Mad Dragon gets out of prison and marries a beautiful CEO.

Chapter 95

Chen Li replied:

"Not going is like blocking the road, preventing a cornered dog from taking drastic measures."

"Lu Changgeng invited me to dinner not to harm me, but to let me know he was willing to talk. Only if I went could he be sure I wasn't there to overturn his entire table."

Chen Jia lowered his head and pondered for a few seconds before placing the water glass on the coffee table.

"I'll go with you."

Chen Li glanced at her:

"What are you going to do?"

Chen Jia explained:

"Going alone makes it seem like you're taking it too seriously; going with someone makes it seem like you're just going along the way and don't value his invitation."

"Besides, you can't just drink at the dinner table. Having a woman around means I can respond when you can't bring yourself to say something."

Chen Li stared at her for two seconds, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

This girl, who was screaming last night, has already learned to tailor her approach to different people at the dinner table.

He didn't refuse and nodded.

Nothing else happened that afternoon.

In his study, Chen Li reread the notes on Gu techniques left by his Six-Fingers master, focusing on the chapter on the weaknesses of one's natal Gu.

Chen Jia was upstairs packing her clothes for tomorrow's outing. Her footsteps were light as she came downstairs, humming an unknown tune.

In the evening, Chen Li went to the yard to collect the clothes. He paused for a moment as he passed the rose bushes by the corner of the wall.

Several rose leaves showed signs of corrosion on their edges, with dark brown rings spreading along the veins, as if some crawling insect had been secreting bodily fluids along the leaves.

He plucked the leaf off and examined the back. He found no insect eggs or secretions left behind, but the scorch marks on the leaf reminded him of the marks left by a type of gu (a type of insect used to detect insects) recorded in his notes.

Master Guigu has already been here.

They weren't there to attack, but to check his breathing and daily routine.

Chen Li crushed the leaves, threw them into the trash can, clapped his hands, and walked back into the house as if nothing had happened.

Chen Jia was coming down the stairs, having changed into a loose-fitting loungewear shirt, her hair casually tied up. Seeing him come in, she asked, "..."

"What color should I wear tomorrow?"

Chen Li smiled and said:

"Whatever you like is fine."

Chapter 95

The following evening, Chen Li parked his car in the designated parking space outside the gate of Mingyuan.

The evening breeze, carrying the scent of pine and cypress trees, wafted through the forest from the mountainside, invigorating the spirit.

The entrance to the tea garden is small, with gray bricks and blue tiles, hidden behind the dense shade of several old locust trees. There is no signboard at the entrance, only a bronze wall lamp that shines warmly, illuminating two very small seal characters on the lintel.

Chen Jia got out of the passenger seat, stood next to Chen Li, looked up at the vermilion gate, and whispered:

"Smaller than I thought."

Chen Li said:

"The bigger the store, the more ostentatious it is. Lu Changgeng has been doing shady business all his life, so he knows that the storefront should be small, because a big tree attracts the wind."

The two walked side by side up the stone steps in front of the door.

The door was pulled open from the inside, and a young woman in a dark green cheongsam stood sideways in the doorway, bowing slightly.

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Lu is already waiting inside. Please follow me."

After passing through a screen wall, the space suddenly opened up.

The courtyard was small but exquisite, with a pond of koi swimming in the twilight, and several clumps of bamboo planted by the pond, their leaves rustling in the evening breeze.

Beyond the pool lies a bright tea room with windows on three sides and a mountain wall on the other, covered with moss and vines.

The indoor lighting was set to be extremely soft, as if a piece of dusk had been cut out and moved into the room.

Lu Changgeng sat in a round-backed chair by the window, with a rosewood tea table in front of him, on which a kettle of water was boiling.

He was wearing a light gray cotton shirt and holding a string of shiny walnuts in his hand. When Chen Li came in, he didn't get up, but just raised his eyes and smiled.

The smile was just right, with the eyebrows and eyes curving upwards and the corners of the mouth forming a perfect arc—neither overly warm to make it seem fake, nor so cold as to make one want to turn away.

