Godly Tycoon Rebate System: 100 time's Cashback System
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1: Chapter 1: I was surrounded by three stunningly beautiful young women in my sleeper car?
Brain Deposit Box.
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Main Text...
January 2014, Spring Festival travel rush, Train K56.
At the connection between carriages, the smell of smoke mixed with the sour stench of spoiled instant noodles, making one's stomach churn.
Jiang Chen, carrying a red and blue plaid woven bag, struggled to squeeze a path through the crowd in the green-skinned train.
His bangs were soaked with sweat, sticking to his brow bone, making his handsome face look somewhat disheveled.
As a university student just interning in Shenzhen City, he hadn't received his salary for the month yet. He was heading home for the New Year with only 1280 yuan in his pocket.
Originally, he should have bought a hard seat ticket and endured the journey home, but this year's Spring Festival travel rush was too brutal. The scalpers only had one soft sleeper lower berth ticket left, which someone had canceled.
So, Jiang Chen gritted his teeth and spent 480 yuan, which was a huge sum for him.
Leaving him with only 800 yuan.
'Soft Sleeper Cabin 8... Arrived.'
Jiang Chen took a deep breath and pushed open the sliding door of the compartment.
The moment the door opened, a faint, elegant, high-end perfume scent washed over him, instantly cutting off the sweat and stench from the corridor.
The foot Jiang Chen stepped in with froze mid-air.
Was his luck really that good?
In the narrow but tidy four-person compartment, the other three berths were already occupied.
Three peerless young wives who made one's heart race just by looking at them were seated there.
In the lower berth on the left, sat a woman wearing a black professional suit.
She looked to be around thirty, her hair tightly pinned up, wearing a pair of rimless glasses on her nose bridge. Below her long neck were undulating collarbones.
She was currently looking down at the documents on her lap. Her long legs, encased in ultra-thin black stockings, were crossed, with the tip of her foot lightly hooking a red-soled high heel, about to fall but not yet dropping.
In the lower berth on the right was a gentle woman wearing a beige chunky knit sweater.
Her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her face, unadorned by makeup, was fair as jade, with a faint shadow of melancholy lingering between her brows.
She was currently peeling an orange sideways. The loose neckline of her sweater sagged slightly, revealing a breathtaking expanse of snowy white curves.
And in the upper berth position belonging to Jiang Chen, a delicately made-up, pretty face peered down.
With big wavy curls and fiery red lips, she was wearing a tight leopard-print camisole. She was swinging a freshly peeled apple in her hand, her eyes playfully fixed on the intruding Jiang Chen.
'Oh, our 'Women's Kingdom' finally has a little handsome guy?'
The leopard-print beauty in the upper bunk took a bite of the apple and spoke clearly, her voice carrying a hint of lazy huskiness.
Jiang Chen's Adam's apple instinctively rolled.
This was too... stimulating.
'Sorry, excuse me.' Jiang Chen tried his best to keep his gaze polite and not wander, but he was a normal, spirited twenty-two-year-old young man. The fragrance filling the room and the sight of so much pale skin were an extreme test of his willpower.
He sidestepped, trying to shove the huge woven bag under the bed.
'Careful.'
The professional-attire beauty (lower left berth) suddenly pulled her legs back, and the high-heeled shoe hooked on her toe 'clattered' onto the carpet.
Jiang Chen quickly apologized: 'Sorry, my luggage is a bit big.'
'It's fine.' The woman's voice was cool. She bent down to pick up her shoe.
This action instantly tightened her hip-hugging skirt, molding the curves of her round, full peach-like hips. The button on her neckline also seemed to let out a groan of being unable to bear the weight.
Jiang Chen quickly turned his head away, secured his luggage, and sat down in his own berth (opposite the professional-attire beauty).
The atmosphere was slightly awkward.
The private space, which had originally been a private scene for three women, was suddenly invaded by a tall, handsome young man of the opposite sex. The compartment instantly fell silent; no one knew what to say.
'Little handsome guy, are you still studying?' Seeing the atmosphere freeze, the leopard-print beauty in the upper bunk was clearly an extrovert. She leaned on the railing to strike up a conversation, her neckline revealing a magnificent view that made Jiang Chen's eyelids twitch.
'Just graduated, currently interning,' Jiang Chen answered honestly, sitting ramrod straight like a primary school student listening to a lecture.
'An intern. That soft sleeper ticket costs quite a bit of money. Intern salaries aren't high these days, are they?'
The gentle woman (lower right berth) who hadn't spoken offered him an orange segment, her voice soft as water: 'Have some fruit. You look like you've sweated a lot; the carriage is hot.'
Jiang Chen paused for a moment, then reached out to take it: 'Thank you, Sis.'
Their fingertips touched; her fingers were slightly cool and soft as boneless.
The gentle woman showed no sign of judgment regarding his attire; only warm goodwill was in her eyes.
Although the cool, aloof professional-attire beauty didn't speak, she also quietly moved the water cup on the table inward, making space for Jiang Chen to rest his arm.
Jiang Chen felt a slight warmth in his heart.
Whether at school or at the company, the level of beauty he encountered was usually arrogant. He never expected these three to be so kind.
'Grumble—'
At this moment, an untimely sound broke the silence.
Jiang Chen's stomach protested.
He hadn't eaten breakfast. It was already two in the afternoon since he started squeezing onto the train, and he was starving, his front pressed against his back.
The three women paused, then all covered their mouths and chuckled softly.
Jiang Chen's old face flushed red as he touched the money in his pocket.
Just then, a mechanical electronic voice exploded in his mind without warning.
['Ding! Detected Host in a Special Scenario: "Soft Sleeper Cabin Surrounded by Beauties".']
['Godly Tycoon Rebate System Activated!']
['This system is dedicated to assisting the Host in becoming a top-tier Godly Tycoon. The rules are as follows: The system will randomly issue three "Godly Tycoon Missions" daily. All expenses incurred by the Host completing the mission will receive a random multiplier (1-10 times) in cash rebate! The source of funds is absolutely secure.']
['Today's Mission (1/3) has been issued!']
['Mission Description: How can a future Godly Tycoon endure hunger and thirst in front of beauties? The Host is required to immediately solve the lunch problem and invite the three ladies in the compartment to share.']
['Mission Requirement: Consumption amount must not be less than 1000 yuan.']
['Mission Time Limit: 15 minutes.']
Jiang Chen's pupils sharply contracted.
System? Golden Finger?
As an avid reader of web novels, he naturally knew what this meant.
His chance to turn his life around had arrived!
But the next second...
He touched the wallet in his pocket, a wry smile appearing on his lips.
He had less than eight hundred yuan in total, yet the system demanded he spend a thousand?
Was this asking him to rob a bank?
'Um... Little handsome guy, if you didn't bring food, I have some bread,' the gentle woman asked kindly, seeing Jiang Chen spacing out, assuming he hadn't brought anything to eat.
'No need, thank you.'
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly becoming firm.
Risk it all, and a bicycle might become a motorcycle.
He remembered seeing an advertisement near the dining car before boarding, promoting a 'Special Seafood Meal' for 288 yuan a plate. At the time, he had cursed it as ripping off suckers.
Now, it seemed that was tailor-made for him!
Although he didn't have enough cash, he still had a credit card with a 2000 yuan limit, which he got in college for emergencies and had never dared to use.
'I happen to be a bit hungry. Have the three older sisters eaten lunch yet?'
Jiang Chen stood up and straightened the slightly wrinkled collar of his shirt.
'Meeting is fate. Let me treat the sisters to a meal today.'
Without waiting for the three women to react, Jiang Chen pulled open the compartment door and strode out.
Behind him, the leopard-print beauty raised an eyebrow and smiled at the other two: 'This younger brother is interesting. He clearly looks like a poor student, but this air of pretending to be rich is quite cute.'
The cool, aloof 'Yujie' pushed up her glasses and said faintly: 'He's just putting on a brave front. Young people these days care a lot about saving face in front of the opposite sex.'
Jiang Chen leaned against the corridor wall, his heart pounding wildly.
This was the first time he had maxed out a credit card just to show off.
Please, don't let anything go wrong!
2: Chapter 2 Little brother, your alcohol tolerance is terrible!
When Jiang Chen found the attendant, she was pushing the small silver cart, preparing to sell the freshly cooked boxed meals.
"Sister, do you still have the special seafood meal for 288?" Jiang Chen stopped the cart.
The Attendant Sister paused, looking Jiang Chen up and down based on his attire: "Young man, that's our high-end set meal, it's very expensive. How many do you want?"
"Four portions," Jiang Chen said without hesitation.
"Four portions? That's over eleven hundred yuan." The attendant kindly reminded him, "The regular boxed meal is only 20 per box, the price is more suitable."
"I only want the special supply, and a bottle of the best red wine." Jiang Chen pulled out his credit card, "Can I pay by card?"
"Yes! Of course!" The Attendant Sister beamed. It wasn't often this train had such a big spender... oh, I mean, a distinguished guest.
Five minutes later.
Jiang Chen, accompanied by the attendant, pushed the dining cart back to the entrance of Compartment No. 8.
Before even entering, he heard a greasy male voice coming from inside.
"Ladies, are you heading home for the New Year? The journey is so boring. I'm in the building materials business. The compartment next door is too stuffy. How about coming over to chat with you and I'll treat you to a meal?"
Jiang Chen frowned.
Peeking through the half-open door, he saw a middle-aged man with a gold chain around his neck and a beer belly, half leaning into the compartment. He was dangling a few ordinary train boxed meals, his lecherous gaze sweeping over the black-stockinged legs of the cool, aloof older sister.
The cool, aloof older sister, Su Qingge, looked icy: "No need, please leave."
"Don't be so cold. The food on this train is terrible. At the next stop, I'll treat you to local specialties..." The Gold Chain Man didn't retreat; instead, he tried to squeeze further in. Just as he was about to plant his backside onto Jiang Chen's bunk.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
"Buddy, move aside."
Jiang Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable firmness.
The Gold Chain Man turned around, saw a young punk, and immediately scowled: "Who are you? Don't you know about first come, first served?"
"I am the owner of this bunk," Jiang Chen pointed to the bunk, "And I have already arranged lunch for them."
"You?" The Gold Chain Man sneered, shaking the boxed meal in his hand, "With your shabby appearance, what can you treat them to? Instant noodles with sausage?"
Jiang Chen ignored him and turned to nod at the attendant behind him.
The Attendant Sister immediately stepped forward and swiftly placed four exquisite lacquered wooden food boxes on the small folding table, then took out a beautifully packaged bottle of red wine and four goblets.
When the food boxes were opened, the fresh aroma of Australian lobster instantly filled the carriage, along with abalone congee, delicate side dishes, and sliced imported fruit.
"Sir, your supreme seafood set meal. The total consumption is 1280 yuan. The red wine is complimentary for you." The Attendant Sister spoke loudly, deliberately giving Jiang Chen plenty of face.
The 15-yuan boxed meal in the Gold Chain Man's hand instantly looked as awkward as pig slop.
His face flushed the color of pig liver. He looked at the lobster, then at Jiang Chen's calm profile, and stubbornly said, "Hmph, a spendthrift, just pretending."
With that, he scurried away sheepishly from the crowd.
Inside the carriage, the three women were stunned.
It wasn't that they had never eaten such things, but on this kind of green-skinned train, for a boy who didn't look wealthy to arrange such a spectacle just to treat them to a meal?
[Ding! Mission Complete!]
[Host spent 1280 yuan, triggering a 10x critical cashback!]
[Your bank account has received: 12800 yuan.]
His phone vibrated lightly in his pocket—the sound of money hitting the account.
Jiang Chen's tense nerves instantly relaxed, and a genuine smile touched the corners of his mouth.
He gambled right!
It really gave cashback! And it was instantly credited!
At this moment, he no longer felt any embarrassment; he possessed the confidence that comes from having resources.
"That annoying guy is gone, let's eat," Jiang Chen sat down, naturally helping the three ladies pour the red wine, "The conditions are simple, I apologize for making the three older sisters rough it."
Rough it?
This was called roughing it?
The leopard-print beauty Chen Man from the upper bunk jumped down directly. Her long legs flashed before Jiang Chen's eyes. She unceremoniously picked up her wine glass, her eyes full of charm: "Little brother, you don't seem like an ordinary intern. Seeing this gesture makes this sister's heart flutter. This sister is called Chen Man. Are you a second-generation rich kid experiencing life?"
"My name is Jiang Chen, ordinary family," Jiang Chen smiled and shook his head, handing chopsticks to Su Qingge across from him, "Sister Su, would you like to try?"
Su Qingge (The Cool, Aloof Older Sister) looked deeply at Jiang Chen.
She had seen countless people.
