Chapter 63: The Whole Story

Nie Yunyang went down to the first floor, asked the housekeeper for Shen Hui's phone number, and then drove a Volkswagen SUV out of the garage.

Just after driving away from Vanke Eling Peak, Nie Yunyang called Shen Hui. He felt quite favorably toward Cao Weihua's adopted daughter, perhaps because her tragic background made him feel a sense of shared empathy.

However, Shen Hui had a poor impression of Nie Yunyang and did not have his number. When the call connected, a cold voice came from the other end: "Hello, who is this?"

"I'm Nie Yunyang. Uncle Cao asked me to pick you up from school," Nie Yunyang said.

Shen Hui, who had just finished her class and was preparing to go home, frowned slightly and said, "There's no need. I'll take a taxi back myself. I won't trouble you. Thank you."

Rejected?

Nie Yunyang was not surprised. After all, he had offended this young woman time and again, but he still braced himself and said, "I'm almost there, and it's hard to catch a taxi right now. You wouldn't want me to make this trip for nothing, would you?"

"Alright then. Wait at the North Gate. I'll call you when I come out," Shen Hui said.

***

At Vanke Eling Peak, in the mansion.

Only Cao Weihua and Tan Weibo remained in the collection room.

Cao Weihua took a few steps forward, gestured with his hand, and said, "Please, sit wherever you like. Make yourself at home."

Tan Weibo waited until Cao Weihua had seated himself before taking a chair nearby.

"Weibo, Nie Yunyang should have mentioned that matter to you. Well then, are you interested in working with me?" Cao Weihua asked with a smile.

Tan Weibo maintained a blank expression. "Not particularly interested."

Cao Weihua was caught off guard. Usually, people came begging him for favors; this was his first time encountering such an indifferent man.

"Since you're not interested, why did you come to see me?"

"The two are unrelated. I was simply curious about you and wanted to clarify a few things," Tan Weibo said.

Cao Weihua raised an eyebrow. "What things?"

"Nie Yunyang told me that you helped him a great deal with the Mu family's affairs. I've also made inquiries about you. Given your cautious and meticulous nature, why would you muddy the waters by helping Nie Yunyang? At the same time, I'm very curious about what you're really plotting by bringing him into Jinxiu Huating," Tan Weibo asked.

Instead of getting angry, Cao Weihua laughed. "I help Yunyang naturally because it's for his own good. Would you have me, as his uncle, stand by and watch him get hacked to death? As for why Yunyang comes and goes as he pleases at Jinxiu Huating, that is his own decision. As for me, I very much want to cultivate him as my successor."

Even Cao Weihua himself did not know the exact monetary value of the pile of antiques in the room; they were merely playthings, and since he couldn't take them with him to his grave, someone had to inherit them in the future.

"A successor?"

Tan Weibo burst into laughter, finding the idea utterly absurd. "You, Cao Weihua, are considered a prominent figure in Chongqing. Are you really willing to hand over such a massive empire to a young man with whom you share no blood relation?"

"I have neither wife nor children. These possessions cannot be brought into this world at birth, nor taken away at death. What use would I have for keeping them?"

This explanation made Tan Weibo look at Cao Weihua in a new light. As expected of a heavyweight who had carved out his own domain, his vision far surpassed that of ordinary people.

"I understand your meaning, but why Nie Yunyang? Is there some deep connection between you two?"

***

The housekeeper brought in a freshly brewed pot of Longjing tea. Cao Weihua handed a teacup to Tan Weibo, poured him a full cup, and smiled. "It seems Yunyang hasn't mentioned certain things to you. I wonder if you are acquainted with Master Zhan?"

"Master Zhan? Of course I know him. He's Nie Yunyang's master. He was an old acquaintance of my family's patriarch, and it was upon the patriarch's orders that I came to Chongqing to help Nie Yunyang this time. Otherwise, I would never have abandoned the career I built up in Nanchang just to run off to Chongqing and wander the underworld with an inexperienced kid," Tan Weibo said.

Cao Weihua took a sip of tea and smiled. "No wonder. What I'm curious about is, given your abilities and how well you were doing in Nanchang, why did you turn so low-profile upon arriving in Chongqing?"

"In the past, an old immortal told me that people are divided into different ranks and destinies are graded by weight. Since I have a humble destiny, I am fated to walk the lower paths. Now that I've passed forty, I've finally managed to make something of myself. Perhaps this is precisely why the patriarch sent me to Chongqing to assist Nie Yunyang," Tan Weibo said.

Having started his career as a grave robber, Cao Weihua was a devout believer in Daoism, so he readily accepted what Tan Weibo said.

"Can you answer my questions now?"

Having finished speaking of his own affairs, Tan Weibo asked impatiently.

