These years, he had been striving outside, relying entirely on his grandfather's guidance from behind the scenes.
Without his grandfather, he wouldn't be who he was today.
But his grandfather had taken him out to sea back then precisely to avoid that engagement.
Now he was being asked to give half of his hard-earned assets to Chen Jie. How could he possibly accept that?
Chen Jie said, "Old Master, there's no need to do this..."
"No! I must do this!"
Zhang Ziqiang insisted, "Your master has been greatly indebted to my Yang family, and now you have saved my life again. Thinking back, how ridiculous my actions were, not staying in Pingcheng and diligently expanding my Yang family, but taking my grandson out to sea..."
Chen Jie smiled.
He didn't care about Zhang Cheng's hundreds of billions of assets at all.
He figured his master wouldn't care either.
After all, the gold mines he had accumulated were enough to enrich a nation.
Money, to Chen Jie, was just a string of numbers.
As for the Yang family's petty schemes, Chen Jie didn't take them to heart at all.
Thinking this, and to avoid making Zhang Cheng difficult, Chen Jie proactively suggested, "How about this, it's not appropriate for me to take the assets that Brother Zhang has worked so hard to build. If Brother Zhang is willing, then give it to Xinyan."
Chen Jie had intended to break off the engagement with Zhang Xinyan anyway, so he wasn't going to take their assets. Giving it to Zhang Xinyan meant it would remain within the Yang family's internal affairs.
Zhang Cheng's eyes lit up.
This was indeed a feasible solution.
Giving it to Zhang Xinyan now would mean it was her pre-marital property. Even if she married Chen Jie, the money would have nothing to do with Chen Jie.
Moreover, Zhang Xinyan was his own sister, so it didn't matter if he gave it to her.
"I'm willing!" Zhang Cheng said.
"This... alas, so be it then!"
Zhang Ziqiang sighed and said to Zhang Cheng, "Go, get me paper and a pen, and write down an agreement!"
"Ah? I still need to write an agreement?" Zhang Cheng asked.
"If I tell you to go, then go!" Zhang Ziqiang commanded.
"Fine, I'll write it. Would I shortchange my own sister?" Zhang Cheng said helplessly.
Saying this, he turned to find paper and a pen.
Liu Mei and Liu Feilong had been glaring at Chen Jie with malice.
However, in front of Zhang Ziqiang, neither of them spoke a word.
Hai Chunsheng, standing nearby, found an opportunity and left with Xiao Fang.
Now that Zhang Ziqiang was awake, he felt too ashamed to stay any longer.
"Hahaha... Chen Jie, you must stay today, and we grandfather and grandson will have a good drink!"
At Zhang Ziqiang's invitation, Chen Jie stayed for dinner at Zhang Cheng's place.
After a few rounds of drinks, it was time for Chen Jie to leave.
However, Zhang Xinyan would be accompanying him.
Clearly, Zhang Xinyan had no intention of staying at Zhang Cheng's place.
As soon as Zhang Xinyan and Chen Jie left, Zhang Cheng re-entered Zhang Ziqiang's room.
He held a bowl of chicken soup and said, "Grandfather, this is the black chicken soup that Liu Mei stewed for you. Drink it to nourish your body."
"Mmm." Zhang Ziqiang took it and drank a few sips.
Zhang Cheng hesitated to speak.
Zhang Ziqiang glanced at him indifferently and said, "Are you curious why I asked you to give half of the family fortune to Chen Jie?"
"Grandfather, although we can agree to Chen Jie marrying my sister, he is still an outsider. I truly don't understand your decision!" Zhang Cheng quickly said.
"You don't understand because you don't understand Chen Jie!" Zhang Ziqiang said.
"How can I not understand? I've investigated him thoroughly..."
"Don't tell me you understand Chen Jie! Because no matter how well you think you know him, you don't know him as well as I do!"
Zhang Ziqiang said in a low voice, "Do you know when my consciousness began to awaken?"
"Grandfather, what are you saying?"
"The moment that so-called Master Hai used the Other Shore Flower on me, my consciousness had already awakened. However, at that time, my consciousness was pulled into the Other Shore Flower by a terrifying existence within it, and at the same time, I learned the identity of that consciousness!"
"What? So the consciousness that entered you came from the Other Shore Flower?" Zhang Cheng exclaimed, "Grandfather, what is his identity?"
"The first sect master of the Shadow Sect, Fang Shaohua!"
Zhang Ziqiang said with shock, "The instant our consciousnesses collided, I learned a great deal about Fang Shaohua's past!"
"Fang Shaohua is someone who walked out of a sea of corpses and blood! It can be said that he is a complete demon! In his prime, a single glance from him could kill a Grandmaster-level expert!"
"What? He's that strong? A single glance..." Zhang Cheng sat up from the bed abruptly.
Although he was not a martial artist, he knew the ranks of martial artists.
He naturally knew how strong a Grandmaster-level expert was.
Zhang Ziqiang nodded, "However, Fang Shaohua said that Chen Jie now is already comparable to his prime strength, and will soon surpass him!"
Zhang Ziqiang gasped for air.
If Chen Jie was as strong as his grandfather claimed, then this was someone he needed to look up to.
Now, he finally understood his grandfather's purpose.
He wanted him to cling tightly to Chen Jie's coattails!
"Zhang Cheng, I have taught you many principles. Today, I will teach you another one!"
"Having a lot of money does not equate to true strength. Martial prowess is true strength!"
"Now, do you understand?"
Zhang Ziqiang had one more thing he hadn't told Zhang Cheng.
That was when Fang Shaohua entered the Other Shore Flower for the second time, he told him something else.
Chen Jie was a cultivator.
In the future, he was destined to become an immortal!
For ordinary people, even immense wealth could not compare to an immortal.
However, this matter was of great significance, and he decided to keep Chen Jie's secret.
"Grandfather, I understand. I will definitely follow your teachings and strive to build a good relationship with Chen Jie!" Zhang Cheng said earnestly.
"Mmm, do you know why you have become a successful person?" Zhang Cheng said with a satisfied smile.
"Isn't it because of your good teaching, Grandfather!" Zhang Cheng also smiled.
"No, whether my teaching is good or not is another matter. It's more because you are a smart person. If you weren't smart, you would have gone against my wishes in many things."
"It is precisely because you are smart enough to know that your abilities and means are inferior to mine that you are willing to always follow my advice."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng chuckled.
Upon reflection, it was indeed true.
During his rebellious phase, he hadn't done anything too outrageous.
Most people, even with a capable person like his grandfather beside them, likely wouldn't have achieved what he had today.
Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Ziqiang suddenly began to cough violently.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Pfft...
After a few coughs, Zhang Ziqiang actually spat out black blood from his mouth.
He seemed to be in extreme pain.
"Grandfather, what's wrong? Don't scare me!" Zhang Cheng cried out in alarm.
"I, I..."
Zhang Ziqiang clutched his stomach, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.
"Ah! What's happening? Someone save Grandfather!" Zhang Cheng shouted in panic and helplessness.