Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Wet Sleeves
"I came here to discuss Jiang's reforms with you."
"I told you this last time. I don't know what you think about it."
...Is it really okay to let her listen to your family's internal business secrets?
Xin Tong looked around and found that she was the only one at the table who felt uneasy. The other three people seemed to think that her being there was nothing wrong.
So he was as quiet as a chicken, curled up in his seat, and buried his head in his food.
Jiang Chongyan sat opposite her, his expression calm and composed, still looking nonchalant and indifferent to everything he did.
Jiang Yuanbin, the absolute protagonist of the table, had already put down his chopsticks, with a sullen face and said nothing.
Jiang Cheng's voice was calm.
"I want to collaborate with Wu to develop a factory-made garment line. Ultimately, I want to increase the proportion of high-end garment lines within Jiang's to over 60%."
"Jiang's can no longer rely on full and semi-customization. Factory-made garments are inevitable."
Jiang Yuanbin finally reacted, looked up at him, and sneered.
"Finally, you're speaking frankly. So, this is what you've been planning all along."
There was no sign of retreat on Jiang Cheng's face.
"I just want you to know the most important question right now, which is how the Jiang family will continue after you die."
"No one in the entire family can take over your business now. If we continue to rely on full and semi-customization, and let everything depend entirely on individual ability, it's a highly personalized model. If the leader falls, Jiang's will become indistinguishable from other high-end suit brands and lose all its characteristics."
Jiang Cheng knew from a young age that his talent and abilities were average. Tailoring requires decades of practice and dedication. Jiang Yuanbin's skills and abilities were less than a third of what they were when they reached Jiang Cheng.
He spoke without hesitation about the assumptions of "a hundred years" and "death" in front of his father. This was the future path he had to consider as the head of the family.
Jiang Yuanbin's face looked extremely ugly.
But when he opened his mouth the next second, he said,
"Do you think I haven't thought about this problem?"
"Why do you think I'm fighting Jiang Chongyan to death?"
"Have I been calling myself the heir just for that illusive and nice-sounding title?"
It was quiet all around.
Jiang Cheng knew that he could not become the next Jiang Yuanbin.
——Jiang Yuanbin was actually the first person to realize this problem.
The first generation fell into decline, leaving only hope for the second. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the young master's life was bright, and his grandfather naturally placed high hopes on him, hoping he would inherit his legacy and skills, become the sole heir to the Jiang family, and become the family's future hope.
only……
Xin Tong secretly looked up at the young boy sitting opposite her.
If he were ordinary, he would be the next Jiang Cheng.
If he is excellent, he will have the opportunity to become an industry master and successor like Jiang Yuanbin, inheriting the precious accumulation of the previous generation and ancestors, and continuing in this industry with full legitimacy.
He didn't even have to work too hard or think about expanding his territory. He just had to concentrate on learning from his grandfather, live a life of luxury and respect. A century of family accumulation had brought him fame and wealth that others could hardly match. As long as he wanted, he could use the gold laid by his predecessors as a stepping stone and take all the glory with him.
——However, no one expected that he would take the third path.
Jiang Chongyan is a freak.
He is so rebellious.
This kind of rebellion is a bit like the rich second generation who is ignorant of the sufferings of the world and says sadly, "I don't want money, I want love."
But not entirely similar.
Because he really didn't want a penny and ran away from home.
He said he didn't want money, prestige, and a smooth path ahead. He wanted to pursue his dream.
——And he succeeded.
This is the most rebellious thing about him.
You scold him for being whimsical and rebellious. He looks at you expressionlessly, turns around, and shows you all the honors and world championship trophies he has won over the years.
He became a dancer lately, studied hard and practiced without anyone's supervision. He was willing to switch to a completely new industry that had nothing to do with his family, hiding his identity and starting from scratch.
He never slacked off for a single day, never lost focus. No one chased him, no one forced him, he did all this simply because it was something he loved and was willing to sacrifice all his passion and life for freedom.
