jing felt a wave of confusion wash over her. She rarely felt this way, but guilt gnawed at her. She had wronged Wu Zhiming earlier, jumping to conclusions.
Next to Wu Zhiming stood Li Sina, her hand bandaged. She watched Yao Jing with an impassive expression, secretly marveling at her employer's composure. Even with such a beautiful woman trying to engage him in conversation, Wu Zhiming didn't utter a word in reply.
At that moment, Zhou Yanqiu came rushing down the stairs and hurried over to Wu Zhiming. "Zhiming, come with me to the door. Yao Jing's grandfather is here."
"He can come if he wants. Why should I go to the door?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"That's Yao Jing's grandfather and also your grandfather-in-law. As a younger generation, you should greet him!" Zhou Yanqiu explained. She had just received word that Yao Tianlong and several Yao family members were coming over. If she could persuade Wu Zhiming to join her in greeting them at the door, it would be a great boost to her prestige.
"This is the Wu family home," Wu Zhiming replied coolly. "The doors of the Wu family are open. If they come, I will treat them with respect. But no one has the right to make me go to the door to greet them because... I am the head of the Wu family."
"You!!" Zhou Yanqiu wanted to retort, thinking what a lousy head of the Wu family he was—after all, he was just her son-in-law. But seeing the stern-faced bodyguard beside Wu Zhiming, she swallowed her words. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Zhiming, just do it for me, your mother-in-law."
"No," Wu Zhiming responded simply.
"Jingjing, look at this! Look at your husband! A bit of success, and he's lost all sense of respect. He won't even give me face!" Zhou Yanqiu raged.
"Zhiming, it's just a matter of stepping outside to greet an elder. Do it for me," Yao Jing pleaded.
"No," Wu Zhiming repeated, not lifting his eyes from the genealogy.
"This is outrageous! He doesn't even listen to you anymore, Jingjing. Let's go! We don't have to stay here and be insulted!" Zhou Yanqiu grabbed Yao Jing's arm and started pulling her toward the door.