Seeing Jiang Cheng mimic the tone he had just used, An Jingsheng couldn't help but let a trace of amusement show in his eyes.
These years in Chengdu, no one had dared to joke with him so lightly in a long time.
The moment An Jingsheng finished speaking, it was Jiang Cheng's turn to counter.
"Oh?" Jiang Cheng curled the corner of his mouth into a faint smile. "What kind of business were you running in Great Goose Country when you were young?"
His tone copied An Jingsheng's earlier manner, laced with curiosity and teasing.
Hearing Jiang Cheng's question, amusement flickered again in An Jingsheng's eyes.
It had been ages since he'd met anyone who dared joke with him so easily.
Those he encountered were either terrified of his power or wore fawning faces because they wanted something.
"What I did in Great Goose—don't you already know?" An Jingsheng hooked his lips into a half-smile as he looked at Jiang Cheng.
The retort left Jiang Cheng momentarily speechless.
He knew the An Family had underground influence in Great Goose Country, but he had no details about their exact business.
When the Security Team had sent the information earlier, Jiang Cheng hadn't asked them to dig deeper.
Uninformed he might be, but Jiang Cheng wasn't about to admit it.
After a meaningful smile, Jiang Cheng steered the topic back to intangible cultural heritage.
"Actually, if heritage products want a foothold in today's society, the sale has to tell a good story. Take this handmade item: we're not selling the object itself—factory goods can be finer and cheaper—so what we sell is sentiment."
"Invite veteran artisans to demonstrate on the spot, explain the cultural meaning, let the audience grasp its value. Have models wear Shu-embroidery pieces, open pre-orders at the same time."
An Jingsheng chuckled softly. "Interesting. But those old artisans won't cooperate with your livestreams; they have principles they cling to."
"So we need official backing." Jiang Cheng looked at An Jingsheng. "If the Bureau of Culture endorses it and the craftsmen see this as passing on culture, everything becomes easy. President An, I suppose I'll need your nod for that endorsement?"
An Jingsheng couldn't quite figure out what Jiang Cheng was up to.
To him the heritage project wasn't a life-or-death matter for Jiang Cheng,
yet Jiang Cheng was deliberately treating it as vital—decidedly odd.
But he was purposely inflating its importance,
which felt fishy.
At first An Jingsheng thought Jiang Cheng only wanted to gild his company's reputation,
but on second thought there had to be a deeper motive.
The old saying goes: when something's weird, there's usually a demon.
The more An Jingsheng pondered, the more it seemed Jiang Cheng wanted something out of this,
though for the moment he couldn't see what.
Not understanding, he chose not to take the bait.
An Jingsheng gave a faint smile, turned to an exhibit and said slowly, "I'm flattered by your regard, but I'm a plain businessman—at most I can sponsor some money; anything else is beyond me."
He pointed to a Republic-era warrior's headdress in the display.
"I bought this at an overseas auction last month—five million. Lucky it reached a collector: left here, with no awareness of its provenance, folks would have sold or burned it. Times have changed."
Jiang Cheng's gaze rested on the well-preserved headdress.
A sigh rose in him.
Though worn by time, it still showed the glory of its day.
"Only when artisans can live decently by their craft will anyone bother to learn it," Jiang Cheng said.
Seeing Jiang Cheng still on the old topic, An Jingsheng glanced behind.
He noticed An Xin following them silently a metre away and sighed inwardly.
He knew his daughter too well.
Even if he refused Jiang Cheng tonight, this love-struck girl would secretly help Jiang Cheng pull it off.
Just like the mining rights on Western Hill—An Xin always quietly backed Jiang Cheng.
Better to talk to Jiang Cheng himself than let his daughter sneak around.
Besides, he really was curious what Jiang Cheng wanted.
An Jingsheng shook his head and said helplessly, "I'm curious—apart from your grandfather, why are you so keen on protecting heritage?"
Jiang Cheng put on a puzzled look. "Naturally because I'm passionate about traditional culture."
Neither An Jingsheng nor Jiang Cheng believed that for a second.
But words once spoken must be rounded out.
"President An, young as I am, I'm serious about cultural inheritance. I won't let you lose out—get me the endorsement and I'll owe you one. If An Group ever needs me, just name it."
When those words landed, An Jingsheng's brow twitched.
Had Cheng Gui or the like said it, An Jingsheng would have laughed aloud.
My An Group needs your favour?
But coming from Jiang Cheng the situation was entirely different.
Instead of laughing, An Jingsheng's face tightened, turning grave.
Was Jiang Cheng deliberately incurring a debt of gratitude so that, should An Jingsheng need help later, Jiang Cheng couldn't refuse?
So this was Jiang Cheng actively asking to owe a favour—
an olive branch.
Thinking that far, An Jingsheng felt a headache coming on.
He hated being used, especially by someone as calculating as Jiang Cheng.
Yet why Jiang Cheng would do it he couldn't fathom.
He secretly prayed it wasn't what he suspected,
otherwise he might really be out-manoeuvred.
After a pause An Jingsheng asked, "What do you mean, President Jiang? An Group's growth has been steady."
Jiang Cheng nodded. "True, but life has storms. I trust a breeze won't rock An Group, yet there can also be days of typhoon weather."
The principle that prosperity breeds decline carries weight.
Though Jiang Cheng didn't know An Jingsheng's past, the Security Team files showed
An Group had no patron in China.
Reaching the top in Chengdu without being pulled down proved An Jingsheng's skill,
but lacking special backing also meant weaker crisis-resistance.
It was 2018, not the year 2000;
the new era offered far more variables than the old closed-information days.
However stable An Group looked, each change of Chengdu's leadership posed risk.
That, though, wasn't Jiang Cheng's concern.
What he valued was the An Family's overseas power.
Someone like him, holding only Tyrande's underground force, already enjoyed great convenience for jobs that couldn't see daylight.
When open influence was useless, hidden strength could clear the path.
Bluntly, if An Group ever collapsed, those overseas assets would be confiscated.
Better to pocket them first.
Hearing this, An Jingsheng's mouth tightened, as if an invisible weight pressed on him.
Over the years he had received invitations and olive branches, all firmly refused.
Yet with age these worries grew.
If he left China the risk would drop sharply—
he could live anywhere, free and unfettered.