The driver drove in silence, weaving through the backstreets of West Suburb Second Road in Lanjing City. They passed vegetable stalls, and after navigating an extremely narrow stretch of road, the view suddenly opened up.

The silver rims of the understatedly luxurious Maybach spun. Chen Yuan, sitting inside, found the ride perfectly smooth, without the slightest bump.

Along the way, plenty of other cars gave way, terrified of scratching it.

Some young people’s eyes lit up as they gazed at the car with envy and aspiration.

Of course, Chen Yuan was ecstatic. The issue that had troubled him for so long was finally resolved, and he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up in a smile.

He occasionally picked up his phone, thinking of messaging Yaoyao, but then decided it would be better to tell her in person. He put it down again.

He lowered the car window, looking outside as the gentle evening breeze brushed against his face.

Jiang Zhengfeng observed his every move.

As a father, Jiang Zhengfeng felt something indescribable. He could tell Chen Yuan was undoubtedly in love; the innocent joy in his eyes was impossible to fake. He was suddenly overcome with emotion.

‘My son has really grown up…’

‘He isn’t just a college student anymore; he even has a girlfriend now. In a few years, he’ll probably be starting a family and a career, truly entering the world as an adult.’

‘He’s steadily overcoming one of life’s difficult hurdles after another, gradually transforming from a naive boy into a mature man.’

‘How did it… happen so fast?’

Jiang Zhengfeng felt a pang of melancholy, which was why he had been staring blankly.

To Jiang Zhengfeng, it felt like time had been fast-forwarded. He was always so busy that his memory of his precious son was still frozen in middle school… Back then, he had brought Chen Yuan from a backward little county town, wanting him to get a good education. Chen Yuan had been so small then.

A look of childishness was perpetually fixed on his face.

His thick bangs would cover half his eyes, and he always had the look of a gloomy, withdrawn boy.

He didn’t say much either.

His arms were so thin they looked like they would snap if you twisted them.

Then, when Chen Yuan couldn’t handle the unfamiliar city and wanted to return to his adoptive parents, he had relented and agreed.

They only saw each other a few times a year, like one might visit a distant relative.

And now.

In just a few years, Chen Yuan had shot up to 1.8 meters, developing the lean, strong frame of an adult man. He was now half a head taller than Jiang Zhengfeng.

Boys change into men far too quickly.

Jiang Zhengfeng felt his own perception was still a blur, like a fleeting glimpse.

And in that glimpse, his son had already become this man.

‘What about the next glimpse?’

Jiang Zhengfeng didn’t dare to imagine it. He was afraid that in the next blink, Chen Yuan would be married with children, and he himself would be a grandfather!

If that happened, he’d never have the chance to make up for the companionship he’d failed to provide.

A man experiences many unforgettable moments in his life. For Jiang Zhengfeng, the days of struggling and fighting his way up step by step in the business world were unforgettable.

Losing his parents in his twenties and, as an only son, arranging the funeral like a puppet following instructions was unforgettable.

The major relationship catastrophe that followed, which led to his son disappearing without a trace for years, was also unforgettable.

And then there was the moment he finally found Chen Yuan. They were face-to-face in an alley by the school faculty housing, and the way Chen Yuan looked at him, as if he were a complete stranger… that, too, was seared into his memory.

To others, he was a glamorous and successful figure. They were always utterly respectful when speaking to him, not even daring to breathe too loud in his presence.

But in truth, the “successful” Jiang Zhengfeng, now in his forties, had nothing and no one besides his son, Chen Yuan.

He was his only family.

…

“Ahem—”

After a long moment of reflection, Jiang Zhengfeng broke out of his emotional state, cleared his throat, and said lightly, “Have dinner with me in a bit.”

“Dinner!? I wanted to go back to Fengting District!” Chen Yuan was taken aback.

“I finally managed to come all this way. A single meal won’t take up too much of your time, Young Master…”

“Alright, alright, stop with the sarcasm. I’ll go.”

