Chapter 613: Glowing and Radiating

The next morning, in the bedroom's walk-in closet, Liu Tianxian put on a white printed dress that reached just above her knees, revealing smooth, fair legs.

She twisted her body to admire herself in the mirror—the reflection showed a girl of pure, charming beauty.

She swept her long hair back with her hand and said, "I want to get my hair permed."

"Why are you getting your hair permed?" Fang Hong asked.

"It's a new marriage, a new look—new hairstyle, more mature image," Liu Tianxian tucked her hair behind her ear and smoothed her dress.

"Then should I change my hairstyle too, change my style?" Fang Hong put on his suit pants and a black collarless short-sleeve shirt, looking very formal.

Today is the day to return to her parents' home; we must dress well.

Liu Tianxian turned, walked up to him, tugged at the hem of his shirt, and sized him up: "No need—you look great already, handsome and distinguished."

"Such a sweet mouth—I'll reward you."

Fang Hong said, then kissed her lips in perfect sync.

After adjusting their attire, the two went downstairs.

"Should we eat something before we go?" Xu Liyun said.

"No, we'll eat over there," Liu Tianxian replied—it was already agreed.

"Alright, be careful on the way," Xu Liyun saw them off at the door.

They still drove the same Porsche—hadn't changed cars in years—and it took one or two hours to reach Liu Tianxian's old home, not in the same district.

Liu Tianxian's old home was in Chaoyang District.

Arriving at the Villa, they got out; Fang Hong carried bags of gifts—bird's nest, donkey-hide gelatin, fruit, and some premium cigarettes and alcohol.

Mainly because Liu Xiaoli had notified them Chen Jinfei would be there, so they bought premium cigarettes and alcohol.

Chen Jinfei had attended the wedding, sat at Liu Xiaoli's table, and even posed for group photos.

Regardless, Liu Xiaoli still accepted him—this was familial acceptance.

But Chen Jinfei was low-key, his status at the wedding awkward, and he rarely spoke in daily life.

His resentment had also faded somewhat, since Liu Tianxian's path had changed, and mother and daughter were steadily mending their relationship.

As for the relatives, they had all dispersed these past days—the wedding was over, why stay? An Shaokang had already returned to Wuhan.

"Mom, Godfather," Liu Tianxian stepped forward and hugged her mother affectionately.

Liu Xiaoli saw her daughter's healthy complexion—rosy and glowing—and was delighted.

After warmly embracing her daughter, she noticed Fang Hong carrying heavy bags and said, "You came, why bring so many gifts? We have everything at home."

"It's just a token of our hearts," Fang Hong said, nodding to Chen Jinfei in greeting.

Chen Jinfei nodded back.

"Come in, come in, let's eat," Liu Xiaoli ushered them inside.

The four sat opposite each other at a rectangular dining table, laden with delicious dishes; Liu Tianxian poured each person a glass of red wine.

"Come on, Mom, Godfather, and husband—let's drink a toast," Liu Tianxian raised her wine glass.

"Clink!" The crystal glasses chimed sharply.

"Mom, how about you move in with us someday?" Liu Tianxian set down her glass, picked up chopsticks, and placed a piece of beef on Fang Hong's plate, teasing: "Eat more of this—it's very nourishing."

Fang Hong gave her a look of exasperation—she always said he was improper, yet she herself was anything but proper.

"No, you live your life, I live mine," Liu Xiaoli waved her hand.

Her daughter was married—why should she tag along?

"But you'll be so lonely alone," Liu Tianxian said.

"Oh come on, you make it sound like you're my whole world—I used to be away for months filming, and I managed fine. Besides, I've got plenty of good friends to keep me company. Being alone is fun—I won't go to your place to wash clothes and cook for you!" Liu Xiaoli said.

"I was just being kind—if you don't want to, fine," Liu Tianxian had no reply.

"Just visit me when you have time—don't worry about anything else. Live well your own little life," Liu Xiaoli didn't want to trouble them.

She ate well, slept well—why live together? More people, longer time, more conflicts.

"Hurry up and have a baby, let your mom take care of it—maybe then she'll move in," Chen Jinfei offered advice.

"That's not something I can decide—it depends on luck," Liu Tianxian said.

She didn't know if this man was just bad at timing or what.

Liu Xiaoli fell silent—this kind of thing was hard to say; Fang Hong ate this dish, she didn't know his condition—he was at it every day.

Liu Tianxian asked again: "Godfather, what have you been busy with lately?"

"Lately I've been transitioning—planning to invest in high-tech enterprises: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Intelligent Manufacturing," Chen Jinfei said.

"You're getting into this stuff?" Fang Hong was surprised.

"Yes, the authorities are encouraging private enterprises to pursue these new fields—New Energy, Green Technology, Environmental Protection Technology—all promoted by the top. We're just responding to the call," Chen Jinfei said casually.

"Jinfei has invested in many high-tech areas—Rail Transit, High Hydrogen Energy Equipment, Integrated Circuit Chips," Liu Xiaoli explained, seeing Fang Hong didn't understand.

The world held biases against Chen Jinfei—she knew that.

In truth, Chen Jinfei had long been shifting toward financial investment, backing future-oriented fields, shedding his real estate burdens.

Later, his company expanded into multiple sectors: cultural tourism, technology, international investment, health, and more.

