Rivals of Rebirth - Chapter 32

Dinner

Translated by Seafall (Cf411)

Seeing that Zheng Jue’s expression was not good, Zhou Chengan also took back his laughter in time, and quickly put on a serious face, “Actually, it’s nothing. Just go to Wen Huaan’s banquet this time. He’s like a struggling beast right now, so go and comfort him. Don’t do anything that will hurt both sides.”

When he heard Zhou Chengan say this, Zheng Jue couldn’t get angry anymore and just responded with a cold face.

Afterward, the two exchanged a few more words. The focus was on how to deal with the Wen family. The Wen family’s business is huge, and it would be very difficult to completely destroy it. It’s only when the Wen family is in chaos that those who want to fish in troubled waters can do it well.

**

Zheng Jue and Zhou Chengan separated in the city center. Zhou Chengan went back to the Zhou family, and Zheng Jue went to his house in the city. It was almost two o’clock when he hurriedly went to the banquet, which was obviously not good. Later, he could just meet one of his old friends and arrange this time well.

Zheng Jue went upstairs and sent Susie away, but within half an hour, the doorbell rang.

Zheng Jue went to open the door in person, and the person at the door turned out to be Zheng Jue’s securities broker in Hong Kong, Alex.

Zheng Jue greeted Alex, who looked excited, with a smile. Seeing Zheng Jue was like seeing a Bodhisattva, his eyes were full of light. When he entered the door, before he could even sit down, he immediately said, “Aaron, your hands are really beautiful to play. For more than a year, I have been secretly collecting the shares of Wenli Fund and Zhaoyang Real Estate according to your instructions. Although I lost a lot before, these two stocks are now in the limelight, and now, you can make a lot of money.”

When he saw Alex’s excitement, Zheng Jue’s face was unusually calm, and he whispered, “How many shares have you collected in total?”

Alex took out a lot of documents from his bag and gave them to Zheng Jue, then excitedly said, “Including pulling away from the stock market and finding some retail investors to buy, after being on and off for so long, I have finally closed 15% of the Wenli Fund and 11% also of the Zhaoyang Real Estate. This is the blessing of the crisis at that time. Those retail investors were all in a hurry eager to get rid of them, so this had become the cheapest for us.”

Zheng Jue looked down at the document in his hand. His eyes looked indifferent, but his heart was certainly beating very happily. He almost used all his strength to control his hands not to tremble. They were more than ten percent of the shares he originally expected to have, which was much better. He knew very well of the shock the Wen’s might have afterward as he was also very aware of the weight of these shares in his hands. It can be said that what he was holding at this moment was the lifeline of Wen’s future.

“Okay, you did a good job. Alex, no one noticed that you took back the shares for me, right?” Zheng Jue raised his head and looked at the somewhat excited man opposite him, although his eyes were still faintly cold.

Alex’s expression faltered slightly when he heard this, and his originally excited face calmed down instantly, “Don’t worry, Aaron. I remember what you told me before. On the side of Wenli Fund and Zhaoyang Real Estate, you are just an anonymous shareholder. I won’t let others know.”

Zheng Jue nodded slightly after hearing this and then clenched the contract in his hand. A sneer gradually appeared on the corner of his mouth. In the eyes of Zhou Chengan and Han Jin, his net worth could only follow them to drink soup, but actually, he wanted to tear a piece of meat from these two mouths.

Looking at Zheng Jue’s undisguised appearance, Alex couldn’t help feeling a little cold behind his back. Finally, he couldn’t help but make the same heartless description of him as before, and his expression turned a little stiff for a while.

Zheng Jue naturally won’t miss the change in Alex’s expression, but he didn’t say much. He just patted Alex on his shoulder and whispered, “Don’t worry Alex. I will never forget what you did for me.”

Alex curled up the corners of his mouth stiffly. He became more cautious in his heart. Zheng Jue is a man with vision and courage, so he must be more careful in the future.

After Zheng Jue’s meeting with Alex, he sent him away. To be honest, To put it bluntly, it can’t be regarded as Zheng Jue sending him out, because in Zheng Jue’s eyes, Alex almost seemed like he already wanted to run away. However, this was not important to Zheng Jue. He knew what Alex was like. Even though he looked shrewd, he always knew when to eat or fight. Now, he doesn’t look right, but he’s afraid he will change back to normal in just two days.

