Chapter 114: Inheriting the Family Legacy

After clearing his thoughts, Chen Hao finalized his plans for the upcoming period. The foremost priority was naturally to spend quality time exploring and enjoying the place with Gu Mengyan and Fan Yirou, as that was the primary reason the three had come here in the first place.

He had previously thought there was nothing worthwhile to see in Crystal, but after some reflection, Chen Hao realized that Crystal wasn’t truly devoid of attractions. Rather, the official stance was a precaution to protect ordinary tourists from potential dangers, which was why they discouraged visitors.

Through conversations overheard during meals between Gu Mengyan, Fan Yirou, and Dong Xin, Chen Hao learned about many interesting spots in Crystal. He resolved to take the two women to visit these places, also hoping to deepen his relationship with Fan Yirou.

During the recent meal, Fan Yirou had clearly shown closeness toward him, even taking his hand to act coquettishly. Such affection! Could it be that she had finally come to a realization? Previously, her attitude had been aloof, leaving Chen Hao feeling uncertain and uneasy. Now, seeing her take the initiative, he knew he must seize this opportunity to solidify their relationship.

Wasn’t Shao Tian’s message from his parents about their expectations clear? They wanted him to settle down soon—if not marry immediately, at least confirm a partner.

Chen Hao felt this trip to Crystal could accomplish that honorable yet challenging mission.

In his excitement, Chen Hao failed to notice the sour expression on Gu Mengyan’s face when Fan Yirou held his hand and rested her head on his shoulder during the meal. To Chen Hao, since Gu Mengyan and Fan Yirou were friends, and he was Gu Mengyan’s brother, Gu Mengyan should be happy and supportive if he and Fan Yirou got together. Yet, unbeknownst to him, Gu Mengyan saw Fan Yirou not just as a friend but as a rival for his affections.

Apart from this primary task, Chen Hao had other plans. First, he needed to deal with Dong Xin, who was accompanying them. He had to find out why this woman was following them. Was it because of his involvement in the game, and thus sent by Virtual Reality Corporation to investigate and track him? Or was it related to matters in Crystal, dispatched by the same company? Was their meeting truly a coincidence as she claimed, or was she genuinely here seeking inspiration for game development?

Only by understanding her true motives could Chen Hao plan his next steps. Remaining passive was not his style. Besides uncovering her intentions, he also hoped to extract secrets about Virtual Reality Corporation from Dong Xin—how much she knew about Crystal, and how he might gather intelligence.

The third matter was a personal curiosity: Chen Hao wanted to explore the forest in Crystal. He was fascinated by novel and mysterious things. After the founding of Virtual Reality Corporation and the development of virtual reality games, his first job had been there as a technician, hoping to get close to these strange phenomena. Unfortunately, his wish was never fulfilled, as the company’s secrecy around top-level secrets was impenetrable. Despite years of service, he knew no more than outsiders about core company secrets, much of what he learned was through speculation or rumors.

Chen Hao believed that Virtual Reality Corporation must have its own base or laboratory in Crystal, where many confidential activities took place. He didn’t fantasize about sneaking in unnoticed, but knowing its location would be beneficial.

That peculiar building deep in the forest might well be the source of the company’s inspiration and technology for game development. Virtual Reality Corporation’s technology was far ahead of its time, leading every industry it touched.

According to his father, the company’s core technology was at least a decade ahead of any competitor, even surpassing NASA in some fields. NASA—the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration—is arguably the world’s most advanced scientific organization. If Virtual Reality Corporation was more advanced than NASA, where did their technology come from? Surely not developed independently. Chen Hao suspected they must have received some external aid—whether from ancient civilizations or alien technology—it was extraordinary.

Chen Hao didn’t seek wealth or fame from this curiosity; it was purely to satisfy his own inquisitiveness.

Finally, he planned to visit his father. It had been a long time since they last met; he wondered how his father was doing and if his health remained good. He also had questions about martial arts he wanted to ask.

Recently, Chen Hao intended to go into business with Fan Yirou. Whether they ended up opening a martial arts school or a gaming studio, he knew he couldn’t neglect his martial arts skills. Over the years since starting work, he had indeed been neglectful. His skill had not advanced but rather regressed somewhat.

Since graduation, he had hit a bottleneck in martial arts, making further progress difficult. This was largely why he had let practice slip. His father often told him that reaching a certain level in martial arts inevitably led to a plateau, a bottleneck caused by various reasons.

To break through, one needed either constant real combat experience, pushing oneself to life-or-death moments to trigger a sudden breakthrough, or a sudden external stimulus that sparked enlightenment. This stimulus could be many things—a song, a movie, a painting, a visit to majestic mountains, or even a casual remark from someone.

Yet, after all these years, none of these had happened to Chen Hao. He sometimes wondered if his father had been exaggerating.

Still, he felt it necessary to have a serious talk with his father, which would surely please him. After all, his father had always said that the legacy and flourishing of the Chen family’s martial arts depended on him.

Originally, his father intended for him to inherit the family’s martial arts and focus wholeheartedly on it. As for the family’s business empire, his father planned to pass it all to Gu Mengyan.

This revealed how much Chen Ding’an cared for his adopted daughter, entrusting her with the vast family enterprise. The Chen family business was no small street-side shop or shell company; it was a large publicly listed group in the country.

Though it didn’t rival Virtual Reality Corporation, it was still formidable in its own right. The wealth involved was staggering; even a tiny fraction of shares would allow many poor people to live in luxury for a lifetime.

Chen Hao inheriting the family’s martial arts was expected, given his early talent and achievements. But Gu Mengyan inheriting the business? That was another matter. She seemed to have little aptitude for it, which puzzled Chen Ding’an greatly. Both her biological parents were brilliant researchers, so logically, she shouldn’t be lacking in ability.

Moreover, she had been raised by Chen Ding’an and his wife, both business-minded. She should have been influenced by them.

Yet, the reality was the opposite. Gu Mengyan remained an ordinary girl without any particular strengths.

Still, this did not diminish the fondness Chen Ding’an and his wife felt for her. If she lacked talent, she could simply live as a wealthy heiress. After all, there was Chen Hao to take care of the rest.

However, the question of inheritance prompted the couple to reconsider. Fortunately, alongside Chen Hao and Gu Mengyan, there was another outstanding young lady—Fan Yirou. Though young, she had already inherited her own family’s business from her father. Although it had yet to bear fruit, this was not entirely her fault; various factors had made it difficult for her family business to thrive.

Even Chen Ding’an himself might have struggled to salvage such a troubled enterprise.

He had watched Fan Yirou grow up, since she had lived in his household from a young age. While their bond wasn’t as close as with Chen Hao and Gu Mengyan, it was still respectable.

Furthermore, after years of observation, Chen Ding’an found her nature kind and sincere. Any occasional stubbornness was merely typical girlhood temperament.

If Chen Hao and Fan Yirou married, he and his wife would fully support it.

Once married, Chen Ding’an could entrust the family business to Fan Yirou’s management. Early on, he might assist her, but as she matured and gained experience, he and his wife could retire in peace, tending flowers and plants and enjoying time with their grandchildren.

Chen Hao was unaware of these plans; he only knew his father hoped he would carry on the family’s martial arts legacy. If he sought him out for this reason, he was sure his father would welcome him warmly. It seemed he needed to find time soon to visit his father.