Just now, in her eyes, this boy didn't seem wealthy. Why was he so generous?
She couldn't figure it out.
"Thank you," Su Qingge took the chopsticks, her icy expression softening slightly, "My name is Su Qingge. Don't spend so lavishly in the future; earning money isn't easy now."
"Exactly, exactly. Little Jiang, right? My name is Lin Wan." The gentle, married woman Lin Wan looked at the dishes with some heartache, "This meal must cost you half a month's salary, right? I'll transfer the money to you later."
"No, I said I'm treating, so I'm treating." Jiang Chen's attitude was firm. What if I transfer it back, how would the system count it?
The atmosphere of the meal completely opened up.
Good food and alcohol were the best catalysts.
Chen Man was fiery and talked about the bizarre things she encountered as a nurse in the hospital; Lin Wan seemed troubled by some family matters, and her eyes looked hazy after a couple of drinks; Su Qingge, though quiet, occasionally interjected with sharp remarks.
After three rounds of drinks, the air in the compartment clearly warmed up.
The bottle of red wine that was originally a complimentary gift was now nearly empty.
Jiang Chen originally thought that these three sisters, who looked like they were used to luxury, would find the so-called 'high-end red wine' provided on the train hard to swallow. Unexpectedly, they drank more heartily than the last.
"Little brother, your drinking capacity isn't great."
Chen Man's cheeks were flushed, as if coated in a layer of fine rouge.
She clearly wasn't treating Jiang Chen as an outsider anymore. She leaned languidly against the pillow on the lower bunk, her long legs clad in black silk draped carelessly over the edge of the bed, her toes tapping rhythmically, enough to make someone dizzy.
"Sister Man, I'm still a student, I usually drink little," Jiang Chen smiled, putting down his wine glass, feeling a bit dizzy.
Although the wine was ordinary, it had a strong kick.
"Student is good, pure." Lin Wan had also had a couple of drinks, and the gentle look in her eyes now held a trace of seduction.
She seemed to have relaxed this much in a long time. Resting her chin on one hand, she looked at Jiang Chen with hazy eyes, "Not like my husband at home, he just throws a tantrum when he drinks."
Mentioning the person at home, a hint of sadness flashed in Lin Wan's eyes, and she tilted her head back to down the last sip of wine.
Su Qingge was very restrained, having only one glass.
She took off her gold-rimmed glasses, revealing a pair of eyes that were usually cold but now held a hint of moisture. She lost some of her sharpness and gained a touch of intellectual softness.
"Alright, stop pushing him to drink," Su Qingge rubbed her temples, her voice carrying a barely perceptible fatigue, "Little Jiang, go shut the door tightly. Why does it feel like it's getting colder?"
3: Chapter 3: Snuggling into Su Qingge's coat...
Jiang Chen was stunned by the words. Indeed, while eating, the rising steam had masked it, but now that he had set down his chopsticks, a bone-chilling cold was creeping up his pant legs.
He got up to pull the door, only to find a gust of cold wind howling in through the gap.
"Attention, all passengers. Due to the train passing through the Qinling Mountain range, we have encountered extreme blizzard weather. The heating equipment has suddenly malfunctioned and is currently undergoing emergency repairs..."
The conductor's apologetic voice came over the loudspeaker.
Almost simultaneously, the lights on the ceiling flickered twice, then with a 'pop,' half of them went out, leaving only the dim, faint glow of the emergency lights.
The once warm soft sleeper compartment instantly turned into an ice cellar.
"What's going on? The heat is off?" Chen Man shivered, hugging her arms. She was wearing the least out of everyone in the room—just a thin cardigan over a tight slip dress. "This is going to freeze us to death, isn't it?"
Lin Wan quickly wrapped her wool sweater tighter around herself, her face turning pale. "If this train stops in the mountains, it must be below minus ten degrees Celsius tonight, right?"
Su Qingge frowned deeply and instinctively reached for her trench coat, but that kind of professional attire offered no real protection against the cold.
Just then, a heavenly electronic chime sounded in Jiang Chen's mind again.
【Ding! Mission Issued!】
【Mission Description: Winter is coming. How can you let several peerless beauties tremble in the cold wind? The Host must immediately resolve the heating issue in the compartment.】
【Mission Requirement: Spending amount must not be less than 2000 Yuan.】
【Mission Deadline: 20 minutes.】
Jiang Chen was secretly delighted.
He had just been worrying about how to spend money, and here was the perfect opportunity!
"Sisters, please wait a moment. I'll go think of a way." Without another word, Jiang Chen grabbed his jacket and headed out.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Chen Man called out. "It's even colder outside!"
"I'm going to get some heating supplies."
Jiang Chen pushed the door open.
The hallway was already in chaos. Many passengers wrapped in blankets were coming out to curse, while the train staff looked utterly overwhelmed.
Jiang Chen walked straight to the attendant he had seen before.
"Attendant Sister, do you have any thick quilts? Or perhaps an electric heater?" Jiang Chen got straight to the point.
The Attendant Sister rubbed her hands together, shivering, and gave a wry smile. "Young man, where would we have extra quilts? The train is full, and the few spares were snatched up long ago. Forget about electric heaters; the circuits can't handle the load."
"Isn't there any other way? Like equipment from your staff rest area?"
Jiang Chen stepped closer and lowered his voice. "I'll pay a high price."
The Attendant Sister paused, looking at Jiang Chen's determined eyes. She hesitated. "We only have a few military greatcoats, and some rechargeable hot water bags. Those are for our own use..."
"I'll take them all," Jiang Chen said.
He pulled out his credit card and tapped it in his hand. "A thousand Yuan for each coat, five hundred for each hot water bag. I have three friends who aren't well and can't stand the cold. Please help me out, Attendant Sister."
The Attendant Sister's eyes nearly popped out.
That shabby military greatcoat only cost about a hundred Yuan at the labor protection store. This young man was offering ten times the price?
"This... this isn't according to regulations..."
"Five thousand. Pack up three coats and three fully charged hot water bags." Jiang Chen's tone was calm. "Swipe the card, now."
There was nothing money couldn't solve. If there was, it just meant he hadn't offered enough money.
Five minutes later.
Jiang Chen returned to the compartment carrying three heavy, shiny green military greatcoats and three scorching hot water bags tucked into his chest, looking like a black-market vendor peddling supplies.
By this time, the three women in the compartment were huddled together from the cold.
"Come on, put these on."
Jiang Chen tossed the military greatcoats onto the bed. That heavy feeling, mixed with the scent of mothballs, felt incredibly comforting in the freezing wind.
"Military greatcoats?" Chen Man's eyes widened, then she burst out laughing. "Little brother, are you asking us to go perform Northeast folk opera?"
Though her words were dismissive, her actions were honest.
She snatched one up and immediately wrapped it around herself. The thick cotton instantly locked in her body heat, and Chen Man let out a comfortable hum. "Mmm... I'm alive again."
Su Qingge and Lin Wan also dropped their reservations. At a time like this, survival was paramount; image didn't matter.
The three usually glamorous urban beauties were now each wrapped in a military greatcoat that was even slightly worn, cradling hot water bags. The scene held an indescribable mix of absurdity and... cuteness.
【Ding! Mission Complete!】
【Host spent 5000 Yuan, triggering an 8x critical cashback!】
【40,000 Yuan has been deposited into your bank account.】
Hearing that crisp notification, Jiang Chen felt warmer than the hot water bags in his arms.
"Xiao Jiang, what about you?" Lin Wan suddenly noticed that Jiang Chen was only wearing a thin jacket; he had given all three coats to them.
"I'm not cold. Young men have strong vitality," Jiang Chen replied with a smile, rubbing his hands as he sat back down on his berth.
"Don't pretend to be tough."
Su Qingge suddenly spoke. Her voice was still cool, but her movement was quite assertive.
She shifted inward and lifted the corner of her military greatcoat, revealing the black professional skirt underneath and a glimpse of heart-stopping black silk stockings on her long legs.
"Come here, squeeze in."
Jiang Chen froze. "Huh?"
"What 'huh'? If you catch a cold, who will take care of us?" Su Qingge glared at him. Although she was rebuking him, it was incredibly alluring. "This is an order."
Chen Man poked her head down from the upper bunk and whistled. "Ooh, Sister Su is trying to 'recruit a bedmate'? Little brother, aren't you going to thank her quickly?"
Jiang Chen's throat felt dry.
This was Su Qingge!
The ice-mountain-like, aloof female CEO was actually asking him to... squeeze into her coat?
"What are you dawdling for?" Su Qingge seemed slightly embarrassed too. She reached out and grabbed Jiang Chen's wrist.
In that instant, Jiang Chen felt his wrist being held by a piece of warm, smooth jade.
He was yanked forward, stumbling, and half his body was forced close to Su Qingge.
A pleasant, cool fragrance mixed with the scent of the military greatcoat's cotton instantly filled his nostrils.
"Sit properly, don't move around."
Su Qingge wrapped the coat around both their knees. The coat was very large and enough to cover both their legs.
In the darkness, the outer side of Jiang Chen's thigh inevitably pressed against the side of Su Qingge's leg, which was encased in black silk.
That smooth, warm sensation felt like an electric current shooting straight to the crown of his head from the point of contact.
Jiang Chen's body instantly stiffened.
Su Qingge clearly felt it too; her body trembled slightly, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she pushed the hot water bag into Jiang Chen's hand.
"Hold this, warm your hands."
Her voice was low, and in the dim carriage, it carried a barely perceptible tremor.
"Thank you... Sister Su."
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the turmoil in his heart.
Just then, the train car suddenly shook violently, as if an emergency brake had been applied.
"Ah!"
Chen Man on the upper bunk cried out in alarm. She hadn't held on tight and slid right off the safety rail!
"Careful!"
Jiang Chen reacted quickly, thrusting his other hand out to catch her.
4: Chapter 4 Sleeping with President Su in my arms, a thrilling experience
The air inside the soft sleeper compartment seemed to freeze for a second.
In the darkness, Chen Man was practically hanging onto Jiang Chen.
The impact at that moment was not small, but what was more astonishing was the touch that followed.
The tight leopard-print slip dress she was wearing was too thin, so thin that Jiang Chen could clearly feel her rapid heartbeat from the shock, along with that softness and warmth that made his scalp tingle.
"Sister Man, are you alright?"
Jiang Chen's arms firmly supported her waist and back, trying his best to keep his hands stiff like a piece of wood, avoiding any movement of his fingers.
"Ouch... That scared me to death."
Chen Man gasped twice, still shaken, before finally realizing how intimate their current posture was. Instead of rushing to get up, she leveraged his chest for support. In the darkness, her cat-like eyes seemed to gleam.
"Little brother, you reacted pretty fast. If it weren't for you, my butt would have been smashed into two pieces."
"Cough."
A cold, clear cough sounded from the side.
Su Qingge maintained the posture of gripping Jiang Chen's wrist, her tone carrying an indescribable meaning: "How much longer do you plan on hugging her? The train has stabilized."
Chen Man chuckled, then slowly moved away from Jiang Chen, rewrapping the fallen military greatcoat around herself, but her teasing didn't stop.
"Is CEO Su worried already? I wanted to get up quickly too, but my legs are weak."
Jiang Chen let out a sigh of relief, returning to sit beside Su Qingge.
After that sudden harsh braking, the train had completely stopped deep within the Qinling Mountains.
Outside the window, thick snowflakes fluttered everywhere. The fierce wind whipped the snow against the glass, making a crackling sound, like an urgent summons.
If it had only felt cold before, now it was bone-chillingly frigid.
In less than ten minutes, the thermometer in the compartment had dropped to single digits.
Even wrapped in the greatcoat, the damp cold seeped into every crack of their bones.
"This is too cold..."
Lin Wan huddled in the corner of the lower bunk on the right, her teeth beginning to chatter. "This is a magical attack that Southerners really can't handle."
Su Qingge was also struggling to bear it. Although she was wearing a thick military greatcoat, her long legs, clad only in thin black stockings, had almost lost all feeling through the open gap in the coat.
She unconsciously leaned closer to Jiang Chen—a primal instinct for a living being searching for a heat source.
Jiang Chen felt the woman beside him trembling.
"This won't do."
Jiang Chen frowned and broke the silence, "We don't know when the heating will be fixed. The temperature in these mountains can drop below negative ten degrees at night. If we sit separately, heat will dissipate too quickly."
"Then what should we do?"
Chen Man sniffled, her voice losing its previous playfulness and gaining a touch of genuine fear. "Squeeze together."
Jiang Chen's tone was calm and resolute.
The three women looked at him simultaneously.
"I'm sitting on the left bunk too, Sister Su is here as well."
