February 9.
Longguo, Pengcheng.
Luke had flown back from Los Angeles to Longguo three days ago.
In those three days he had handled so backlog at his company in Pengcheng and made a trip to the Icefire Jewelry Co. Ltd. in Yangcheng, where he "released" a batch of top-grade jadeite. Old Li said they would be able to produce quite a few fine pieces this year.
Today was the 22nd of the twelfth lunar month — the day before Little New Year.
According to Longguo tradition, it was ti to go ho.
At eight in the morning, Luke drove his black Range Rover out of the garage in Pengcheng and set the navigation for Xiaoping City in Mulan Province.
Seven hundred kiloters — roughly seven hours' drive.
He didn't ask a driver to take him, nor did he take a plane or high-speed rail. He wanted to drive back himself.
The scenery outside the windows changed from skyscrapers to green mountains and rivers. The journey itself was a kind of healing.
In the British Treasure sound system of the Range Rover, "Take to Find Nightlife" by GA5 was playing.
"If you still haven't slept, if you still keep chasing…"
Luke humd along for a few lines, but his eyes remained fixed on the view outside.
The distinctive karst landscape of Mulan Province unfolded before him.
Towering green peaks rose abruptly from the ground, with winding rivers at their feet reflecting blue sky and white clouds.
Occasionally they passed a small village, smoke curling from chimneys, chickens and dogs calling to one another.
Vast sugarcane fields and orchards stretched out — beautiful mountains and rivers, any random shot could make a perfect postcard.
Luke suddenly felt a little dazed.
What had his dream been back then?
To pay off the mortgage, to own a car so he could drive wherever he wanted, to save enough money before he turned forty and then lie flat — no wife, no children, living freely for the rest of his life.
In those years he had desperately looked for work, desperately saved money, desperately tried to earn a little more.
The interest on his online loans had suffocated him. The mortgage repaynt date hung over his head like a sword. He didn't dare date, didn't dare spend, didn't dare get sick, and didn't even dare go ho for New Year… because he had no money.
Back then he had thought: if he could just clear all his debts, if he could have his own car and drive wherever he wanted, casually take road trips, and casually visit relatives in the countryside during the holidays without asking for help…
If he could openly buy gifts for his parents and sister during New Year, how wonderful that would be.
And now?
The debts had long been paid off.
He had a car… and not just any car — in his limited understanding, the best one: a Range Rover.
The money he spent on his family had grown so large that they were afraid to spend it casually.
He had more money than he could ever spend, a whole world, and an empire.
Yet he felt lost.
The closer he got to Xiaoping City, the calr he beca.
No — not calm. It was sothing more complicated… hosickness? No. He wasn't afraid of going ho. It was a kind of… emptiness.
He no longer knew what he was chasing.
Wealth? He already had it.
Power? In Westeros he was a lord with two thousand soldiers and would soon possess dragons — a true Celestial Dragon.
On Earth he was a low-profile tycoon, the hidden boss behind more than a dozen companies.
But then what?
What had he done all this for?
His original dream had already been fulfilled — and exceeded. So what ca next?
Luke gripped the steering wheel tighter, eyes on the endless highway stretching ahead.
"My original dream was just to pay off all the online loans and the mortgage, work until forty, and then lie flat…" he murmured to himself. "Now I'm lying flat. So what cos after?"
The car kept moving forward.
The scenery outside flew past.
Finally the Range Rover exited the highway.
Xiaoping City.
This small city in Mulan Province was where Luke had lived for six years — three years of junior high and three years of high school.
Later he went elsewhere for university, then moved to Pengcheng after graduation. The number of tis he had co back could be counted on one hand.
He did not head straight ho.
Instead he drove around the small city aimlessly.
This city he had been away from for so long seed both completely changed and exactly the sa.
New housing developnts had sprung up, old streets had been renovated, but those familiar corners and landmarks from his mory still stood quietly in place.
When he passed "Culture Park," he saw a group of elderly people dancing square dance.
The music was loud — the kind of popular songs from ten years ago.
As he drove through the city center he saw the old departnt store building was still there. The exterior had been refurbished, but the sign on the roof still used the sa font from decades ago.
He rembered the first ti he had co from the countryside to take the "enrollnt exam." Back then he had thought Xiaoping City was incredibly grand — tall buildings, heavy traffic, practically the most prosperous city in the universe!
Later he had visited big cities — Yangcheng, Pengcheng, Los Angeles, New York — and seen true prosperity.
But in his heart, the place this small city occupied had never changed.
Without realizing it, he arrived at "Ethnic Middle School" — his junior high alma mater.
The car rolled slowly past the school gate. Looking at the familiar entrance, mories flooded back like a tide.
He seed to see several junior-high boys sneaking off to an internet café on Friday nights to play gas all night, then returning the next morning with panda eyes, only to be stopped by that "evil" security guard who confiscated their school badges and gave them a lecture.