Cao Weihua set down his teacup, sighed, and said, "There are three reasons why I chose Nie Yunyang as my successor. First, I deeply appreciate Yunyang; the kid possesses a certain spiritual sharpness. Second, I have a profound relationship with Master Zhan and was fortunate enough to receive his personal enlightenment. Third, having drifted through half my life with no one to rely on, I need to choose someone I can trust to look after me in my old age and see me off when I die."

"I understand." Tan Weibo was suddenly enlightened.

Cao Weihua smiled. "Now that we've chatted so much, let's get back to the main point. I actually feel that making you a deputy security manager is somewhat underutilizing your talents."

"I'll start working tomorrow," Tan Weibo said.

Cao Weihua laughed heartily. His judgment of people had always been accurate, and this man certainly had not disappointed him.

Moreover, with Tan Weibo assisting him, Nie Yunyang's future path would be much smoother.

***

Meanwhile, Nie Yunyang and Shen Hui were still on their way back.

Once they got into the car, Shen Hui asked, "Why did Uncle ask you to pick me up?"

"In my opinion, Old Cao wants the two of us—a young man and a young woman—to be left alone in a room together until the rice is cooked into porridge," Nie Yunyang teased.

Shen Hui snorted coldly. "You are far too much of a rogue. I certainly don't like you."

"Hehe, it's best that you don't like me. If you did, there wouldn't be any challenge left. I just love conquering aloof women like you. What a sense of achievement that brings!" Nie Yunyang said earnestly.

Shen Hui's pretty face frosted over. "Aren't you afraid of being beaten to death the moment you walk out the door talking like that?"

"There are far too many people in this world who want to beat me to death; even if they formed a queue, it wouldn't be your turn. Still, I could open a backdoor for you. How about that?" Nie Yunyang continued to banter.

Shen Hui gave him an unamused sidelong glance. "Glib-tongued. Annoying."

Chongqing Art School was not far from Vanke Eling Peak, and they arrived shortly. As soon as the car was properly parked in the underground garage, Shen Hui hurried out, utterly unwilling to spend another moment alone with Nie Yunyang.

When Nie Yunyang entered the house, Cao Weihua and Tan Weibo were already drinking and making merry in the living room, the table laden with fine dishes.

Nie Yunyang paused in surprise and asked, "What's going on here?"

"Uncle, why are you drinking again?" Shen Hui demanded, stepping forward.

"Today is a happy day, so I'm having a little drink with your brother here," Cao Weihua said with paternal affection. He truly doted on Shen Hui.

Tan Weibo looked up and asked, "And this beautiful young lady is?"

"Oh, this is my adopted daughter, Shen Hui," Cao Weihua said proudly, pulling Shen Hui forward to introduce her. "A-Hui, this is your Brother Tan."

"Hello, Brother Tan," Shen Hui greeted him very politely.

Tan Weibo smiled and nodded, thinking to herself that Shen Hui had the delicate charm of a traditional maiden. Though a completely different style from Mu Qingyao, she suited Nie Yunyang quite well.

Nie Yunyang felt a line of black running down his forehead. This girl really knew how to change her attitude depending on who she was looking at!

"Yunyang, Weibo has already agreed to take on the role of deputy general manager of Jinxiu Huating. At the same time, he will also serve as the security consultant for Jinchuan Trading Company." Cao Weihua announced his decision in front of everyone.

Tan Weibo's willingness to work at Jinxiu Huating was not due to Cao Weihua's face, but Nie Yunyang's. Therefore, he couldn't be given a role beneath his station—as the saying went, those with greater abilities should shoulder more burdens.

Accustomed to Cao Weihua's ways, Nie Yunyang nonchalantly replied, "As long as you're happy."

"The hour isn't too late yet. Why don't you stay and have a bite with us?"

Fortune smiled upon him, and Cao Weihua was in high spirits, eager to drink a few more cups.

Nie Yunyang glanced at his watch. He had made a promise to Xiang Tao earlier and couldn't stand him up, so he waved a hand and said, "Forget it. You guys drink slowly. I have some business to attend to and need to head out."

"What urgent business could you possibly have? At least finish dinner before you leave!" Cao Weihua complained with some dissatisfaction.

Nie Yunyang chuckled. "Going to chase girls! Believe it or not!"

Cao Weihua froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at Shen Hui. Wasn't there a gorgeous devil right here? Could it be that her charm wasn't enough?

Seeing this, Shen Hui glared at Nie Yunyang and urged, "Hurry up and get lost."

Without further explanation, Nie Yunyang left the house, hailed a taxi to Sunac Peach Blossom Land, and bought some fruit at the entrance of the residential compound—one had to observe proper etiquette.

Upon arriving at Sunac Peach Blossom Land, he called Xiang Tao, who eagerly ran down to fetch him inside.

Nie Yunyang couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. For such a trivial matter, Xiang Xinxuan wouldn't possibly host a formal family banquet to treat him, would she? What on earth was she up to?