Aside from milestone birthdays like seventy or eighty, celebrations for sixty-six, seventy-seven, and eighty-eight years are also occasions for grand festivities.

It had been eight long years since Old Master Qi’s last birthday celebration, so this eighty-eighth birthday was being observed with immense extravagance, hosting a lavish banquet for countless guests.

This should have been a joyous day, yet Qi Ji, the eldest son and grandson, found himself utterly incapable of feeling any happiness. Despite holding the decisive upper hand in terms of timing, location, and interpersonal advantage—all three factors squarely in his favor—he had been utterly defeated by his cousin, Qi Fei.

This left him deeply frustrated and disheartened.

The banquet was still in full swing, yet he had sequestered himself outside the restrooms, alone, like a wounded lone wolf licking his own injuries.

Could he ever hope to surpass Qi Fei in the future? He dared not contemplate the question. Though he had amassed personal wealth in the tens of millions by his early thirties, the higher he climbed, the more acutely he understood the difficulty of progressing further. Compared to his own training institutions, Shengshi Dynasty was an absolute behemoth—distant and unattainable, inspiring a sense of humbling awe.

Only after witnessing his cousin’s true network of connections did he realize how profoundly mistaken he had been, how utterly ridiculous his past endeavors seemed. While he had been preening over cultivating a friendship with a Vice Mayor, she had already cemented relationships with nationally significant figures!

It was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

Involuntarily, the corner of his mouth twitched, forcing out a helpless, bitter smile. He then noticed the tall young man who had arrived with Qi Fei and the others earlier, walking directly toward him.

Qi Ji frowned slightly. Qi Fei had never introduced this person to him. However, it was clear this man was no mere errand boy; moreover, he had been seen chatting animatedly with Elder Qin, indicating he was certainly no simple figure.

As he was inwardly speculating, Wang Zhuo had already approached. He slid his right hand into the pocket of his suit trousers, smiled, and asked, "Got a light? Could I borrow one?"

Qi Ji didn't smoke, but he always carried a lighter. He paused for a moment, then nodded, taking an exquisite Zippo lighter from his coat pocket.

Wang Zhuo nodded and smiled at him, then patted the pockets of his clothes on both sides of his body, feigning surprise. "Oh? Out of cigarettes."

Qi Ji managed a weak smile and put his lighter away.

Wang Zhuo then took a moment to observe him, asking with a slight smile, "What's wrong? You seem down."

A thought flickered in his mind. Qi Ji glanced coolly at Wang Zhuo and shook his head indifferently.

Wang Zhuo paid it no mind, grinned, and extended his hand. "Let's get acquainted. I'm Wang Zhuo—you must have heard of me."

"Wang Zhuo?" Qi Ji froze, his mind instantly recalling the lawsuit Qi Fei and Guan Yingying had filed against him. He blurted out, "Aren't you currently suing Xiao Fei?"

"Just for show," Wang Zhuo scoffed. "A performance for outsiders."

Qi Ji was somewhat speechless at the answer. Seeing Wang Zhuo still holding out his hand, and remembering that Wang Zhuo was the chairman of a listed group company with assets in the tens of billions, he instinctively rushed to extend his own hand to shake Wang Zhuo's.

Qi Ji was rational enough in this regard. The struggle with Qi Fei was an internal family matter. But Wang Zhuo was here today to honor his grandfather’s birthday, and his status was exceptionally high—he was a distinguished guest of the Qi family, and he could not be treated negligently, regardless of his relationship with Qi Fei.

Looking at the young man opposite him, Qi Ji was filled with emotion. So this is Wang Zhuo, he thought. The richest man in the entire city at twenty; a prominent figure not just in their hometown but in Jiangzhou. He truly was as tall and imposing as the rumors suggested. Compared to him, Qi Ji felt like a sparrow next to a peacock!

After a purely symbolic, brief handshake, Qi Ji asked with a bitter smile, "With your kind of wealth, do you still need to put on such a show?"

Unconsciously, he had already lowered his own standing below that of his cousin, tacitly acknowledging the gap between himself and Qi Fei. Since he had nothing to boast about in front of Wang Zhuo, he naturally adopted a very humble posture.

His reaction was somewhat unexpected by Wang Zhuo, but it significantly altered Wang Zhuo’s perception of him, further diminishing the already mild hostility he felt.

Wang Zhuo shrugged, smiling. "Just playing around. It saves tens of millions in advertising fees, and we lose nothing."

Playing around? Qi Ji felt a strange mix of laughter and tears at the answer. He knew Wang Zhuo wasn't bragging; a man with ten billion in assets wouldn't bother lying about tens of millions. But to hear Wang Zhuo say it so casually was hard for him to adapt to immediately.

"I know about your situation with Qi Fei," Wang Zhuo said calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I know about the comparisons you've endured since you were both very young, right up to your current covert rivalry."

Qi Ji’s expression immediately stiffened. He looked at Wang Zhuo with complex, flickering eyes and asked in a low voice, "What do you want to tell me?"

"I want to advise you to be more broad-minded," Wang Zhuo said sincerely. "We're men, we should do manly things. Why hold onto childish grudges? Are we playing house?"

Qi Ji moved his lips but couldn't utter a word. Being lectured by a young man ten years his junior left him with no standing to argue or get angry, which only fueled his internal frustration.