An old man in his sixties or seventies sits on his own property waiting for you, his posture impeccable.

"Xiao Chen is here, please have a seat."

Lu Changgeng gestured to the chair opposite him and then politely asked:

"And this is...?"

"My girlfriend, Chen Jia."

Chen Li sat down in the chair, and Chen Jia sat down beside him, smiling and nodding at Lu Changgeng with a graceful demeanor.

Lu Changgeng's gaze lingered on Chen Jia for a moment before he smiled and looked away:

"Good, young people in pairs, it's a joyous sight. Tea or wine?"

"Tea."

Chen Li is very concise with words.

Lu Changgeng personally poured two cups of tea; the tea soup was clear and green, with a delicate aroma.

Chen Li picked up the cup, took a sip, and found the temperature just right, with a faint orchid fragrance. He put the cup down and, without beating around the bush, said:

"Old Lu invited me here not just to let me taste this cup of tea, right?"

Lu Changgeng placed the walnuts on the tea table, interlaced his fingers on his knees, and, with his gaze fixed on Chen Li's face, began to speak unhurriedly:

"Xiao Chen, I've seen everything you've done during your time in Yuncheng."

"Ah Hu, also known as Tiger, you handled that matter cleanly and efficiently. You dealt with the people who needed to be dealt with, obtained the evidence that needed to be obtained, and followed the proper channels."

"You didn't completely destroy Sun Ji; you left him a way out by allowing him to resign."

"This shows that you are sensible in your actions, and I like to deal with sensible people."

Chen Li didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

"Juxian Chamber of Commerce has been operating in Yuncheng for thirty years, with many branches under its jurisdiction, each with its own agenda."

"Tiger has gone astray; it's only a matter of time before he gets taken care of."

"As for Ye Zong..."

Lu Changgeng picked up his teacup and took a sip, speaking casually as if he were discussing the weather:

"He's been making a lot of moves lately, and I haven't had a chance to have a proper talk with him yet. If he's done anything he shouldn't have, that's his own idea, and it has nothing to do with me."

These words were perfectly watertight. On the surface, they were distancing themselves from the conflict, but in reality, they were telling Chen Li not to interfere in the struggle between Ye Zong and Chen Li.

Chen Li understood. He couldn't rule out the possibility that the old man wanted to use him as a tool to resolve the factional disputes within the Chamber of Commerce.

He didn't show anything on his face, picked up his teacup, took another sip, and continued the conversation:

"So, what is Mr. Lu trying to say to me about this meal today?"

Lu Changgeng put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and the relaxed smile on his face faded, revealing the composed demeanor that had accumulated over many years as a leader:

What I want to tell you is that Yuncheng is a big enough place for both of us to find our place.

"Whether it's your Harmony Hospital or any other business, as long as you don't touch the foundation of the Juxian Chamber of Commerce, my people won't bother you anymore."

"If you shut down Tiger's distribution channels, I'll accept the loss of 30% of the profits and won't pursue it further."

"Sun Ji, just let him come down. I'll find someone else to go up. It won't bother you."

He pointed to the tea table with his finger:

"I only have one condition: I won't interfere in your feud with Ye Zong, but don't bring it to the Juxian Chamber of Commerce. You can resolve it privately, just don't make things difficult for me."

Chen Li was silent for a few seconds, then nodded and said:

"Old Lu is straightforward."

He finished his tea and gently placed the cup back on the tea table.

A hint of surprise flashed across Lu Changgeng's eyes, which then turned into a deeper smile.

He picked up the string of walnuts again and rubbed them together a couple of times, his voice a little faster than before.

"Xiao Chen is indeed a wise man. Today I asked the kitchen to stew a pot of old duck soup. You and your girlfriend can stay and have a taste."

Chen Li wanted to learn more about this old fox, so he agreed.

Lu Changgeng was just being polite, but he was taken aback by the other party's unexpected behavior. After a moment of surprise, he chuckled and beckoned the butler to come and arrange the banquet.