Chapter 347: The Ye Family

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Walking onto the small bridge surrounded by lotus flowers gave them a particularly pleasant feeling.

“Hehe, big brother, how is it? Very pretty right?” Little Mango asked in a sweet voice, tilting her head as if to say, “Quick, praise me!”

“Mmm, Little Mango, you’re really amazing. This place is truly beautiful!”

“Yeah!” As soon as Zhou Chao praised her, Little Mango’s face lit up with her innocent smile.

After strolling around for about an hour, the three of them had taken many photos during the trip. If someone didn’t know better, they would have thought they were a family of three.

It’s getting late; let’s head back,” Zhou Chao said as he noticed it was already 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

“Okay!” Jiang Li naturally held Zhou Chao’s right hand.

Little Mango was tired from walking and was currently resting in Zhou Chao’s arms.

The three of them walked back along the same path they came from. By now, the streets had become lively, with tables set up along the way. Zhou Chao was slightly surprised but didn’t think much of it as they entered the estate.

As they entered, they felt like they had stepped into another world. A large courtyard appeared before them, resembling a traditional Chinese courtyard.

Many people were busy, and Zhou Chao followed Little Mango’s guidance towards the inner room.

Just as they entered, they bumped into Ye Zhengfeng.

“Hey, you’re back, young man. I was about to call you.”

“Little Mango took us to see the lotus pond, and we lost track of time. We just got back!”

“Alright, come in. Let me introduce you to the old man!”

“Will it be okay?”

“Don’t worry, the old man really liked the painting you gave him. Plus, with your wife’s background, he wanted me to find you!” Zhou Chao understood that his current status wasn’t a big deal in some people’s eyes.

Before parting ways earlier, Zhou Chao had given the gift he prepared to Ye Zhengfeng, who would present it to the old man. He didn’t expect the old man to like it.

So, Zhou Chao, Jiang Li, and Little Mango followed Ye Zhengfeng into a courtyard, passing through a corridor and reaching a place where several people were standing and chatting.

As they approached, Zhou Chao noticed an elderly man sitting at the head, with slightly gray hair but a spirited appearance that didn’t look like he was in his eighties at all.

“Old Master, the guests have arrived,” Ye Zhengfeng respectfully said.

“Good!” The old man turned his gaze towards Zhou Chao and Jiang Li.

Zhou Chao felt a strong gaze fixated on him. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

When their eyes met, Zhou Chao seemed to see a world drenched in blood in the old man’s eyes. His heart trembled, and he quickly averted his gaze.

The gaze soon shifted away from Zhou Chao and landed on Jiang Li, and the old man’s face broke into a smile.

“Are you the little girl from the Jiang family? Come here, let grandpa have a look. I used to carry you when you were little!” Old Master Ye beckoned to Jiang Li.

Jiang Li hurriedly approached.

“Mmm, not bad, not bad. You’ve grown up to be quite the beauty. Fortunately, you don’t take after your father, who’s all brawn and no brain!”

“Thank you for the compliment, grandpa!” Jiang Li’s words were as sweet as honey.

Old Master Ye smiled again and then turned his gaze back to Zhou Chao, motioning for him to come closer.

“You’re the exceptional talent that the Jiang and Xiao families have been talking about, aren’t you? You look pretty good. If Jiang Lao and Xiao Lao can allow Jiang Li to marry you, you must have something extraordinary about you. In the future, make sure to visit often!”

Zhou Chao quickly climbed the ladder, saying, “1 understand, Grandpa!”

At first, Old Master Ye appeared a bit surprised, but he quickly regained his composure and burst into hearty laughter.

“Very well, very well!” Old Master Ye was visibly pleased and patted Zhou Chao on the shoulder.

At this moment, Ye Zhengyun entered and briskly approached Old Master Ye.

“Old Master, dinner is ready!”

“Alright.” Zhou Chao and Jiang Li tactfully moved to the sides.

“Okay, everyone is almost here; let’s go!” Old Master Ye stood up and walked outside with an air of authority.

A large group of people walked out together.

Outside the courtyard, there were already many people seated, and only three tables remained empty inside the courtyard.

Just as Zhou Chao was still figuring out where to sit, Ye Zhengfeng approached him.

“Why don’t you two sit with me?”

Ye Zhengfeng led them to the second table, and Zhou Chao and Jiang Li sat down next to him.

Zhou Chao glanced at the first table and realized he didn’t recognize anyone there, except for Old Master Ye and Ye Zhengyun, not even those he had seen in the inner room earlier.

“Uncle Ye, I don’t know anyone from the Old Master’s table,” Zhou Chao whispered to Ye Zhengfeng.

“They are the managers of the other branches; it’s normal if you don’t know them.”

“Uncle Ye, according to tradition, shouldn’t there be a grand celebration for Old Master’s birthday, with prestigious guests and even celebrities performing? Why is it so simple?” Zhou Chao finally voiced the question that had been on his mind.