Hearing Jiang Zhengfeng use those two words, “Young Master,” left Chen Yuan speechless.

He could only agree for now.

After all, his own father had helped him out in a huge way today. It would be pretty heartless not to humor him.

‘Fine, I’ll eat,’ Chen Yuan thought. ‘I’ll just save some room and deal with Jiang Yao when I get back.’

“Good. I’ll have my assistant book a table,” Jiang Zhengfeng said.

“Oh, right. Did you change assistants again? The one you brought last time wasn’t this guy.” Chen Yuan remembered the scene at the office earlier. Of the two assistants flanking his father, one was a familiar face, but the other was a complete stranger.

“I did. The last one, Ai, was poached by a competitor for a higher salary. I had to find a replacement to coordinate with Chacha; otherwise, she’d be completely overwhelmed.”

“Only Cha has been a constant. That assistant role seems to have a new face every few years.”

Now that Jiang Zhengfeng mentioned it, Chen Yuan remembered. That was her name.

He had seen his dad’s assistants back in middle school.

“It was time for a change anyway. I had high hopes for Ai at first—a top student, very capable,” Jiang Zhengfeng sighed, looking up. “But she couldn’t resist the temptation. The moment money was on the table, she folded. Now she’s run off to the Lighthouse Country.”

Hearing this, Chen Yuan finally understood.

‘So it wasn’t just switching jobs.’

‘It was corporate warfare!’

“Does that kind of corporate warfare actually happen in real life?”

“It’s nothing special. Almost everyone who works for me has been approached. Even Pei Youwen, the man you saw today, was tested. They offered him an annual salary in the tens of millions.”

“Then why didn’t he leave?”

“Because he’s smart. Or you could say, quite loyal.”

“He doesn’t look it.”

Chen Yuan recalled seeing Pei Youwen today.

‘Jeez, that slicked-back hair, that sharp suit, that middle part…’

‘Plus that sycophantic posture… In an ancient imperial court, he’d be the textbook definition of a villainous official.’

“Yuan, don’t judge a book by its cover. You think Pei is just some groveling yes-man, but he’s more than just a flatterer. His skills are top-notch.”

“Is that so?” Chen Yuan remembered something else he had meant to ask earlier. “By the way, the company in Central Realm Mansion here in Lanjing, is that yours too?”

“I haven’t told you before. I started this company with a friend. In the early years, the other major shareholders sold their shares, so now it’s privately owned by me.”

“It seems pretty deserted.”

“Angel investment firms are like that. The people who come to discuss projects are in the offices, while the employees are all running around doing on-site inspections,” Jiang Zhengfeng explained for a moment, then paused. “Uh, do you know what angel investing is?”

“I have a rough idea, but I’m not totally clear,” Chen Yuan shook his head.

Seeing that Chen Yuan was showing a rare interest in asking questions, Jiang Zhengfeng thought for a moment.

He began to explain briefly.

Chen Yuan usually never asked about this stuff, so today was an oddity.

“Angel investing is when successful entrepreneurs use their unique insight to vet projects in their early stages, invest capital for original shares, and guide inexperienced entrepreneurs onto the right path… Many famous domestic companies received angel investments when they were starting out. It’s one of the most fundamental business models.”

“I get it. It’s like you help out an elementary school kid, and if they grow up to be a major tycoon, you make a fortune.”

“That’s the gist of it.”

Jiang Zhengfeng lowered his head again, typed a short message, and sent it to his assistant.

He treasured Chen Yuan more than anything, so he was desperate to know who this girlfriend was and why she would lie about having a mental illness.

So, during their casual chat, Jiang Zhengfeng had already sent someone to investigate.

Getting information on her couldn’t be simpler. Pay a professional, and you’d have the answer in half an hour.

“For you to actually ask about the company… that’s a real surprise. I thought you’d never ask,” Jiang Zhengfeng sighed.

Before Chen Yuan could answer, the driver announced quietly, “President Jiang, we’ve arrived.”

Chen Yuan simply shut his mouth, then got out of the car and stretched his back.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep