Chapter 624 King Residence
This time, Ouyang Duo didn’t need to wait for an hour to see Nan Zhengde upon arriving at the Nan Residence.
Nan Zhengde had asked his housekeeper to set a chair in the garden, and there he was, bathing in the sunlight as he sat on the chair.
There was a small wooden table placed beside him, and atop the table was a chessboard as well as a pot of tea.
Seeing that Ouyang Duo had arrived, Nan Zhengde motioned for his housekeeper to bring an extra chair, a teacup, and a plate of snacks.
“You look like you’re in a good mood, Mr. Nan. Are you playing chess alone?” asked Ouyang Duo with a smile.
“People often assume that chess involves two players competing with one another, but when you’re playing alone, you tend to see things clearer.”
“Oh? That’s quite an interesting perception you have there, Mr. Nan. However, chess is used to determine victory. Only when two people compete can there be a loser and a winner. Can you see who’s the winner just by playing on your own?”
“That’s just a misconception. People tend to think that losing is an embarrassment, but that’s not the case. A person who’s truly powerful won’t lose to anyone else, and if they do lose, it would be to themselves. Except for one’s own self, no one in this world can truly beat us. Hence, life is just like chess. The person you’re competing with is actually yourself.”
A smile played on Nan Zhengde’s lips as he took a sip of tea and glanced at Ouyang Duo.
Similarly, Ouyang Duo was also observing the older man.
Regardless of how open-minded and forgiving he is, I doubt he’d be so calm and collected if he found out about Nan Chen’s death. It seems like he doesn’t know yet, so this makes things much easier for me.
“You’re very wise, Mr. Nan. However, I’m just an ordinary person and only know how to compete, for I have little understanding of such profound theories. In my opinion, a loss is a loss, and a win is a win. One must acknowledge both their wins and losses. If the loser doesn’t acknowledge the fact that they’ve lost, then the winner wouldn’t be able to feel happy about their win. In that case, what is there to live for?” queried Ouyang Duo.
Nan Zhengde nodded, taking in the man’s words. “Indeed, the best stage of life to compete with others is in your prime. You’re in your prime, while I’ve long passed mine. These old bones no longer have the will to compete, so I can only spew such nonsense to comfort myself.”
Ouyang Duo burst into laughter. “You’re not old, Mr. Nan. One of these days, I’ll bring you to a quiet and serene place where you can live your life in peace.”
“Oh? Where are you planning on sending me to, Duo? I’ve done everything you’ve asked, so I hope you won’t put an old man like me in a difficult spot.”
“You’re overthinking it, Mr. Nan. I won’t put you in a difficult spot, for I want nothing more than for you to enjoy your remaining years in peace. As for the place, I’m still thinking about it, but there’s no need to worry. I’ll make sure to find a good and comfortable place for you.”
A trace of panic flashed across Nan Zhengde’s eyes. “You’re not talking about a graveyard, are you?”
“Of course not! I told you, Mr. Nan, you’re not an old man yet. You have years to live before settling into a graveyard. I truly want to send you to a place where you can live comfortably and peacefully. You won’t have to worry about the Nan family’s affairs. You can drink tea, play chess, and contemplate the great things of life as much as your heart desires.”
At that, Nan Zhengde laughed. “In that case, thank you, Duo.”
Ouyang Duo felt a surge of uneasiness in his heart upon seeing how at ease Nan Zhengde was.
Even if he doesn’t know about Nan Chen’s death, how can he chat delightfully with me when he’s on the verge of losing control over Nanshi Corporation? Has he gotten to a point where he no longer cares about status or power? That doesn’t seem right. Nanshi Corporation is the family business he painstakingly built from the ground up, and he’s been protecting it his entire life. Now that he’s about to lose it all, how can he not feel an ounce of anxiety or worry? Could it be that he’s tricking me?
Doubt plagued Ouyang Duo’s mind, and he couldn’t resist asking, “Mr. Nan, is the share transfer agreement about done?”
“I’m not sure. Isn’t your lawyer involved in the handling of that? I’ve gotten old, so I hardly care about all these things anymore. All I want is for your friends to save Nan Chen as soon as possible so I can finally reunite with him,” Nan Zhengde expressed.
After a brief pause, he sighed and continued, “At this point, I don’t care about anything else. At death, we take away nothing, and what isn’t meant to be ours will eventually be lost. All these materialistic things don’t matter to me anymore.”
