Chapter 70

Chapter 70

The Cheng family was truly lively today. Cheng Chen’s uncles, aunts, and cousins had all come.

Cheng’s father was the third child, serving in the military. Cheng’s mother was a doctor at a military hospital. The uncles and aunts held key positions in government institutions, and the cousins were either criminal police or special police. In short, everyone in this family except Cheng Chen had entered government or related units. Even the spouses worked in relevant fields.

This made the Nan family seem rather small in comparison. Since ancient times, the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants placed merchants at a low status.

Nan Anru was very humble in the Cheng family, adopting the simple role of an ordinary father, never daring to put on airs as the major chairman of a listed company.

However, the Cheng family sincerely welcomed them. Cheng’s eldest uncle did all the cooking himself, with the ingredients—fresh fish, shrimp, and vegetables—bought by Cheng’s parents from the market that morning. The aunts carefully washed the vegetables. This gesture was more than enough.

In fact, Cheng Chen’s company also had Nan Shuyi as a shareholder. Nan Shuyi had always been at odds with Nan Anru, but Nan Anru gave him a larger and larger allowance. Having grown up immersed in business, Nan Shuyi had a natural talent for commerce and a keen sense of opportunity. He had invested in Cheng Chen’s underfunded gaming company and even held significant shares in Zhou Yi’s entertainment company. The “allowance” card he gave Jiang Yicen came from these years of investments, bringing in between two and five million yuan a month.

He had never lacked money. Though he had spent some on cars earlier, it didn’t stop the funds in his account from growing.

Today’s focus, however, was on how Cheng Chen, with Nan Shuyi’s help, had established a gaming company that was now doing well. What began as a small-time operation had built a reputation in the industry. After the recent Twin Stars sponsorship deal, the company went through another funding round. It was no wonder the Chengs held the Nans in such high regard.

They also recognized that in the future, not every child would pursue a military or political path; each had their own passions.

Having more friends meant more opportunities, and the elders were more than willing to pave the way for the younger generation.

The atmosphere in Cheng’s family was warm and close to ordinary life, without extravagance. Their brief conversations were normal family talk, which made Jiang Yicen, visiting for the first time, feel very comfortable—like he was back in his own Jiang family home. In his family, it was the same: mothers were always nagging their kids, and fathers played the strict parent, elders spoiled the younger ones, unwilling to let sons scold their grandchildren. This kind of warm, happy family life was what a normal family should be like.

Jiang Yicen couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded about the modern Jiang family. It seemed that as long as he stayed away from them, everyone else was normal.

When Cheng’s mother learned that Jiang Yicen had been shipped off to the US when he was barely in his teens, she felt especially sorry for him and went out of her way to take care of him. During the meal, she treated him like one of her own kids.

Cheng’s mother said, “Yicen, have some food. I don’t know what you like, but these are all home-cooked dishes. Don’t be shy about it.”

Jiang Yicen replied, “No, it’s fine. These are all carefully prepared by you, Uncle and Aunt. I think they’re all delicious. The fish is fresh and tastes just like the fish from Nancheng Reservoir.”

Cheng’s father was really pleased with his answer. “Indeed, I fished this one out of the reservoir myself. Haha, if you like it, eat more. You’re a really genuine kid.”

After the meal, the Cheng family arranged for Jiang Yicen and the others to sit in the living room and chat. Nan Anru and Cheng’s father, who hadn’t seen each other for a long time, had endless topics to discuss. Cheng Chen took Nan Shuyi and Jiang Yicen to the recreation room.

Though called a recreation room, it was actually a combination of entertainment and exhibition space. It displayed the Cheng family’s photos, rows of medals, and many national gifts.

Seeing Jiang Yicen’s eyes glued to the medals, Cheng Chen introduced, “These have been passed down from my great-great-grandfather.”

Jiang Yicen also noticed a collection of Chairman Mao’s Quotations placed in the center.

He asked, “Can I take a look at this?”

Cheng Chen figured he’d been overseas too long and hadn’t seen such things, so he said, “Everything here is feel free to look at everything. Go ahead.”

Nan Shuyi, seeing Jiang Yicen’s curiosity, let him explore the exhibition room while he and Cheng Chen went next door to discuss the company’s financing.

Cheng Chen said, “Yicen, we’ll be next door. Come over when you’re done.”

Jiang Yicen replied, “Okay.”

Cheng Chen treated Jiang Yicen like a younger brother. He noticed that ever since Jiang Yicen and Nan Shuyi became a couple, Nanyuan had been on an incredibly smooth ride. The nearly bankrupt restaurant had revived, the long-forgotten candies had stirred up childhood memories among netizens and sold out, and now, with the sponsorship of the Twin Stars team, Nanyuan’s beverages had turned the tide. Nanyuan’s market value had doubled again.

