As you wish

Zhang Chenglin originally only planned to go out for a quick bite, but Ji Yuxing absolutely refused.

"You've already come all the way to the Northeast, and now you're telling me to just grab something to eat outside?" Ji Yuxing's face was full of indignation: "Are you kidding me?"

Zhang Chenglin remained silent, his attitude resolute.

"Could it be that you just ate something casually outside when you went to Shanghai this time?" Ji Yuxing couldn't understand, and his tone was cold and hard: "I absolutely do not believe that He Zhonghua would not do his best to be a good host at a time like this."

At this point, Ji Yuxing added, "If it's true, I'll break my head off and let him kick it like a ball!"

Zhang Chenglin was quite helpless after being teased by him, "I've done my best, I've done my best."

“That’s settled then,” Ji Yuxing said to Zhang Chenglin while arranging for his driver to get going. “When you go to Shanghai, He Zhonghua has to show you hospitality. Is it appropriate for me not to show you hospitality when you come to the Northeast?”

Zhang Chenglin: "...Is that so?"

"Yes!" Just then, the driver pulled up, and Ji Yuxing opened the car door for Zhang Chenglin without saying a word, inviting him to get in: "Anyway, now that you're in Northeast China, just come to my house for a proper meal!"

When they arrived at Ji Yuxing's house, Chai Feixue was already waiting for them at the door. Despite the cold winter in Northeast China, she was wearing a thick coat on her thin body, which looked very warm.

"Sister Xue."

Zhang Chenglin rarely spoke first, and Chai Feixue replied with a smile, "Long time no see, Chenglin! Please come in, please come in."

Because Chai Feixue grew up in the Ji family and Ji Yuxing was often away from home after their marriage, Chai Feixue continued to live with Ji Yuxing's parents as usual.

With Ji Yuxing and Ji Ruqiong's two children both working away from home, Chai Feixue took care of everything at home like a daughter.

"You brought Ah Lin back without telling us earlier. We didn't prepare anything at home." Chai Feixue followed Ji Yuxing in and complained to him in a low voice, "Your parents were asking you this morning if you were coming back anytime soon, and then you suddenly came back this afternoon."

"You should at least send a message home beforehand to prepare."

Ji Yuxing listened to her soft complaints and smiled helplessly: "I practically dragged him here. How could I dare to tell him in advance? What if I told my family and he didn't come?"

Chai Feixue: "..."

Although he said he hadn't prepared much at home, there were still 18 dishes on the table when Zhang Chenglin sat down.

This is the extravagance of the biggest landlord in Northeast China.

Before the meal, Zhang Chenglin had already chatted with Ji Yuxing's father, so he was naturally less reserved when he sat down at the table. In fact, he seemed much more natural than Ji Yuxing.

After all, Zhang Chenglin came to see him, so he couldn't possibly harbor much resentment towards Zhang Chenglin.

It was different with Ji Yuxing: "Look at you, staying outside all day long, you don't care about your family, your parents, or your wife. I don't know why you still come back to this house."

Ji Yongkang slammed his cane on the ground and launched into a long, energetic tirade at Ji Yuxing: "I wouldn't say anything if you didn't come back yourself, but you even managed to kidnap Ah Qiong?!"

"What kind of son are you?! What kind of husband are you?! What kind of brother are you?!"

Ji Yongkang berated Ji Yuxing, who cowered and dared not utter a word in rebuttal. Although Chai Feixue was worried, such things had happened frequently at home, so she still earnestly accompanied Ji Yuxing's mother to eat.

Zhang Chenglin continued eating his meal as if it were none of his business, since he didn't think Ji Yongkang was wrong.

With his parents alive and well, a happy marriage, and a blissful family, Ji Yuxing, focused on building his career, naturally doesn't think about many things outside this scope. But for Zhang Chenglin, if time could go back many years, when Zhang Deyue was still by his and Jiang Xuyin's side, and Zhang Shengmin was studying abroad and would often come home for family reunions... then he would definitely cherish those years.

Even though one cannot change one's own destiny, nor can one change the destiny of those around them, Zhang Chenglin still hopes that he can enjoy the happy life with his parents and brothers by his side at that time.

After all, as long as your parents are alive, you still have a source of life.

After dinner, Zhang Chenglin and Ji Yuxing chatted in the courtyard outside the Ji family's living room.

Ji Yuxing asked him, "Did anything major happen at this leadership transition meeting?"

"As you wish."

Zhang Chenglin uttered those words, which left Ji Yuxing completely bewildered: "Huh?"

Zhang Chenglin didn't explain, but simply turned to look at him, his gaze slightly deep.

"You mean..." Ji Yuxing had a guess in his mind, but he still couldn't quite believe it: "He Zhonghua really became the president of the Puyu Chamber of Commerce?!"

Zhang Chenglin's face showed little expression as he nodded.

"That's truly amazing!" Ji Yuxing was still shocked after his initial shock: "China is incredibly powerful!"

Zhang Chenglin had a faint smile in his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

“What a pity…” Ji Yuxing’s eyes dimmed quickly after a brief moment of celebration. “Another person trapped in a world of suits and ties, unable to break free.”

