After the college entrance examination, life began to follow one's heart

Chapter 225 Opening Ceremony, Meeting the Cheap Old Father-in-Law Again

At eight o'clock in the morning, Xu Lin drove to his destination.

It is also a large hotel.

After arriving at his destination, Xu Lin parked his car in the parking lot outside.

Then I walked up the steps not far away and made my way to the hotel's main entrance.

The main entrance is a tall revolving glass door, where two doormen stand.

In addition, Xu Lin also saw Ye Shengjun, who was dressed in a suit and tie.

Xu Lin was also dressed in a suit and tie today.

The two had spoken on the phone in the car, so Ye Shengjun was waiting for him at the door.

"Mr. Xu, long time no see."

"long time no see!"

The two greeted each other and shook hands.

Ye Shengjun said, "Let's go inside first, it's getting hot outside."

"it is good."

"Speaking of which, there's another person today. We met Mr. Jiang when we went to eat at a private restaurant last time. Mr. Xu, do you still remember him?"

"remember."

Xu Lin certainly remembered; Jiang Mingyang was his father-in-law.

Ye Shengjun smiled and said, "He happens to be in Jiangdu these past few days. He heard that he could see you, so he wanted to come over."

"I don't think I have that much power, do I?"

"Mr. Xu, there is no need to belittle yourself. In my heart, you are a dragon among men, a rare person in the world. After all, I, Ye, have lived for half my life and have never seen a person with such a grand vision as you. It is only natural that Jiang Mingyang would want to meet you."

Ye Shengjun said that Xu Lin has a grand vision, which is quite remarkable.

Xu Lin didn't continue to be modest, "Okay, I'll see you then."

"Mr. Xu, let's go upstairs first."

"Row."

The opening ceremony for "The Great Jing Dynasty" was held on the fifth floor in a large hall.

After Xu Lin entered, he saw many veteran actors and talented performers, but he didn't recognize the younger actors.

When these people saw Xu Lin, they took the initiative to come over and shake hands with him.

These kinds of circles are all about personal relationships and social niceties. There are some rumors circulating that this Mr. Xu, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, is a person with great influence. And now that he's come in with someone as prominent as Ye Shengjun, chatting and laughing, it seems to confirm the rumors.

Therefore, people are very enthusiastic, but they are also afraid of offending others if they are not enthusiastic enough. You should know that important people like others to flatter them in various ways to gain so-called emotional value. If you don't do this, they might get unhappy.

Although everyone was still overthinking it.

After shaking hands with many people, Xu Lin was somewhat exhausted.

"Mr. Xu is surrounded by admirers."

Ye Shengjun sighed from the side.

Xu Lin said, "After all this toasting and drinking, I'm getting a little tired."

"Haha..." the other person laughed.

About ten minutes later, Jiang Mingyang arrived.

However, Xu Lin's father-in-law did not come alone; he also brought his other daughter, Rong Xiyan's younger sister, Jiang Lin. Jiang Lin was dressed in a very formal, elegant long dress.

"Mr. Xu, it's been a long time! We met last time!"

Jiang Mingyang extended his hand, and Xu Lin naturally extended his hand as well, and the two shook hands.

"Mr. Jiang looks very energetic today!" Xu Lin said with a smile.

"Haha, it's alright."

Then, Jiang Mingyang introduced his daughter to Xu Lin, "This is my daughter, Jiang Lin, also known as Wang Zilin."

"Hello, Mr. Xu!"

Jiang Lin took the initiative to greet them, appearing poised and confident.

Xu Lin smiled and said, "Hello."

Judging from this situation, if Xu Lin wasn't mistaken, Jiang Mingyang's father-in-law wanted to introduce his daughter to him.

Although Jiang Lin is beautiful, and would be considered a stunning beauty by ordinary standards, she falls short when compared to Xu Lin.

Xu Lin remained unmoved.

If a girl is beautiful and has a clean past, suitors will flock to her door.

