YM778.TV Chapter 674: Encounter with Third Brother!
“Boss, do you think President Ling looks utterly bewildered right now?” Lin Wu exclaimed with excitement, already picturing Ling Chen’s expression in his mind.
“Perhaps!” Zhou Chao responded calmly, pocketing his phone.
That little warning just now was like casting a spell on Ling Chen, preventing him from losing himself.
Glancing at the headquarters building of the Dragonfly Group, he said casually, “Let’s go!”
“Boss, are we heading straight home?”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chao gave him a displeased look. “Why wouldn’t we go home? Or do you want to find somewhere else to have fun?”
“Boss, I’m a serious person, how could I have such thoughts!
I just wanted to ask if we should make a trip to Suzhou. After all, it’s not far from Modu to Suzhou, and it’s a good opportunity to visit your garden there!” Lin Wu turned back to say.
Only then did Zhou Chao remember the set of Suzhou gardens that Liu Xu had given him as compensation.
As the saying goes, Suzhou gardens are the best in Jiangnan, and Jiangnan gardens are the best in the world. Zhou Chao was quite interested in that set of gardens located in the ancient town of Jiangnan.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Chao waved his hand decisively, and the two of them drove straight towards Suzhou.
It’s about 90 kilometers from Modu to Suzhou’s Wuzhong District. It took Zhou Chao and his companions almost an hour and a half to reach their destination.
“Envoy Villa!” Zhou Chao murmured softly as he looked at the plaque above the gate.
Seeing several plaques hanging next to the gate, one could see that they were issued by relevant units, including the designation of a cultural relic protection unit.
The deep black gate gave a sense of tranquility, and the paint on the gate looked freshly applied.
Lin Wu took the key out of his briefcase and quickly walked up to open the gate.
Zhou Chao stood at the gate for a moment, then strode inside. The first thing that caught his eye was a rockery.
Without any hesitation, he walked into the courtyard, while Lin Wu quickly closed the gate behind him.
Passing through an arched doorway, a courtyard reminiscent of the water towns of Jiangnan appeared before them.
Built around a lotus pond, the courtyard featured stacked Taihu stones around the pond, with brick-carved archways and octagonal pavilions!
What caught Zhou Chao’s eye the most were the two lake stone rockeries, following the traditional garden stone-stacking technique but refined and exaggerated artistically, giving them a dazzling appeal.
Just based on this, Zhou Chao felt that this garden was much more enjoyable than his property in Jingdu.
“Boss, this garden is so beautiful! Now I finally understand why the rich like to buy places like this!”
Zhou Chao glanced at Lin Wu and remarked, “Even someone as down-to-earth as you can appreciate these aspects. So, tell me, what’s the appeal for the wealthy in buying properties like these?”
“For enjoyment! Living in a place like this is incredibly comfortable!”
“What you said does make some sense.” Zhou Chao nodded faintly.
As Lin Wu said, many wealthy people who are fond of such courtyards are driven by the pursuit of enjoyment. This enjoyment is not only visual but also psychological!
After taking a stroll around the lotus pond, Zhou Chao walked towards the main building.
All the buildings were basically built around the lotus pond, typical of the architectural style of the water towns of Jiangnan. With large white walls as the main tone, black-grey small blue-tiled roofs, and grey-green brick door and window frames, coupled with chestnut or dark grey wooden beams and decorations, they gave off an elegant and tranquil feeling.
Walking into the house, Zhou Chao was somewhat surprised.
He originally thought that the interior decoration style would be classical and authentic, but unexpectedly, it was a blend of modern and ancient styles, with various modern electrical appliances, yet none seemed out of place.
It gave a harmonious feeling, indicating that a lot of thought had been put into the decoration.
After a brief exploration, they proceeded to other pavilions.
Between the pavilions, many pine, bamboo, and plum trees were planted, adding a cultural connotation to the courtyard.
After a full circle, they spent almost an hour, and Zhou Chao’s feeling about the place could be summed up in one word: “comfortable.”
“Boss, why do I feel like this place is much better than the courtyard we have?” Lin Wu, sitting on a chair, cautiously said after surveying the surroundings.
“It does feel more comfortable here!” Zhou Chao did not deny it, after all, Suzhou’s gardens are world-renowned.
Although his courtyard on the canal bank combined the styles of gardens and quadrangles, there was still a big difference compared to this authentic one.
“Boss, why don’t we move here!” Lin Wu, somewhat eager, leaned closer to Zhou Chao and suggested.
Zhou Chao glanced at him, knowing his intentions. After thinking for a moment, Zhou Chao shook his head.
“Moving here might not be a good idea. After all, it’s too far and not very convenient. It’s better to occasionally come and stay for a while!”
The environment here in Tongli, Jiangnan Ancient Town, was indeed quite serene, unlike the hustle and bustle of big cities, but rather the simple charm of a small town.
“Let’s go, let’s go out and explore. It’s rare to visit one of the Six Great Ancient Towns of Jiangnan, it would be a waste not to take a look!”
Having satisfied the initial sense of novelty, Zhou Chao decided to go out for a stroll.
With that, the two of them walked out of the Envoy Villa and headed along the stone path.
After walking along the stone path for about three to five minutes, Zhou Chao passed by five bridges, making him understand what it meant to live in a picturesque setting with flowing water under small bridges..