Chapter 808: He Zuming Talks About Chopstick Culture

As Liu Yong, how he could swallow Da Heng Group's, he knows better than anyone in his heart.

A contract of eight billion yuan out of thin air,

I know how big a role I played in it, he also knows.

That's why he is on guard against me.

Including letting Zhuang Shi invest five hundred million yuan in Xue County's project,

That's just sending me a favor; this money is not paid by him, but by Zhuang Shi.

Of course Zhuang Shi doesn't pay out of his own pocket; it's Huaihai City that pays.

If they end up losing money, Zhuang Shi still needs to bear responsibility.

Using public resources to send favors. That's what such rich second-generation heirs like to do most.

Zhuang Shi proposed letting Kang Yali be chairperson; that was all agreed upon.

Zhuang Shi is an old fox,

Very slippery. He wants to rely on Liu Yong, but at critical moments he still wants to protect himself.

For example, he says the investment matter must follow procedure.

Is this just protecting himself?

Of course this is understandable; in today's society, nobody wants to take on more responsibility.

Kang Yali's performance today can be called very successful.

I could give her a score of ninety.

Whether genuine emotion is revealed or it's a probing test, the performance was very spot-on.

Those with slightly lesser skill can be made to stare blankly by the deception.

It's not that I have strong willpower; it's that I understand Kang Yali too deeply.

Including anything she says, she only mentions one side.

She once went to Niushiling to find me,

Why doesn't she say what happened between her and Tian Bin in Lanling County?

After I rejected her back then, she got together with Tian Bin,

Later, when she became pregnant, she then went to Niushiling,

Making me take the blame.

Actually I have already given her face.

Now she has become Liu Yong's spokesperson, a white glove; I must coax her.

It's really helpless.

I don't want Liu Yong to suspect me again.

Then my life would be very passive.

I can't use Da Heng Group to bring down Liu Yong again.

What I most hope for,

Kang Yali believes me, Liu Yong also believes me,

After things stabilize, they will take Da Heng Group and leave Zaocheng.

After all, Zaocheng is a fifth-tier small city, and its development space here is limited.

Liu Yong said his goal is a trillion-yuan business empire.

To build a trillion-yuan business empire, Zaocheng won't do; it's too small to accommodate it. So only a first-tier city will work.

Blend with its light, blend with its dust.

Everyone developing together is what I aspire to.

I have my own things to do; I really don't want to get involved with Da Heng Group.

I said it, but damn it, nobody believes me.

I was cursing resentfully in my heart.

Liu Yong had Kang Yali deliberately recount old feelings; it's definitely not just a simple honey trap.

I guess,

If I fell for Kang Yali's honey trap, and in her tearful pleading I surrendered,

Holding Kang Yali to relive old dreams; of course there isn't really any old dream.

The result would be that Kang Yali would cling to me,

Like a dog-skin plaster sticking on; it would let me not shake her off.

Actually this is just their first step; next, Kang Yali will incite me,

to make me fall out with Liu Yong,

to try to seize Da Heng Group.

Then Liu Yong would have a pretext.

Liu Yong would try every means to deal with me.

That is, forcing me to go to the opposing side.

Using Kang Yali's hand to get rid of me.

Of course, this is just my speculation.

Whether it's like that or not, nobody will give me an answer.

Because such a thing cannot be verified.

Anyway, I am just instinctively guarding against Kang Yali.

There is nothing else.

If Kang Yali hadn't acted in so many dramas, I might have believed her.

As I kept thinking, I fell asleep.

A night without dreams. How nice.

The next day, with nothing else to do, I invited He Zuming, Xiao Yan, Ding Li, Shi Yong, Xiao Long, Yang Tao and others to eat together.

During the meal, He Zuming held his chopsticks and asked Xiao Yan: "Xiao Yan,

do you know what significance these chopsticks have in the I Ching?"

Xiao Yan was startled,

"Master, I truly don't know what the chopsticks represent. Please tell me."

"Mr. He, chopsticks are just chopsticks, the tools for eating," Shi Yong said from beside.

"Shi Yong, don't interrupt, let Mr. He speak; I love what Mr. He says most, it's very philosophical," Ding Li said from beside.

"Hehe." He Zuming took a sip of wine,

then said: "Alright, then I'll tell everyone about the chopsticks we use for eating,

the I Ching's Eight Trigrams are divided into bright and dark trigrams; the bright ones are Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, Dui;

the dark trigrams are Xiu, Sheng, Shang, Du, Jing, Si, Jing, Kai.

These two chopsticks, two of them make the number two,

the number two corresponds to Dui in the Eight Trigrams.

Dui is the mouth. Dui also means joy; eating is our greatest joy.

Chopsticks are long and straight, which is Xun, representing wood. It also belongs to the dark trigrams. Combined, they are used to pick up food.

The tips of the chopsticks are round; in the trigrams they fall under Qian, which is Heaven. Placing them into the mouth is "to be Heaven"; the saying "people regard food as Heaven" comes from this.

Holding the two chopsticks in the hand,

one is active, the other passive. The active one is yang, the passive one is yin,

this yin and yang is called Taiji. Taiji gives rise to the two principles, which give rise to the four images,

yin and yang can interact, and the chopsticks can be swapped up and down.

The tip is round, the top is square; this is Heaven round, Earth square. It reflects the image of Qian and Kun.

The combination of Qian and Kun forms the Tai Trigram. When eating, a person is most calm and composed.

When holding chopsticks, whether in the left or right hand, all five fingers are used,

thumb and index finger on top,

the ring finger and little finger below.

middle finger in the middle.

Only with this arrangement are the chopsticks held steadily.

This configuration represents the Heaven‑Earth‑Human three‑talent image.

Heaven‑talent, Earth‑talent, and Human‑talent must cooperate well to have food; otherwise the chopsticks cannot be held steady.

One must know that our culture is vast and profound,

a pair of chopsticks has such intricacies.

Apply what you have learned.

Everyone should also note that at home chopsticks should not be placed haphazardly, and long and short ones should not be mixed together.

Otherwise the "three long, two short" pattern appears; the light ones cause verbal disputes, the heavy ones can cause death.

Why would it cause death? What thing has three long and two short?

A coffin.

Think about it: aren't the coffin boards three long and two short?

Everything has its own considerations.

This is Fengshui.

It's simple to explain,

Everyone, in the future, must pay attention, Xiao Yan, you must remember, Fengshui is directly linked to daily life."

After He Zuming finished speaking,

everyone quickly applauded.

"Dining with Mr. He not only lets you eat, but also learn culture.

Today I finally understand that a pair of chopsticks has so many intricacies. Mr. He, I toast to you." After I said that, I lifted my cup to toast He Zuming.

He Zuming smiled, took the wine, drank it in one gulp, then gestured for me to sit down,

He continued, "Excuse me, excuse me. Jianqiang, sit. If you enjoy listening to this old man's nagging, I am very happy."

The sage, upon seeing the world's troubles, models them in form, representing their appropriate images; thus they are called "images".

What does that mean? Our ancient sages, when they saw the world's myriad affairs,

used simple objects to mimic their shapes, depicting appearances, thus the trigrams and images were created,

so that people could understand worldly principles, and educate the world in daily life.

One must know that our nation was the earliest to awaken intelligence in the world,

the ancient fore‑sages, their thoughts have already traversed millennia.

Therefore we should be proud,

Indeed, I sometimes think about it.

Why is our current culture so insecure?

The knowledge of a pair of chopsticks — can their Western culture articulate it?