Jiang Chen pointed to the bunk beneath him. "This bunk is about eighty centimeters wide. Although it's narrow, it can fit two people without a problem. Sister Man and Sister Wan, can you squeeze together on the opposite side? We should lean back-to-back or huddle together so we can lock in body heat."
Silence hung in the darkness for a few seconds.
Such a suggestion would normally be considered outright hooliganism. But in this extreme environment where breath turned to ice, no one thought he was taking advantage.
"I agree."
Su Qingge was the first to speak. She was too cold; her legs, accustomed to sitting in an office, felt like they were soaking in ice water. She was an extremely rational person, and face was worthless compared to life.
"I have no objections either, as long as Wanwan doesn't mind that I toss and turn in my sleep."
Chen Man, wrapped in her coat, hopped onto the bunk opposite Lin Wan.
The sound of fabric rustling lightly echoed in the compartment.
Jiang Chen placed the still quite warm hot water bottle back into Su Qingge's arms, then shifted inward, leaning against the carriage wall to leave the outer space for Su Qingge.
"Sister Su, you sit inside. The wall panel is cold."
Su Qingge paused for a moment.
But she immediately understood: the carriage wall was made of iron sheeting, leading directly to the wind and snow outside, making it truly piercingly cold. Jiang Chen was using his back to shield her from the coldest wall.
"No need, you sit there."
Su Qingge refused quite bluntly. She turned sideways and took off her high heels that had been precariously close to falling off all along.
The next second, Jiang Chen felt something burrowing under the hem of his greatcoat.
It was a pair of feet.
Su Qingge's feet, encased in delicate, smooth stockings, were like two blocks of ice due to the cold. They now pressed unceremoniously against Jiang Chen's calf, even searching for a warmer spot, attempting to burrow into the bend of his knee.
"Sister Su..."
Jiang Chen tensed up, his voice even slightly distorted.
"Don't move."
Su Qingge's voice was right by his ear, carrying an unquestionable command, yet also a trace of imperceptible weakness. "My feet are cold. I'm borrowing your legs to warm them up."
This was too much...
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, forcing himself not to think about the position of those beautiful legs under his coat.
"Open your coat a little more."
Su Qingge spoke again.
Jiang Chen obediently undid the buttons.
Su Qingge leaned sideways, spreading the military greatcoat she was wearing over his, overlapping the two.
The two of them looked like two penguins huddling for warmth in a blizzard. The two heavy coats merged into a temporary, sealed little nest.
In this suffocatingly narrow space, their bodies were pressed together with almost no gap remaining.
Jiang Chen could clearly smell the crisp, clean scent of shampoo in Su Qingge's hair, mixed with the old cotton smell of the military greatcoat. It wasn't unpleasant at all; rather, it carried a sense of reassuring solidity.
"Xiao Jiang."
Su Qingge rested her head lightly on Jiang Chen's shoulder, her voice very soft, the warm breath she exhaled brushing against Jiang Chen's neck.
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
Jiang Chen smiled. Although his body was tense, his heart felt very steady. "Why be polite? I'm a man; it's what I should do."
On the opposite bunk, Chen Man and Lin Wan were also huddled together.
"Tsk tsk tsk..."
Chen Man looked at the two merged green shadows opposite them and muttered softly, "Wanwan, look. Sister Su seems unapproachable usually, but she made a move faster than me."
Lin Wan's face flushed slightly, and she pushed the hot water bottle into Chen Man's arms. "Just say less and save your energy to keep warm."
The snow outside the carriage grew heavier, the howling wind sounding like wailing ghosts.
But in this small world, because they shared body heat, the originally unbearable long night didn't seem so terrifying anymore.
It was just that Jiang Chen's current situation could be described as experiencing both pain and pleasure.
Su Qingge seemed to have recovered. The feet warming themselves by his leg began to move restlessly. Her rounded toes, through the stockings, unconsciously stroked the side of his calf.
It was simply maddening.
5: Chapter 5 President Su's Secret
As night deepened, the emergency light inside the compartment finally exhausted its last bit of power, flickering twice before extinguishing completely.
Now, the entire soft sleeper compartment was plunged into utter darkness where one could not see their hand in front of their face.
Only the faint glow of the railway signal lights occasionally sweeping past the window could barely outline the raised contours of the bunk opposite them.
With the sense of sight deprived, the other senses were infinitely magnified.
Jiang Chen could even hear the frequency of Su Qingge's every breath—steady, yet carrying a faint panting caused by the pressure of her posture.
She was almost half-lying in Jiang Chen's embrace; to avoid the cold carriage wall, she had to press her entire center of gravity onto this big boy.
"Is it very uncomfortable?"
In the darkness, Su Qingge felt the stiffness of the body behind her. She slightly adjusted her position, but this movement didn't alleviate the awkwardness; instead, it caused the two of them to press even closer.
The material of her professional pencil skirt was somewhat slippery, tending to slide down at the slightest inattention, which forced her to occasionally reach out and grip Jiang Chen's arm to steady herself.
"It's fine, Sister Su, just don't move around too much." Jiang Chen's voice was a bit hoarse as he tried hard to control the fluctuation in his tone.
He was a virile twenty-two-year-old, not a sage who could resist temptation.
Su Qingge, with her back to him, allowed a very faint curve to lift the corner of her mouth.
She was no naive young girl; naturally, she knew what this young man behind her was enduring.
This contrast—being intensely desired by the opposite sex yet being treated with utmost respect—gave her a long-lost pleasure of having her charm as a woman recognized—not because of her position or money.
"Um... let's chat."
Lin Wan, on the opposite bunk, suddenly spoke up, her voice trembling slightly.
In such darkness and dead silence, a person's thoughts were most likely to wander. She was obviously a bit scared.
"Sure thing." Chen Man responded quickly. Not only was she restless in the dark, but she also rested her injured foot on Lin Wan's body. "What should we talk about? How about whether our little brother Jiang has a girlfriend?"
Jiang Chen gave a wry smile: "Sister Man, isn't that topic jumping a bit too fast?"
"Not fast, not fast. It's a long night, after all." Chen Man chuckled, "CEO Su, you're the closest. You examine him for us—does this boy carry that 'sour smell of romance'?"
Su Qingge moved her head slightly in the darkness, her hair brushing against Jiang Chen's chin: "No. There's only a..." She paused, seemingly discerning, "There's only a nice scent of soap. Very clean."
This evaluation, coming from the discerning Su Qingge, was more gratifying than any compliment.
"Really no girlfriend?" Chen Man pressed on relentlessly. "He's so handsome, he must have been very popular at school, right?"
"We broke up." Jiang Chen answered truthfully. "Graduation season is breakup season. Reality is cruel. No money, no house—no matter how good the feelings were, they couldn't withstand reality."
What he said was frank, yet it carried a hint of the helplessness unique to his age.
The compartment fell quiet for a moment. All three women had navigated the rough waters of society and naturally understood the bitterness behind that casually spoken sentence for so many young people.
"It's good that you broke up," Su Qingge suddenly interjected lightly. "A girl who leaves you over material things isn't worth regretting. You now..."
She swallowed the words that were about to leave her lips; she didn't want to spoil the pure atmosphere of the moment.
"You are quite good now," Lin Wan gently added. "You know how to take care of people and you're responsible. Little Jiang, whoever marries you in the future will be fortunate."
"I'll take that as a good omen." Jiang Chen felt the atmosphere becoming a bit heavy and deliberately joked, "But the primary goal right now is still earning money, otherwise how can I treat the sisters to a meal?"
"Pfft." Chen Man burst out laughing. "Brother, are you treating us to a meal? You're feeding us like pigs. That seafood feast... I... I haven't eaten that satisfyingly outside before, even at nightclubs."
Mentioning nightclubs, Chen Man seemed to realize she had misspoke and quickly stopped herself.
But everyone tacitly agreed not to press for details.
They were passing acquaintances; everyone had a past they didn't wish to discuss.
Time slipped by bit by bit. Although the chill was still biting, through the combined efforts of the four of them, the temperature inside the compartment was barely maintained at an endurable level.
Sleepiness began to set in.
Su Qingge's body slowly softened. Her originally straight back was no longer tense; instead, she leaned completely relaxed against Jiang Chen's chest.
Her breathing became long and even; she was clearly about to fall asleep.
But her feet were still ice-cold.
Jiang Chen felt that even in her sleep, she would occasionally curl her toes unconsciously because her feet were cold.
After hesitating for a moment.
Jiang Chen slowly extended a hand, groping downwards in the dark.
His movement was very light, afraid of waking the person in his arms. His hand passed under the hem of her heavy military overcoat and touched Su Qingge's stocking-clad feet.
So cold.
It was like touching two pieces of jade.
Jiang Chen didn't overthink it; he took hold of those ice-cold feet with both hands.
The warmth from his palms continuously transferred over.
Su Qingge's body suddenly trembled.
Jiang Chen froze, thinking she had woken up, and was about to let go and explain.
But he felt that the person in his arms wasn't struggling. Instead, she let out an extremely soft, almost kitten-like sound of stretching, and then, those feet actively snuggled deeper into his broad, warm palms.
Jiang Chen's heart pounded twice.
He could sense that Su Qingge wasn't completely asleep. A touch at this moment, even if well-intentioned, carried an extremely intense ambiguity.
But he didn't let go, and Su Qingge didn't pull back.
On this train trapped by the blizzard, in this dark, narrow corner, the two reached an unspoken secret contract belonging only to that moment.
From the opposite bunk came Chen Man's even breathing, and occasionally, one or two murmurs from Lin Wan in her sleep.
"Little Jiang..."
Su Qingge suddenly spoke, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear.
"I'm here."
"If you can keep me this warm tomorrow..." Su Qingge's voice carried a sleepy languor, having let down all her defenses, "I'll tell you a secret."
"What secret?"
"A secret about... women."
Jiang Chen smiled.
"Alright," Jiang Chen replied softly, gently massaging the soles of her cold feet to help her circulation. "Then I'll wait."
Su Qingge said no more; this time, she was truly asleep.
Jiang Chen leaned against the wall, listening to the sound of the wind and snow outside. In his arms was the aloof female CEO that countless men dreamed of, and in his hands, he held a softness that could stir the soul.
All of this felt real to the point of being unreal.
Just then, in Jiang Chen's mind, that familiar mechanical voice chimed again, though this time it was very soft, as if unwilling to disturb this rare tranquility.
"Ding! Host behavior detected as highly gentlemanly, successfully protecting the 'Special Target' under extreme conditions!"
"Hidden reward triggered..."
Jiang Chen didn't have time to see what the reward was, because the person in his arms suddenly turned over, and that exquisitely beautiful face buried itself into his neck without warning, warm breath spraying onto his collarbone.
This night was destined to be difficult to get through.
6: Chapter 6 The Awkward Moment in the Morning
After an unknown amount of time, the world outside the window, which had been pitch black, began to turn the color of fish belly white.
The snowstorm seemed to have stopped. The faint morning light filtered through the ice-patterned glass window, scattering dappled patterns into the sleeper compartment filled with a lingering, intimate atmosphere.
Jiang Chen woke up stiffly.
His left side felt as if it had been crushed by a large stone all night. The numbness caused by poor circulation made him involuntarily draw a sharp breath.
He instinctively tried to move his arm but found it tightly held by something.
He opened his eyes, his vision slightly blurry.
When he finally saw the scene before him, Jiang Chen froze completely.
Su Qingge was still asleep.
It was just that her sleeping posture was... extremely shocking.
Last night, because it was too cold, the two of them had slept sitting up, bundled in two layers of military greatcoats.
However, the human body instinctively seeks the most comfortable position during sleep.
At this moment, Su Qingge was no longer the aloof, upright figure from last night.
She was wrapped around Jiang Chen like an octopus. One of her legs was dominatingly draped over his thigh, and the black hem of her skirt had already rolled up to the root of her thigh, revealing a large expanse of dizzying snow-white skin and faintly visible lace trim.
What was even more fatal was that her arms were tightly wrapped around Jiang Chen's waist, and her cheek was pressed against his chest. Perhaps because the buttons of the greatcoat were poking her uncomfortably, she had actually rubbed open two buttons on his shirt in her sleep. At this moment, her face, slightly messy in makeup yet still stunningly beautiful, was pressed directly against Jiang Chen's skin without any barrier.
Jiang Chen could feel the warm breath against his chest, and the strands of hair tickling his nerves.
"Mmm..."
As if sensing the stiffness of the 'pillow' beneath her, Su Qingge let out a dissatisfied hum. Not only did she not let go, but she snuggled closer, like a cat guarding its food.
Jiang Chen held his hands up, unable to move or not move.
Just then, movement came from the opposite bunk.
Lin Wan had woken up.
As a housewife with a precise biological clock, she always woke up early.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and quietly sat up, trying to reach for the water cup on the table.
Then, her gaze locked onto the opposite bunk.
