Chapter 469 - 286: I’m the Real Love Brain

Chapter 469: Chapter 286: I’m the Real Love Brain

For example, a diamond-studded Xiangyun Sha long dress, or something of the sort.

’Now that I’m buying the company, it’ll have to work for me.’

Preserving intangible cultural heritage is great, of course, but if it can be combined with modernity, there might be even more elements to play with.

Of course, this wasn’t my area of expertise. I’d have to discuss it with Pei Jin later and see how we could approach it.

’It’s a pretty good direction.’

As he mulled it over, Lin Chu felt more and more on board with the deal.

After he had more or less thought everything through, eaten something, and taken a short nap, the plane landed. At the arrivals gate, Lin Chu saw Hu Ping’an.

The November weather was a bit cold, and his bald head couldn’t quite take it. He wore a hat and a scarf, bundled up in a black overcoat, looking very much the part of a successful man.

’Money really does a person good.’

Compared to a few months ago, the current Hu Ping’an had even started to grow a small potbelly.

"Brother Chu."

Striding forward, Hu Ping’an spoke with a wide smile, his expression full of peace and good humor, without a trace of his former hostility.

Lin Chu raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, let’s get something to eat first. How about some hot pot? We can have a few drinks, too. It’s been a while, I’ve actually missed you."

The Imperial Capital store had opened half a month ago, and its performance was the best of the three locations. Since its opening, daily sales were still booming... ’It really has to be the Imperial Capital. So many rich people!’

Of course, the marketing strategies also played a huge role.

To be honest, Lin Chu also felt that the Imperial Capital was truly a city that prized "sentiment" the most, and was also the most willing to pay for it.

In comparison, Peng City and Yang City were more focused on practicality and value.

A grouper for several thousand, or even ten thousand yuan? Eat!

What? A piece of clothing for tens of thousands? Fuck your mother, you piece of shit!

Hu Ping’an smiled and nodded, pulling his rolling suitcase. He went down to the underground garage with Lin Chu, got in the car, and headed for the restaurant, merging into the Imperial Capital’s bustling evening rush hour traffic.

"So? Did you have a good time these past few weeks?"

Hu Ping’an asked with a casual smile as he drove.

He didn’t particularly envy Lin Chu; he just thought Lin Chu was very carefree. That kind of freedom belonged exclusively to the young. He himself didn’t need to be carefree right now. Instead, he needed to be down-to-earth and steadily build up some accomplishments.

For a man approaching forty, a successful career was true freedom.

Besides, it was like being given a second chance at life. With such a great opportunity before him now, every second counted. Time and tide wait for no man.

"It was great. I had a blast."

Lin Chu let out a soft sigh and lit a cigarette. He thought for a moment but decided not to tell him about Dongnya. It felt like a private secret he was reluctant to share with anyone.

Besides...

Lin Chu also felt a quiet sense of shame—it seemed that transforming from a playboy into a "pure love warrior" was a rather "embarrassing" thing.

’In any case, I don’t want to share.’

’There’s no need.’

’I’ll wait a little longer.’

Hu Ping’an seemed to have noticed something. While waiting at a red light, he glanced at Lin Chu a few more times and asked with a growing smile, "Are you in a relationship? You seem like a completely different person."

Huh?

Hearing this, Lin Chu couldn’t help but laugh out loud. "How am I different?"

"You’re much more grounded, not so flighty anymore. To use a term from the fashion world, hmm, uh, haha, it’s called a kind of... ’husband vibe’."

After saying it, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud himself.

Lin Chu: ...

Speechless, he just laughed.

"Is it that obvious?"

’My biggest change, I feel, is that I curse less. Words like ’fuck,’ ’damn,’ and all sorts of other profanities... It’s a very subtle change.’

’Curse words are the smallest unit of externalized aggression.’

’The interesting thing is, the stronger my body gets from training, the less outwardly aggressive I’ve become.’

’But this doesn’t diminish my inner ruthlessness; it just means I’ve gotten better at packaging myself, dressing that ruthlessness in a respectable and gentle coat.’

"Hahaha, it’s pretty obvious. But it’s no big deal. Nothing that happens to a person is all that strange. If you’re really in a relationship, if you like her, or even love her, then just be together, get married, have a kid."