It's similar for boys. If a boy has good looks and a good career, he'll be sought after, and people will even leverage him several times or even ten times the amount. But for someone like Xu Lin, it's really normal for people to introduce daughters to him.

Jiang Mingyang was a cunning old fox; seeing Xu Lin's reaction, he knew that the other party didn't fancy his daughter.

Jiang Mingyang didn't feel anything about this. A young man of Xu Lin's caliber is indeed not someone that an ordinary girl can be worthy of or handle.

In other words, most girls can't handle this kind of guy.

Jiang Mingyang thought about his daughter, and honestly, putting aside the fact that she was his daughter, she really didn't have anything worth mentioning.

Are you beautiful?

That's really nothing.

Beauty is a scarce resource in the lower and middle classes of society, and it is a valuable reproductive asset for ordinary people. But if you are intelligent, smart, and capable, even if you are not particularly good-looking, you may become the wife of a big shot.

In Jiang Mingyang's eyes, Xu Lin was amazing, more outstanding than his children, and his excellence was obvious to the naked eye.

Just like when he was young, he once met a man who was slightly older than him. That man did not look like an ordinary person. Now he has become a big shot, holding a high-ranking position in the central government of the capital, which Jiang Mingyang can only look up to.

Xu Lin gave Jiang Mingyang the feeling that he was even more outstanding than this man.

Such a person is called a dragon among men.

"I've also hosted a dinner party at Tianxiang Guose. Mr. Xu, Mr. Ye, would you be interested in coming over this afternoon for a proper get-together?"

Jiang Mingyang smiled.

Ye Shengjun: "I have no problem with that. I wonder about Mr. Xu?"

“I’m fine with it too,” Xu Lin said calmly.

The opening ceremony began quickly.

The process is similar to last time.

Jiang Mingyang was an outsider; he came here mainly to meet Xu Lin.

So he is currently sitting at one of the tables with his daughter.

"Dad, it seems like he doesn't like me."

Jiang Lin couldn't help but say.

Young people shouldn't meet people who are too amazing, and Xu Lin was the most amazing person to Jiang Lin.

In fact, she would never meet a guy with Xu Lin's perfect stats in her lifetime.

It would be strange if Jiang Lin didn't have feelings for Xu Lin.

"It's right that I don't like you. Think about it, besides being my daughter, what outstanding qualities do you have?"

Jiang Mingyang stated it directly.

Jiang Lin quickly replied, "But I'm beautiful and have a great figure."

"Linlin, beauty is nothing."

Jiang Mingyang shook his head. "A guy like him will never lack beautiful women around him. I've never met a guy like him in my life. He gives me a very special feeling. He should go very far and reach a height that I can't even imagine."

Jiang Lin pouted and remained silent for a moment.

She turned on her phone's front-facing camera and looked at herself in the image.

She was indeed beautiful and was known as a goddess at school, with countless outstanding boys pursuing her.

But with Xu Lin, she ran into a brick wall.

"Dad, I'm not bad either!"

she says.

Jiang Mingyang didn't speak, but just looked at Xu Lin in the distance.

Although he was still in his prime at middle age, his son, while not exactly useless, wasn't much better. Inheriting the family business would be quite difficult for him. Jiang Mingyang was afraid that the fruits of his life's labor would crumble in his son's hands. As someone with only one son, Jiang Mingyang was a little panicked. Right now, he could only pin his hopes on his future grandson, the third generation.

Jiang Mingyang now understands a bit about those wealthy families with many sons, and even some important figures.

Because I can have ten sons. Even if nine of them are useless, there will still be one who is presentable. In fact, one of the ten sons might even become a true dragon, leading the family to a higher position and allowing the family to continue for another era or even longer.

However, Jiang Mingyang's current wife keeps a close eye on him and has a lot of damaging information about him. Otherwise, he would have wanted to find a woman outside the marriage to have children, find an excellent woman, give birth to excellent genes, and raise a true dragon that can rise to great heights.

