Chapter 654: The Old Master's Family Education

Lin Yuzhi stepped outside to take a look.

Only see the old master holding a horsewhip in his hand, his furious expression just like when he encountered Japanese devils on the battlefield years ago, his whole body exuding a killing intent.

Lin Yuzhi shrank her head in fright, darting back to her room like lightning and quickly locking the door from inside.

No matter how the old master roared outside,

she acted as if she hadn't heard anything.

She sent Lin Dongfan a text: "What did you say to the old master? You've made him this angry—do you want to play me to death?"

"I just mentioned giving up politics for business, that's all I said."

Lin Dongfan was in the front courtyard, his spirits sunk to the lowest point.

He had been whipped by the old master with a horsewhip; coincidentally he was wearing short sleeves today, leaving a clear, mottled bruise on his arm.

In the living room, only the family pet Chu Lingxi could avoid disaster.

"Grandfather, Dongfan just said it offhand—don't take it to heart."

Just now seeing her husband take a whip strike straight on, Chu Lingxi was also frightened, her heart pounding.

She didn't know whether her husband was badly hurt.

Chu Lingxi originally wanted to go out and have a look, but then she thought: her husband is rough and tough, in his prime, he should be able to endure a whip lash. It's the ninety‑six‑year‑old old master we must worry about—don't let him come to any harm from anger.

Chu Lingxi helped the old master sit on the sofa, gently massaging his back: "Grandfather, calm your breath first—don't harm your health……"

"The Lin family's three generations of reputation are about to be ruined in that scoundrel's hands!" the old master, still seething, said: "Do you really think I'm an old fool? He brought up quitting politics for business just to force me to agree to you becoming that chairman!"

In the living room's birdcage, a painted finch is kept.

That painted finch seemed to sense the old master's anger; before it was chirping and hopping up and down in the cage, but now it stays completely still.

People and birds, actually, aren't that different.

As long as the old master lives, the Lin family's descendants are no different from that caged bird—you can't just fly wherever you want.

After marrying into the Lin family for so many years, Chu Lingxi seems to have long grown accustomed to life in a cage.

She, on one hand, helped the old master rub his back.

On the other hand she tried to cheer him up: "You're still vigorous, old sir—that whip lash just now had the vigor of a tiger, your spirit undiminished from back then. I dare say even if he ate a bear's heart and a leopard's gall, he wouldn't dare mention quitting politics for business again."

"If he brings it up again, I'll whip him to death!"

The old master sat on the sofa, both hands gripping his cane, and after a while he eased his anger, seemingly realizing that Chu Lingxi had been massaging his back all along.

He again asked anxiously: "Lingxi, weren't you frightened just now? Grandfather wasn't angry at you. Stop massaging, come sit and chat with me for a bit."

"Mm, I'll first make you a cup of cooling chrysanthemum tea." Chu Lingxi turned and went to brew tea.

The old master again craned his neck and shouted toward the inner bedroom: "Lin Yuzhi! Are you deaf? Get out here this instant!"

Lin Yuzhi inside the room still let things go in one ear and out the other.

No reaction at all.

The old master shouted again: "If you're capable, stay hidden in your room for the rest of your life and never come out! You brainless troublemaker, you're over fifty and still stirring up nonsense with the younger generation……"

"Grandfather, maybe the eldest aunt is innocent—please have a cup of tea to calm down."

Chu Lingxi brought over the freshly brewed chrysanthemum tea, the orange‑yellow blossoms floating on the steaming water—just looking at it made one feel scalded.

The old master held the cup, blew on it, but still couldn't bring himself to drink.

Unable to hold back, he lectured Chu Lingxi again: "Lingxi, it's not that I'm saying you, but sometimes you act without thinking. In this hot weather, the tea should be brewed first and allowed to cool before being served."

"Oh, then let's not drink it for now."

Why does the old master dote on Chu Lingxi? It's not just because she gave the Lin family a son and a daughter. The key is she's obedient, never going against his wishes.

The old master said the tea should cool before drinking, so she obediently took the tea back, set it aside to cool. Then she brought him a bowl of carefully cut watermelon for him to eat with a toothpick.

