Struggling against heaven, struggling against the earth, and struggling against humanity.

The next morning, 7:00 AM.

"Where have you been these past two days? You haven't been home at all, and you didn't even bother to call me."

Chen Ze had just returned home from the comforts of a hotel when he was greeted by his mother’s concern. Looking up, he saw her eating with the little princess at the dining table. He walked over without changing his shoes and asked, "Mom, where's Dad?"

"He went to the company. There’s a meeting."

Chen Ze had already altered history. In his previous life, by this time, Chen Tianhong would have already signed the documents, and the construction site would be preparing for the topping-out ceremony. But now, there was no ceremony; instead, the subcontractors were likely beginning to press for payment. Meanwhile, Gong Yaowu was tightening the screws on Chen Tianhong. His father had been under immense pressure these past few days.

"Have you eaten breakfast?"

Hearing his mother’s inquiry, Chen Ze walked over to the happy little princess, shook his head, but didn't refuse. As his mother returned with half a bowl of rice porridge and pushed it toward him, before Chen Ze could even feel moved, he heard her say:

"By the way, your father wants me to ask you for the money. The company's cash flow is tight right now, so he needs to use it."

Chen Ze had been busy these past few days, occupied with arranging everything that needed to be done, none of which he had shared with his family. In the eyes of Chen Tianhong and Su Meiqing, he was, at best, a second-generation heir wanting to start a business—still just a child. Starting a business was fine, but with Chen Tianhong’s situation in crisis, they felt Chen Ze should show some maturity.

But how could Chen Ze yield? He was intentionally letting his father learn a hard lesson this time. After successfully connecting with Wu Zongliang yesterday, the plan could finally begin. Today, he would light the fuse.

"Mom, I can't."

Chen Ze didn't offer any explanation. Seeing Su Meiqing frown, ready to speak, he quickly stood up and said, "Oh, right, I’m heading to Beijing today. I’ll be back in a couple of days. I won't be eating—goodbye, Mom."

"Hey!"

Chen Ze didn't want to explain. He stood up before he had even settled into his seat and walked straight out the door.

"Xinxin, come back here!"

"Mom, let’s talk over the phone."

He had only come back to inform his mother, never expecting to be hit up for money the moment he walked in. He had the money, but he couldn't give it. If he gave it, the fuse would get damp and fail to ignite.

Chen Ze was truly leaving. He didn't take a bodyguard, nor did he use the Rolls-Royce or the Maybach; he took a taxi to the train station. According to the plan, the workers would start their strike before the afternoon shift, and then the media would step in. He had lobbied so many people, done so much work, and dug so many pits—it was time.

Within a week, he would destroy Gong Yaowu! He would annex the Banghe Mansion and seize control of Bangyuan Real Estate.

The first step of the plan: [Invite Father to his Demise].

...

After swiping his ID to enter the second-floor platform, Chen Ze looked at the morning waiting hall. It wasn't crowded, and there were still empty seats. The plan was underway, and he absolutely could not have a conflict with Chen Tianhong over money.

Initially, Gong Yaowu had given a 10-million-yuan check. He claimed it was a personal loan, but in reality, it came from company funds—the "personal" label was just a front. Gong Yaowu not only wanted to pressure Chen Tianhong but also wanted to use them against each other, forcing father and son to tear each other apart.

He had told Chen Ze: "Go ahead, kid, buy a sports car. It's good for young people to have dreams. If it's not enough, just ask your dad."

Then he told Chen Tianhong: "Part of the construction payment has already been given to your son; you can use that to tide yourself over."

In Gong Yaowu’s eyes, Chen Ze was a spoiled brat, and Chen Tianhong would certainly take that money. At the same time, he had filed a lawsuit against Su Meiqing, who was protective of her son.

If this were a war, the already disadvantaged Chen family was low on supplies, suffering from internal strife, and facing a rebellion from the heir. It was precisely because he had considered all of this that Chen Ze had dragged his cousin and Uncle Tang from the Commerce Department into the fray, proving his value at the dinner table to increase his bargaining power. Otherwise, why would Uncle Tang listen to him? Was it because of some overwhelming aura? Don't be silly—it was because of his hard work!

He had been reborn, but he didn't have the ability to change his family's bankruptcy from the comfort of his bed. He could only utilize everything at his disposal. Su Wei, the workers, the media, his cousin, Uncle Tang, the drinking sessions, Lawyer Jiang, Wu Zongliang... Did he really meet them just for fun? Even the time he brought Su Meiqing to cause a scene was an intentional move by Chen Ze to deepen his parents' impression of the situation.

By now, Chen Ze’s goal wasn't just changing the outcome; he was aiming for assets worth a hundred billion. Every person he missed, every action he failed to take, increased the risk of his own destruction. What if Gong Yaowu didn't run? What then?

