Chapter 329 - 326: I’m the Boss of Qitian Animation, I’m Coming Clean, I’m Done Pretending

Chapter 329: Chapter 326: I’m the Boss of Qitian Animation, I’m Coming Clean, I’m Done Pretending

"The first toast is for Yanwan, Jiang Xia, and Director Li. Welcome home."

"Cheers!"

In the private room, the family sat around a round table, drinking and eating. The conversation revolved around the campus lives of the four university students, creating a warm and happy atmosphere.

"Director Li, we’re indebted to you for looking after my good-for-nothing son and giving him a job at Qitian Animation. I’ll drain my glass; you can drink as you please."

Jiang Wende tilted his head back and downed the warm beer in one gulp. He had to drive and wasn’t supposed to drink, but he couldn’t help himself. He was overjoyed, and he felt he owed a heavy debt of gratitude. He had no choice but to call a colleague to come pick up his taxi.

After they got off the highway, Xia Shanshan had pressed him until Jiang Xia finally admitted he was working at Qitian Animation. That was why he was only returning home at the end of the year, even though his school break had started long ago.

Therefore, Jiang Wende naturally assumed that Jiang Xia was doing very well at the company and was highly valued by his superiors, which perfectly matched Li Weiya’s previous praise.

Hearing the phrase "good-for-nothing son," Weiya’s eyelid twitched violently. ’If Jiang Xia is considered a disappointment, does that make everyone who can’t compare to him a complete idiot?’

She glanced at Jiang Xia, only to see him patiently peeling shrimp for Lin Yanwan. Wang Ming and Shen Ying, the two who were in on the secret, also remained silent. She figured they were probably internally mocking the phrase "good-for-nothing son" just like her.

Li Weiya sighed and said with a wry smile, "Master Jiang, you’re being too harsh. Ah Xia is far more brilliant than either of us imagine. In fact, even among people our age, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more exceptional than him."

Jiang Wende was taken aback for a moment, then replied with a compliment, "That must be because Director Li is such a good mentor to him."

"No, no, no. In the field of animation, I’m in no position to teach him," Li Weiya said, shaking her head in denial.

The adults were completely baffled, but they could tell that Director Li held Jiang Xia in extremely high regard.

Jiang Wende glanced at his son and pursed his lips. "Director Li, what you’re saying is..."

"You should ask him yourself."

Li Weiya passed the buck to Jiang Xia. Whether he revealed the truth or not was up to him.

Facing the gazes of both sets of parents, Jiang Xia placed the peeled shrimp into his wife’s bowl and sighed softly. He knew there was no getting out of it today.

"Alright, I’ll come clean."

He met everyone’s gazes and said slowly, "Dad, Mom... I’m the one who founded Qitian Animation Company. I’m also the creator of *Cat and Mouse*."

The moment he finished speaking, the sharp clatter of several pairs of chopsticks hitting the floor broke the silence. All the adults stared in utter disbelief.

’This... has to be a joke, right?’

How could a university student, barely an adult, have the audacity to claim he was the boss of Qitian Animation? Did he have any idea how far-fetched that sounded? Saying he’d won tens of millions in the lottery would have been more believable.

"Er... Xiaxia, you need to be careful with your words. You can’t just say things like that. Joking like this in front of Director Li is going too far," Xia Shanshan said, taking a sharp breath and reminding him cautiously.

"Teacher Xia, Ah Xia is telling the truth. He really did establish Qitian Animation Company. In fact, I’m the director, but I’m working for him." Recalling how he had poached her, Li Weiya’s tone was filled with resignation.

Hearing Director Li confirm it herself, Xia Shanshan, Jiang Wende, Ji Wanqiu, and Lin Gaoyuan all froze simultaneously.

In contrast, the younger members of the group continued to eat nonchalantly, not at all surprised, as if they had known all along.

"Director Li, you’re not joking?"

Xia Shanshan asked, still in disbelief. The whole thing was just too inconceivable, completely beyond their imagination.

"Mom..."

"You shut up!" Xia Shanshan glared at him.

’Well, that got shot down quickly. Fine then, you guys can keep verifying it.’ He was more than happy to go back to peeling shrimp for his wife.

Li Weiya couldn’t help but let out a laugh. "Teacher Xia, I’m really not joking. Besides, there’s no reason for me to lie to you, is there?"

"I suppose so, but..."

Xia Shanshan was at a loss for words. All of a sudden, her son, who was still in university, had become the boss of a major company. If she told anyone, they’d think she was a lunatic with a wild imagination.

’Even a fictional story wouldn’t be this outrageous.’

"But I just can’t wrap my head around it," Jiang Wende chimed in, sighing heavily.

He looked at Jiang Xia with a complicated expression. ’In my memory, this kid was attached at the hip to Lin Yanwan every single day back in high school. I was constantly running into them holding hands while they were out and about. How could someone like that become the boss of a major company?’

’Then what about me, working my fingers to the bone every day?’

’Is there any justice in this world!!’

"You all don’t seem surprised in the slightest. Don’t tell me you already knew?" Jiang Wende said, looking at the others.

Wang Ming hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Shen Ying nodded.

Lin Yanwan blinked, then nodded.

"Yanwan, you tell me. What’s really going on?" Jiang Wende said. He wasn’t about to believe whatever nonsense Jiang Xia might spout; he was much more willing to trust his obedient daughter-in-law.

"Dad, I’m so sorry we hid it from you for so long, but it’s the truth. He founded Qitian Animation Company around May of last year," Lin Yanwan said, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Last May? Weren’t you all still in high school then?" Lin Gaoyuan asked with a frown.

"Mhm, he made the first *Cat and Mouse* shorts in his spare time after school. Wang Ming joined him later," Lin Yanwan said.

"What..."

The others were stunned speechless. He had created *Cat and Mouse* in his spare time, during the most intense review period for the college entrance exams? It sounded completely unreal.

The crazy part was that he had spent all his time and energy on animation, yet still managed to get into a top-tier university like Shangda.

If they weren’t hearing it with their own ears, who in the world would ever believe it?

"No wonder Xiaxia was always staying up so late back then, locking himself in his room whenever he had a spare moment. I thought he was studying hard for his exams."

Xia Shanshan recalled with dawning realization. ’But in my memory, Jiang Xia’s grades were never that good. He was always just a below-average student. How could his grades have improved by leaps and bounds when he was spending all his time on animation?’

"And you? What role did you play in all this?" Lin Gaoyuan asked again.

"Dad, I composed the original score for *Cat and Mouse*." As she spoke, she pointed to Shen Ying. "Shen Ying handled the online operations. All of the initial publicity was thanks to her."

All eyes turned to Shen Ying, who nodded bashfully.

’Good grief. So all the young people were in on this project, and only the old folks like us were kept completely in the dark.’

At that moment, Lin Gaoyuan’s mind was in a whirl. No wonder the design drafts Jiang Xia had provided for the figurines were so perfect from the very beginning. Of course they were—he was the one who created *Cat and Mouse*.

’And I socked him a couple of times back then...?’