Chapter 41: The Path of Glory

t saw Lin Zouwu, he was stunned for a moment before walking over and raising the bottle to signal Su Can.Su Can looked at Lin Zouwu with a somewhat amused expression. Even if someone is as low-key as...Chapter 41 The Path of Glory

Su Cen and Old Man Qian were playing chess on the balcony while Tang Wu and her grandmother were bustling about in the kitchen. Soon, the fragrant red-braised pork ribs filled the air, carried by the draft through the house.

While Su Cen played chess, he occasionally looked up to see steam visibly rising from the kitchen door as Tang Wu brought dishes in and out. As the food was being served one by one, their game of chess neared its end; they then got up and went into the living room.

Mu Qin still complained that Mu Xuan had used unsuitable kitchenware when taking care of the house and hadn’t bought a better rice cooker. With an ordinary rice cooker, even steaming two buns would come out soggy.

As Su Cen watched his elderly relatives, he couldn't help but think about his own family elders who were still in Xia Hai. They didn’t move to Chengdu with them; they only came up when it was appropriate and occasionally went back home as well. However, Su Richen, Zeng Ke, and Su Cen themselves had become the pride of their relatives, always spoken of as a role model.

His uncle-in-law had visited his family in Chengdu last year to handle some matters for Su Richen. He talked about the elders still back in Xia Hai who were doing well and often mentioned them, using Su Cen's enrollment at Nan University to educate their younger generation of cousins.

Su Cen’s impression of his grandparents had become somewhat vague due to this rebirth. When he was young, he even argued with his grandmother over playing games, which left a vivid memory. In later years, the two elders were in their seventies and occasionally suffered from prolonged colds or minor illnesses but remained healthy without passing away. At thirty, Su Cen was busy establishing himself outside of home; having not returned for two consecutive years, he had lost track of them.

In this life, his family’s fortune changed dramatically: not only did Su Cen succeed in his studies, but also his parents seized the opportunity to move to Chengdu along with him.

New generations were stepping forward along the path of glory and leaving behind the old, who lingered on that land, finding it harder each day to leave. Occasionally, during festive seasons or other significant days, they would talk about their childhood stories with younger family members destined to depart one day. But they never mentioned those years when they themselves were still glorious in health; their faded photos captured them smiling brightly without a trace of aging.

Mu Qin and Old Man Qian didn’t seem as strict as Su Cen remembered them being. The dishes before them weren't overly varied but rich in substance. They included red-braised pork ribs, lotus root with pig’s trotters, beef stewed with radish, spicy chicken stir-fried with small chillies, and some lightly cooked seasonal vegetables the elderly preferred.

The dishes were quite tempting, making Su Cen's mouth water. This meal at Tang Wu's house, with Tang Wu present, was indeed a feast for the eyes and stomach. However, Su Cen did not dare to be too forward or imposing towards Tang Wu, especially in terms of eye contact. He could not ignore the two significant figures sitting next to him. All he could do now was keep his gaze low.

"I know you like Sichuan cuisine. The food in the cafeteria is probably quite bland compared to your taste. Unfortunately, without good ingredients, we can't make it authentic enough. Even for the dried red peppers used in the spicy chicken dish, I had to find them from Tang Wu's refrigerator, which will soon be empty. Next time, they should bring more up," Mu Qin rolled up her sleeves and said while picking up chopsticks.

It seemed that in her mind, coming from Chongqing to Shanghai or Beijing was like "coming up", whereas going back to Chongqing would be "going down".

This notion of being above versus below was quite vivid. However, it also implied a certain mindset of superiority among the elders. Back then, they must have considered Mu Xuan disregarding their objections and choosing to work hard in that small city with Tang's father for ten years as a foolish move that ruined her future prospects.

Su Cen felt like he was in the Bermuda Triangle at this moment, surrounded by fog on all sides. On the surface, there might be some mirages; for example, Old Lady Mu appeared to be very amiable, and Mr. Qian was stern but serious, playing chess with him.

Everything was a facade of peace.

The real situation is that this Mr. Qian was the main opponent against Tang's father back then. Now, his rank and true intentions remain unknown, hidden deeply beneath the surface.

Mrs. Mu holds the position of Vice President at the Central Party School, a mysterious role yet to be extensively exposed by media outlets. On any given day, she would have high-ranking officials accompanying her everywhere. These people wield significant influence and power, likely holding positions as key figures in Shanghai's provincial-level administrative system.

These influential high-ranking individuals in the city's political arena could potentially bring down any of Su Cen’s dreams he had built up to this point—such as FaceBook Chinese—if they disapproved or saw it as a threat to their interests.