"Some things, you’ll never know what they’re like until you’ve experienced them. Only after you go through it will you know if it’s right for you."

"Of course, don’t forget to sign a prenup. I’m not trying to jinx you, just telling you to leave yourself a safety net."

Hu Ping’an spoke like a seasoned veteran. In this respect, he was indeed Lin Chu’s senior.

At the lowest point of his career, when he wanted to die, his wife left him and took the child. He gave her all their assets, but Hu Ping’an didn’t regret it.

Everything in the past is just experience.

A man who has already "died" once naturally possesses this kind of calm and composed understanding.

He actually wanted to tell Lin Chu more about the seven-year itch, about the trivialities of life, about a love worn down by the long years. But he thought better of it. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he held back. He really wasn’t in a position to be preachy with Lin Chu, nor was there any need. It was better to let "Brother Chu" experience it all for himself.

Lin Chu glanced at him, nodded with a smile, and let out a long plume of smoke.

’This kind of conversation feels really comfortable.’

And chatting while eating meat and drinking alcohol was even more comfortable.

It wasn’t a particularly large restaurant, just a small, steamy eatery. A bottle of Erguotou—to be honest, it didn’t taste very good, certainly no match for Maotai, but that wasn’t important... A friend is the best accompaniment to any drink.

Objectively speaking, when Hu Ping’an first had his big upgrade, Lin Chu had looked down on him a bit.

Even though his affinity score was already 100 at the time, Lin Chu still felt he was a bit unreliable. Once, when he called him, Hu Ping’an had even recommended going to Australia Island to party hard.

But now...

’He’s really different.’

Once a man starts focusing on serious business, his entire spirit and demeanor change completely.

Spending time in circles where "one chats with great scholars and has no dealings with the unlearned" always cultivates a different kind of temperament.

"Come, Brother Chu..."

Hu Ping’an raised his glass, clinked it against Lin Chu’s with a smile, and then drained it in one gulp. As the fiery liquor went down, he let out a long, hot breath and chuckled. "Should we talk business, or should we talk romance?"

"Let me declare upfront, since coming to the Imperial Capital, I really haven’t gone out to have fun anywhere, aside from entertaining a few mall general managers... But if you want to go out tonight, I’ll go with you."

Lin Chu shot him a smiling glare.

’Who are you trying to fool, acting all proper?’

’But I actually believe him.’

But as he thought about it, at this very moment, he suddenly felt that those nightclubs and brothels were utterly dull and tasteless.

"Forget it, I’m not going. I’m tired from the day. I’ll just go back, take a bath, and get some rest."

Lin Chu said with a smile, a sudden thought striking him.

’What the fuck?’

’I’m really this "hooked"?’

’But right now, what I really want to do is take out my phone and send Dongnya a message... and maybe even go back to the hotel to video chat with her until I get sleepy and fall asleep.’

’Tsk tsk tsk...’

’This is scary.’

’I’m the real one with the fucking love brain!’

’Of course, it might just be the hormones, the novelty still working its magic. But compared to all the other women before, this is already the most infatuated I’ve ever been.’

’It’s like that Mayday song, "I’m in First Love Again!"’

"Alright then, I won’t keep you. Let’s eat. Tomorrow, you should go inspect the store. Our staff are all very interested in you..."

"Oh, right, for the production launch press conference of the ’Xiangyun Sha’ TV series, the main creative team came to the store last week for a collaboration. They filmed a few scenes... The promotional effect was pretty good."

"Our revenue skyrocketed that day, hitting four million. A lot of celebrities from the entertainment industry showed up to support us."

Hu Ping’an rambled on, jumping from one topic to another with no particular focus, just saying whatever came to mind.

Lin Chu picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks. The lamb, coated in sesame paste, was fragrant and delicious. Hearing Hu Ping’an’s words, he nodded with a smile and licked his lips.

’It feels like so much time has passed.’

’I’ve walked a long road, met so many people, and experienced all sorts of different things. It’s been quite a long journey.’

In reality, not much time had passed at all.

The professional golf tournament, scheduled for a month and a half, wasn’t even over yet. There was still about a week to go.

Meanwhile, things at the corporation hadn’t fallen behind much either. Everything was running automatically, step-by-step, with capital as the medium and people as the connections.

’And me...’

’What wonderful times. This youth, as brilliant as a blooming flower.’

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