Chapter 110: After Letting Go

Although domestic media had never dared to report on the private affairs of the richest family, and the original owner had honored his agreement with Li Xiaoxiao by refraining from airing his own family's dirty laundry despite criticizing the whole world, the upper echelons of society had long been aware of the hidden conflicts within the wealthiest household.

This is precisely why no media outlet dared to unite in openly condemning Zhang Qiyang.

Li Xiaoxiao never instructed anyone or any media to pressure Zhang Qiyang; on the contrary, she had discreetly used Zhang Qiyuan as a connection to help Zhang Qiyang navigate the entertainment industry.

Yet, the astute understood that to stand against Zhang Qiyang was to align oneself with the powerful Li and Zhang families.

Zhang Zhenhua was painfully aware of the widespread disparagement his son endured. He knew that because of his own infidelities and the death of Zhang Qiyang’s mother, his son bore deep psychological scars.

Though burdened with guilt, Zhang Zhenhua was resolute; he believed that letting his son suffer significant setbacks would ultimately foster his growth and awakening.

Without understanding the treacheries of the world, Zhang Qiyang could never truly mature, nor could he ever accept the irreparable relationship between himself and Li Xiaoxiao.

Therefore, Zhang Zhenhua tacitly allowed others to criticize Zhang Qiyang, adopting a stance of silent indifference.

This only emboldened malicious detractors with ulterior motives to viciously smear Zhang Qiyang.

Among them, Wang Dazhong was a prime example.

Wang Dazhong seized upon the internal strife within the richest family, relentlessly attacking Zhang Qiyang in hopes that by tarnishing his reputation, he could sully the family’s honor and gain a chance for the Wang family to stage a comeback.

However, Wang Dazhong and other prominent elites remained unaware that the true heir cultivated by the Eastern Group, Zhang Qihang, had already completed his primary education at the National Academy and was currently studying abroad in Switzerland.

Apart from the Zhang and Li families, Zhang Qihang’s identity had never been revealed within high society, let alone to the general public.

Everyone still believed that the prodigal heir of the Eastern Group was the fallen Zhang Qiyang.

Perhaps one day he would repent, accept the guidance of Li Xiaoxiao and Zhang Zhenhua, and return to inherit the family business.

In reality, Zhang Zhenhua had essentially given up on Zhang Qiyang.

Even Zhang Qiyuan, who consistently stood by Zhang Qiyang, no longer harbored hopes for him to succeed in leading the Eastern Group.

Since discovering Zhang Qihang’s existence, Zhang Qiyuan had seen through the situation: the formidable Li Xiaoxiao would never allow the Li family to hand over half of the Eastern Group—secured with their help—to Zhang Qiyang.

Like their mother, Zhang Qiyuan understood well that with Zhang Zhenhua backing Li Xiaoxiao, she and her brother could never compete against Li Xiaoxiao and Zhang Qihang.

Yet, Zhang Qiyuan did not want the family feud to escalate to an irreparable degree.

Three years ago, Zhang Qiyang had threatened to commit suicide to coerce Zhang Zhenhua, terrifying Zhang Qiyuan.

She truly did not want to see her brother suffer further.

If Zhang Qiyang came to harm again, Zhang Qiyuan feared her world would collapse.

Unable to change the world, Zhang Qiyuan felt they could only change themselves and adapt to this prevailing trend.

Since Zhang Qiyang loved the arts, although he could not inherit the entire Eastern Group, he was still qualified to take control of Eastern Entertainment under the conglomerate.

Zhang Qiyuan had discussed this with their father, who, along with Li Xiaoxiao, did not oppose Zhang Qiyang’s future takeover of Eastern Entertainment.

It was under their tacit approval that Zhang Qiyuan had been secretly helping Zhang Qiyang adjust to the entertainment circle’s ecosystem.

At the same time, Zhang Qiyuan earnestly hoped Zhang Qiyang would reconcile with the family, cease the reckless internal strife, and live a leisurely life as a wealthy heir enjoying the arts. Wouldn’t that be better?

Upon seeing Zhang Qiyang’s recent transformation, Zhang Qiyuan was eager to seize the occasion of their father’s fiftieth birthday to bring Zhang Qiyang home and ease the family tensions.

Zhang Qiyang’s three-year agreement with Li Xiaoxiao was about to expire.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaoxiao and Zhang Zhenhua were secretly preparing a private wedding.

At this critical juncture, if the rift between Zhang Qiyang and the family was not resolved, Zhang Qiyuan feared her brother might do something extreme again.

Thus, she insisted that Zhang Qiyang return to the capital immediately after finishing the “My Song” competition in Xingdu this weekend to attend their father’s birthday party.

During dinner on Thursday, Zhang Qiyuan almost pleaded with Zhang Qiyang to come home.

This left Zhang Qiyang feeling deeply conflicted and helpless.

He did not want to disappoint the sister who cared so much for him, yet he genuinely wished to avoid getting entangled in the family’s mess.

He gave no definite answer during the meal.

After tossing and turning in bed for several nights, Zhang Qiyang ultimately decided not to return home to celebrate his father’s birthday.

The mere thought of facing his father and Li Xiaoxiao at home unleashed an overwhelming rage deep within him — the strongest will left by the original owner in this body.

Medical science has documented several cases where organ transplant recipients exhibit personality changes influenced by the donor’s traits, developing new habits and temperaments.

Zhang Qiyang now felt something similar. Although the original owner’s soul was gone, his memories and nearly all emotions remained embedded in this body, subtly transforming some of Zhang Qiyang’s inherent traits and habits.

For example, he was now prone to sudden irritability and confrontations with critics, a trait inherited from the original owner.

Certain life habits had also changed.

In his previous life, Zhang Qiyang loved durian, savoring its unique aroma.

But because durian was expensive, he never bought much.

In this life, he was no longer short of money and could easily afford to stockpile thousands of durians if he wished.

Tragically, the original owner detested durian and could not tolerate its pungent smell.

Whenever he saw Qin Xueyang secretly eating durian, he wanted to smash it against Qin’s chubby head.

This aversion had deeply imprinted itself on Zhang Qiyang, who now felt a strong repulsion towards durian, wanting to throw it at people rather than eat it.

This alone revealed how profoundly the original owner’s will remained within Zhang Qiyang’s body.

Not to mention the unyielding hatred he bore toward Li Xiaoxiao and the family who had broken his heart.

Whenever Zhang Qiyang thought about going home, he felt nauseated to the point of suicidal thoughts.

So he chose not to think about it.

He decided to live his own carefree life.

Those so-called elites who sided with Li Xiaoxiao looked down on him, did they not?

Then he would make a name for himself and show them all who was truly capable of changing the world.

The Eastern Group was indeed formidable, ranking first in the country.

But he had no desire to inherit it.

With his identity as a transmigrator—someone who transcended all mortals—and his god-like ability to manifest anything he wished by controlling his body, he would build a scrappy enterprise far greater than the Eastern Group.

His father was the richest man, but he vowed to surpass his father and become the new richest man and a megastar, provoking Li Xiaoxiao’s envy and honoring the original owner’s spirit.

Having come to terms with this, Zhang Qiyang no longer fretted over the matter.

Tonight’s “My Song” competition, he would let everyone—whether they looked down on him or not—see that he was truly a unique “outlier” unlike anyone else!