Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Zheng Weiping's wife was named Wen Jie. She ran an outdoor gear business. They were a young couple, known in their circle as a devoted couple.

This time, Zheng Weiping chose a meadow in the suburbs to celebrate his wife's birthday.

Even Gu Shenhan had never been to this place. Xiao Ke drove according to the location Gu Shenhan forwarded to him, seventy kilometers from the city.

Rong Yuan looked out the window. Seeing no high-rise buildings anywhere, he felt a long-absent illusion that he was going back to his old world, until he saw wisps of colored smoke rising in the distance, and a crowd seemed to be gathering.

"Is it there, Han Ge?" he asked Gu Shenhan.

"More or less."

"It looks like a manor."

"Yeah."

Xiao Ke suddenly changed expression. "Mr. Gu, they seem to be horse racing."

Gu Shenhan saw it too. At the same time, Rong Yuan noticed that Gu Shenhan was gripping his phone so hard it looked like he’d crush the screen.

The car noticeably slowed down. Xiao Ke asked, "Should we keep driving forward?"

Gu Shenhan's face was like ice. "Drive." He told Rong Yuan: "Once we get there, no matter what problems come up, remember, don't let them see you're scared."

Rong Yuan didn't understand why he needed to remind him of this, but he still promised: "It's not like I'm going to eat him... ahem, anyway, I won't be scared."

This is a society ruled by law.

The car finally rolled up slowly. A huge electric fence surrounded the estate. The electric sliding gate clicked open, and Xiao Ke drove into the parking lot. At least seventy or eighty cars were already parked there.

The meadow looked at least five hundred mu (about eighty acres). After getting out of the car, they saw a vast expanse of green grass. A hundred or so meters due south, there was a small house that looked like a log cabin from the outside, but was actually a two-story villa made to look like wood.

Ahead, someone was barbecuing.

Two long tables covered with pearl-colored tablecloths were laden with pastries, fruit, and champagne from around the world... Not far away, several chefs were handling ingredients, including seafood and beef and lamb, grilling them on the spot and serving them to guests. A music team was playing cheerful tunes.

At that moment, Wen Jie set down her glass and came over. "Mr. Gu, you've arrived. Was it too far and tricky to find?"

Gu Shenhan handed the gift to the birthday girl. "It's okay. Happy birthday, sister-in-law. This is my partner, Rong Yuan."

Rong Yuan said, "Happy birthday."

Wen Jie took the gift, smiled graciously, and extended her hand. "Thank you for coming, Brother Rong. Nice to meet you. I'm Wen Jie."

Rong Yuan lightly shook her hand and let go.

Wen Jie said, "Have you had lunch? Have something to eat first. We've got some activities later, we'll all have a good time."

Gu Shenhan asked, "Where's Brother Zheng?"

Wen Jie said, "He's out in the stables. For my birthday, he gave me a thoroughbred horse. Many people have gone to see the horses or are racing. Look, can you see? Over there."

She pointed to a fenced area. "If you're up for it, go check it out. Looks like they've got a prize going too."

Rong Yuan heard a commotion from that side, couldn't tell who was winning or losing, with shouts and laughter. But Gu Shenhan's mood didn't seem to lift.

Wen Jie said, "Oh, I've also got a bunch of new riding outfits in various sizes. If you want, you can change in the dressing room before heading over."

Rong Yuan asked Gu Shenhan, "Husband, should we go take a look?"

Gu Shenhan said, "Of course."

Rong Yuan was a bit excited. This was the first time he had seen a horse since arriving here. If he didn't see one soon, he'd almost forget the world had such animals.

Wen Jie then walked them to the eco-car and said to Gu Shenhan and Rong Yuan, "Sorry, I need to host the guests here and can't accompany you for now. You go ahead, and someone will meet you there. Old Song, drive slowly."

The eco-car driver said, "Don't worry, ma'am."

The car drove toward the stables. Rong Yuan had never ridden in an eco-car before; it felt like a faster open-air buggy, with wind blowing and sunshine, quite pleasant. He looked around at the scenery, then turned back to Gu Shenhan and saw that his face was as dark as a storm cloud.

Rong Yuan tugged on Gu Shenhan's clothes and asked with his eyes: What's wrong?

Gu Shenhan looked at his small gesture, his expression softened, and he gave a light laugh but said nothing.

Rong Yuan figured with outsiders around, some things were not convenient to discuss, so he didn't ask further.

When they got out, someone met them and led them into the stables.

There were six or seven people in the stables. Rong Yuan didn't recognize most of them; he only knew Gu Chengfeng.

Zheng Weiping had already come forward, smiling and saying, "Young Gu, you're here. And this is?"

"My partner, Rong Yuan," Gu Shenhan said. "An An, this is the major shareholder of Qianhai Shipping, Zheng Weiping, Brother Zheng."

"Hello, Brother Zheng."

"Hello, hello," Zheng Weiping said. "No wonder everyone says Gu Shenhan married a stunning person. Really stands out."

"You're too kind, Brother Zheng," Rong Yuan said. "Is the activity you mentioned horse racing? Your wife mentioned there'd be an activity."

"Yes. As you can see, Wen Jie loves this kind of outdoor fun—mountain climbing, horse racing, archery, fishing—she likes them all. I thought the weather was suitable, so I invited everyone to come and have fun. And coincidentally, your husband has just been promoted to general manager of Qianhai International Business Company, and we haven't celebrated yet, so I'm using the chance to celebrate him."

"Then I've got to thank my sister-in-law." Gu Shenhan was sick inside, but his smile never wavered.

"Don't be a stranger. If you want to join in, go get changed first. Your sister-in-law prepared plenty of riding outfits." Zheng Weiping said, "And there's a prize: the winner gets a bottle of her vintage red wine and a special gold card from Qianfeng Group that covers top outdoor gear for a full year."

