Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Nan Shuyi was even more on edge than Jiang Yicen.

After getting up early in the morning, he received a message from Assistant Tang, who had already compiled the Jiang family's information and asked whether to send it via WeChat or have him review it at the company.

Worried he might lose his cool, Nan Shuyi parted ways with Jiang Yicen in the morning—one heading to Fuyu to meet Assistant Tang, the other to the factory. The new product researchers were all at the First Factory in Lincheng, and they had already developed the product according to their requirements. Jiang Yicen was to bring the new product team there today.

The factory wasn't in Lincheng, but it wasn't too far from the city either—it's just that the drive there and back would take a while.

Before he left, Nan Shuyi repeatedly urged him, "If things run late and you can't wrap up, stay there for the night. Part of the road back is pretty dark and sketchy."

Jiang Yicen, sitting in the car, said, "I know. My assistant already booked a hotel, just in case."

Nan Shuyi nodded. "Let me have a quick word with Uncle Chen." He turned and said a few things to Uncle Chen, who had yet to get in the car.

Nan Shuyi spoke in a low voice with Uncle Chen, and Jiang Yicen couldn't make out what they were saying. He only saw Uncle Chen nod, then return to the car. Only then did Nan Shuyi walk over, close the door for Jiang Yicen, and say goodbye.

As the car merged into traffic, Jiang Yicen looked back and saw Nan Shuyi still standing there, his eyes following the car. Jiang Yicen's lips curled slightly upward.

He used to not get why his mom would always watch his dad's car disappear down the street, only looking away once it was completely out of sight. But now, he understood.

Nan Shuyi was probably just like his mom—worried about him being away.

·

As soon as Nan Shuyi arrived at the company, Assistant Tang handed him the materials he'd spent all day yesterday gathering.

Assistant Tang also asked Nan Shuyi, "Boss, want me to walk you through it?"

Nan Shuyi said, "No need. I'll read it myself. Go ahead and get back to work."

Assistant Tang: "Alright."

Nan Shuyi looked at the document folder Assistant Tang had placed on the desk. It wasn't thick. He rubbed his fingers, which were cold from nerves, stared at the documents for a long time, not daring to open them. Then he went down to the café on the ground floor and grabbed an iced Americano. Normally he'd just take a sip or two to wake himself up, but today he chugged the whole thing. It woke him up, but his hands got even colder.

Yeah—he was so nervous his hands were shaking and cold.

After stalling for half an hour like this, he finally opened the folder and took out the materials inside.

The materials included written documents and old photos Assistant Tang had printed out.

He read the text first. Usually he could skim through documents or contracts in seconds, but today he read every word carefully, afraid of missing anything.

The material was under five thousand characters, yet Nan Shuyi spent a whole hour reading it.

So it turned out the Jiang family had been a well-known wealthy merchant family in the area since the early days of the Republic of China. Generations had piled up considerable wealth. Later, the Jiang family married into the ranks of high-ranking officials from the late Qing Dynasty. The Jiang family sailed smoothly in both politics and business. Eventually, their business grew bigger and bigger, and their reach spread wider and wider, and they once became the richest family in Lincheng.

But as they say, tall trees catch the wind. When a business gets too big, it's easy to make enemies.

Back then, foreign enterprises entered the country, dealing a massive blow to local domestic industries. The Jiang family took a firm stance, teaming up with the Lincheng Chamber of Commerce to resist foreign capital and boost local industries. But there were conflicts within the chamber too—people who envied the Jiang family's success in both fame and fortune colluded with foreign companies to sabotage them behind the scenes. There were also people in politics looking to cause trouble for the Jiang family.

The Jiang family's business didn't suffer, and their reputation among the people stayed strong. The public happily supported Jiang family products, ate at their restaurants, and bought goods from their various factories.

In that chaotic era, the bigger they were, the harder they fell. The Jiang family was already sitting on a powder keg, a massive target.

The head of the Jiang family knew that no matter how well they protected themselves, the wicked would find a way in.

The Jiang family's downfall started with an "accident."

Once, when the head of the Jiang family was taking his family by train to visit the Yue family in Ningzhou, the train suddenly blew up. The head of the Jiang family, his wife, the eldest son, the third daughter, and many staff members—not a single person in that whole carriage survived.

The head of the Jiang family was already close to retirement, and the family business was supposed to pass to the eldest son. Just like that, two pillars of the family were gone.

After this, the Second Master of the Jiang family, filled with grief and rage, resolutely joined the army, while the Jiang family was handed over to the Sixth Master, who was only eighteen and just starting college.

A year later, the Second Master died in an air battle against the Japanese. In the end, only the Sixth Master was left of the Jiang family.

After the war broke out, Sixth Master Jiang sold off all the family's assets to support the war effort, saving lives and helping the wounded, until only one thing was left—the most famous and thriving grand restaurant in Lincheng at the time: Yongjiang Grand Restaurant.

With no core family member left to hold things together, and Master Jiang having sold off nearly all the family's properties, the Jiang family declined fast. A year later, the former wealthiest family in Lincheng became nothing more than idle dinner conversation. But what people didn't know was how much the Jiang family had contributed to the war effort—all they saw were surface things.