"Actually, you didn't lose unfairly," Wang Zhuo chuckled, adding, "Growing up in that kind of environment, reaching where you are today is already quite remarkable. Qi Fei won because she had the aid of a distinguished patron—that's something you can’t force." Patron. Qi Ji suddenly recalled a persistent rumor about his cousin: that she had become the mistress of a major political figure, which explained her rapid ascent to her current height. Although this rumor was unsubstantiated, many people firmly believed it—partly because Qi Fei's progress was indeed astonishing, and partly because she was still unmarried at thirty, possessing the looks that could suit such an affair.

Wang Zhuo’s remarkably perceptive eyes immediately saw through Qi Ji’s true thoughts. He coughed, a mixture of amusement and frustration, and said, "Don't jump to conclusions. That distinguished patron is me!"

"Uh..." Qi Ji looked at him stunned, unsure why he would suddenly say such a thing.

"It's okay if you don't understand. You'll know slowly over time," Wang Zhuo smiled lightly. "I heard your training institution is doing quite well. I wanted to ask if you plan on expanding a branch into Guangxi."

After a moment of thought, Qi Ji replied somewhat sheepishly, "Guangxi is too far. I have no business or friends there. I really don't have that plan in the short term."

"You..." Wang Zhuo pointed at him chidingly. "You and Qi Fei are both only children, what’s the difference between you and actual siblings? Shengshi Dynasty's Taoyuan Copper Mine will soon have its first ten thousand employees. If you establish a branch in Guangxi, shouldn't this profitable opportunity flow to family instead of outsiders?"

Qi Ji was left speechless. Wang Zhuo continued, "I won't waste any more of your time. You certainly know better than I what a massive client the Taoyuan Copper Mine represents. Decide for yourself: will you keep fighting with Qi Fei, or will you go to Guangxi to open up new business!"

With that, Wang Zhuo clapped Qi Ji lightly on the shoulder as he brushed past him and entered the restroom.

Qi Ji’s mind began spinning rapidly. Developing business by leveraging his cousin's connections was something he had never considered before. But after this sharp wake-up call from Wang Zhuo, his thinking suddenly became fluid, considering all the possibilities.

A budding training institution was sometimes very much like a travel agency: find a scenic location, bring students for games to relax their bodies and minds, and then hire a few eloquent speakers to give them lectures—and that was a competitive package. The venue could simply be any resort; the lecturers? Anyone who had experience with multi-level marketing could do it. The barrier to entry in this field was extremely low; anyone could participate as long as they had clients. Therefore, securing customers was the absolute key. The sheer magnitude of a client like the Taoyuan Copper Mine was intoxicating for Qi Ji!

If he could secure the Taoyuan Copper Mine as a major client, he could establish a firm foothold in the Northwest, and having a benchmark client would give him greater confidence to expand elsewhere! Qi Ji suddenly realized that if things went smoothly, his business could double within two years, allowing him to shift his focus entirely to that region!

His expression shifted rapidly as he began to envision the developmental trajectory for the next three years. At that moment, Wang Zhuo emerged from the restroom, slowly washing his hands at the sink, and cast him a half-smiling glance before heading toward the exit.

"Mr. Wang, please wait!"

Qi Ji quickly called out to him. After a moment of hesitation, he steeled himself and asked, "Why are you helping me?"

Wang Zhuo’s lips curved slightly upward as he turned back and smiled at him. "Because you are Qi Fei's older brother. You used to fight for her when she was bullied by rowdy kids when she was little."

Be more broad-minded... She has a distinguished patron... What’s the difference between you and actual siblings?... You used to fight for her...

Multiple threads instantly converged. Watching Wang Zhuo’s relaxed retreating figure, Qi Ji suddenly grasped two truths: he had been engaging in foolishness all these years, and today he had met his true benefactor!

The birthday banquet concluded, and everyone returned home.

Siyuan drove at the front, but the passenger seat was empty.

Wang Zhuo sat in the middle of the back seat, Qi Fei on his left and Guan Yingying on his right. Since the car was spacious, it didn't feel crowded.

"What did you say to Qi Ji? Why did he specifically come to our table to toast us, and even apologize to our sister?"

Guan Yingying had been curious about this the moment she had a chance to ask.

Wang Zhuo chuckled. "I advised him to act like a man from now on and stop being petty by endlessly competing with our sister."

As he spoke, he raised both arms, embracing both women on their shoulders.

"Stop talking nonsense," Guan Yingying said with an exasperated pout. "If he were that easily persuaded by you, he wouldn't have been feuding with our sister for twenty years."

"It’s been more than twenty years," Qi Fei added with a wry smile.

"Tell us the truth, no beating around the bush!" Guan Yingying insisted playfully.

On the other side, Qi Fei also urged Wang Zhuo with her eyes to explain. Qi Ji’s sudden change of heart had left her completely bewildered as well.

"Kiss me, and I'll tell you," Wang Zhuo tried to take advantage, but the two women pushed him around like a small boat in a storm. He surrendered with raised hands and dutifully explained, "Actually, here's what happened..."

After he finished recounting the events, Guan Yingying huffed in dissatisfaction, feeling that Qi Ji had gained too much benefit without effort. Qi Fei, however, was moved by Wang Zhuo’s explanation, a warm affection blooming in her heart, deepening her love for him!

Feeling her body lean softly against him, Wang Zhuo turned his head away and whispered mischievously to Guan Yingying at a volume she could hear, "Mission accomplished. Tonight, we play Landlords!"