Epiphanies of Rebirth (重生之豁然)

Chapter 32

A real man must be willing to face the adversities in life!

Lin Jingzhe pushed his brother into a pit—but soon after, he encountered a payback from fate.

The red car was in a repair shop. When Fang Wenhao picked Lin Jingzhe up, he drove a big Jeep he had gotten from who-knows-where. It was rather unkempt; the body was covered with mud, and the accelerator was too sensitive, making for a bumpy ride.

During the fifteen-minute drive, the car lurched forward and jerked from hard braking seven times. Lin Jingzhe didn't lose his temper though and just held on to his seat belt, quietly listening to Fang Wenhao.

"Why doesn't he believe it!" When Hu Shaofeng invited them out for dinner, he made it clear that he was convinced of two things: first, that Fang Wenhao must be involved with New Beginnings Real Estate somehow, and second, that New Beginnings aiming for that unremarkable piece of land must be part of some deep, intricate scheme. No matter how vehemently Fang Wenhao denied it and tried to explain, Hu Shaofeng refused to believe him.

"Wouldn't you say that Hu Shaofeng really is stupid? Why on earth would I lie to him about this? I think that bidding for Lot No. 9 is a bad idea, I tried to talk you out of it—cooperation or whatever is pure nonsense."

He originally didn't want to come to this dinner meeting. However, Hu Shaofeng moved out the heavy guns and said the invitation actually came from Xiao Chi, so to give Xiao Chi face, Fang Wenhao had no choice but to agree.

About to vomit from his "enthusiastic" driving, Lin Jingzhe rolled down the window, his face a bit green. "Aren't you always trying to get the better of him? Shouldn't you make him believe you are optimistic about Lot No. 9?" he asked.

Surprised, Fang Wenhao turned his head to look at him. For a moment, he seemed to consider this suggestion, but then firmly shook his head. "No, I need to beat him fair and square or it won't count."

The Xiao family house

When Xiao Chi came downstairs, Hu Shaofeng had already been waiting, talking with Grandma Xiao in the living room.

The building wasn't very big but it had its own profound ambiance, and each of the residents seemed to add a bit of their own aura to the house's atmosphere. Though Hu Shaofeng feared nothing in Heaven and Earth except his father's rod, the Xiao family's grandma was a close second. The silver-haired old lady's voice was kind and there was a smile on her face, but her person seemed to emanate a solemn, dignified atmosphere, so heavy that he could hardly breathe.

Before leaving home, he sprayed himself with a catty of lemon juice and rinsed his mouth three times. Now, he was sitting on the sofa with his legs together and his back straight, forcing himself to keep a smile on his face as he answered Grandma Xiao's inquiries about his studies.

On the other end of the sofa sat a stunningly beautiful girl of about seventeen. Her long, wavy hair was tied half-up behind her head, and she wore a goose-yellow dress. She was the picture of a proper, well-bred young lady. If she had any flaw, it was that her temperament seemed too cold; as she sat there, frowning slightly, she looked indifferent and unemotional.

She was reclining on the sofa, engrossed in a book. Judging from the pastel, pink-and-blue cover, the book should be a light read, but her wrinkled eyebrows and sharp gaze made one wonder if she was actually reading some dark crime documentary.

She didn't move and paid no attention to anyone present, only occasionally turning a page with her slender fingers. Hu Shaofeng peeked towards her while talking with Grandma Xiao, but he could only catch a glimpse of a dense wall of words that he couldn't understand.