Chen Yang sat on the comfortable first-class leather sofa, his head slightly tilted back, enjoying the warm and tingling sensation from the neck massager—an indescribable feeling of comfort. The streetlights flashing past the window cast flickering light inside the car.
This was a luxurious, top-of-the-line Ford E350 RV, personally ordered by Leng Junfei. It was clear that after this test, Chen Yang's importance in his eyes had increased considerably.
The car drove very smoothly, with minimal noise. If it weren't for the rapidly flashing lights outside the window, Chen Yang wouldn't even have felt the car moving. Chen Yang surveyed the luxurious interior, filled with admiration. In his previous life, even the most luxurious car was merely an expensive toy in the eyes of a top-tier wealthy scion like Chen Yang. This was the first time Chen Yang had ridden in such a luxurious vehicle since his rebirth.
Chen Yang gently stroked the first-class seat crafted from the finest Italian calfskin, his resolve to reclaim his life of luxury through his own efforts growing stronger.
As he closed his eyes in contemplation, Chen Yang keenly sensed the slight swaying of the vehicle disappear. He opened his eyes and saw the RV parked in the courtyard of the spacious seaside villa he had arrived at that evening.
The driver quickly got out and walked around to open the door for Chen Yang. Stepping out, Chen Yang immediately saw Dao Ge's burly, robust figure. Dao Ge was actually waiting in the courtyard, grinning broadly at Chen Yang.
Chen Yang knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would soon meet Ning Kuncheng. Only Ning Kuncheng would warrant Dao Ge personally greeting him.
"Let me meet this renowned, legendary tycoon! Let's see what he's really up to," Chen Yang thought to himself.
"Kid, I, Old Qin, was right about you! Haha! You really are something else! As far as I know, you're the first person to have managed to make Old Leng so flustered!" Brother Dao's signature booming voice rang out, instantly making Chen Yang feel a sense of goodwill towards this forthright man he was meeting for the first time.
Brother Dao was right beside Leng Junfei when he called Ning Kuncheng. He heard Leng Junfei's exaggerated tone and high praise for Chen Yang firsthand, and felt a surge of joy.
Although it was their first meeting, Chen Yang's courage and resourcefulness left a very good impression on Brother Dao. Furthermore, Brother Dao had followed Ning Kuncheng for over twenty years, treating him like family. Ning Qiaoqian was like his own niece, so Brother Dao naturally felt a sense of closeness to the boy she had taken a liking to.
"Brother Dao, you flatter me! President Leng is a business genius; I've admired him for a long time," Chen Yang smiled faintly, appearing unfazed by praise or criticism.
Brother Dao chuckled, patted Chen Yang on the shoulder, and said,
"Come in with me! Our Brother Kun wants to see you!"
After thinking for a moment, Brother Dao looked at Chen Yang with a mysterious smile and whispered,
"Kid, do your best! Once you get past Brother Kun, you'll get what you want!"
"What do you mean, 'get what I want'?" Chen Yang frowned, completely bewildered.
Brother Dao stopped, turned to look at Chen Yang, and after a long pause, grinned,
"Kid, are you playing dumb with me? Alright, enough talk! Come in with me, don't keep Brother Kun waiting."
With that, Brother Dao pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Chen Yang shrugged. He wasn't pretending; he was still completely in the dark. He didn't understand why Ning Qiaoqian had summoned him to Xiamen Island, nor did he know why Ning Kun had set up these tests for him. Seeing that Brother Dao had already gone inside, Chen Yang simply stopped thinking about it; the answer would be revealed soon anyway. So he quickly followed.
Upon entering, he found himself in a huge, high-ceilinged living room, decorated in a Chinese style. Chen Yang glanced around; the furniture and furnishings were understated and unassuming. However, with Chen Yang's discerning eye, he could easily discern the considerable price hidden beneath their ordinary exteriors.
For example, the set of huanghuali chairs in the center of the living room alone would have a market value of no less than three million, and even then, they were practically unavailable.
Definitely "understated luxury!" Chen Yang thought to himself.
However, Chen Yang understood that this was also in line with Ning Kuncheng's status. Given Ning Kuncheng's "profession," if he were someone who didn't know how to conceal his brilliance, he would have been long gone. At his level, concealing one's abilities was paramount.
Chen Yang's gaze fell upon a middle-aged man in a Tang suit beside the display shelf in the living room, who was intently admiring a calligraphy piece hanging on the wall. The middle-aged man appeared quite peaceful, even somewhat kind-looking.
However, Chen Yang could clearly sense the sharp aura emanating from him, like a hidden sword, its chilling edge palpable even through the sheath.
In a flash, Chen Yang was certain that this middle-aged man was none other than Ning Kuncheng.
Sure enough, after entering, Brother Dao immediately took a few steps behind the middle-aged man. Even though the man's back was turned, he still bowed respectfully before speaking:
"Brother Kun, Chen Yang has arrived!"