Though being reborn, and possessing foresight gave Su Cen solid foundations and connections that prevented his downfall from reaching catastrophic levels like jumping off buildings or losing everything in life, there was no denying that even those powerful sharks and tigers nurtured by influential figures like Zhan Hua and Liu Zhensheng could pose a threat to him.

The pressure placed on FaceBook Chinese served as proof of this possibility. It had not yet come to the point where he would be ruthlessly torn apart, but it was evident nonetheless.

To date, there has been no evidence suggesting that the Mu family elders have any intention of supporting Su Cen or acting as his protectors.

During the Tang family gathering in Shanghai, many relatives of Tang Wu generally expressed indifference and neglect towards him. This was not their original intent; it was actually due to the aura the two elders exuded subconsciously. If they maintained a tight expression, others would interpret this as displeasure. With so many possible reasons for their unhappiness, Su Cen was one of the most likely suspects.

Given these elders' status, Su Cen, with his accumulated experience from two lifetimes, could never view them simply as ordinary seniors. Their identities determined that they were people of high positions whose thoughts were unpredictable and unfathomable, much like how many people today cannot guess what the reborn entrepreneur Su Cen is thinking.

Therefore, when these two elders, who usually commanded respect from everyone around, suddenly appeared amicable in front of him, Su Cen, already beyond his twenties in real age, would not miss out on sensing any potential danger.

If the two unpredictable figures were to force him, Su Cen, to choose between Tang Wu and his established business, what then

Su Cen felt a slight sweat break out.

"Your game is really bad." The Old Man Qian picked up a bowl of soup and harshly criticized Su Cen without holding back.

"This has always been my weak point," Su Cen awkwardly smiled. Grandpa Qian was an expert in chess, something he couldn't match. Since rebirth, he had surpassed his peers in every aspect; many things that were previously incomprehensible to him became clear, as often described in wuxia novels where the greatest truths are simple and universal. Yet, this did not seem to apply to his chess skills.

Despite rebirthing with great power and unlocking major meridians like the Du Channel and Conception Vessel, he still struggled with chess. Sometimes when playing against Tang Xiao Wu, his win rate was almost nonexistent, making him frustrated enough to wish she would go easier on him.

Su Cen’s embarrassed expression caught Mu Qin's attention, causing her a bit of surprise.

This young man is too formidable, thought Mu Qin. This impression had been formed from their first meeting when Su Cen arrived in a Bentley; they were taken aback then and subsequently believed it was intentional overkill on his part. Later reports about Su Cen's company also added to the sense of awe.

Talents like Su Can are something that Mu Laotai and Qian Laozi have seen too many of, so they don't really care about them anymore. In recent years, there have been even more people who rose to fame quickly, but most of them either ended up with nothing due to their lack of talent or took risks and ultimately disgraced themselves. Therefore, the strongest asset Su Can has in front of these two elders is not his advantage.

This situation where Su Can was caught off guard made Mu Qin see another side of him, making her think that he might just be an ordinary teenager after all.

Just as everyone was thinking and observing each other, Su Can saw a pair of red chopsticks pick up a piece of ribs and place it in his bowl. Looking up, he met Tang Wu's big eyes. She acted like nothing had happened and retracted her chopsticks, letting her ponytail hang down her back. She turned her slender neck slightly towards the two elders with a smile and said, "I've visited Su Can's company; things are going very well there."

Mu Laotai and Qian Laozi were visibly stunned by this development, as if they had seen something impossible.

If one were to trace the cause-and-effect relationship, perhaps Mu Xuan defending Tang Zongyuan so fiercely in front of these two elders was the beginning of a cycle that would repeat itself.

Mu Qin's expression immediately darkened when reminded of old times, while Qian Laozi became even more solemn and silent.

This situation only lasted for a few seconds before Mu Qin relaxed slightly. She sighed inwardly; this girl was too much like her mother but with many other qualities as well.

"I heard that your company faced some difficulties at first"

Su Can found it hard to believe these words came from Mu Laotai's mouth. Given her status, she would either never inquire about such matters or ask questions of great significance if she did. The implications behind Mu Qin asking this question could make Su Can ponder for a long time. For someone with Mu Qin's background, information like this would likely be readily available to her through various channels; many things were transparent to her.

Now that Mu Laotai had brought up the matter, did it suggest she might help solve some of Su Can’s problems

The deeper meaning was whether they were finally acknowledging him positively for the first time and offering to assist him sure to thoroughly humiliate his enemies.Min Junhao's uncle was in his thirties but seemed slick. He waved at everyone, "Follow Min Junhao today; have a good time! Order whatever you haven’t seen bef...