Chapter 592

Liu Jinyou's awkwardness didn't last long. Cheng Army Supervisor, having seen Old Lao Guantou, walked over with a sleazy grin on his face, swaying as he approached and sat down beside Wang Yan: "Master Wang, it's been five years, hasn't it? You're still as spirited as ever. Unlike me, I spent four years in prison, and since I got out, I've been running around without a moment of rest. I only managed to find the time today because it's Old Master Guan's birthday; otherwise, I would have come to pay my respects to you long ago. To be honest, I've been thinking about seeing you all these years."

Wang Yan glanced at him sideways and spoke indifferently: "Today is the Commandant's birthday; it wouldn't look good to beat you up. I'll give you one chance: disappear from my sight."

Cheng Army Supervisor froze for a moment, then forced an awkward laugh: "Master Wang, you really are young at heart, still trying to scare me. We're both pushing forty; can we really act like street thugs?"

Wang Yan didn't want to waste any more breath or engage in any verbal sparring with Cheng Army Supervisor; he just turned his head and looked at him coldly: "Get lost!"

Having crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, that dead, indifferent gaze—like looking at a pig or a dog—made Cheng Army Supervisor shudder. However, he didn't forget to save face, so he stood up with a forced smile and said: "Alright then, Master Wang, everyone, I won't disturb you any further. We'll chat again when there's an opportunity."

After finishing, he hurriedly turned and left, running over to a random table filled with neighbors to sit down, barely managing to cope with them while trying to alleviate the immense humiliation Wang Yan had just inflicted upon him.

Of course, it wasn't just Cheng Army Supervisor; basically, many people were like this, obsessing over the big and small things that had already happened in the past. If they were good, that was fine, but if they were bad, they would start pondering: which sentence was said wrong, what did the look in someone else's eyes mean, and so on. It seemed like they were reflecting and improving, examining themselves three times a day, but in reality, most people just let it be after obsessing for a while, and eventually, it was all worn away by time.

But what made Cheng Army Supervisor different was that he was narrow-minded and held grudges, so relatively speaking, this kind of embarrassment stayed in his heart longer and caused more damage. Therefore, he would always think about it, and the more he thought, the more miserable he became, which in turn deepened his hatred. Who knows when he might be pushed into a corner and go to extremes...

Watching Cheng Army Supervisor slink away, Ma Du laughed and clapped his hands: "Master Wang still has that imposing presence; one look was enough to scare that kid off."

"He's just a clown. If I really had to find a sense of existence through him, then these years would have been a total waste," Wang Yan waved his hand: "Where were we? Let's continue."

"The eldest uncle was explaining to the Marquis."

"Go on, you kid, you just love watching the chaos," Liu Jinyou, who had finally let out a sigh of relief, said to the smirking Ma Du with a huff...

After the group chatted and laughed for a while, the guests invited to the birthday celebration had all arrived. The restaurant staff busily wove through the guests, delivering plates of dishes and drinks to table after table. In an instant, the aroma of the food permeated the open seating area on the first floor of the Tea Fragrance House.

It was also at this moment that Old Lao Guantou's only son, Guan Ziqing, walked to the center, grabbed the connected microphone, and rattled off a bunch of flowery words. The gist was thanking everyone for coming to Old Lao Guantou's eightieth birthday, hoping he would live to be a hundred, and wishing the guests peace and health. Afterward, Han Chunming, the live-in apprentice, said a few words, followed by Old Lao Guantou raising his glass to drink with everyone, and then the meal began.

The main reason was that today was a workday, and many people had come during their lunch break. Perhaps some had taken a half-day off, but others had to continue working and couldn't delay others.

Taozi and Han Chunming, who had been busy, also came to sit at the table where Wang Yan and the others were. Everyone chatted, laughed, drank, ate, and gossiped about all sorts of things.

Of course, it was impossible for Taozi to make money off Old Lao Guantou, especially since Han Chunming held a forty-percent stake here; it was definitely at cost, and arranged to the highest standard. Each table had twelve dishes stacked in two layers due to the size limit of the tables. Guan Ziqing and his wife had even wanted to add up to eighteen dishes, but that would have been pointless. After all, the tables weren't that big, and there weren't that many people at a table; it would have been a completely meaningless waste. Old Lao Guantou had scolded them, saying they weren't being that filial...

Just like that, people ate, drank, and laughed. For a time, the venue was filled with the sound of bowls and chopsticks clashing and the buzzing of people talking; it was incredibly noisy. Those who had to work ate hurriedly, ran over to greet Old Lao Guantou, and left. Those who weren't working basically finished their drinks and said their goodbyes after an hour or two. As for the elderly, not all of them were as healthy as Old Lao Guantou, so they basically left before long. They had all brought younger generations with them, and naturally, they left along with them; very few people drank endlessly as if they had never seen alcohol before.

So by three o'clock, the party had basically broken up, leaving only Wang Yan's group—who hadn't seen enough alcohol—still there rambling, along with Guan Ziqing, Liu Hongmei, and Guan Guan Xiao Guan with her partner who worked in sales at a state-owned enterprise.

Old Lao Guantou had also sat down at Wang Yan's table, still chatting about the same topic they had been discussing for over a decade. As they chatted, perhaps fitting the theme of his birthday, Old Lao Guantou brought up his funeral arrangements. He said: "When I die, all my things will go to my apprentice."

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously joyful atmosphere suddenly went quiet, with only the sound of Wang Yan eating his food. Guan Ziqing and his wife, and Guan Guan Xiao Guan and her husband, all looked at Old Lao Guantou, wanting to speak but not knowing how to start. However, without exception, none of them had a pleasant expression.

Han Chunming laughed and broke the silence: "Master, you've had too much to drink. You've seen so many people and said so much today; you're truly tired. You should go back and rest, and we'll gather another day."

Guan Ziqing hurriedly stood up and went around to his father's side: "Dad, Chunming is right. Look at you, you're starting to talk nonsense. Let's go back first and get some good rest. Come, I'll help you up."

Liu Hongmei also hurriedly ran over: "That's right, Dad. You're at this age now; you should drink less with them in the future. It's not good for your health."

"Don't touch me," Old Lao Guantou waved his hand irritably: "I haven't had too much to drink. I'm saying this today to have them bear witness. The things of the Nine Gates Commandant will absolutely not be left to you to flip and sell abroad for money."

"Dad, look at what you're saying. Are we that kind of people? We just..."

Liu Hongmei looked embarrassed and wanted to defend herself, but Old Lao Guantou didn't even look at his daughter-in-law and slapped the table unhappily: "My things, I'll give them to whoever I want. Is it your place to speak?"

Old Lao Guantou didn't give his son or daughter-in-law any face at all, which showed he was truly unhappy.

This was normal; after all, Guan Ziqing and Liu Hongmei were truly unfilial and didn't have much genuine filial piety. Going abroad in the past was because they could make money abroad, better than in the country, which was understandable. Not coming back in the middle was because the situation was turbulent at that time, and they couldn't return, which was excusable. But later, when things opened up, that wasn't right.

Indeed, at that time, things were better abroad, and many people wanted to leave but couldn't. Their years of hard work were all over there, so naturally, they didn't want to return; that was a reason. They had sent Guan Guan Xiao Guan back, saying they didn't want to find a foreign son-in-law and that she could take care of Old Lao Guantou along the way. However, Guan Guan Xiao Guan hadn't put her heart into it, and it was Han Chunming who had been taking care of him.

Of course, the fact that Han Chunming's family took such good care of Old Lao Guantou was also a reason; after all, whether it was the filial piety of Han Chunming and Cai Xiaoli, or the joy of family life brought by Han Yi, everything was complete. At that time, Guan Guan Xiao Guan was still young and more playful, and perhaps she didn't think that much. Since Han Chunming took such good care of him, it was fine that she just visited Old Lao Guantou once a month; that was understandable.

But now, Old Lao Guantou was eighty, and Guan Guan Xiao Guan was twenty-eight, yet things were still the same as before, which was a problem. After all, Han Chunming's care was Han Chunming's; she, as the biological granddaughter, shouldn't be any worse, but she wasn't. That was the problem.

And Old Lao Guantou had mentioned before that Guan Ziqing had once thought about having Old Lao Guantou take his family assets and go abroad to live with them, so they could take care of him nearby. This seemed somewhat filial; after all, they hadn't truly abandoned him and at least made a gesture. But this ignored the most critical point: Old Lao Guantou's age.

Even if the environment in the eighties allowed for it and he could get a visa under the pretext of joining his son, and the government wouldn't have been a problem, Old Lao Guantou was already seventy-two at that time. At such an age, traveling across the ocean, the hassle of the flight, and the potential for culture shock—he might have just passed away over there.

This wasn't even considering Old Lao Guantou's own wishes; he naturally wanted to return to his roots and die in Beijing. So Old Lao Guantou refused. He already didn't like the look of his son and daughter-in-law; how could he possibly pack his things and deliver himself to them?

And given Old Lao Guantou's age, and with Guan Ziqing being his only son, if Old Lao Guantou didn't want to go to America, then according to traditional Chinese universal moral ethics, Guan Ziqing should have returned. Even considering he had a vast business in America, in the nine years since the initial opening, it would have been enough time for him to sell off a commercial empire, not to mention they didn't have such a large business.

In the original drama, Guan Ziqing and Liu Hongmei returned to the country after the millennium. By that time, China's economy had already begun to take off, and Beijing was already an international metropolis, no worse than cities in America. There was no "zero-dollar shopping," no various shooting incidents, no endless thieves, and life was just as convenient, with clothing just as magnificent. They could have lived even better by bringing their dollars back than they did over there.

By that time, they were both older, and they only had one daughter, Guan Guan Xiao Guan, and Guan Guan Xiao Guan was in the country...

So what else was there to say?

Wang Yan laughed: "Commandant, what you say doesn't count. If you really want to give the things to Chunming, you need a will, and you need a lawyer to help, and then go to a notary office to have it notarized to have legal effect. Otherwise, the day you pass away, they could sue Chunming for the inheritance, and they'd be able to get at least half."

