Chapter 191: Technological Development Relies on Wishes

Chapter 191: Technological Progress Through Wishes

On the evening the trial concluded, Jian Ruochen booked a hotel to host a celebratory banquet for the CID and CIB officers involved in the operation.

The banquet primarily featured Chinese and Cantonese cuisine. To foster camaraderie among the officers, Jian Ruochen reserved the restaurant's largest round table, which could seat exactly 28 people.

The dishes were well-portioned, varied, and served efficiently. Everyone reflected on their contributions to the case since Jian Ruochen joined the Police Force last June, feeling both nostalgic and a little melancholy. They were all smiles, their spirits high as they clinked glasses and bantered cheerfully.

Watching the scene of colleagues joking around and toasting each other with arms slung over shoulders, Jian Ruochen couldn't help but smile. He picked up his white wine glass and took a slow sip.

The crisp, fruity flavor of the white wine spread in his mouth. Just then, the stir-fried pork tripe with bamboo shoots arrived in front of him, and he took a bite.

"This toast is to our Sir Jian!" someone at the round table raised their glass. "Thanks to him for spotting the triggered bomb in the cabin immediately and warning us to jump ship."

Jian Ruochen glanced over with a smile. It was a CIB officer named Jiang Shengsheng, who had been among those knocked unconscious by debris after the ship explosion and jump.

Jiang Shengsheng said, "Sir Jian saved my life. From now on, if Sir Jian and Detective Guan have any intelligence tasks, I'll be the first to step up."

"I toast to Sir Jian!" He raised his head and drained his glass in one go.

The room erupted in cheers, followed by good-natured teasing.

"How come you're hogging all the gratitude? We all want to take on tasks too!"

"Yeah, exactly!"

"The riskier the mission, the bigger the reward. Sir Jian, don't just listen to him—give us a chance too."

The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling glittered brilliantly, its light reflecting in Jian Ruochen's eyes with a blend of warmth and exuberance.

He raised his glass with one hand and propped his chin up with the other, saying, "No need to toast me one by one. No matter how many times you do, I'll only say this: I wish everyone great success in the Police Force. Let's work together to witness a peaceful and prosperous Hong Kong."

With that, Jian Ruochen raised his head and finished his drink in one go. The crowd cheered, applauded, laughed, and joined him with sips of their own.

By the time he sat down, a flush had risen to Jian Ruochen's cheeks.

Guan Yingjun turned to look, his eyes capturing the image of a vibrant, triumphant figure.

The corners of the youth's mouth glistened with wine, and after eating spicy dishes, his lips were redder than usual, making Guan Yingjun's heart ache with affection.

Noticing the gaze, Jian Ruochen turned slightly to the right and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Guan Yingjun's left hand dropped, resting on Jian Ruochen's leg. "The braised spicy beef brisket is here. Want some?"

Jian Ruochen's eyes lit up instantly. "Yes!" Guan Yingjun used the communal spoon to serve him the largest and tenderest piece.

Freshly cooked, the meat was fragrant and piping hot. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary dish, but its heat reddened the tip of the tongue upon tasting.

Jian Ruochen had a random thought: Guan Yingjun's love tasted just like this—unassuming on the surface, yet only those who experienced it could understand how fervent and straightforward it was.

This meal was not only a celebration of the case's conclusion but also a celebration of Jian Ruochen's promotion to Senior Inspector.

Everyone congratulated him in unison:

"Sir Jian must be the youngest Senior Inspector in our Police Force, right?"

"Yeah, at his age, I was still busy graduating from university!"

"By the way, Sir Jian has achieved so much that he's more than qualified for a medal. Why hasn't there been any movement from the higher-ups?"

"Ah, it's been suspended these past couple of years. British Hong Kong isn't willing to do it. We'll have to wait until the handover! When the handover happens, all the honors Sir Jian deserves will surely be given."

Jian Ruochen thanked them while taking sips of his drink—one sip for each person who came to toast him.

He drank moderately, but the wine bottle on their side was still emptied before they knew it.

Jian Ruochen's cheeks were flushed, his smile radiant like a flower, his eyes sparkling like falling stars. He was even a bit unsteady, unconsciously tilting his head to lean on Guan Yingjun's shoulder as he said, "Medals... I'm only four types short of collecting all the ones available in Hong Kong. We must get them all in the future!"

