Volume 1: The True Dragon of Zixu Chapter 2: Arranged Marriage by Fingertip Touch

Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, formerly known as Jinling, is dominated by Zijin Mountain in the eastern suburbs, standing at 448 meters high. To the west lie Fugui Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, Beiji Pavilion, Gulou Ridge, and Wutai Mountain, stretching all the way to Shitou Mountain, which winds its way into the city. Over a thousand years ago, Shitou Mountain still stood by the Yangtze River. During the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan built Shitou City on this mountain, which served as an important ancient fortress for river defense. It is said that on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, when Zhuge Liang visited Eastern Wu, he rode alongside Sun Quan to observe the terrain here and exclaimed, “The Zhong Mountain winds like a dragon, and Shitou City lies like a tiger—truly a place fit for emperors.” Thus, Nanjing has long been famous in history for its “dragon winding and tiger crouching” landscape. It is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery, and today it is one of the key cities in the Yangtze River Delta economic zone.

Below Zijin Mountain, next to the Eastern Suburbs Hotel, lies a vast private courtyard built around the mountain. From a distance, the buildings exude a retro vibe, with materials such as wood, stone, and bamboo. Their eaves extend far out, using natural colors of water, stone, and bamboo to create a simple and elegant appearance. The houses follow the stream, with corridors and courtyards extending outward. Ancient paths lined with green hills, phoenix-shaped stones, and wild grasses, along with various stone bridges and dams, blend this slightly man-made environment seamlessly with the beautiful natural scenery of the mountains and forests, creating a serene and refined atmosphere.

However, looking ahead, across a natural stream, lies a space filled with the most modern residential facilities. The open area ahead is a medium-sized private golf course, beside which sits a luxurious villa. The surrounding swimming pool, green lawns, parking lots, and flower beds all demonstrate the opulence and prestige of this place…

At this moment, inside a graceful pavilion in the retro-style buildings, laughter can be heard continuously. A group of people is sitting there, drinking tea and chatting. At the center are three elderly men, while beside them sit two couples and two little boys. Two of the women are also pregnant, seemingly nearing delivery.

One of the elderly men in a suit laughs heartily and says, “Brother, your place is truly a paradise on earth! Not only is the surrounding scenery elegant and beautiful, but it’s also remarkable how the buildings are perfectly integrated into this natural beauty. It’s as if they were created naturally, showing great artistic skill. Every time I come here, I have a different experience!”

“Hehe, where, where, young Qin, your Songhe Villa is hardly inferior to my Zijin Garden. In terms of architecture and construction, we both started out in this business. If we can’t even manage our own homes properly, then we shouldn’t be in this line of work at all, haha…” The speaker was an elderly man dressed simply but in good health.

“Elder brother, Brother Qin, stop talking nonstop about architecture whenever you get together. Isn’t it time to arrange the engagement for our little nephew today? After that, you two can talk as much as you want. I’ve made plans to meet with some chess friends!” The last speaker was around fifty years old but still had a delicate appearance. Judging from his features, he bore a slight resemblance to the simply dressed elderly man.

The simply dressed elderly man clearly had no way to deal with him and could only smile and say, “Please forgive me, young Qin. My third brother is just impatient. Even at his age, he still hasn’t learned any self-restraint. Please don’t take it personally.”

Upon hearing this, the man in suit quickly waved his hand and said, “How could that be? Brother Lin is straightforward and honest—truly a man of his word. Hehe, let’s get this engagement finalized quickly.”

The simply dressed elderly man immediately replied, “Good, very good. We’ve been friends for many years, and now our families are becoming even closer. After it’s finalized, I’ve prepared a banquet at Zijin VIP Building for tonight. I’ve also invited many guests to celebrate this happy occasion for both our families. Here are a pair of Tianjing Cuiyu bracelets from our Chu family, as a token of engagement.”

As the man in suit took the bracelets, he quickly handed over a crystal-clear white dragon-shaped jade pendant, saying, “This is the Panlong Jade Pendant from our Qin family. It’s perfect as a gift for my unborn grandson-in-law.”

Both elderly men smiled upon receiving the tokens—bright and joyful smiles. Yet the wrinkles around their eyes and the subtle expressions in their narrowed eyes gave off an air of scheming understanding…

…

The ‘engagement’ banquet was lively and a great success, with everyone enjoying themselves.