Everyone had their use. Everything had an underlying motive. If he hadn't dragged his cousin and Uncle Tang into this, his father might have already signed those papers. There was no need to explain Chen Tianhong’s character or his attitude toward him. To this day, his father hadn't signed, and he was taking the matter more seriously—his efforts were paying off. As long as his father held out for a few more days, once he toppled Gong Yaowu, the pressure would naturally vanish.

Yes, Chen Tianhong was under immense pressure, and Gong Yaowu had already begun his counterattack: the wife sued, the son disappeared with the money, high-level officials like Uncle Tang were "deluded" by Chen Ze, and the construction units and suppliers were demanding payment. Without a signature, there was only trouble; only by signing could things be revitalized. Chen Tianhong was on the verge of a breakdown!

In his previous life, Chen Ze hadn't caused a scene at Banghe, yet Gong Yaowu had managed a reversal with just a single check, nearly destroying all his efforts. Chen Ze truly admired him. If not for the memories of his future life, he would have been no match for his opponent.

Chen Ze never underestimated a man who could embezzle 6 billion yuan and leave the state helpless. That 10-million-yuan check, after tax, was 8.9 million. No matter what, Chen Ze couldn't give it to his father. He hadn't changed his shoes when he got home earlier precisely so he could run—he was afraid that if Chen Tianhong forced him to hand over the money, they would end up fighting. It was better to hide for a few days.

It was convenient that Qin Yanan had invited him to meet two days ago, and Beijing was close to Tianjin. He could film a video on the way to send to his mother, proving he was truly out of town. Moreover, he needed to get the company established in Beijing and handle the preparations. Guo Youcai and Zhang Liang had already left for Hangzhou; he needed to keep up the pace.

The tickets were being checked. Chen Ze had managed to get a business-class seat. He had been exhausted after his late-night activities with Gong Yanyan and had intended to catch up on sleep, but barely half an hour later, they arrived at Beijing South Station.

It wasn't quite past the morning rush hour. Chen Ze retrieved his card from the ticket machine and swiped into the subway. The morning rush was intense on the surface, and the underground was no picnic either—anyone who took the Beijing subway during rush hour knew the experience. But at least it was fast. In just over half an hour, Chen Ze reached Zhichun Road near Haidian Huangzhuang.

Zhichun Road, where dreams began.

Chen Ze planned to set up his company on Zhichun Road. While not exactly Zhongguancun, it was the Zhongguancun Science City. It was 2.2 kilometers from Zhongguancun, 2.1 kilometers from Renmin University, 2.8 kilometers from the Beijing Film Academy, and 2.7 kilometers from Peking University.

Being within two or three kilometers of all these renowned 985 and 211 universities was perfect. Chen Ze wanted to do coffee, but he naturally wanted to reference an internet-based model rather than just a simple traditional coffee shop. In the realm of internet technology, he didn't have much technical expertise, but that was exactly why it was called entrepreneurship. As for e-commerce, it wasn't that it lacked challenges, but he simply wasn't interested in it. E-commerce was just a tool for him to make quick money; in fact, he was already tired of the industry.

A great man once said that fighting with heaven, earth, and people is full of joy. He wanted to live for himself for once. Even though failure meant he would have to slink back home to inherit the family business, he still had to give it his all.

In just one morning, Chen Ze finalized the contract for the office space, renting a 600-square-meter unit. Housing prices were too high these days. Just the office space alone would cost around 3 million yuan a year—it was infuriating.

"ByteDance."

Before leaving the building, Chen Ze noticed a familiar company name, though this wasn't their headquarters. Their headquarters were nearby, and this was just one of their offices. It was pretty cool to be neighbors with ByteDance.

Chen Ze stepped out of the building, looked at the weathered architecture of Zhichun Road, and dialed a number.

"Punching bag, what are you doing?"

The call connected, but there was no immediate response. Chen Ze looked at the traffic and said again, "It's noon, want to go out and grab a bite?"

There was a faint rustling on the line, followed by a gentle female voice and the sound of footsteps: "Go out?"

Xu Jiarou drew out the long vowel, seemingly hesitating. After a moment, she suggested, "Why don't you come to my place? Mom and Dad are out, and it's just me and Grandma home."

"You're in Tianjin?"

Chen Ze was left speechless. He had come to Beijing, and she had gone to Tianjin—they had missed each other.

"I..."

Xu Jiarou wasn't stupid; she caught the shift in Chen Ze’s tone. After some hesitation, she whispered, "I posted it on my Moments..."

Chen Ze heard her explanation and smiled helplessly. Everyone was busy; who had the time to check their Moments?

"Did you go to Beijing?"

Seeing he didn't reply for a moment, Xu Jiarou asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of resignation.

"Yeah, I'm near your school right now. I was actually thinking of treating you to a meal."

"How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure yet, maybe back tomorrow."

He needed to disappear from his parents' sight for two or three days; that didn't mean he had to stay in Beijing for two or three days. He could just avoid his parents once he returned.

When Xu Jiarou received this answer, she didn't say anything for a long time, then replied dryly, "Alright then, I'm going to go make lunch... yeah."

"Okay."