I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping Chapter 2388 - 1512: If There Is an Afterlife (Part 2)

In the realm of enterprise, cultivating robust customer relationships through genuine enthusiasm is paramount for success.

"Mm. Back for a drink."

A drink.

This phrase, common in the Sha City dialect, signifies participation in celebratory events like weddings, graduations, or birthdays.

"Are you working out of town?"

"Mm. For the sake of living, I had to leave my hometown."

The flower shop owner, finding his statement amusing, turned to face him. "You must be joking; you look like a very outstanding person."

Boss Jiang, a veritable master of social maneuvers, instantly bridged the distance between himself and the young proprietor of the flower shop.

"How do you know I’m outstanding?"

"It’s a feeling."

As she meticulously arranged the blooms, the shop owner added, "I’m pretty accurate at judging people."

"You’re not planning to rip me off, are you?"

Jiang Chen harbored a suspicion that the compliment might not be entirely genuine.

The female shopkeeper let out a gentle chuckle. "How could that be? Our shop has clearly marked prices."

She then paused briefly.

"This bouquet is 88 yuan. If you find it too expensive, you can still opt not to buy it."

"Can it be a bit cheaper?"

"Nope~, it’s just a small business."

While her smile wasn't breathtaking, it possessed a disarming approachability. Her demeanor and courteousness suggested a thriving business.

Amidst their lighthearted exchange, the bouquet was finally prepared.

"Give me 80, we’ll round off the change."

Despite her earlier stance against haggling, she demonstrated considerable generosity.

However, for a prominent figure like Boss Jiang, there was no need to take advantage of a small shopkeeper. He retrieved his wallet, which conveniently contained cash, withdrew a hundred-dollar bill, and placed it elegantly on the counter.

"No need for change."

He accepted the completed bouquet.

The female owner appeared momentarily taken aback, perhaps unaccustomed to such "generous" patrons in a smaller city. She called out to Jiang Chen as he began to turn away.

"Hey——"

Jiang Chen turned back, meeting her gaze.

Her lips moved slightly, but the words seemed to elude her. After a moment, she picked up a greeting card. "Do you need...?"

Jiang Chen offered a subtle smile. "No need. Wishing you prosperous business."

The young shop owner with short hair hesitated, her expression revealing a hint of uncertainty. She tentatively inquired, "Have you bought flowers here before?"

"You resemble a college classmate of mine."

"The arrangement for the flowers is beautiful."

With those words, Jiang Chen turned and departed the flower shop.

The young shop owner watched him disappear from view, then turned her attention to the hundred-dollar bill, a smile gracing her lips.

This was, she mused, one of the simple joys of running a flower shop.

One encountered so many interesting individuals.

"Let’s go."

Holding the flowers, Jiang Chen opened the car door and stepped inside.

Fang Qing tilted her head. "Only bought one bouquet?"

"You want one too?"

"Going empty-handed?"

"You’ve visited more often than I have; just this time, I guess, they won’t mind."

Jiang Chen nonchalantly fastened his seatbelt. "If they do mind, you can just blame me. After all, that’s your expertise."

Indeed, Fang Qing, who had a propensity for tattling during her childhood, started the car, her sunglasses perched stylishly on her straight nose.

"Do you dream about Uncle Jiang and them?"

"I used to. Not much now. I looked it up; it said they don’t want me too preoccupied; they want me to live well."

A smile touched Jiang Chen's lips. "You know, despite all the talk of how sinister people can be, when I searched online for these things, all the words were heartwarming."

Fang Qing pictured a heartbroken young man seeking solace online, and the corners of her lips curved upward gently.

"I thought you were truly made of iron."

"Can’t say iron; reluctantly a tough guy, perhaps."

Fang Qing couldn't suppress a burst of laughter.

"What’s so funny? If it were you, you’d definitely be crying your eyes out every night."

"What are you talking about!"

Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Jiang Chen quickly apologized. "Sorry about that. Make sure not to tell Uncle Fang any of this."

This had evidently formed a psychological shadow.

Unfortunate souls often spend their lives endeavoring to heal from their childhood experiences.

"You can spill secrets, and I can’t?"

"How about a 10% salary raise."

Money often spoke louder than words; times had certainly changed things. Unlike in childhood, when an apology was the primary recourse, Jiang Chen decisively employed his "cash capability."

"You’re insulting me."

"30%."

Fang Qing remained unmoved.

"50%."

"Deal."

————

Baoshan Cemetery.

Jiang Chen placed the flowers down.

Sha City had instituted a ban on firecrackers and fireworks a decade prior.