Actually, his wife allows him to have other women and does whatever he wants, but she doesn't allow him to father children outside of marriage.

the other side.

The opening ceremony was very lively. The opening ceremony of "Da Jing Dynasty" was much more lively than that of "Miss Maybach". The latter was a romance drama with a small ensemble cast, while "Da Jing Dynasty" had a large ensemble cast and a larger number of characters. There were more than 30 important characters alone, while "Miss Maybach" only had four important characters. This is the difference between the two.

"The Great Jing Dynasty" is a stage of history, which is also a stage for men.

"Mr. Xu, I've heard you have beautiful handwriting. How about you write a few words for me?"

Chen Baoguo said with a smile.

After he started, many people at the scene also expressed their wish that Mr. Xu would write an inscription.

Actually, they weren't flattering anyone, but sometimes, that's just how interpersonal relationships are in this circle. When someone of higher status speaks, someone of lower status follows suit. This kind of social etiquette has existed in this land for thousands of years.

"No problem, then I'll just write a few words!"

Historical dramas often feature the Four Treasures of the Study (brush, ink, paper, and inkstone) for those skilled in calligraphy to enjoy.

Before long, everyone saw Xu Lin standing on the table with writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones.

Ye Shengjun poured some ink out for him and onto the inkstone.

Xu Lin picked up a calligraphy brush about the size of the girl's thumb, first moistened it with water, and then dipped it in ink.

Then, Xu Lin wrote four characters on the Xuan paper in one go, from right to left, in a smooth and flowing manner: Great Jing Dynasty.

Cursive script.

"Mr. Xu's handwriting is really beautiful!"

Ye Shengjun exclaimed, "I don't understand calligraphy either, but looking at Mr. Xu's calligraphy, I can only feel its magnificent and powerful style!"

"Are you trying to flatter me? I've been flattered too much today, I don't want to hear it anymore," Xu Lin laughed.

"Ha ha……"

Ye Shengjun laughed heartily, "Do you like this flattery?"

"I don't like it when people flatter me."

Xu Lin engaged in a question-and-answer session with him, jokingly telling everyone not to flatter him.

Jiang Mingyang came over and looked at Xu Lin's calligraphy. He didn't understand calligraphy either, but like Ye Shengjun, he felt that Xu Lin's calligraphy was very impressive and magnificent.

"These characters are beautiful!"

Jiang Mingyang couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Actually, Xu Lin's name immediately went viral and became a trending topic, but that's another story.

The opening ceremony lasted for several hours.

The crowd dispersed, and Xu Lin and his team began the second half of the game.

Jiang Mingyang sent his daughter away, leaving the three men behind.

A beauty of unparalleled grace.

Actually, this is a high-end place with an ancient style, a place to eat and relax.

It can't compare to those so-called high-end restaurants outside.

A restaurant with an average cost of several thousand yuan per person is considered high-end by ordinary people, but what is this if it's just a few thousand yuan for food that the middle class or ordinary wage earners can afford with a little effort?
What do the truly wealthy and corrupt officials, who indulge in extravagance and debauchery, eat?
Xu Lin had truly broadened his horizons.

The entrance is like the entrance to a cave. After passing through the entrance, there is an arched bridge leading to a huge pool. In the pool, there are lotus flowers, small boats, and women. These are beautiful women in ancient costumes with fair skin, dressed in revealing clothes. They are in the water, their bodies wet, which makes people's imaginations run wild. From the outside, they would definitely be goddesses.

Looking ahead, in the distance, clouds and mist swirl, creating a hazy, ethereal atmosphere reminiscent of the Heavenly Court from "Journey to the West." Upon closer inspection, many figures emerge from the misty haze—a group of young beauties dressed in ancient costumes and light gauze, dancing beautifully.

This should be a stage.

We've passed this point.

A beautiful waitress, also dressed in ancient costume, led three people into a private room.

The private room was very large.

Inside the private room, there was a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument), and a beautiful woman in ancient costume was already sitting there gracefully.

The women here are all beautiful, and their makeup is very light, just simple outlining, without any heavy makeup. They are all beautiful even without makeup.

Xu Lin sighed with emotion. No wonder this place is called "National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance". There are so many beautiful women here, and they all have great figures and are at least 1.7 meters tall. How could it not be "National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance"?

This must be the legendary high-end club!

No.

Those shady high-end clubs can't compare to this place.

Xu Lin's expression remained unchanged.

"What music would you three gentlemen like to hear?"

After the three of them sat down, the woman in ancient costume sitting at the head of the table addressed Xu Lin and the others respectfully as "sirs".

What songs are there?

Xu Lin asked.

Then the woman in ancient costume recited many guqin pieces.

Xu Lin then said, "Let's play 'The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate'."

"My lord, please listen to my music!"

She doesn't use a affected, high-pitched voice; she speaks normally with a very pleasant tone, no less than those so-called voice actors.

Xu Lin thought to himself that these people must have all been rigorously screened, including the beautiful waitress who had led the way earlier; her voice was also lovely.

Soon, the guqin piece "Phoenix Seeking Its Mate" began to play. The beautiful woman played it quite well, clearly possessing skill.

This piece tells the story of Zhuo Wenjun, a talented woman from the Western Han Dynasty, and Sima Xiangru. Sima Xiangru attracted Zhuo Wenjun by playing the zither. The phoenix is ​​male and the phoenix is ​​female, so it is simply a story of a man pursuing a woman, hence the name "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix".

Just as the music started playing, another beautiful woman in ancient costume came in to brew tea for them. And it wasn't just about adding hot water and tea leaves; she also performed a complicated tea ceremony.

A large, long table, made of precious wood, was set up. Jiang Mingyang and Ye Shengjun sat on one side, and not far opposite them was a beautiful woman in ancient costume playing the zither. Next to Xu Lin was another beautiful woman in ancient costume brewing tea.

"Does Mr. Xu like this piece of music?"

Jiang Mingyang asked.

"I've heard of it; I'm just curious, so I'll listen to it."

Xu Lin: "Where is this place?"

Ye Shengjun: "A place where anyone with money can do whatever they want."

"Does Mr. Xu think it's inappropriate to come to a place like this?"

Jiang Mingyang asked.

"No."

Jiang Mingyang said, "Actually, when I came to this kind of place with my father-in-law back then, I was very surprised. I never thought that this side of the world would exist. My father-in-law said that I should not have any prejudice against these things, and that I should know the truth of this world. He said that an individual only lives in this world for a few decades, so there is no need to be cynical, because these things existed in primitive society. Of course, he also said that the brilliance of human nature, such as truth, goodness and beauty, also exists. This is the law of the universe. Opposing sides such as black and white, good and evil, right and wrong coexist, and they are both mutually exclusive and intertwined."

When Xu Lin heard him mention his father-in-law, who was Rong Xiyan's maternal grandfather, he couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person is Mr. Jiang's father-in-law?"

"He is my idol. I could never learn from him even if I studied him my whole life."

Jiang Mingyang sighed, “But he has already passed away. He died of illness, which was a huge blow to me at the time. He was like a hero in my heart. But when I was young, I never thought that such a great and upright hero would grow old and die one day. But he died very gracefully. I am now in my early forties, and I feel that my body is obviously not as good as when I was young. I have started to get gray hair. I realize that I am getting old. I am starting to fear the day I will die. When my father-in-law died, he was thin as a rake. Even though he was tormented by illness, he still faced death calmly. I don’t know if I will be like him when I die.”

Ye Shengjun: "To face death with equanimity, Mr. Jiang's father-in-law truly deserves to be called a hero by you!"

"Haha, no joke. My father-in-law is a true hero. I owe everything I have today to him, but his career is all thanks to himself. When I met him, he was already quite old. He had been a businessman, been to prison, fought on the battlefield and killed people. After returning, he went to Southeast Asia to start a business, riding through gunfire and explosions. His life was full of ups and downs, and most of his life was turbulent. He stood tall and proud on his own. He is an extraordinary man, my idol in this life, and the only hero in my heart."

