The next morning, Zhou Chao woke up early, eager for his eting with Ma Yun. After having a buffet breakfast at the hotel, they arrived at 9:30 am. Zhou Chao noticed that the appointed ti was approaching, so he asked Lin Wu to drive into the sprawling Taohuayuan Ecological Community, heading towards Ma Yun's residence.
Taohuayuan was a magnificent place, inspired by Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring", blending natural landscapes and pastoral living to create a harmonious haven known as the "Peach Blossom Spring Ideal."
The community was remarkably spacious, and it took Zhou Chao and Lin Wu a good three to four minutes to find Ma Yun's residence. The entire courtyard exuded an ancient charm, tranquil and serene. Zhou Chao pressed the doorbell, and a robust middle-aged man opened the door promptly.
"Mr. Zhou, please co in."
Leaving Lin Wu in the car, Zhou Chao followed the man inside, carrying a gift for Ma Yun. As he stepped inside, the courtyard evoked the ambiance of a Jiangnan water village.
Ma Yun was currently engrossed in sothing in the courtyard, but when he noticed Zhou Chao's arrival, he warmly welcod him.
"Well, well, you've still got a conscience, bringing a gift for an old man like . Co on in, you're most welco. What's the point of bringing any gifts?" Ma Yun smiled, exuding a friendly aura.
Zhou Chao handed over the tea leaves, saying, "I wasn't sure if you like tea, so I brought so Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain. I hope you'll like it."
"Da Hong Pao? Zhou, my boy, this is fantastic! Do you know how many people desire this but can't get their hands on it?" Ma Yun gladly accepted the gift.
They chatted amicably, and Ma Yun invited Zhou Chao to his study. "You don't have to call 'President Ma'; just call 'Uncle Ma'."
"Alright, Uncle Ma. Your house is incredibly comfortable, living here feels like being in a peaceful water village," Zhou Chao addressed Ma Yun differently.
"You're not short of money either. Why don't you buy a place nearby? Then you can visit anyti, and it'll be convenient for to invite you over for als," Ma Yun suggested.
"I've thought about it. Living here alone might be too quiet for ," Zhou Chao replied.
Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and Zhou Chao found comfort in discussing various matters with Ma Yun, be it business or personal. Ma Yun's high emotional intelligence made the interaction all the more enjoyable.
"Today, let's stay here and have so fun. I'm expecting so guests later, and I can show off your Da Hong Pao tea, making them envious."
"Sure, I'm curious who will be joining us," Zhou Chao inquired.
"Guo from Fuxin Group and Yue from Yuantong Group. Originally, the three of us planned to play poker together. It's perfect timing that you're here; we can gather a complete table..."
Hearing the nas of the two influential businessn, Zhou Chao knew that Ma Yun was introducing him to his circle. Both Guo and Yue were prominent mbers of the Zhejiang Chamber of Comrce.
"Thank you, Uncle Ma, for the introduction. I'm looking forward to eting these legendary figures," Zhou Chao expressed his gratitude with a smile.
Ma Yun glanced at Zhou Chao and said, "You know, we Chinese value connections and relationships. Even though you have significant backing, people with a discerning eye will still notice. By the way, despite your wealth, you seem quite leisurely. Speaking of which, you should consider giving back to society when the opportunity arises."
Zhou Chao chuckled. "Uncle Ma, you're jesting. As you said, I'm not interested in money. Most of the ti, I'm alone at ho, occasionally playing gas, reading books, and exercising. I still haven't found a girlfriend yet."
Ma Yun heard Zhou Chao ntion his lack of a partner and teased, "Shall I introduce you to soone?"
"No need, Uncle Ma. I'll find one on my own. The kind of pampered ladies you'd introduce, I don't think I can handle," Zhou Chao hastily declined the offer.
"Alright, enough talking about that. How about you join for a ga of Go to pass the ti while we wait for the others?" Ma Yun suggested. After speaking, he took a set of jade Go pieces and a snow-white Go board from the bookshelf. The appearance was truly captivating.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Chao excused himself and went to the restroom. "System, can I check for relevant skills through checking in?"
"Does the host wish to spend 15 accumulated days to check in?"
Without hesitation, Zhou Chao bit his lip and said, "Check in."
"Congratulations, the host has checked in and obtained the skills 'Chess Saint' and 'Gambling God.' Would you like to integrate them?"
"Integrate." Zhou Chao decided without delay. In an instant, his mind was flooded with knowledge about various chess arts and gambling strategies. His muscles, especially in his arms and fingers, twitched involuntarily as they ford new mories. After a short while, Zhou Chao returned to normal, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a piece of paper before walking out of the restroom.
"You're really slow. If you hadn't co out, I would've called the butler to check if you fell in or sothing," Ma Yun teased as Zhou Chao erged from the restroom.
"Alright, let's start the ga. Black or white?" They resud the ga, chatting about everyday life.
"With your wealth and status, there must be many won around you. Don't you like any of them?"
"No, I'm not into socializing, so I don't know many people."
"Sotis, it's good to attend gatherings and expand your social circle. You never know when you might be able to lend a helping hand. Oh, by the way, how did you manage to devour my chess pieces?"
"Well, those pieces were right in front of ; how could I resist eating them?"
"You should at least warn before eating my pieces."
"Is that so? I promise to do that next ti," Zhou Chao said with a grin as he trapped Ma Yun's pieces with a powerful dragon formation.
Ma Yun looked puzzled and said, "I lost again? Your chess skills are incredible! How did you beco so good?"
Zhou Chao chuckled. If it weren't for the Chess Saint skill he had just integrated, it would still be hard to say who would have won. He wasn't exaggerating; not even the legendary Chess Saint, Huang Longshi, could defeat him.
"Let's play again, but this ti, I won't go easy on you. I'll be serious."
"Sure thing," Zhou Chao agreed. They restarted the ga, and within thirty moves, Ma Yun was already regretting his moves.
"You shouldn't have aggressively hunted down my white pieces from the beginning."
"Well, can't I try to surround and capture your pieces?"
"Certainly! When you make a move, you must express your intentions." Ma Yun laughed at himself.
"Uncle Ma, could you explain your rules of chess to ?"
"Sure, no problem. We'll talk as we play."
As ti passed, Ma Yun's pieces dwindled until only a few white pieces remained on the edge of the board.
"I'm done playing. It's no fun playing with you; I'll go play with Lao Guo and the others."
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