Everything had happened since Nan Shuyi and Jiang Yicen got together. He hadn’t believed in luck before, but now he realized that sometimes, people had to believe in a little bit of superstition.

Cheng Chen sighed, “Your family is like sitting on a gold mine now.”

Nan Shuyi nodded with a proud but forced modesty, “Then you can just envy us.”

Cheng Chen was speechless.

While the two were chatting casually, Jiang Yicen was still flipping through Chairman Mao’s Quotations, absorbed in them, when someone suddenly asked him.

“Young people don’t read this quotation book anymore.”

Jiang Yicen looked up and saw it was Cheng Chen’s grandfather, who had joined them for lunch. But as the youngest one there, Jiang Yicen hadn’t said much.

He smiled and said, “Every sentence in here is classic.”

Grandpa Cheng laughed, “Haha, when we were young, every household had one. Kid, why aren’t you playing with Cheng Chen and the others?”

Jiang Yicen replied, “They’re discussing business. I’m very interested in these medals and love listening to elders talk about the past.”

Seeing his enthusiasm, Grandpa Cheng said, “Well, how about I tell you some stories?”

Jiang Yicen said, “Sure.”

Suddenly remembering something, Grandpa Cheng said, “Wait a moment. I still have some old photo albums at home. We can look at them while I talk. None of them like listening to me; they think I’m always rambling on about the past, and they’re tired of them.”

Jiang Yicen said, “Growing up in different families gives different feelings. We hardly ever get to hear about these kinds of things, so I’m very curious about the great figures’ deeds.”

Grandpa Cheng said, “That’s true. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Grandpa Cheng was less than seventy, but he was still very robust. He was the kind of person you’d see on CCTV news during big national events, yet now he was chatting with Jiang Yicen like an ordinary old man.

Jiang Yicen waited a while, and Grandpa Cheng returned with two thick photo albums.

Grandpa Cheng showed Jiang Yicen the photos, explaining the origin of each, the year and what events took place that year, and which battles his (Grandpa Cheng’s) father had fought in.

Jiang Yicen listened attentively. Some wars he hadn’t experienced, but he had lived through those times, reading about them in newspapers. As a young man, a surge of patriotic fervor rose in his heart, a restless passion with nowhere to go. He too wished he could go to the battlefield and fight.

The first album was very old, with some photos even damaged. When they turned to the second album, the photos were better preserved, but one particular photo caught Jiang Yicen’s attention.

He recognized someone in the photo. “Principal He?”

Grandpa Cheng asked, “Who?”

Jiang Yicen pointed to the scholarly man in the photo.

Principal He was a very refined gentleman. He used to wear robes and cloth shoes, but later switched to trousers and shirts for convenience. He loved literature and wrote poetry, but his specialty was math. He cared deeply for his students and was a true patriot.

At his age, Principal He must have been gone for a long time.

Grandpa Cheng adjusted his reading glasses. “Are you a student at Lincheng University?”

Jiang Yicen’s smile stiffened for a moment. “Jiang Yicen” from the Republic of China period had been a student at Lincheng University, but the current “Jiang Yicen” was a student who had studied abroad and come back, having at most attended high school in Lincheng.

He said, “Not right now.”

Grandpa Cheng slapped his knee. “I forgot, I heard you studied abroad.”

Jiang Yicen smiled. “Yes. Do you know Principal He? Could you tell me about him?”

Grandpa Cheng said, “Know him? He was my teacher’s teacher—my grand-teacher. Actually, the one who knew him best was Cheng Chen’s grandfather—my father. But he slipped in the yard a few days ago and hurt his leg, and is in the hospital. You didn’t see him today, or he could have told you all about his mentor.”

Jiang Yicen’s gaze returned to the photo, studying the image closely. Principal He in the photo was still the young man he remembered. He spotted several familiar faces in the group photo.

On the night he died, Principal He had a few radical young people around him, two of whom were in this photo, and one of them looked a bit like Cheng Chen.

He pointed at the young man who resembled Cheng Chen: "Is this Brother Cheng Chen's great-grandfather?"

Grandpa Cheng: "You've got sharp eyes—caught it immediately."

Jiang Yicen said, "Brother Cheng Chen kind of looks like the old gentleman when he was young."

Grandpa Cheng: "Yes, everyone says so. At that time, my father was still a student of Principal He. Sadly, only three people in this photo are still alive; the rest gave their lives for the country."

Jiang Yicen: "What about Principal He?"

Grandpa Cheng: "Principal He survived. After the liberation, he stayed on as president of Lin City University until he was eighty. I used to go to his house a lot as a kid. Cheng Chen, Shuyi, and the others played well with his kids. I remember Cheng Chen bringing up that kid not too long ago."

Jiang Yicen: "Also with the last name He?"

He couldn't remember any friends of Nan Shuyi's or Cheng Chen's with the last name He.

