Great-Grandfather stood by a row of neatly cultivated fields, his face beaming with pride and satisfaction.
He pointed forward and introduced the area enthusiastically, "This place is completely planted with all kinds of melons and fruits! The weather is gradually turning cold, and other vegetables can't handle such a chilly climate. Last month was alright; we could plant cold-resistant crops like spinach, turnips, and cilantro. But come December, the nighttime temperature drops sharply, often falling below zero, so those delicate vegetables simply can't grow here."
"But that's alright, we have plenty of melons and fruits here. Look, over here are zucchini and cucumbers, over there are bright red tomatoes and sweet melons, and a bit further off are clusters of lush pole beans..."
Jiang Cheng's eyes widened as he gazed at the vast, boundless vegetable garden before him.
He couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Great-Grandfather, did you really grow all these vegetables by yourself?"
Great-Grandfather nodded with a laugh and patted his chest, saying, "That's right, I planted most of them with my own hands. Don't let the fact that I'm ninety-one this year fool you; my constitution is still quite robust. Usually, when I have nothing else to do, I enjoy tending to these vegetables. Whatever my family can't finish, I give away to others." After speaking, Great-Grandfather let out a hearty laugh.
Under the sunlight, Great-Grandfather's simple and resilient figure merged with the lush greenery of the vegetable garden. His appearance gave Jiang Cheng an illusion once again.
If he hadn't just seen him working in the parlor with his own eyes...
Jiang Cheng would probably have thought he was just a simple peasant uncle.
Jiang Chenghong, standing nearby, followed up with a sigh, "Oh, isn't that the truth? I've been dragged out here by him to farm together lately. I'm telling you, even though Big Brother is a few years older than me, he's incredibly nimble when it comes to farm work. It's been a long time since I've worked in the fields, and I'm finding it a bit hard to keep up."
Jiang Cheng nodded repeatedly in agreement as he listened, "It's good to have something to do normally. Natural fruits and vegetables are great, and it's good exercise. But Great-Grandfather, at your age, why haven't you retired yet? I saw you were still busy with work just now."
Hearing this, Great-Grandfather first couldn't help but laugh out loud, but in an instant, a hint of faint worry and utter helplessness flickered in his eyes.
Then, he reached out and gently stroked Jiang Cheng's head, speaking with deep earnestness.
"My dear grandson, how could it be so easy to completely withdraw to the countryside and enjoy one's later years? If I were to cast aside all the power I currently hold right now, our Jiang Family would likely fall into a world-shaking catastrophe immediately."
Jiang Chenghong followed up, saying, "Big Brother, you've worked hard."
Great-Grandfather shook his head gently, a trace of faint regret showing in his eyes.
He spoke slowly, "If Jianming could come back, then perhaps the two of us really could retire in peace."
Although nothing was explicitly stated in these few lines of dialogue, Jiang Cheng could sense the underlying scent of a bloody storm.
The transition of power is never as calm and tranquil as ordinary people see it.
Since ancient times, a change in power has always meant breaking the old to establish the new, a total transformation of the world.
Such transformations are often accompanied by immense pain and can even wound the very foundation of an entity.
By the same logic, after power changes hands, it inevitably requires the injection of a fresh batch of strength to support the new situation.
Just like the struggles between underworld gangs, whenever a new boss takes over, the subordinates and core members within the gang face a massive turnover.
In the process of power transition, bloody conflicts are hard to avoid because those with vested interests are never willing to give up the power in their hands easily.
As a result, it is bound to offend many people, triggering a series of overt and covert struggles.
If one has no power at all after retirement, it is indeed difficult to ensure that family members won't suffer retaliation.
However, based on Jiang Cheng's understanding of his own father...
Could someone so accustomed to freedom really come back to face this kind of environment??
So far, Jiang Cheng didn't have much interest in these matters.
For the past eighteen springs and autumns, he had been slowly growing up in an ordinary family environment.
Regarding the rivalry and disputes over power, Jiang Cheng did not harbor much ambition or desire.
In his original inherent concepts, he was even a thorough egoist.
He only hoped to live out this life happily and freely.
If there really came a day when he ascended to their current positions, he would probably have to face those headache-inducing troubles every single day, wouldn't he?
Moreover, in various decisions and trade-offs, it would be indispensable to consider problems from a global perspective.
The pinnacle of power actually represents the pinnacle of responsibility.
He asked himself whether he truly possessed the same level of ideological awareness as they did.
Jiang Cheng knew very well that with his current ability and state of mind, he was not yet capable of that.
Great-Grandfather looked at Jiang Cheng with a face full of kindness and said softly.
"Come, dear grandson, let Grandpa take you around some more, and while we're at it, I'll show you some photos of your father when he was a child. Look, you two looked so much alike when you were little! It's just a pity that he grew up 'wrong'; he's not as good-looking as you."
If his father heard these words full of fatherly love from Great-Grandfather, he would probably shout out loud, "That's just toxic!!"
Jiang Chenghong, standing to the side, also chimed in cheerfully, "Yes, you're right. Jiang Cheng has been handsome since he was a child. I even have photos of him at various stages from childhood to the present displayed on my office desk. Everyone who sees those photos can't stop praising him."
Jiang Cheng was aware that his Second Grandfather kept his photos on his desk.
In fact, very few people knew that Jiang Cheng was Great-Grandfather's biological grandson, but quite a few knew he was Jiang Chenghong's grandson.
For instance, when they were in Britain earlier, Joshua was one of them.
"Second Grandfather, not many people should know about the true background of Mingsheng Group, right?"
As soon as Jiang Cheng finished speaking, Jiang Chenghong nodded slightly in agreement, "Indeed. If you trace the origins of Mingsheng Group, it was actually founded by your grandfather. In '42, when I was only ten years old, your grandfather resolutely set out for Kyoto to start his business journey, and he founded Mingsheng Group single-handedly."
"At that time, Big Brother didn't choose to follow our father into business; instead, he threw himself into certain 'indescribable' activities, and later he went to university for further studies. From then on, the heavy burden of the family business fell onto my shoulders."