Mei Garden is located in a bustling area in the northern part of Modu, close to the city center. Surrounded by lush greenery, there is nothing within a hundred-meter radius except trees.
Following a winding path through the secluded scenery, Jun Chen pushed open the gate and entered Mei Garden.
An old man in the garden was lying on a rattan chair, smoking a dry pipe amidst curling wisps of smoke.
Seeing Jun Chen push the door open and walk in, the old man put on a straight face and scolded, "You brat Jun, your guts are getting bigger by the day. How dare you stand Elder Hua up?"
Jun Chen immediately smiled and explained, "Grandpa Mei, I really didn't mean to blow it off, how could I dare? Even if you gave me ten guts, I wouldn't dare stand Grandpa Hua up. I was truly delayed by something."
Clearly unimpressed, the old man took a puff of his dry pipe, slowly exhaled as smoke rings drifted upward, and said, "Oh, then tell me what delayed you. If it's a poor excuse, humph..."
Jun Chen scratched his head and said sheepishly, "I got married and got my marriage certificate."
The old man was stunned for a moment, then sneered, "Cut the crap, brat Jun. Do you really think Old Jun wouldn't notify me and Elder Hua if you got married?"
Jun Chen explained helplessly, "Here is what happened..."
After listening, the old man nodded and smiled with a chuckle, "Fine, I'll let you off the hook this time, brat."
"Go on up, Elder Hua is still waiting."
Just as Jun Chen took two steps, he turned back, grinning playfully. "Grandpa Mei, could you please ask Master Pang to make some pregnant-friendly meals for me to take away when I leave? Later, a young man named Meng Liang is coming to Mei Garden to look for me. Just have him wait for me in the side room downstairs."
The old man put down his dry pipe and said sternly, "Brat Jun, what kind of place do you think my Mei Garden is? Is it a place where you can do whatever you want, and let just anyone in?"
Then his tone softened, "Don't let this happen again!"
With a radiant smile, Jun Chen said, "Thank you, Grandpa Mei."
Shengshi Group.
Meng Liang had just arrived at the company early in the morning when he received a message from Jun Chen, asking to meet him at Mei Garden.
Meng Liang felt anxious, a mixture of panic and worry.
What kind of place Mei Garden was, and what it represented, was crystal clear to all the major families in Modu. Only those at the deputy ministerial level or higher were qualified to set foot in Mei Garden—though of course his father, Meng Chuan, the Municipal Committee Secretary of Modu, possessed that qualification.
Unable to make up his mind and fearing there might be deeper implications, Meng Liang, knowing he could not speak for the entire Jun Family, had no choice but to turn to his father, Meng Chuan, for help.
Meng Chuan received Meng Liang's call in the Municipal Committee office. After pondering for a moment, he said, "When Jun Chen calls you alone, it shouldn't involve any sensitive topics; otherwise, he would have come straight to me instead of wasting time with you."
Hearing his father Meng Chuan's analysis, Meng Liang felt much more at ease, though he still couldn't help feeling nervous. After all, Mei Garden offered a chance to meet those two elderly men who had once stood at the pinnacle of Huaxia Country and left behind a glorious legacy.
At that moment, Meng Liang felt conflicted, thrilled yet terrified, while still wondering what Jun Chen wanted with him.
At this moment, his assistant knocked on the door and entered, saying, "President Meng, everyone has arrived. We can start the morning meeting."
Meng Liang replied, "Cancel today's morning meeting. I have to go out, so let everyone go back to work."
With that, Meng Liang rushed out the door and hurried toward Mei Garden without a single stop.
Shengshi Group was located in the downtown commercial district, not far from Mei Garden; it took only a thirty-minute drive to arrive.
Standing before the grand gates of Mei Garden, Meng Liang felt his heart race and his body tremble slightly. He took several deep breaths to calm himself as much as possible.
After standing at the entrance for four or five minutes, Meng Liang finally knocked, and only after receiving a response did he dare to push the gate open and enter.
Elder Mei was still lying on the rattan chair, smoking his dry pipe.
Meng Liang stepped forward, bowed with clasped hands, and greeted, "Elder Mei!"
Elder Mei nodded and smiled warmly, "Meng Liang, is it? The Jun brat is upstairs talking with Elder Hua about something. He asked you to wait in the side room downstairs first."
Pointing to an open doorway on his right, Elder Mei said, "If you find waiting alone boring, you can wait right here and chat with this old man. Anyway, I'm all alone too."
Flustered and deeply flattered, Meng Liang replied respectfully, "I would be honored, sir."
Upstairs, Jun Chen and Elder Hua sat facing each other over a game of chess, with Jun Chen playing the white pieces and making the first move.
Elder Hua dropped a piece and smiled, "You're married now. How does it feel?"
Jun Chen placed his piece and said, "It's a one-stop shop—I've got both a wife and a child. What else could it feel like? I smile even in my dreams."
Jun Chen knew that Grandpa Mei must have done that on purpose earlier. How could any whisper of wind or grass in Modu escape the watchful eyes of you two elders?
Elder Hua put down his chess piece and said, "Judging by your tone, you don't seem too willing?"
Startled, Jun Chen quickly protested, "Elder Hua, you mustn't talk nonsense like that. It will affect the harmony between my wife and me."
Elder Hua stroked his beard and laughed, "It seems you're quite serious about this."
Jun Chen said with utmost solemnity, "We've already gotten our marriage certificate. When have you ever seen a divorce recorded in our Jun Family's household register? Only bereavement!"
Elder Hua nodded, noncommittal!
After a brief silence, Elder Hua said, "I brought you here today for that same matter. Brat Jun, it's not just me and Elder Mei; Number One and Number Two also think highly of you and pin great hopes on you. I hope you'll reconsider and not rush to refuse. Although those two have gotten quite a head start on you, we believe in you. A gap like that is negligible to you—you can easily catch up and surpass them both."
"Besides, having a significant gap gives you a challenge, so we can give you plenty of time to consider. A month, half a year, a year, two years—take as long as you need."
Jun Chen smiled bitterly, "Elder Hua, please stop flattering me. It's not like I don't know or understand those two. They are both outstanding elites among their peers, the absolute cream of the crop. What strength do I possibly have to be better than them?"
Elder Hua dropped a bombshell: "You have a wife and a child, and neither of them does. Doesn't that put you streets ahead of the pair of them?"
The corners of Jun Chen's mouth twitched, leaving him utterly speechless!
Is that how we're going to play this? Well, in that case, I really am more than just a little bit better than them both.
Jun Chen bid farewell to Elder Hua and headed downstairs, his head throbbing with a dull ache.
Elder Mei and Meng Liang had been chatting quite congenially. The old man found the young man to be very pleasant, easy to talk to, and entirely to his liking, welcoming him to visit often in the future.
Meng Liang's tension gradually melted away, leaving him radiant and spirited.
Right in front of Elder Mei and Meng Liang, Jun Chen fished a pink envelope out of his pocket and handed it directly to Meng Liang.
Meng Liang asked in puzzlement, "What is this?"
Jun Chen smiled and said, "A love letter my sister-in-law asked me to pass on to you. I brought you here today specifically for this reason."
"Elder Mei, you must be my witness. I have personally delivered the letter into Meng Liang's hands."
With narrowed eyes, Elder Mei smiled and said, "Since ancient times, a beauty's favor has been the hardest burden to bear!"
Meng Liang's face flushed crimson, and he was utterly embarrassed.