Jiang Han pulled out his phone and saw his sister's name on the screen. Confused, he answered.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Her voice was steady but filled with emotion. "I've transferred the money—4.5 million. This is all I could gather. Don't think it's too little."
Silence followed.
Just as Jiang Zhiyu was about to ask if he was still there, Jiang Han's voice, thick with emotion, came through the receiver.
"Sister… thank you."
Jiang Zhiyu huffed in irritation. "What kind of nonsense is that? Are you thanking me for over twenty years of love and care? Hah?"
Jiang Han panicked. "No, no! That's not what I meant—"
Before he could finish, her voice softened. "I'll hold things down here at the company for now. You focus on what you need to do. And don't ever say such things again… because we're family."
The call ended.
Jiang Han let out a deep breath, gripping his phone tightly. His gaze drifted toward the window, his resolve strengthening.
This was it.
Three hours later, at Modu Airport, an Airbus A340 bathed in the orange hues of sunset descended onto the runway.
Inside the cabin, Jiang Han stretched lazily.
"The magic capital, twenty years ago… I really missed this place."
As he stepped into the bustling airport terminal, waves of nostalgia washed over him.
This was the city where he had attended university.
And soon, it would be the city where he rose to power.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
The metallic body of his Nokia 8810 gleamed under the golden light, drawing glances from passersby.
"Hello?"
"Oh, I'm in the airport lobby."
"What? Behind me?"
Jiang Han turned, and sure enough, a young man in a crisp suit was waving from a distance.
In his hand was a Motorola GC87C—a bit bulky, but still a rarity among the crowd still using older models.
Jiang Han smirked, taking a few steps forward. "Looking sharp, Senior Brother. You've moved up in the world, huh?"
Zhang Chongan rolled his eyes and gestured to his suit. "Company dress code."
Then, shaking his phone, he added, "Second-hand. Picked it up a couple of days ago."
Jiang Han raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you get promoted to manager at Faithful Securities last year? Don't tell me that didn't come with a fat paycheck?"
Zhang Chongan scoffed. "Manager or not, I still work for someone else. Unlike you, Young Master Jiang, who owns a whole factory. Even your phone probably costs more than my entire wardrobe."
His gaze flicked to Jiang Han's Nokia 8810.
Jiang Han chuckled. "Haven't seen you in a year, and your sarcasm has only gotten sharper."
Zhang Chongan grinned. "A necessary survival skill. Otherwise, half my clients would hang up on me before I even finish a sentence."
He patted Jiang Han's shoulder. "It's getting late. Let's head home—your sister-in-law has dinner ready."
"Let's go."
Half an hour later, in a modest suburban apartment…
"I told you not to let him buy anything! What's with all this?"
At the dining table, Shen Rou, wearing an apron, placed two plates of stir-fried vegetables down while eyeing the pile of gift bags on the coffee table.
Zhang Chongan raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, don't blame me! I told him not to, but he insisted."
Jiang Han scratched his head, looking innocent. "It's been over a year since I visited. I know you wouldn't take money, but at least let me cover food and lodging, okay? Besides, Brother Zhang depends on you—I just want to help however I can."
Shen Rou's eyes softened. She nodded approvingly. "Haven't seen you in a year, and you've become much more thoughtful. I like this new side of you."
But Zhang Chongan wasn't convinced.
He set his chopsticks down and studied Jiang Han carefully.
"This isn't like you," he said, his tone turning serious. "What's going on?"
Jiang Han hesitated for a moment before sighing. "It's nothing big. I want to try my hand in the stock market, and you're the only person I trust who knows the game."
Zhang Chongan's eyes widened in surprise but quickly relaxed.
A family like Jiang Han's—owning a major computer factory—would naturally introduce their only heir to finance sooner or later.
It was only a matter of time.