"Jiang Chongyan" is the eldest son of the Jiang family who is well-known in the industry. He is the heir, the inheritor, and the mysterious child of destiny whose face no one has ever seen. He is responsible for the honor, disgrace, rise and fall of a family for a hundred years.
And "Aiden" is a hot world champion in the street dance circle. He is a talented dancer admired by everyone. He practices boringly in the dance studio day after day, and shines brightly and passionately on the field.
Both names are his.
Both identities are him.
He doesn't hate anyone and doesn't reject anyone.
Just like when he was in his early 20s, after winning the World Championship as Aiden, he took a photo standing under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. He simply carefully wrote his Chinese surname J with a marker in the lower right corner of the photo.
He has never changed.
This is him.
He has a clear distinction between love and hate, hates constraints and rules, is unwilling to follow the established path of family heir, and uses his actions to subvert tradition and feel the world.
This is also him.
…
After a long silence, someone at the table finally spoke.
It’s Jiang Cheng.
"But the Jiang family no longer has any heirs."
His voice was calm, and he looked directly at Jiang Yuanbin. Unlike an old man who had been accepting tradition all his life, he was the father of a rebellious son and understood his son's thoughts. He had long since accepted reality.
"Jiang Chongyan can no longer come back."
"It's impossible for anyone in the Jiang family to take over your job."
"Everyone who comes after me will be just like me, an ordinary, mediocre tailor. Rather than being a craftsman, you must become a manager and a businessman."
"That's why I want to reform and increase the proportion of ready-to-wear lines. Only then can Jiang's transform and this problem be solved."
Another conversation that ended in vain.
The two sides faced off, each with their own perspectives and thoughts. Neither the shortcomings nor the strengths could convince the other.
The dishes cooled, the fat solidified, and the tea leaves in the cup slowly fell.
Jiang Cheng stood up and left.
The father and son parted on bad terms.
*
There were only three people left at the dinner table.
Jiang Yuanbin was silent.
His face looked heavy and he was in a bad mood.
Look up again,
Xin Tong lowered her head and concentrated on peeling the crayfish, her only focus being on eating.
Jiang Chongyan was completely the opposite. He had put down his chopsticks long ago with a lack of interest and was swiping his phone with a calm expression.
The two children acted as if they didn't hear anything.
“…”
He became even angrier.
The more I look at this brat, the more annoyed I become. He is the cause of all this!
Jiang Yuanbin slammed the table and said, "Speak!"
The young blond man locked the screen of his mobile phone, lowered his hands obediently, and looked calm as if he was being beaten and scolded.
But the words he said almost stopped Jiang Yuanbin.
"Take your time eating. I'll leave after I'm done."
After saying that, he prepared to stand up.
"return!"
The old man pointed at him tremblingly, as if he was furious. He gritted his teeth and said, "The Jiang family's heir is only passed down to males, not females. You are an only child, and you don't know how to cherish such a good opportunity!"
At this tense moment, a lazy young female voice suddenly came from the side.
"Master, this is a bit too rustic."
...The surroundings suddenly became extremely quiet.
Jiang Yuanbin suddenly turned his head.
He saw Xin Tong sitting next to him, peeling shrimps very seriously with his head down, and talking nonchalantly.
"Master, please don't blame me for telling the truth. It's too old-fashioned to pass on the teachings to men but not women."
"No wonder it was lost." she muttered.
As soon as these words were spoken, the air fell into dead silence.
She put down the shrimp in her hand, wiped her hands, and felt something was wrong after a long time. She looked up and found that even Jiang Chongyan opposite her had sat down again, staring at her with his arms folded, his eyes full of interest.
Looking to the right, the old man's eyes were almost spitting fire, and his face and neck were red with anger because of her words.
"Say that again."
The old man gritted his teeth.