Jiang Chen had requested Fang Qing wait at the foot of the hill, yet she still followed, observing as he knelt before his parents' grave and then calmly bowed three times.

As a seasoned lawyer, she had witnessed countless life's joys and sorrows, yet she found herself deeply moved by this solemn display.

Of course.

Sunglasses obscured her face, leaving her expressions hidden.

"Do you believe my parents are weary of glimpsing your visage? Are they perhaps contemplating when I might introduce someone new into our lives?"

Very well.

His initial utterance upon rising was a testament to his hardened resolve.

It was no surprise that Fang Qing resorted to clandestine schemes from a young age.

In the face of individuals like him, could one possibly navigate life without resorting to stratagem?

Now, observing such brazen remarks, one could easily surmise the frequency with which he invited retribution in their earlier years.

Even Fang Qing, possessing a will as firm as steel, found her heart heavy. While she typically maintained her composure before Uncle Jiang and his family, his words were, in truth, excessively provocative.

"Whom do you intend to bring with you?"

She inquired.

Jiang Chen remained reticent.

"It is your prerogative to bring whomever you please. However, their acceptance hinges on whether Uncle Jiang and his family find them agreeable. Would you prefer them to manifest in your dreams?"

In essence.

They would only approve of you?

Indeed, that was a valid point.

Jiang Chen was acutely aware of his parents' profound affection for Fang Qing. Even during their primary school years, he had frequently alluded to a betrothal, a topic they gradually ceased mentioning as they matured through middle school and gained greater sensibility.

Both families were recognized for their progressive attitudes, respecting the wishes of their offspring and refraining from imposing strict parental mandates. Nevertheless, after years of discussion, acquaintances and childhood companions were well aware of the arrangement; once it ceased to be a topic of conversation, could it truly be dismissed as non-existent?

The formative minds of the two youngsters had long since been deeply imprinted with this understanding.

"I do hope they will grace my dreams with their presence."

As adversaries since childhood, Jiang Chen offered his reply with a tranquil demeanor, never conceding ground.

Having unburdened some of her emotions, Fang Qing regained her equilibrium, choosing not to engage further at the solemn gravesite.

"Should they not visit your dreams, it would serve both your well-being and their eternal peace."

"That is correct."

Jiang Chen's gaze settled upon the faded photograph adorning the tombstone, "We shall inevitably encounter each other once more in the cycle of rebirth."

"The next life?"

Aware of the impropriety, yet bound by her legal training, Fang Qing could not entirely suppress her curiosity, softly posing the question.

"Is there truly such a thing as a subsequent existence?"

Practitioners of law, by their very nature, are typically grounded in materialism.

"Do you harbor a belief that such a thing does not exist?"

Fang Qing offered no verbal response.

Jiang Chen bestowed a subtle smile, his eyes fixed upon the gravestone.

"Consider the ephemeral mayfly, which experiences a lifespan of merely twenty-four hours. It forms a bond with a grasshopper; as night descends, the grasshopper returns home, bidding farewell with 'See you tomorrow.' The mayfly expresses astonishment, questioning if 'tomorrow' even exists. Later, the grasshopper encounters a frog preparing for hibernation, stating, 'I shall slumber until next year; farewell.' The grasshopper is left bewildered, pondering if a 'next year' is plausible."

"Thus," he continued, "unless you have personally experienced it, how can you definitively assert that a subsequent life is an impossibility?"

This time, her silence stemmed not from a refusal to counter, but rather from the difficulty in formulating a response. Fang Qing listened attentively, then offered a graceful smile.

"Will this impending life precisely mirror the one we are living now?"

"That particular query... I shall furnish an answer once I have arrived to experience it."

Once you have transmigrated to the next existence?

Fang Qing turned, her curiosity piqued.

"Are you implying that we are destined to meet again in a future incarnation?"

"Have you ever partaken in a game? It bears a resemblance, though not an exact replication. The initial stages should remain consistent, but subsequent decisions could diverge, leading to varied outcomes and alternate destinies... implying our neighborly connection will persist."

With that pronouncement, Jiang Chen let out a sigh, "Contemplating it in this manner is, to be perfectly candid, rather disquieting."

Fang Qing averted her gaze.

"Disquieting? I find myself rather invigorated. The prospect of tormenting you anew fills me with excitement."

Jiang Chen directed a pained grimace toward his parents' tomb, "Father, Mother, did you hear? A betrothal in the next life is permissible, but I implore you, make arrangements with someone else, won't you?"

Fang Qing offered a gentle smile, her sunglasses shielding her eyes, her long tresses dancing freely in the ambient breeze.