Chapter 40: The Story of Old Sun

Lu Chen was stunned, a flash of sharp light flickering in his eyes; the cigar he was preheating paused slightly, and he looked up.

His body straightened involuntarily.

Sure enough, it was no ordinary matter that Old Sun had summoned him.

So, was it a test?

Or...

"Old Sun, please stop teasing me. When an elder extends an invitation, how would a junior dare to speculate wildly?"

A simple, honest smile appeared on Lu Chen's face; he stopped preheating the cigar and focused his full attention on Old Sun.

"You kid, you're actually quite interesting. No wonder Lao Li would push you forward."

A smile played on Old Sun's face as he used the hand holding his cigar to gesture vaguely at Lu Chen.

He shifted the position of his crossed legs before speaking.

"Lao Li isn't clear about the situation in Nitan, and I presume you suffered a secret setback on Manager Wang's end, didn't you?"

"Old Sun truly has eyes like torches; my meager cultivation is truly unable to hide anything before you."

Lu Chen sighed, a simple, honest smile on his face, and shifted his body slightly, relaxing quite a bit before he continued to preheat the cigar.

"Manager Wang's methods truly let this junior see what the real world is like. I was just worrying about how to make my next move, so I must trouble you for your guidance."

Lu Chen spoke extremely slowly; only after the cigar was finished being preheated, lit, and he had taken a puff and slowly exhaled the smoke, did he finish the complete sentence.

The expression on his face remained relaxed, as if Old Sun hadn't touched upon Lu Chen's weak spot at all.

"You!"

Old Sun nodded slightly, took a puff of his cigar, and gestured lightly at Lu Chen again.

A hint of a smile appeared on his face as he sipped his tea.

"Relax, no need to be so tense."

A smile appeared on Lu Chen's face; he shrugged, leaned back into the sofa, crossed his legs, took a puff of his cigar, and waited several minutes before exhaling the smoke.

His fingers gripped the armrest slightly, turning a bloodless, ghastly white, before he slowly let go and tapped it a few times.

He leaned his body toward Old Sun, showing an expression of listening intently.

"Lao Li and I were old acquaintances. We did business together back then, until his wife and child were assassinated, and only then did he withdraw from commerce to focus on academics."

Seeing Lu Chen's reaction, Old Sun nodded slightly, sighed, and a look of reminiscence appeared on his face; his eyes seemed to lose their focus, carrying a hint of emptiness.

He began to recount slowly.

"Sigh, when people get old, they just love to reminisce..."

Lu Chen put down his crossed legs, a serious expression hung on his face, and a flash of shock flickered in his eyes.

He leaned forward, not even noticing the wisps of smoke from the cigar he was holding drifting straight into his eyes.

Bean-sized tears seemed to be swirling in his eye sockets, and he struggled to keep from blinking.

After a long while, Lu Chen took a handkerchief from his bosom and wiped his face.

"Old Sun, thank you for telling me all this..."

After Lu Chen remained silent for a few seconds, he spoke again.

"Uncle Li... he never mentioned it to me. I finally understand now why he often stares blankly out the window... This past, this trust, this junior will remember it."

Not until he had finished speaking this passage slowly and steadily did Lu Chen take a puff of his cigar, tilt his head slightly upward to compose himself, and then exhale the smoke.

"Let's go, time to eat."

Old Sun nodded slightly, a trace of imperceptible appreciation flashing in his eyes.

"I'm old, unlike you young people who can withstand hunger."

Old Sun tossed his cigar into the ashtray, supported his knees with both hands, stood up, and led the way toward the dining room.

"Lao Li didn't misjudge the person..."

Lu Chen followed Old Sun closely as he stood up; if his hearing hadn't been good, he might not have heard that last sentence from Old Sun...

A smile appeared on his face, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Old Sun, let me support you."

Lu Chen stepped forward quickly, took Old Sun's arm, and they walked to the dining room together.

The medieval-style decor, under the illumination of warm yellow lights, presented a texture that was almost black.

The dining table was already filled with food; it was very exquisite, but the portions were not large, and it looked very appetizing.

"Come, let's eat and talk."

Old Sun patted Lu Chen's arm, walked to the head of the table, and sat down.

He drank his millet porridge in small sips and casually picked up a few chopsticks of the lighter dishes.

Seeing that Old Sun had started eating, Lu Chen then quickly ate some as well.

He kept an eye on Old Sun's movements at all times; only after Old Sun put down his chopsticks and drank a few sips of tea did Lu Chen pick up his napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Let's go, to the study."

Old Sun nodded slightly, stood up, and led the way toward the hallway.

In an instant, Lu Chen felt that Old Sun's back seemed even more aged than it had been just a moment ago.

After returning to the study, Old Sun had the butler stand outside the door, then solemnly closed the door, poured a cup of clear tea, and sat down beside Lu Chen.

He tossed a homemade cigarette without a filter to Lu Chen, lit it, took a puff, and coughed a few times.

Lu Chen silently took the cigarette, took a puff as well, and a pungent, spicy taste rushed straight into his mouth, causing him to cough a few times as well.

"Back then, the 17 of us brothers wanted to gain a foothold in Nitan..."

Old Sun's eyes held memories; he crossed his legs involuntarily, his tone carrying a hint of vicissitudes.

"The water in Nitan is truly too deep; even the Luosha are only acting according to the rules."

A trace of gravity lingered in Lu Chen's eyes; even his cigarette had grown a long ash, and it wasn't until it burned his hand that he snapped to his senses and hurriedly flicked it into the ashtray.

"It is difficult for you to want to stir up the waters of Nitan!"

Old Sun crushed out his cigarette, took a sip of clear tea, adjusted his sitting posture, and only then continued to speak.

"We old folks basically don't concern ourselves with matters anymore, but I can arrange for Luosha to come out and meet with you; if you want to take action in Nitan, you cannot bypass her."

"I will follow your arrangements."

A serious expression hung on Lu Chen's face, a trace of shock in his eyes, and he opened his mouth to let out a hoarse voice.

He didn't even realize himself that his lips were so dry they were about to crack.

"Then let's make it tomorrow."

Old Sun lit another cigarette, coughed a few times, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and only then spoke in a low voice.

"I am tired; Butler Zhao, help me see young Lu out."

Lu Chen stood up, bowed slightly, turned and left the study, and under Butler Zhao's guidance, returned to the car.

"Back to the Zhuangyuan, be quick; after we return, help me notify Li Xuanhua and Liu Xiaofeng, tell them to come back, no matter how late it is."

After finishing his arrangements, Lu Chen closed his eyes, his fingers tapping incessantly against the car window, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Not until he had returned steadily to the Zhuangyuan did Lu Chen wait for none of Butler Wang's formalities, instead pushing open the car door directly and walking quickly back to his bedroom.

He went straight back into his personal space and opened the wooden box containing Luosha's envelope.

The envelope was taken out of the wooden box by Lu Chen and placed solemnly on the table.

He grabbed the Small Box sitting on the table and began to fiddle with it absentmindedly.

Lu Chen stared blankly at the wax seal on it, as if he could still smell that pleasant scent on Luosha...