Chapter 917: Chapter 918: The Arrival of Brothers
Two days later, Shen Dongyang arrived in Minghe with his wife. They came privately ahead of time to avoid their movements affecting work after his official appointment.
On the same flight with them were Li Gang and Wang Xiaoqiang. Wang Xiaoqiang even brought Xiao Cao along.
Shen Dongyang didnât know Li Gang and Wang Xiaoqiang until both cars stopped one after the other at the Su Family Courtyard, where he saw them for the first time.
"Are you... Deputy Mayor Shen?" Wang Xiaoqiang cautiously asked. He occasionally followed local news, so he had some impression of Shen Dongyang.
"And you are..." Shen Dongyang, unsure about Wang Xiaoqiang and Li Gangâs identities, hesitated before asking.
"Iâm Wang Xiaoqiang, and this is Li Gang. We are... Song Xiaodongâs old friends from his hometown."
"Oh... youâre also Tiannan people, huh? Thatâs perfect, Iâm here to visit Mr. Song myself." Shen Dongyang instinctively wanted to use "Little Song," but inside the courtyard, he suddenly felt the formality of the title mattered more.
Wang Xiaoqiang grinned slightly and said, "What a coincidence."
At this moment, Song Xiaodong walked over with a smile and said, "Uncle Shen, Auntie, youâre here. Huh? How come Gangzi and Xiaoqiang are with you?"
Shen Dongyang replied, "I guess we were on the same flight."
Song Xiaodong chuckled and said, "I really didnât know that. Iâve been too busy these past few days. I had someone else arrange to pick you up."
As they walked inside, Sun Dongxiang couldnât help but quietly ask, "Little Song... is all of this yours?"
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "I wouldnât necessarily call it mine. Itâs the collective property of the Su Family. As the head of the Su Family, I live here. If one day Iâm no longer the head, then it wonât be my home anymore."
Sun Dongxiang immediately said, "Then just stay on as head. That way, this will always be your home!"
Song Xiaodong replied, "Thatâs pretty much how it works. Auntie, if you ever want to come visit, youâre welcome anytime."
Sun Dongxiangâs mouth twitched, and she said, "Forget it. If I come here often, Iâll end up making your uncle break the rules."
Song Xiaodong laughed heartily and said, "Uncle Shen is lucky to have such a wise and capable partner."
Shen Dongyang shook his head and said, "Minghe truly canât compare to Tiannan. In Tiannan, thereâs only the Ding family. Iâve been to their place, but compared to this, itâs like a little crow meeting a big one."
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "These things might look good at first glance, but after living here for a while, itâs just the same old thing. At the end of the day, the place where you sleep is just a bedâitâs mostly for show to outsiders."
Li Gang grinned and said, "Youâve got no idea how lucky you are; if I had a home this big, Iâd probably laugh every night in my sleep."
Wang Xiaoqiang nodded repeatedly and said, "Even just one piece of it would make me happy, let alone the whole thing."
As childhood friends of Song Xiaodong, the household members were well aware of Li Gang and Wang Xiaoqiangâs connection to him. As soon as the two arrived, everyone came out to greet them. A group of beautiful women emerged, instantly dazzling the pair.
Shen Yue held her motherâs hand and chatted cheerfully, while Sun Dongxiang whispered secretively, "Are all these women Little Songâs wives?"
"Most of them are. If not wives, theyâre people heâs close toâand who knows, they might be someday," Shen Yue, having spent several days here and familiarized herself with everyoneâs relationships, explained with a laugh.
"This... truly is a dizzying sight," Sun Dongxiang muttered. She didnât quite know what else to say. But inwardly, she had given up on the idea of her daughter being with Song Xiaodong. These women were all extraordinarily beautiful, and her daughter didnât have much chance at competing here. Sharing a man with them wasnât an option either. Still, she felt a twinge of regretâSong Xiaodong remained an immensely ideal candidate for a son-in-law in her eyes.
Li Gang and Wang Xiaoqiang were acquainted with most of Song Xiaodongâs women, so they werenât surprised. Instead, they cracked jokes and chatted amicably. Xiao Cao, on the other hand, seemed a bit shy. Even though she had imagined how grand Song Xiaodongâs home might be, she hadnât foreseen it would be this overwhelming.
Fortunately, Song Xiaoru was warm and welcoming, making sure Xiao Cao felt at ease and knew where to sit or stand.
Song Xiaodong took Li Gang, Wang Xiaoqiang, and Shen Dongyang out for a stroll, leaving the women to chat among themselves.
The Su Family was usually visited for business or by beautiful women, so the arrival of several men was quite a novelty.
Especially with Song Xiaodong personally leading them on a tour of the Su Family grounds, it drew curious glances from everyone around.
As they walked, Song Xiaodong discussed Mingheâs major powers and dynamics with Shen Dongyang, who listened attentively. For Shen Dongyang, this information was invaluable for his future governance hereâa level of detail and authenticity he couldnât get from his predecessor.
Wang Xiaoqiang and Li Gang listened to the discussions about urban management and various significant matters, their jaws nearly dropping with awe. They realized they couldnât contribute to the conversation at all and felt the gulf between themselves and Song Xiaodong was as vast as the heavens. They had arrived buzzing with confidence, but now felt utterly deflated.
They found a pavilion to sit in, and noting Wang Xiaoqiang and Li Gangâs crestfallen expressions, Song Xiaodong smiled and asked, "Feeling overwhelmed?"
Wang Xiaoqiang forced a bitter smile and said, "Itâs more than overwhelmedâI feel completely hopeless."
Li Gang opened his mouth but ultimately just nodded in agreement with Wang Xiaoqiang.
Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "You donât need to feel that way. Itâs only because you havenât had much exposure yet. After spending some time in the company, youâll adapt."
Shen Dongyang also smiled and added, "People arenât born knowing everything. What you donât understand now doesnât mean you wonât understand in the future. With a friend like Little Song around, as long as you put in effort, your future is limitless."
Li Gang, being more carefree than Wang Xiaoqiang, said, "Mayor Shen is right. Weâll work hard. Even if we canât be the best, weâll put in our best efforts."
Song Xiaodong patted their shoulders and said, "Thatâs the spirit. Keep it upâI have high hopes for you."
Li Gang grinned and said, "First things first, weâve got to at least act like big shots. After all, weâve got that one billion in shares waiting for us! How else am I going to become a billionaire without lifting a finger?"
"One billion?" Shen Dongyang raised an eyebrow.
Li Gang smugly replied, "Yep, Dongzi gave each of us one billion. Weâre bona fide tycoons now."
"Impressive, impressive!" Shen Dongyangâs mouth twitched as he chuckled awkwardly. Suddenly, being a mayor felt a little out of place; even Song Xiaodongâs childhood buddies had become billionaires.