The Way of Restraint

Chapter 103: Young Prodigies – Not the Only Genius

“Before that, I want to take you to meet someone. He’s kind of like you,” Zhang Manman said to Su Jie. “If we can get him on board this time, our odds will increase significantly.”

“Who is it?” Su Jie asked.

“Zhang Jinchuan. He used to be Master Luo’s student and learned a lot from him, but he wasn’t content. He went on to study under many experts. He’s a martial arts prodigy, born into a martial arts family. Though we share the same surname, we’re not related. His family traces back to the Zhang clan from Daoist Longhu Mountain. Apparently, he’s been practicing Daoist qigong with his elders since childhood to develop his intelligence—he’s exceptionally smart. He’s also a senior in high school now but has already invested in his own company. He created a short video app called Magic Sound, which has a huge user base and is now valued at over a billion yuan. He’s already a big-time entrepreneur,” Zhang Manman explained.

“Magic Sound? He made that? I’ve seen a bunch of classmates playing with it—uploading ten-second clips and sharing them. Super popular. The user base is growing really fast. Fits young people’s tastes perfectly. Even Hua Xing often uploads our training videos to gain traction,” Su Jie said in surprise. “He really made that? He’s that capable?”

Still in high school, already founded a company worth over a billion, a martial arts expert, and a top student. A textbook overachiever.

Compared to that, Su Jie was nowhere near.

After all, Su Jie only founded Huaxing Club, which had made just over a million yuan so far—barely enough to buy a bathroom. Meanwhile, Zhang Jinchuan was a successful entrepreneur commanding storms in the market.

Especially after he won a poetry competition, stylish and eloquent, he instantly became a youth icon.

Su Jie had read some novels before about protagonists reincarnating and starting businesses in the modern world, seizing every opportunity to succeed. But none of them seemed much more impressive than what Zhang Jinchuan was doing now.

Clearly, true genius really does exist in this era.

“But that’s not the main reason I want to talk to him,” Zhang Manman continued. “It’s because he’s also an enemy of Haoyu. When Magic Sound started gaining traction, Haoyu tried to acquire it, but he refused. After that, Haoyu pulled a bunch of dirty tricks to bankrupt him, but he defused every one of them and even made Haoyu suffer multiple losses.”

“He’s that powerful?” Su Jie’s heart ached at the mention of Haoyu. His older sister had started her own company too. Once Haoyu saw its potential, they crushed it with business tactics and took it over. Now she was trapped in a den of wolves, and Su Jie couldn’t do a damn thing. He simply didn’t have the power or money to pay the penalty for breaking their contract. And without a strong force backing them up—a team of elite lawyers—even paying billions might not be enough to escape.

That’s just how ruthless the real world is.

And in the face of all this, Su Jie’s martial arts were useless.

Besides, even if his skills were top-tier, he probably still couldn’t beat Feng Hengyi.

To him, Haoyu was a massive behemoth. Beating them in a short time was impossible.

Su Jie had a long-term plan—three to five years. In that time, he’d build his strength, expand his network, gain allies and influence. Only then could he challenge Haoyu.

After all, he was just an ordinary high schooler. No matter how gifted, he couldn’t take on a corporate juggernaut worth hundreds of billions alone.

But someone else had done it—Zhang Jinchuan.

“Let’s go,” Zhang Manman said, walking to the door and hailing a car via an app.

The car had bottled water and a variety of snacks. The driver was young, in uniform, wearing white gloves, and the interior was spotless.

“Let’s stop by a couple of universities, then head over to Haizi Lake for a stroll through the gardens,” Zhang Manman said in a crisp local accent.

“Oh?” the driver perked up at her fluent dialect. “You’re a local? I thought you were from out of town. That courtyard earlier—was that your house? That place has to be worth at least 300 million yuan.”

“That was my teacher’s place—he’s loaded,” Zhang Manman said, striking up a chat. “My ancestors were from here. They once escorted silver for Empress Dowager Cixi, then went abroad. By the way, how much do you make driving this car? Is this ride-hailing app any good?”

“Used to make a lot—tens of thousands a month. But after the subsidies dried up, it dropped to around seven or eight grand. Barely getting by,” the driver replied gloomily.

The two of them chatted away with ease.

Su Jie quietly listened. He could tell Zhang Manman was doing some kind of market research—probably prepping for her own business venture.

They visited the two most famous universities, then headed to a renowned garden. Along the way, Zhang Manman was like a native guide, explaining everything with deep familiarity.

“What did your ancestors do? You said they escorted silver for Empress Cixi—were they part of a security escort agency?” Su Jie asked. “Back in the Qing Dynasty, those guys had real skills. They traveled far and wide, transporting tea all the way to Russia, Mongolia, even further. The most famous of them all was Broadsword Wang Wu, who took part in the Hundred Days’ Reform.”

