Chapter 375: Chapter 374: Great, Politics 101

The laughter carried, spilling over into clinking glasses and the subtle shuffle of waiters bringing in the next wave of dishes. Dessert trays were being prepped somewhere out of sight, but the conversation at the table had already taken center stage. The food was no longer the main course... Rex was.

Noah leaned back with theatrical exhaustion. "Man, I should’ve brought a notebook. Every time Rex opens his mouth, it’s either something deep or something meme-worthy. Next time, bro, you gotta give me a heads-up before you drop these lines. I almost choked on the duck earlier."

"Careful," Rex shot back dryly. "Choking on duck in the Sterling dining room probably makes the news."

"Headline," one cousin chimed in, mimicking a reporter’s voice: "’Promising young Sterling heir tragically lost mid-dinner. Cause of death: poultry.’"

The table rippled with laughter again. Even Henry’s shoulders shook slightly, though he masked it with a cough into his napkin.

But soon, the levity shifted once more, smoothly, like the tide rolling in. One of the older uncles, the type whose posture screamed "spent half his life at negotiation tables," tapped his glass softly.

"Tell me, Rex," he began, tone polite but probing, "what’s your take on leadership? You’ve proven yourself capable in crisis—" his glance flicked briefly toward Arabella, who was now happily nibbling a piece of bread... but leadership in calmer waters is another beast."

Rex tilted his head. Leadership? These people really don’t waste opportunities, huh? First econ, now management theory. What’s next, a pop quiz?

Still, he thought carefully. "Leadership’s overrated if you ask me. Or at least the way most people see it. Half the so-called leaders just want to stand in front and look important. Real leadership is knowing when not to get in the way."

That earned a ripple of interest. A cousin raised his brow. An aunt tapped her glass thoughtfully.

Henry’s voice cut in, slow and measured. "You believe in restraint, then."

"I believe in balance," Rex said. "Lead when you need to. Step back when someone else can do it better. People think being in charge means controlling everything, but honestly? The best leaders I’ve seen are the ones who don’t make it about themselves."

There was a pause. Then Noah slapped his palm to the table again. "Damn it, Rex, stop sounding like a wise monk. You’re making the rest of us look bad."

Rex smirked. "Not my fault you keep setting the bar low."

The cousins howled. One even banged his fork against his plate in mock applause.

Eleanor, ever graceful, smiled softly. "Balance. That’s... refreshing to hear."

This time, it was Uncle Leonard, a lawyer with sharp cheekbones and the clipped tone of a man used to cross-examining. He leaned in, elbows lightly brushing the tablecloth.

"Rex," he said, "you’re young, but you strike me as observant. What’s your view on the state of the world right now? Too many conflicts brewing, too much instability. Do you think we’re heading for better years... or worse ones?"

Rex blinked. Why does this feel like the essay section of an exam? He toyed with his fork a moment, then answered.

"Depends on what lens you use," Rex said slowly. "If you’re a politician, the world looks chaotic. If you’re a businessman, it looks like opportunity. If you’re just a regular person... it probably feels exhausting. But that’s always been the cycle. Things break, then rebuild. The real question is, who adapts fastest when the cracks show?"

That earned a few hums of approval around the table. Eleanor tilted her head, genuinely intrigued.

Then another voice cut in. , one of the older cousins who worked in government consultancy, smirked faintly. "So, adaptation over stability? Interesting. But tell me — what about leadership? Do you think strongmen still have a place in this world, or is it the age of collaboration and coalitions?"

Rex fought back the urge to sigh. Great, politics 101.

Still, he didn’t falter. "Strong leaders can win battles," he said, "but coalitions win decades. History’s full of empires that crumbled because they couldn’t share power. The world’s too connected now for one person, or one nation, to hold it all together."

Henry’s brow lifted... faint approval again. Charles actually leaned back, a flicker of respect in his expression.

Just then, Henry Sterling leaned forward. His tone wasn’t harsh, just curious, like a man nudging open a door to see what was inside.

"Rex," he said, "you’ve got a different way of looking at things. Tell me... what do you think of ambition? Of vision? Most of the world believes that’s what drives progress. Do you agree?"

The table hushed a little. Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on him. Vivienne also tilted her head, watching closely.

Rex swirled his glass, thinking. For a second, the reflex of playing it safe... of saying what they probably wanted to hear, crossed his mind. Praising the value of dreams and lofty visions. It would make the old man happy, maybe earn some nods. But he shoved it aside. He wasn’t here to flatter anyone.

"Honestly?" he thought back to his past life and then answered, "Many people, especially the rich, believe that everyone should have ambitions, follow some grand vision, work toward ideals... blah, blah, blah. They think that just because they believe in castles in the clouds, the common man also spends his days thinking about the future. But they forget one thing... they’ve been born and bred in riches. They don’t know the world of ordinary people."

That earned a flicker of raised brows.

He leaned back, meeting Henry’s gaze squarely. "The truth is, common people don’t have that luxury. ? They’re working nine-to-five, sometimes two or three jobs just to survive in the city. They don’t have the luxury to sit around and daydream about some ’vision.’

Their only concern is paying the bills, putting food on the table, keeping a roof overhead, and somehow covering their loans and mortgages. If you don’t even know where your next meal is coming from, what good is a castle in the clouds?"

(End of Chapter)

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Update:

I know, I know I hadn’t updated for quite a few days, originally my plan was to just take a break for two to prepare for a very important exam, but due to some unexpected circumstances, the exam got postponed. So, obviously I couldn’t write, and had to extend my break until I finish the exam.

Thank you so much for your patience and support, my exam is now scheduled for 3rd November, So, I’ll be back on 3rd or 4th depending upon my mental health after the exam.

Once again, thanks for your support and I would be very grateful if you could just send a few gifts as encouragement as our subscriptions for this month are totally abysmal which I acknowledges totally my fault due to not updating, still, I’ll be thankful, if you support a bit, so that we can at least meet. minimum payout requirements.

And you guys, reading on other site aka piracy sites, the only original site is Webnovel, it will be great help if you could read on official site, so that, it can support this poor author.

Thank you.

Taking a Temporary Hiatus: An Important Update

Hello everyone,

I wanted to give you all a heads-up about my writing schedule. To ensure I can dedicate the necessary focus to a super important academic exam, I will be taking a two-week break from posting updates.

As many of you know, I’ve been working on this novel consistently for the past five to six months, without even a single break.

This will be my very first break, but with an exam of this importance, I know I won’t be able to give both my writing and my studies the attention they deserve.

Thank you all for your support, your comments, and your time have been the fuel for this novel for months. I sincerely ask for your patience and understanding as I step away briefly to handle this vital commitment.

I promise to return immediately after my exam with renewed energy and focus to pick up exactly where we left off.

See you all in two weeks!