**

After Alex left, Zheng Jue lay in his house for a while, and finally waited until four o’clock in the afternoon for Susie, who arrived with a car, to pick him up.

It was 5:50 in the afternoon when Zheng Jue arrived at the Wen family mansion, and the appointment with Wen Huaan was at 6:00. Zheng Jue came one step earlier to show courtesy.

Sure enough, seeing that Zheng Jue came a little early, Wen Huaan’s expression softened a bit, then smiled and greeted him, “I have finally invited you, who is a busy person. A’Jue, your aunt is waiting for you in the house.”

Zheng Jue followed Wen Huaan into the living room, and as soon as he entered the door, he saw a middle-aged woman in a purple cheongsam sitting on the sofa, who stood up when he saw him come in.

Zheng Jue looked at the middle-aged woman with soft eyebrows in front of him and finally connected her to the warm-smiling Aunt Lin Ru more than ten years ago. After so many years, she has changed so much.

“A’Jue, you have grown up after being apart for so many years,” Lin Ru smiled very tenderly.

Zheng Jue was in a trance for a moment. He looked at Lin Ru’s smile as if he had returned to the small living room of their house more than ten years ago. The sunlight was soft and warm. His father and Wen Huaan sat aside to discuss business, while his mother and Lin Ru brought out the freshly made soufflé, smiling and telling him not to mess around.

He has never forgotten such a scene for so many years. The sweet and creamy aroma of soufflé has been spreading on the tip of his nose all these years, accompanying him throughout the darkest and most painful years of his life, letting him earn a ray of light even if he falls into hell and also letting him keep his hope all the time. It let him feel as if he can grab something as long as he reaches out his hand, such as grabbing his mother’s smile and catching his father’s seemingly stern rebuke.

However, at this time, when he stood in the luxurious hall of the Wen family, he really felt that nothing could go back. All the happiness and innocence in his life were completely destroyed by the disaster. It was completely gone.

Zheng Jue regained his clarity in an instant. He used the shrewdest side of a businessman to weave an impeccable and appropriate smile, then said warmly, “Aunt Wen, thank you for your invitation.”

Lin Ru’s gentle smile suddenly stopped, and her expression collapsed at a speed that could be discerned by the naked eye. There was almost a trace of sadness in her eyes as if she was about to cry the next moment, though she held back. She lowered her eyes slightly and whispered, “Don’t be so polite. Your parents and I are old friends. They must be very pleased that you are in this class now.” When she said these words, a trace of shame flashed on her face, and her tone was also a little trembling, she almost didn’t dare to look up at Zheng Jue.

Zheng Jue felt a chill in his heart. It seemed that this kind-faced Aunt Wen also knew how his father died.

Just after Lin Ru finished speaking, Zheng Jue didn’t have time to reply to her when Wen Huaan stepped forward from behind, “Okay, it’s the first time A’Jue came here. No matter how happy you are, you don’t have to show this face.” He glanced at Zheng Jue with a smile and said, “Your aunt has cooked a lot of your favorite meals. Let’s go. Don’t let her down.”

Zheng Jue nodded with a smile but sneered in his heart. Sure enough, businessmen are the people who can act best in the world. This Aunt Wen’s rank is still far behind Wen Huaan’s.

Zheng Jue followed Wen Huaan into the dining room and looked at the food at that table. Indeed, these were his favorite foods when he was young. However, just as he experienced the dark life after the age of twelve, he no longer had the qualifications to be picky. In his eyes, there were no more likes and dislikes, and only to be full or not to be full instead.

Zheng Jue sat down with a smile, then politely greeted Wen Huaan with a courteous appearance, and praised Lin Ru’s cooking skills from time to time, whose eyes never looked up. During this dinner, she seemed to have completely turned into an invisible person and didn’t say a word.

Wen Huaan was very dissatisfied with her because Zheng Jue avoided talking about the topics, he threw up from beginning to end. In order to bring Zheng Jue closer, Wen Huaan gestured to Lin Ru with his eyes several times, but Lin Ru acted like she didn’t see it and lowered her eyes silently.

By the end of dinner, Wen Huaan had no choice but to give up his ridiculous self-esteem. Taking advantage of Lin Ru’s time to clear up the tableware, he invited Zheng Jue to the living room and took out the red wine he had treasured for many years, then personally poured Zheng Jue a glass of wine.