"Ah..."
A short gasp was muffled back into her mouth.
Lin Wan's eyes widened, looking at the two people clinging to each other like glue opposite her, her face instantly flushing red down to the base of her neck.
Although everyone was trying to keep warm last night, this posture... was a bit too intimate. It was practically like a newlywed couple.
Jiang Chen awkwardly winked at Lin Wan and made a 'shush' gesture, his face full of innocence and a plea for help.
Lin Wan looked at Jiang Chen's embarrassed look of 'I'm sealed in place' and couldn't help but purse her lips into a smile. There was a hint of teasing in her eyes; she pointed at the still soundly sleeping Su Qingge, then pointed at Jiang Chen, mouthing: You're quite lucky with the ladies.
Jiang Chen gave a wry smile. Do you want this luck? My bladder is about to explode, okay!
At this suffocatingly awkward moment, the loudspeaker on the ceiling suddenly crackled to life with an invigorating static sound.
"Good morning, esteemed passengers. After an all-night emergency repair, the line ahead has been cleared, and the power supply system is being restored. The train is expected to depart in twenty minutes..."
Accompanied by the announcement, the light tubes overhead flickered twice, then snapped on.
The sudden bright light made Su Qingge frown sharply. Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes, usually cold as a knife, were now filled with the haziness and moisture of just waking up.
She looked around vaguely, then her vision focused on the handsome face of Jiang Chen, magnified right before her.
And the hands that were gripping his clothes, and the leg draped over him.
Time seemed to freeze for three seconds.
Su Qingge's pupils contracted slightly. The cold mask of a professional woman was visibly returning to her face at a visible speed, but accompanying it was a blush rapidly spreading from her earlobes.
She withdrew her hands and feet as if shocked by an electric current, quickly tidied her messy skirt, and sat up straight.
The movement was fluid and fast, too quick to be clearly seen.
If it weren't for the blush that simply wouldn't fade, Jiang Chen would almost believe the previous scene was a hallucination.
"Morning," Su Qingge's voice was hoarse from just waking up. She pushed the non-existent glasses on the bridge of her nose (she had taken them off last night), trying her best to keep her tone calm. "Last night... thank you."
"Morning, Sister Su," Jiang Chen rubbed his numb arm, giving her an out. "It really was too cold last night. Just trying to survive, I understand, I understand."
"Since the power is back, I'm going to wash up."
Su Qingge didn't dare look Jiang Chen in the eye. She grabbed her toiletries bag and walked out in her high heels. However, her slightly hurried footsteps somewhat betrayed her inner unrest.
"Oh my, is our President Su feeling shy?""
Chen Man on the upper bunk had also been woken up by the announcement. She poked her head out to watch the show. Her long, wavy hair was messy, yet exuded a wild beauty. "Little brother, you slept quite soundly last night, huh? I even heard you snoring."
"Sister Man, don't spread rumors. I never snore," Jiang Chen stood up and stretched his limbs, his joints cracking loudly.
Although his body ached, his spirit was unusually energized.
Not just because of the unique experience, but also because—
【Ding! A new day has begun.】
【Yesterday's Hidden Reward Settled: Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Passive Skill 'Confidante (Beginner)'.】
【Skill Description: When interacting with the opposite sex, you are more easily able to gain their trust and favor, and your suggestions will be prioritized for consideration.】
【Today's Mission (1/3) has been issued!】
【Mission Description: A wonderful day begins with an exquisite breakfast. After a night of cold and hunger, the ladies urgently need replenishment of energy. Please, Host, proceed to the dining car and prepare a rich 'Heartwarming Breakfast' for everyone.】
【Mission Requirement: Spending amount must not be less than 3000 Yuan.】
【Mission Reward: Random Multiplier Cashback.】
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
If yesterday's lunch was him pretending to be rich, then today's breakfast was him genuinely 'doting on his fans'.
"Sisters, you all get ready first. I'll go buy breakfast." Jiang Chen straightened his collar. Although his clothes were wrinkled, the youthful vigor couldn't be suppressed at all.
"Spending money again?" Su Qingge, who had just finished washing up and returned, paused while wiping her face upon hearing this. She looked at Jiang Chen with complex eyes. "Didn't we say last night... making money isn't easy..."
"Sister Su, you still haven't told me your secret," Jiang Chen interrupted her, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "But before hearing the secret, we must fill our stomachs first. Don't worry, I can afford this meal, and I'm happy to treat."
With that, he pushed the door open and stepped out, his back looking dashing.
Su Qingge watched the door close again, clutching the wet towel in her hand, her gaze somewhat distant.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Chen Man sighed while applying lipstick. "Su Qingge, you're done for. Looking at your eyes, you're about to fall for him, aren't you? But seriously, this young man does have something special. If he were a few years older, I probably couldn't resist him either."
Su Qingge snapped back to reality and shot her a cold glance, but this time, her rebuttal sounded rather weak.
"Nonsense. Go tidy yourself up."
She turned to face the mirror, looking at the woman reflected there—a woman with slightly flushed cheeks and lingering affection in her eyes. She looked a bit unfamiliar, yet also felt a long-lost flutter in her heart.
Meanwhile, in the corridor.
Jiang Chen walked toward the dining car while checking the balance on his phone.
A 3000 Yuan breakfast? What could possibly be that expensive on this train besides seafood?
Just then, a noisy argument suddenly erupted ahead.
"Why won't you sell it to me? I have money! I'm not short on cash!"
Jiang Chen looked up and saw the Gold Chain Man from yesterday, red-faced and furious, blocking the entrance to the dining car. He was waving a stack of bills, while the Attendant Sister was blocking him with a troubled expression.
7: Chapter 7 Using Magic to Defeat Magic
At the connection between the dining car and the next carriage, the air was thick with a scent of anxious smoke.
The middle-aged man wearing a gold chain—Boss Wang, who had claimed to be in the building materials business yesterday—was currently standing with one foot propped on the doorframe of the dining car, a half-smoked cigarette clamped between his fingers, spitting wildly.
"Sister, what you're doing is really uncalled for. Yesterday that kid could buy lobster, and today I want a bowl of porridge and you say you don't have it? Are you afraid I won't pay?" Boss Wang pulled out several red bills from his wallet and slapped them onto the stainless steel counter with a 'pa' sound. "Five hundred yuan! I want that so-called Supreme Seafood Porridge, make it for me right now!"
The Attendant Sister looked troubled, still holding a rag, her eyebrows furrowed into the shape of the Chinese character 'Chuan': "Sir, this isn't about the money. Yesterday's ingredients were specially supplied, and that young man paid by card in advance... The current preparation is only enough to make plain white porridge. Please don't make things difficult for me."
"Advance payment my foot! I saw it myself!" Boss Wang had clearly spent the night cold, harboring a fire in his belly, which he now unleashed here. "I'm telling you, I'm having this porridge today, and it must have sea cucumber and abalone! Otherwise, I'll file a complaint about your poor service attitude!"
Several passengers lining up to buy steamed buns nearby dared not speak out in anger and kept glancing over.
"Sister, excuse me, please."
A clear and bright voice interjected, unhurried and calm, carrying a hint of morning grogginess, yet inexplicably making one's ears feel refreshed.
Boss Wang turned around and his eyelids immediately twitched when he saw Jiang Chen.
Although the young man's clothes were wrinkled and his hair messy, his face, once washed clean, shone brightly in the morning light, which was enough to provoke anger.
"Oh, isn't this the big spender from last night?" Boss Wang let out a sarcastic snort. "What, are you here to snatch food too? Too bad, there's no lobster left here for you to pretend with."
Jiang Chen didn't even spare him a glance. He walked straight to the dining car window and smiled at the Attendant Sister: "Good morning, Sister. Thank you for your hard work last night."
One doesn't strike a smiling face. The Attendant Sister immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her expression softening: "Good morning, young man. Are you here to buy breakfast? Ah, right now we only have white porridge and pickles. If you don't mind..."
"White porridge is fine, it's good for the stomach," Jiang Chen nodded, then switched the topic, "But I see there are still two unopened 'Yanting' gift boxes in our cabinet? Those are reserved supplies for the Train Conductor to entertain VIP guests, right?"
The Sister was stunned: "How did you know?"
Those were top-tier swiftlet nest porridge instant meal gift boxes prepared in case any leadership inspected the train; they were never sold to the public and were always locked in the top cabinet.
"I saw them when I passed by yesterday." Jiang Chen took out the credit card he had used yesterday, held between two fingers, and handed it over. "Please cook both of those boxes. Also, I remember there are a few cans of unsold imported caviar and two bottles of evian water left in the dining car's freezer. Please bring those out too."
"This..." The Sister hesitated slightly. "Those swiftlet nest gift boxes are recorded under the public account. If we use them, we have to compensate at three times the market price—one box alone is fifteen hundred, plus processing fees and other things..."
"Is three thousand enough?" Jiang Chen's tone was flat, as if he were asking if three yuan was enough for cabbage.
Boss Wang, who was preparing to watch the show next door, flinched, causing the ash from his cigarette to fall into his crotch, burning him so he grimaced.
Three thousand? For breakfast?
This slow train ride would take over ten more hours; three thousand yuan could buy two plane tickets!
"Enough... it's enough." The Sister swallowed, looking at Jiang Chen's sincere and determined eyes, and found she couldn't say no.
This young man was not only handsome but also straightforward in handling things, a million times better than that nouveau riche.
"Then please swipe the card. Sister, please make the porridge a bit thicker. My friends have delicate appetites, so don't put the caviar directly in; serve it chilled."
Jiang Chen handed over the card, never sparing Boss Wang a glance the entire time.
This kind of disregard was more painful than being directly scolded.
As the POS machine printed the receipt with a 'zizhi' sound, Boss Wang's flushed face completely turned the color of pig liver.
The five hundred yuan in his hand felt exceptionally hot now. If he continued to make a scene, it would truly be self-humiliation.
"Tch, lunatic, rich enough to burn money." Boss Wang grumbled as he put the money away and scurried back to the hard sleeper compartment, not even daring to buy plain white porridge.
Jiang Chen leaned by the dining car, listening to the receding footsteps, a faint hint of mockery curving his lips.
For people like this, reasoning was useless; one could only defeat magic with magic—in other words, with 'cash ability'.
Twenty minutes later.
Jiang Chen pushed the familiar small cart back to the door of Compartment 8 in the soft sleeper section.
Before even entering, he heard Chen Man's loud voice coming from inside: "Qing Ge, are your legs still numb? I just came back from the restroom, and you were still rubbing them."
"A little numb, but it's fine." Su Qingge's voice was still cold, but it lacked some vigor.
"Knock, knock."
Jiang Chen knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
The door was pulled open, and a rich aroma of rice mixed with the unique sweet fragrance of high-end ingredients instantly dispersed the musty smell of old bedding in the compartment.
The three women, who had been tidying up their luggage, simultaneously froze their movements.
On the small tabletop, which was slightly peeling, the space was once again filled to the brim.
Crystal-clear swiftlet nest white porridge had formed a thick layer of rice oil on top. Beside it sat chilled caviar, several plates of exquisite preserved vegetables, and even some cut-up Hami melon.
"Oh my god..." Lin Wan dropped the comb in her hand. She looked at the French label on the jar of caviar. "What... what is this? How can this kind of thing be on this train?"
As a former wealthy wife, she knew quality.
Caviar of this grade was outrageously expensive even when sold by the gram.
"Got lucky, found them clearing inventory in the dining car and snagged a deal," Jiang Chen lied without batting an eye, smiling as he gestured. "Eat quickly while it's hot. This porridge warms the stomach and is perfect for chasing away the chill from last night."
Su Qingge sat on her berth, looking at the luxurious breakfast before her, and then looked at Jiang Chen's smiling face.
Although she didn't know the exact price, as a businesswoman, she understood perfectly how false the term 'snagged a deal' sounded.
Without any profit motive, why would a freshly graduated college student invest so much for a chance encounter one night?
For beauty?
She glanced at herself and the other two women.
There was indeed beauty to be appreciated.
"Let's eat first." Su Qingge ultimately said nothing, but as she took the bowl of porridge handed to her by Jiang Chen, her fingers lightly brushed against the back of his hand. "Your hands are so cold. Did you wait in line for a long time?"
"It was alright. I chatted with someone for a bit." Jiang Chen felt the slight warmth on the back of his hand, and his heart stirred slightly.
This was the first time Su Qingge had shown him concern proactively, no longer the polite formality of someone in a superior position, but a warmth infused with everyday life.
[Ding! Mission Complete!]
[Host spent 3280 yuan, triggering a 50x critical cashback!]
[Your bank account has received: 164,000 yuan.]
The hand Jiang Chen kept in his pocket clenched tightly into a fist, his nails digging into his flesh.