“Who knows?” Zhang Chenglin suddenly spoke after a brief silence: “What if this is the future he wants?”

“After all, the dreams of youth are too idealistic,” Zhang Chenglin turned slightly, looking at the moon in the sky, as if he was not looking at anything: “One day he will find that this path that he never thought of is not bad at all.”

"And what about you?" Ji Yuxing asked abruptly after hearing his words, "If you had taken that path, would you have thought it was good?"

That... a very smooth road arranged by Zhang Deyue.

Ultimately, it was a smooth road.

“I didn’t leave,” Zhang Chenglin turned to look at him, a smile in his eyes. “How would I know?”

"What if you lose on the path you're taking now?"

Will you regret it?

Ji Yuxing seemed to be drunk, insisting on getting to the bottom of this non-existent problem.

"I won't."

Zhang Chenglin remained as clear-headed as ever, or perhaps as crazy as ever in the eyes of others. This was the path he had chosen, and regardless of whether it was good or bad, successful or unsuccessful, he would not regret it once he had embarked on it.

“What I seek is the happiness and well-being of countless people for hundreds of years to come,” Zhang Chenglin turned back, speaking as if casually, yet with a hint of melancholy: “not for a moment’s peace and wealth.”

"The world, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of unity, tends to divide. But there must always be a group of people who do not stand with this trend, but make sacrifices for the people within this trend, for the peace and tranquility within this trend."

"Since I can't change the general trend, what's wrong with being the one to make the sacrifice?"

"All I ask for in my life is for the country to be peaceful and prosperous."

After listening to Zhang Chenglin's words, Ji Yuxing remained silent for a long time. "You are all people who have dedicated your lives to the light. The revolutionary heroes who stood guard against the darkness for the country and the people will live on forever."

"You too."

Zhang Chenglin suddenly turned around and said this to Ji Yuxing.

Ji Yuxing smiled, lowered his eyes, and said nothing.

Zhang Chenglin also turned back to look at the bright moon hanging in the sky, and remained silent for a moment.

“Actually, I’ve thought about this for many years,” Ji Yuxing suddenly spoke again after an unknown amount of time, pulling Zhang Chenglin’s thoughts back from their reverie: “I’ve always wanted to know whether He Zhonghua regrets his decision regarding Elizabeth.”

“There is no solution to this problem,” Zhang Chenglin replied after a long period of contemplation. “At least for He Zhonghua right now, there is no solution to this problem.”

"Really?" Ji Yuxing was slightly lost in thought as he looked at Chai Feixue, who was tending to the flowers and plants with Madam Ji not far away.

"In fact, many things fade with time. Everything that seemed unforgettable back then is nothing special in retrospect."

Zhang Chenglin rarely talks to them about love. This is the first time Ji Yuxing has heard him share his views on the subject: "You are all lucky, just like you, just like Zheng Mingzhe."

"In fact, He Zhonghua and Elizabeth are the kind of people who love each other on this road. In ancient times, there was a dilemma between loyalty and filial piety, and now there is also a dilemma between loyalty and love."

"What if it were you?" Ji Yuxing threw the question back at him: "Would you choose loyalty or affection?"

“I’m not that noble,” Zhang Chenglin said without any hesitation. “If I meet the person I’m willing to spend my whole life for, I will choose to give her a home first.”

Zhang Chenglin answered this hypothetical question so readily that Ji Yuxing truly believed that one day he would have his own home.

That's why Ji Yuxing found it so hard to accept when Zhang Chenglin later told him, "Without a country, there is no home."

Ji Yuxing and Zhang Chenglin took a flight back to Shandong the following afternoon. When they left, everyone in the Ji family asked him if he couldn't stay at home for a couple more days.

Only Chai Feixue, the one who most wanted him to stay at home, smiled and said, "A man should prioritize his country and his family. A-Xing will naturally become a national hero in the future."

Ji Yuxing quickened his pace, and Zhang Chenglin followed behind him, his gaze pausing slightly, lost in thought.

*

After arriving in Shandong, they had no immediate missions and enjoyed a few peaceful days.

On December 20th, Zhang Chenglin received a letter from an old friend from afar.

The letter mentioned that Zhang Deyue's death anniversary was approaching and asked him to attend.

The letter came from Shanghai and was signed by the Chairman of the Kuomintang.

Zhang Chenglin stood in the swirling snow, his fingertips still holding the letter, speechless for a long time.

He was Zhang Deyue's biological son, Zhang Shengmin was Zhang Deyue's eldest son, and Jiang Xuyin was Zhang Deyue's widow.

While all three of them were still alive, the KMT chairman, on behalf of the KMT, sent him an invitation to observe the memorial service.

That day, the courtyard was covered in a blanket of white snow, a pure white expanse with nothing else in sight.

What's covered isn't just dirt and darkness, but also untold bitterness and weariness.

Later, when members of the Zhang family mentioned this day, they said, "It was so cold that day that people forgot who should be speaking."