CHAPTER 438: CHAPTER 98: RONG XIYI’S FIRST MEETING WITH HIS CHEAP FATHER-IN-LAW, FEELING DOWN

"Mr. Jiang also has the mood to dine here today?"

"Haha, I also thought I’d run into Mr. Ye here."

Xu Lin could tell from their conversation that they were probably just acquaintances, exchanging polite words upon meeting.

His gaze subtly swept over Jiang Mingyang’s family of four, sizing them up.

It’s said that a person’s appearance can reveal a lot, but it’s vague, as many corrupt officials who fell from grace had kind looks, making it unreliable.

Looking at Jiang Mingyang’s family of four, Xu Lin couldn’t discern anything particular, nothing obviously negative like signs of wayward children.

None at all.

At the same time, Jiang Mingyang’s gaze also fell on Xu Lin, making him quite amazed.

This young man looked about the same age as his children, but his aura was excessively dazzling, not something typical for someone his age.

Ye Shengjun’s son?

At first glance, the age seemed to fit, but clearly it wasn’t the case.

Could Ye Shengjun really have such a high-caliber son?

So this young man wasn’t Ye Shengjun’s son, and besides, he didn’t even resemble him a bit.

So, Jiang Mingyang asked, "Mr. Ye, who is this?"

"This is Mr. Xu. I’m discussing some business with Mr. Xu today," Ye Shengjun introduced.

"I see!"

Jiang Mingyang suddenly understood and extended his hand, intending to shake hands with Xu Lin.

Xu Lin naturally stretched out his hand and shook hands with his soon-to-be father-in-law.

"Jiang Mingyang."

"Xu Lin."

They introduced themselves to each other, exchanged a few polite words, and had no further conversation, being unacquainted.

Before long, Xu Lin and Ye Shengjun went into a private room, and Jiang Mingyang also entered another private room with his family.

"That guy earlier was so handsome!"

Jiang Lin couldn’t help but say.

Jiang Lin was Rong Xiyi’s sister, although they shared the same father, Jiang Lin’s appearance obviously couldn’t compare to Rong Xiyi’s, and she was a few centimeters shorter, with a figure that wasn’t as impressive either. She was decent but not as extraordinarily gifted as Rong Xiyi.

"He’s a fine-looking young man, and seems profound. I’ve never seen anyone like this in my life," Jiang Mingyang couldn’t help but say, glancing at his son, Jiang Peng.

Jiang Mingyang clearly had high hopes for his son, even naming him "Peng" to signify the mythical roc bird, hoping his son would soar high and achieve great things.

However, his son wasn’t as he hoped. Although he wasn’t a playboy due to the family’s wealth, he wasn’t much better, constantly pampered by his mother, and he, as a father, had to clean up after him twice.

At that moment, Jiang Mingyang wished Xu Lin were his son, or that his son was like that young man earlier, exuding nobility and an extraordinary presence.

But the gap between ideal and reality was enormous.

Meanwhile, Xu Lin and Ye Shengjun were ordering food.

However, the waiting time at this private kitchen was rather long. In ordinary restaurants, there’s a time limit for serving meals, usually within half an hour.

But here, it was different; things were slow-paced.

For instance, a soup dish for Xu Lin took over an hour to be served.

So Xu Lin and Ye Shengjun chatted while eating, waiting for quite a while, sometimes finishing a dish while the next one hadn’t arrived.

Nonetheless, it was top-notch private cuisine, clearly superior to what so-called upscale restaurants outside offered.

"Mr. Xu, if you want to dine here next time, you might plan ahead. Some dishes take a long time, and with a reservation, you won’t have to wait as long," Ye Shengjun suggested.

"It’s fine, take it slow."

"Mr. Xu, let’s have a drink!"

"Cheers."

It wasn’t wine but tea, specifically West Lake Longjing, from the esteemed Imperial Front Eighteen Trees, not your ordinary tea, to say the least.

"Mr. Xu is exceptionally talented, with an impressive knowledge reserve. Even though I’m an old man who’s lived half a lifetime, I feel inferior," Ye Shengjun couldn’t help but remark while savoring the tea.

What could two grown men talk about together?

If it were other men, they might be talking about beautiful women, or directly calling them over to be entertained. Although there were no women called over here, after eating and drinking, they could head to an upscale club.

Having money often leads to bad habits, which most people can’t avoid, since not everyone maintains high moral standards.

However, Xu Lin wouldn’t go, and neither did Ye Shengjun have such thoughts.

The two were discussing historical topics earlier.

It was quite absurd, as they weren’t academics, yet they chatted about history, then moved from history to society and the nation.

Their conversation revolved around such grand topics.

Ye Shengjun was impressed by Xu Lin’s knowledge reserve, despite thinking that his own historical knowledge was substantial, often surpassing those history professors he conversed with.

Yet Xu Lin surpassed him.

Xu Lin even claimed he could recite the Twenty-Four Histories backward.

Ye Shengjun asked on the spot, "Mr. Xu, are you joking?"

Ye Shengjun naturally knew the significance of the Twenty-Four Histories: an unparalleled set of works that the average person couldn’t finish in a lifetime, representing the pinnacle of historical learning.

Xu Lin said, "Mr. Ye, feel free to test me. Since I can write historical scripts, it certainly isn’t just imagination."

Ye Shengjun did test him.

Coming from a scholarly family, Ye Shengjun had a father with a study full of ancient books, including the Twenty-Four Histories. In his childhood, his father often made him read books, including the Twenty-Four Histories, although he only finished the first four before giving up. His father assured him that finishing the first four would be beneficial for a lifetime.