NOVPUB
Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Emperor’s Orb
If Texas Hold’em poker was the entertainment Chen Cheng could still participate in after work,
golf was something he rarely touched.
The reason was simple.
He didn’t have enough money to pay for the expensive greens fees, outfitting costs, or even the tips for the caddies.
At most, he would use a trial voucher or group-buy a package on Meituan to hit a few balls at the practice range.
Sitting in the golf cart, heading to the tee-off spot, Chen Cheng had no clue at all.
Wen Shulin noticed the subtle expressions on Chen Cheng’s face and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, you don’t seem as confident now as you were just a moment ago."
Chen Cheng chuckled sheepishly, "Miss Wen, is there also a ranking in this game?"
The gentle breeze played with the tips of Wen Shulin’s hair, which she gathered and shook her head.
"Just for fun." Wen Shulin then asked, "How many strokes do you normally take for 18 holes?"
Chen Cheng replied, "Depends on the condition, I guess."
"What about on a good day?"
Combining his own level with knowledge he had acquired from the internet, Chen Cheng said, "Ninety-something, I guess!"
Wen Shulin laughed and nodded, "That’s good enough."
"That’s good enough?"
Wen Shulin explained, "Their levels are within that range too, none of them is particularly amazing."
"So, don’t put any pressure on yourself, just consider it a walk before dinner," she added.
Chen Cheng’s eyes shifted, "Miss Wen, I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Does Mr. Jin also play poker and golf?" he probed, "Based on what I know of him, he seems not to like these things much."
Wen Shulin tacitly nodded, "In the past, when we played cards or golf, Mr. Jin would just walk around, and in the end, he’d join us for a meal and that would be it."
"Last year, when I hosted, to keep him from getting bored, I hired a Beijing Opera troupe to put on a show." She continued, "He really enjoyed himself that time."
"There was supposed to be a performance today too, but since he didn’t show, I’ve canceled it."
Chen Cheng listened and thought, "I see..."
It seemed that he couldn’t find an excuse to slip away.
The golf cart stopped on the road outside the tee-off spot.
Before even getting off, Chen Cheng had already spotted a large group.
Apart from the caddies, the lovely ladies, and Li Bo’s foursome whom he was now fairly acquainted with, two new faces were added to the mix.
Wen Shulin and Chen Cheng walked over.
"Look, Lao Zhao! Our poker champion has arrived!" Wang Xinan said with a laugh.
Wen Shulin introduced with a smile, "Mr. Chen, this is Zhao Liangyou from Red Mountain Capital, Chairman Zhao."
"And this is Chen Jin, the Chairman of Linkedin Fund."
Chen Cheng observed the two new introductions. Both Chairman Chen and Chairman Zhao were around fifty-five years old.
Zhao Liangyou was rather plump with a bulging belly.
Chen Jin, however, had a pair of gold-framed glasses and appeared a bit scholarly.
Chen Cheng nodded in greeting while Wen Shulin continued, "This is Chen Cheng, the owner of Wanbao Hall."
Chen Jin was the first to extend his hand, "I’ve just heard from Lao Li and the others about Mr. Chen’s spirited and generous performance at the poker table, and it seems that the reputation is well-deserved."
He said with a laugh, "You see, us Chen’s are always this outstanding!"
"Hey, Lao Chen, don’t boast too much on yourself!" Li Bo teased, "You didn’t see Mr. Chen’s aura. He didn’t treat money like money at all!"
"Mr. Chen won over 2 million!" Wang Xinan added with a laugh, "If he gets a hole-in-one, he’ll be paying for everyone’s expenses!"
Chen Cheng said breezily, "No problem!"
Zhao Liangyou also extended his hand, grinning, "Mr. Chen, a pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you."
Wen Shulin looked around at the number of people and said, "Let’s not wait for them; they should be able to make it for dinner."
"Let’s tee off!"
After a few simple pleasantries, the last event of the afternoon began.
As the host, Wen Shulin was the first to stand at the tee.
