CHAPTER 550: CHAPTER 310 POPULARITY AND ELEGANCE APPRECIATED_2

Nestled in the mountains, adjacent to the Badaling Great Wall and Haituo Mountain, and backed by Songshan, the tranquil environment boasted a pleasant landscape.

"Mr. Chen, we have arrived."

As soon as Chen Donghai stopped the car, a man dressed in a suit was already waiting at the back door.

He respectfully opened the car door, his right hand against the frame, and greeted with a smile, "Mr. Chen, welcome to Mountain beyond Mountain."

Chen Cheng got out of the car and looked up at the sign not far away, which read "Beijing Mountain Resort."

At this time, Chen Donghai also came over and introduced, "Mr. Chen, this is Manager Li of the resort."

Chen Cheng nodded, then turned and said, "Mr. Jin asked me to drop something off."

Manager Li bowed slightly, "Mr. Chen, Mr. Jin has informed me. Please, this way."

He then turned to Chen Donghai and said, "Brother Hai, over here."

The three entered the main building of the resort. Just as Chen Donghai had mentioned earlier, it was not open to the public, so there were no tourists in sight.

However, the staff was out in full force, from receptionists to security guards, from chefs to cleaners, each performing their duties in an orderly fashion. It was clear that Jin Baogen was meticulous in managing this place.

Chen Cheng also saw two or three familiar faces that he had met in the small western-style building.

After passing through the lobby, they took the elevator.

As the door opened, what Chen Cheng saw was a hallway.

The three walked over, Manager Li took out the keys, opened the door, and stood aside, "Mr. Chen, after you, I’ll wait here."

Chen Donghai did not enter the room either but handed the vase back to Chen Cheng.

After taking it, Chen Cheng went in.

There were no windows in the room, but the shadowless lamps were always on, illuminating the walls around.

Rather than wallpaper or paint, the walls featured rows of neatly arranged solid wood shelves, extending from the ground to the ceiling.

The shelves were filled with a variety of collectibles, from porcelain, jade, and bronzes to calligraphy, ancient books, and coins. The array was dazzling and complete.

Chen Cheng truly opened his eyes. He had not expected Jin Baogen to have such a large resort in this place, let alone a private museum within the resort.

Holding the box, he walked to the porcelain section, his gaze lingering over the exquisite pieces.

Although he had some understanding of antiques, the shock at seeing so many treasures was irresistible.

Ru ware with sky-blue glaze, Jun ware with rose-purple glaze flowerpot, powder-green glaze with flared mouth bottle—the more he looked at these items, the more familiar they seemed, as if he had seen them somewhere before.

Before long, Chen Cheng found the place for the object in his hands.

In the center of the showcase was a Jun ware porcelain vase identical to the one he was holding, and there was just enough space next to it.

He carefully took the vase out of the box, placed it next to the one in the showcase, then stepped back two steps to take a closer look.

"This should be where he’s invested all the money he’s earned in his lifetime," Chen Cheng mused to himself.

Chen Cheng gently closed the showcase and left the room.

Manager Li and Chen Donghai were waiting outside, chatting idly. Seeing Chen Cheng come out, Manager Li smiled and said, "Mr. Chen, the performance is ready. Please, take a look."

"A performance? There’s a performance too?" Chen Cheng was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, right this way, please."

After locking the door, Manager Li led Chen Cheng downstairs.

They then boarded a shuttle and headed for the theater behind the main building.

"There are wild rabbits on the mountain," Manager Li explained, "Next time you come, you can go hunting."

Chen Cheng raised his eyebrows, "Sure, we’ll see when the time comes."

The shuttle stopped in front of a bamboo grove that concealed an ancient-looking building with overhanging eaves and carved beams, the private theater of the resort.

Manager Li led Chen Cheng and Chen Donghai into the theater, which was empty, with only about ten seats and very close to the stage.

Chen Cheng took a seat in the front row, while Chen Donghai, knowing his place, stood aside without taking a seat.

Manager Li bowed, "Mr. Chen, please wait a moment."

Having said that, he quickly walked to one side, and shortly after, the lights dimmed, and the stage curtains slowly opened.

The melodious sound of string and woodwind instruments began to play as eight female actors in gorgeous costumes gracefully walked onto the stage to perform.