"This is our family's business; what does it have to do with you?" Liu Hongmei was quick-tongued, and she glared at Wang Yan with an unhappy face.

Seeing Wang Yan look up, Guan Ziqing hissed, and hurriedly pulled his wife: "What kind of talk is that? We haven't been in the country all these years, and Master Wang has taken good care of Dad. How can you say it has nothing to do with him?"

After scolding his wife, he awkwardly apologized with a smile: "Please don't take it to heart. She's been abroad for too long and has gotten used to speaking bluntly. She spoke without thinking for a moment; please don't be offended, please don't be offended."

"You're alright, you can endure," Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "She's right; it was my meddling. It's indeed unreasonable for me to manage your family's affairs. I was just giving the Commandant a reminder. Even so, you need to manage your wife well. She was right this time, but who knows when she'll be wrong. This isn't a matter of domestic or foreign relations; even the foreign devils don't talk like that, let alone her."

Old Lao Guantou was a good person. At his age, he usually just drank and studied antiques, rarely pulling rank, and he was sensible. They had a connection before; although that connection was indirectly ruined by him, it was actually her own doing. It had something to do with him, but not much. This time, since this old guy had changed his life, he just helped by saying a few words to save some trouble.

Whether it was avoiding inheritance disputes later or Guan Ziqing bringing his wife back to the country now, both were good results. The former had a certain impact on Han Chunming's mission, and the latter meant Guan Ziqing and Liu Hongmei were acting as filial children and grandchildren. This old guy could also be considered to have a good result this time, and it could be considered resolving some karma. Anyway, it was just a few words; why not do it?

It's interesting to say, he has the blessing of a living father and is darting through various worlds. These actors in the real world are also playing different roles in various worlds, having real life experiences, which can be considered as not...

Watching Guan Ziqing nodding repeatedly, Han Chunming on the side spoke up to defuse the situation: "I say, Master Wang, please don't add to the chaos. My master has just had too much to drink; he's just like a child right now and shouldn't be taken seriously. Big Brother, don't mind him; he's just confused."

"Who says I'm confused?" Old Lao Guantou slapped the table again: "I think this kid is right, and we'll do exactly as he says. Chunming, go find me a lawyer tomorrow. While my brain is still sharp, I'll set up the will first, so I don't have to worry about it. Why are you all just standing there? Drink! Broken-Down Hou, let's have a drink together."

"Hey, alright." Broken-Down Hou, who had been shaking his head and watching the show, laughed and raised his glass to drink along.

They started drinking, but Han Chunming, Guan Ziqing, Guan Guan Xiao Guan, and the others were not in the mood.

Han Chunming really wasn't eyeing Old Lao Guantou's things. According to the original drama, he had even burned the will, which proved his intentions; he just didn't want those things to leave China. So now he was in a difficult position, thinking about how to persuade Old Lao Guantou.

As for Guan Ziqing and the others, it was much simpler. They were a thousand times, ten thousand times unwilling, but they didn't dare to say it, fearing that angering Old Lao Guantou would leave them with even less hope. As for Wang Yan, they hated him so much they wanted to bite him to death, but they didn't dare to show it and still had to force a smile, which was very stifling.

After holding it in for a while, Han Chunming couldn't help it anymore. He looked at Old Lao Guantou and smiled cheekily: "Master, can we discuss this again?"

"What's there to discuss? Don't you also want those items of mine? If I give them to my good-for-nothing son and disrespectful daughter-in-law, they'll just flip them and sell them abroad. If I leave them to the little lazy cat, they'll still be flipped and sold abroad by her parents. It's better to leave them to you, kid; I trust you."

"But you can't give them all to me. If word gets out, what will others think of me?"

"My things, I'll leave them to whoever I want. Why do you care what others say? If you want to live by other people's opinions, then you might as well take a rope and hang yourself."

"What a simple matter." Wang Yan shook his head: "If you take the things, just give them some money. Anyway, you're a reasonable and legal heir; no matter how much you give them, you'll get a good reputation. Just consider it as you buying those things, wouldn't that settle it? Anyway, you're not short on money. And Commandant, you don't have to give them to Chunming. Haven't you been hanging out with the Museum for two years? Just donate everything; don't let anyone eye them, wouldn't that be great?"

Guan Ziqing and the others on the side were stunned. Wang Yan really wasn't a good person. Just now, when he said to let Han Chunming give them money, they had felt a glimmer of gratitude, but before they could be happy, they immediately heard Wang Yan suggest Old Lao Guantou donate everything. Is that something a human would say?

Old Lao Guantou glanced at Wang Yan, then at Han Chunming who was nodding in agreement, and finally at his useless son and daughter-in-law on the side, and let out a cold snort: "That will have to be left to Chunming first, and let him donate it."

"My good master, you say your body is so healthy and you're going to live to a hundred; that's still twenty years away, why are you in such a hurry? I'm telling you, I won't do it; let's talk about it when that day comes. Today is your eightieth birthday, such a good day, let's not talk about unhappy things. Come, apprentice will toast you a glass..."