Chapter 509: The Conversation before the Bonfire
Translator: _Min_ Editor: Caron_
With a pleased smile, Luke excused himself and walked to other social circles. Watching Luke leave, Jiang Chen thought he would escape from the need to socialize, but he clearly underestimated his appeal or Future Group’s attraction to investors.
The gazes upon him were either indifferent, jealous, or respectful, but they were all without disregard.
As the newcomer to the party and the president of Future Group with substantial influence in the tech industry, regardless of their intentions, there were plenty of people eager to say hello to Jiang Chen and exchange business cards. Regardless if a partnership could be reached, it didn’t hurt to have more friends, right?
Therefore, for the next two hours, Jiang Chen was socializing tirelessly.
“Mr. Jiang Chen, it’s nice to meet you, this is my business card… If you have any needs in acquisition services, please contact our bank,” a banker said.
“Mr. Jiang, are you interested in equity infusion? Don’t rush to reject me yet, haha. If Future Group ever runs into problems with a turnaround or large investment project, please contact us!” A Wall Street investor looked at Jiang Chen as if he was staring at a gold vault.
“Is this your first time in Germany? If you have time, I’d be very happy to take you to explore this beautiful country.” A female with a celebrity face offered, but Jiang Chen couldn’t remember her name.
…
In just two hour’s time, his suit’s not-so-wide pockets were stuffed with different kinds of business cards and his gold-gilded business cards were almost all distributed.
While he was responding to the sincere guests, Jiang Chen’s gaze had been intentionally or unintentionally swinging to the foie gras, Marseille fish soup, and other delicacies. But unfortunately, when the melodious violin was replaced by the waltz, guests walked to the circular dance floor while holding hands.
By then, the food on the table was replaced by too-sweet desserts.
When he exited the venue, the cold breeze blowing on his face alleviated some of the irritating heat. Perhaps he breathed in too much carbon dioxide, but Jiang Chen felt that the air from the pine forest was especially fresh.
Carmen disappeared after closing remarks and Jiang Chen didn’t wait for him as he left along with the other guests exiting the venue. To be precise with their relationship, they were partners rather than friends.
Because he wanted to stay out for longer, Jiang Chen took a detour and followed a rock path along the pine forest.
His shadow was elongated by the streetlights. He flipped through his stack of business cards and put the useless ones in his left pocket while the potentially-useful ones were placed in his right pocket. Before he threw them into the storage dimension, he wanted to categorize the business cards in some way to avoid confusion when they were actually needed.
But the ones he felt might be useful were only cards.
One belonged to Luke while the other one belonged to Elon Musk.
Jiang Chen didn’t think he would meet that guy here. The middle-aged man with brown hair shook Jiang Chen’s hand with a bright smile. He clearly heard rumors of Jiang Chen’s intention to enter the aerospace industry by purchasing aerospace companies, but in the face of strong competition, he hadn’t displayed any opposing attitude. Rather, he hoped to cooperate with Future Group in aerospace to achieve the great-but-distant strategic goal of colonizing Mars.
Although in Jiang Chen’s eyes, this goal wasn’t too far out of reach.
All in all, Jiang Chen kept the business cards. Perhaps he could cooperate with him in the aerospace industry.
Just as he was halfway through the cards, his stomach made a rumbling sound.
“Still hungry… Whatever, I’ll get some food when I go back.” Jiang Chen sighed.
But then the aroma of roasted meat swept by and lingered in his nostrils.
He followed the direction of the wind and saw a faint bonfire deep in the pine forest.
The roasted meat smell seemed to be coming from there, but who, at this time, would roast meat that close to the Rothschild manor?
It obviously wasn’t Carmen – he must be busy wrapping up his party.
“Could it be a Rothschild servant?” Jiang Chen mused to himself.
For some reason, he thought about the elderly man he saw in the morning, the man who was constructing a sail beside the cabin.
With curiousity driving him, Jiang Chen walked in the direction of the fire.
Dried but soft pine needles covered the muddy ground and sounded damp when stepped on. It was cool in the forest. It was quiet too, a complete contrast to the noise at the party.
[After I’m done playing around, I’ll buy a house in an area like this to live in seclusion.]
For some reason, the idea suddenly popped up in his mind before he quickly shook his head and scratched the idea.
He was still young and without exception, he would continue to be young. If he didn’t live life to the fullest for a hundred years, it would be a disgrace to interdimensional travelers.
“Roasted lamp leg, you’re in luck.”
The elderly man sensed Jiang Chen’s arrival. He didn’t turn his head and smiled facing the bonfire.
Jiang Chen stood beside the old man and scanned the dried pine needles covering the ground.
“Are you not afraid of a forest fire?”