The room fell silent for a brief moment.

The CIB officers watched the scene, observing their usually cold and stern Superintendent Guan, whose eyes now held a smile. He wrapped an arm around Jian Ruochen, adjusting him to a more comfortable position, and indulgently echoed, "We'll get them all."

Everyone could sense the intense and genuine affection from his actions and gaze.

It was so beautiful it made people yearn for a relationship where soul and body are united.

Before meeting Jian Ruochen, the CIB intelligence officers hadn't thought highly of relationships between two men.

A bond without contracts, relying only on vows, seemed too fragile.

Was a Chief Superintendent a good match for a billionaire?

From a status perspective, it didn’t seem quite fitting. Jian Ruochen's talent, status, and resources gave off a sense that he could slip away at any moment, impossible to hold onto.

But at this moment, everyone felt that Guan Yingjun and Jian Ruochen were a perfect match!

Jian Ruochen laughed, "Let's get medals together, every single type. Wishing everyone a bright future!"

By the time the banquet ended, Jian Ruochen was dizzy and unsteady.

Guan Yingjun scooped him up and carried him straight to the parking lot.

Along the way, Jian Ruochen kept touching the muscles that bulged as Guan Yingjun carried him, mumbling incoherent words.

By the time he was tucked into the back seat of the Alphard driven by Uncle Luo, Jian Ruochen had already fallen asleep.

Guan Yingjun looked at Jian Ruochen's sleeping face, got into the car, and let Jian Ruochen rest on his lap.

As the young man nuzzled his abdomen in his half-asleep state, Guan Yingjun stared intently at Jian Ruochen, feeling as though he were living in a dream.

So this is the life successful men lead.

No wonder Lei Jinwen had been so happy and cheerful every day after marrying his aunt.

January 1996 passed in the pursuit of the Nine-Faced Buddha.

In February, as the new year began, Jian Ruochen immersed himself in studying past Hong Kong legal codes, filtering out clauses related to drugs, analyzing their flaws one by one, and revising them based on existing cases and China's 2030 anti-drug legislation.

To push for this anti-drug legislation, Jian Ruochen reluctantly stepped back from the case, no longer handling the Nine-Faced Buddha investigation personally. Instead, he delegated directive tasks to his subordinate officers.

He followed Luo Binwen through various business banquets and charity foundations, meeting business magnates who might participate in the legislative council.

Networking, socializing, exchanging gifts, trading interests, stating goals.

Jian Ruochen grew more and more skilled at it.

Luo Binwen watched and increasingly felt that he should also pursue an MBA.

When Uncle Luo was unavailable, Gu Youming took on the "guiding" task from the mainland, flying over to accompany Jian Ruochen in meetings and discussions about the new law with old friends.

After more than a month of this, Gu Youming had lost noticeable weight.

At a charity auction, he said with a wry chuckle, "I'm almost fifty and still childless. Taking care of you like this feels like getting a taste of family life."

Jian Ruochen shot him a look, pulled out the latest flip phone from his canvas bag, and joked, "Then I must show my appreciation. Here, a little something for you. The newest model from our electronics company, with all the features: silent vibration, ringtones, camera, voice recording, internet, and more."

Gu Youming raised an eyebrow in surprise, took the phone, and unwrapped it.

The phone inside the box was small and exquisite, and felt cool in the hand. Made of metal yet lightweight, slim and premium, its silver-gray surface reflected a hint of deep blue under the light.

Gu Youming, who also owned an electronics company, knew his stuff and immediately fell in love with the cool, sleek flip phone. "Young people really have creative ideas. Why did you think of adding a camera to a phone?"

Jian Ruochen touched the tip of his nose. "It makes collecting evidence on the go more convenient."

Gu Youming: "..."

He grew uneasy. "And the voice recording function?"

Jian Ruochen scratched his ear. "It helps our Police Force record conversations, giving us the upper hand."

"...Then, the exterior must be for aesthetics. It’s truly artistic and beautiful!" Gu Youming was too distracted to pay attention to the charity auction on stage, his tone dazed and distant. "I think the Gu family's products could use this material too."

"I wouldn’t recommend it. Overall, the cost is quite high, which isn’t profitable from a business perspective. We made a limited edition, mostly for gifting. Only ten units are available on the market, priced at 100,000 each. We haven’t managed to bring down the cost of this metal yet," Jian Ruochen said diplomatically.

