In the blink of an eye, vibrant spring colors painted the land. Lanjing grew warmer day by day. During the day, flowers and plants grew wildly under the warm sun, and the garden by the entrance of Bauhinia Company was swarming with bees from parts unknown.
Before night fell, the sun would sink toward the horizon. Time slipped through one’s fingers as the sun rose again the next day to awaken the sleeping masses. Life felt like it was on fast-forward, sped up a hundredfold.
The lake was covered in green algae, and more people came out to stroll along the riverbank. Girls in short skirts were everywhere, their snow-white legs on full display.
In a car heading to Kyoto for a business trip, Pei Youwen watched the young women posing for photos and sighed in admiration for the umpteenth time, "Spring really is the best. Everything is so pleasing to the eye."
Up front in the passenger seat, Ji Hai put down his phone, glanced back at him, and said mockingly, "I’m afraid the only thing ’pleasing to the eye’ for you are the girls, not the season."
Chen Yuan shrugged. "True enough."
The three of them were on their way to the Jiang Corporation headquarters in Kyoto. After over a month of arduous struggle, a new project was finally on the schedule. As the headquarters’ vanguard force, their company naturally had to present a detailed report to the board of directors.
Chen Yuan hadn’t met with Jiang Zhengfeng in a while. This time, they had arranged to have a meal together after the report was submitted.
They had just hit the road, and it was no surprise that Pei Youwen and Ji Hai couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces. They were seriously benefiting from their connections on this trip. After all, they were going to have a meal with the helmsman of the Jiang Corporation. The truth was, according to the corporate hierarchy, they weren’t even qualified to enter the boardroom, let alone dine with him.
More than a month had passed since Chen Yuan’s birthday.
In that time, his life had become incredibly full. His studies had gotten easier, and the company was operating smoothly. Jiangg Ning was focusing more and more on her work, and she and Chen Yuan got along very well in the office each day. After returning home, Chen Yuan could then dote on Yaoyao and be intimate with her.
The fire-and-water incompatibility of two sisters sharing the same man had finally reached a delicate balance after Ningning became his secretary. This essentially meant he split his time fairly between them, half for each.
A life in paradise—that was the only way he could describe the past month.
This time, besides submitting the report, Chen Yuan was going to Kyoto to take care of something big!
He was going to tell his biological father about the two sisters, hoping he could persuade him with his sincere attitude. Secondly, he wanted to learn more about the sisters’ family situation through Jiang Zhengfeng, to prepare for the future.
After deliberating for several days, he was finally taking this step.
Chen Yuan felt it was time.
Dragging this out indefinitely was not a solution. Something as major as a lifelong commitment couldn’t be hidden from his parents. Besides, he already knew Liu He’s and Mr. Chen’s stance. Now he needed to see how clear Jiang Zhengfeng’s attitude would be.
In the car.
Chen Yuan’s fingers flew across his phone screen. He first replied to Jiangg Ning to let her know he was on his way and told her not to get too busy, promising he would be back as early as possible the next morning. Then he opened his chat with Jiangg Yao, asking her what she was having for lunch, telling her not to miss him too much, and that he would be home tomorrow.
He treated the two sisters in completely different ways.
The main reason was that Chen Yuan had now figured out Ningning’s and Yaoyao’s personalities.
He couldn’t say things that were too sweet to Ningning, or she’d think they were empty flatteries. With Yaoyao, however, he couldn’t speak too normally. He had to be as lovey-dovey as possible, or she would think he had changed...
After taking care of that.
Chen Yuan put his phone away and let out a long breath. He turned his gaze to the window, watching the changing scenery pass by.
For a moment, his mind was flooded with a thousand thoughts.
...
"Have you been waiting long? I had a meeting that ran late. I only just managed to find some time now."
In the Mingtang Hall conference room.
Jiang Zhengfeng looked at the three of them, who had been waiting for quite a while, and spoke with a kind expression.
Several magazines lay on the coffee table, which Chen Yuan and the others had presumably been flipping through to kill time.
In fact, Chen Yuan and his colleagues had arrived shortly after ten in the morning. Jiang Zhengfeng had other business after the board meeting, and since they had agreed to have lunch, all they could do was wait.
