Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 917 - 918: The Arrival of Brothers

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 didn’t 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 Gang’s identities, hesitated before asking.

"I’m Wang Xiaoqiang, and this is Li Gang. We are... Song Xiaodong’s old friends from his hometown."

"Oh... you’re also Tiannan people, huh? That’s perfect, I’m 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, you’re 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 didn’t know that. I’ve been too busy these past few days. I had someone else arrange to pick you up."

As they walked inside, Sun Dongxiang couldn’t help but quietly ask, "Little Song... is all of this yours?"

Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "I wouldn’t necessarily call it mine. It’s the collective property of the Su Family. As the head of the Su Family, I live here. If one day I’m no longer the head, then it won’t 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, "That’s pretty much how it works. Auntie, if you ever want to come visit, you’re welcome anytime."

Sun Dongxiang’s mouth twitched, and she said, "Forget it. If I come here often, I’ll 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 can’t compare to Tiannan. In Tiannan, there’s only the Ding family. I’ve been to their place, but compared to this, it’s 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, it’s just the same old thing. At the end of the day, the place where you sleep is just a bed—it’s mostly for show to outsiders."

Li Gang grinned and said, "You’ve got no idea how lucky you are; if I had a home this big, I’d 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 Xiaoqiang’s 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 mother’s hand and chatted cheerfully, while Sun Dongxiang whispered secretively, "Are all these women Little Song’s wives?"

"Most of them are. If not wives, they’re people he’s close to—and who knows, they might be someday," Shen Yue, having spent several days here and familiarized herself with everyone’s relationships, explained with a laugh.

"This... truly is a dizzying sight," Sun Dongxiang muttered. She didn’t 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 didn’t have much chance at competing here. Sharing a man with them wasn’t an option either. Still, she felt a twinge of regret—Song 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 Xiaodong’s women, so they weren’t 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 Xiaodong’s home might be, she hadn’t 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 Minghe’s major powers and dynamics with Shen Dongyang, who listened attentively. For Shen Dongyang, this information was invaluable for his future governance here—a level of detail and authenticity he couldn’t 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 couldn’t 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 Gang’s crestfallen expressions, Song Xiaodong smiled and asked, "Feeling overwhelmed?"

Wang Xiaoqiang forced a bitter smile and said, "It’s more than overwhelmed—I feel completely hopeless."

Li Gang opened his mouth but ultimately just nodded in agreement with Wang Xiaoqiang.

Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "You don’t need to feel that way. It’s only because you haven’t had much exposure yet. After spending some time in the company, you’ll adapt."

Shen Dongyang also smiled and added, "People aren’t born knowing everything. What you don’t understand now doesn’t mean you won’t 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. We’ll work hard. Even if we can’t be the best, we’ll put in our best efforts."

Song Xiaodong patted their shoulders and said, "That’s the spirit. Keep it up—I have high hopes for you."

Li Gang grinned and said, "First things first, we’ve got to at least act like big shots. After all, we’ve 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. We’re bona fide tycoons now."

"Impressive, impressive!" Shen Dongyang’s mouth twitched as he chuckled awkwardly. Suddenly, being a mayor felt a little out of place; even Song Xiaodong’s childhood buddies had become billionaires.