42: Chapter 42 Hoping for one's son to become a dragon

As the night deepened, the voices in the old alley gradually faded away, leaving only the chirping of insects rising and falling in the summer night, adding a touch of vitality to the tranquil evening.

Jiang Chen finished clearing the dining table and sat with his parents in the small courtyard for a while longer.

His parents had lived a hard life, and they were particularly attached to their old furniture and photo albums. They sat on small stools, carefully calculating what they could take with them and what to leave for the neighbors.

Jiang Chen listened patiently, occasionally chiming in, until both of them showed signs of weariness. Only then did he softly urge them to return to their room to rest.

Once the lights in his parents' room went out, the entire courtyard fell into complete silence.

Jiang Chen returned to his room, leaned against the headboard to chat with Lin Wan, and then replied to Teacher Su's message.

Ever since he returned, Teacher Su would send a photo of her OOTD every day. Looking at her perfect figure, Jiang Chen felt a surge of unbidden desire rising within him.

He cursed inwardly, "You little temptress."

He casually scrolled through his phone for a bit to calm his restless mood.

The retirement home for his parents was fully secured. From now on, he wouldn't have to worry about them living in the damp, drafty old house. The biggest weight on his mind had finally been lifted.

He glanced at the time; the second hand was inching closer to midnight.

The moment the time officially hit 00:00, a cold and familiar notification sound rang out suddenly in his mind.

[Ding! daily wealth intelligence has been updated.]

[Today's intelligence: Inside the abandoned brick factory in the western suburbs of Qingxi County, two steps east directly below the old chimney in the northwest corner, at a depth of 1.3 meters underground, there are six cases of vintage Moutai bottled in the 1980s. Each case contains six bottles. They have been buried in a completely light-proof and sealed environment, with full wine levels and excellent condition. Because the original owner met with an accident and disappeared back then, no one has known about this place since. It is an unowned buried item.]

Jiang Chen's gaze narrowed slightly.

Original cases of 1980s Moutai were truly "hard currency" in the vintage liquor collection circle.

Compared to individual loose bottles, vintage liquor sealed in its original case was extremely rare, and its value was skyrocketing.

One could imagine its weight, given that it had been preserved in such perfect condition.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately noted down the precise location and depth in his phone's memo app. He already had a complete plan in mind, just waiting for dawn to act.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.

Jiang Chen made an excuse about going for a morning workout, took a portable engineer shovel and several sturdy waterproof storage boxes from the garage, and drove straight to the abandoned brick factory in the western suburbs.

The brick factory had been abandoned for many years, with broken walls and overgrown weeds. No one ever wanted to come near it, making it extremely secluded.

He locked eyes on the mottled, old chimney immediately. Following the system's prompt, he walked to the spot two steps east directly below it. After confirming no one was around, he immediately bent down and began to dig.

The soil was soft, and the digging went exceptionally smoothly.

Less than ten minutes later, the engineer shovel hit a hard wooden object with a "clang."

Jiang Chen felt a surge of joy. He slowed his movements and carefully cleared the soil around it.

An intact, old wooden packing crate was fully revealed. Although the box was covered in dirt, its structure remained sturdy—a typical original factory carton from that era.

He took a deep breath and continued digging downward.

Sure enough, at this depth of 1.3 meters, there were six cases of undisturbed vintage Moutai arranged neatly!

[Image] Vintage Moutai

Each case was stacked tightly and seamlessly. The sealing condition far exceeded his expectations; not even a trace of the liquor's aroma had leaked out.

Jiang Chen didn't dare to delay. He carefully wiped the dirt and dust off each wooden box one by one, placed them into the waterproof storage boxes, and moved them in batches into the trunk of his panamera.

After finishing the work, he carefully backfilled the pit until it was level, restoring it to its original state without leaving even a trace of digging, before driving away.

Afterward, Jiang Chen headed straight to a high-end tobacco and liquor collection shop in the county seat that had been operating for many years and had the most solid reputation.

The owner's surname was Zhou. He had been in the business of buying vintage liquor for over twenty years. He had a keen eye, never randomly drove down prices, and was recognized in the circle as an honest man.

Jiang Chen parked the car at the back door and signaled for the other party to inspect the goods discreetly.

When Boss Zhou saw the year on the cases and their sealed condition, his eyes instantly lit up.

"Mr. Jiang, is this... an original case from the 1980s that hasn't been touched?"

Jiang Chen nodded slightly. "There are six cases in total. I'm selling five and keeping one for myself."

Boss Zhou immediately put on white gloves, fetched a high-intensity flashlight and a liquor inspection needle, and began to inspect them meticulously.

Checking the wine levels, looking at the seals, verifying the dates, inspecting the back labels, and smelling the liquor—after a full set of professional procedures, his expression became increasingly serious.

