I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping
Chapter 1296 - 894 This heart is bright, what more is there to say?

Chapter 1296: 894 This heart is bright, what more is there to say?

"General Niu, you’re being too formal. Everything I’ve done is essentially the same as what you’ve done. You founded Su Da and stuck to your original aspirations for years, isn’t it all for personal ambitions and ideals?"

Cao Jinse had already laid the groundwork thoroughly, and it was naturally time to take control of the conversation.

Jiang Chen smiled and said, "General Niu is not a saint. Neither am I. No matter what we say, everything we do is to achieve our personal goals. And all of you are working hard to help us realize those goals. With that being the case, I believe it is our duty and responsibility to meet your basic needs."

No business tycoon had ever expressed such an opinion before.

It seemed the meaning was still the same, yet somehow, the change in phrasing made it sound surprisingly pleasant to hear. This young man, who commanded vast wealth and power, suddenly felt remarkably grounded.

"What are basic needs? They’re nothing more than the essentials of clothing, food, housing, and transportation. In this regard, General Niu had already thought ahead, setting a precedent in the industry by providing internal apartment housing for frontline delivery workers. My policy to promote employee housing was directly inspired by General Niu. In addition to employee housing, we will soon implement relevant healthcare systems, and hospital construction is currently underway. To summarize in one sentence: if you remain loyal to the company, the company will surely not let you down."

At this point, Niu Jili fully understood that he no longer needed to do any persuasion regarding this cooperation.

Forget about his subordinates—even he was nearly brainwashed, all while marveling at the audacity of the other party.

Building houses.

Building hospitals.

Improving wages and benefits.

Why did this somehow sound like a story from somewhere?

"Honestly, there aren’t many people in this world I admire, but General Jiang is now one of them."

Niu Jili sighed, and it didn’t sound like the typical flattery of the business world—this seemed to come from the heart.

"Some time ago, I visited my hometown and caught up with a few old classmates. They talked about how so many people around them engage in deception and yet manage to thrive. I resonated deeply with that sentiment. In this society, it feels like being an upright person is incredibly difficult. But now, seeing General Jiang, it seems like my perspective is changing."

Niu Jili, a businessman who stands out among his peers, sighed as he spoke. Judging by his journey, he must have gone through countless struggles, self-doubt, and ideological conflicts.

"...It’s not just General Niu’s classmates or General Niu himself. Every one of us has likely felt the same way at certain moments. Why does deceit allow people to prosper while diligence and honesty might lead to failure?"

Jiang Chen pondered briefly before speaking, quickly prompting deep reflection among many attendees.

Jiang Chen continued steadily, "Pretending to be virtuous versus truly being virtuous are fundamentally different in difficulty. In the world we live in, deceit and trickery are everywhere, and the philosophy of ’thick black theory’ is revered by many under the guise of success. This phenomenon isn’t limited to reality—it exists in literature too."

Jiang Chen spoke calmly, addressing a business leader like Niu Jili and a group of Su Da executives with composure in his tone.

"The Italian writer Calvino once penned a famous allegorical short story, ’The Black Sheep.’ I don’t know if everyone here has read it. It depicts a society where everyone deceives each other, making the honest person the black sheep who ultimately starves to death. In Plato’s ’Utopia,’ the skeptic Glaucon pushes the logic of justice and injustice to the extreme: one man commits all manner of crimes yet gains eternal fame as the most honorable figure, while another man does nothing but good and is vilified, suffering indignities and dying in despair. Reading such scenarios makes one even more inclined to question—should one truly be just or merely pretend to be just? Should one endure injustices or commit injustices?"

Cao Jinse’s eyes sparkled with intrigue, increasingly captivated as she listened. She turned to focus on the man engrossed in his compelling commentary.

"Speaking of this, I’d like to mention someone everyone should know: Wang Yangming. As is generally known, this great thinker, writer, and military strategist got exiled because he offended a powerful eunuch in court. During his exile, he delved deep into his philosophical studies and grasped the concept of ’achievement through knowledge.’ Essentially, it means understanding good and evil as a matter of conscience, and pursuing good while rejecting evil as a form of practice. This concept might share parallels with Socrates’ ’Know Thyself.’ Of course, we are not Wang Yangming, and even Wang Yangming only reached enlightenment after his exile. Everyone harbors a mixture of good and evil within their hearts. As the saying goes, ’It is easy to vanquish the bandits in the mountains, but difficult to triumph over the ones in the mind.’ Similar to Wang Yangming’s exile, every person must await a type of catalyst to accomplish inner transformation."