Zheng Jue was a little surprised, but he made a very embarrassed look on his face and said in a hurry, “Uncle Wen, what are you doing? You are an elder. Even if you want to pour wine, I should pour it for you first.” He didn’t expect that Wen Huaan could bend and stretch like this.

Wen Huaan reluctantly curled up his lips, and there was a bit of bitterness on his face, “A’Jue, you must have heard about the Wen family’s affairs these past few days. Smart people don’t secretly. I know you have a very good relationship with Young Master Zhou and Young Master Han, so I would like to ask you to help me talk and make peace. If the trouble really gets to the point of losing both sides, it will be outsiders who take advantage,” Now, he doesn’t want to talk about trying to win over Zheng Jue anymore.

Zheng Jue only smiled when he heard it, and there was a hint of incomprehension in his eyes, “Uncle Wen, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. It’s just that when I listened to Young Master Zhou’s side. It seems that you had sinned against him before. You also know that Young Master Zhou and Young Master Han have the best relationship. I’m just a newcomer. How can I compare the relationship between the two of them? I’m afraid it’s not easy to do!”

Wen Huaan had a good idea. If he wanted to be a white wolf with empty gloves, then how could he make him do what he wanted?

Wen Huaan’s mouth twitched slightly. Zheng Jue, this kid was so tricky, but at least, Wen Huaan was relieved that he was so tricky. In his opinion, there is no one who is not greedy in this world, especially when he’s a businessman. If he is not greedy, then he must have great plans.

“A’Jue, don’t worry. Although this uncle is old, he still understands some truths. I heard that you like the land in the north of the city very much. It happens that I have a friend who is in charge of this area. If you have time, then we can make an appointment together for a cup of tea,” Wen Huaan finally regained his self-confidence and smiled calmly.

When Zheng Jue looked at his smiling face, his eyes faintly showed hostility, though he still made a very happy look on his face and said with a smile, “Then, I’ll ask Uncle Wen.”

*

The author has something to say: Hey… as I have written up to this point, I finally got rid of my first baggage. It may be a little unreasonable, but it all serves the plot, so I ignored it. ┑(￣Д ￣)┍ Suddenly, I feel that my task is very heavy! Letting two people with different views fall in love is really killing it, but don’t worry! The author is a real mother and must overcome all difficulties! Kill this little bitch of logic! Open a golden finger! Let them both be there! Together! Rise to the top!

PS: Didn’t you want to write a CP of a libertine and a Gao Leng flower before? Then later, you wanted me to write a book and use this in the plot. After struggling for a long time, I finally decided to write a book about a libertine to molest the Gao Leng flower! I’m so witty ╮(╯▽╰)╭ Okay! After that, please continue to support me. If there is any problem in the process of updating the article in the future, then I will also say it on Weibo. If you are interested, you can pay attention to it. Mwah~ (づ￣ 3￣)づ

*

Footnotes:

1. Securities broker supplies institutional and individual clients with pertinent facts to assist them in buying or selling stocks, bonds, commodities, and options (University of Illinois Department of Economics).

2. Net worth is a measure of wealth (Bankrate). Net worth is the sum of all assets owned by a person or a company, minus any obligations or liabilities.

3. A white wolf with empty gloves (空手套白狼) is a metaphor that refers to the deception used by liars who do not make any investments and cheat everywhere (Baidu).

Seafall (Cf411)’s notes:

I have mixed-feelings for this Aunt Lin Ru. When she wore the cheongsam, it seemed to me that she came from an old traditional family who was married to Wen Huaan for the sake of business. In their marriage, she looked completely dependent on WH for her money, so she could only resist him through her little ways such as looking down and not talking to Zheng Jue to soften his heart throughout the entire dinner. Of course, this doesn’t make her innocent of what WH deliberately did to ZJ’s father in the past, especially when she knows something about it and didn’t speak for it. On the other side, realistically speaking, even if she had sincerity for ZH and his parents, in the face of WH and the potential downfall of herself (who looks dependent on WH), she would rather choose to be quiet to keep her life.     By the way, have you read the author’s note? So basically, we’re in the story of a libertine x Gao Leng flower CP. lol