“Good! Good boy, you’ve finally come to your senses. See, didn’t your old man tell you? After cultivating martial arts, don’t you feel full of energy? I almost didn’t recognize you anymore!” Jiang Zhenhua’s eyes were slightly red as he laughed heartily, patting Jiang Chengye’s shoulder.
Jiang Chengye could clearly feel the deep love from Jiang Zhenhua.
After nine cycles of reincarnation, Jiang Chengye hadn’t really gotten to know this cheap father very well. Every time he reincarnated, he had to immediately dive into the scripted plot.
And each time, Jiang Zhenhua would look at him with such disappointment. The two barely communicated.
Because everything that needed to be said, Jiang Zhenhua had already said long ago—but the original “Jiang Chengye” had never listened.
In the end, Jiang Zhenhua also died at the hands of Ye Chen, sacrificing himself to avenge his son.
“Dad, let’s eat. Otherwise, the dishes will get cold,” Jiang Chengye said, looking at the lavish spread before him.
“Haha! Right, let’s eat,” Jiang Zhenhua laughed.
As for the Eighteen Tan Kicks, Jiang Chengye had never practiced it. He had no idea what level his strength was even at anymore.
Martial techniques? Let them go to hell. Who had time to bother with them?
He was the ultimate counter to all that flashy nonsense.
…
Half an hour later, the father and son were both slumped in their seats.
Jiang Zhenhua hadn’t eaten this well in a long time—mainly because he was happy today!
“Son, Old Madam Su’s 80th birthday banquet is tonight. I won’t go. You go in my place. I’ve got something going on this evening.”
Jiang Chengye paused at those words, then nodded.
He obviously understood what Jiang Zhenhua’s “evening plans” were—after all, the streamer was making a personal appearance tonight.
Back when he was still stuck in the scripted plot, even if Jiang Zhenhua didn’t let him go, he’d threaten to cut his own throat if necessary just to attend—because there’d be a mini-drama playing out there.
This morning, thanks to Ye Chen’s whole “hero saves the beauty” act and beating up a down-and-out rival, Tang Shiyu’s affection for Ye Chen had skyrocketed. Needing someone to attend Su family’s banquet with her, she ended up inviting Ye Chen.
Originally, she wanted to bring her best friend Wang Xia, but Wang Xia had social anxiety. Tang Shiyu didn’t push it.
Besides, there was another reason—Jiang Chengye would be there. In situations where both the female lead and male lead were present, the villain was fated to show up just to have his face slapped.
It was always the same script: the villain would become the joke of the banquet.
Jiang Zhenhua looked at Jiang Chengye with immense pride. Then he pulled out his wallet from his inner pocket and laid a black card on the table.
“Take it. It’s what you’ve always wanted. Those cars of yours have been sitting for over a year. Time to upgrade.”
Jiang Chengye looked at the black card—this was something the original “Jiang Chengye” had always schemed to get.
Back then, Jiang Zhenhua wouldn’t give it to him no matter what.
Ah, the simple, unadorned life of the rich.
“There’s still business at the group, so I’m leaving now.” Jiang Zhenhua got up and walked around the table before pausing and instructing, “Remember, don’t be a wolf warrior anymore! If you run into any issues with martial arts training, come ask me. I’ll speak to Master Wang.”
Jiang Chengye nodded helplessly.
After Jiang Zhenhua left, the servants came to clear the table.
As for the black card—it had already found a new home in Jiang Chengye’s pocket.
Sitting alone at the dining table, Jiang Chengye suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of emptiness.
He was too used to following the plot. Now that he was idle, he didn’t even know what to do.
Just then, his phone chimed.
It was a voice message from Liu Yun.
Liu Yun was Jiang Chengye’s brainy strategist, known as “Little Phoenix.”
Every time something critical happened, he’d always provide Jiang Chengye with some very “arrest-worthy” ideas.
Things like sending someone to beat up Ye Chen, kidnapping the female lead, or hiring assassins to kill Ye Chen—Liu Yun always delivered.
A truly criminal-minded lackey. On Jiang Chengye’s road to being the final boss, Liu Yun played a major supporting role.
“Boss, our sister-in-law was harassed. That security guard at her company made some skit and dragged her name into it. I think he’s tired of living. I’ve already gathered ten-plus brothers. Give the order!”
After listening, Jiang Chengye nodded.
Even though he didn’t propose to Tang Shiyu or get slapped by Ye Chen, Liu Yun still found a way to provoke a fight with Ye Chen. Truly dependable.
It was like Liu Yun was terrified Ye Chen wouldn’t have a chance to beat them up.
Just then, another message from Liu Yun came in—it was a screenshot from Jiangbei City Public Security Bureau.
After reading it, Jiang Chengye was stunned.
“What is Ye Chen even doing?”
His wide eyes were filled with confusion.
Then a sharp glint flashed across them. He remembered the system once told him that Ye Chen was the “Child of Destiny,” blessed by the Heavenly Dao and carried a passive aura that lowered everyone else’s IQ.
But now that the Heavenly Dao was gone, that aura was gone too.
Which meant Ye Chen could no longer influence others around him.
In the previous nine lives, this kind of thing never happened. Ye Chen could kill and no one would care.
And now, his own intelligence had dropped too. He even called the victim to come testify and claimed he was just filming skits. Was he trying to expose himself faster?
Did he think Tang Shiyu’s phone was some kind of grandma flip-phone? That everyone else around was blind?
Still playing like this without his aura?
Jiang Chengye couldn’t help but suspect—what if everything Ye Chen had done was exactly like Jiang Chengye had done during his script-following days?
Could it be that before the Heavenly Dao collapsed, it preserved Ye Chen’s memories?
And since the system didn’t have much energy left at the time, maybe it didn’t notice.
That would explain why Ye Chen was now doing such idiotic things—he wasn’t following the script anymore. He came up with this substitute stunt himself.
Thinking of this, Jiang Chengye couldn’t stop his lips from curling up.
If this was true, then Ye Chen was doomed.
After being humiliated by Jiang Chengye so many times, now Ye Chen had also returned with memories.
But unlike Jiang Chengye, who no longer needed to follow the plot or act it out, Ye Chen would have to.
He had the script in hand. Now it was his turn to perform.
But this was still just Jiang Chengye’s guess.
To confirm it, he needed to test it.
As long as Ye Chen appeared at tonight’s Su family birthday banquet, then the theory was almost certainly true.
He picked up his phone and messaged Liu Yun, “That security guard’s just trying to make ends meet. Shooting a few skits to support his family. You round up ten-plus guys to beat him up? You trying to make headlines?”
Liu Yun replied with a sweating emoji… then silence.
“My god, is this really Boss? He’s letting it go?”
Lying on his bed, Liu Yun stared at the ceiling in shock.
With Jiang Chengye’s usual temper, he’d have gone ballistic, ordered him to gather more men, and personally gone to cripple that guard.
But Jiang Chengye was so calm now, like it had nothing to do with him.
He even said something that sounded… reasonable.
Liu Yun couldn’t help but wonder—
Had Jiang Chengye… grown a brain?!