"I'm late because I've already eaten at home. These old bones of mine have to be very particular about what I eat and drink every day, just trying to stay alive," the old man explained with a smile.
After racking his brains, Xu Zhengyang finally said, "Grandpa, you're not old at all, you're in great spirits and still going strong... cough cough, I, I'm not very good at talking."
"Haha." The old man laughed happily, but then patted Xu Zhengyang on the shoulder and said, "Alright, let's not stay any longer, otherwise with so many people around, won't they be cursing me as an old codger in their hearts?"
"Oh? Please sit for a while longer," Xu Zhengyang said hurriedly.
The old man had already stood up, patted Xu Zhengyang's head, and said with a smile, "Take some time to come to my place sometime and play a few games of chess with this old codger. I know you can play chess... Alright, stop sending them out and entertain your guests."
After saying this, the old man walked out with Li Chengzong's help. Li Bingjie had already gotten up and followed him away lightly, like a breeze or a cloud.
They said we weren't allowed to send them out, but how could Xu Zhengyang not send them out?
He hurriedly followed, but two men in black suits blocked his way, preventing him from getting too close to the old man. Xu Zhengyang naturally wasn't bothered by this and had no choice but to follow them with the two men between him. Suddenly, he noticed someone else beside him. Turning his head, he saw that Chen Chaojiang had caught up with him at some point. Chen Chaojiang whispered coldly in Xu Zhengyang's ear, "I can't beat these people."
Xu Zhengyang thought to himself, "Isn't this obvious? If you can beat these people, I don't need to be the god anymore, you can be the god instead—War God Vajra."
"One is enough," Chen Chaojiang suddenly said.
Xu Zhengyang quickly tugged at his clothes, signaling him to stop talking. Well, if those tough guys in front heard this, they might suspect you have some ulterior motive, and then pull out a pistol and... *snap* you off.
Yu Zhenbang and Pang Zhong were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly got up and took it out.
In front of the Yunlai Hotel, besides the black Audi A8, there were two other black sedans parked in front and behind.
Li Chengzong stepped forward, opened the car door, and reached out to shield the roof from the elderly man before inviting him into the car.
After the old man got into the car, Li Chengzong was about to close the car door and open the other side to let Li Bingjie get in when the old man suddenly reached out to stop him from closing the door and said kindly to Xu Zhengyang, "Zhengyang, help Bingjie more. Although I have always spoiled and controlled this girl, she is honest and kind-hearted."
"Yes, definitely, definitely." Xu Zhengyang nodded hurriedly.
As the car door closed, Li Bingjie floated to the other side of the car like a cloud in the sky, but glanced at Xu Zhengyang before getting in.
Xu Zhengyang waved his hand.
Several men in black suits got into the cars in front and behind them, and the three cars slowly drove away.
Inside the restaurant, the crowd was already buzzing around like water just boiled in a pot—not making a huge commotion, but definitely churning. They were talking about the old man from earlier… Clearly, they all recognized him; this legendary figure had actually appeared in Fuhe City and had just been sitting in the same restaurant as them.
So... who exactly is Xu Zhengyang?
Yao Chushun was still wondering who this was, and looked at Zheng Ronghua with a puzzled expression. Zheng Ronghua had a deep expression, and his eyes showed admiration and respect. He said a name in a low voice.
Yao Chushun plopped down in a chair, his expression one of astonishment. Wiping the fine sweat from his forehead, he muttered, "Good heavens, his granddaughter actually sits in my Gu Xiang Xuan every day..."
Volume 3, Judge Chapter 122: Still Want to Learn Martial Arts?
Two rows of flower baskets stood quietly in the cold wind in front of the Gu Xiang Xuan shop. Scattered on the open ground were fragments of firecracker debris, along with some colorful scraps of paper, which, nestled among the fallen petals, resembled a layer of flower petals—vibrant, beautiful, and colorful.