After all, to Ji Hai and Pei Youwen, Jiang Zhengfeng was their top boss. As for Chen Yuan, there was even less to say—this was his biological father.
The three of them chatted idly while flipping through magazines. Most of their conversation was about the board members. Pei Youwen even recognized one of the old men as Mo Nana’s father, because his was the only nameplate in the conference room with the surname Mo.
"We haven’t been waiting long. Your business is what’s most important, of course, Chairman," Pei Youwen said, his face plastered with a smile.
Ji Hai, by contrast, appeared much more composed, though a faint smile also graced his face.
"Alright, what’s for lunch?" Chen Yuan asked.
"What do you all say?"
"Anything is fine! We’re not picky."
Ji Hai and Pei Youwen said in unison, their hearts filled with anticipation. In their eyes, this wasn’t just a meal; it was proof that as trusted associates from Chen Yuan’s company, they had finally established a connection with the behemoth that was the Jiang Corporation. The significance was immense.
"I’ll have my assistant find a random place, then. It’ll be a good opportunity to chat with you all about the new project. Things are different now."
Jiang Zhengfeng said as he walked over to Chen Yuan’s side.
You could see a resemblance between the father and son in their facial features.
However, Chen Yuan was already considerably taller than Jiang Zhengfeng, forcing the latter to look up slightly at him.
"You’ve grown taller again," Jiang Zhengfeng said kindly, patting Chen Yuan’s shoulder.
"Nah, it’s probably just the thick soles on my shoes today. Alright, let’s go. I’m starving," Chen Yuan said with a shrug, then started walking ahead.
They were father and son, after all. There was no need for formalities.
Pei Youwen and Ji Hai exchanged a glance, an unreadable emotion in their eyes.
Perhaps it was envy, mixed with many other feelings.
...
At the dining table, Ji Hai adjusted his glasses, his gaze profound. "I think I understand what President Jiang is saying. Given the current environment, the domestic market doesn’t support further breakthroughs. If we want to find a new direction for headquarters, our focus should shift abroad."
"That’s right. Our country has become truly powerful, and our technology has made a quantum leap, especially in the energy sector where we’re at the forefront. New technologies are emerging constantly. At this level, the domestic market has been completely carved up; fighting over it won’t make any significant waves. But if we turn our attention to the international stage, our perspective changes completely. There are still many poor, underdeveloped nations that can’t enjoy the benefits of this new energy era."
"So well said, President Jiang. I’m truly in awe," Pei Youwen said, sparing no effort in his flattery.
"So, is the Jiang Corporation going to shift its future development focus abroad as well?" Chen Yuan asked curiously, taking a sip of his drink.
"That is the opinion of some directors, but of course, a significant number oppose it. To be frank, we’ve been arguing internally about this for three years."
"So, Dad, what do you think?" Chen Yuan asked without a second thought, as casually as if they were just chatting.
The table instantly fell silent.
The clatter of chopsticks and bowls ceased. Ji Hai, Pei Youwen, and another personal assistant at the table froze mid-motion, as if someone had hit a pause button.
Precisely because there were disagreements and internal factions, siding with the right camp was crucial. It could determine one’s career for the next ten or twenty years.
And in this matter, Jiang Zhengfeng’s opinion was naturally the most important.
It didn’t matter what Chen Yuan asked, since he was his son. But the hearts of the two outsiders, Pei Youwen and Ji Hai, leaped into their throats.
Of course, they hoped to learn some inside information and climb aboard a great ship sailing toward a new world.
Back at corporate headquarters, countless people also wanted to know Jiang Zhengfeng’s answer, terrified of backing the wrong faction.
The moment Chen Yuan asked his question...
Jiang Zhengfeng took a sip of wine and smiled at him. "This is what I wanted to tell you. In the face of the times, the power of an individual or even an entire corporation is laughably small. You must understand how to go with the trend, or you will be crushed to dust by the torrent of the era. A single gust of wind, and it all scatters."
"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense," Chen Yuan said with a nod.
He had no idea that the next several decades of his life were hidden within that single sentence. In his youth, he failed to grasp the profound meaning concealed in Jiang Zhengfeng’s words.
By the time he finally understood, he was already in the midst of the torrent.