Rebirth at the Start: This Fate is Too Explosive!

Chapter 422 The Cultured "Honest Scoundrel"

"Please come in! Please come in!" Lin Qingyang was beaming, clearly feeling very honored by Ye Fan's arrival and the generous gifts.

He carefully handed the heavy golden Buddha gift box to a young man wearing a polo shirt who looked like an assistant, then enthusiastically led Ye Fan and Wu Shaojie inside: "Young Master Ye, come, come, let me show you around!"

He spoke with a hint of pride, pointing to the sizable courtyard before him: "This is the foundation of my family's old house. I tore it down and redesigned it; it took a lot of effort! Could you take a look and tell me what you think?"

Ye Fan looked up.

In the past two years, Nanjing has expanded outwards like an inflated balloon. The once remote suburban farmland has been rapidly swallowed up by reinforced concrete, giving rise to countless "urban-rural fringe areas" like this place—brand new, straight asphalt roads have been built to the village entrances, bringing the convenience of the city.

But upon deeper exploration, one can see many farmhouses that retain traces of the past, with the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing through the air; while Lin Qingyang's large courtyard is like a bright pearl embedded in this transitional zone, or rather, a miniature territory of the nouveau riche.

The courtyard was meticulously maintained.

At the entrance, there is a carefully arranged garden feature: several simple and unadorned Taihu stones are stacked to form a rockery, and a babbling stream flows out from the cracks in the stones and into a small koi pond; a wooden arch bridge spans the pond, and neatly trimmed Podocarpus macrophyllus and seasonal flowers and plants adorn the pond.

A gravel path meanders through the area, connecting different functional areas.

The overall design blends the charm of a traditional Chinese courtyard with modern comfort, making it stand out with its unique style amidst the somewhat cluttered rural environment.

However, beyond the exquisitely finished "finished area" in front of us, there is still a large area of ​​land fenced off. The faint sounds of construction machinery can be heard, and the exposed yellow soil and piles of building materials can be seen, clearly indicating that the project is not yet fully completed.

Ye Fan nodded slightly in his heart.

From his perspective in hindsight, Lin Qingyang's move was remarkably forward-thinking.

These detached, secluded rural "luxury homes" will be worth far more than the monotonous pigeonhole villas in the city center when urbanization sweeps through and land prices skyrocket in seven or eight years.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city center, with more open space and a better natural environment, the living experience is truly incomparable.

Seeing Ye Fan's gaze fixed on the construction site behind them, Lin Qingyang immediately introduced with great interest, "Young Master Ye, see that empty space over there? I'm planning to build a private swimming pool there!"

He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming: "I specially invited the famous 'Master Wang' from around here to check the feng shui. He said, 'Mountains govern people, water governs wealth.' My house has a mountain behind it (referring to the distant earthen slope), but it lacks flowing water to attract wealth! Once the swimming pool is built, it will be a 'flowing water gathers wealth' layout! I'll definitely invite you over to give me some pointers then, so I can go for a swim and relax!"

He clearly believed in feng shui.

"Okay." Ye Fan nodded in agreement, neither confirming nor denying the statement.

The three continued along the path, passing through a bamboo grove, and suddenly a more spacious courtyard paved with bluestone slabs appeared before them.

The atmosphere here is completely different from the tranquil and elegant atmosphere before—

The place was bustling with noise and filled with the smell of smoke!

Several large automatic mahjong tables and poker tables were set up in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by men and women.

There were young people dressed in trendy brands with flamboyant hairstyles, as well as several burly middle-aged men with thick gold chains around their necks.

Chips were piled and moved on the table, cigarette smoke rose in wisps, accompanied by shouts of "Pong!" "Knock!" "Call!", the crisp sound of cards being slapped on the table, the laughter of winners and the frustrated complaints of losers, creating a lively scene.

As soon as Lin Qingyang and Wu Shaojie appeared, several people immediately shouted, "Brother Yang! Young Master Wu, you've finally arrived! Come on, come on, we've been waiting for you for ages to finish our mahjong!"

A young man with slicked-back hair and a cigarette in his mouth shouted loudly.

"That's right! Yang, it's your birthday today, you have to have a good time with us!" A burly man next to him, shirtless and showing off a lot of tattoos, slammed his fist on the table and echoed him, his voice booming.

Several scantily clad, exquisitely made-up girls around the card table smiled and waved.

Ye Fan watched this scene without showing any emotion, then glanced at Wu Shaojie beside him.

Wu Shaojie and Lin Qingyang are childhood friends with a deep bond, but their backgrounds and temperaments are completely different.

Wu Shaojie is a typical "old money" second-generation rich kid. His family has been in business for generations, and their businesses are clean and respectable. Although he also likes to have fun, enjoy excitement, and likes sports cars and beautiful women, he has a good upbringing and a bottom line. He acts in a methodical way and is considered one of the more upright and clear-headed second-generation rich kids.

Lin Qingyang, however, was different.

His father was a gangster in his early years, carrying a rough and tumble spirit. He accumulated his initial wealth through courage and the opportunities of the times. Although he now runs several companies and appears to have cleaned up his act, his style of doing things and the connections he has made still bear the indelible mark of the underworld.

Lin Qingyang is essentially an "upgraded version" of his father's generation.

He received a good education, spoke more elegantly than his father, knew how to manage relationships and social situations, and could even create that pretentious garden. But deep down, he inherited his father's passion for the rules of the game and his enjoyment of the noisy and lively card games.

He could be described as "a cultured father".

......

The moment Lin Qingyang stepped into the smoke-filled, bustling card game circle, his entire aura changed instantly!

The respect and "cultured" reserve he had shown in front of Ye Fan vanished completely, replaced by a bold and even somewhat rough-and-tumble chivalrous spirit.

He waved his hand dismissively, his loud voice drowning out the noise at the card table: "Alright! You guys must be getting impatient, right?"

He laughed heartily, casually pulled out the empty chair at the head of the table, and sat down with an air of superiority: "Today I'm the banker! You can bet whatever you want! If you win, it's yours; if you lose, it's on me! Consider it a little birthday bonus for the guys to have some fun!"

His unbridled and bold spirit drew cheers and applause from those around him.

Then, remembering his distinguished guests, he turned to Ye Fan and Wu Shaojie, his tone warm but clearly switching back to a more "civilized" mode: "Old Wu, Young Master Ye, don't just stand there! Come and play a few rounds! A little gambling is harmless!"

Wu Shaojie was used to this kind of scene and nodded with a smile: "Sure, I'll play a couple of rounds with the birthday boy!"

Ye Fan nodded indifferently, his expression calm.

"Young Master Ye?" The young men who had been focused on the cards at the card table suddenly turned their attention to Ye Fan when they heard Lin Qingyang address him.