"That's what it is." Xin Tong scratched his face. "To put it nicely, it's called earthy. If we use modern words to describe it, it's too cool."
“Puff.”
Jiang Chongyan smiled sincerely.
At this moment, Jiang Chongyan really wanted to open the camera on his mobile phone to record this scene.
The young master has seen too many people flattering his grandfather since he was a child. His family has a very good reputation, his grandfather has a very high status, and is highly respected in the industry. The old man has been flattered for most of his life and is worshipped wherever he goes. No one dares to make any suggestions, and no one dares to go against his wishes.
Jiang Chongyan was the first one to leave his family at the age of 18.
Now, Xin Tong is the second one.
Jiang Chongyan's eyebrows were smiling, the corners of his lips were raised, and he tilted his head to stare at Xin Tong.
No, when it comes to making the old man angry, she should be better than me.
Because the devil who always acts in an exaggerated and absurd way actually did nothing this time. He was just eating obediently and suddenly blurted out this sentence while eating.
Just this one sentence made the old man angry to death.
…
"why are you laughing!"
"Do you agree with her?!"
Jiang Yuanbin was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, pointing at Jiang Chongyan and roaring tremblingly.
"The Jiang family's tradition of passing down the family lineage to males, not females, didn't start with you, but with your grandfather's grandfather! This is the rule, the tradition!"
The young master leaned back and said calmly,
"Well, I agree with her."
"Have you forgotten who the Jiang family's ancestor's grandmother is? Isn't Jiang Wang a woman?"
"Over a hundred years ago, she went to England alone, concealing her gender and immersing herself in study. She returned and founded the Jiang family. Yet, a hundred years later, the Jiang family has become a male-only lineage, not a female one."
"In the 21st century, it's still not as open as during the Republic of China."
"I think it's the Jiang family men of the past hundred years who stole the achievements of the first generation of women."
These words were like a sledgehammer, smashing everything apart. Jiang Yuanbin watched the two children echoing each other, his lips trembling with anger, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. Furious, he threw them both out.
"Hey, hey, hey, Master, I haven't finished eating the shrimp yet!"
The only response she got was the sound of a door closing.
Two people stood at the door, one on the left and one on the right.
Unconsciously looking at each other.
The manor is covered with autumn chrysanthemums.
In clusters and clumps, they stand alone in the cold wind, round and light, elegant and unique, like burning bright yellow flames.
The moment the girl and the boy's eyes met, it seemed as if something bloomed in the air.
The breeze blew through the hair of both of them.
Only at this moment did the two of them finally realize how coincidental it was that their conversation just now, which had almost revealed completely identical ideas without any rehearsal, was.
No matter how far apart, fate has its beginning and end.
They had always believed that they were opposites, walking different paths and leading different lives.
A drop of water splashed on Xin Tong's face.
She froze, blinked, and looked outside.
It's raining.
This autumn rain came suddenly.
The rain curtain covered the sky, tassels were everywhere, and the sound of rain was like a huge transparent net. The distant mountains were indigo, shrouded in clouds and mist, which also covered the two of them in this brief similarity.
Just like a week ago in the mountains with snow falling all over the sky.
Just like now in the heavy rain under the eaves of the manor.
The autumn chrysanthemums fell all over the ground.
The rain hits the fallen leaves, and the sound of rain is lingering.
The two stood face to face. Xin Tong lowered her head and stared at the sleeves of the tall boy in front of her that were wet with rain.
No one spoke.
No one left.
Her fingers unconsciously touched her sleeves.
In the same place, where the fingers touched, a wet and colorful outline appeared.
Xin Tong suddenly realized at that moment that they were all believers in freedom and self.
This is the most compatible soul and the most vigorous life between two people from different places.
*
Xin Tong knew that Jiang Yuanbin was just old.
As an old man in his 70s, his existence itself is a microcosm of the times.
In fact, he has taught a lot of female students, the number of female students far outnumbering male students. Students like Chen Wen still keep in touch with him today.
