The rebirth of lickspittle

On this day, two major news stories broke in Huayang City.

The first was reported by the local TV station: At an 88 Bar by the Zhan River, a suspect named Wang Hu, also known as Kui Lian or Hao Xuan, was arrested on charges of running a shady operation involving illicit activities. Six young girls were rescued from the bar. This case, jointly investigated by the Zhang Legal Department and the police, has now been handed over to the courts for further prosecution. On behalf of the police, the station expressed gratitude to Zhang Legal for their clues and legal assistance.

The second piece of news, less known to ordinary people but widely spread among the city's elites, announced that Zhang Fan had unilaterally called off his engagement to the Shen family.

As soon as the news spread, Zhang Fan's phone began ringing non-stop, the first caller being Shen Chuchu's mother.

This woman was very much like her daughter—she started the conversation with moral coercion.

"Xiaofan, I heard you broke things off with Chuchu. How could you? Everyone in the social circle knows you two are a couple. If you end it now, what will happen to Chuchu's reputation? How will she ever find someone else?"

"Auntie, Chuchu has never been interested in marrying me. Please stop trying to exploit the Zhang family's resources, okay?"

"You're being irresponsible! Do you know how much damage this will do to Chuchu's reputation in the circle?"

Listening to her endless accusations and attempts at moral coercion, Zhang Fan responded coolly, "Don't worry, Auntie. You don't need to be concerned about Chuchu's reputation in the circle—because the Shen family was never part of this circle. Once we break off the engagement, you'll naturally leave it, so why worry about reputation?"

His sharp and biting words struck a nerve, leaving her speechless. Before she could respond, Zhang Fan hung up.

Next came a call from Shen Chuchu's father, who opted for a softer approach.

"Xiaofan, it's normal for young people to have disagreements. I know you've always been good to Chuchu. If she's done something wrong, I'll have her apologize to you. But breaking off the engagement is not something to be decided so lightly."

"Uncle, you're truly clever. Remember when I was little, I wasn't interested in Chuchu at all? But you kept brainwashing me, saying I must marry her someday. You're the real villain here."

Zhang Fan's blunt words exposed Shen Changmin's manipulative tactics, leaving him at a loss for words.

After Zhang Fan's public announcement, his parents became busy handling marriage proposals from other influential families. As the wealthiest among Huayang City's four major families, the Zhang family was seen as a prized connection. In just half a day, they received over a dozen marriage invitations from powerful families, each proposing beautiful daughters or nieces, hoping to form alliances.

Hearing this, the Shen family panicked. The Shen couple had invested years into grooming Zhang Fan to be their ideal son-in-law. Now, their golden opportunity was slipping away.

Failing to reason with Zhang Fan, they turned their frustration toward Shen Chuchu.

Shen Chuchu was already in a daze, but her parents didn't care. They scolded her harshly:

"What's going on? Didn't you say Zhang Fan was head over heels for you? Is this how you've been handling him?"

"Do you know how many girls dream of marrying into the Zhang family? Once you're in, you'd have status, money, and power. And you let him slip away just like that?"

Their scolding irritated Shen Chuchu.

"So what if it's the Zhang family? I can become just as powerful myself!" she retorted stubbornly.

Her parents were exasperated. Shen Changmin frowned and said, "A broken engagement can be fixed. Zhang Fan has liked you for so many years; he can't just stop. Chuchu, you need to make the most of this opportunity."

Shen Chuchu's mother, however, was more direct:

"Chuchu, you must win him back, even if you have to use some tricks. Get him drunk, spend the night with him. If he tries to back out again, go to his family or his company and make a scene! Force him to marry you!"

Shen Chuchu was shocked and shouted in disbelief, "Mom! What do you take me for? How could you suggest such a thing?"

Her mother replied coldly, "Everything has a price. The question is whether it's worth it. Marrying into the Zhang family is worth it! If you succeed, the whole family will benefit."

"I won't do it! So what if it's a wealthy family? I can become one myself! I don't need to depend on anyone!"

Her parents were furious, but her brother, Shen Mingming, chimed in to support her.

"Dad, Mom, my sister is right! Why should we live off the Zhang family's leftovers? They're making millions while we get crumbs. Isn't that an insult to us?"

Shen Changmin yelled, "Shut up! Crumbs or not, those crumbs are the only reason we have this house and car. If the Zhang family cuts us off, where will we live?"

Shen Mingming, spoiled and reckless, rolled his eyes. Though he claimed to have "connections" in the underworld, he frequently relied on the Zhang family's money, asking Zhang Fan for thousands at a time without a shred of gratitude.

The argument between the Shen parents and their children ended in a stalemate. That evening, Shen Chuchu locked herself in her room, while her mother refused to call her for dinner.

Later, Shen Mingming snuck into her room with an idea.

"Hey, Sis! Want to make big money?" he asked excitedly.

Shen Chuchu turned around sharply. Right now, her biggest goal was to earn enough to rival the Zhang family, so she could face Zhang Fan with pride.

"How?" she asked warily. "Nothing illegal!"

"No, no! Totally legal!" Shen Mingming grinned. "All you need is good math skills. My friend made tens of thousands in a week! With your math skills, Sis, we could surpass the Zhang family in a year!"

Though his suggestion sounded absurd to anyone with common sense, Shen Chuchu, lacking real-world experience, found it intriguing.

Meanwhile, Zhang Fan, now possessing ancient medical knowledge, began noticing peculiarities in the world around him. He saw invisible lines of energy flowing through people, reflecting their health and vitality.

This newfound ability, combined with visions of future events, hinted at a greater purpose waiting to unfold. Among those visions was a significant clue—a future news notification hidden in a seemingly ordinary moment during military training.