Gu Youming was puzzled. How expensive could metal be? Surely it wasn’t some new material?

Curious, he asked, "Why did you use such an expensive material for the casing?"

Jian Ruochen leaned in and whispered, "Because it’s aerospace material. It’s strong, lightweight, and when placed over the left chest, it can stop bullets."

Gu Youming: ...

At over fifty, he felt for the first time as if his competitor had put nitrous in a tractor, overtaking Gu Group’s Lamborghini.

How did Jian Ruochen dominate the global electronics industry?

By wishing on stars with his employees?

Lost in thought, Jian Ruochen raised his paddle and won the bidding for a Qin Dynasty bronze mirror.

It looked familiar, as if he’d seen it in the British Museum.

"Snatch it back."

Gu Youming was taken aback. "You’re interested in this? I heard you’ve been bidding on behalf of others for many artifacts."

"Indeed, I’ve donated them all to the Capital Museum," Jian Ruochen turned, his eyes curious. "Haven't you donated any?"

Gu Youming: ...

No.

He was already exhausted from managing mainland waterway trade, education, culture, and sports charities. His limited free time was spent as the Chamber of Commerce president—how could he find time to donate antiques to museums?

*Young people these days are so tight-lipped.*

*He’d donated all along without a word!*

*No wonder the mainland treasures Jian Ruochen so much!*

*Knowing Jian Ruochen wanted to join the Legislative Council, they specifically sent him to help make connections and pave the way!*

Gu Youming caressed the new phone. "If I may ask, Sir Jian, how did you get this aerospace material?"

He wanted some too.

Jian Ruochen sighed. "I invested in an astrophysics research fund directed at China. Any surplus funds at the end of the year go into it, and now it’s branched into aerospace. Someone from the research team gave it to me after they researched it."

Gu Youming: ...

Ha, is that something to sigh about?

Jian Ruochen, lost in melancholy, sighed again.

His assets were expanding uncontrollably, nearing a hundred billion in annual earnings.

The companies and projects he invested in were incredibly successful, earning massive profits. To keep his inheritance at ten billion, he had to donate large sums to the Tiangang Scientific Research Foundation every year.

Thank goodness for Tiangang.

Otherwise, he’d get an earful from his godfather at year’s end.

Gu Youming felt he wasn’t here to babysit but to network with the elite.

The mainland entrusting him with Jian Ruochen was truly an honor.

With the internet rapidly taking shape and information flowing freely, Jian Ruochen was bound to become a household name on the mainland, his status and reputation skyrocketing exponentially, making him a larger-than-life figure.

Gu Youming pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "The UK wants ten seats in the Legislative Council. I can do my best to get rid of five and ensure you speak freely there."

He adopted the demeanor of a smooth businessman. "So, Sir Jian, what’s your next move in the electronics industry? What project are you planning to..."

Gu Youming swallowed the word "wish" and rephrased, "What project are you developing?"

Jian Ruochen knew he was fishing for business intelligence and teased him, leaning in to whisper, "An internet-based e-commerce trading platform."

Gu Youming would study the platform; he’d invest in computer research.

Let him study.

No matter how good the e-commerce platform, users would still need to buy his computers to go online.

Heehee.

Gu Youming pondered for a moment, connecting it to the recently popular virtual currency.

If money could be traded virtually through banks, then physical goods could be traded through banks too!

All that was needed was to set up a ground transportation network.

And the logistics network project had been under Jian Ruochen’s control since that meal long ago!

He was a genius!

To give away such a valuable idea so casually? Jian Ruochen must be thanking him for supporting the anti-drug bill.

He really knows how to show appreciation.

Gu Youming said sincerely, "Thank you."

Jian Ruochen smiled, "You're welcome."

I hope Mr. Gu will work hard and personally drive Jian Electronics & Technology's computer sales.

·

After the New Year, Hong Kong experienced another cold snap. Once the final cold passed, it was suddenly March 1996.

Spring had fully arrived.

On March 15, 1996, the Legislative Council session officially commenced.

Jian Ruochen took his seat as a Legislative Council member, surrounded by allies he had become acquainted with and aligned with during this period.

He would help these individuals advance legislation related to financial crimes and medical crimes, and they would return the favor.

All his efforts during this time were for two words:

Drug enforcement.