After the music stopped and everyone dispersed, a unique little building in Chu family’s Zijin Garden housed a couple sitting on an antique long rattan chair. The man was sipping tea while the woman ate fruits to nourish the baby in her womb.

“Yixue, Dad has already finalized our unborn child’s marriage without us even being present. Do you have any objections? Actually…”

“Minglei, there’s no need to say more. I know—since the day I married into your family, I’ve known what not to do and what must be done. Back then it was said that entering a noble family was like diving into deep waters; now it’s the same with wealthy families. Along with glory and wealth, what one feels more is restraint and helplessness!”
“Yixue, I know I’ve made you suffer over the years—raising children has been tough on you, once such a brilliant student from Peking University…”
“Minglei, don’t say that. You know I’ve never regretted marrying you. And seeing Tiancheng and Tianfeng grow up so dearly, I don’t see it as a burden at all. On the contrary, I think it’s the greatest happiness for a woman…” After saying this, she gently stroked her belly with affection, clearly moved.
“Yixue…” Chu Minglei embraced his wife tenderly, silently conveying his love.
After a long while…
Chu Minglei helped his wife up and, as if suddenly remembering something, asked, “Yixue, you said Dad wants to cooperate with the Qin family. Even if we get engaged, there’s no need to involve our unborn third child. Either Tiancheng or Tianfeng will do, right?”
Yixue shot her husband a glance and said irritably, “Minglei, you’re just too upright in everything you do.”
Chu Minglei looked puzzled at his wife’s words. Seeing his expression, Yixue couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re such a simpleton, hehe. But… that’s exactly what I like about you, not your status as the Chu family’s eldest son…”
Clearly at a loss with his lovely wife, Chu Minglei could only force a smile, stay silent, and pretend to listen further.
Sure enough, after teasing him, Yixue continued, “Although our Chu family seems prosperous on the surface, behind its grand scale, it’s not without flaws—there are many weaknesses. In Dad’s generation, among the three brothers, my uncle only competes with us for power, causing constant internal strife. My other uncle is more interested in various hobbies and isn’t interested in business. Now, it’s just Dad who’s struggling to hold things together. To revive the Chu family, he’s secretly invested most of his funds in the sixth-generation information hypersensory simulation technology developed jointly by his subsidiaries, Thunder Technology and Lightning Technology, as well as in several plots of land for large-scale urban development. So, faced with those powerful real estate tycoons, our Chu family really can’t spare the resources to deal with them. That’s why the Qin family, which dominates Zhejiang—also known as Fudu Industry—comes into play. They have substantial funds but lack markets and investment opportunities. So this ‘marriage’ is just a mutually beneficial arrangement in business.”

“I know all this. It’s actually an unspoken business agreement. But why bring up such an old-fashioned custom of betrothal by touching fingertips, dragging in two unborn children unnecessarily?”
“That’s why you’re such a fool! First, this is to show the close relationship between the Chu and Qin families. As the saying goes, the best strategy is to defeat the enemy without fighting. In business battles, even if we win, we’ll likely be severely weakened. So it’s better to use our family alliance to show our stance and determination, giving us an advantage in terms of momentum. With our Chu family’s roots and market presence in the Yangtze River Delta, plus the Qin family’s funds, anyone would have to consider whether a further battle is necessary. As for the second reason—why betroth our unborn children instead of Tiancheng or Tianfeng? That’s where Dad’s cleverness lies. Honestly, by resolving the current crisis, aside from whether the Chu and Han families can continue to cooperate, who can guarantee what these two children will be like in twenty years? If they get along, great. If not, it’s better to have a betrothal by fingertips as a backdoor exit, providing an excuse for both sides to break the engagement later. I think Old Master Qin didn’t object to this either—he probably had the same idea…”
After hearing this, Chu Minglei let out a sigh of relief and realized everything: “So that’s how it is! Wife, you’re truly a woman like Zhuge Liang—so insightful. You truly deserve to be called the top talent in Peking University’s business school. I admire you…”
Hearing her husband’s praise, Yixue blushed slightly and said mockingly, “I just called you a fool, yet your mouth is as smooth as oil, and you’re so witty…”
“Hehe, if I can’t joke with my own wife, then with whom should I joke? Should I go outside…?”
“Dare you?”
“Oh… hehe…”