Inside the shop's main hall, Ouyang Ying and Xu Rouyue sat around a round table, sipping fragrant coffee and chatting idly. At the counter opposite the door, Chen Chaojiang remained aloof, engrossed in his carving, seemingly oblivious to everything around him. Beside him, Diao Yishi sat intently, watching Chen Chaojiang's left hand hold a small dagger as he carved into the mahogany in his right. Diao Yishi thought this must be a level of martial arts mastery.
Jin Changfa, wearing glasses, sat behind the counter, scribbling in the ledger with a pen. Every now and then, he would glance at the empty spaces on the distant shelves, think thoughtfully, then add a few more strokes. His face was full of joy.
Wang Jiayu and Jin Qiming, each holding a broom, meticulously swept the store, from behind the counter to the main hall.
Before this, the store was very busy, so busy that everyone was a little dizzy and overwhelmed.
In Yao Chushun's office on the second floor, Xu Zhengyang sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the pile of banknotes and checks on the long coffee table. His face was beaming with joy.
He remembered that this summer, he had to pedal his bicycle hard every day, sweating buckets, to exchange millet for grain. He would come back with thirty yuan, and he would be so happy that he would treat himself to an ice-cold beer. Now... these papers on the table represent more than three million yuan.
A day, no, to be precise, just a few hours.
Look at the numbers following each name on the gift list: 6000, 6666, 8000, 8888, 15678, 16666, 18888...
The total amount of gifts was over 800,000 yuan.
Another ledger contained a somewhat hastily written record of the antiques and collectibles purchased by each guest that day, along with their prices.
After a while, Xu Zhengyang finally came to his senses, grinning and saying, "Boss Yao, shall we... shall we start dividing it up?"
Sitting behind his desk, a smug grin on his face, holding a teapot in one hand and a pipe in the other, Yao Chushun was startled when Xu Zhengyang uttered those words. He hadn't even swallowed his tea properly before spitting it out with a "pfft," spraying water all over the desk. He couldn't help but laugh and curse, "You son of a bitch! We're doing legitimate business. Do you think this money is stolen?"
"I've lost my composure, I've lost my composure," Xu Zhengyang chuckled sheepishly. This was the truth; seeing such a huge pile of money had truly moved him. Even when he earned money before, nothing felt as real or impactful as having it right in front of him, something he could touch and feel. Xu Zhengyang reached out and arranged the banknotes and checks on the table, saying, "The saying 'old people are shrewd' is absolutely true. I understand now why you, the renowned Master Gu, insisted on throwing such a lavish opening ceremony for your new store. It turns out you specially invited these wealthy people to eat and drink expensive food and drinks."
"Pah! Weren't all those antiques they bought discounted?" Yao Chushun's triangular eyes widened, making the triangle appear even more pronounced, its edges sharp and distinct. He seemed to be speaking with conviction, but Xu Zhengyang knew perfectly well what Yao Chushun meant by "discount." Who knows if it was overpriced or underpriced? When it comes to antiques, Yao Chushun's words are practically a price bureau.
"Then this gift money is quite a lot." Xu Zhengyang's eyes narrowed into slits with delight.
“That would have to go into the shop’s accounts. It’s a transaction that comes and goes, so it doesn’t count.” Yao Chushun waved his hand and said, “Don’t you dare try to get your hands on that money.”
Xu Zhengyang said dismissively, "Why even bother replying to something like this? Who would spend their whole life opening new stores every day?"
"I'm telling you, you're just a nobody in this government office, someone who can get in but not leave!" Yao Chushun roared, his triangular eyes flashing with cold light. "Don't you understand the concept of reciprocity? When someone has a new baby or gets married, don't you have to give a gift of money?"
Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a moment, then thought about it carefully and realized it made sense. He then said angrily, "If we calculate it this way, we're actually losing money. Damn it, from now on, if anyone has any problems, we'll have to pay double the amount!"
"Are you stupid? Just use the name of Gu Xiang Xuan, why do we have to use our names?" Yao Chushun narrowed his triangular eyes and said slyly.
“That makes sense!” Xu Zhengyang wholeheartedly agreed.