One hundred and sixty thousand!
He suppressed the urge to laugh wildly, but his expression remained calm and composed as he sat down and picked up his spoon. "Sisters, let's start. It'll get fishy if it cools down."
"Then I won't be polite!" Chen Man had been craving it for a long time. She picked up her porridge bowl and took a big gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Mmm... This isn't porridge; this is the taste of RMB, little brother!"
8: Chapter 8 Mr. Su, you... went bankrupt?
Inside the narrow compartment, the atmosphere was even warmer than the previous night.
After the steaming hot bird's nest porridge went down, the chill in every limb was finally completely dispelled.
"Little brother, your cooking skill... Oh no, your talent for 'picking up bargains' is truly amazing." Chen Man ate until sweat beaded on her forehead, so she simply took off her military overcoat, revealing the leopard-print camisole underneath.
Her manner of eating was not rough; rather, it possessed a wild beauty.
The spoon moved between her red lips, and occasionally a drop of porridge would stain the corner of her mouth, which she would then lightly lick away with her tongue.
Jiang Chen sat opposite her, and his line of sight perfectly swept over her heaving chest.
He quickly lowered his head to drink his porridge. This scene was too stimulating; if he kept looking, he would get a nosebleed.
"Eat slowly, no one is snatching it from you." Lin Wan helplessly offered her a tissue, then turned to look at Jiang Chen, her eyes as gentle as if she were looking at her own sensible younger brother. "Little Jiang, you should eat more yourself. You sat up all night like that; your body can't handle it."
As she spoke, she naturally picked up the serving chopsticks and placed the best piece of pickled cucumber into Jiang Chen's bowl.
This kind of silent, gentle care made Jiang Chen, who had studied alone in a foreign land since childhood, feel a sting in his nose.
"Thank you, Sister Wan."
Su Qingge hadn't spoken much throughout.
She ate very slowly, her movements elegant as if she were attending a dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Although her long legs were hidden by the table, Jiang Chen could sense her subtly shifting her posture beneath the table.
Were her feet, which were icy cold last night, warm now?
Just then, the phone next to Su Qingge's pillow suddenly vibrated.
Buzz— — Buzz— —
In the quiet compartment, the sound was exceptionally jarring.
Su Qingge paused while eating her porridge, glanced at the screen, and her brow instantly furrowed.
She didn't answer but directly silenced it and placed the phone face down on the table.
However, the caller clearly wasn't willing to give up.
In less than ten seconds, the phone vibrated again.
This time, even Chen Man stopped her spoon and looked at her with some worry: "Sister Su, why don't you answer? Is there an emergency at the company?"
Su Qingge put down her spoon, picked up the phone to look at it, and her complexion turned several shades paler than when she was frozen last night.
"Sorry, I need to step out to take a call."
She grabbed her phone, threw on the military overcoat, and hurriedly pulled open the door to step outside.
The moment the door closed, Jiang Chen saw the knuckles gripping her phone turning white.
"Sigh..." Lin Wan let out a soft sigh. "It seems Miss Su has it tough too. I noticed she was frowning even in her sleep last night."
"Who has it easy?" Chen Man pouted, fiddling with her empty bowl. "They look glamorous on the surface, but who isn't a mess behind the scenes? Nowadays, bosses have it worse than employees; they might end up on the rooftop tomorrow."
Jiang Chen didn't reply, just listened quietly.
Although they had been together for less than twenty-four hours, he could feel the taut string on Su Qingge's body seemed ready to snap.
Not long after, the door was pushed open.
Su Qingge was back.
The expression on her face had returned to its usual coldness, but her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just been exposed to the wind.
"What's wrong, Sister Su? Are you alright?" Jiang Chen asked tentatively.
"Nothing, the signal is bad," Su Qingge replied flatly, sitting back down on her bunk.
But she didn't touch her chopsticks again, just cradled the now somewhat cool tea, staring blankly at the rapidly receding snowy landscape outside the window.
It was a look of vacancy following extreme exhaustion.
Jiang Chen saw it, and the impulse to 'do something' in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
It wasn't just because of the system task; it was more because of the feeling these women gave him.
In this confined space, they had let down their guard and treated him as a man they could rely on, rather than just a young kid.
"Sister Su."
Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but very firm.
Su Qingge snapped back to attention and turned to look at him: "Hmm?"
"That secret you mentioned last night, does it still count?" Jiang Chen looked into her eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm full and satisfied now, perfect for listening to stories."
Su Qingge froze for a moment, then gave a wry laugh.
Of course, she remembered.
Last night, she had just said it casually to keep warm, never expecting this kid would actually remember.
"You want to hear it?" Su Qingge put down her teacup, leaned back slightly against the compartment wall. Her military overcoat was open, revealing the fitted professional attire and curves underneath.
That sense of pressure and charm belonging to a mature woman was fully displayed at this moment.
"I want to hear it," Jiang Chen nodded.
"Fine." Su Qingge took a deep breath, as if making a decision. "Since you want to hear it, then I'll tell you."
The compartment fell silent.
Chen Man and Lin Wan also unconsciously softened their breathing, as if anticipating hearing some earth-shattering gossip next.
Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, her gaze somewhat hazy, her voice low: "Many men think what women want is money, bags, those vain things."
She gestured toward the expensive leftovers on the table.
"It's true, those things can make people happy. But I'm telling you, what truly makes a woman completely fall is never about how much money you spend on her."
Jiang Chen subconsciously asked: "Then what is it?"
Su Qingge suddenly leaned forward, her exquisite face close to Jiang Chen's, so near that even their breaths mingled.
Jiang Chen could smell the faint scent of her perfume, mixed with the unique freshness of the morning.
"It's a sense of security."
Su Qingge exhaled like a gentle breeze, her eyes fixed directly into Jiang Chen's pupils. "It's when she is at her most wretched, most helpless, and coldest, you wrap your coat around her without her needing to say a word, and warm her feet... in your embrace."
She whispered the last half-sentence very softly, so softly that only Jiang Chen could hear it.
Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat.
This woman was simply a siren.
"Last night..." Su Qingge leaned back, resting against the wall again, a self-mocking smile curling her lips. "If it weren't for my company's capital chain breaking, if it weren't for those debt collectors blocking my front door, I wouldn't have bought this soft sleeper ticket to run away."
"What?" Chen Man exclaimed, "CEO Su, you... are bankrupt?"
Su Qingge didn't deny it, just shrugged: "Pretty much. This trip to the provincial capital is to beg for one last round of financing. If the negotiation fails..."
She didn't finish, but the meaning was already very clear.
If the negotiation failed, this aloof female CEO might truly lose everything.
"Originally, I was quite desperate," Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, her gaze softening. "But last night, there was a foolish boy who, despite having no money himself, treated us to a meal, bought me a coat, and even..."
She paused, a suspicious blush creeping onto her face.
"Even let me use him as a hand warmer."
"At that moment, I thought: Heaven never seals off all paths. Since even such a foolish boy can be so optimistic in a desperate situation, why should I, Su Qingge, admit defeat?"
Jiang Chen scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward: "Sister Su, I did that because..."
"It doesn't matter why you did it," Su Qingge interrupted him, her tone becoming extremely serious. "Jiang Chen, thank you. This meal is something I owe you. When I turn things around, I'll pay you back with interest."
"Forget paying me back," Jiang Chen smiled, his tone carrying a bit of youthful arrogance. "If Sister Su really wants to thank me, why not..."
"Why not what?" The three women looked at him simultaneously.
Jiang Chen blinked: "Why not let me accompany you to discuss that financing when we reach the provincial capital? I've always had good luck, a so-called 'wife-blessing' constitution. Maybe it will work out?"
"Pfft— —" Chen Man spat out the water she had just taken a sip of.
"Wife-blessing?" Su Qingge was also amused, and the heavy atmosphere instantly lightened considerably.
She looked at Jiang Chen's confident face and nodded on impulse.
"Alright. Then I'll borrow your luck."
9: Chapter 9 You want to buy these bottles of water that cost tens of dollars each, to... to wash up?
The air in the carriage had become somewhat sticky due to the few cans of caviar and the steaming hot bird's nest congee, yet it carried a strange sense of tranquility.
Chen Man was the worst at keeping secrets.
She put down the porcelain bowl that had been scraped clean, elegantly wiped her lips with a tissue, and her eyes, lined with cat-eye makeup, circled Jiang Chen twice.
"Little brother, be straight with your sister." Chen Man leaned forward, resting her elbows on the small table. The leopard-print strap of her slip dress dipped slightly with the movement. "You have a coat worth thousands, breakfast worth thousands, and you can even 'snag' caviar. Are the interns these days this wild with their connections?"
As soon as she said this, Lin Wan, who had been tidying up the leftovers, also stopped what she was doing.
Although Su Qingge didn't speak, her cool, aloof eyes also turned over, clearly waiting for an explanation.
Jiang Chen had long anticipated this question.
He leaned back in his seat, looking composed, playing with the empty glass water cup in his hand. His tone was as casual as if he were commenting on the nice weather.
"If I said I was a second-generation rich kid, would you believe me?"
"No," Su Qingge replied crisply. "Second-generation rich kids don't wear three-for-one-hundred-yuan undershirts."
Her observation skills were truly sharp.
Jiang Chen smiled, not showing any embarrassment at being called out. "Sister Su has sharp eyes. Indeed, my family background is very ordinary, perhaps even a bit difficult. I made this money recently because I got lucky and followed the trend investing a little in cryptocurrency online. I didn't have high hopes, but by sheer chance, it multiplied dozens of times."
He didn't mention the specific amount or the specific project.
This vague explanation was actually the perfect cover.
"When I first earned the money, I also thought about saving it to buy a house and get married," Jiang Chen shrugged, his gaze sweeping over the three beautiful women in front of him. "But later I figured it out: money only counts as money when you spend it; when it's in the bank, it's just a string of numbers. Especially on a special day like today, meeting three such beautiful sisters, this money is well spent."
"Your words are sweet," Lin Wan smiled and shook her head, her suspicion dissipating considerably. "But Little Jiang, luck-based money doesn't last. You still need to work diligently in the future."
"Sister Wanwan is right," Jiang Chen readily agreed.
"Luck is also a form of capability," Chen Man, however, appreciated the attitude. She leaned back onto her bunk lazily, a hint of melancholy in her eyes. "Unlike me, after all these years of hustling, I seem glamorous, but I'm just a high-level employee. A few days ago, I broke up with my partner, and he even took half the shares of the nightclub."
"You broke up?" Lin Wan looked a bit surprised.
"Broke up. Should I keep him around for the New Year?" Chen Man scoffed, pulling out a box of women's cigarettes from her bag. Just as she was about to light one, she glanced at the enclosed carriage and stuffed it back in. "That bastard's family is pressuring him to marry, saying my job in the nightclub isn't respectable. He immediately went to date a civil servant. To hell with his respectability."
The carriage fell silent for a few seconds.
"Actually... I'm quite envious that you all can still date."
Lin Wan, who hadn't spoken, suddenly spoke up, her voice as low as a mosquito's hum. She looked down at the diamond ring on her ring finger. The diamond was large, but it didn't make her look any happier.
"My husband and I met through a matchmaker; our families are equally matched. We've been married for five years, and I can count the number of times he's come home on one hand. Besides sending money home every month, we seem to have nothing to talk about." Lin Wan gave a bitter smile. "I came out this time because my mother-in-law is worried about my infertility and forced me to go to the provincial capital's major hospital for a check-up. In truth, I know it's not a physical problem; it's him... he's incapable. Every night, he avoids me."
This kind of intimate topic would absolutely never be brought up unless they were in such a closed environment where everyone was slightly tipsy (whether from being full or from the earlier alcohol).
Jiang Chen listened silently, not interrupting. He knew that at this moment, listening was more important than comforting.
"What about Sister Su?" Chen Man didn't want the atmosphere to become too heavy and turned to look at Su Qingge. "General Manager Su is so outstanding; the line of suitors must stretch all the way to France, right?"
Su Qingge leaned against the window. The snow outside had stopped, and the sunlight illuminated her profile, making her look somewhat unrealistically translucent.
"Never dated."
"What?" Even Jiang Chen was stunned this time.
"What's so surprising about that?" Su Qingge said faintly, her tone betraying no emotion. "In university, I was busy getting scholarships; after graduation, I was busy starting a business. In my view, dating has the lowest return on investment. Most men are childish and arrogant. Instead of wasting time coaxing them, it's better to close two more contracts."
She turned her head, her gaze falling on Jiang Chen, and the corner of her mouth curved into an almost-smile. "Of course, if it were someone who could provide emotional value and also serve as a warm stove in critical moments... I might consider it."
Jiang Chen felt his heart skip a beat.