The last time the Jiang family appeared in Lincheng's newspapers was in the spring of 1940.

Sixth Master Jiang was killed by the Japanese at Yongjiang Restaurant, shot multiple times, dying on the spot—though he also took down three Japanese soldiers.

Reading to this point, Nan Shuyi's vision blurred, and an inexplicable ache gripped his chest.

The final piece of material was a newspaper from February 11, 1940, that Assistant Tang had found—three copies in total, each one reporting on the heroic deeds of the Sixth Master of the Jiang family.

Nan Shuyi clutched the newspapers in his hands, the headlines making his eyes burn red.

"The Sixth Master of the Jiang Family Falls in Battle Against the Enemy—A Family of Martyrs"

Nan Shuyi covered his eyes, his mind flashing with everything related to Jiang Yicen.

Jiang Yicen was afraid of gunfire because he had been killed by gunshots.

The shops he had bought were all former Jiang family properties. No wonder he had cried so hard the day he borrowed money from him—those were the few Jiang family properties he could still reclaim, and he was desperate to buy them back.

And the reason Yongjiang Restaurant had never mentioned this former owner of the Jiang family was because the Sixth Master had died at the restaurant, and died horribly. The subsequent owner deliberately avoided mentioning the Jiang family. In modern eyes, a restaurant where a tragedy had occurred would damage its reputation—no one would want to dine there, host distinguished guests, or hold large banquets.

The Sixth Master of the Jiang family—Jiang Yicen.

He had once been a student at Lincheng University. No wonder when they had wandered around Lincheng University that day, he seemed nostalgic about the place.

Liu Tan was the child of the Jiang family's cook, and he was the Sixth Master of the Jiang family.

The first time they went to Ningzhou, Jiang Yicen had taken him to his maternal grandfather's ancestral home. He had lived there as a child. The carvings on the pillars he had found—those should have been written during the time he lived there.

The Yutu brand was founded by the Third Miss of the Jiang family during her lifetime, later sold to a well-regarded local national cosmetics company—that is, the ancestors of the current owner of the Yutu company.

He didn't know how to cook but knew how to eat because he was the young master of a grand restaurant, of the former wealthiest family in Lincheng. Every word and action of his came from a truly wealthy family of the Republic of China era.

He wasn't the modern Jiang Yicen—he was the Sixth Master of the Jiang family from the Republic of China, wasn't he?

He was the Jiang Yicen who had died eighty-eight years ago, not the modern Jiang Yicen, right?

No wonder he had told him that he was his only family left in this world.

The more Nan Shuyi thought about his tragic death at Yongjiang Restaurant, the harder it became to breathe.

He was in pain.

He paced around his office several times, his hands cold and stiff, not knowing what he should do right now.

He thought of Nan Anru and immediately called him.

Thanks to his son and daughter-in-law lately, Nan Anru had been living a relaxed life: "You brat, you finally remember to call me. You haven't come to the company these past few days. There's a meeting this afternoon—come take it for me."

Nan Shuyi's voice trembled slightly: "Run the meeting yourself. I need to ask you something."

Nan Anru could tell something was off in his voice: "Why is your voice trembling? Are you sick?"

Nan Shuyi: "I'm not sick."

Nan Anru: "Go ahead, what is it?"

Nan Shuyi: "Can you lend me some money?"

Nan Anru assumed it was a casual request: "How much do you need?"

Nan Shuyi: "Two billion."

Nan Anru's voice paused: "Do you have a fever? I'll have Dr. Zheng come over and check on you."

It was strange—the man who'd refused to spend his money for years was suddenly asking to borrow some.

Nan Shuyi: "I don't have a fever. Are you lending it to me or not?"

Nan Anru: "..." It sounded more like he was sick and throwing a tantrum.

·

Jiang Yicen's first visit to Nanyuan's First Factory in Lincheng was a real eye-opener. The factory was now fully automated—only machines were running, monitored by workers, and all production was sterile. It was awe-inspiring—nothing like this automation existed back in the day.

What he witnessed wasn't just a change of the times, but progress—a future built on countless sacrifices. Those who had passed away hadn't died in vain.

After touring the factory, he went to the R&D center with the staff members.

Before he knew it, he'd spent the whole day at the R&D center, working with the researchers on new product formulas. When he stepped out, it was already seven in the evening. It was getting late, so he took Nan Shuyi's advice and stayed overnight at a nearby hotel.

The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel restaurant, he got ready to head home by car. It was the weekend, and Nan Shuyi had promised to take him out, but no matter how much he asked, Nan Shuyi wouldn't reveal the destination—he'd even told Uncle Yuan about it.

As soon as he got in the car, Jiang Yicen asked Uncle Chen again about it.

"Uncle Chen, where exactly is Nan Shuyi having you take me? This doesn't seem like the way back to Lincheng city center."

Uncle Chen chuckled: "The young master told me to keep it a secret. Don't ask—I'm not telling. You'll find out when we get there."

Still, Jiang Yicen was full of curiosity and enjoyed the scenery along the way. There were highway signs, so he had a rough idea of where Nan Shuyi was taking him.