He encourages girls to study, and many of his female students have now become top figures in the domestic fashion industry. He has high hopes for them and is proud of them, hoping that they can make a career of their own.
But cultural traces are deeply rooted.
It will take several generations to have a chance to reverse the situation.
He knows that times are different now.
But he just subconsciously feels that the difference between men and women is 90 points and 80 points.
Men get 90 points and women get 80 points.
When I go fishing, I only want the fish, but the net also brings up seaweed and shells. The waves are ever-changing, a storm can come suddenly, and I could be drowned in the next moment. I rely on society for my survival, and I passively accept everything from it. This is the inevitable seaweed and shells that group society brings to the individual. Sometimes individuals have no choice; they just get used to it.
…
Xin Tong started to desensitize Jiang Yuanbin from time to time.
Today I recommend a few short dramas about revenge dramas with heroines to Jiang Yuanbin.
Tomorrow I will say that Chen Wen's personal brand is developing very well now.
The next day, he said that Jiang Wangzhen was a remarkable woman in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad, and that the men of that era were not as good as a single leg hair of hers.
Jiang Chongyan stood at the door of the studio with his arms folded, watching the old man and Xin Tong bickering and laughing.
When Xin Tong ran in and out with the cloth in her arms, she would glare at Jiang Chongyan because he was in the way.
I really don't understand why this young master has been so idle lately. He goes to the Jiang family all day long. Now the three of them have lunch together every day.
——But then he suddenly remembered that this was originally his home.
I could only swallow it back inexplicably.
No matter how she glared at him, the young master just raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her without any other reaction.
Sometimes I would lazily add a word or two.
Of course, the one who helped was Xin Tong.
Jiang Yuanbin was sometimes so angry with these two kids that he scolded Xin Tong for being disrespectful and brainwashing him all day long.
Xin Tong said dissatisfiedly, "Master, you climbed a little higher today. Please be careful."
He could only scold Jiang Chongyan again. He really regretted not disciplining Jiang Chongyan himself when he was young, letting Jiang Chongyan be raised by his grandmother, and now he has become nagging!
Jiang Chongyan said indifferently,
"Everyone in this world is born by their own mother. This world is full of nagging."
...The two new humans made the old man very angry.
After calming down, Xin Tong went to apologize again in the afternoon. She struck the right tone, and the old man was coaxed into submission. Over time, he gradually changed.
In fact, he really admired Xin Tong.
From the moment I met her in the park, I felt that her initiative to strive for things was rare.
The two have known each other for more than a month, and Xin Tong has not been lazy for a single day and comes to attend his class every day.
The level is average, but it is improving; the understanding is not much, but it is enough.
This girl was decisive, enterprising, direct and passionate, simple-minded, and extremely energetic. Jiang Yuanbin saw how she worked step by step to achieve her goals and how she worked hard bit by bit.
If we talk about whether women are qualified to be heirs, Xin Tong is actually the best example.
Although her surname was not Jiang and she certainly could not be the heir to the Jiang family, Jiang Yuanbin gradually relaxed the original principle of passing the family line to males but not females.
…
Xin Tong discovered that Jiang Yuanbin liked going out more and more.
Before he had spoken for a while, the old man said he wanted to take a walk in the garden and then went out.
She was the only one left in the studio doing the scissoring.
As she was doing it, her back and waist started to ache, and she wanted to go out to get a glass of water. When she looked up, she saw a tall figure leaning against the door frame, looking at her.
He noticed her gaze looking at him, then calmly looked away.
“…”
What are you looking at?
Xin Tong walked up to him and pinched his chest hard right under his nose.
Jiang Chongyan's face changed drastically, and he grabbed her wrist, "What are you doing!"
Xin Tong pulled her hand back, snorted, turned around and went out leisurely to pour water, leaving him with only her back.
"I'm tired from studying, take a break."
Jiang Chongyan: “…”
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