Jiang Mingyang continued, "I have a son now, the same age as Mr. Xu, but he is far less accomplished than Mr. Xu, not even as accomplished as I was in my youth. Although I was not as good as my father-in-law when I was young, I was not bad at all. I had a ruthless spirit and a certain vision. Mr. Xu, you understand history. Tell me, didn't those feudal monarchs or families get worse with each generation? Why is that?"

"The moon waxes and wanes, but what can last forever? Individuals cannot last forever, and neither can families or powerful forces."

"Yes, that's true. The moon waxes and wanes, but I don't want that."

Jiang Mingyang: "I really hope my son will amount to something. I'm getting older and I've even started to become superstitious. I'm thinking, maybe I have to pay for some of the karma I've accumulated..."

"What about cause and effect?" Ye Shengjun asked curiously.

"Sigh, let's not talk about it. I was young and ignorant, and I made some mistakes. Perhaps I have to pay for some of the consequences."

As he spoke, Jiang Mingyang picked up a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. Judging from his expression, you could tell that he was feeling unhappy.

Xu Lin looked at his cheap father-in-law, but he didn't know what kind of person he was.

At the dinner table, the three men chatted about all sorts of topics, but none of them called out to the woman.

Actually, you can do whatever you want here.

How much did this meal cost?

They ate delicacies from land and sea.

Including drinks, the total cost was 870,000.

The guests were invited by Jiang Mingyang.

The three chatted and ate, and before they knew it, more than three hours had passed.

Then we went into another private room for a massage.

Special services are available here, but none of the three requested them.

The three of them had a rather profound conversation today, discussing history, life, destiny, cause and effect, and superstition. Suddenly, a woman appeared—what kind of behavior is that?

Xu Lin wouldn't have a picnic outside, nor would he be interested in it, while Ye Shengjun and Jiang Mingyang had no shortage of women and were even less interested.

After the massage, everyone went to drink.

Xu Lin didn't drink alcohol, but substituted tea and other beverages. Ye Shengjun and Jiang Mingyang drank more alcohol, especially Jiang Mingyang.

The old man started drinking, as if he had something on his mind.

Night had long since fallen, and it was finally time to say goodbye.

Ye Shengjun had someone take him home.

Xu Lin originally intended to drive away directly.

Slightly tipsy, Jiang Mingyang said, "Mr. Xu, would you mind giving me a ride? My daughter is driving this car."

"Okay, where is the address?"

Jiang Mingyang gave an address.

A villa community.

"Is Mr. Jiang's home here?"

"No, I haven't bought a house here yet, I'm just renting a villa."

"Oh."

Xu Lin helped the unsteady Jiang Mingyang to the car, opened the passenger door for him, and put him inside.

"Mr. Xu, I'm sorry to have asked you to be my driver."

"fine."

The car started moving.

Jiang Mingyang lay back there, enjoying the wind blowing in his ears, watching the rapidly changing scenery outside the car window.

It's already 9 PM, which is quite late.

He had been drinking. When people drink, they tend to think about things from a long time ago.

Jiang Mingyang looked out the window for a while, and suddenly felt a little depressed. He couldn't help but sigh.

He turned to look at Xu Lin, who presented him with a perfect profile.

Xu Lin, at eighteen, was in the prime of his life.

Jiang Mingyang suddenly felt a little dazed, recalling his youth.

He was once so handsome and dashing, and so full of youthful vigor.

However, when he was Xu Lin's age, he was far from being as spirited as Xu Lin. Back then, he was just a naive young man from the countryside. It was his first time in the city. He saw the bustling traffic and dazzling lights, or the confident and radiant city girls. He remembered that when he arrived at school, he was still wearing liberation shoes and carrying fertilizer bags for his luggage. He was the only one from the countryside in the dormitory. In particular, there was a rich guy in the dormitory who looked down on him because of his rural background. Once, at a dinner party, this guy deliberately belittled him in front of the girl he liked. As a result, everyone at the table, including the girl he liked, laughed at him, and he could only blush with embarrassment.