"Perfect condition, full wine levels, no leakage, no cracked seals, no moth damage. This is top-tier collection-grade merchandise."

Boss Zhou took a deep breath and gave a quote that aligned with the real market.

"In the current market, the acquisition price for a single bottle of 1980s Moutai is between thirty thousand and forty thousand. The price for an original case is even higher. I'll give you an honest price: two hundred and fifty thousand per case. Five cases for a total of one point two five million. I'll transfer the money on the spot, no haggling."

This price respected the value of the treasure and aligned with real market logic, so Jiang Chen didn't hesitate at all.

"Fine, it's a deal."

Boss Zhou immediately arranged for his finance department to process the corporate online banking transfer. A few minutes later, Jiang Chen's phone received a notification of the deposit.

[Jiangcheng Bank] Your account ending in 9985 has received an interbank transfer of: 1,250,000.00 Yuan. Account balance: 1,450,580.60 Yuan.]

With zero cost for the whole process and only spending one morning, a huge sum of money was securely in his pocket.

Jiang Chen locked the remaining case of Moutai securely deep in the trunk, intending to take two bottles home for his father and keep the rest in Jiangcheng as a souvenir.

After doing all this, he drove back to the old alley, fully dedicating himself to helping his parents move.

In the afternoon.

Jiang Chen was busy running around, taking on almost all the heavy and tiring work.

He carefully packed up the old furniture, bowls, chopsticks, bedding, and photo albums that his parents were reluctant to throw away, handling them with care for fear of bumping or damaging them.

At the same time, he quietly equipped the new house with a new bed, mattress, sofa, wardrobe, refrigerator, washing machine, and range hood. He chose environmentally friendly and durable models for everything, having them delivered and installed directly, sparing his parents any worry.

On the day of the move, Aunt Liu, Uncle Wang, and other neighbors enthusiastically came over to help.

A group of people bustlingly moved their things, walking all the way from the old Qingxi alley to the new residential complex, with sounds of envy and praise following them the whole way.

The three-bedroom apartment on the second floor was airy with north-south exposure and plenty of sunlight. Pushing open the balcony window, the large locust tree at the entrance of the old alley was clearly visible.

The vegetable market was right downstairs, and there was a hospital nearby. The residential complex was clean and tidy, and many old neighbors lived in the same building, so they wouldn't be lonely when going for walks, playing chess, or chatting in the future.

Liu Mei walked around the house again and again, touching the clean, smooth walls and looking at the bright, spacious living room, her eyes welling up with tears several times.

"I never thought I'd be able to live in such a good house in this lifetime. It's truly thanks to my son."

Jiang Jianjun stood to the side, his face also showing gratification. Having experienced the million-dollar luxury car and the large flat, he was already almost numb to his son's capabilities.

Taking advantage of the moment his father was on the balcony tending to plants and relaxing, Jiang Chen quietly took two bottles of 1980s Moutai from his car in the garage, put them in an ordinary plastic bag, and walked over as if nothing was the matter.

"Dad, I brought you two bottles of liquor. Drink a little when you're free, just enough to relax."

Jiang Jianjun didn't even turn his head, holding scissors to trim the branches and leaves, and laughed casually, "Wasting money again. There's still plenty of liquor at home..."

Halfway through his sentence, he turned around, took the bag, and glanced down at it casually.

That one glance made his whole body freeze instantly.

The yellowed label, the antique bottle body, the familiar Flying Fairy pattern, and that clear "198X" marking.

Jiang Jianjun had loved a drink his whole life. Although he couldn't afford vintage liquor, he knew the market for Moutai like the back of his hand.

He lifted the bottle with trembling hands, his fingertips brushing over the rough yet heavy bottle body, and then leaned in to smell that mellow, lingering, aged fragrance.

"This, son... is... is this old 1980s Moutai?!"

Jiang Jianjun's voice was trembling, his tone full of disbelief.

"A single bottle of this sells for tens of thousands outside, and you're giving me two at once? Where did you get this... such a valuable thing?"

Facing his father's shock, Jiang Chen just smiled softly, his tone as calm as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Don't you trust your son's capabilities yet? I saved two bottles for you, so drink them slowly. Don't be reluctant to drink them. This liquor is aged, mild, so just sip it."

Jiang Jianjun held the two bottles of liquor, standing on the balcony unable to speak for a long time.

But this was Moutai, 1980s Moutai!

This thing, even just one bottle, would be enough for him to brag about for many years.

He looked at his tall, mature son before him. A thousand words ultimately turned into a long, wry sigh, filled with self-deprecation and pride.

"I really haven't lived this life in vain. In the end, I've become a first-generation rich man thanks to my son! It was worth it!"