The grand banquet hall, filled to capacity, grew utterly silent. Only Jiang Chen’s voice reverberated throughout the room.

"Keep going."

Seeing Jiang Chen pause, Cao Jinse finally came back to her senses and softly prompted him.

She knew this man had been a top scholar at East Sea University, winning scholarships year after year, but today was perhaps the first time she’d truly witnessed his depth of knowledge and brilliance.

Turning her head slightly, Cao Jinse glanced at Jiang Chen, who was poised and speaking with flair. He flashed a faint smile at her, "Actually, more than two thousand years ago, the same question your classmates asked you, General Niu, was also posed by Qu Yuan to a fisherman."

"And how did the fisherman respond?"

Before Niu Jili could marvel at Jiang Chen’s erudition, he instinctively asked the next question.

"’If the waters of the Cang Lang River are clear, I shall wash my crown in them. If the waters of the Cang Lang River are muddy, I shall cleanse my feet in them,’" Jiang Chen said with a serene smile. "Even with modern technology, humanity cannot draw a perfect circle. However, we can never deny the reality of its existence. Wang Yangming once authored a verse, ’Within my heart lies a bright moon; eternal perfection without blemish.’ Wang Yangming passed away at the age of fifty-seven. On his deathbed, one of his disciples asked if he had any final words. I’d like to share his very last words with everyone here as encouragement."

Lan Peizhi turned her head and observed attentively.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze.

In the spotlight of the crowd.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, then exhaled with a light laugh before speaking.

"’This heart is clear; what more can I say.’"

After a prolonged silence.

Thunderous applause erupted like waves, lasting endlessly.

"What a pity we didn’t invite reporters."

As they left Su Da Group amid the respectful farewells of Niu Jili and the executives, Cao Jinse was still lamenting with regret, her face full of dissatisfaction.

"A textbook-level speech."

She turned her head and asked, "How long did you write it for? It couldn’t have been easy to memorize."

Jiang Chen, who conquered Su Da Group purely with personal ability, remained composed and unperturbed.

"Hmm, I rehearsed it for roughly half an hour before heading out this morning. Luckily, it came in handy."

Cao Jinse burst into laughter.

Even Lan Peizhi’s lips curled slightly upward.

"Had you told me earlier, I would’ve invited some reporters, arranged coverage with official media outlets, and guaranteed you’d skyrocket to fame as the new generation’s idolized entrepreneur."

Cao Jinse seemed serious as she said this: "How about finding an opportunity to hold a press conference? You wouldn’t even need to change the script—just repeat what you said earlier."

Jiang Chen ignored her, staying remarkably composed and directly bending over to get into the car.

"Aunt Lan, did you see him? Say something critical about him, and he immediately gets puffed up with pride."

Cao Jinse complained.

Lan Peizhi glanced at her.

Although it sounded like a complaint, this noble young woman’s face and eyes carried not a trace of displeasure whatsoever.

As she spoke, her gaze lingered on Jiang Chen’s departing figure, her eyes glimmering like spring water flowing...

No, that’s not right.

It’s already summer now.

"His oratory is quite impressive."

Lan Peizhi offered her assessment.

It wasn’t just his oratory.

His ideology.

His breadth of mind.

And his moral character.

All of it made people...

Feel deeply awed.

"A press conference isn’t necessary, but how about giving a lecture at my brother’s university sometime?"

Inside the car.

Cao Jinse continued to ramble, as though she’d rediscovered Jiang Chen.

"I graduated undergrad from East Sea University, and you want me to give a lecture at Kyoto University?"

Jiang Chen dismissed the idea easily.

"What’s wrong with that? Heroism transcends origins."

Cao Jinse stared at him intensely, seemingly forgetting Lan Peizhi was still in the car. If she had rested her chin on her hand, she’d resemble a classic lovestruck figure.

Hero.

You had to admit.

When this word slipped out of her lips, it felt oddly satisfying.

But what felt even more satisfying was the notification sound that followed.

[Ding... Cao Jinse’s favorability rating +5]

Jiang Chen maintained his calm demeanor, his expression as serene as a still lake, remarkably composed.

Indeed.

To win over someone like Cao Jinse, wealth alone was insufficient.

Talent was the ultimate trump card.