"And now, please welcome Mr. Chen Yang, Chairman of Mengxue Group, to cut the ribbon for Shenzhen's new landmark, the Mengxue Building!"
Amidst a barrage of flashing lights, Chen Yang, clad in a sharp suit, walked towards the magnificent building with a pair of scissors.
The Mengxue Building, standing at 780 meters, would be the tallest structure in Shenzhen and even in all of Asia upon completion. He was its financier, and it would serve as the new headquarters for his Mengxue Group.
"Chairman Chen, you are 59 this year. Have you cultivated a successor to take over Mengxue Group? The outside world is very curious about rumors regarding your successor."
The young reporter posed a rather pointed question. Under normal circumstances, such an inquiry would never have appeared at a Mengxue Group press conference, let alone reach Chen Yang's ears.
After all, it was widely known that the chairman of Mengxue Group had no children and had never indulged in womanizing. He lived a solitary life.
The lack of an heir presented a significant uncertainty for a behemoth like Mengxue Group. Should anything happen to Chen Yang, the company's stock price would inevitably plummet, like a colossal ship losing its captain.
"Mengxue Group has an experienced management team, including my executive assistant, several executive directors, and administrative directors from various departments. We do not require a successor."
"A second-generation heir with no substance would only disrupt the group's normal operations. I prefer to entrust professional matters to a professional team. I have one hundred percent confidence in Mengxue Group's management team."
Chen Yang snipped the red silk ribbon. His response led the reporter who asked the question to inwardly call him an old fox.
However, it was no wonder that Chen Yang, who had built a colossal fortune from scratch, could not be easily flustered by a mere reporter.
As Chen Yang turned to leave, unnoticed by anyone, a tear seemed to glisten in the corner of his eye.
...
"No heir, hahaha, a fine statement about having no heir."
"Chen Yang, Chen Yang, you've earned more money than you could spend in ten lifetimes. You stand so high, but what's the use?"
"Useless, you pathetic good-for-nothing!"
"Xue'er, Meng Yan, I'm so sorry to both of you, so sorry!"
In the opulent villa's inner courtyard, unbeknownst to anyone, Chen Yang, the chairman of Mengxue Group who commanded such influence in the business world, was drunkenly downing alcohol like a madman.
"I regret it!"
Under the haze of alcohol, a blurred scene seemed to appear before Chen Yang's eyes.
It was a humble adobe courtyard, illuminated by a dim kerosene lamp.
A woman with a delicate face was engrossed in writing something at a desk. Beside her, a well-behaved infant slept soundly in a warm bed.
A man with a crew cut, carrying a bundle, stood at the doorway, watching the woman silently. Shouts could be heard from outside. The man gritted his teeth and prepared to leave.
"Don't you dare leave! Chen Yang, you cowardly worm, if you dare to leave, I'll kill you!"
With a loud crash in the villa, the wine bottle shattered. Glass shards cut Chen Yang's hand, causing blood to flow freely, yet he paid it no mind.
Instead, he shouted like a madman!
"Don't leave!"
"I beg you, don't go, don't leave her behind, I beg you..."
Chen Yang's blood-stained hand flailed in the air. He first roared with all his might for the man not to leave, but the man in the scene seemed not to hear him at all.
He walked further and further away, until the dilapidated adobe courtyard was barely visible in his sight.
In the villa, Chen Yang's shouts turned into helpless pleas. He collapsed on the ground, desperately trying to grab the legs of the man in his hallucination.
Unwittingly, he ended up with his entire body impaled by the shards of broken glass littering the floor, yet he felt no pain.
Compared to the physical agony, the endless regret of these years was more painful than any knife thrust!
This scene had appeared countless times in Chen Yang's mind. The man who left home was Chen Yang from over 30 years ago.
Their parting led to a broken family and ruined lives!
Years later, Chen Yang learned that after returning to the city, his daughter had fallen gravely ill. To save their daughter, his wife had gone to the black market to sell blood. She eventually succumbed to illness and died in pain and suffering.
She had waited for him to return until her very last breath.
And what had he done?
After going down to the countryside, among all the educated youths, only Shen Xue had been tolerant and supportive of him while he prepared for exams. Upon returning to the city and the resumption of the college entrance examination, he had unhesitatingly been admitted to university. He then went abroad, started a company, and amassed immense wealth.
But his wife had died amidst illness, and his daughter viewed him as an enemy, treating him as a stranger.
He regretted it so deeply!
If he could have a second chance, he would never abandon his wife and daughter again, never!
Under the dual delusion induced by alcohol and rapid blood loss, Chen Yang's consciousness began to blur. Tears mixed with blood streamed down his face.
His world began to darken.
Until, a beam of light, as if to pierce his eyes.
...
"Chen Yang, what are you spacing out about? Didn't you hear Brother Maosheng?"
"Out of the few of us, you're the only one who doesn't know the seriousness of the situation. After only a few years here, you've gotten involved with a country woman and even had a child. According to policy, if you get married, you can't return to the city."
"Hurry up and divorce that woman. If you delay until the list is released, don't blame us brothers for not warning you if you can't go back."
Chen Yang felt a burning sensation all over his body. The haystack beside him emitted a pungent smell mixed with the fragrance of rice and decaying earth, making him dizzy.
Having lived a life of comfort for decades, how long had it been since he had smelled such an aroma?
"I'm talking to you. If your parents hadn't asked me to look after you, I wouldn't bother. Don't reject brotherly advice, you little rascal."
The man in the blue cloth jacket roughly hit Chen Yang's face with the rice stalks in his hand. The sharp rice poked Chen Yang's neck, causing a slight sting. Although it didn't draw blood, it left a few scratches.
The sudden pain finally jolted Chen Yang awake.
Looking at the golden expanse of rice fields before him, and at Zheng Weiguo, who was hitting him with rice stalks, Chen Yang's heart sank, followed by an uncontrollable surge of joy.
He picked up the sickle in his hand and, with a resolute bite, cut deeply into his own arm.
Crimson blood instantly flowed down his arm. The piercing pain, however, brought no agony to Chen Yang. Instead, he burst into laughter.
"It hurts, it's not a dream. It's not a dream."
"I've truly returned, I've returned. It's 1978, and I haven't returned to the city yet..."
Chen Yang's laughter was that of a man gone mad. Zheng Weiguo, on the other hand, seemed stunned by Chen Yang's self-mutilation with the sickle.
It wasn't until a tall, burly man rushed forward and used his sweat towel, which he wore around his neck, to quickly bandage Chen Yang's bleeding arm, that Zheng Weiguo snapped back to reality.
"Kid, you don't have to mutilate yourself just to force Shen Xue to divorce you."
"Just say it. That country girl dared not divorce you, and you could actually bring yourself to do it."
Zheng Weiguo grumbled, but Chen Yang ignored him entirely. He dropped the rice stalks in his hand and sprinted towards the adobe courtyard that had appeared in his dreams countless times in his previous life.