A smile spread across Ouyang Duo’s face when he heard that. “Well said, Mr. Nan. It seems I’m not as wise as you are, and I still have much to learn from you. Perhaps when I reach your age, I’ll also be able to see things in a different light and live without desire.”
Nan Zhengde didn’t fail to notice that Ouyang Duo’s words were laced with mockery and sarcasm.
Despite that, he didn’t mind and simply maintained a smile on his face. “You’re not here to talk about winning or losing, are you? What else do you need me to do for you?”
“There’s one more thing I need your help with.”
“What is it?”
“Now that Nan Xing and Qing are married, the Ouyang family and the Nan family have become in-laws. Zhiyuan is Nan Xing’s father and also my in-law, yet he doesn’t have a position within the company. I feel that’s rather inappropriate for someone of his status. Mr. Nan, can I trouble you to arrange for Zhiyuan to join Nanshi Corporation as the deputy CEO? This way, Zhiyuan can assist Nan Xing, and I’m confident that Nanshi Corporation will rise to greater heights under the leadership of the father-and-son duo.”
There was a slight change in Nan Zhengde’s expression, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the observant Ouyang Duo.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Nan? Zhiyuan is your son. Could you bear to continue shutting him out like this?”
“Indeed, Zhiyuan is my son, and I’d love to hold him in high regard. Back then, he was fired from the company because of a mistake he made. If you want me to hire him again, doesn’t that mean I’d be going back on my word? What would the other directors think of me?” Nan Zhengde reasoned.
Standing firm on his decision, he continued, “Since Nan Xing is the CEO, you should leave this matter to him. I’m no longer meddling in the affairs of Nanshi Corporation, for I have neither the shares nor the position to do so. Just let the youngins handle this themselves.”
Ouyang Duo was slightly displeased by the older man’s response. “It hasn’t been long since Nan Xing became the CEO. If he were to arrange for his own father to join the company, his reputation would be tainted as people would assume he’s guilty of nepotism. You’ve managed the company for many years. Surely you understand where I’m coming from. Hence, in my opinion, it would be more appropriate for you to handle this matter, Mr. Nan.”
In order words, Ouyang Duo would not take no for an answer, nor would he allow Nan Zhengde to go against his words.
An icy glint appeared in Nan Zhengde’s eyes. “All right, I’ll have a discussion with the directors and arrange a position for Nan Zhiyuan.”
“Thank you, Mr. Nan. In that case, I’ll leave you to it and take my leave now.”
“Are you not staying for dinner? Our female chefs cook extremely delicious meals, and our female housekeepers are great servers as well,” said Nan Zhengde with a smile.
Ouyang Duo paused for a moment. “What do you mean by that, Mr. Nan? Is that another riddle?”
Nan Zhengde burst into laughter. “No, no. I’m just saying that you can depend on our female employees for great dinner service. You should get on with your work, Duo. I’ll take care of the things you asked me about as soon as possible.”
“Okay. Thanks, Mr. Nan.”
Ouyang Duo had just taken a few steps when he stopped in his tracks and glanced around the garden. “This garden is beautiful and has a vintage flair to it. Commoner Residence sure is a nice place,” he remarked.
“Thank you for the compliment.” Nan Zhengde’s gaze turned icy, for he knew what Ouyang Duo was about to say next.
“Alas, Commoner Residence is situated downtown, and it’s not a good place for retirement. I’m afraid it’s not suitable for an elderly like you, Mr. Nan. How about I manage the villa for you after you move? What do you think about that, Mr. Nan?”
He’s really going overboard! He’s already usurped my company, and now he’s going after my house!
Nan Zhengde took in a deep breath to calm himself down. “This shabby place is practically ancient. It’s not worth much, but if you like it, you can have it. By the way, a Feng Shui master once said that only members of the Nan family can live in this residence. If anyone else tries to live here, they might encounter misfortune upon misfortune. Are you not worried, Duo?”
Ouyang Duo chuckled. “I don’t believe in the supernatural. Since you’ve given it to me, I’ll find time to move in very soon. However, Commoner Residence sounds cheap and tacky. I’ll have it changed to King Residence!”
Unfazed, Nan Zhengde merely smiled and waved while sending his guest out.
