The Audi A4 followed the Passat to a secluded spot, and although this Passat had a Jiangsu Provincial Committee license plate, it wasn't enough to make it omnipotent in Nanjing. Under Cao Jing's influence, Chen Ergou was particularly familiar with the license plates of various military regions, provinces, cities, and departments. The Passat stopped, and a woman in a professional suit got out, bearing a six-out-of-ten resemblance to Cao Jing. She had an air of refinement, but also a hint of coldness that only a pure pragmatist would possess. She stood under a tree, gazing into the distance, as Chen Ergou slowly approached her and called out "Auntie" with great respect.

  The woman did not show the slightest bit of arrogance, nodded slightly and said in a soft voice: "Chen Fusheng, 27 years old, from Zhangjiakou, Heilongjiang Province. His grandfather died in '88, his mother died last year, and he has an older brother named Chen Fugui. Chen Fusheng used to work as a waiter in Shanghai, was a bouncer at the SD bar, stabbed Zhao Kunkun and escaped to Nanjing after that, where he met Wei Duogong. After a series of power struggles, he emerged victorious and is about to gain control over the underground world of Nanjing. Am I not correct?"

  "No." Chen Ergou's scalp felt numb. Until now, he hadn't dared to look at this woman straight in the eye, enough to see her unparalleled strength.

  "For a young person from the countryside, it's not easy to achieve this in less than two years." Her tone was calm and even, without any ups or downs, tremors or pauses, which meant she had an extraordinary mindset. Her eyes didn't have even a hint of distraction, always focused and determined. "Young people often think that once they fall in love, they can forget about the world and be together forever. But actually, romance is no match for the mundane tasks of daily life and human relationships. One cannot only think about themselves, their own love, their own career, or their own achievements. Love is important, but it cannot surpass family and kinship; otherwise, in the end, it's just like trying to scoop water with a bamboo basket - both ends will be empty."

  Chen Ergou perked up his ears and listened patiently, without trying to explain or oppose anything.

  "Jing'er has been very obedient since she was young, which is not good. Smart and gentle children often become stubborn and cannot be saved after they grow up. Even a nine-headed cow cannot pull them back. It's better to be like a wild fox that does foolish things for 20 years and finally achieves something great." She sighed, still keeping her arms crossed, "I don't know how much you understand Jing'er, but I want to say, an iceberg has 9/10 of its body under water. I'm also someone who's been through it all, and I know that love is not about social status or material wealth. Whether two people are suitable for each other or not, whether they're compatible or not, these are things that only the two young people involved can understand. But I want to tell you, Chen Fusheng, if you choose to marry Jing'er for your own benefit, you will be disappointed. If you purely love her as a person and marry her, you will suffer even more in the future. These are my true words from the heart. The one standing beside you today is not Fu Ying, but Jing'er's mother. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to come back to Jing'er's side today."

  Chen Ergou remained silent, without grandeur or momentum, nor did he have any backing or cultural background. Chen Ergou was still waiting.

  "A child from a rural area is like a wolf cub bursting into the arena, if not ruthless and poisonous, they will starve to death." Fu Ying narrowed her eyes, her gaze becoming increasingly sharp, as if she was gradually shedding her role as Cao Jing's mother. She sneered coldly: "I can understand your mentality because I've seen too many young people from rural areas who have climbed up step by step. They are willing to use their brains, willing to bow down and be trampled on, they know how to endure humiliation, and seem to be born with the ability to observe and flatter. They are far more willing to be manipulated than their peers from wealthy families. However, these 'phoenix men' have a most intense desire for wealth and power, and a most obvious worship of it. They frantically demand, instinctively fearing loss and being reduced to their original state. This distorted mentality, combined with the cleverness born out of their hardships, naturally evolves into cunning, and then is honed into city-like sophistication. Just like you, not speaking, thinking about figuring out my bottom line, waiting for an opportunity to strike effectively. Don't deny it, that would be hypocritical."

  Chen Ergou lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

  "When one is full and warm, they think of distant lands. This phrase can be used to describe the prodigal sons in big cities. When one is hungry and cold, their thieving heart arises, and this phrase suits you people perfectly. A horse may be thin but its mane remains long; a person may be poor but their ambition doesn't have to be short. Every man has some degree of wild ambition, which inflates them into thinking that as long as they persist, they can stand at the top of the city. However, they don't know that it's easy for life to destroy a family and even easier to crush a struggling person with shallow roots. In my 19 years, I've successively cultivated 21 men from rural areas, each of whom was an outstanding student who fought their way out through the college entrance exams. But in the end, only five or six of them managed to make something of themselves. And even today, not one of them dares to say they're going after Jing Ge." Fu Ying said coldly, "You, a barefooted person, aren't afraid of those who wear shoes, and even if you die from it, as long as there's a glimmer of hope, you'll definitely swallow whatever is in front of you, even if it gets stuck in your throat. It's also true that if you don't marry Jing Ge, I would find it unbelievable. In this regard, you're just like Xiao Lizi."

