From Jiangcheng to Shanghai by water, they would pass through many cities, with Nanjing being the last major city before Shanghai.

An ancient capital of six dynasties.

Xia Xiao Lan was exceptionally slow when it came to cultural history.

The historical heritage of an ancient capital held less appeal to her than a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup.

History felt too heavy; discussing food was more relaxing.

Plus, the Jiang family was in Nanjing!

After passing so many cities in a day and night, Zhou Cheng hadn’t suggested going ashore anywhere else – only proposing to visit Nanjing. Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t help but wonder.

“Zhou Cheng, besides accompanying me for my birthday, do you have other tasks for this leave?”

“Not exactly tasks, I wanted to accompany you.”

Just passing through Nanjing stirred something in his heart. Perhaps he should take the chance to meet two people and inquire about the Jiang family’s situation. When Xiao Lan asked, Zhou Cheng felt embarrassed – he should focus on accompanying his beloved.

“Alright, I agree. Let’s go ashore at Nanjing!”

After yesterday’s birthday celebration and Zhou Cheng’s surprises, Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t possibly spoil the mood.

To find such a small passenger boat serving just the two of them – that meant chartering the entire vessel. How much money did Zhou Cheng spend?

Yesterday she was dizzy with surprise, but today President Xia had returned to her sharp-minded self, though the wind remained the same.

Since Zhou Cheng had other matters to attend to, there was nothing more to say – disembarking at Nanjing made sense. Xia Xiao Lan was equally curious, “I’ve been wanting to ask – boats aren’t like taxis, they don’t come immediately when called. Where did you find this passenger boat?”

“It was idle from a shipping company. I knew some friends from when I dealt with cigarettes. I just had to cover the round-trip fuel costs and give some allowance to the crew. It wasn’t troublesome.”

Zhou Cheng made it sound simple.

Xia Xiao Lan quickly kissed his cheek:

“You make it sound easy, but who knows how much effort it took!”

No matter how capable Zhou Cheng was, he couldn’t possibly know people everywhere in the country.

Calculating Xia Xiao Lan’s symposium schedule in Jiangcheng, and arranging everything just in time – must have cost money and favors.

Of course, it took effort.

Zhou Cheng’s cheek was wet, but his mood was good.

Everything he did was voluntary.

But having someone acknowledge his efforts, Xiao Lan’s understanding, felt like drinking a frozen Arctic Ocean soda on a hot summer day!

How could his future wife be so considerate?

Not spoiled or willful at all, completely different from other young women he knew.

Of course, the young women Zhou Cheng remembered were few – his cousins Yi Zhou, Li Li Tong, Fei Gao… and Yan Jiang, all of whom were spoiled and unlikeable.

Wasn’t Yan Jiang’s casual attitude also a form of privilege?

Without the Jiang family’s support, how could Yan Jiang speak and act with such confidence?

Zhou Cheng understood because he couldn’t completely avoid relying on his family either.

If he were just an ordinary company commander, how could he have developed his current network? Zhou Cheng was increasingly clear-headed now – the respect others showed wasn’t entirely for him but for the Zhou family. Thanks to his grandfather, father, and uncle, the efforts of his elders had given him today’s freedom to act.

Zhou Cheng’s progress was his current clarity.

He no longer thinks himself invincible.

Recognizing his abilities and position!

Some people never realized this their whole lives, but Zhou Cheng, successful at a young age, understood this principle at 22.

Was it shameful to rely on family?

Standing on such a high foundation, he naturally had to go further than ordinary people.

Thinking of Yan Jiang, Zhou Cheng’s thoughts wandered.

Xia Xiao Lan stood close beside him, not interrupting his thoughts.

Zhou Cheng had changed somehow.

Different from when Kai Shi died – back then, Zhou Cheng was inscrutable, and Xia Xiao Lan always suspected he might turn dark at any moment. Now, Zhou Cheng was like a sword with contained divine light, still roguish before Xia Xiao Lan, but more stable!

This change must be good, right?

Xia Xiao Lan held his hand, feeling somewhat sorry for him.

Zhou Cheng was only 22, just college graduation age. Ordinary people didn’t have to bear so much – seeing gunfire, experiencing life and death, and caring about his career prospects, while also wanting to clear Third Brother Pan’s name…

Both were lost in their thoughts.

Until they reached Nanjing.

Zhou Cheng settled the crew’s wages and let the boat depart.

After he and Xia Xiao Lan left, the crew finally breathed easily: “This is rare – spending so much to charter a boat, then not even riding to the destination. Must be some rich family’s wasteful son!”

“How do you know they’re wasteful?”

“If it’s not family money, could they have earned it themselves?”

“If I had such a beautiful partner, I’d also be willing to spend everything to please them…”

“Bah, your entire savings wouldn’t cover the fuel for this trip!”

How could someone be so rich?

The crew was puzzled.

Of course, in a few years, southern businessmen driving Mercedes with mistresses, treating money like confetti, would shock these fixed-salary workers even more.

The wheels of time rolled forward – those who didn’t keep up would be left further and further behind!

Xia Xiao Lan faintly heard their discussion but just smiled it off.

Zhou Cheng had spent quite a bit this time.

But how he spent his own money needed no explanation to anyone.

Don’t understand?

There were plenty of things they wouldn’t understand – why should she explain to strangers?

Different places nurture different people, and Nanjing’s environment seemed particularly remarkable. The women on the streets were completely different from those in South Henan.

Generally fair-skinned and better at presenting themselves.

No wonder they spoke the Wu dialect – listening to them talk felt completely different from South Henan.

Zhou Cheng accompanied Xia Xiao Lan for duck blood vermicelli soup and bought salt-water duck back at the hotel.

In the evening, Zhou Cheng went out alone and didn’t return by dawn. Unlike on the boat, they had two separate rooms in Nanjing. When Xia Xiao Lan knocked on Zhou Cheng’s door for breakfast, there was no response.

Past ten in the morning, Zhou Cheng hurriedly returned from outside, looking extremely tired.

“We can’t stay in Nanjing anymore. We need to head to Shanghai now.”

Xia Xiao Lan’s heart skipped – such urgency, had they alarmed the Jiang family?

“I packed my luggage this morning. If you say we need to leave, then let’s go.”

Zhou Cheng nodded and returned to pack his things.

From Zhou Cheng’s return to both of them packing and checking out, it took less than half an hour. Just as they left the hotel, a jeep slammed its brakes and stopped in front of them.

A man poked his head out of the window:

“Zhou Cheng, what a coincidence! Early this morning someone told me you were in Nanjing, but I didn’t believe it. How could someone like Zhou Cheng come to a small place like Nanjing? But since you’re here, why leave so hurriedly? That’s not right – it would make me, Wu Jiang, lose face if word got out about such poor hospitality!”

This man was none other than Wu Jiang, whom Xia Xiao Lan had only heard of but never met!