Beside the Xiangjiang River.
This place is called Clear Water Bay because it is close to the bay and the water is exceptionally clear and shallow.
Clear Water Bay is also one of Xiangjiang's famous affluent districts.
Even a small house here is valued at over a billion, and most importantly, they are very difficult to buy.
This is because most wealthy individuals do not casually sell properties that represent their status. Selling such a property would imply financial difficulties, which would then be reflected in the market as a downturn in their company's stock.
Therefore, the residents here are mostly familiar faces, with few newcomers.
Mr. Hu, however, owns a luxurious mansion spanning three thousand square feet here.
A "thousand-square-foot mansion" is a characteristic term in Xiangjiang.
At first glance, it sounds incredibly imposing, as if the house were as vast as a palace.
However, "a thousand square feet," when converted to the mainland Chinese metric, is only 92 square meters.
This means that many people in mainland China might own a "thousand-square-foot mansion."
"Sir, this way please."
"This is my residence."
"Though it's called a mansion, it's actually only a little over two hundred square meters, nowhere near comparable to our traditional courtyards back home. Please bear with me for a few days, and I'll host you properly once we return."
Mr. Hu said this as he led Ying Chen into the mansion.
Ying Chen nodded, remaining silent.
There were always servants attending to Mr. Hu's mansion.
Upon seeing Mr. Hu return, a servant immediately offered clean slippers and served hot tea.
Ying Chen sat down and casually asked Mr. Hu, "You're from the Hu family in Yanjing, aren't you?"
Mr. Hu instantly raised his thumb in admiration, "Sir is truly brilliant! You recognized my origins at a glance without me even needing to introduce myself."
"That's right, I am indeed the youngest son of the Hu family in Yanjing. However, in my youth, I was uneducated and prone to fighting. This caused a rift with my upright father, and we haven't reconciled for years. It's been over thirty years since I last returned home."
Mr. Hu is currently in his fifties, meaning he left home at twenty and never went back.
"No wonder I never saw you when I was at the Hu family's residence," Ying Chen nodded.
As they were speaking, Mr. Hu suddenly knelt down before Ying Chen with a thud.
He respectfully kowtowed to Ying Chen.
"Although I haven't been home in many years, I still pay attention to my family's affairs. I know that my father, who should have died, was saved by you, Sir! As the youngest son of the Hu family, I express my gratitude for saving my father's life!"
After kowtowing, Mr. Hu spoke.
It was evident that despite the unresolved issues between Mr. Hu and Old Master Hu, he still cared deeply for his father.
However, due to never being summoned by Old Master Hu, he neither dared nor was willing to visit home.
Ying Chen waved his hand, and a force instantly lifted Mr. Hu from the ground.
"My interaction with your father was more of a transaction, not exactly a life-saving favor. On the contrary, I killed one of your Hu family's descendants, so we actually have some animosity..."
Upon hearing Ying Chen's words, Mr. Hu immediately replied, "Sir, you must be referring to Hu Quan'an, that little beast. Even if you hadn't acted, I would have eventually dealt with him! He abused his Hu family connections to commit wicked deeds, and quite a few young women have fallen victim to him! I don't know what the other members of the Hu family think, but as for me, I have only four words: they deserve it!"
Ying Chen looked at Mr. Hu calmly.
He seemed to be observing whether Mr. Hu's words were feigned or heartfelt.
After a moment, Ying Chen smiled slightly, "Then there are no potential misunderstandings between us."
"Furthermore, if you are willing, I can act as a mediator between you and your father. After all, a fox will turn its head towards its den in death, and leaves fall back to their roots. Instead of discreetly worrying about your father, why not openly go back and visit him."
"This... is that really possible?" Mr. Hu was clearly moved by Ying Chen's words and looked at him with anticipation.
"It's a simple matter," Ying Chen replied.
He then picked up Mr. Hu's phone, flipped through the contacts, and found the landline number still saved.
Nowadays, only public institutions or some more traditional, high-class families still keep landlines.
It was clear that the Hu family belonged to the latter category.
Ying Chen casually dialed the number.
As the phone rang, Mr. Hu's expression grew increasingly tense.
For so many years, especially every Spring Festival, he had repeatedly hovered his finger over the dialing buttons but repeatedly lacked the courage to press them.
And now, Ying Chen had done what he had always wanted to do but never dared.
He felt both anticipation and fear.
He anticipated Old Master Hu answering the call, yet he also feared that Old Master Hu might utter just one word upon answering: "Get out."
After a long pause, just as Mr. Hu was struggling to breathe from tension, the call was finally connected.
"Hello, who is it?" an aged voice came from the other end of the line.
Upon hearing this voice, tears instantly streamed down Mr. Hu's face.
It had been over thirty years, more than ten thousand days and nights, since he had last heard this voice.
"It's me, Ying Chen."
Ying Chen stated directly.
Old Master Hu on the other end was clearly surprised, "Mr. Ying? It's you? But... why is it showing as Xiangjiang?"
"I'm handling some personal matters here and will be back in a couple of days. I'm calling to introduce you to a friend, an old friend."
"Oh? I never expected that you and I would have a mutual old friend. I'm very curious as to who this friend might be... Could you let them speak, Mr. Ying? Let me try to guess who it is."
Old Master Hu's interest was piqued, and he said this.
Ying Chen then handed the phone to Mr. Hu.
Mr. Hu's body trembled, his eyes reddened, and his mouth opened several times, but no sound came out.
Finally, a single word escaped from the depths of his throat: "Dad!"
*Clatter!*
Immediately, a sound of something falling was heard from the other end of the phone. Old Master Hu, upon hearing this voice, had dropped the phone!
"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Are you alright?"
"Nurse, nurse! Quickly, check what's happening to the old master!"
Mr. Hu became instantly anxious and shouted frantically into the phone.
However, no matter how loudly he shouted, his voice could not reach the ears of the nurses in Yanjing through the phone.
After several dozen seconds, which felt like centuries, another voice finally spoke from the phone: "My youngest son, I... I'm fine."
It was Old Master Hu's voice!
Mr. Hu instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
On the other end, Old Master Hu clearly had not expected that Ying Chen's so-called old friend would be his own youngest son.
He had already resigned himself to the possibility of never seeing his youngest son again.
He believed it was because he had been too harsh on his youngest son back then, causing him to refuse to return home for over thirty years.
Unbeknownst to them, both father and son had mistakenly believed that the other did not want to see them, leading to this thirty-year-long farce of separation.
Ying Chen saw through the problem at a glance and said leisurely, "I won't disturb your reunion. Also, one more thing: compared to the other good-for-nothings in the Hu family, your youngest son is significantly better. Even if you don't consider father-son affection, Old Master Hu, for the future of the Hu family, you should let him come home."
With that, Ying Chen stood up and gestured for a servant to lead him to a guest room.
He left the living room to Mr. Hu alone.
Mr. Hu looked at Ying Chen with a mix of emotions, his face filled with gratitude.
Ying Chen had not only helped him mend his father-son relationship but had also subtly paved the way for him to become the successor of the Hu family!
With just this one sentence from Ying Chen, Old Master Hu had likely already made up his mind!