This man was Zhang Keqin, Zhang Yang’s father, fifty-two years old, though excellent self-care made him appear barely forty. He was not old by any measure, holding a high position at a young age with a future brimming with prospects.
After a moment, Zhang Keqin slowly raised his head, walked to a nearby study, and retrieved an ancient file pouch from within.
Inside the pouch lay several yellowed old photographs, alongside a sheet bearing a thumbprint.
If Zhang Yang were present, he would recognize these old photos instantly.
These were all pictures of their former family: photos of Zhang Yang as a child, and snapshots of the three of them together.
Zhang Keqin picked up the photo of the trio and gazed intently at the woman smiling so radiantly in it.
Before long, his eyes grew slightly moist.
“Shihua, our son has grown up, truly grown up. I don't know when he learned such formidable medical skills, but he is doing well now—renowned across the nation, far more successful than we ever were!”
Zhang Keqin spoke softly, a bright, happy smile still on his face as he talked.
“Shihua, rest assured. The secret you asked me to keep, I will guard it until eternity!”
Caressing the photograph, Zhang Keqin smiled again. Only after a long while did he carefully put the photos away, slotting them back into the study’s safe before finally returning to the master bedroom to rest.
Watching the light in the leader’s bedroom finally go out, Zhao Min, who had remained awake monitoring the situation, let out a soft sigh.
Only then did he start his car and leave. The friction between Zhang Yang and his father was a matter he, as the personal secretary, could not possibly intervene in; this was something the father and son had to resolve themselves.
The six bottles of liquor were ultimately finished, not a drop left.
Even Wang Chen, whose medical orders forbade alcohol, couldn't resist joining the revelry. With the divine physician Zhang Yang present, he felt no fear, and when he insisted on drinking, Zhang Yang could only reluctantly nod his consent.
Wang Chen had recently taken the spiritual medicine, so alcohol would affect his recovery, but only minimally, provided he didn't drink frequently.
By the end, Long Cheng also reached his limit. He and Huang Hai both collapsed and were groggily helped into a car.
Of everyone, only Zhang Yang remained truly sober.
When paying the bill, Zhang Yang finally understood the profound power of that pure gold VIP card.
A card like that granted a two-tenths discount on any expenditure here, with gifts included on top of that; in the end, the effective cost was almost nothing—practically free.
The owner had devised this system because offering services entirely for free felt awkward, even for their most valued patrons.
According to the clerk, this kind of golden card was the highest tier available—the Supreme Card—and only twelve had ever been issued, meaning the establishment catered to a maximum of twelve top-tier clients.
Even Long Cheng didn't possess such a card, so Zhang Yang was genuinely surprised that Zhao Min held one.
After dropping everyone off at the hotel, Zhang Yang and Mi Xue headed back to their own place. Though small, it was cozy and warm.
Once home, Mi Xue brewed him hangover soup. These concoctions were useless to Zhang Yang, but he drank it all so as not to disappoint her kindness.
The next morning, Long Cheng called early to inquire about the previous night's events.
He still felt somewhat unwell, though considerably better than the others, given his inherently stronger constitution.
None of the group had returned home; they had all ended up staying at the hotel.
Huang Hai had apparently been vomiting all night. Wu Zhiguo inexplicably left his room mid-night and slept for half an hour in the hallway before a staff member found him and escorted him back.
Chang Feng awoke to find himself lying on the floor. Li Ya was worse off; he went to the restroom to be sick and never made it back to his room. As for poor Wang Chen, unable to move, he was thirsty all night and dreamt of drinking the entire West Lake dry.
The luckiest one was Su Zhantao, who had Yang Ling with him. She looked after him all night, giving him far superior treatment to the others.
“I feel awful!”
It wasn’t until ten o’clock that Huang Hai, after Long Cheng, was the first to stir. He had no recollection of how he ended up at the hotel after drinking so heavily.
As he got up, Chang Feng and Li Ya also rose, and the group convened in the hotel restaurant.
They were all still somewhat foggy. Six bottles of liquor, totaling nearly nine jin, combined with the white wine they’d consumed during the meal, was enough to overwhelm even those with good tolerance.
“Where are we? How did we end up here?”
Su Zhantao was helped downstairs by Yang Ling, equally dazed. He too had been completely unaware of what happened yesterday after drinking.
“All of you overdid it. Zhang Yang and I brought you all here!”
Yang Ling said, unable to hide her exasperation. She had barely slept, spending the entire night looking after this drunkard.
Soon after, Wu Zhiguo helped Wang Chen downstairs. Everyone shared a common trait: a total lack of energy.
Hangovers were miserable; even fine liquor brought discomfort when over-consumed, not necessarily a pounding headache, but a constant churning in the stomach was undeniable.
It was already noon, and none of them had an appetite. In the end, they simply ordered some soup.
Forcing down food was impossible right then, but consuming nothing would only make them feel worse, so a bit of warm broth was all they could manage to settle their stomachs.
