Dragon King Palace: Urban Affluent Son-in-Law

In the kitchen, Jiang Feng took out the ingredients that Nangong Qingcheng and Chu Feifei had bought from the supermarket yesterday afternoon - noodles, fresh pork, scallions, garlic, eggs, and shrimp - and made a sumptuous seafood noodle soup for the three girls.

After bringing it to the dining table, the three girls couldn't stop praising it, especially Chu Feifei, who claimed it was the best breakfast she'd ever had.

After the meal, the three of them headed to school together, while Jiang Feng went to the company.

Upon arriving at Fengming, Jiang Feng was surprised to find Heizi had returned. After not seeing him for many days, Heizi looked quite well, even a bit chubbier. However, he seemed troubled, squatting at the security room entrance and smoking by himself.

"Brother!" Seeing Jiang Feng arrive, Heizi tossed away his cigarette butt, stood up to stamp it out, and forced a smile.

Jiang Feng glanced at Heizi's leg and realized he could now stand without crutches, looking no different from a normal person. He just couldn't engage in strenuous activities or bump into anything, or his old injury might recur.

"Why did you come back so soon?" Jiang Feng asked.

"Couldn't stand staying in the hospital; I was getting so bored. Figured since I can get out of bed, I might as well come to the company to recover while working. Anyway, our company isn't busy," Heizi laughed.

"I think you missed Feng Na, didn't you?" Jiang Feng teased deliberately.

That remark made Heizi's expression darken even more. He forced a bitter smile, took out a pack of Double Happiness, tossed one to Jiang Feng, and lit another for himself.

"What's going on?" Jiang Feng asked, noticing Heizi's expression.

"Don't mention it. I got dumped!" Heizi looked a bit frustrated. "I was only in the hospital for half a month, and she changed her heart, saying she met someone better after military training. Damn, I got a green hat!"

Jiang Feng hadn't thought highly of Feng Na in the first place. Heizi was in the hospital for so long, and she never visited, which said a lot. In her eyes, he might have just been a temporary ox for farming.

Now that school had started, she met more people, and because Feng Na liked to dress up and was a flirtatious type, it was normal for someone to take an interest in her. With some effort, someone could easily steal her from Heizi.

Still, even though Heizi seemed frustrated and self-deprecating, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Feng Na was a girl he truly liked. Jiang Feng hadn't forgotten the pride on Heizi's face when he first met him and he boasted about having a university student girlfriend, but now that pride was gone.

"It's okay, when the old one goes, the new one comes. Maybe you'll find someone better," Jiang Feng smiled and comforted.

"That's hard," Heizi smiled bitterly. "For a bottom-level security guard like me, having a girl hit on me once was already lucky. Meeting another, impossible... I even thought of waiting for her for four years."

Jiang Feng fell silent.

"Forget it, forget it, let's not talk about it. Damn, I'm really useless, getting hit and depressed over this trivial thing. So what if I'm a bottom-level security guard? Aren't there some badass security guards, like you, Brother? Even Zhou Rongfa shows you respect! Let's drink at noon, I'll get drunk myself and forget everything." Heizi pretended to be free and easy, lighting Jiang Feng's cigarette and patting him on the shoulder with a smile.

Jiang Feng wasn't good at comforting people, especially in matters like this, so he could only pat Heizi's shoulder in return and head towards the security room.

...

In the Finance Department of Binhai University Business School, there were only two classes this morning.

After class, Chu Feifei insisted on going shopping with Nangong Qingcheng and Liu Shiyuan, claiming it was to restock for the house, buy more ingredients, and have Jiang Feng cook them more delicious food.

Nangong Qingcheng originally wanted to return to the company, but had no choice but to agree to go to the mall with her.

However, Liu Shiyuan couldn't accompany them because she had to go home at noon, as promised, to give her father shell powder, which couldn't be delayed.

So she rode a shared bike back to the villa, collected the sun-dried shell powder, and then took the bus to her home.

Since the semester started, Liu Shiyuan hadn't returned home to visit and missed her parents dearly.

Especially considering that her father's medicine was running out soon, which made her heartache over her family's financial situation even more.

The bus quickly drove out of the city, and Liu Shiyuan sat alone in the corner of the bus, staring out at the fleeting cityscape in a trance.

Since entering university, she'd experienced dream-like occurrences, firstly being assigned to the same dorm room as Chu Feifei and Nangong Qingcheng and becoming great sisters with them.

Secondly, she re-encountered Jiang Feng and even witnessed his domineering presence at the Beach Bathing Place.

Now, she was fortunate enough to move out and live with Chu Feifei, Nangong Qingcheng, and Jiang Feng. It was something she never anticipated in her academic plans before.

And just this morning, Jiang Feng accidentally caught her in the bathroom... so much so that even now, thinking back on it, her cheeks felt like they were on fire, overwhelmed with shyness.

"I wonder if Brother Jiang laughed at me..." Liu Shiyuan thought timidly.

Although these experiences brought her happiness, she never thought she could truly integrate with Chu Feifei and Nangong Qingcheng.

Because her deep-seated inferiority complex, established from a young age and hard to change, made it difficult for her to truly consider Chu Feifei a sister, even if she was equally beautiful. She didn't feel worthy.

If Chu Feifei was a high, bright pearl, then she was a small pebble on the seashore, buffeted by the wind and waves.

Yet, despite this, Liu Shiyuan never resented her background. Instead, she felt more grateful to her parents, because even if she was just a small pebble, life was given by her parents, who steadfastly supported her from behind. Even when they didn't meet often, they frequently called to ask about her well-being, bearing joy without sharing worries.

She knew she was her family's only hope.

As she thought, Liu Shiyuan couldn't help but tear up. She wiped her eyes and forced a smile, "What am I thinking? I'll study hard, help Qingcheng expand the company, earn lots of money, and properly care for my parents, won't I?"

"Dad, you have to hold on until that day..." Suddenly, Liu Shiyuan's eyes reddened again, tears flowing uncontrollably. She remembered how her father used to say he would be with her until the day she got married, personally handing her off to a boy she loved. But now, with his illness worsening, that beautiful dream had been shattered.

Other passengers on the bus, watching the pretty girl in the corner sometimes laughing silly, sometimes weeping, all gave her puzzled looks.