They were dressed in Dai ethnic clothing. Their willow-like waists swayed with the rhythm of the music, enchanting and graceful.

With the seats only four or five steps away from the stage, it almost felt like the dance was happening right upon one’s lap.

The dancers were all fair-skinned, with smiles on their faces brighter than any Chen Cheng had ever seen.

With each spin or dip, those bright, sparkling eyes watched the only spectator, Chen Cheng, charging the emotional value to the max.

The opening dance lasted merely four or five minutes, and before Chen Cheng could come back to reality, the dancers exited, ushering in a large drum onto the stage.

The drumbeats burst forth, deep and powerful, resonating in Chen Cheng’s chest.

A girl dressed in a red War robe, barefooted, leaped onto the drum, her gaze fixed on Chen Cheng, full of heroism.

With the rhythm of the drum, her skirt fluttered.

Those slender legs, intermittently visible beneath the long robe, executed another sky-reaching split leap, the bright red hemline drawing a stunning arc in the air, boldly contrasting with the pristine white.

Chen Cheng realized, if the cabaret in the city was considered vulgar, then Mountain beyond Mountain here was exquisite.

Seated among both the refined and the ordinary, he was still captivated by the dazzling dance.

"Xiao Hai."

Chen Donghai stooped down, "Mr. Chen."

"Are all these performers employees here?" Chen Cheng asked curiously.

"Yes, Mr. Chen," Chen Donghai responded, "We have over three hundred employees in the resort, all residing here."

Chen Cheng nodded his head, turning his gaze back to the stage.

As the drumming faded, the girl in red made a graceful ending pose, standing steadily on the drum, her breath slightly quickened, the fine beads of sweat on her forehead adding a touch of allure.

She smiled faintly at Chen Cheng, her eyes carrying an inscrutable message.

Chen Cheng applauded, admitting to himself that Jin Baogen truly knew his craft. This "Mountain beyond Mountain," rather than a resort, was more like a meticulously crafted den of iniquity, a secret garden woven from power and desire.

"Quite interesting," he stood up, "Okay, let’s go."

"There are more shows to come," Chen Donghai reminded him.

Chen Cheng glanced back at the stage and said with a smile, "If I watch everything now, wouldn’t it be dull next time?"

Chen Donghai also laughed, and the two left the theater.

Chen Cheng didn’t stay to try the dishes, considering it better to leave the excitement for next time.

Back in the car, Chen Cheng dialed Jin Baogen’s phone: "Mr. Jin, I’ve placed the item, toured the place, and watched the show."

Jin Baogen asked with a laugh, "How is it?"

"This place, I would even think of retiring here," joked Chen Cheng.

"Haha, you rascal," Jin Baogen’s laughter softened a bit before he asked, "Did you see anything familiar?"

"I did see two or three people that I’ve met in the little western-style building."

"No, I meant the items."

"Items?"

Chen Cheng pondered, his thoughts suddenly going back to the private museum inside the main building, "Ah! Those things..."

Jin Baogen chuckled, "Remember now? Everything inside was collected by your grandpa."

"But he did make mistakes," Jin Baogen added.

Chen Cheng’s brows furrowed, "My grandpa made mistakes?"

In his mind, Grandpa Zhai Tiansheng was infallible, especially in antiques appraisal, otherwise, he wouldn’t have run Wanbao Hall.

"A Xuande furnace," Jin Baogen revealed the reason, "It failed to be auctioned, and Mr. Zhai realized his mistake."

"I was going to let it go, as paying for the lesson. But Mr. Zhai was principled, insisted on compensating me," he continued, "That single item emptied Wanbao Hall’s coffers and left Mr. Zhai in debt."

Chen Cheng suddenly understood; the debt he repaid for his grandpa was due to this.

"Alright, I’ve told you the backstory," Jin Baogen sighed deeply, "After I’m gone, Mountain beyond Mountain, the western-style building, it’s all yours. Just do your best, and don’t disappoint me and Mr. Zhai."

Chen Cheng’s heart was pierced with solemnity; he hadn’t expected such a beginning to the story.

But he was different now, no longer frazzled about money. Today, he was ready to go all-out to forge his own era.

"Mr. Jin, rest assured, I will make achievements."

Chen Cheng hung up the phone, looking out the car window.

The sunlight was just right; everything was perfectly in place.