Yao Chushun was smug, then his expression changed, and he spat out a curse: "Damn it, why do I feel like we're both shameless?"
"Okay, just a reminder, it's you, not the two of us." Xu Zhengyang chuckled as he picked up the stack of checks, walked to the safe, squatted down, stuffed them into the already opened safe, and then turned back to get the cash.
"You're such a hypocrite, always putting on airs, but you reveal your true colors as soon as you see money," Yao Chushun said with a laugh.
Xu Zhengyang said seriously, "People die for wealth, birds die for food, that's normal!"
"You're not a normal person at all."
"Hmm. Something's not right." Xu Zhengyang scratched his head, stuffed stacks of cash into the safe, then closed it but still felt unsafe, saying, "Should we go to the bank and deposit the money? It's not safe to leave it here."
"Who told you to keep busy with this nonsense?"
"Damn it, you should have said so earlier!" Xu Zhengyang said, both amused and exasperated.
I wonder what the distinguished guests would think if they heard this conversation between the two of them today?
Yao Chushun turned his head away, ignoring Xu Zhengyang, and looked out the window with his pipe in his mouth.
Around four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun had turned bright red, showing signs of the sun setting in the west. It bathed the entire world in a crimson glow, creating a unique and captivating beauty.
Xu Zhengyang lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, a smile on his face, but his heart was a little dizzy. It's often said that life is full of disappointments, and he never imagined that becoming a god would be the same. He had intended to be a low-key god, to live a peaceful life, and not to seek the limelight, but one glittering hat after another kept being placed on his head; a strong wind blew him hundreds of meters high, and once he was up there, it was impossible to avoid being seen.
If that falls, it's no wonder it'll be smashed to pieces.
The deliberate act of behaving like a nouveau riche was simply an attempt to dispel the slight awe Yao Chushun felt. There was no other way. Old Master Li's appearance was too awe-inspiring; Yao Chushun was so stunned that he couldn't recover for a long time at the Yunlai Hotel. It wasn't that he lacked the mental fortitude to handle it, but rather that he couldn't see through Xu Zhengyang anymore, and even suspected that Xu Zhengyang's entire family was playing dumb, tired of their aristocratic life, and had gone to the countryside to experience poverty and reminisce about the past. And then there was Li Bingjie, Old Master Li's granddaughter, who had been spending all her time at the Gu Xiang Xuan lately…
Gu Ye can't take it anymore! This world is too crazy. How come he keeps running into all sorts of strange, incomprehensible, and unbelievable people and things?
Fortunately, the subsequent busyness and influx of wealth allowed Mr. Gu to recover somewhat.
Now, judging from the situation, it seems that Master Gu has changed his attitude and opinion towards Xu Zhengyang, which puts Xu Zhengyang at ease. Although no one says anything, Xu Zhengyang is perfectly aware that he has lost many precious things, such as the sincere and pure friendship and loyalty he once had. His friends no longer view him as an equal; although they may still seem friendly on the surface, they have unconsciously created a great distance between themselves and Xu Zhengyang.
This feeling was unpleasant, and what worried Xu Zhengyang most was that if things continued like this, his parents might develop a fear of him, which would be a huge loss. He would rather not be this god than lose his existing family ties.
"Brother, shall we go home? It's getting dark."
Xu Rouyue's voice rang out in the hallway outside the door.
Xu Zhengyang got up and opened the door. Xu Rouyue and Ouyang Ying were already standing in the doorway. Ouyang Ying stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Brother Zhengyang, you're a real big boss now..."
“Nouveau riche, nouveau riche, hehe.” Xu Zhengyang scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. “Come on, let’s go home. Oh right, we still need to take the money and checks to the bank…” As he spoke, Xu Zhengyang turned around, opened the safe, and walked out with a stack of checks in his hand.
"Wait a minute," Yao Chushun called out, then took a briefcase from the drawer and tossed it onto the desk. "Here you go."
Xu Zhengyang smiled, realizing that he had indeed been careless.
