Inside The Dynasty's private room, a doctor was bandaging the wound on Gwendolyn's head.
Gwendolyn kept complaining, "Michael, have you lost your mind? The moment that woman showed up, you didn't let me get a word in!"
"It's you who's lost her mind!" Michael couldn't hold back his reproach. "You dare say anything! Don't forget, without the Western Alliance Society, there would be no Boss and no Mr. Kun!"
"So what?" Gwendolyn dismissed it. "The Boss and Mr. Kun aren't blind loyalists. Besides, back then it was also—"
"Enough! Stop talking!" Michael lowered his voice. "What happened back then was the tide of history. No one's choice was surprising. But both The Boss and Mr. Kun care about their reputations. No one wants to bear that stigma!"
"Fine, let's not talk about that. Let's talk about the casino!" Gwendolyn pulled Lucas closer. "Are you really just going to watch the casino operations go to that Ethan? Don't forget, Lucas is your legitimate son!"
Michael sighed. "I just don't understand. You used to be a sufficiently intelligent woman. How have you become like this?"
"Like what?" Gwendolyn's face changed instantly. Ignoring the ongoing bandaging, she stood up abruptly. "Oh, I see, Michael Langford! Seeing that woman today, you still can't let her go, can you? Now you look down on me, is that it?"
Michael shook his head, not answering the question directly. Instead, he said, "Originally, The Boss and Mr. Kun planned the move against Jack Zhao here at The Dynasty. Taking Zhao's trophy here would have directed his fury towards us. As compensation, they would have given me a share of the casino operations. This way, The Boss solidifies his partnership with Mr. Kun, gains a piece of the casino profits, and, with Zhao as a counterbalance, isn't worried about me growing too powerful."
"It was a move that killed three birds with one stone. But now? Ethan went to Lansway and took the trophy himself. Why do you think The Boss would hand the casino operations to me now? Would he just sit back and watch me expand?"
"If you hadn't been so openly hostile to Ethan in front of Mr. Kun, but instead acted warmly, making Mr. Kun believe Ethan was one of us, then according to the circle's rules, the operations would still have come to us, and most likely to Lucas. But now, we can absolutely forget about it. Why would Mr. Kun want his daughter partnering with a local power?"
Listening to Michael's explanation, Gwendolyn gradually started to understand. Her aggressive demeanor faded, and she sat back down.
Michael looked at the bloodstain on his shirt hem and walked to the side. "Summer, come with me for a moment."
After Michael and Summer left, Lucas asked, confused, "Mom, why did Dad say we should have pretended to be friendly with Ethan?"
Seeing that Lucas couldn't even grasp this, Gwendolyn explained patiently, "Because Ethan is your father's illegitimate son. According to the circle's rules, the operations would only come to us."
Lucas still didn't get it. "Then why did he say it would 'most likely' go to me? From what Dad just said, it didn't sound like he had the final say."
The anger Gwendolyn had been suppressing instantly flared. She kicked Lucas. "Because you're useless! Understand? If The Boss had to choose between you and Ethan, he'd choose you! Because you're weak! You're easy to control! Can you understand that? The casino is The Boss's venture, not your father's business!"
Frustration boiled inside her. Thinking of Lydia Chen's superior attitude earlier made Gwendolyn even angrier. She never believed she was inferior to Lydia Chen in any way, so why was her son worse than Lydia's?
A Maybach glided through the city streets.
Serena sat in the back seat, opening her mouth several times but stopping.
Mr. Kun noticed her hesitation. "You want to ask about Ethan's mother?"
Serena nodded.
Mr. Kun turned to look out the window. It was late, and the city's dazzling lights flashed across the glass and reflected in his seemingly cloudy eyes.
"The Boss and I, we were both part of the Western Alliance Society back in the day. By that time, the Society was already in decline."
"Lydia Chen... The plum blossom only blooms in the severe cold. The state of the Western Alliance Society back then was harsher than any winter. She was someone placed with great hopes. It's a pity she chose a different path later."
"It's laughable that Gwendolyn thinks of herself as the victor, always trying to prove she's superior everywhere."
"The Song Dynasty scholar Wang Shipeng once wrote: 'It still bears the appearance of frost and snow, unwilling to show its full red.'"
"As for Gwendolyn... she isn't even fit to be compared to peach and plum blossoms."
The night was deep.
Ethan sat by the hospital bed, holding his mother's hand tightly. The doctor had just left after scolding both of them—he'd never seen a patient sneak out of the hospital the day after major surgery; it was reckless!
"Mom, it's all my fault…"
"Silly child, how can it be your fault?" Lydia stroked Ethan's face. "I didn't want you to have contact with him back then because I didn't want you involved in this world. But since you've stepped in now, I won't say anything else except this: if we're going to do it, we do it well!"
"In this circle, there is constant strife. If you don't look for trouble, trouble will find you. So, you must make yourself strong. I've inquired about Zhao. He's seriously injured, both arms broken. He won't be able to trouble you for a while. The people behind him are still negotiating with The Boss. Once Zhao recovers, he will definitely come for you. You need to become strong enough during this time."
"Do you have a direction?"
Ethan shook his head. He was good at thinking, but being thrust into this world and bombarded with so much information had left his mind temporarily chaotic.
Strong,How to become strong?
Martial arts? That wasn't something achieved overnight. And even the most skilled person, how many could they fight at once? Ethan believed the middle-aged man was the ceiling.
As for developing his own force, recruiting followers... for an eighteen-year-old, it felt too distant. To command loyalty, it wasn't enough to just spout bold words. It required seniority, foundation!
Never mind people in society; even in school, it was impossible for a senior to become a freshman's subordinate unless the senior was utterly pathetic.
Seeing the confusion in Ethan's eyes, Lydia smiled faintly. "First, study hard. Second, make yourself indispensable. Then you will naturally become strong. The Boss and Mr. Kun are cooperating on the casino. You just need to prove your importance. Whether it's The Boss or Mr. Kun, they will find a way to protect you. Everyone is in it for profit. Whether something can be done is never the question; it's always whether someone is willing to do it."
Ethan nodded.
"Alright, get some sleep now." Lydia gently touched Ethan's head.
"Goodnight, Mom."
Ethan lay down on the accompanying caregiver's bed. The smell of medicine filled the air. He stared at the ceiling, his eyes open. Everything had happened so suddenly. It was as if a giant hand had abruptly pulled him into another world. The sense of lacerate was indescribable. It wasn't just his present life that had changed, but his entire vision for the future.