Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 35

When He Lang walked into Jiang Jingda’s room, he was clearly still working. A stack of neatly arranged documents lay beside him, and he looked serious. Only when He Lang appeared in his sight did his eyes soften slightly. He took off his glasses and asked, “Did Langlang and Mom have a fight?”

The voices from downstairs were quite loud, indicating an argument. Although he was worried, he knew Song Qinglian spoiled the child and likely wouldn’t scold Langlang harshly, so he didn’t go down to interrupt his foster mother.

He Lang glanced at Jiang Jingda, threw himself onto the mattress, and responded glumly.

It was then he realized that every world has its own rules and constraints. It wasn’t enough to simply be in an ancient society free from feudal norms to enjoy untroubled freedom.

Life, after all, was never so easy.

Jiang Jingda set aside his work, sat on the edge of the bed, patted He Lang’s head, and hesitantly spoke.

“Be good. Mom and Dad love you very much. If you can do something that might make others happy, even if it means putting up with a little inconvenience yourself, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

As he spoke, his gaze was thoughtful.

He Lang looked at him, turned his head, and bluntly said, “Mom and Dad are pushing me to get married and meet girls.”

The mention of this caused Jiang Jingda’s hand, which was resting on He Lang’s head, to stiffen abruptly. After a moment of silence, he withdrew his hand.

He looked at the now-mature young man who only retained a hint of youthful innocence between his brows. This made him appear even more vibrant and youthful, and Jiang Jingda suddenly felt a sense of crisis.

He wanted to do something but found himself so powerless.

What could he do against his parents’ decisions?

Even though he was called a prodigy in the business world and regarded as a rare commercial talent, in reality, he was merely a tool managing the company.

Returning this time, he likely noticed his foster father’s deteriorating health, which is why he was given the position of executive president.

Although he now holds most of the power in the company, that’s all there is to it. He has no shares or support from the board of directors. His power is entirely granted by his foster father, and reclaiming it could be done in minutes. The ultimate authority still lies with them.

The reason why they tightly control their shares is also because Father Jiang hopes his biological son will inherit the family business in the future.

Before their precious son grew up, the company was handed over to Jiang Jingda. They were confident in his reliability and his excellent treatment of their biological son, which is why they entrusted him with the responsibility. Although Jiang Family treated Jiang Jingda well and granted him significant authority, it was still a rather cold calculation from the start.

Jiang Jingda was not always kept in the dark. He knew his foster parents’ plans and their singular focus on Langlang.

He didn’t mind paving the way for Langlang and was grateful for the opportunity to hone his skills in the company. However, Jiang Jingda now realized that who he was could not keep Langlang.

Jiang Jingda resolved that he could never let Langlang be wronged again, not even by his parents.

“Do what you want to do, but never compromise yourself.”

His words were sincere, and He Lang’s mood gradually eased. He felt that he was not entirely without support; at least his brother would respect his personal will, even if he occasionally had inexplicable moods.

He Lang had thought this issue would fade away, but after Father Jiang learned about the argument with Song Qinglian, he was furious. He shouted that the child had indeed grown wings and was definitely rebellious, even arguing with his mother.

Jiang Jingda also thought there would be time to manage the situation, but the next day, the family quarreled again over this matter, and he was present.

The parents’ misunderstanding directly put them at odds with him. He didn’t want to argue with them, but their every word was so aggressive that he felt disrespected. Before being their son, he was still a person. He would not abandon his bottom line and principles for this.

He Lang, slightly irritated, appeared to have lost some calm but remained stubborn.

His disregard infuriated Father Jiang, who clutched his chest and coughed a few times. Song Qinglian immediately went to help him sit down, scolding, “Your father’s health is getting worse, and you still make him angry!”

She lowered her eyes, seemingly on the verge of tears.

He Lang rubbed his forehead in frustration, his ears aching from the lecturing. Did they expect him to compromise?

Not only was this issue extremely difficult for him to accept, requiring him to make significant personal sacrifices, but the fact that a woman might wait a lifetime for just one wedding, and he couldn’t guarantee that he would care for her as needed after marriage, was also a huge harm to her. He couldn’t do such a disgraceful thing.

In his previous life, he could plan cautiously and steadily. But in this life, the unbounded pampering and indulgence from those around him had made his nerves completely relaxed, leading to a change in his character. He became unwilling to compromise easily or to suffer for others.

As long as it was something he didn’t want to accept, no matter who it was, his stubbornness was like that of a young beast, refusing to yield.

When Song Qinglian brought up the matter again, the usually silent Jiang Jingda also spoke up, trying to dissuade them but only angered Song Qinglian, who said, “You’re just a foster child. What right do you have to interfere with our decisions?”