Was that... flirting?
"Alright, stop teasing Little Jiang," Lin Wan noticed Jiang Chen's awkwardness and smiled to ease the tension. "Eating too much makes you sleepy. How about taking another nap?"
"Nap? I feel sticky and uncomfortable all over." Chen Man tugged at her collar, looking disgusted. "I sweated a lot yesterday, and I just ate hot congee. I feel like a marinated piece of salted fish right now."
This struck a chord.
Su Qingge also frowned and subconsciously sniffed her collar.
For someone with her cleanliness standards, this was already the limit of her tolerance.
"I'll go to the restroom to see if there's any water. Even just wiping myself down would be nice," Lin Wan said, grabbing a towel and standing up.
However, less than two minutes later, she returned empty-handed, her face looking pale.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Chen asked.
"The water is shut off," Lin Wan sighed. "The attendant said a pipe froze and burst. They're repairing it, but it will probably take several hours to restore the water supply."
"Ah? Then what do we do?" Chen Man wailed, slumping onto the bunk. "I feel like I'm going to spoil! How am I supposed to face anyone like this?"
Just then, that familiar mechanical voice rang out in Jiang Chen's mind again.
"Ding! Detected that the ladies around the Host have fallen into a 'Cleanliness Crisis.'"
"How can exquisite goddesses tolerate sweat stains and stickiness? The Host must immediately solve the problem of water for washing up."
"Mission requirement: The water provided must be top-tier drinking mineral water, and the Host must guard the ladies' washing safety throughout the entire process."
"Mission budget: Not less than 5000 yuan."
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
Washing faces and bodies with top-tier mineral water?
This system truly... understands people's desires.
"The pipe burst?" Chen Man grabbed her hair in despair. "This broken train still has to run for several more hours. Are we supposed to just ferment until the terminus?"
Although Su Qingge remained silent, her brow furrowed even tighter.
She shifted uncomfortably. That feeling of discomfort all over was simply more unbearable for someone accustomed to a refined life than going bankrupt.
Jiang Chen stood up and straightened his coat hem. "It's not necessarily true that we have to wait for the pipe to be fixed."
"You have a way?" Three pairs of eyes looked over simultaneously.
"Isn't any water fine?" Jiang Chen pointed outside the door. "The dining car should still have reserve bottled water. While we can't shower, simple wiping down should be fine."
"Bottled water?" Lin Wan hesitated. "How many bottles would that take? And supplies are tight on the train right now; everyone is scrambling for instant noodles. The water must have been bought out too."
"You ladies don't need to worry about that," Jiang Chen smiled, that look of certainty returning to his face. "I told you, I'm usually very lucky. You prepare towels and spare clothes; I'll be right back."
With that, Jiang Chen pushed the door open again.
The corridor was even more crowded than before, filled with passengers complaining about the water outage.
The air was permeated with an even richer smell of instant noodles and body odor, mixed with the stuffiness from the restored heating, making it suffocating.
Jiang Chen held his breath and squeezed his way to the dining car.
The familiar Attendant Sister was taking inventory. Seeing Jiang Chen approach, she looked as if she had seen a relative. "Oh, young man, you're here to ask about water, right? Gone, gone. The last box of Kang master was just snatched up by the big brother in the hard-seat section next door."
"I'm not buying Kang master," Jiang Chen glanced at the few display shelves locked in the glass cabinet. "That row of Evian, and those few cases of sparkling water, haven't been touched, right?"
The sister was momentarily stunned. "Those bottles cost tens of yuan each, and you still want to buy them?"
"I want all of it," Jiang Chen pulled out his credit card, his tone as calm as if he were buying cabbage. "Also, I see a new large stainless steel thermos in that corner over there? Please get that for me too. I need to mix some hot water with this water, otherwise, it's too cold to use."
The sister's mouth dropped open, and the ballpoint pen in her hand nearly fell to the floor. "You mean... you want to buy these bottles of water that cost tens of yuan each, to go... to wash up?"
"No choice, my friends are clean freaks and can't stand it," Jiang Chen swiped the card and signed the receipt, his movements fluid.
10: Chapter 10 Three Beauties Bathing Together
Five minutes later.
When Jiang Chen returned to the soft sleeper carriage carrying two unopened boxes of evian water and holding a giant, steaming insulated bucket, the entire corridor fell silent.
Boss Wang, who had been causing trouble earlier, was going around borrowing water with an empty teacup. When he saw this scene, his eyeballs nearly popped out.
"Is he crazy? Washing his face with evian water?" someone muttered softly.
Jiang Chen ignored the gazes around him, whether they were jealous or viewing him as an idiot, and walked straight to the door of Compartment No. 8, gently kicking it with his toe.
The door opened, and Lin Wan was the one who opened it.
Seeing Jiang Chen with all that equipment, she covered her mouth: "Xiao Jiang, this you..."
"Move aside quickly, this is too heavy." Jiang Chen squeezed in sideways, placed the two boxes of water on the floor, and set the insulated bucket full of hot water on the table. "There was nothing else at the dining car, only this. We'll have to make do."
Chen Man picked up a bottle of the glass-bottled water, looked at the label, and her mouth twitched: "Little brother, you call this making do? One bottle of this is enough for me to have a good meal. If I use this to wipe myself down, I fear I'll shorten my lifespan."
"Money spent is money well spent." Jiang Chen twisted open a bottle and poured some into the lid of the insulated bucket to test the temperature. "I've already mixed in hot water; the temperature is just right. Our compartment is too small to move around, and if we wet the carpet, we won't be able to sleep tonight. Let's go to the independent washroom at the end of the carriage."
At the end of the soft sleeper carriage, there was a lockable independent washroom. Although it wasn't large, it was much cleaner and more spacious than the public toilet.
It was usually for the train staff, but since the water was cut off, no one was using it.
"The lock on that washroom seems a bit faulty; it doesn't close tightly," Su Qingge said with some worry. "It's so chaotic outside..."
"That's why I'll go with you." Jiang Chen patted his chest, his eyes clear. "I'll stand guard at the door. No one will get in unless I'm incapacitated."
The three women exchanged glances.
In such a chaotic environment, having a reliable man guarding the door was indeed more effective than any lock.
"Then... we'll have to trouble you." Su Qingge stood up and took out a set of silk pajamas and a toiletry bag from her suitcase. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, clearly thinking about what they were about to do just on the other side of the door from Jiang Chen.
The four of them, carrying bags and parcels, walked through the corridor.
Jiang Chen walked at the very back, carrying the extremely heavy insulated bucket, like a dutiful bodyguard.
Upon reaching the washroom door, Jiang Chen first carried the water bucket inside, then moved in the two boxes of evian water, filling the small space completely.
"It's not big in here. Sisters, do you want to go one by one, or...?" Jiang Chen stepped out and asked by the door.
"Together, to save time," Chen Man was quite straightforward. "It's all women anyway, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, the water temperature can't be kept for too long."
Su Qingge and Lin Wan also didn't object. At a time like this, efficiency came first.
"Alright then." Jiang Chen turned around, standing with his back to the washroom door, blocking the middle of the corridor like a guardian deity. "I'll be right here. Call me when you're done."
The door closed behind him.
Although it was only slightly ajar and held precariously by the broken latch, the people inside felt an unprecedented sense of security because of Jiang Chen's broad back blocking the way.
This area at the end of the corridor was relatively quiet, only punctuated by the clanging sound of the wheels hitting the rails at the joint.
Jiang Chen leaned against the doorframe of the washroom, arms crossed, one long leg casually stretched out. He appeared to be spacing out, but in reality, every nerve was taut.
Even though there was a door between them, he could still clearly hear the sounds inside.
First came a series of light clicks as plastic bottle caps were twisted open—the sound of bubbles being released.
"Hiss... Using this water is such a waste," Lin Wan's voice carried a hint of heartache mixed with novelty. "Bathing with water that costs hundreds of yuan—I never thought I'd experience this in my life."
"Stop feeling bad and wipe yourself down quickly. The heating is too strong; my back is covered in sweat." This was Chen Man's voice, followed by a rustling sound of fabric rubbing against skin.
Jiang Chen subconsciously held his breath.
For an adult male with normal hearing, this kind of torture—'hearing but not seeing'—was top-tier.
"Splash—"
The sound of water began.
It should have been the sound of a towel soaking in water, followed by the dripping sound as it was wrung out.
"Sister Su, have you unhooked the clasp on your back? Do you need me to help?" Chen Man's voice suddenly rose slightly, carrying a hint of teasing. "Tsk tsk, your skin is so fair. You must take good care of yourself normally, right?"
"Shut up. Wipe yourself down," Su Qingge's voice was still cool, but it clearly carried a hint of unsteady breath. "The water is getting a little cold; hurry up."
Jiang Chen's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He looked up at the dim yellow light on the ceiling, trying to clear the images in his mind.
But the sound of the water seemed magical.
He could imagine the steam rising as a warm towel wiped across skin, and he could imagine the scent of body wash filling the narrow space—it was the cool, woody scent Su Qingge often used, mixed with the faint milky fragrance from Lin Wan.
"Ouch!"
A soft cry suddenly came from inside, followed by a dull thud as something hit the door panel.
Jiang Chen's body stiffened. He spun around abruptly, his hand pressing onto the doorknob: "What happened? Are you alright?"
The door panel was thin. His palm rested against it, and he could even feel the vibrations coming from the other side.
"Nothing, nothing!" Lin Wan's flustered voice came through. "It's just that the floor is a bit slippery, and Manman almost fell and bumped the door."
"I'm fine... I just bumped my arm," Chen Man's voice came as she sucked in a breath. "Little brother, don't come in! We... we're all undressed!"
Jiang Chen's hand instantly recoiled as if burned.
"Cough, be careful. If the water isn't enough, I can go get more." He awkwardly turned back around and rubbed his nose.
This wasn't guarding a door; this was enduring a trial.
Just then, that annoying Boss Wang appeared out of nowhere.
He was holding an empty bottle, seemingly hoping to try his luck at the sink nearby to collect some water.
Seeing Jiang Chen blocking the way like a guardian deity, Boss Wang paused for a moment, then heard the sound of water and women talking from inside.
Those cloudy little eyes instantly lit up, and a lewd smile spread across his face: "Oh, who's in there? Sounds like quite a few people? Taking a bath?"
As he spoke, he tried to peek inside.
A hand blocked his path.
Jiang Chen was still leaning against the doorframe, not even changing his posture, but his hand firmly blocked Boss Wang's way.
"There are people inside; it's inconvenient." Jiang Chen's voice wasn't loud, but the chill in his tone was colder than the blizzard from last night.
"We're all out traveling; just be accommodating," Boss Wang tried to push Jiang Chen's hand away with a fawning smile. "I'm just here to get some water, not to look at anything else."
"Get lost."
Jiang Chen only spoke one word.
He straightened up. His height of one meter eighty-three towered over the overweight Boss Wang by more than half a head.
His eyes, which usually held a gentle smile, were slightly narrowed now, revealing a terrifying fierceness.
Boss Wang felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze.
He recalled how extravagant this kid was when swiping his card for lobster yesterday, and he remembered the boxes of evian water he had carried in just now.
Rich people weren't scary; what was scary were these young fools who were rich and reckless.
"Fine, fine, you're tough," Boss Wang sheepishly retracted his neck, muttering as he walked away, "Having a little money makes you so great, what a jerk."
Jiang Chen leaned back against the doorframe and let out a quiet breath.
"Ding! Mission complete!"
"Host successfully provided the ladies with a top-tier washing experience and perfectly fulfilled the duty of guardianship."
"Reward obtained: Cash rebate of 35,000 yuan."
"Additional reward: Su Qingge Favorability +5, Lin Wan Favorability +5, Chen Man Favorability +5."
His phone vibrated once in his pocket.
11: Chapter 11 I forgot my underwear
The air in the corridor was somewhat stale, mixed with the spiciness of instant noodles and the smell of sweat from the crowd.
Jiang Chen leaned against the doorframe. The not-so-sturdy wooden door behind him occasionally emitted a slight tremor, and each tremor felt like a knock against his taut nerves.
The sound of water inside stopped.
It was replaced by a rustling sound of clothes being put on, and conversations that were deliberately lowered but still clear.
"Manman, don't crowd me, this place is too small." It was Lin Wan's voice, soft and slightly helpless.
"Oh, Sister Wan, your butt sticks out, taking up space." Chen Man's laughter always had a hook to it. "Sister Su, did your stockings snag? I thought they caught on the doorknob just now."
"... Shut up." Su Qingge's voice was muffled, as if she were struggling into something tight. "Hurry up and get dressed, there must be a lot of people waiting outside."
Jiang Chen tilted his head up, staring at the flickering emergency light on the ceiling of the carriage, trying to clear his mind.