“You’ve probably read too many novels. Besides, Old Master doesn’t like overly extravagant events. Having the family together and chatting is more enjoyable. People, once they reach a certain level, don’t need to flaunt their status through others. After all, when you’re already there, you don’t need others to complement you.” Ye Zhengfeng looked at Zhou Chao with meaning in his eyes.

Zhou Chao pondered Ye Zhengfeng’s words for a moment and found that they were not just meant for him but also about him.

A quote flashed through his mind: “I don’t to showcase my strength to others because they’re all weaker than me.”

This phrase fits perfectly at this moment.

Indeed, only the weak needed to display their status. Strong individuals, even a single glance, could make others tremble with fear.

“Brother Chao, it’s time to eat. Why are you lost in thought?” Jiang Li’s words brought Zhou Chao back to reality.

“I was thinking about something just now!” He casually glanced at Ye Zhengfeng.

Little did he know that Ye Zhengfeng had caught his drift.

“Why are you looking at me? Let’s eat. This is authentic Cantonese cuisine, far better than anything you’d find outside!” Upon hearing this, Zhou Chao immediately picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

The table was filled with delicious dishes, and Zhou Chao could tell that all the ingredients were top-notch, with some even imported from abroad. Despite being a big foodie, he hadn’t tasted some of these before.

After about an hour of eating, the birthday banquet concluded. The old master enjoyed his longevity noodles, and the younger generations from the main family offered their blessings.

Once everything was settled, it was already 8 PM. The old master retired to his room, and the members of the other branches went home, leaving some young people and those of Ye Zhengfeng’s generation chatting among themselves.

“Xiao Chao, come with me,” Zhou Chao, who was chatting with Jiang Li, was called over by Ye Zhengfeng.

“What’s up, Uncle Ye?”

“Remember that there was a young Ye family member who bothered one of your female executives under your command? Well, I’ve asked him to apologize to you.”

“No, Uncle Ye, please don’t. It’s like putting me in the hot seat. You’ve already warned him before, and I believe he won’t dare again!” Zhou Chao quickly waved his hand, refusing the idea. There was no way he would let someone apologize to him, as it might lower his standing in Ye Zhengfeng’s eyes.

ii

It’s not you who refused; it’s me who dragged you into this. There won’t be another chance!” Ye Zhengfeng playfully looked at Zhou Chao.

“Uncle Ye, please don’t joke. There must be something else you want to talk to me about!” Zhou Chao had now realized that Ye Zhengfeng had a reason for bringing him here.

Ye Zhengfeng put away his smile and said, “You’ve been getting a bit arrogant lately, boasting after a bit of success. Your head is in the clouds, and now you’re telling me what to do to clean up your mess!”

Zhou Chao immediately understood what was happening. They had come full circle, back to the topic of patents.

“Hehe, Uncle Ye, it’s because I’m a complete novice in this field. I know I’ve made a mistake, and 1 promise not to be arrogant. Even my subordinates forgot to inform me. I know it’s my fault, and 1’11 remember this lesson!”

“I hope you truly remember it. You should consider yourself lucky that this didn’t become public; otherwise, you’d have no place to hide!” Zhou Chao scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.

“We had to handle it as a special case. The domestic patents will be approved soon, but do you need our help with international patent applications?”

“No need to trouble you with that, Uncle Ye. I’ve already instructed my foreign law firm to start the process. Once 1 get everything in order on my end, I’ll have them proceed.”

“Is it reliable? Don’t let any complications arise later.”

“No problem. If anything goes wrong, I’ll use a carrot and a stick approach!”

“Alright, manage it on your own. If you can’t handle it, you can come to me or my eldest brother!”

“I understand, Uncle Ye.”

“Okay, that’s settled. You can go back to accompany your wife. If you get tired and want to leave early, just go. The old master is already in his room, getting ready to rest.”

“I understand, Uncle Ye!” Zhou Chao said and turned to walk back to Jiang Li.

As he watched Zhou Chao’s figure, Ye Zhengfeng’s face briefly showed a thoughtful expression, which quickly disappeared.

When Zhou Chao returned, he saw that Jiang Li and Little Mango were having a great time.

“Big brother, you’re back!” Little Mango looked at Zhou Chao and her eyes turned into crescent moons as she smiled.

“Missed your big brother?” Zhou Chao gently pinched Little Mango’s cheek.

“My mom said boys aren’t allowed to pinch Little Mango’s cheeks, it makes them round. But Big Brother, you didn’t know, so Little Mango forgives you this time. Don’t do it again, okay?” Her sweet and innocent tone melted both of them.

“I understand. Big Brother won’t pinch Little Mango’s cheeks anymore!” Zhou Chao happily lifted Little Mango into his arms.

The three of them continued to play until it was almost 10 o’clock, and Little Mango was nearly falling asleep in Zhou Chao’s arms.

“Uncle Ye, it’s getting late, so we should head back.”

“Alright, take your time on the road.”

Zhou Chao carefully handed Little Mango over to Ye Zhengfeng and then set off for the hotel with Jiang Li..