Chapter 79 - 64: Lighten Up

Chapter 79: Chapter 64: Lighten UpWhen Xu Chunliang found his grandfather, the old man was sitting in the park playing chess with someone. Xu Changshan was an excellent chess player, winning time and again, which made others bored, and even he found it uninteresting. He couldn’t help but think of his old friend Gao Hong Hall, father of Gao Xinhua; they were truly evenly matched opponents.

In his seventies, friends around him became fewer and fewer, and it was inevitable to feel a bit downcast when thinking about it.

Seeing his grandson coming to find him, Xu Changshan stood up and left.

"What’s up? Didn’t they invite you to stay for a meal?"

Xu Chunliang laughed, "Why do I feel like you’re full of jealousy?"

Xu Changshan laughed heartily, "How could I be jealous of a young girl? Speaking of which, do you have a... you know, with Pei Lin?"

Xu Chunliang interrupted him, "Grandpa, do you doubt my taste?"

"That girl is quite pretty."

"Your taste is outdated."

Xu Changshan said, "Alright, outdated, let’s see what kind of girl you’ll find in the future."

Xu Chunliang said, "A man should establish his career before starting a family. Matters of the heart should be left to fate. Anyway, you don’t have to worry. With someone like me, finding a wife is no issue."

Xu Changshan nodded, "Old Gao’s granddaughter isn’t bad either. The two of you grew up together like childhood sweethearts. I wonder if that girl has a boyfriend?"

Xu Chunliang chuckled internally; his grandfather really had a lot on his mind.

Xu Changshan wanted to buy some koi to put in the pond in the backyard and suggested going to the Flower and Bird Market for a stroll. Xu Chunliang, having nothing else to do, offered to accompany him. The old Flower and Bird Market in the city center was set to be relocated next month, and the area was busy and chaotic with people and cars coming and going these days.

As they were nearing the Flower and Bird Market, a Toyota Prado suddenly honked at them from behind. On this road, where people and vehicles mingled, it wasn’t unusual for cars to pass by, but it was rare to hear a honk in such a bustling area.

Xu Changshan was startled and instinctively protected his grandson, retreating to the side of the road. The Toyota Prado sped past them, its wheels splashing muddy water onto Xu Changshan’s pant legs.

Xu Chunliang immediately recognized it as Shi Zhiwei’s car. With another vehicle, it might have been an accident, but this guy surely did it on purpose.

Xu Chunliang was furious and shouted, "Get out!"

Xu Changshan quickly stopped his angry grandson, advising, "Let it go, staying calm avoids trouble, it’s not worth getting into a conflict over such a small matter."

The Toyota had already accelerated and disappeared around the street corner.

Hearing his grandfather’s words, Xu Chunliang reluctantly let the matter rest. Although the old man wasn’t injured, he was quite scared by the sudden honk. His face was still somewhat pale, and there were many mud spots on his pant legs.

Xu Chunliang made a mental note of this grudge: a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, and Shi Zhiwei had provoked him twice now. If Xu Chunliang didn’t bother him, Shi Zhiwei should count his blessings. But now that he intentionally provoked him, he was determined to make him pay dearly.

With the impending relocation of the Flower and Bird Market, many businesses were offering clearance sales. After looking at the flowers, birds, fish, and insects for a while, Xu Changshan’s mood improved. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel_fіre.net

Xu Chunliang wasn’t very interested in the koi; he mainly accompanied the old man, and also took a look at the pet snakes and insects on display. None left a good impression; he was interested in the toxicity of the animals, not their appearance. Nowadays, most pets were bred and lacked wildness.

The two wandered around the market for over an hour and got hungry. Xu Changshan suggested going to the Wuyue Noodle House near the old city wall for a meal.

When entering, Xu Chunliang noticed Shi Zhiwei’s car in the parking lot. It really was a small world; he didn’t expect to encounter him so quickly.

If it weren’t for the surveillance around the parking area, Xu Chunliang would have liked to remove the car’s wheels. The two chose a window seat, and Xu Chunliang, after looking around, didn’t see Shi Zhiwei in the hall, probably guessing that he went into a private room to eat.

From their vantage point, they could see Shi Zhiwei’s car. Xu Changshan’s fearful mood had settled, and he ordered two bowls of braised meat noodles. As they ate and chatted, Xu Chunliang mentioned his recent visit to the museum.

Upon hearing that the oracle bones he donated were completely destroyed, Xu Changshan was shocked and somewhat affected in spirit. It had been a long time, and neither the museum nor Bai Mushan had informed him, the donor, of this incident. Although ownership of the relics was with the state after donation, they should at least have informed him when something of this magnitude occurred. It’s a matter of respect for the donor, right?

Moreover, these oracle bones were family heirlooms. Donating them to the state wasn’t regrettable, but their destruction was indeed a loss. Xu Changshan regretted not keeping them at home; perhaps they’d still be intact.

Seeing his grandfather’s worried face, clearly affected, Xu Chunliang regretted mentioning it and comforted him, "Grandpa, since they’re donated, don’t take it to heart. By the way, have you kept in touch with Bai Mushan over the years?"

Xu Changshan tried to recall, "There were a few phone calls, mostly to ask if there were any other oracle bones at home, but that was many years ago."

"Did you mention the rubbings?"

Xu Changshan shook his head, "If you hadn’t found them the other day, I’d have forgotten myself."

Xu Chunliang advised his grandfather not to mention the remaining oracle bone and rubbings at home to anyone, saying it’s to keep a memento and avoid catching the attention of the antiquities management department.

Xu Changshan agreed. Actually, not only does he have no intention to donate again, regardless of quantity, it’s not that he doesn’t support the state’s policy of protecting relics; rather, the management departments have been too disappointing.

Almost finished with their noodles, Xu Chunliang saw Shi Zhiwei leaving, accompanied by a gaudily dressed, voluptuous young lady. The two were laughing and chatting, oblivious of Xu Chunliang in the dining area.

Using a pretext, Xu Chunliang told his grandfather to eat slowly and left first. Outside, Shi Zhiwei was reversing his car.

Xu Chunliang quickly made his way to the roadside and got into a waiting taxi, instructing the driver to follow the Toyota.

Xu Chunliang keenly sensed something abnormal in Shi Zhiwei’s relationship with the woman. As expected, soon he saw Shi Zhiwei driving into the parking lot of the All Seasons Hotel.

Shi Zhiwei and the young woman exited the car one after the other. The woman affectionately held his arm. No need to ask—they were there to get a room and... exercise.

There was no way Xu Chunliang would miss this perfect opportunity. He took out his phone and switched to a filming mode. The driver looked at him sympathetically and asked, "Is that woman your wife?"

Xu Chunliang hesitated for a moment, and before he could respond, the driver sighed, "No need to say, I understand, brother, take it easy."

Xu Chunliang felt a bit frustrated. This driver’s eyes must be a bit off. How could someone like me be interested in such a garish woman? And if anyone gets cheated on, it’s me cheating on others, not being cheated on by someone like Shi Zhiwei.

He originally wanted to follow them to see which room Shi Zhiwei checked into, but worried about being recognized, he gave the driver an extra hundred bucks to follow the couple into the hotel and find out their room number for him.

The driver, happy to earn some extra cash, strolled into the hotel and came back with the room number for Xu Chunliang.