Chapter 396 - 258: Hurry Back, the Village is Giving Out Gold Bars

Chapter 396: Chapter 258: Hurry Back, the Village is Giving Out Gold Bars

Zhang Dahong’s face was glowing as he laughingly bragged about his rags-to-riches story.

Over a decade ago, he’d been a migrant worker in Yang City, doing manual labor on construction sites. Later, he met a big boss and became a foreman. The boss had many hosting duties for clients, and as Zhang Dahong grew more adept, they were all handed over to him.

And so, riding the coattails of his benefactor, he first opened a restaurant, then a KTV, then a bathhouse...

Until... his boss was thrown in jail.

He sold off his assets, left Yang City, and moved his operations to Xiangzhou, where he got back into his old line of work: the entertainment industry.

After all these years, you could say he’d finally made it.

Lin Haifu listened with a nonchalant air, casually smiling and chiming in with comments like, "That couldn’t have been easy."

Lin Chu, for his part, was listening with great interest.

’Lately, I’ve become very interested in the concept of human destiny. It even strikes a chord with me. In fact, I often find myself thinking that everything comes down to fate, with not an ounce of it in a person’s control.’

’Especially when it comes to business.’

’Of course, I’m a cheat. I’m in the top tier of the fatally blessed—God’s favorite kid.’

’So that old saying really has a point: First comes fate, second comes luck, third comes feng shui, fourth comes secret good deeds, and fifth comes education.’

"Cousin, I’m here!"

Wang Hao’s voice suddenly rang out from the doorway. He came in with Lin Chu’s uncle and aunt.

His uncle’s name was Wang Haiguo. His skin was dark and coarse, and his face wore a simple, good-natured smile.

His cousin’s whole family were genuinely honest, down-to-earth people.

"Ah Chu, you’re back! I brought you a few crabs. There’s a yellow oil crab in there, too. It was the only one I had."

His uncle said this with a smile, scratching his head a little sheepishly as he held up two plastic bags.

He didn’t greet anyone else.

Lin Chu stood up and smiled at him, pleasantly surprised. "You even brought one of these! I’m really in for a treat today. Uncle, Aunt, come and sit down."

’Yellow oil crabs are pretty rare; you usually only find one for every thousand green crabs. Of course, with my current status, there’s nothing money can’t buy. If I really wanted one, I could get it. But he gave me the best thing he had.’

’It was just like when I gave him that car.’

’The absolute values were incomparable, of course, but a gift is about the gesture, not the object itself.’

’To him, a thousand yuan was probably worth as much as ten million was to me.’

’In fact, his gift might have been worth even more.’

"Old Four, you’re no fun," Lin Haifu teased in his usual boisterous way, laughingly handing his brother-in-law a cigarette. "You bring crabs, but only one? Who’s that going to feed? Go get a few more. Call Boss Zheng and tell him to drain his pond for me. I want all the yellow oil crabs scooped out."

’I have no idea where that ’Old Four’ nickname came from,’ Lin Chu thought.

’Still, Dad’s attitude right now is totally that of a ’bad guy.’’

’Heh.’

’That’s just how he is.’

’He never pulls his punches verbally, and he always likes to pick on honest folks.’

His uncle put on a placating smile and sniffed the cigarette. "There really aren’t any more. You could have him drain the entire pond and you wouldn’t find another. I’m the one who raises them, wouldn’t I know?"

"This is for Ah Chu to eat, not you. You only deserve the regular crabs."

Lin Haifu’s eyes widened as he cursed with a grin, "You son of a bitch! Go on, spoil him! I haven’t even had a bite, and you’re already feeding my son. Is there any justice in this world?!"

Lin Chu couldn’t help but laugh.

"Well, the logic is the same, isn’t it, Dad? You don’t even have a wife right now, so what right do you have to demand that I get one? Is there any justice in that?"

Around them, Lin Chu didn’t bother with formalities.

It wasn’t because he was rich, either.

He’d been the same way back when he was slaving away at his dead-end job.

’The new generation is meant to surpass the old.’

’A grown man has to have that kind of standing in the family.’

Lin Haifu: "..."

The room was suddenly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Just then, another man’s voice piped up from outside.

"Well, I’ll be! Old Lin, did your family strike it rich or something? Your little boss must be back, huh? This is incredible! You’re driving a Rolls-Royce now! Goddamn, look at that Little Golden Man!"

Huh?

Hearing this, Lin Haifu stood up. He glanced at his son, then walked toward the door to greet the friend who was coming in before hurrying out to the main gate.

When he saw the Rolls-Royce with its Guangdong "A" license plate, he couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke it. He clicked his tongue in admiration a couple of times and broke into a wide, toothy grin.

Looking at Lin Chu, who had followed him out, he gave a sheepish grin. "Son, how about we trade cars? I’ve never driven one of these before!"

Lin Chu: "..."

’Tch! Shameless!’

"Sure, Dad," Lin Chu teased with a grin. "Call me ’Dad’ just once, and the car’s yours!"

He wasn’t even after the tenfold rebate—he didn’t care about that little bit of money anymore. He just wanted to be a little mischievous and mess with his dad.

’The joy of turning the tables like this... now that’s true happiness.’

Lin Haifu immediately blew his top.

"You’re asking for a beating, aren’t you!"

"Where’s my stick?!"

He started looking all over the yard for a stick.

...

I have to admit, it felt pretty damn good to be home.

Even though there was an eyesore of an outsider like Zhang Dahong in the house, and a crowd of villagers had gathered to gawk, Lin Chu genuinely felt his spirits lift, exceptionally relaxed.

’It feels so down-to-earth.’

’Skyscrapers don’t have that. You’re instinctively on edge, always minding your image—especially me. As a boss, I have to lead by example.’

’But back home...’

’You can just do whatever feels comfortable. It’s a total liberation of your true self.’

The weather was still sweltering. During the meal, Lin Chu took off his polo shirt. He sat shirtless at the table, all decorum forgotten, shaking dice with his uncle. His face was flushed red as he shouted out the calls for the game.

This meal was originally supposed to be just a family dinner.