A group of people walked back home.

Zhang's mother and father were surprised and somewhat disbelieving; they hadn't expected so many relatives. Although they generally got along well, they rarely gathered more than a few times a year.

At this moment, Zhang Beixing's paternal aunt couldn't help but complain, "Xiao Fang, really, if you're going out to have fun, go ahead, but you didn't even leave a key for Beixing. You left him outside all alone. Weren't you afraid he would get lost?"

To this, Zhang's mother gave a sheepish smile. "Well, he didn't get lost, did he? And it seems to me that Beixing is quite comfortable on his own. Recently, he's been running all over the place, going to Yanjing to shoot a military recruitment video, and to Yiling to fight tigers or something. He seems to be having a perfectly good time on his own!"

"Yeah, locked out by his own mom and dad, what other choice does he have but to be happy?" Zhang Beixing's maternal aunt said irritably, before swiftly changing the subject. "But Beixing, he really has made something of himself, huh? I was looking at his Douyin the other day, and man, the guy almost has 400,000 followers. A big internet celebrity indeed!"

"What celebrity? It's just the boy fiddling around for fun," Zhang's mother waved her hand dismissively, with an air of modesty.

"You say that, but you don't get 400,000 followers from just fiddling around. Do you know how many people there are out there who can't even get a following? The money one can make online these days is quite substantial. Beixing really has made us proud. I've known since he was little that he had potential, unlike my own rascal. He's been in the military for years, and we've heard nothing about any promotions; he only gets to come home on leave occasionally."

As she spoke, Zhang Beixing's maternal aunt patted the shoulder of the tall man beside her.

The man heard her words and scratched his head, wanting to say something, but ultimately, out of respect for his own mother's authority, he didn't utter a word.

However, his paternal aunt said at this moment, "What do you mean no sure word on promotion? Your son has made it to platoon leader! That's an officer rank with plenty of room for advancement!"

"That's just how it is, just how it is. And your daughter isn't doing too badly either; I heard she got into the film academy!" Zhang Beixing's maternal aunt, hiding a smile, pointed to the roughly eighteen-year-old girl sitting next to Zhang Beixing's paternal aunt and said.

On hearing this, his paternal aunt patted the girl's head. "Yes, the plan was for this girl to go to Shi University, to attend the same school as her brother. But she wasn't keen. She said she likes filmmaking. By the way, Xiao Fang, when my daughter starts school, how about letting her join Beixing in making videos? Give her a chance to gain some experience and learn the ropes."

"Haha, no problem, no problem! When we get home, I'll talk to Beixing about it!" Zhang's mother said cheerfully. She understood perfectly well. Normally, these people hardly ever praised Zhang Beixing so much. They'd say he was tall or good-looking, but never that he had made something of himself. But whenever they talked about their own children, they each tried to outdo the other in boasting. It wasn't malicious showing off, just a simple desire to highlight their own children's strengths. After all, doesn't everyone think their own child is the best? And their children really had achieved things. But now, for them to rush over like this, they must have seen Zhang Beixing's potential. That's why they wanted to visit and strengthen ties. Whether they could offer help in the future or not, they at least wanted to get closer and express their high regard for their nephew. They were all relatives; it was only human nature.

And so, the adults walked ahead, talking about the young ones supporting each other.

Meanwhile, Zhang Beixing's cousins of the same generation followed behind without uttering a word.

Zhang Beixing and his cousins actually got along quite well. Although they rarely saw each other more than a few times a year, they were family, after all, and there was no real scheming, rivalry, or disdain among them.

In reality, however, they didn't interact much on WeChat either. They mostly met during holidays to catch up, so they weren't nearly as close as when they were younger.

This, too, is a common family scenario among the youth in Great Xia today.

Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the alley.

Zhang's mother was about to call out for Zhang Beixing, but before the words left her mouth, the scene inside the alley made her stop short.

In the alley, about ten men were gathered. Some wore Zhongshan suits, others Western-style suits. They were surrounding Zhang Beixing, engaged in conversation. She recognized some of them; she thought she'd seen them earlier that day when they were getting off the high-speed train.

Zhang's mother exclaimed, "What's going on?" How did my son end up chatting with this group of people? Are they asking for directions? Zhang's mother wondered. It seemed possible.

It wasn't just her; the rest of Zhang Beixing's family and relatives thought the same. They prepared to step forward and inquire.

However, as they drew closer and overheard the group's conversation, Zhang Beixing's family and relatives, every single one of them, froze on the spot, dumbstruck.

"Grandmaster Zhang, you truly are a Grandmaster! Climbing a mountain to fight a tiger alone—this requires not only immense strength but also powerful mental fortitude. Sigh! I've wasted so many years and lack even the courage to face danger. No wonder I can only be a Pseudo Grandmaster!"

"You're absolutely right! In addition to climbing mountains to fight tigers, Grandmaster Zhang is also such a righteous person, single-handedly taking on seventeen vicious, knife-wielding human traffickers. You truly are a role model for our generation!"

"With such temperament, such strength, such talent, and a master who treats you as his own, no wonder you, Grandmaster Zhang, have broken the Great Xia Grandmaster record! If you didn't break it, who else could have!"

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