Brother Dao, this bold and charismatic man who commanded respect on the outside, became as docile as a kitten in front of Ning Kuncheng.
Ning Kuncheng nodded slightly upon hearing this, then glanced at the calligraphy hanging on the wall, seemingly reluctant to leave. He then turned to look at Chen Yang.
Under those two piercing gazes, Chen Yang suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He felt Ning Kuncheng's gaze was so profound, as if it could see right through him, causing him to momentarily lose focus.
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and Ning Kuncheng's transformation from a ruthless thug to his current state was indeed no simple feat.
Chen Yang steadied himself and met Ning Kuncheng's gaze without flinching. His eyes shone with peace and composure, displaying neither servility nor arrogance.
A full half-minute passed before Ning Kuncheng withdrew his aggressive gaze. He gestured to the sofa and said calmly,
"You're here! Have a seat!"
"Thank you, Chairman Ning!" Chen Yang sat upright on the living room sofa with impeccable manners, his posture revealing the good upbringing of a scion of a prominent family. In terms of age, Ning Kuncheng was about the same age as his parents, and as Ning Qiaoqian's father, he was an elder, deserving such respect.
A hint of admiration flickered in Ning Kuncheng's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, his face quickly hardening again. In his eyes, this young man had stolen his precious daughter's heart, and now he sat brazenly before him. The thought infuriated Ning Kuncheng.
Chen Yang sat opposite Ning Kuncheng, while Brother Dao stood respectfully behind him, like a lackey. After sitting down, Chen Yang simply observed Ning Kuncheng quietly, without speaking.
"I heard from Brother Dao about your performance at Lover's Bay. Not bad, young man, quite bold!" Ning Kuncheng observed Chen Yang's expression before speaking first. "Brother Fei also called me just now. He praised your performance at the group headquarters highly, describing you as a genius..."
Ning Kuncheng paused, glancing at Chen Yang.
Chen Yang smiled faintly, still feigning listening intent. He knew Ning Kuncheng definitely had more to say, so he wisely remained silent.
Sure enough, Ning Kuncheng paused for only a second or two before continuing:
"A-Dao and A-Fei have been my brothers for many years. If they say you're good, then you really are… But, if you want to be my son-in-law, courage and talent are secondary…"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yang's heart skipped a beat. He could hardly believe his ears. Had Ning Kuncheng just said he wanted to be his son-in-law? Chen Yang glanced at Ning Kuncheng's solemn expression and quickly interrupted,
"Excuse me, Chairman Ning, I... I didn't hear wrong, did I? Become your son-in-law?"
Ning Kuncheng, interrupted by Chen Yang, glanced at him with some displeasure and said,
"I meant that becoming my son-in-law isn't that simple! The first test was your courage, the second was your talent, and you performed quite well in both, which is why you have the opportunity to stand before me for the third test, which I will personally conduct..."
"Wait! Wait!" Chen Yang shook his head. "Chairman Ning, I didn't say I wanted to be your son-in-law! You..."
At this moment, Brother Dao, standing behind Ning Kuncheng, glared at him and said,
"Kid, that's enough! Miss has already told Brother Kun everything! And you're still pretending!"
"I...I...I'm pretending what?" Chen Yang felt utterly bewildered. He'd seen forced sales before, but he'd never seen someone forcibly tested as a prospective son-in-law! Dao Ge opened his mouth, about to speak, when Ning Kuncheng waved his hand and turned to Dao Ge, saying,
"Dao, don't say that! Go and bring up everything I prepared!"
"Yes, Brother Kun!" Dao Ge nodded respectfully and turned to leave the villa's living room.
Chen Yang felt there must be some misunderstanding. Ning Qiaoqian called him to Xiamen to help out, how did it turn into a son-in-law recruitment? Although he and Ning Qiaoqian almost had a passionate encounter on the mountaintop that day, they hadn't actually made any physical contact, and Ning Qiaoqian knew about his relationship with Su He, so she wouldn't be so bored.
Therefore, Chen Yang decided to explain to Ning Kuncheng. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his phone suddenly vibrated. Chen Yang took it out and saw it was a text message from Ning Qiaoqian, which read:
"Little Yangzi, if my father asks you to do anything later, try your best to do it, just to help me out!" Chen Yang glanced at his phone screen again, thoughtfully put it back in his pocket, and didn't utter the explanation he had prepared.
At this moment, Brother Dao personally pushed a three-tiered food cart back into the living room. The cart was covered with a layer of red silk, obscuring its contents.
Ning Kuncheng stood up with a smile and said:
"Young man, as I said before, to become my son-in-law, you need courage and talent, but those aren't the most important things. By my standards, the most important thing is… drinking capacity!"
With that, Ning Kuncheng abruptly pulled back the silk covering the food cart…