“It won’t spread.”
Perhaps because of his confidence in his roasting technique, the dried lips of the old man displayed a trace of confidence.
“Could I have a piece? Of course, I’ll pay.” Staring at the golden lamb leg, Jiang Chen’s hunger intensified as he asked.
When he heard Jiang Chen’s words, the old man’s cloudy eyes were illuminated brightly like black pearls under a jumping flame. Jiang Chen couldn’t explain why, but his gaze was like that of a hunter, but he wasn’t staring at a sheep.
“If you want to eat it, just sit beside me. There’s no need for money,” the elderly man said before turning around.
Jiang Chen stared at the mud mixed with pine needles. He hesitated for a few seconds before crossing his legs and sitting down.
After about five minutes, the smell was just right as the elderly man skillfully sprayed salt and cumin on the lamb leg on the rack. Then he took out a small knife, took a few swings and handed the knife with the lamb meat to Jiang Chen.
“Try it.”
Jiang Chen hesitantly put the knife tip up to his mouth, blew on it, took a bite, and his eyes instantly lit up.
“How does it taste?” The old man smiled.
“It’s extraordinary.” He handed the knife back to the elder and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He wasn’t stingy with his praise.
The old man grinned and didn’t respond to Jiang Chen’s praise. He cut off a bigger piece of the lamb and handed it to him. Then he took out another knife and a bottle of alcohol.
“I already taught you how to cut the meat, now you can try yourself.” The old man took a swig.
Jiang Chen, who had a stomach full of champagne, refused the alcohol the man passed over and instead feasted on the lamb leg. The two just sat in the forest without exchanging much conversation. They quietly enjoyed the delicious meat.
“Speaking of which, I think I met you this morning beside the lake,” Jiang Chen abruptly said.
“Oh. I was chopping wood.” The elder man smiled.
“That boat was built by you?” Jiang Chen put some meat into his mouth and swallowed it before he asked in a casual tone.
“Built the boat from the keel to sail – everything was completed by me.” A proud smile appeared on the man’s face as if he was bragging about something remarkable.
It was remarkable, even from Jiang Chen’s perspective as an outsider.
“The Rothschild family didn’t help you?” Jiang Chen realized the old man’s status in the family must not be ordinary; starting a fire to roast meat was something normal servants would do.
But with the carefree appearance of the old man, it was hard for Jiang Chen to connect him with the Rothschild family. Just from the impression Carmen left him, the family was probably critical of the appearance of courtesy.
“I told them not to help me.”
“Sorry, but you are?”
The old man smiled while wiping the oily knife.
“Jacquardo Rothschild.”
“… That’s a thunderous name.”
He was the former head of the Rothschild family. When Jiang Chen researched this financial family, he came across this name. This man was the legendary figure who led the Rothschild family out of the downfall of the Second World War, but history’s description was overly brief.
Even his decision to pass the position of the head to his younger brother in order to live a life in seclusion in the Bava manor was only covered by a small column in the financial news.
“That’s right. After retirement, I stopped using that name,” Jacquardo said without much emotional fluctuation.
“Then what name do you use?”
“Paris.” He dusted the dirt on his chin off as the bonfire lit up the smile on his face.
The name sounded familiar; it belonged to an ancient Greek mythology hero. He was the prince Zeus asked who the Golden Apple should be gifted to. His answer immediately caused the Trojan War.
Jiang Chen wanted to ask why he chose that name but resisted the urge.
If possible, he didn’t want to associate himself with the Golden Apple again.
But the elder spoke out first.
“If you obtained the Golden Apple, who would you gift it to? Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite?”
It was a difficult question to answer.
Jiang Chen let out a sigh with his hand on his chin as he deliberated carefully for a while.
“This is a difficult question to answer. I pretty much have all the power and wealth I want. I don’t seem to lack the intelligence and courage to start a hero’s path. Perhaps I will gift it to Aphrodite? Since in this day and age, the more powerful and wealthy a person is, the further away they are from pure love. And a war comparable to the Trojan War wouldn’t be too boring.”
“Hahahaha.” Jacquardo appeared to have heard something funny as he began to laugh.
His aged voice echoed in the forest.
Moments later, the pine forest returned to its tranquil state with only the sound of pine needles swaying.
“An interesting response. Although your choice was superficial, your justification was surprisingly fun.”
To Jacquardo’s comment, Jiang Chen only smiled nonchalantly then sent the question back in a half-joking tone.
“Then which god would you gift to, Mr. Paris?”
Jacquardo smiled. The wrinkles on his face squeezed together.
Under the glow of the fire, his smile looked somewhat menacing or barbaric.
“Regardless who I gifted it to, it would result in hell. So I would obviously keep it for myself.”