He Lang frowned and held Jiang Jingda’s hand. “Brother, it’s okay. You don’t need to speak up for me.”

He thought that he might as well come clean in front of his parents. After all, he had been spoiled for so long that he could hardly remember how to hold back anymore.

In any case, it wouldn’t really affect the plot, would it?

He took a deep breath and bluntly stated, “I like men.”

This sentence acted like a coolant, instantly quieting all the noise. Father Jiang and Song Qinglian exchanged incredulous looks, while Jiang Jingda furrowed his brows, his heart pounding wildly at the implications of those words.

Realizing what He Lang meant, Father Jiang was so furious that he trembled, pointing at him with a shaky finger but unable to speak, “You…you!”

Did this mean that he had no intention of getting married in the future and instead planned to find a boyfriend, bringing disgrace to the Jiang family?

“Langlang! Do you know what you’re saying? Stop this nonsense!” Song Qinglian anxiously stomped her foot, the jewelry on her body jangling with a crisp sound.

“I’m very clear about what I’m saying. I can’t deceive you, nor can I deceive that girl you mentioned.”

“You unfilial child, shut up!” Father Jiang, in his deep disappointment, slapped He Lang hard across the face. His intense love had turned into deep resentment upon hearing such shameless words. He could not help but be gravely disappointed.

He Lang’s face was turned to the side, a glaring red mark on his pale cheek, the loud slap echoing through the living room. The sound reverberated not only in the room but also in Jiang Jingda’s heart, causing him to suddenly freeze. He immediately stepped forward, pulling He Lang into his arms to shield him from Father Jiang.

“Father, that’s enough. Langlang knows he’s wrong. I’ll discipline him.”

The slap had deeply pained Father Jiang as well. His stiff, heavy body fell silent. Song Qinglian let out a light snort at Jiang Jingda, as if to say, “Discipline? How dare you speak harshly to Langlang?”

Neither of them spoke again, so Jiang Jingda supported He Lang back to his room, applying medicine to his face with a heart full of mixed emotions.

While tending to Langlang’s injury, he was deeply pained by the bruise on his face and simultaneously worried about how to handle the conflict between him and their parents. Hearing that Langlang liked men had only further unsettled him, leaving him with a whirlwind of thoughts.

Plans couldn’t keep up with changes. The very next day, Father Jiang made a resolute decision to send He Lang to a prestigious university abroad, saying that the strict discipline there could reform students.

Everything, from the visa to the transfer procedures, had been arranged. When Jiang Jingda came home from work and saw the servants busy packing He Lang’s things, he was at a loss.

It all happened so fast. In just a short time, his Langlang was going to be taken away from him.

Jiang Jingda clenched his teeth and punched the wall in frustration, hating himself for being powerless to resist. His ambitions were constrained at every turn, leaving him without the ability to keep Langlang by his side. All he could do was watch helplessly as his Langlang left him.

“I’ll go and beg Father and Mother.” He grabbed He Lang’s hand, his voice hoarse.

He Lang, holding his suitcase, watched the driver load it into the trunk. He shook his head at Jiang Jingda, his expression indifferent. “Don’t. Doing so will only wear down Father’s affection for you.”

He didn’t want to cause a rift between Jiang Jingda and his foster parents over this.

He Lang was indeed upset about being forced to go abroad because it meant he would have to adjust to a new environment all over again.

However, he ultimately accepted it for a reason. He believed that while Jiang Jingda was highly intelligent, he lacked ambition. He seemed content to simply help his foster father maintain the business. Didn’t he realize what his father’s true intentions were? As soon as he grew up, Jiang Jingda could very well be kicked out and forced to hand over all the power. Or did he know but didn’t care?

He Lang felt a headache coming on. While he had managed to integrate into this world, he still didn’t understand many of its high-tech aspects, let alone the complexities of digital technology, economics, or business. He hadn’t dared to tell his father that he didn’t want this business at all, for fear of angering him to death once again.

In any case, after he left this time, Jiang Jingda might change his complacent attitude. This separation might be a good thing for both of them.

At the airport, Jiang Jingda had to accept the reality and quietly saw him off.

“Go ahead.” Though he said this, when the moment came where He Lang was about to walk past him, the feeling of helplessness, like sand slipping through his fingers, made him grab He Lang’s arm and speak with difficulty.

“Come back soon… Brother will be waiting for you.”

He Lang pulled his hand away, left a smile, and turned around.

“I’ll come back when Brother has taken over Jiang Corporation.”

**Author’s Note:** It feels like fewer people love me these days… [Cigarette] Speaking of which, my short story *Red* has concluded [Wipes tears]. It’s a story of a sadistic, obsessive seme and a uke with delusional fantasies. If you’re interested, you can check it out in my completed works column.