SAG -Chapter 144 A Piece of Insider Gossip

“Are you buying or not? If not, stay away from me,” the old man snapped, his beard practically bristling with anger after Zhang Ran’s teasing.

“One hundred yuan per character? You might as well charge a thousand and truly make it worth a thousand gold pieces per word,” Zhang Ran remarked casually.

Seeing that the old man was about to explode, Zhang Ran leisurely added, “Write me a couplet.”

“You actually want one?” The old man paused in surprise.

The reason he had set such outrageous prices was because of a wager with an old friend.

His friend had mocked his calligraphy, saying it wasn’t any good. Unwilling to admit defeat, the old man had come up with this stunt.

But it was now obvious that he had either overestimated his own writing or overestimated people’s willingness to pay high prices for Spring Festival couplets.

If the price had merely been a little higher, many would have accepted it for the sake of good fortune. But at these rates, very few were willing to buy.

“Of course. Make it as auspicious as possible,” Zhang Ran said.

Though the price was steep, the old man’s calligraphy was genuinely excellent. In Zhang Ran’s opinion, it was in no way inferior to that of many famous masters.

“Forget it, forget it. I won’t charge you. Consider it a gift,” the old man said with a wave of his hand.

Cheating strangers out of a little money was one thing, but since he knew Zhang Ran, he didn’t want to profit from him.

“Old brother, don’t regret this later,” Zhang Ran said with a grin.

“Relax. A man’s word is his bond,” the old man huffed.

With a few swift strokes of his brush, a couplet emerged:

Spring fills the world with songs of joy;
Blessings arrive at every household, bringing boundless happiness.
Horizontal inscription: Harmony in the Family Brings Prosperity in All Things.

The original inscription had been Five Blessings Arrive at the Door, but Zhang Ran had asked him to change it.

“Since it’s free, why not write a few more?” Zhang Ran shamelessly pressed his luck.

The old man couldn’t even be bothered to look at him, but he still wrote several more couplets before finally driving him away.

Putting the scrolls away, Zhang Ran led everyone onward.

It truly was one of the places in Shanghai that retained the strongest New Year atmosphere. Nearly everything one needed for the Spring Festival in childhood could still be found there.

Prince Haiman and Lin Mei also enjoyed browsing the stalls, occasionally buying little trinkets with their own money.

As for Susu and the other three children, laughter constantly surrounded them. Each child now carried a pile of treasures they had personally selected.

…

While Zhang Ran and his family wandered the streets in relaxation, the atmosphere around Tian Yaohui was heavy and oppressive.

Ever since the events of the previous night, he had become markedly gloomier.

A situation that should have been overwhelmingly favorable had somehow turned into a complete embarrassment.

What puzzled and angered him most was Huo Zhiyuan’s behavior.

It was one thing not to stand alongside him after choosing this path, but she had actually added to his troubles.

After pondering the matter all night, Tian Yaohui finally remembered a piece of gossip he had long forgotten.

But first, he needed to verify it.

After some thought, he dialed Huo Zhiyuan’s number.

“President Tian, what brings you to call me today?” Huo Zhiyuan answered, her tone seemingly laced with mockery.

Tian Yaohui’s voice turned cold.

“Huo Zhiyuan, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“What do you mean? I don’t quite understand what you’re asking,” she replied with a laugh.

“Do you really think that by doing this, Zhang Ran will spare you? Or do you think having descendants has softened his heart? Don’t forget—those twenty-eight years were only an instant to him. He’s still the same person he used to be. Do you honestly believe he’s done nothing all this time? Don’t be naive. Since you’ve chosen this road, don’t expect Zhang Ran to suddenly show mercy.”

Huo Zhiyuan’s tone also hardened.

“Tian Yaohui, what I do is none of your concern. You should worry about yourself.”

“Hmph. If I fail this time, none of you are going to have an easy time either. At a moment like this, every single one of you chooses to stand by and watch.”

Tian Yaohui found it difficult to understand why Huo Zhiyuan, Huang Lin, and the others had refused to stand with him.

Yet, if he thought about it carefully, he could understand.

He had already become Zhang Ran’s primary target—the stone they were using to test the waters.

If Zhang Ran couldn’t even handle Tian Yaohui, then they had nothing to fear. They could simply watch from the sidelines without completely antagonizing him.

At the same time, they worried that if they all united too early and left Zhang Ran without even a sliver of hope, he might truly decide to drag everyone down with him.

The current arrangement was ideal.

No matter what happened, Tian Yaohui was already openly opposed to Zhang Ran.

All they needed to do was observe and determine how much strength Zhang Ran still concealed, allowing them to prepare accordingly.

Even if Tian Yaohui failed, his defeat would reveal valuable information about Zhang Ran’s hidden cards.

As for Tian Yaohui abandoning everything and backing out, they weren’t worried in the slightest.

He lacked both the courage and the willingness to make such a sacrifice.

More importantly, none of them truly trusted one another.

No one knew whether someone among them secretly harbored thoughts similar to Meng He’s—pretending loyalty while waiting for the right moment to help Zhang Ran from within.

That possibility frightened them the most.

Human hearts were impossible to read. There might very well be someone who remained utterly devoted to Zhang Ran.

Tian Yaohui hung up the phone with a dark expression.

He felt he had guessed Huo Zhiyuan’s intentions, yet he couldn’t be entirely certain.

But Zhang Ran’s words before leaving the previous night continued to disturb him.

The calm confidence in Zhang Ran’s demeanor made him uneasy.

It wasn’t that Tian Yaohui lacked judgment. Rather, Zhang Ran’s image was simply too deeply ingrained in his mind.

In his memory, Zhang Ran rarely boasted. Whenever he declared something with certainty, he almost always accomplished it.

“If that’s how it is, then don’t blame me for being ruthless,” Tian Yaohui thought viciously.

He dared not direct any improper schemes toward Zhang Ran himself, but Huo Zhiyuan was another matter entirely.

Turning to Hao Yuan, who had been standing silently nearby, he asked in a low voice, “You know Huo Zhiyuan’s former secretary, don’t you?”

“I do. I’ve met her a few times,” Hao Yuan replied.

He had interacted with her on several occasions. Though the impression wasn’t deep, he still remembered her.

“Go bring her here. There are a few things I want to ask,” Tian Yaohui instructed.

Hao Yuan simply nodded.

In truth, he was beginning to feel uneasy.

Although these matters appeared unrelated to him, he couldn’t guarantee that if Tian Yaohui lost, Zhang Ran would let him off lightly.

It wasn’t that he lacked faith in Tian Yaohui.

He simply couldn’t see through Zhang Ran.

Looking at how the people who once followed Zhang Ran had all become major figures in society, one could only imagine how immense his influence had been in those days.

But Hao Yuan also understood that he could no longer jump ship.

The moment he showed any intention of doing so, Tian Yaohui himself would probably destroy him first.

…

Meanwhile, Zhang Ran and his group continued shopping until eight o’clock that evening.

The temple fair was even livelier after dark.

If not for the inconvenience of having Prince Haiman with them—large crowds always carried risks—they would have stayed much longer.

After returning home, although they had already eaten outside, Liu Lu still began preparing dinner.

Children get hungry quickly, and the little ones were already asking for food again.