Chapter 28

The next morning, Zhou Chao woke up early, eager for his meeting with Ma Yun. After having a buffet breakfast at the hotel, they arrived at 9:30 am. Zhou Chao noticed that the appointed time was approaching, so he asked Lin Wu to drive into the sprawling Taohuayuan Ecological Community, heading towards Ma Yun’s residence.

Taohuayuan was a magnificent place, inspired by Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring”, blending natural landscapes and pastoral living to create a harmonious haven known as the “Peach Blossom Spring Ideal.”

The community was remarkably spacious, and it took Zhou Chao and Lin Wu a good three to four minutes to find Ma Yun’s residence. The entire courtyard exuded an ancient charm, tranquil and serene. Zhou Chao pressed the doorbell, and a robust middle-aged man opened the door promptly.

“Mr. Zhou, please come in.”

Leaving Lin Wu in the car, Zhou Chao followed the man inside, carrying a gift for Ma Yun. As he stepped inside, the courtyard evoked the ambiance of a Jiangnan water village.

Ma Yun was currently engrossed in something in the courtyard, but when he noticed Zhou Chao’s arrival, he warmly welcomed him.

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“Well, well, you’ve still got a conscience, bringing a gift for an old man like me. Come on in, you’re most welcome. What’s the point of bringing any gifts?” Ma Yun smiled, exuding a friendly aura.

Zhou Chao handed over the tea leaves, saying, “I wasn’t sure if you like tea, so I brought some Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain. I hope you’ll like it.”

“Da Hong Pao? Zhou, my boy, this is fantastic! Do you know how many people desire this but can’t get their hands on it?” Ma Yun gladly accepted the gift.

They chatted amicably, and Ma Yun invited Zhou Chao to his study. “You don’t have to call me ‘President Ma’; just call me ‘Uncle Ma’.”

“Alright, Uncle Ma. Your house is incredibly comfortable, living here feels like being in a peaceful water village,” Zhou Chao addressed Ma Yun differently.

“You’re not short of money either. Why don’t you buy a place nearby? Then you can visit me anytime, and it’ll be convenient for me to invite you over for meals,” Ma Yun suggested.

“I’ve thought about it. Living here alone might be too quiet for me,” Zhou Chao replied.

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and Zhou Chao found comfort in discussing various matters with Ma Yun, be it business or personal. Ma Yun’s high emotional intelligence made the interaction all the more enjoyable.

“Today, let’s stay here and have some fun. I’m expecting some guests later, and I can show off your Da Hong Pao tea, making them envious.”

“Sure, I’m curious who will be joining us,” Zhou Chao inquired.

“Guo from Fuxin Group and Yue from Yuantong Group. Originally, the three of us planned to play poker together. It’s perfect timing that you’re here; we can gather a complete table…”

Hearing the names of the two influential businessmen, Zhou Chao knew that Ma Yun was introducing him to his circle. Both Guo and Yue were prominent members of the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce.

“Thank you, Uncle Ma, for the introduction. I’m looking forward to meeting these legendary figures,” Zhou Chao expressed his gratitude with a smile.

Ma Yun glanced at Zhou Chao and said, “You know, we Chinese value connections and relationships. Even though you have significant backing, people with a discerning eye will still notice. By the way, despite your wealth, you seem quite leisurely. Speaking of which, you should consider giving back to society when the opportunity arises.”

Zhou Chao chuckled. “Uncle Ma, you’re jesting. As you said, I’m not interested in money. Most of the time, I’m alone at home, occasionally playing games, reading books, and exercising. I still haven’t found a girlfriend yet.”

Ma Yun heard Zhou Chao mention his lack of a partner and teased, “Shall I introduce you to someone?”

“No need, Uncle Ma. I’ll find one on my own. The kind of pampered ladies you’d introduce, I don’t think I can handle,” Zhou Chao hastily declined the offer.

“Alright, enough talking about that. How about you join me for a game of Go to pass the time while we wait for the others?” Ma Yun suggested. After speaking, he took a set of jade Go pieces and a snow-white Go board from the bookshelf. The appearance was truly captivating.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chao excused himself and went to the restroom. “System, can I check for relevant skills through checking in?”

“Does the host wish to spend 15 accumulated days to check in?”

Without hesitation, Zhou Chao bit his lip and said, “Check in.”

“Congratulations, the host has checked in and obtained the skills ‘Chess Saint’ and ‘Gambling God.’ Would you like to integrate them?”

“Integrate.” Zhou Chao decided without delay. In an instant, his mind was flooded with knowledge about various chess arts and gambling strategies. His muscles, especially in his arms and fingers, twitched involuntarily as they formed new memories. After a short while, Zhou Chao returned to normal, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a piece of paper before walking out of the restroom.

“You’re really slow. If you hadn’t come out, I would’ve called the butler to check if you fell in or something,” Ma Yun teased as Zhou Chao emerged from the restroom.

“Alright, let’s start the game. Black or white?” They resumed the game, chatting about everyday life.

“With your wealth and status, there must be many women around you. Don’t you like any of them?”

“No, I’m not into socializing, so I don’t know many people.”

“Sometimes, it’s good to attend gatherings and expand your social circle. You never know when you might be able to lend a helping hand. Oh, by the way, how did you manage to devour my chess pieces?”

“Well, those pieces were right in front of me; how could I resist eating them?”

“You should at least warn me before eating my pieces.”

“Is that so? I promise to do that next time,” Zhou Chao said with a grin as he trapped Ma Yun’s pieces with a powerful dragon formation.

Ma Yun looked puzzled and said, “I lost again? Your chess skills are incredible! How did you become so good?”

Zhou Chao chuckled. If it weren’t for the Chess Saint skill he had just integrated, it would still be hard to say who would have won. He wasn’t exaggerating; not even the legendary Chess Saint, Huang Longshi, could defeat him.

“Let’s play again, but this time, I won’t go easy on you. I’ll be serious.”

“Sure thing,” Zhou Chao agreed. They restarted the game, and within thirty moves, Ma Yun was already regretting his moves.

“You shouldn’t have aggressively hunted down my white pieces from the beginning.”

“Well, can’t I try to surround and capture your pieces?”

“Certainly! When you make a move, you must express your intentions.” Ma Yun laughed at himself.

“Uncle Ma, could you explain your rules of chess to me?”

“Sure, no problem. We’ll talk as we play.”

As time passed, Ma Yun’s pieces dwindled until only a few white pieces remained on the edge of the board.

“I’m done playing. It’s no fun playing with you; I’ll go play with Lao Guo and the others.”