Grandpa Cheng: "No, my master (Principal He) didn't have any sons—just two daughters. He had a wonderful family. But unfortunately, they passed away a long time ago."

Jiang Yicen did remember that Principal He had two daughters: "If Principal He's daughters were still alive, they would be over eighty years old now."

Grandpa Cheng: "You're pretty good with numbers, huh?"

Jiang Yicen gave a small smile. His mother used to keep in touch with Principal He's wife, and the two little girls often came over to the Jiang home—so he did know them.

Grandpa Cheng: "Ah, now I remember. It's the great-grandson of my master's daughter—surname Chen. His family's company went under a while back."

Jiang Yicen: "Bankrupt? And surnamed Chen?"

Grandpa Cheng: "Yes, surnamed Chen. With the older generation gone, the family's in a mess, and I'd love to help but don't know how."

Jiang Yicen nodded.

Grandpa Cheng: "But don't worry—their family's tight with the Jiangs, so the Jiangs will step in."

Jiang Yicen: "Which Jiang family's that?"

Grandpa Cheng kept flipping through the album. This time there was another group shot—Principal He, the Cheng family, and others—and there was someone Jiang Yicen knew all too well.

He stared at the person in the photo, his eyes starting to water, but he held back.

Jiang Yicen: "Could you tell me who that is?"

Grandpa Cheng: "That's a member of the Jiang family—same last name as you."

Jiang Yicen: "The Jiang family? Their family had a good relationship with the master's family, but I'm not familiar with them. My dad knows them well. This Mr. Jiang kept to himself and passed away pretty young. But his family stayed close with the master's family, and I think later on the two families even became connected by marriage."

As they were talking, Cheng Chen's cousin walked in: "Grandpa, I knew you had that photo album."

Grandpa Cheng: "What, you need it?"

Cheng Chen's cousin: "I told you—my unit needs some old photos for a promo doc. I'll take it now."

Jiang Yicen stopped him before he could take it: "Mind if I snap a picture of this?"

Cheng Chen's cousin thought he wanted it as a souvenir: "Sure, they're just some old photos."

Jiang Yicen quickly snapped a photo of the one with Uncle Yuan on his phone.

Only then did Grandpa Cheng hand the album to Cheng Chen's cousin, who quickly took it and left—the very album with Uncle Yuan's photo.

Cheng Chen still had to take Grandpa Cheng to have his picture taken, so he brought him along.

Grandpa Cheng had really enjoyed their talk and made plans as he was leaving: "Next time you come over, I'll show you more photos. I'll even have my dad tell you stories—he knows way more."

Jiang Yicen waved and said okay.

Once they were gone, Jiang Yicen let his smile fall.

He let out a deep breath. So Uncle Yuan had made it—he didn't die in the war, but passed away peacefully in old age.

Too bad he couldn't get a copy of Uncle Yuan's photo—it was a personal belonging of the Cheng family, and he had no good reason to ask for it.

Since Uncle Yuan survived, were the family members he'd arranged to send abroad still alive? Had his sister-in-law and nephews made it out okay?

He'd thought he'd never hear news of those people from back then again, but unexpectedly, here he was encountering them.

If he hadn't been kind to Zhong Zixing, he might never have seen these photos or met these old relatives.

Would Liu Tan know anything about Uncle Yuan too?

Was the Chen family Grandpa Cheng talked about the same as Chen Zhicheng?

But what excuse could he use to talk to Chen Zhicheng about Uncle Yuan's family?

As he was lost in thought, someone tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Zoning out?"

It was Nan Shuyi.

Jiang Yicen looked up: "Brother Shuyi?"

Nan Shuyi: "After all that talking, you didn't come over for tea—you're not thirsty?"

Jiang Yicen shook his head: "Not thirsty. Grandpa Cheng just left with Cheng Chen's cousin."

Nan Shuyi: "I heard. We're about to head out. You wanna stay longer?"

Jiang Yicen shook his head: "Nah, I'm good."

Nan Anru was done with his conversations too. Since they were just guests, there was no need to hang around all day.

Cheng Chen's family saw them out, and everyone had a great time—hosts and guests alike.

When he arrived, Jiang Yicen was really curious about the military compound, but as he left, his heart was heavy.

Nan Shuyi noticed he seemed a little down and had also heard them mention Lin City University.

Lin City University was one of the top ten universities nationwide.

So Nan Shuyi asked, "I heard you guys talking about Lin City U. Wanna go check it out? It's right nearby."

Jiang Yicen: "If I remember right, that's your alma mater?"

Nan Shuyi: "Your memory's good. Want to go?"

Jiang Yicen: "Yes."

Lin City University was his alma mater too. So it turned out he and Nan Shuyi were fellow alumni.

In fact, he was technically Nan Shuyi's senior (as an upperclassman).