“Not an escort agency—more like a secret society. The Green Gang. They worked with the court on transporting goods via waterways,” Zhang Manman explained. “Old secret societies had tons of rules and were full of characters from all walks of life. My great-grandfather used to tell all kinds of stories. I’ll introduce you to him sometime—he’s fascinating.”

“How old is your great-grandfather now?” Su Jie asked.

“112,” Zhang Manman replied. “He’s a health nut. Still eats a big bowl of fatty meat every day, drinks a bowl of liquor, smokes pipe tobacco, and performs brick-breaking stunts with his head on the street—stuns the hell out of foreign tourists.”

“That’s considered healthy? Fatty meat, smoking, and drinking?” Su Jie looked bewildered.

“We’ve tried to talk him out of it, but he swears that’s what’s kept him alive this long. Take those things away, and he’d probably drop dead immediately. I think it’s his mindset that keeps him going,” Zhang Manman said.

“Yeah, psychology backs that up. Studies show people with a positive mindset live longer than any diet or health regimen. Plenty of old folks in the countryside who drink, smoke, and eat fatty meat live past 100. Meanwhile, the health ‘experts’ who tell them to quit all died early,” Su Jie nodded.

After half a day exploring, they stopped by a small noodle stall to try some local snacks.

Su Jie remained calm and unhurried the whole time—never once seemed impatient. This gave Zhang Manman a new impression of him.

She had expected him to be visibly affected by her earlier revelations. Given what was at stake, she thought he’d be too distracted to enjoy food or sightseeing. Based on her previous observations, Su Jie struck her as someone who wouldn’t waste a second of study time.

But here he was—wandering campuses, touring gardens, trying street food, even casually shopping—and enjoying himself more than she did.

It left her baffled.

“What? Trying to see if I’ve got patience?” Su Jie asked with a smirk as he caught Zhang Manman sneaking a glance at him. His eyes sparkled with clarity, like he could see right through her.

“I shouldn’t have let you study physiognomy,” Zhang Manman said with a pout. “Let’s finish up and go talk to Zhang Jinchuan. The enemy of our enemy is our friend. He’s got some serious moves against Haoyu. Rumor has it he’s got dirt on Feng Yuxuan and forced him to cough up over a hundred million.”

“Everyone’s throwing around billions like pocket change. I feel like I live in a slum,” Su Jie shook his head.

“Wait a sec—didn’t you say you don’t talk while eating? Habit or something?” Zhang Manman suddenly noticed a detail.

“That’s because my digestive system needs to fully absorb nutrients during meals. Talking interferes with digestion. But lately I’ve been training in the Thirteen Protectors External Qigong. My internal organs are much stronger now—just a bit of movement and I absorb everything,” Su Jie explained.

“But doesn’t that break your ‘move like a machine’ rule? I remember you saying everything you do has to follow a strict routine,” Zhang Manman pressed.

“The Book of Changes teaches the importance of change. That rule was the foundation. Once it’s solid, you move naturally,” Su Jie replied smoothly.

“Alright then. After all this walking, what do you think of B City’s feng shui?” Zhang Manman asked, shifting gears.

“Tiger crouched, dragon coiled. Imperial aura, still lingering,” Su Jie began in a scholarly tone. “Though a thousand years have passed, the dragon’s spirit remains. Originally, the wind rose with the water, but due to soil erosion and sandstorms, the royal energy had faded. Now, with reforestation and green development, the land’s energy has stabilized and regained strength. The dragon is stirring once more, rising into the sky. But the city’s scholarly vibe is growing stronger, while its wealth is migrating south. In the future, this place may become a cultural capital.”

“Anything else?” Zhang Manman asked.

“The urban planning is creative—hints of an upcoming tech boom. Young talents and future moguls will likely emerge from here. Of course, my feng shui skills are still shallow. This is all I can tell. For deeper insights, you’d need someone older, wiser, and more experienced,” Su Jie said modestly.

“Let’s go.” Zhang Manman didn’t comment further, just thought quietly for a moment and got up.

They got in the car again and arrived at a startup park.

“Zhang Jinchuan’s company is in here. The government’s giving big support to emerging industries. Rent, utilities—everything’s cheaper than outside. Tons of policy incentives,” Zhang Manman said. “So, what do you think of this park’s feng shui?”

“Feng shui starts with the bigger picture,” Su Jie paused before answering. “In the face of national momentum, feng shui is a minor art. When the country is strong, even the harshest desert can become a lush oasis. Yu the Great tamed floods, the First Emperor built the Great Wall, the Sui emperor dug the Grand Canal—all were feats of national strength. And now, we’re even more capable.”