"Want to go play?" Gu Shenhan asked Rong Yuan.

"Whatever. I listen to my hus—uh, whatever my husband says."

Gu Chengfeng chimed in, "Second sister-in-law, you probably don't know how to ride, right? My second brother doesn't know how, so if you want to learn, I can teach you later."

Rong Yuan's temper flared instantly. He was so sick of this guy. Since he got here, he hadn't met anyone more obnoxious than Gu Chengfeng. Upon hearing that, he directly retorted: "How good are you at riding? You just open your mouth and offer to teach people?"

But Zheng Weiping said, "You can't ride? That's on me. I should've asked."

Gu Shenhan just smiled, not bothering to answer. Is riding a horse that common nowadays?

Zheng Weiping and Gu Chengzhi were college alumni. The two didn't interact much, but they both knew where they stood. He'd bet his life that Gu Chengfeng or Gu Chengzhi had brought up his not knowing how to ride.

If he hadn't just taken over the international division and didn't want to make things awkward, he wouldn't have appeared at this occasion at all.

At this moment, Rong Yuan asked Gu Chengfeng: "Are you also going to participate later, Gu Chengfeng?"

Gu Chengfeng: "Of course. Why do you ask?"

Rong Yuan said: "I heard you say you want to teach me. I want to see how good your riding skills really are. If they're actually decent, I'll race you."

Gu Chengfeng's expression shifted slightly: "You know how to ride?"

Rong Yuan: "I can get by for a couple of laps. The loser has to agree to three things the winner asks. You dare to bet?"

Gu Chengfeng didn't hesitate: "I'll take that bet. Don't come crying later."

He had spent a fortune hiring a private coach for riding lessons. Lose to Rong Yuan? Only if the sun rises from the west tomorrow!

He had investigated Rong Yuan thoroughly and knew exactly what Rong Yuan was capable of and his skill level. He'd bet the Diamond Sutra Rong Yuan gave to the old lady wasn't even copied by him.

His sources at the hospital that had treated Rong Yuan confirmed that Rong Yuan had basic cognitive issues. And he dared to act cocky here?

Rong Yuan said: "Whoever chickens out is a dog."

Gu Shenhan grabbed his arm: "Don't be impulsive. This isn't a joke."

Gu Chengfeng added: "My second brother's right. He fell off a horse as a kid and nearly broke his neck—three months in bed. You can still back out."

Rong Yuan found them even more infuriating. He was more determined than ever to race. He asked Zheng Weiping: "Zheng Ge, can I pick any horse here?"

Zheng Weiping said: "Except the purebred reserved for your sister-in-law, any is fine. But don't worry, they're all broken in."

Rong Yuan walked past the stalls, silently comparing, and chose a brown horse. It looked ordinary—all brown with a white patch on its forehead, nothing special in appearance. But it was tall, with sleek fur and strong, agile limbs—clearly built for speed.

It swished its tail lazily. Rong Yuan patted it, and it gave a soft snort, offering no further protest. Docile, at least.

Rong Yuan said: "This one."

Gu Chengfeng also picked a horse and asked: "Are you sure you want to bet three things? When you lose, you'll kneel and serve me lunch—you agree to that too?"

"If you've got the skill, I'll not just serve you lunch—I'll see you six feet under."

"Such big talk, don't bite off more than you can chew."

Rong Yuan smiled and tapped his shoe toe, looking completely unfazed by Gu Chengfeng.

He normally wore cloth shoes when going out—comfortable and light. But today Gu Shenhan had said cloth shoes wouldn't match their outfits, so he wore a pair of black leather shoes. They were new but didn't pinch. Though not proper riding boots, they made no difference to him.

Gu Chengfeng's temper flared: "How are we racing?"

Just then, a stable hand was about to saddle Rong Yuan's chosen horse. Rong Yuan said: "Hold on. Gu Chengfeng, you decide: long distance or short?"

"Long distance," Gu Chengfeng said. "One race, winner takes all."

"How long?"

"Two kilometers."

Rong Yuan thought it over and decided to double-check. He whispered to Gu Shenhan: "Han Ge, how far is two kilometers?"

Gu Shenhan whispered back: "Think of it as four li."

Rong Yuan said to the stable hand, "Please saddle my horse."

"What a joke," Gu Chengfeng said. "As if you even know how to ride bareback."

"If you want to race bareback, go ahead. Just don't blame me if you land on your face."

"Hey, no, no, no," Zheng Weiping quickly intervened. "Safety first, we're here to have fun. Let's both ride with saddles. These are lightweight competition saddles, they won't add much weight."

The stable hand quickly finished saddling. Rong Yuan and Gu Chengfeng led their horses out of the stable, and the others followed to watch.

Gu Chengfeng mounted smoothly, using the stirrups, looking down at Rong Yuan from his height. Rong Yuan wasn't tall for a guy—could he even mount by himself?

But Rong Yuan didn't even touch the stirrups. In one swift motion, he vaulted onto the horse! He landed so lightly in the saddle!

That core strength! That explosive jump!

Gu Chengfeng froze on the spot. Meanwhile, Gu Shenhan felt all the tension in his body dissipate, from tight to relaxed, every damn inch of him refreshingly clear!

He called out to Rong Yuan, who was holding the reins with one hand: "An An, wait!"

Rong Yuan expertly squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, turned the horse around, and came back: "What's up?"

Gu Shenhan crooked his finger, signaling Rong Yuan to lean down. When Rong Yuan leaned down, Gu Shenhan whispered: "Stay safe. If you win, your big brother will give you two million!"

What?! That much!

Rong Yuan immediately turned and shouted at Gu Chengfeng: "Hey, what are you waiting for?! Get moving and show the way!"