I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

"What are you standing there like an idiot at the door for?"

Jiang Chen's calm voice sounded like a thunderclap to Jiang Wei.

He shuddered violently, and his eyes, which had become somewhat cloudy from prolonged lack of sunlight, instantly filled with terror and fear.

Why is Jiang Chen here?

Shouldn't he be enjoying a royal life in that magnificent palace in the village?

How could it be that he happened to be at the entrance of the detention center where he was released from prison?

Jiang Wei's mind went blank; his physical instincts overwhelmed all reason.

run!

That was his only thought!

He needs to stay away from this demon!

However, after a long period of imprisonment, his body, already weakened by alcohol and sex, was so frail that he could barely stand.

As soon as he turned around, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees on the scorching asphalt with a thud.

"hiss--"

His knees rubbed against the rough ground, sending a burning pain through him, but he was completely unaware of it.

He used to be that arrogant young master who wore gold-rimmed glasses, had his hair slicked back, looked down on everyone, and called himself a "million-dollar elite."

Now, under the iron fist of reality and the reform of socialism behind bars, he has been completely turned into a useless person who can't even straighten his back.

Jiang Wei knelt on the ground, trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

He kept his head down, not even having the courage to look at Jiang Chen.

His lips trembled for a long time before he managed to squeeze out a few broken syllables from his throat.

"Chen...Brother Chen...I...I've been released from prison."

He had thought that after his release from prison, he would at least be able to return to his home in the county town.

He continued to be a parasite, living off his parents, thanks to his mother Sun Yumei's almost pathological pampering.

But he never expected that the outside world had already changed.

Just yesterday, after his release, he went straight to his familiar home in the county town.

As a result, he was met with a locked door and gloating glances from his neighbors.

"Looking for Sun Yumei? She moved away a long time ago!"

An older woman who used to have a falling out with his family told him this with a mocking expression while eating sunflower seeds.

"Your whole family wanted to go back to Jiangjia Village to get a share of the money a while ago, but Jiang Chen chased you out like dogs!"

"Now, your whole family has become the biggest joke in Qinghe County! Your dad, Jiang Jianmin, is carrying bricks on a construction site, your mom is working as a nanny, and your sister, Jiang Yuxuan, who wants to be a star, is rumored to be washing hair at some hair salon!"

"They're drowning in debt, and have long since disappeared into some backwater!"

These words, like sharp knives, pierced Jiang Wei's heart.

His last straw has also broken.

Penniless and friendless.

With nowhere else to turn, Jiang Wei's only option was to return to Jiangjia Village.

Instead of going back to swagger and show off, they're going back... to beg.

Braving the scorching sun, he walked for more than four hours along the national highway, relying solely on his own two feet.

When he arrived at the entrance of Jiangjia Village, exhausted and covered in sweat.

He was completely terrified by what he saw.

The muddy, dilapidated little mountain village I remembered has vanished without a trace.

In its place stands a magnificent white marble archway, comparable to the ancient Southern Heavenly Gate!

On the archway, the three large, gilded characters "Jiangjia Village" shone brightly in the sunlight, so bright that he could hardly open his eyes.

Inside the archway is a wide, flat, eight-lane asphalt road.

On both sides of the road are rows of exquisitely designed three-story villas that look even more luxurious and grand than the villas in the most prestigious wealthy areas of the provincial capital.

One after another, top-of-the-line luxury cars that he had only seen on TV—Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Maybachs—were just like ordinary Santanas, casually cruising the streets here.

In the distance, you can even see huge heavy trucks and futuristic-looking engineering mechs, busy at the construction site.

The villagers walking along the road all had rosy cheeks, were well-dressed, and had confident and happy smiles on their faces.

This is no longer the poor mountain village he remembered.

This is clearly a divine kingdom standing on earth!

Standing outside the archway, looking at the bustling scene inside, Jiang Wei felt like a dirty beggar standing at the gates of heaven.

His legs were trembling, and he didn't even have the courage to take another step.

He knew that the creator of all this was his cousin, Jiang Chen, whom he had once despised and looked down upon.

