Qian Mao was completely unaware of what was happening in Heilongjiang Province. At this moment, he was being "confined" by Zhang Haotian in the study, playing chess with his future father-in-law. For someone who had never played chess before, Qian Mao showed great eagerness to learn. Whether it was Chinese chess or Go, he was willing to follow Zhang Haotian's guidance and study diligently. Although he had hardly had time to enjoy romantic moments with his fiancée these past few days, he had found enjoyment on the chessboard and was gradually becoming immersed in it.
As time went on, Qian Mao gradually came to appreciate the joy of playing chess, and even began to actively challenge Zhang Haotian. This transformation greatly pleased Zhang Haotian, as he witnessed Qian Mao's growth and progress. Qian Mao himself also realized that playing chess with Zhang Haotian not only improved his thinking skills but also strengthened his relationship with his future father-in-law. Therefore, he became increasingly engrossed in the games, finding endless enjoyment in them.
Over the past few days, Zhang Haotian has also discovered that Qian Mao is indeed a smart person. The two started playing chess, and he could tell that Qian Mao really didn't know how. However, after losing to Qian Mao in the first three days, the two ended up drawing more often. Then, the day before yesterday, Zhang Haotian actually lost to Qian Mao. This made Zhang Haotian even more interested, especially now that the two have started to draw again. This made Zhang Haotian start to reflect.
Gradually, he realized that Qian Mao was letting him have his way, and his opinion of Qian Mao rose again.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Yu Xiyao took Zhang Muyao and Qian Mao back to her parents' home. Only then did Qian Mao realize that his future mother-in-law's family was a large and powerful clan with a history of over a hundred years. He said to Zhang Muyao in surprise, "I didn't expect your maternal grandfather's family to be so powerful."
Zhang Muyao smiled and said, "It's okay, you're amazing too!"
Qian Mao smiled. No matter how capable he was, he was no match for such a powerful and influential family. He had no idea what awaited him.
Qian Mao truly hadn't expected the Yu family to be such a powerful and prestigious clan. Only after following Yu Xiyao inside did he understand the source of this young lady's elegance and grace. It was the result of generations of family accumulation that allowed her to exude such noble and elegant aura in every gesture. This was a sight he had never witnessed before.
The Yu family's gate was magnificent, and two men were standing at the entrance. Qian Mao immediately recognized them as retired soldiers. Upon seeing them arrive, he opened the door and respectfully invited them in.
Upon entering the courtyard, Qian Mao discovered that it was a vast estate. In addition to a four-story main building, there were three two-story buildings next to it. Furthermore, the estate had pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and flowing water, making it a beautiful sight to behold.
Yu Xiyao told them that the manor is over a hundred years old, but it still looks brand new, which shows the Yu family's dedication to its maintenance.
Upon entering the main building, the interior was even more classically elegant. Some of the artifacts inside seemed genuine to Qian Mao, who had only read two and a half history books. The Yu family members were dressed in fashionable and appropriate clothing, and each of their faces radiated confidence and pride.
Qian Mao couldn't help but exclaim, "This is truly a wealthy and prestigious family!"
Zhang Muyao smiled and explained, "Although my maternal grandfather's family is wealthy, everyone has earned their current status through their own hard work and talent, not simply by relying on the wealth left by their ancestors."
Qian Mao nodded. Judging from Yu Xiyao, the Yu family should be a relatively upright family. This is how you can tell from small things. You can naturally tell whether a family is strict with its children by observing a person's character.
Yu Xiyao took them to meet the elders of the Yu family, all of whom were in good spirits and had an extraordinary demeanor.
Qian Mao greeted them somewhat nervously, while the elders of the Yu family warmly welcomed them, expressing their pleasure at visiting the Yu family. They shared a sumptuous lunch, the table laden with various delicacies that made their mouths water.
During the meal, Qian Mao also met Zhang Muyao's cousins. They all had clear eyes and their words contained no hint of disdain or disgust, which reassured Qian Mao. Little did he know that he received such treatment not only because Zhang Haotian and Yu Xiyao valued him, but also because Zhang Muyao was very attached to him. Furthermore, it was because his project in Dongfang Huating in Pengcheng had received attention from higher-ups, which was the main reason why everyone treated him with such courtesy.
After the meal, Zhang Muyao suggested taking Qian Mao to visit the Yu family's garden, which was filled with all sorts of exotic flowers and plants, and had a wonderfully fragrant aroma.
Zhang Muyao, arm in arm with Qian Mao, proudly introduced, "These flowers and plants were all personally selected and planted by my grandfather. Each one has a unique meaning and value."
Qian Mao couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful! Your family must have put a lot of thought into it!"
Zhang Muyao nodded and said, "That's right. My grandfather has loved flowers and plants since he was young. Back then, the conditions didn't allow it, but later the country stabilized, and the Yu family was not short of money, so my grandfather's hobby was fulfilled. Even in the most difficult years, my grandfather would secretly work on them. Now that the conditions are better, he dares to display them openly."
Qian Mao nodded. He had also experienced the hardship of his family struggling to make ends meet when he was young. It was truly tough, but he was grateful for that period, which shaped his current character, making him unafraid of difficulties and able to face them head-on.
After spending a day at the Yu family home, Qian Mao gained a deeper understanding of these aristocratic families. While they possessed immense wealth and power, they placed great emphasis on family traditions and cultural heritage. Qian Mao realized that to integrate into such a family, one needed not only sufficient strength and talent but also respect for their values and traditions.
Fortunately, Qian Mao himself is a top student from Fudan University and has experience working in government agencies. Now he is a leading real estate tycoon in Shenzhen. Many people want to emulate Dongfang Huating, but they all end up imitating poorly.
Someone from the Yu family also visited Dongfang Huating in Pengcheng. After returning, he gave it a very high evaluation, declaring, "Even thirty years from now, the houses in Dongfang Huating will still be stylish, and their prices will only go up, not down. This young man has real guts!"
Yu Xiyao's father and second uncle had also talked about Xiaonan's boyfriend and always thought he was someone important. Otherwise, with their discerning eye, how could they have let Zhang Muyao marry a country boy with no connections?
There was another thing they didn't know: Qian Mao's sister's fiancé was the youngest son of the Lu family in Beijing. This young master was quite famous in the military because, in order to obtain his postgraduate degree as soon as possible, he independently developed a weapon and deployed it to the military, directly raising the level of the military's weaponry and equipment.
If they knew about Qian Duoduo's marriage to Lu Yuan, they would probably be even more enthusiastic about Qian Mao. After all, the person Qian Duoduo is going to marry is the Lu family, the Lu family of Beijing!
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