“Young Master Su, what exactly happened yesterday? What provoked Zhang Yang?”
Sipping his soup, Li Ya looked up and asked again. Zhang Yang was one of his shareholders, so he felt obligated to care.
“I’m not entirely clear either. All I know is that his relationship with his father isn’t good!”
Su Zhantao shook his head slightly, speaking softly. As soon as he finished, he noticed everyone else was looking at him.
Even Yang Ling watched him with curiosity.
“We’ve never heard Zhang Yang mention anything about his family, Young Master Su. If you know something, please don’t keep it from us!”
Huang Hai asked quietly. After Secretary Zhao’s appearance yesterday, they had all been intensely curious about Zhang Yang.
They hadn't managed to get anything from Zhang Yang, but they discovered Su Zhantao was a big fish. With his background, Su Zhantao was undoubtedly one of the foremost figures among the young elites of Changjing.
“Don’t press me on it. I already told you, his relationship with his family is bad. What use is knowing more?”
Su Zhantao shook his head helplessly. Just as he spoke, he recalled what Zhang Yang had told him before he got drunk yesterday. This brought a flicker of hesitation back to his face.
Frankly, these people would discover Zhang Yang’s identity sooner or later if they bothered to investigate. Since that was the case, it might be better to tell them directly. At least that way, he could clearly convey what Zhang Yang had told him, preventing potential misunderstandings.
With that thought, he stopped hesitating, tapped the table once, and then looked up at the group.
“Fine, I can tell you, but you must swear to keep it confidential. Also, Zhang Yang said one thing to me: He is who he is, and his father is who his father is. There is no connection between them. You only need to know that much!”
Su Zhantao spoke slowly. The group, who had almost given up hope, immediately leaned in eagerly when they saw Su Zhantao suddenly loosen his tongue.
“Please, Young Master Su, just tell us quickly! Stop dragging this out!”
Li Ya pressed his palms together, looking at Su Zhantao’s resigned expression.
Glancing at Li Ya, Su Zhantao finally spoke slowly: “I actually found out about Zhang Yang’s situation quite late. It was when my father and Zhang Yang’s father were being transferred here together. I asked him about it once, and he seemed very displeased.”
“You mean Zhang Yang’s father is also in Changjing?”
Huang Hai immediately interjected, having grasped the key element in Su Zhantao’s words. They all knew Zhang Yang studied in Changjing, but he wasn't a local. That’s why they were so curious after seeing Secretary Zhao’s attitude toward him. If Su Zhantao was correct, Zhang Yang’s father must also be in Changjing now.
“Yes,” Su Zhantao confirmed with a nod.
“If his father was transferred alongside your father, his rank must also be considerable. A man with the surname Zhang—who could it be?”
Chang Feng tapped the table rhythmically, frowning as he racked his brain. He was primarily thinking of high-ranking government officials.
Not just him, but everyone else was thinking the same way, assuming Zhang Yang’s father and Su Zhantao’s father had a strong relationship, arriving in Changjing together. But no matter how they thought, they couldn't pinpoint a suitable high-ranking official surnamed Zhang in the government sector. Anyone close to Su Zhantao’s father would have a high rank, and there was no one suitable in the government bureaucracy.
“Stop guessing. Think about who on television looks like Zhang Yang!”
Seeing their troubled expressions, Su Zhantao found it amusing and couldn't help but suggest it.
“On television? So, Zhang Yang’s father must appear on TV often. Who is it?”
Huang Hai looked even more confused, pondering deeply. He mentally reviewed every deputy in government, every high-ranking position in the Propaganda Department, Organization Department, or Political and Legal Affairs Commission, as well as the various bureaus beneath them, but still couldn’t find a match.
Only Yang Ling’s expression changed abruptly, her mouth falling open in shock.
She was the clearest-headed and hadn't fallen into the same logical trap. She immediately thought of someone who could be compared to Su Zhantao’s father. Such figures were extremely rare, and someone surnamed Zhang was even better. There happened to be one prominent figure in Changjing, and combined with Su Zhantao’s last clue, she instantly recalled the major public figure who often appeared on television and truly did resemble Zhang Yang.
“Xiao Ling, did you figure it out? Who is it?”
Long Cheng noticed Yang Ling’s reaction and pressed quickly.
Yang Ling first glanced at Su Zhantao, then slowly stated, “I don’t know if I’m right, but based on who Zhantao said resembles Zhang Yang, the only person I can think of is Secretary Zhang Keqin!”
Secretary Zhang Keqin?
Those five simple words stunned everyone into silence.
As Yang Ling spoke, they immediately noticed that Zhang Keqin and Zhang Yang did indeed bear a strong resemblance. If Zhang Keqin were younger, they could have been cast from the same mold. How had they never noticed this before?
Recalling Zhang Keqin’s identity, their mouths fell wide open. Now they finally understood why they hadn't guessed earlier—they hadn't considered this person at all, focusing instead on finding a close friend of Su Zhantao’s father.
……………… Second update, more to come!