Chapter 1455 Reminiscing the Past

A small town in the south of the Yangtze River, with deep courtyards, lingering smoke and mist.

A fairyland on earth.

In fact, not only here, Yao Yuan, his wife and Peng Cheng have no less than 20 properties across the country, all of which are good places for retirement.

With no children to tie them down, and no trivial worries, the three of them just wanted to enjoy the most beautiful scenery and their last moments.

When Zhang Xiaobai walked in, a square table had been placed in the courtyard. There were several side dishes on the square table, and of course a pot of old wine.

Yao Yuan and Peng Cheng sat opposite each other, leaving a small empty bench.

Zhang Xiaobai sat on it and said with a smile: "Where is my old sister-in-law?"

Yao Yuan smiled and said: "After cooking, I went out for a walk."

Zhang Xiaobai picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of the food, nodded and said expressionlessly: "Brother's taste."

He picked up another one and said, "Hmm! This one tastes like my mentor."

Peng Cheng raised his eyebrows and said, "Can't you give us some face?"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and said: "It's not kind to lie to others!"

The food was cooked by two people, the older the child, the younger, Leng said Du Ruyue cooked it.

Zhang Xiaobai held his chin up and looked at the two of them, feeling a little sad for no reason, "I'm old!"

Peng Cheng said: "Nonsense, how old are we both?"

Yao Yuan joked: "What a sixty-year-old bad old man!"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled, filled three cups of wine, picked up one cup, and said, "Let's go one!"

The two brothers didn't do it, for fear of being criticized by Du Ruyue.

Zhang Xiaobai drank and looked at the two of them with a smile.

It doesn't matter to you two, you can laugh as much as you like, but I won't move.

Yao Yuan asked: "Xiaobai, how old are you?"

Zhang Xiaobai said: "I'm 38!"

Yao Yuan sighed, finished the cup in front of him, and said with emotion: "It's so fast. You are already 38. It seems like it was yesterday when we first met. Alas! How many years have passed!"

Maybe the older you get, the more nostalgic you become, especially recently. Yao Yuan always mentions the encounter with Xiaobai from time to time, the green leather train, the shabby-dressed boy, the scam on the street, and the book that has a particularly profound memory - - "Principles of Economics".

Perhaps it was because of that book and the strong contrast with that boy that Yao Yuan noticed him and the subsequent story.

For Zhang Xiaobai, Yao Yuan is a noble person.

Yao Yuan suddenly laughed and said, "Do you still remember that I gave you a cigarette on the train?"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and said: "How can you forget it? Red panda."

Thinking of those words, Yao Yuan smiled even more, "What did you say at that time?"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and said: "I said it's a bit soft."

Peng Cheng laughed loudly, "I didn't expect such a thing to happen. As someone who smokes old cigarettes, of course you think the cigarettes are soft."

This is true. At that time, Zhang Xiaobai smoked dry cigarettes for the longest time, and they were very powerful. Shi Lei often took a few Hongtashan cigarettes with him, and the two brothers sat under the old willow tree to enjoy themselves.

Zhang Xiaobai recalled what happened on the train and said, "Brother, I smoked the best cigarettes and drank the best wine that day, and it was all given by me."

Zhang Xiaobai had never seen Red Panda or Moutai before, but he smoked and drank them on the same day.

Yao Yuan glanced at the door, took out a box of wrinkled soft drinks from his pocket, looked a little nervous, and said in a low voice: "It's so enjoyable, I only dare to have one when you come, your old sister-in-law will always give it to you Some face... right?"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and waved his hands and said, "Brother, I quit smoking."

Yao Yuan was shocked and said: "Stop smoking? How long has it been?"

Zhang Xiaobai said softly: "It has been more than five years. She asked me to quit smoking before she left, so I quit."

Both brothers understood who she was referring to, and sighed at the same time, drinking a cup of wine.

Peng Cheng said: "Do you remember Professor Chen?"

Zhang Xiaobai thought for a while and asked, "Is that Professor Chen who taught Zhou Zhou?"

Peng Cheng nodded and said, "Last year I went to see the old lady. She is over eighty years old and her body is still strong. She still talks about you."

Zhang Xiaobai's thoughts returned to the lecture theater. The biggest impression he had on Professor Chen was that day. He took a rose, knocked on the classroom door, asked the old professor for three minutes, and walked towards Zhou Zhou to express his love...

When the love was intense, Professor Chen suddenly said, "Three minutes are up..."

Zhang Xiaobai smiled unconsciously and said, "What did the old man say about me?"

Peng Cheng said: "The old man said that the thing I regret most is giving you those three minutes."

Zhang Xiaobai frowned and said, "Why?"

Peng Cheng said: "The old professor's favorite student is Zhou Zhou. At that time, there were rumors about the two of you. She investigated you with us, and after learning about your character, she felt that you two were a couple. It would be very difficult for Zhou Zhou to follow you. Happy, but I didn’t expect it to end like that.”

"So she regretted that she shouldn't have given you a chance and shouldn't have let you be together. She said that if that was the case, maybe she wouldn't leave."

Peng Cheng only told the incident, but did not tell the details of the time. The last words the old professor said were, "Why did she leave?"

After saying that, he wiped away his tears.

An eighty-year-old woman shed tears, and Peng Cheng was moved, but he couldn't persuade her.

Zhang Xiaobai said: "Maybe, maybe she would be happier without me in her life and wouldn't leave so early."

Peng Cheng sighed, "I won't say this anymore, it's too sad!"

Yao Yuan changed the subject and said, "Brother, how high are you in the Hurun rankings?"

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and said: "Fifty-five people just came out."

Yao Yuan said angrily: "How can this work? You have to work hard. At least you have to break into the top ten."

Zhang Xiaobai smiled and said, "The treasure box is going to be listed. I think it will be able to squeeze into the top ten by then."

Peng Cheng said, "Not bad, you are worthy of being my proud disciple."

Yao Yuan said, "You can't be in the top ten, you must be in the top five, otherwise it doesn't match your ability."

In Yao Yuan's eyes, none of the current business leaders are more capable than Xiaobai, even Liu Yun.

Isn't this called protecting your child?

Zhang Xiaobai drank another cup of wine and said, "Brother, mentor, I will retire after the treasure box is listed."

The two of them looked puzzled at the same time.

Yao Yuan asked, "How old are you? You want to retire just after you have achieved success?"

Zhang Xiaobai said, "There is an old saying that goes, 40 is free from doubts. I am almost 40 years old. I have experienced what I should have experienced, understood what I should have understood, and let go of what I should have let go of."

"I have never been a person with great ambitions. Perhaps it is because the wheel of fate has been pushing me forward. Career, money and power cannot be said to be unattractive, but they are still far from friendship and love."

"I will retire at the age of 40. Next, I will spend time with my wife and children, make up for my debts to them, and concentrate on charity to fulfill her wishes."

Peng Cheng was silent for a moment and said, "That's right. Why make so much money? For people at our level, money is just a number. It is better to live a carefree and happy life."

Yao Yuan said unhappily, "How do you become a master? Don't you want him to succeed?"

Peng Cheng said seriously, "I hope he is happy."

Zhang Xiaobai raised his thumb and said, "Yes, happiness should be the purpose of life!"