After putting the checks away, Xu Zhengyang walked to the door and flicked Rouyue's nose again before humming a little tune as he went out.
Xu Rouyue snorted in dissatisfaction from behind, pouted, and then went downstairs arm in arm with Ouyang Ying.
Diao Yishi was still driving the same Jeep Wrangler, with Ouyang Ying in the front passenger seat and Xu Zhengyang and Xu Rouyue in the back.
Chen Chaojiang followed behind the Wrangler on his motorcycle.
After visiting the various banks, it was already getting dark. Without further delay, the group headed straight for Shuanghe Village.
Along the way, Diao Yishi kept glancing at Chen Chaojiang, who was wearing a helmet and riding a motorcycle behind him, through the rearview mirror, and said enviously, "When I get back, I'll buy a motorcycle and ride one too, it's so cool!"
Ouyang Ying scolded, "Be careful, your uncle will break your legs, and you're riding a motorcycle..."
"Can you please not tell on me? You're my own sister!"
"No." Ouyang Ying said firmly.
Helpless, Diao Yishi said to Xu Zhengyang, "Brother Yang, could you talk to Brother Chaojiang later and ask him to teach me martial arts? I really admire him and really want to learn martial arts."
"It's very bitter," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"I'm not afraid of hardship," Diao Yishi said confidently.
"Oh, let's get up early tomorrow and go with you to see how Chen Chaojiang practices martial arts before we decide."
"Great, great, that's wonderful!" Diao Yishi patted the steering wheel excitedly.
Xu Zhengyang curled his lip, thinking to himself that once you see how Chen Chaojiang practices martial arts, you'll probably completely give up the idea of learning martial arts from him.
"We need to get back to the capital early tomorrow!" Ouyang Ying reminded her.
"It's alright," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
Ouyang Ying turned her head and exchanged a surprised glance with Xu Rouyue, but neither of them said anything.
Diao Yishi had no idea that Xu Zhengyang's words had any other meaning. He was still excited that his older brother Xu Zhengyang was finally willing to speak up for him, and he was looking forward to his future as a martial arts master.
The next morning.
In the middle of the northern part of Shuanghe Village, next to an abandoned utility pole by the canal.
Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang have already run two laps around the northern land. Now Xu Zhengyang is resting, while Chen Chaojiang continues to practice his punches and kicks.
At first, Diao Yishi excitedly and curiously followed the two for a while, and greatly admired Chen Chaojiang for the sandbags strapped to his legs and the backpack full of bricks on his back. But after a while, he couldn't keep up with their pace, panting heavily, and stopped running. He strolled back along the long road and waited under the telephone pole as Xu Zhengyang had told him.
The morning wind was cold, and a thin mist hung over the fields, making the wheat seedlings shiver in the cold wind.
Now, Diao Yishi had forgotten the chill and stared dumbfounded at Chen Chaojiang, the martial arts master he admired so much and had always wanted to become his master: Is he practicing martial arts? This is pure self-torture!
Chen Chaojiang, as if possessed, was venting his inexhaustible rage on the telephone pole, which was bound with layers of burlap sacks at Xu Zhengyang's insistence. He threw straight punches, hook punches, arm strikes, elbow strikes, shoulder strikes, kicks, leg sweeps, knee strikes... The sounds of banging and crashing filled the air as fragments of the burlap sacks flew through the thin mist.
Sweat gradually beaded on Chen Chaojiang's cheeks, but he still did not stop his frenzied attack.
Diao Yishi rubbed his hands vigorously, then rubbed his face twice, and opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Xiao Diao, after you send them back to the capital this time, talk to your family. If your parents agree, then come. I promise to have Chen Chaojiang teach you martial arts. If he doesn't, I'll force him to teach you," Xu Zhengyang said very seriously.
"Huh?" Diao Yishi was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook his head and said, "Never mind, never mind, I was just joking. If I really wanted to learn martial arts, my dad and mom definitely wouldn't let me. I still have to go to school. Sigh, if it weren't for the fear of missing classes and not getting my diploma..."