But a person's imagination is always exceptionally rich at times like these. Even though he couldn't see anything, his mind automatically filled in the scene of the three women in that not-so-spacious area at this very moment.
Just then, the door panel behind him was gently knocked upon.
Tap tap.
The sound was light, tinged with hesitation.
"Xiao Jiang?" Lin Wan's voice came through the crack in the door, sounding somewhat embarrassed.
Jiang Chen didn't move, just turned his head slightly: "I'm here. What's wrong, Sister Wan?"
Silence reigned inside for two seconds, followed by a sound of shoving, as if they were pushing the task onto one another.
Finally, Lin Wan spoke, her voice even weaker than before: "Um... could you pass that black travel bag in for a moment?"
Jiang Chen looked down at his feet. There was indeed a black handbag there, bulging, which he had casually placed on the floor while moving water earlier.
"Okay." Jiang Chen bent down and picked up the bag. "Should I open the door now?"
"Don't!" Chen Man's cry of alarm came from inside. "Don't open it wide! Just... just open a crack! Wanwan forgot to bring her intimate... cough, forgot to bring her change of clothes."
Jiang Chen's hand froze mid-air.
So they forgot their clothes.
They could forget that?
"Are you ready?" Jiang Chen took a deep breath, trying to make his tone sound upright.
"Um... we're ready. You can pass it in now."
Jiang Chen turned around, his hand gripping the cool, spherical doorknob, and slowly twisted it. The broken latch made a faint metallic scraping sound, and the door was pushed open a gap of about five centimeters.
A wave of rich, warm vapor instantly surged out from the crack.
The smell was complex, possessing the unique crispness of evian water, mixed with the sweet fragrance of shower gel, and that indescribable, subtle body scent belonging to women.
The heat rushed onto Jiang Chen's face, like countless soft little hands brushing past.
He kept his eyes straight ahead, staring at the wood grain on the door panel, and pushed the black bag in his hand through the gap.
"Is that enough room?"
A hand reached out from the dense white mist.
The hand was very wet, the skin flushed pink from the hot water, and water droplets were still dripping from the fingertips.
Because the gap was too narrow, as the hand reached for the bag, it inevitably touched the back of Jiang Chen's hand.
Slippery. Warm.
The sensation in that instant made both of them flinch as if they had received an electric shock.
"Th-thank you." The hand hastily grabbed the handle of the bag and quickly retracted.
Jiang Chen could tell that it was Su Qingge's voice.
Although she tried hard to remain calm, the slight tremor in her trailing voice betrayed her current panic.
With a 'thud,' the door was shut again.
Jiang Chen leaned back against the doorframe, looking at the back of his hand that had just been touched, where a slight warm dampness still lingered.
He rubbed his fingers together, a helpless smile touching the corner of his mouth.
This was really testing him.
Inside, there was another flurry of sounds of dressing.
"Sister Su, why is your face so red?" Chen Man's voice, as always, sounded at the most inopportune time. "It's just passing in clothes, we didn't see anything."
"It's hot," Su Qingge replied coldly. "Also, that's my bag, don't rummage through it."
"Got it, got it. I can't look at President Su's personal belongings. But these lace edges... tsk tsk, nice taste."
"Chen Man!"
Listening to the bickering inside, the slight agitation in Jiang Chen's heart slowly subsided.
This kind of interaction, full of mundane life, made him feel exceptionally real.
These were no longer the aloof female CEO or the wealthy socialite, just a few women who had temporarily let down their guard due to an accident during their journey.
About ten minutes passed.
The door lock moved again. This time, the door was pulled completely open.
Chen Man was the first to step out.
She had changed into a loose white T-shirt, the hem tied in a knot at her waist, revealing her flat abdomen.
The signature hot pants were still on, but her legs, having just showered, looked exceptionally fair and long.
Her hair was draped down wetly, and her whole person exuded a freshness and wildness of someone just out of the water.
"Phew—I'm alive!" Chen Man shook her hair, and a few drops of water splashed onto Jiang Chen's face. "Little brother, bathing with evian water really is different; it feels like my skin has softened by a layer."
Lin Wan followed immediately after.
She was dressed more conservatively in a set of gray cotton loungewear. Although it didn't accentuate her figure, the gentle, wifely aura she possessed was brought out vividly.
Her cheeks were flushed, like a ripe peach.
The last to emerge was Su Qingge.
She seemed to have made a special effort to tidy up. Although it was just a simple shirt and long pants, the buttons were fastened meticulously.
However, her hair, which was not yet completely dry, and the rich scent of the bath product on her person, significantly diminished her usual sense of distance.
The three women stood in the narrow corridor, like three different scenic vistas, instantly lighting up the dim carriage.
"Are you all ready?" Jiang Chen looked at them, his eyes clear.
"Yes, we're ready." Su Qingge nodded, handing the towel in her hand to Jiang Chen. "There's still half a bucket of hot water inside, untouched. If you find it..."
"What's there to find fault with?" Jiang Chen took the towel, which still carried Su Qingge's body temperature. "Water resources are so precious, of course, we can't waste them. You all go back to the compartment first. It's messy here, don't linger outside."
"Then hurry up, we'll wait for you," Lin Wan reminded him.
Watching the backs of the three women disappear around the corner, Jiang Chen finally turned and entered the washroom.
The space was very small, probably only about two square meters.
The four walls were covered in water droplets, and the sweet, cloying fragrance in the air was so dense it was almost suffocating.
The tiles on the floor were somewhat slippery, and the empty evian water bottles were still placed in the corner.
Jiang Chen locked the door from the inside, looking at the stainless steel thermos on the sink that was still emitting heat.
There was indeed more than half the water left in the bucket, crystal clear, with no impurities.
He took off his top, revealing lean and firm muscle lines.
In this small, sealed space filled with an ambiguous atmosphere, using the hot water just used by the three beauties—this experience was probably a unique luxury on this train.
12: Chapter 12 Su Qingge: Help me apply some ointment to my back
The remaining water temperature was just right.
Jiang Chen moved quickly; he wasn't in the mood for some leisurely SPA experience.
After a simple scrub, the greasy feeling and fatigue clinging to his skin were swept away.
He changed into a clean white T-shirt.
Checking himself in the mirror, though his hair was still wet, he looked much more energetic.
That youthful edge was made even more prominent by his simple attire.
Pushing open the door, the cold air rushed at him once again.
The corridor was even noisier than before.
Because the water outage was lasting longer and longer, many passengers began to grow irritable. A few train attendants were surrounded in the middle, their throats parched from explaining.
Jiang Chen carried the empty insulated container and several empty glass bottles through the crowd.
“Hey, isn't that the kid from earlier?”
“Look what's in his hand? Evian bottles?”
“Damn, it really is. I heard Old Wang next door say someone was bathing with evian water, and I didn't believe it. This is actually for real?”
Whispers buzzed in his ears like flies. In this green-skinned carriage filled with the smell of instant noodles and smelly feet, Jiang Chen, who had just showered and exuded a refreshing fragrance, was like an out-of-place anomaly.
Ignoring the stares, he walked straight toward Carriage 8.
Just as he turned the corner at the connection, he saw that the three women hadn't returned to their compartment but were waiting for him in the aisle by the window.
The sky outside was already bright, and the post-snow sunlight shone glaringly on the snow, reflecting a dazzling white light.
The three women stood in the light and shadow. Chen Man was leaning against the window touching up her makeup, while Lin Wan was helping Su Qingge straighten her slightly messy collar.
The scene was as beautiful as a movie still.
Not far from them, Boss Wang with the gold chain was leaning against his compartment door, a cigarette in hand. His beady eyes were fixed right on them, as if they were about to pop out.
Before, everyone had been wrapped in military overcoats, and it was night, so things weren't clear.
Now that these three beauties were clean and had changed into form-fitting clothes, the visual impact was practically nuclear.
Especially Chen Man; her long legs were so white they seemed to reflect light in the morning sun.
Boss Wang swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.
“Oh, Jiang Chen is back.” Lin Wan was the first to see Jiang Chen and waved with a smile. “Come over quickly; the wind in the aisle is strong, don't catch a cold.”
Jiang Chen walked over and naturally stood between the three women and Boss Wang, blocking that greasy gaze.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Jiang Chen smiled and put the insulated container on the floor. “Let's go back inside; the air out here is bad.”
“It really is bad, smells like smoke.” Chen Man glanced pointedly at Boss Wang and raised her voice on purpose. “Some people really have no class, smoking in a public place. Aren't they afraid of their lungs turning black?”
Boss Wang's face stiffened.
Normally, he would have cursed back long ago.
But at this moment, looking at Chen Man's bright and moving face, and then at the tall and handsome pretty boy standing in front of her, he felt inexplicably short of breath.
This kid... what's his background?
Judging by his clothes, he didn't look like anyone wealthy; that T-shirt was just a Uniqlo style.
But the calmness emanating from his bones, and the natural reliance these three top-tier beauties had on him, made Boss Wang feel uneasy.
“Let's go.” Su Qingge didn't even give the others a glance as she turned and pulled open the compartment door.
Just then, the train suddenly jolted with a loud “clack-clack”.
The train, which had just started moving, seemed a bit unstable.
Wearing high heels, Su Qingge's foot slipped, and she fell backward.
“Watch out!”
Jiang Chen was quick, grabbing her by the waist.
With a pull of his arm, he brought her steadily into his embrace.
Su Qingge's back bumped against Jiang Chen's chest, and her freshly washed hair brushed against the tip of his nose, carrying a pleasant fragrance.
“Are you okay?” Jiang Chen asked, looking down.
Su Qingge gripped Jiang Chen's arm, still shaken; that moment of weightlessness made her heart race.
She looked up, meeting Jiang Chen's concerned gaze.
At such a close distance, she could even see the tiny water droplets clinging to Jiang Chen's eyelashes.
“I'm... I'm fine.” Su Qingge felt the heat from the large hand on her waist through her thin shirt, making her feel a bit weak.
She quickly stood up straight and fixed her hair. “There might be snow on the tracks, it's a bit bumpy.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Chen Man crossed her arms nearby. “President Su, your technique for throwing yourself into someone's arms is getting more and more skilled.”
“If you don't speak, no one will think you're a mute.” Su Qingge glared at her, but there wasn't much bite in that look; instead, it carried a hint of flustered charm.
The group filed into the compartment, and the door closed with a “thud”.
It shut out the noise outside, as well as Boss Wang's envious and hateful gaze.
Boss Wang took a hard drag of his cigarette, threw the butt on the ground and stomped it out, muttering, “Damn it, all the good cabbage is being rooted by a pig.”
But he knew in his heart that this “pig” was likely a breed he couldn't afford to mess with.
Inside the compartment.
The space instantly became crowded.
Although it was still that narrow four-person room, because everyone had washed up, the oppressive and gloomy feeling had dissipated quite a bit.
The air was filled with several different scents, which surprisingly smelled quite good when mixed together.
“Finally comfortable.” Chen Man threw herself onto the upper bunk without any grace, her long legs dangling. “This trip was really worth it—a five-star breakfast and an evian water shower. I'll be able to brag about this for a year when I get back.”
“You, you just love to show off.” Lin Wan sat on the lower bunk, applying hand cream. “Jiang Chen, sit down and rest for a bit. Carrying that bucket must have been quite heavy, right?”
Jiang Chen sat on his bunk and shook his slightly aching arm. “It's fine, I'll just count it as a workout.”
Su Qingge sat opposite him, holding a small bottle and applying body lotion to her legs.
The climate in the Qinling Mountains was naturally dry, and the heating in the carriage was strong. If one didn't apply something after a shower, the skin would get itchy from dryness.
She rolled up her pant legs slightly, revealing her smooth calves.
The fair skin glowed with a porcelain-like luster under the dim light.
Jiang Chen's gaze was uncontrollably drawn toward her.
Su Qingge seemed to notice; her movements paused for a second, but she didn't pull her pant legs down.
“What are you looking at?” She looked up, a hint of a half-smile in her eyes. “Never seen someone apply body lotion before?”
“Cough.” Jiang Chen didn't expect to be caught red-handed, but he didn't look away. Instead, he nodded frankly. “I really haven't... never seen it applied so beautifully.”
This was a bit bold, even carrying a hint of flirtation.
Su Qingge was stunned for a moment.
If any other man had said that, she would have certainly found it greasy and disgusting.
But coming from Jiang Chen's mouth, paired with his clean and honest face, it actually gave her a flicker of inexplicable pleasure.
“Smooth talker.” Su Qingge huffed lightly, but she wasn't truly angry. Instead, she handed over the bottle of body lotion. “Since you're so good with words, how about a favor?”
“What?” Jiang Chen didn't quite follow.