After more than two hours of driving, Uncle Chen dropped Jiang Yicen off at their destination. No wonder he'd said he was taking him somewhere full of childlike wonder—it was Disneyland.

Nan Shuyi was standing there waiting for him in the most obvious spot.

Before leaving, Nan Shuyi had specifically reminded him that his clothes for today were already prepared.

When he'd gotten back to the hotel last night, Uncle Chen had handed him the outfit Nan Shuyi had prepared in advance.

Today, the two of them were wearing matching outfits—T-shirts with the same pattern and identical lightweight jeans.

Nan Shuyi was also carrying a backpack that day.

They were dressed exactly alike—it was clearly a couple's outfit. Nan Shuyi had always wanted to wear matching clothes with him, and now he understood why. Strangers could tell at a glance they were a couple. Nan Shuyi loved these little touches.

Jiang Yicen walked over to Nan Shuyi with a smile.

Nan Shuyi naturally took his hand and led him toward the park's entrance.

Nan Shuyi told Jiang Yicen: "From the queue area to the rides, there's still a ways to go. We'll have to walk—cars aren't allowed here."

Jiang Yicen noticed other same-sex couples holding hands around them. He'd been a little shy at first, but now he felt better.

"I see."

Nan Shuyi asked him: "You've never been here before, have you?"

Jiang Yicen said: "No, I haven't. Have you?"

Nan Shuyi seemed a bit nervous and cautious today—his palms were sweating the whole time, but he couldn't bear to let go of Jiang Yicen's hand.

Nan Shuyi: "I came here with Zhou Yi and the others when the park first opened, just to check it out, but that was years ago. Today, I'm going to have a great time with you."

Jiang Yicen was already completely captivated by the surroundings and all the adorable plush characters.

"Sure, you lead the way. I'll do whatever you say."

A slight smile tugged at Nan Shuyi's lips: "Alright, I've got it all planned out. We'll start with the most popular rides."

They reached the park entrance, and it was packed—the lines were incredibly long.

Nan Shuyi pulled him toward a dedicated entrance: "We'll use the VIP lane."

Jiang Yicen: "That's a thing?"

Nan Shuyi said: "Money can do that."

Jiang Yicen: "True enough—it's a service industry, after all. They'll find all sorts of ways to make money."

The two got into the park without a hitch. Jiang Yicen saw adorable decorations everywhere, and everyone there was full of childlike joy. It was too cute.

It wasn't until they were inside that Jiang Yicen realized you had to wait one to two hours for the rides.

But Nan Shuyi said: "We have fast passes—we can skip the lines and get on the rides quickly."

Jiang Yicen was dragged along by him to try all sorts of rides—thrilling ones like Tron Lightcycle Power Run, as well as slow, charming ones like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. They also caught the afternoon parade.

Throughout the day, Nan Shuyi took countless photos of him. Ever since he'd learned Jiang Yicen loved photography, he'd picked up a few skills himself. By the end of the day, nearly half his phone's storage was filled with videos of Jiang Yicen on various rides.

Jiang Yicen had a blast—not only did he eat adorable shaped food, but he also bought lots of cute plush toys, all hanging from his and Nan Shuyi's bags.

The two played until 7 PM, when the sky had darkened and the park's lights came on.

With the lights on, the park became a giant castle, and everyone there was a prince or princess.

Nan Shuyi asked him: "There's a fireworks show tonight. Want to watch it?"

He still remembered how Jiang Yicen had reacted to the firecrackers on their wedding day, and he didn't want him to go through that again.

Jiang Yicen thought for a moment: "Sure, we can watch. I just checked the guide—there's a best viewing spot, and it's supposed to be amazing."

Nan Shuyi went along with him: "Alright, let's head over now to get a spot. If we're late, it'll be crowded, and people in front will block the view."

Nan Shuyi had already done his research, leading him to a prime viewing area. The two sat leisurely on the steps, waiting for the fireworks to go off.

At 8 PM, the fireworks went off right on time.

As the first firework shot into the sky, Nan Shuyi quickly raised his hand to cover Jiang Yicen's ears.

Jiang Yicen admired the fireworks blooming in the night sky. The design went perfectly with the castle—it was so beautiful it took your breath away. Since it was his first time seeing such a spectacle, he stayed totally lost in the stunning scene. What he didn't know was that while he enjoyed the fireworks display, the guy covering his ears had been staring at him the whole time.

The twenty-minute light show finally wrapped up.

Jiang Yicen turned around to share his joy with Nan Shuyi, only to find the other guy's face showed no joy or annoyance—just a straight, unblinking stare.

At this moment, Nan Shuyi's expression was serious and solemn.

Jiang Yicen pulled down the hand that had been over his ears, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Then, Nan Shuyi suddenly asked him, "Sixth Master, do you like it here?"

Jiang Yicen's body stiffened slightly. He couldn't see any hint of joking in Nan Shuyi's expression, and his brain went totally blank.

He managed a weak smile and said, "I do like it here. It's a place of dreams."

Nan Shuyi's voice was tight: "I mean, this new world."

Not Disneyland, but this new era.