  Fu Ying added a sentence, "However, that child from the Li family who used to follow Jing Xiang around with a runny nose is much more outstanding than you. This is what I find most unacceptable. If we were to marry Jing Xiang off to some idle rich kid or a good-for-nothing playboy, it wouldn't be surprising if she chose you, but do you know how that man stood out among his peers?"

  Chen Erdou shook his head and smoked a cigarette almost to the end.

  Fu Ying wore a sleek black suit, high heels also in black, only the Hermès silk scarf was a touch of blue that softened her originally sharp and rigid posture, so as not to make people too afraid. She took off her gold-rimmed glasses, wiped them lightly, and said: "How excellent he is, you'll meet him one day if you don't fall down, I hope you won't be ashamed."

  Chen Ergou's mouth curled up into a smile as he lit his second cigarette.

  "If you were like your brother, I might have been more willing to lose this battle to you. After all, you have the advantage of heaven, earth and man, which is also in line with the Cao family's taste. However..." Fu Ying didn't continue, she never liked to show off temporarily with words, if she was just trying to use language to humiliate Chen Ergou, it would be completely beneath her, not the Fu Ying who could stir up a magnificent wave in Shenhua Group without any foundation."

  Chen Ergou smiled foolishly, seemingly looking down on Chen Fugui, which was completely acceptable.

  Fu Ying was most disgusted with Chen Ergou's compromising nature, if Chen Ergou could argue clearly and strongly against her, she wouldn't be so indignant. She had been living with a good-natured man for over 20 years, which almost drove her crazy. In her eyes, men who were weak and didn't speak out lacked sharp judgment, wild fighting spirit, and therefore lacked talent and creativity.

  She could endure the heavy murderous intent, and the suffocating bitterness, only because Cao Jing was her daughter. As for who this man was and what he did, she didn't care; she had seen it all before, experienced every kind of situation. She had suffered hardships and injustices to achieve great success and fame, and had even gotten married and raised children like Cao Jing and Cao Ye Hu, who were the pride of heaven. Except for being a wife, where she was not satisfactory, in any other field, she was perfect. If one said that a healthy personality is independent and balanced, not relying on others or trying to control anyone, then Fu Ying's personality was absolutely independent, with extremely strong controlling and dominating tendencies. What was most astonishing was that she always marched forward, never wavering in the slightest, her spirit unbreakable. In this way, Chen Er Gou, who had just begun to show his true colors and was already full of murderous intent, could not shake her at all.

  Chen Ergou didn't want to disturb her in the slightest.

  When desires are absent, one becomes strong.

  Let the wind blow and the rain beat down, let the waves crash and the thousands of troops and horses come, I alone will stand at the pass, as stable as Mount Tai.

  All of this was subtly taught to Chen Ergou by a series of people including the old man who sang Peking Opera and raised Tibetan Mastiffs, Chen Fugui, Sun Lao, Wei Gonggong, and Cao Jingrui. In order not to be hurt by others, one can only be extremely selfish, which is a sharp sword, Chen Ergou has this talent, and he did it very well since childhood.

  Fu Ying put her glasses back on, smiling meaningfully: "Chen Fusheng, being the emperor of the spiritual world is meaningless. Any madman can do that, but they are all dwarfs in real life. One last thing, Cao Jing has taken a liking to you and chose you despite obstacles. I won't interfere or try to trip you up. Now my only hope is for Cao Jing to have one or two children with you, which I will raise myself. The child will of course be surnamed Cao, preferably taking after her more."

  Fu Ying turned around and left, from head to toe, without looking at Chen Ergou with a straight eye, not even a glance.

  And as his son-in-law, Chen Ergou only said "no" in two words.

  Chen Ergou and others left in the Passat, squatting on the ground to finish the remaining half pack of cigarettes before slowly driving back to his nest. Cao Jing'an sat quietly in a chair wearing a cheongsam, brewing a pot of tea, waiting for Chen Ergou to enter the living room, she raised her head, revealing a gentle and peaceful face, calm like a statue of a waiting wife.

  She is indeed not a woman who can be profaned by just any ordinary man.

  Chen Ergou squatted beside her and held her hand.

  "How come you're back so late?" Cao Jingjian lifted his face.

  "It's slow." Chen Ergou said with a smile.

  "You have something on your mind." Cao Qiang wasn't like Mu Xiaoyao; she could always see right through Chen Ergou's thoughts.

  "I'm thinking of how to raise you." Chen Erdog smiled cleanly, who would have thought that just a moment ago he was thoroughly denied by the most important female role in his life.

  "A meal of three dishes with rice, that's how I've been raised." Cao Qiang bowed her head and gazed at the man who was hiding something, the man she would call husband in the future.

  "I'm a man with ambition and aspirations." Chen Ergou said with a smile, his breath reeking of smoke and alcohol. Cao Jingjian, who had a strong dislike for such smells, didn't show any disgust, instead smiling coyly and saying: "Alright then, let's add another midnight snack."

  Chen Ergou burst out laughing.

  Cao Jing gave him a cup of tea and whispered, "Be careful, it's hot." A man who can bring a clean smile to his face after enduring hardships and grievances outside, standing beside the woman, is enough to move Cao Jing. (To know what happens next, please log in, more chapters available, support the author, support the official version!)