Chapter 20: The Patriarch's Shock

Seeing Huang Feiyang’s confident face, Chen Xiruo couldn’t help but feel a bit entranced. She opened her mouth, but in the end, said nothing further. After all, Huang Feiyang was still young. Anything was possible!

With the speed at which he amassed wealth, perhaps he really could gather enough funds to develop his own chip. Or even produce his own mobile phones independently, like the neighboring country’s company Sansang.

After dinner, Huang Feiyang escorted Chen Xiruo back to the university, while he returned to the villa. He felt a twinge of disappointment but quickly pushed aside such sentimental thoughts. His focus shifted to the three potential unicorn companies under Huang International Investment Holdings. Over the past few days, he had begun drafting development blueprints for these companies—essentially guiding them to retrace the path of their previous success without detours.

Only by doing so could they rise rapidly in a short time, paving the way for Huang Feiyang’s next strategic moves. Of course, this all hinged on having a massive user base. That was why Huang Feiyang had been contemplating starting a chain of internet cafes and finding ways to drive down domestic computer prices. Only with a surge in internet users would the internet industry truly enter a phase of rapid growth.

“Forget it,” he muttered. “One step at a time. Haste makes waste.”

Shaking his head gently, Huang Feiyang exhaled deeply and resumed scribbling at his desk.

Regarding Huang Feiyang’s development plans, the founding teams of the three companies were utterly amazed by their mysterious backer. His strategies were incredibly advanced and detailed, leaving them feeling almost ashamed of themselves. Though they had never met him, their admiration was genuine, mingled with deep curiosity. Who exactly was this boss? How could he be so formidable? And why did he seem more confident in the companies than they were themselves?

In the capital, inside a study of a traditional courtyard house, a dignified, lean old man listened calmly to a middle-aged man’s report.

“I understand,” the elder said softly. “You may go about your business.”

“Yes, sir,” the middle-aged man nodded and took his leave. The old man then picked up a thick stack of documents before him.

This elder was none other than Huang Feiyang’s grandfather. The files detailed everything about Huang Feiyang.

Even for a man seasoned by countless storms, his expression was one of shock after reading the materials. Huang International Investment? Future Network? FY Technology? In less than two months, his precious grandson had seemingly built a vast commercial empire. Especially FY Technology, which was raking in money by the day.

What surprised him most was that Huang Feiyang’s first fortune came from the stock market over in Hong Kong. Moreover, without leveraging his own influence, it would be impossible to discover that his grandson was the shadowy owner behind these companies. The boy had cleverly used a web of offshore companies and cross-holding structures to control them.

“Impressive,” the old man murmured. “These years of training have finally paid off. The brat is starting to come into his own.”

Snapping back to reality, he chuckled heartily. After some thought, he dialed a phone number. If his grandson intended to stay behind the scenes, he might as well lend him a hand—erasing any trace of himself from the picture.

But after careful consideration, he decided not to call Huang Feiyang just yet. He wanted to see how far his grandson could climb on his own. If he grew strong enough, being a businessman might suit him just fine.

***

In the blink of an eye, the night passed. Early the next morning, Huang Feiyang arrived at Jinghua University for military training.

He had initially planned to skip it but changed his mind after receiving a call from Chen Xiruo.

“You weren’t planning to come, were you?” Chen Xiruo, dressed in camouflage, pouted as she sized him up.

“No way,” Huang Feiyang said, shaking his head calmly, denying it without a hint of embarrassment.

“Really? I seem to recall someone only lasted one day during military training in high school before taking leave,” Chen Xiruo said, giving him a skeptical glance.

“Huh?” Huang Feiyang gave her a strange look. Grade ten? That didn’t make sense. Had Xiruo been paying attention to him that early? The thought was bewildering.

Seeing his reaction, Chen Xiruo’s eyes flickered with unease before she swiftly changed the subject. She wouldn’t tell him that back in grade ten, her family had even proposed a marriage alliance with Huang Feiyang’s. That was why she had been watching him then. But she had brushed it off, claiming she was too young at the time. Besides, Huang Feiyang had already earned his notorious reputation as a playboy by then.

“Let’s go,” Huang Feiyang said, taking her hand and heading toward the main group.

Nearby, many male classmates’ hearts sank. How could such an icy beauty already be taken? She was usually so indifferent to others but acted differently around this scoundrel?

Meanwhile, female classmates who had once been interested in Huang Feiyang felt overshadowed upon seeing Chen Xiruo.

Huang Feiyang himself had little enthusiasm for the military training. His performance that morning was merely average—intentionally so.

His family background and life had changed dramatically in this lifetime, unlike before. Due to his rebellious personality and flamboyant behavior, he resembled a great playboy. From the age of thirteen, his grandfather often sent him to the military to toughen up his character.

Thus, university military training felt like mere child’s play to Huang Feiyang, far milder than the harsh memories he recalled from before.

If not for his mother’s care, having brought him from the capital to their hometown, he might have endured even harsher trials.