Chapter 26: This Is My Husband, Fang Nian
He dialed Fatty’s number, and it was clear things were busy on the other end.
“Xu Zhuo, damn it, can’t you be gentler? Don’t smash my store’s prized treasure.”
“Xiao Yu, are you sure you’re your sister’s biological brother? How can your IQ differ so much? Just rotate it and it’ll fit right in.”
“Da Li, Da Li, hurry over, it’s about to fall.”
…
Fang Nian fell silent, feeling rather speechless; it seemed he was the only one with nothing to do at the moment.
“Old Fang, what’s up? We’re busy here,” Fatty said.
Fang Nian felt a little embarrassed. “Ah... actually, it’s nothing urgent. Just checking on the store. I’m a partner in it, after all. Can’t let you shoulder all the responsibilities.”
Fatty chuckled at that. “Come on, Old Fang, don’t play games with me. I know you so well I can tell whether your business is runny or dry just by the way you sit. Spill it, how much do you need?”
Fang Nian knew Fatty had made quite a bit from this recent matter, but to deal with the Jin and Xu families, there were all sorts of costs—bribes, connections, investigations, rumors. Plus rent, inventory, and renovations; Fatty probably didn’t have much left on hand.
But Fang Nian wasn’t about to stand on ceremony. “Five thousand, and I need it now.”
Fatty didn’t waste words. “Alright, where are you? I’ll have Xiao Yu bring it over.”
Fang Nian thought for a moment. “Uh... Send it to the Summer family’s Hunting Ground R&D Center.”
“Okay, back to work,” Fatty replied.
After hanging up, Fang Nian stretched lazily. Since he was determined to devote himself to study, he had to find the right place. In truth, managing a hunting ground was much like operating aerospace and manufacturing industries. Beyond sales and operations, a dedicated R&D team was essential.
Thus, compared to the hunting ground itself, the R&D center was truly its core. Families like the Summers naturally had their own research centers. Summer Moyan, for instance, spent eighty percent of her days working there.
The Summer family’s Hunting Ground R&D Center was located in the northern suburbs, within an industrial park known as the Maker Technology Park. Most corporate research teams were based there.
Given this, security at Maker Technology Park was far stricter than in the city, to guarantee absolute safety of intellectual property. Even government troops patrolled the park round the clock, underscoring technology’s significance in this world.
Upon arriving, Fang Nian registered and, after multiple rounds of identity verification with staff, finally entered the park.
Compared to the city, Maker Technology Park was much more orderly in design; nearly all the buildings were identical, arranged in neat rows. The sole distinction was height—the number of floors marked a company’s status in the park.
The Summer Hunting Ground R&D Center occupied a central position, a thirty-one-story building considered upper-middle tier in the park, far taller than the Xu family’s twenty-three floors or the Jin family’s twenty-five. Clearly, the Summers had once held exceptional standing in District Sixteen.
Fang Nian called Summer Moyan at the entrance, but no one answered.
“May as well go up directly. I remember Moyan saying her office was on the thirtieth floor.”
---
Fang Nian had barely stepped through the doors of the Summer R&D Center when a very slender security guard stopped him.
“Sir, please show your work permit.”
Fang Nian paused, smiling awkwardly. “I haven’t gotten one yet. Actually, I’m here to see my wife.”
The skinny guard was taken aback, then Fang Nian’s answer made him laugh. Usually, people who forgot their permits or outsiders trying to sneak in had all kinds of excuses—borrowing the restroom, delivering documents, and so on. But ‘looking for a wife’ was a first.
“Sir, this is a hunting ground R&D center; we don’t sell wives here. If you’re in the market, you might try the Chrysanthemum Net next door—they probably have plenty for sale.”
Now it was Fang Nian’s turn to be stunned, momentarily lost for words.
“No, you misunderstood. I’m not here to buy a wife, I’m here to find my wife.”
The skinny guard was a bit exasperated—wasn’t it all the same? He started to usher Fang Nian out.
“Alright, sir, let’s not make trouble. The regulations are clear: everyone must wear a badge to enter, no exceptions. Please leave, okay?”
Fang Nian was so frustrated he could have twisted the guard’s head off to see whether it was filled with dung.
“Wait, brother, you really misunderstood. My wife works here. I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer, so I came to look for her. If you won’t let me in, could you help me contact her?”
The guard finally understood, smiling awkwardly. “Ah, I see... Alright, tell me her department and name.”
“Oh, her name’s Summer Moyan. Department... actually, not sure, but her office is on the thirtieth floor.”
The skinny guard was stunned, then suddenly alarmed.
“Summer... Summer Moyan?”
Fang Nian nodded firmly, his expression unwavering.
Seeing this, the guard’s previously serious face suddenly darkened with annoyance.
“Brother, are you bored and messing with me? You say Summer Moyan is your wife? Do you know who she is? Enough, enough, I’m busy. Stop joking around and go cool off somewhere else, alright?”
“No, brother, Summer Moyan really is—”
Now Fang Nian truly didn’t know how to explain, but Summer Moyan was indeed his wife. He couldn’t exactly carry their marriage certificate everywhere.
Just then, Summer Moyu’s voice sounded from behind.
“Brother-in-law?”
Fang Nian turned and saw Summer Moyu, instantly feeling as if he’d grabbed a lifeline.
“Brother-in-law, what are you doing here? Why not go inside?”
Fang Nian smiled awkwardly.
---
“Can’t get in. Didn’t bring my marriage certificate.”
Summer Moyu was momentarily puzzled, then immediately understood.
“Spare Ribs, you’re the one keeping my brother-in-law out, aren’t you?”
The skinny guard knew Summer Moyu well and, hearing this, his eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected this ordinary-looking fellow to actually be the husband of Summer Moyan, their R&D director and executive board member.
“No, Young Master Yu, I—”
Fang Nian smiled, asking the guard, “Brother, can I come in now?”
The guard hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, please come in.”
…
Inside the R&D center, Summer Moyu played tour guide, showing Fang Nian the entire structure—production, procurement, operations, R&D, quality control, and many other departments. Creating a themed hunting ground required the concerted effort of all these teams.
After taking it all in, Fang Nian realized that running a hunting ground demanded such a delicate and complete system. No wonder Fatty had managed hunter camps for years in the Black Triangle but never touched hunting grounds.
After the tour, Fang Nian received the bank card Fatty had sent, then let Summer Moyu return to his duties, heading up to the thirtieth floor by elevator.
“Ding.”
The elevator doors opened. Just as Fang Nian was about to step out, he ran into Summer Moyan and a young man about to enter. Summer Moyan paused briefly, surprised to see Fang Nian.
“You... why are you here?”
Though they weren’t truly married, their recent time together, coupled with Fang Nian’s earlier intervention, had made them much closer.
Fang Nian smiled sheepishly. “I needed your help with something, but your phone wasn’t answering. I figured I had nothing to do at home, so I came here to find you.”
The man behind her wore oversized gold-rimmed glasses, his features sharp and handsome.
“Moyan, who is this?”
Summer Moyan came to herself, apologizing, “Mr. Xiao, sorry, let me introduce—this is my husband, Fang Nian.”
Hearing Summer Moyan’s introduction, Fang Nian was swept by a wave of contentment.
“My husband... how comfortable.”