He also realized that Jiang Chen had grown into a powerful figure whom he couldn't even look up to.

In his eyes, I am not even an ant.

Shame, fear, regret... a complex mix of emotions, like venomous snakes, gnawed at his already fragile heart.

Just as Jiang Wei stood at the village entrance, at a loss, caught between a rock and a hard place, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

The black Audi A8 stopped abruptly in front of him.

Then came that question that terrified him.

Jiang Chen looked at Jiang Wei, who was kneeling on the ground trembling like a leaf, with no expression on his face.

He pushed open the car door and slowly got out.

Some villagers passing by noticed the commotion and stopped to gather around.

When they saw clearly what the person kneeling on the ground looked like, someone immediately recognized him.

"Hey, isn't this Jiang Wei, the elite young master from the first wife's family?"

"Back then, he drove around in a beat-up BMW, acting all high and mighty. How did he end up in this sorry state?"

"Serves him right! This ingrate deserves to be taught a lesson by society!"

"Look at him, he looks like a lapdog, it's hilarious!"

Each undisguised sarcasm and comment was like a steel needle piercing Jiang Wei's pride.

He lowered his head even further, so ashamed he wished he could die on the spot.

He waited, waiting for Jiang Chen to do what he did when he drove Jiang Xuewen away: have someone beat him up and then throw him out of Jiangjia Village like trash.

However, Jiang Chen did not do that.

Jiang Chen simply looked down at him, his eyes showing no anger, no mockery, only the extreme indifference of a superior towards an ant.

It was as if they were looking at an object that had nothing to do with them.

Jiang Chen's voice rang out softly.

"How's the interior renovation going?"

"Do you realize your mistake?"

This calm question terrified Jiang Wei more than any insult.

Without the slightest hesitation, he desperately kowtowed to the hard asphalt road.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"I understand, Brother Chen! I really know I was wrong!"

Jiang Wei's voice was choked with sobs, and tears and snot streamed down his face.

"I'll never do it again! I'm not human! I was just a worthless bastard with high aspirations but low abilities! Please, Brother Chen, give me another chance!"

Jiang Chen remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

The surrounding villagers also quieted down, all wanting to see how Jiang Chen would deal with this sinner who had betrayed his family.

A few seconds later, Jiang Chen waved to Wang Dagou, the security captain who was patrolling not far away.

Wang Dagou immediately jogged over, glancing at Jiang Wei on the ground with a look of disgust.

"Brother Chen, what are your orders? Should we break this kid's legs and throw him out?"

Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, Jiang Chen shook his head.

He pointed to Jiang Wei, who lay on the ground like a lump of mud, and slowly began to speak.

"Jiangjia Village does not support idlers."

"But if you are truly repentant, I, Jiang Chen, won't bother arguing with a dead man."

"Da Gou, go and get him a set of the most ordinary security guard uniform."

Wang Dagou was stunned for a moment. Although he was extremely unwilling, he immediately carried out the order.

Soon, he took out a gray security guard uniform with a distinct smell of sweat from the guard post next to him and threw it in front of Jiang Wei with disgust.

Jiang Chen looked at the uniform and coldly uttered a sentence to Jiang Wei.

"Change your clothes and get to the west gate of the logistics park to stand guard!"

"Stand for ten hours every day, rain or shine, for a six-month probationary period."

"If you can handle it, then stay. My Jiangjia Village will give you a meal."

Jiang Chen's tone was devoid of any warmth.

"If you can't stand it, then get the hell out of here and never show your face in front of me again!"

"Did you understand?!"

Jiang Wei stared blankly at the gray uniform in front of him, which even smelled faintly of sweat.

These were clothes he would never have even glanced at before.

But now, this outfit has become his only hope, his only means of survival.

Having experienced despair, Jiang Wei could no longer control his emotions. His hands trembled as he held the uniform as if it were a priceless treasure.

He lay on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, and kowtowed desperately at Jiang Chen's retreating figure.

"Thank you, Brother Chen! Thank you, Brother Chen, for giving me a meal!"

"Thank you, Brother Chen!"