He seed to see a rustic, dark-skinned, skinny, short country boy standing in front of several fashionable city girls in skirts, confidently boasting:
"No matter where I go, I can conquer it. I was the top student in the countryside, and I'll be the top student here too. When I get to high school, I'll definitely still be a god of learning!"
How confident he had been back then. How arrogant. How unaware of how high the sky really was.
And then?
The car continued forward.
Next stop: Xiaoping City Third Senior High School — his high school alma mater.
Luke parked the car by the roadside, got out, and stood at the school gate for a long ti.
On the wall to the left of the gate, a large line of characters stood out clearly:
"Today I am proud of Third High. Tomorrow Third High will be proud of ."
mories surged like a tide.
It could be said that this was an even more "legendary" period in his life.
The most glorious chapter of his life had taken place inside this school.
His grades had been among the best in the grade, his essays had been published in the school newspaper, his speeches had won applause at school assemblies.
His worldview and values had basically taken shape here.
His level of knowledge had reached its peak here!
Back then he had believed his life would be smooth sailing — get into a good university, find a good job, achieve success, bring honor to his ancestors.
And then?
Graduation ant unemploynt.
Twenty-six years old, and he had achieved nothing.
Luke stood there, looking at those words, and suddenly found them glaring.
"Tomorrow Third High will be proud of "?
What was he, Luke? Nothing but a fart.
If he hadn't suddenly obtained the golden finger, he really would have been a complete failure.
A graduate who couldn't even find a stable job several years later, a man who didn't dare go ho for New Year, a disgrace to his alma mater.
He took a deep breath, turned, and got back into the car.
He started the engine, shifted into gear, and stepped on the accelerator.
"Fuck it," he muttered. "No matter what, I've made it now! I didn't steal, I didn't rob, I didn't exploit the people, I didn't engage in corruption!"
The Range Rover headed toward ho.
Ten minutes later he arrived at "Tis International Phase Three."
This residential complex was all too familiar.
Five years ago, while he was still a junior in university, housing prices had still been high. The family had discussed taking out a loan to buy him an apartnt.
His parents had worried prices would keep rising, and his sister had urged him to buy early.
Everyone had believed that once he graduated he would earn big money and easily pay off the mortgage.
He had believed it too.
He had been a top student since childhood — always the pride of the family. Of course he would get into a good university, of course he would get a high-paying job, of course he would make sothing of himself.
And then?
Graduation ant unemploynt.
He had sent out countless résumés and attended countless interviews — either rejected or offered pitifully low salaries.
He had worked several jobs in several places, none of them lasting. At twenty-six he had no savings and still owed money on online loans. It was the ultimate joke.
The first university student from the village had turned out to be a piece of shit!
If he hadn't suddenly obtained the ability to travel freely between the two worlds last year, he probably wouldn't have dared to co ho for New Year this year either. He simply wouldn't have had the face to see his family or the villagers!
Two years ago he had finally understood why the Hegemon-King of Western Chu had refused to cross back east of the river!
Luke parked the Range Rover in a public parking spot outside the complex gate.
It was six in the evening — rush hour. People were coming and going at the entrance. Many noticed the brand-new black Range Rover and their eyes were drawn to it.
A new Range Rover — landing price well over two million.
Then they saw the young man who stepped out — handso, full of vigor, wearing a well-tailored suit of excellent fabric that clearly wasn't cheap.
He looked exactly like the overbearing CEO who had stepped out of a TV drama.
Passersby turned their heads.
Soone whispered, "Whose son is that? He must be rich."
Soone guessed, "Probably the son of so boss."
Soone envied, "That car must cost several million, right?"
Luke ignored the stares and was about to enter the complex when a childish voice called out:
"Uncle! Ah, Mom, look — it's Uncle!"
He turned.
His older sister Lu Fang was leading her one-year-old daughter Xie Xinyue out of the complex. The mont the little girl saw Luke, her eyes lit up. She waved her little hands, eager to run to him.
Luke smiled and walked over, bending down to pick her up.
Lu Fang quickly stopped him. "Don't hug her! She was playing in the sand earlier — she's filthy. Don't get your clothes dirty."
She looked her brother up and down, eyes shining. "Xiao Ke, that outfit looks amazing! It must have cost a fortune!"
Luke ignored her and lifted his niece anyway, casually replying:
"It's fine. It didn't cost much."
The little girl giggled in his arms, saring her dirty little hands all over his expensive suit.
Lu Fang shook her head helplessly, but the smile on her face could not be hidden.
Of course she had no idea that her brother's suit was an Italian custom-made pure-handcrafted piece. The people who had queued up to get one alongside him might have been top-tier old money or high-ranking officials from various countries.
She only knew that her little brother had co ho.
And that her little brother had made it.
That was enough.
Luke carried his niece and followed his sister into the complex.
The glow of the setting sun stretched their shadows long and far behind them.
In the distance, the Range Rover sat quietly by the roadside, gleaming warmly in the evening light.
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