How insecure Jiang Mingyang must have felt back then.

He remembered one night when his father-in-law drank a lot of alcohol and was sitting in the passenger seat while he was driving.

However, Xu Lin is not his son-in-law.

Jiang Mingyang was quite disappointed. He thought to himself, how could his daughter be worthy of such an exceptionally talented young man?
What about the other daughter?

Obviously not.

"I made some mistakes when I was young, Mr. Xu. Do you think the concept of retribution exists in this world?"

Jiang Mingyang suddenly spoke.

"If it can be made up for, it may not be too late to make up for it now."

call……

Jiang Mingyang sighed, remaining silent, seemingly lost in thought.

"Mr. Xu, do you think I'm a good person?"

"How could I possibly know what's in Mr. Jiang's heart, which I cannot fathom?"

"Yes."

"What kind of person does Mr. Jiang consider himself to be?" Xu Lin asked him in return.

“My company provides employment for thousands of people and brings happiness to thousands of families. I have never mistreated my employees. In addition, I donate tens of millions of yuan to charity every year in my own name. Of course, I don’t donate to those charitable organizations so that those scumbags can embezzle it. I do charity work seriously. So, I should be considered a good person in terms of society. But in terms of private morality, I have done a lot of bad things. I guess I am a bad person too.”

"If Mr. Jiang is already a bad person in terms of private morality, and if he is also harmful to society while having a large family and business, then you will really be struck by lightning and nailed to the pillar of shame, or even, to put it bluntly, be cut off from your lineage!"

Xu Lin didn't give him any face either.

In fact, Jiang Mingyang was talking about the issue of public morality versus private morality.

Public morality and private morality are complex concepts. Public morality has little to do with ordinary people, but it is very important to those with social status.

Just like when looking at history, some people like to talk about the emperor's private morality, such as this emperor sleeping with his daughter-in-law, sleeping with his stepmother, etc. However, these private morals are actually insignificant to the emperor, because as the ruler of a country, the emperor is the sole supreme person in charge of countless people under heaven. What he has to do is to be worthy of the people, worthy of the country, and worthy of the ancestors of this nation. During his reign, if he expands the territory and establishes great achievements, it is enough for him to be remembered in history. The people will remember him, and history will forever write a big chapter about him. If, during his reign, the people suffer and the territory is invaded by foreign tribes, then this emperor, or this dynasty, like the Qing Dynasty, will be forever nailed to the pillar of historical shame.

This is the difference between public morality and private morality; they must be discussed separately and cannot be treated as one.

What kind of person is Jiang Mingyang?

Xu Lin didn't know, because it was too complicated.

To understand a person, you cannot rely on a few words from others, nor can you listen to a few words from the person themselves.

Therefore, Xu Lin didn't say much, and today was only the first real contact between him and Jiang Mingyang.

He couldn't say he understood the man.

"Haha, yes, I've already committed moral transgressions. If I were to do something even more heinous, I'd be struck by lightning and have no descendants."

Jiang Mingyang remarked that he didn't mind Xu Lin saying that about him; he had that kind of perspective.

As they chatted, the car arrived at the villa community.

Xu Lin took him to the villa.

"Mr. Xu, would you like to come in and have a seat?"

"No, it's almost ten o'clock, it's late, Mr. Jiang should get some rest too!"

"Okay, Mr. Xu too."

Jiang Mingyang felt quite disappointed when he saw that Xu Lin didn't want to come in and sit down.

"Let's get together again sometime, Mr. Jiang."

"Okay, let's get together again sometime."

Jiang Mingyang watched Xu Lin leave. He valued Xu Lin highly, regarding him as someone of the same rank, and therefore respected him greatly.

Meanwhile, Xu Lin sped up his return journey, arriving home in just over half an hour.

(End of this chapter)