With a figure devoid of any excess fat, she conceded nothing to any beauty.
And her, dressed in a skirt and shorts, legs slightly bent, no one could imagine that just hours earlier, these legs that countless men dreamt of had awakened Chen Cheng’s cigar.
With a light shout from her, the club swung out swiftly, carrying a fierce momentum.
The golf ball drew a beautiful arc in the air, landing accurately on the distant grass, rolling a few meters before stopping.
"Good shot!"
Applause erupted from the crowd.
Wen Shulin smiled slightly, exuding great confidence.
Next up was Zhao Liangyou.
He stood before the ball, and though his round belly was a bit of an eyesore, his twenty years of experience meant his first stroke was master-level.
With a smooth swing, the ball soared from the ground to high in the air, heading straight for the opposite fairway.
Chen Cheng watched this scene, thinking, "Didn’t they say everyone was average?"
"Mr. Chen, it’s your turn now." Chen Jin thought that as a newcomer, Mr. Chen should not be placed at the end.
Perhaps he already received word on the way here, so he gave up his turn to tee off to this young man.
At this time, Liu Zhiya also considerately offered him a three-wood.
She pointed to her toe and hurriedly said, "Mr. Chen, is it okay for your tee-off spot to be here?"
"Eh, it’s not a competition, anywhere is fine." Chen Cheng found himself an excuse first, "We’re just playing for fun."
After getting Chen Cheng’s reply, Liu Zhiya inserted the tee into the ground, carefully placing the ball on top.
Then, she adjusted the angle of the sun umbrella so that its shadow just covered Chen Cheng and the tee-off spot.
Once everything was ready, Liu Zhiya said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, all set!"
Seeing the earnest look in her eyes, Chen Cheng guessed that the girl wanted to see him show off on the golf course again.
Wen Shulin saw Chen Cheng hesitate and thought he was nervous.
"Just do your backswing properly, don’t rush, take it slowly. Then hit the ball with seventy percent strength, and the most important thing is to keep your rhythm."
She advised softly by Chen Cheng’s side.
Chen Cheng took a deep breath, the club reached its peak on the backswing, then twisted his hips first, which led his shoulders, followed by arms, and finally, his hands.
He swung downward with a consistent pace and struck the ball.
This might have been Chen Cheng’s highest-quality tee shot yet.
The ball’s trajectory was perfect, it easily cleared the water hazard and headed straight for the green on the opposite side.
Even Chen Cheng himself was a bit surprised at his own drive, a proud smile appeared on his face.
The others were also stunned by this tee shot.
Li Bo: "Mr. Chen, you’re hitting an emperor’s shot!"
Chen Cheng had heard of birdies and eagles, but not an emperor’s shot, so he asked, "What?"
"Just look, this beautiful lady is inserting the tee and positioning the ball for you, adjusting the sun umbrella; even Chairman Wen personally came down to cheer you on."
Wang Xinan teased, "If this isn’t an emperor’s shot, what is?"
Chen Cheng laughed heartily, casually handing the club to the caddie.
Continuing with Wang Xinan’s joke, he replied: "Still missing someone to wipe sweat and fetch water! At best, I’m an idle prince, definitely not an emperor."
Hearing Chen Cheng’s reply, Zhao Liangyou found it even more amusing, "Okay, let’s try again later. I usually prefer to progress step by step, delivering the final blow to the enemy."
Chen Cheng strolled leisurely, pointing ahead as he replied, "I’m more straightforward and brutal, usually heading straight for the green."
"No wonder Mr. Chen goes all in every time!"
"Ha ha ha ha..."
Wen Shulin looked at Chen Cheng’s level, her brows slightly furrowed, "Is your level really over ninety strokes?"
Chen Cheng responded with a smile, "It’s thanks to Miss Wen’s last-minute pre-game guidance; I performed over my head."
Wen Shulin chuckled lightly, "Then how do you plan to properly thank me?"
"Eh, we’re here to play golf, not talk business," Chen Cheng read the profound implications hidden within her bright eyes.