But the scale is still undeveloped—just beginning.

This surprised Fang Hong—he had always assumed the man was just a real estate tycoon, so he never truly understood him.

It was normal—he had always looked down on real estate merchants, so he never bothered to learn about Chen Jinfei.

In his past life, he'd never heard Chen Jinfei made major contributions in tech—but that was understandable; tech is inherently high-cost and high-risk.

You might invest for years, even decades, before seeing returns—or lose everything entirely—it's all normal.

These high-tech firms are inherently low-profile, let alone their investors—utterly unknown to outsiders.

Our country has many high-tech firms; most people don't know them—for example, everyone says we lack chips, but actually we've been self-sufficient in chips above 14 nanometers.

But which specific companies are producing them, ordinary people rarely know, nor do they know the actual supplying companies — all of this is kept confidential.

It's just that we're lacking that kind of high-end, sophisticated mobile phone chip.

Many a piece of technology suddenly explodes onto the scene, and by the time people learn of it, it's already succeeded — as if it had just appeared out of nowhere. In reality, the process involves a group of people contributing quietly, investing quietly.

Everything costs money; without money, it really won't work.

This is consistent with the nation's strategy of keeping a low profile—staying低调, developing first, and concealing true strength.

Actually, as for Chen Jinfei's specific background, he used to be in the CPPCC, but now hardly anyone knows the current situation.

He's very low-key now, unlike before when he was backing Liu Tianxian's career.

"Then how is your transition going?" Fang Hong asked.

"It's not that easy at all. Of course there's bound to be growing pains at the start," Chen Jinfei said.

"Then what about your real estate?" Fang Hong asked again.

"Real estate can't last long—it's too affected by policy. Didn't Li Chaoren also dump his properties here last year? He even said he wouldn't earn the last copper coin.

Actually, the country has also smelled the crisis and is actively adjusting, transitioning toward high-tech development. Otherwise, so many Electric Vehicle companies wouldn't have suddenly popped up.

And they wouldn't be calling for housing to be lived in, not speculated on. It's just that the public is too enthusiastic—it's not good." Chen Jinfei's sense of smell was still very sharp.

It's understandable—having started businesses several times, with several great rises and falls, and even being whipped, having seen and experienced so much, he had to grow, and his vision had to reach far.

Knowing full well it goes against development policy, yet stubbornly charging down one road to the end — isn't that just asking for a beating?

It seems Chen Jinfei's instincts are sharper than Lao Wang Zong's.

Lao Wang Zong simply didn't invest his money into high-tech industry; Jack Ma competed with the people for profit, even taking the vegetable farmers' money; Tony Ma wouldn't let other companies survive, blindly plagiarizing and getting hammered for it — only then did he adjust his investment strategy.

As long as they put their money into high-tech, real-economy fields, the higher-ups would definitely like them — look at how comfortable Lei Bus was later on.

Just like how Fang Hong actively invested in the film industry, the animation film industry — the higher-ups like him too, willing to smooth out hidden troubles for him, because what he's doing also counts as high-tech, having seized a share from Hollywood.

As long as you can keep in step with the higher-ups, they'll support you — it's not that complicated.

Damn it, if they tell you not to do real estate, you insist on doing it, and you keep eyeing the common folks' meager pennies — then you can't blame anyone.

Later, Baidu Apollo Go was so popular — using media and public opinion to blow up to the skies, wanting to roll out everywhere, but it just couldn't be rolled out. A pile of capital behind it wanted to push it but couldn't, and it lost all its buzz — because it touched the common folks' cake.

Feeding so many people is already not easy, and you still go for the fundamentals — then it's your fault.

The higher-ups'基调 is to have you go out there and compete, compete with foreign counterparts, beat them to death — not to compete with the common folks at home.

"Having thoughts like yours is right." Fang Hong's fundamental impression of Chen Jinfei had changed.

"What thoughts or no thoughts — I've just figured it out, go with the flow. As businessmen, we still need a basic understanding: after all, we're not capitalism." Chen Jinfei waved his hand, speaking euphemistically.

"Actually, sometimes the higher-ups have it tough too. If we don't go out and grab markets, don't go out and take other people's rice bowls, we ourselves won't be able to live well — we'll go hungry.

We've taken so many of other people's rice bowls, and we can only guarantee 1.4 billion people the most basic living conditions, yet we're still being targeted all the time."

Fang Hong, getting into his stride, continued:

"If we followed capitalism, it would be simple — everything depends on yourself. If you have ability, you make money, you're the boss;

if you have no ability, you're poor, you're the grandson; if you're inferior to others, you get exploited and squeezed. Amplify individual ability — how simple is that?

You can't find fault with it either. Capitalism is about amplifying individual ability; once your individual ability is strong, you can exploit others in reverse.

This way it's easy — live the life of a superior person, and not earn resentment. If you're not strong, who can you blame?

But we've taken the hardest path — when you're strong, when you're shining and giving off heat, you have to share your talent with everyone, share your value down.

This is a very contradictory thing, going against human nature. I have ability — why should I share, why should I share it? Right?"

Fang Hong suddenly got a bit talkative, mainly because he had seen another hidden side of Chen Jinfei.

A side like this — it's quite ideal.

(End of this chapter)