Watermelon not only relieves summer heat, it also dispels anger and reduces internal fire.

After eating a piece, the old master broke into a smile: "Just now, didn't I say you sometimes act without thinking? I take that back. If your husband and your eldest aunt had even half your sense, they could live at least ten more years. If I were to kick my legs and close my eyes that day, there'd be no doubt—I'd be angered to death by them."

"Grandfather, with me around, you'll surely live to a ripe old age."

Chu Lingxi giggled.

The old master's face instantly darkened again; the watermelon chunk he had just speared with a toothpick was tossed back into the bowl, and he burst out in vexed complaint: "Just praised you a moment ago, and you immediately wished me Along life. Can't you engage your brain before speaking? How old am I now? I can only live another three or four years—you should have wished me longevity like the Southern Mountains!"

"Ah? …" Chu Lingxi laughed embarrassedly, tears welling up: "Grandfather, I didn't mean it—I'll say it again……"

"All right, all right, shut your mouth, sit down and listen to me." The old father‑son patted the nearby sofa.

Chu Lingxi gave a cheerful laugh: "All right, I knew Grandfather loves me the most." She immediately sat down obediently beside him, linking her arm with his.

The old master asked: "Lingxi, I'm asking you—if you were made chairman of Zhengtong Capital, do you know what that would mean?"

"I know." Chu Lingxi replied without hesitation: "It means I'd be very busy from now on, signing lots of documents every day, attending many meetings, and managing many people."

"Ah! Nothing at all."

The old master let out Along sigh, shaking his head and swaying.

Chu Lingxi looked bewildered: "Did I say something wrong?"

"Strictly speaking, that's wrong by quite a margin." The old master sighed: "My foolish granddaughter‑in‑law, it seems you really don't understand anything at all."

Chu Lingxi listened humbly: "Then please tell me, I'm listening."

The old master solemnly gave a brief overview: "As far as I know, Zhengtong Capital's investment in cutting‑edge science is not small. Those documents might be related to procurement orders for a satellite launch base; the people sitting in the meeting room are all provincial‑ministerial level officials. And the folks you'd be managing could well include academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences."

"This…"

Chu Lingxi nearly broke out in a cold sweat.

She clearly hadn't imagined her husband was this capable—Zhengtong Capital, founded less than a year ago, had already expanded into such a high‑end industry.

The old master added: "This also means you'll have to remember the development plans of dozens of subsidiaries each day, distinguish strategic from financial investments, and be able to read a balance sheet in three minutes."

"All right, I was superficial—I'm really only suited for dancing." Chu Lingxi said.

The old master gently patted Chu Lingxi's hand back, sighing with mixed feelings: "It's not that I want to discourage you, but running private enterprise under the guise of a state‑owned firm is something we truly can't do."

"Grandfather, I know everything, I'll do as you say."

Chu Lingxi smiled, revealing two small dimples; she really wasn't the least bit discouraged. The reason is simple: she never even thought of becoming Chairman of Zhengtong Capital.

She knew in her heart that even if she were willing to accommodate Lin Dongfan, the old man wouldn't nod in agreement.

Chu Lingxi said with a smile: "Grandfather, would you like me to dance for you? I recently went specially to learn the dance moves from 'Red Detachment of Women'; I'll dance for you."

"Forget it, I don't want to watch a dance now; I want to hold my great-grandson." The old man turned his head and glanced at Chu Lingxi's belly, immediately furrowing his brows: "Why is there still no movement at all? Tell me the truth—is that brat Lin Dongfan despising you, not interested in you? If so, I'll give him a beating right now."

"Grandfather, it's not what you think; Lin Dongfan has been working hard ever since he came back..." Chu Lingxi was about to explain properly.

The words had only been spoken halfway.

At the doorway, Lin Dongfan's head poked out: "Old man, this is going a bit too far! You control heaven and earth, and now you're even controlling whether I put effort into bed? Not being able to say it doesn't mean I fear people laughing..."

"Where's my whip?!"

The old man sprang up with a swish, his sharp eyes darting left and right! Frightened, Lin Dongfan shrank his neck and fled faster than a rabbit.