“My back.” Su Qingge turned around, her back to Jiang Chen, and pulled the collar of her shirt down slightly, revealing a section of her snow-white neck and upper back. “That bump earlier hurt a bit, and I can't reach it myself. Help me apply some.”
After she said that.
Chen Man poked her head out from the upper bunk, forgetting to crack the melon seed in her mouth.
Lin Wan's hand, which was applying hand cream, stopped in mid-air.
Jiang Chen looked at the warm bottle in his hand and then at the defenseless back in front of him. His throat felt a bit dry.
“What? You don't want to?” Su Qingge turned her head slightly, her peripheral vision sweeping over him with a hint of provocation.
“It would be my honor.”
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, unscrewed the cap, and squeezed a dollop of white lotion into his palm.
13: Chapter 13 A Song of Ice and Fire
He didn't rush to act, but first pressed his palms together, rubbing them slowly and patiently.
Friction generates heat.
Only by warming this cool lotion until it was warm would it not cause an uncomfortable shiver on her delicate skin.
Su Qingge sat with her back to him, her spine perfectly straight.
Her half-dry long hair was casually tossed to one side across her chest, revealing that entire expanse of breathtakingly smooth back.
The red marks left by the collision just now were faintly visible beneath her shoulder blades, like a splash of cinnabar carelessly spilled on that piece of perfect white jade.
"Are you done?" Su Qingge's voice was a little tight. She tried to turn her head but pulled the sore spot, causing her delicate eyebrows to furrow slightly.
"Don't move."
Jiang Chen's voice was deep, carrying an undeniable force.
The next second, a broad, warm, large hand pressed against her back.
"Mmm..."
Su Qingge couldn't help it, and a very light, muffled groan escaped from the depths of her throat.
The temperature of that palm was shockingly high. It transmitted through the slightly cool lotion, like a scorching hot iron, yet it carried no hint of aggression, only continuously supplying heat.
Jiang Chen's technique was not flashy.
His palm conformed to the smooth line of her spine, starting from the back of her neck and pushing down inch by inch.
The pads of his fingers applied just the right amount of pressure, circling around the bruised and swollen area.
"Does it hurt here?" Jiang Chen asked.
"A little... achy." Su Qingge bit her lower lip. That sour, numb sensation shot straight to her brain along the nerve endings, forcing her originally tense shoulders to slump.
"Bear with it. The bruise needs to be rubbed away."
Jiang Chen increased the pressure slightly.
His fingers were long and strong; every movement seemed precisely calculated.
The lotion gradually dissolved under the high temperature and friction, turning into a smooth, oily layer.
Su Qingge felt like a fish on a cutting board, completely losing all resistance under the control of those hands.
The stiffness and soreness accumulated from years of sitting in an office were being stripped away little by little by Jiang Chen's movements.
In their place came an indescribable softness.
"Little Brother, your technique is quite good." Chen Man, from the top bunk, poked her head out, stopping even the cracking of her sunflower seeds. Her peach-blossom eyes stared brightly below, "Did you practice before?"
"I used to give teammates massages when I was on the school basketball team," Jiang Chen replied without lifting his head, focusing intently on the skin beneath his hands. "This is called promoting blood circulation and dispelling stasis."
"Basketball team?" Chen Man tutted, her gaze lingering on the slightly tensed muscles of Jiang Chen's forearm as he moved. "That's for massaging those stinky guys. How can it be the same as massaging our CEO Su? Look at CEO Su's back; it's like silk. Aren't you afraid your hands might slip?"
Su Qingge currently didn't have the energy to refute Chen Man's teasing.
Her breathing was already ragged.
Jiang Chen's palm was not confined to the injured spot; it smoothly slid downward, gliding over the hollow of her waist.
That spot was extremely sensitive.
Su Qingge's body trembled almost imperceptibly. Her hands, resting on her knees, gripped the fabric of her pants tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"Sister Su, relax a little." Jiang Chen felt the stiffness in the muscles beneath him and soothed her softly, "You're too tense, your muscles are tight as stone."
"I... I'm not used to it." Su Qingge's voice trembled slightly. The commanding authority she usually possessed was completely gone, leaving only a trace of stubborn insistence. "No one has ever... touched this area."
After she said this, the carriage fell silent for two seconds.
Lin Wan, sitting opposite, who had been pretending to look at her phone, couldn't help but glance over when she heard this.
No one has ever touched it?
This female CEO, who appeared seasoned in the business world and decisive, was actually, as she claimed, an emotional novice?
Jiang Chen's movements also paused slightly.
He looked at the body before him, slightly flushed from tension, and the feeling of pity in his heart grew stronger.
"Then I'm the first one?" Jiang Chen smiled, his tone carrying a hint of teasing as he tried to ease her tension. "It's my honor."
Saying that, his thumb pressed down on the acupoints on both sides of Su Qingge's lower back, slowly applying force.
"Ah..."
This time, Su Qingge couldn't hold back.
A short, charming gasp exploded in the narrow carriage.
The sound made one's bones feel dissolved.
Chen Man covered her mouth on the top bunk, laughing so hard her body shook. "Oh my, CEO Su, it's a good thing we're on a vehicle. If we were somewhere else, people would think we were doing something in here."
Su Qingge's face instantly flushed crimson, spreading a layer of rouge up to her neck and earlobes.
She was so mortified she wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor, but the comfort brought by those hands made her reluctant to call a halt.
It was so contradictory.
Her body craved this touch, but her reason screamed danger.
"Ignore her." Jiang Chen's palms moved upward again, returning to the position of her shoulder blades, his movements becoming much gentler. "Sister Su, your shoulders are too stiff. Are you under a lot of pressure usually?"
"...It's alright," Su Qingge replied dully, burying her face in her knees, not wanting anyone to see her current expression. "When you're doing business, who isn't tired?"
"You still need to take care of your body." As Jiang Chen spoke, he used the heel of his palm to push against the stiff knots. "Health is the capital for revolution. Money can be earned again, but if you collapse, you lose everything."
This simple, unadorned statement was like a needle, gently piercing the hard defensive line in Su Qingge's heart.
This journey of escape, the despair from the broken capital chain, and the curses of the debt collectors pressed down on her heart like great mountains.
She had to keep her nerves taut at all times, maintaining that aloof posture just to keep herself from breaking down.
But now, in front of this unfamiliar young man, under those warm palms, she suddenly felt so tired.
Tired enough to cry.
"Mm," Su Qingge responded softly, her voice slightly nasal.
She closed her eyes, completely giving up resistance, letting her body lean back.
Jiang Chen felt the change in her.
The originally tense and resistant muscles slowly softened, like a block of melting butter.
Su Qingge's back was no longer straight but adopted a naturally relaxed curve, even slightly leaning backward, actively meeting his palms.
This silent trust was more moving than any words.
Time passed second by second.
Until the lotion on his palms was completely absorbed, and the swelling and redness had dissipated considerably.
"It's done." Jiang Chen withdrew his hands, the astonishingly smooth sensation still lingering on his palms. He pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "Be careful not to press on it when you sleep tonight; it shouldn't hurt tomorrow."
Su Qingge didn't move immediately.
She maintained that posture for several seconds before slowly straightening her waist.
When she turned around, her face, usually cold as frost, now held a rare softness and languor.
It was an expression that only emerged after being thoroughly cared for.
"Thank you."
She looked at Jiang Chen, her gaze deep, as if trying to carve his appearance into her memory.
"You're welcome." Jiang Chen picked up the bottle of evian water, twisted it open, and took a gulp.
The cool water flowed down his throat, barely suppressing the restless heat surging inside him.
"Um..."
A faint voice suddenly came from the top bunk.
Chen Man was leaning over the guardrail, her long wavy hair cascading down. Her alluring eyes were filled with dissatisfaction and eagerness.
"Little Brother, you can't favor one over the other."
Chen Man extended a finger and pointed to her own calf. "I saw you looked quite tired just now too. How about... a different kind of treatment? Sister's leg was chilled last night, and it feels a bit uncomfortable now."
14: Chapter 14 An Unexpected Cramp
In the narrow compartment, the lingering warmth of ambiguity had yet to dissipate when Chen Man's words ignited a new spark.
Su Qingge had just finished tidying her clothes, still savoring the feeling of every bone turning soft from the previous moment. Hearing Chen Man, she rolled her eyes at her without patience: "Chen Man, can't you be serious? Young Jiang just finished working and hasn't even caught his breath yet."
"Can seriousness be eaten as a meal?" Chen Man retorted righteously, twisting her body on the upper bunk like a beautiful snake. The loose white T-shirt slid up with the movement, revealing a section of her incredibly supple waist.
She didn't actually expect Jiang Chen to serve her the way he served Su Qingge; this was merely a common flirting tactic she used during dull journeys.
Among the three women, she was the youngest and the most unrestrained.
But just now, watching the way Jiang Chen touched Su Qingge—intimately yet respectfully—a trace of sourness unexpectedly welled up inside her, a feeling she found ridiculous herself.
Why did that cold woman get to enjoy such treatment?
"Little brother, just take a look." Chen Man stuck her leg out through the gap in the guardrail, letting it dangle in the air, "Are my legs better looking than CEO Su's back?"
They were indeed a pair of exquisite legs.
Even in the dim light, their lines were so smooth that one couldn't look away.
Because she had just applied body lotion, her skin was glowing. Her ankles were slender, and her instep curved into an alluring arc. Her toenails were painted with dark red polish, resembling several ripe cherries.
Jiang Chen smiled helplessly and put down the water bottle in his hand: "Sister Man, your legs are indeed beautiful; you could insure them. But..."
"But what?" Chen Man's eyes lit up, thinking there was hope.
She deliberately pressed her leg down further, her toes almost touching Jiang Chen's shoulder.
That subtle, almost nonexistent teasing was infinitely magnified in the enclosed space.
"But if you keep shaking them like that, be careful something actually happens." Before Jiang Chen finished speaking...
"Ah!"
Chen Man suddenly let out a scream.
The beautiful leg that had been swinging merrily instantly stiffened as if electrocuted. The instep involuntarily tensed rigidly, and her toes curled up painfully.
"What's wrong?" Lin Wan on the opposite side was startled and quickly stood up.
"Cramp... I have a cramp!" Chen Man cried out, tears streaming down her face from the pain. She curled up into a ball on the upper bunk, her face, which had been full of seductive charm moments ago, now etched with agony. "It hurts so much... Help me... I can't straighten it out!"
This was the so-called immediate retribution.
The movement of pressing her instep down to show off the lines just now had been too forceful. Coupled with the cold air seeping in from near the window despite the heating in the compartment, the alternating hot and cold, plus the exertion, caused her calf muscles to immediately go on strike.
"Don't move wildly!"
Jiang Chen reacted the fastest.
He didn't even have time to think before stepping onto the edge of the lower bunk and standing up.
The height clearance in the soft sleeper car was limited; when he stood, his head almost hit the ceiling. But he paid no attention to that, grabbing Chen Man's leg that was convulsing violently.
The touch was icy cold.
As expected, it was chilled.
"Relax! Absolutely do not try to pull it straight forcefully!" Jiang Chen hissed. He gripped her ankle with one hand and braced his other hand against her sole, beginning to push back with force.
"Ow, ow, ow! Are you trying to break my foot!" Chen Man screamed in pain, gripping the sheet tightly with both hands, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
The excruciating pain from the tonic muscle contraction was unimaginable for anyone who hadn't experienced it.
"Endure it! It must be stretched out!"
Sweat also broke out on Jiang Chen's forehead. He had to resist the spasmodic strength of Chen Man's muscles while maintaining his balance in such a narrow space.
Chen Man kicked wildly due to the pain, almost kicking Jiang Chen in the face several times.
"Sister Lin, hold down her knee!" Jiang Chen shouted.
Lin Wan quickly came over and pressed down on Chen Man's flailing knee through the quilt: "Manman, stop moving, Little Jiang is helping you!"
"Waaah... It really hurts so much..." Chen Man cried without any regard for her image, the tears soaking her pillow.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath and adjusted his posture.
He placed Chen Man's foot against his chest, wrapped both hands around her calf, and began forcefully rubbing the muscle that was as hard as a stone.
His movements were not gentle; they could even be described as somewhat rough.
But at a time like this, gentleness was useless.
He needed to use sufficient force to forcibly loosen the intertwined muscle fibers.
"Ah... Mmm..."
As Jiang Chen pressed and kneaded vigorously, Chen Man's screams slowly changed pitch.
Following the intense pain came a sour relief tinged with agony.
The feeling of blood flowing freely again made her involuntarily let out a series of whimpers laced with crying.
In this compartment occupied by only four people, the sound was rather embarrassing.
"Lighter... lighter..." Chen Man sobbed, her voice as soft as a puddle of water.
Jiang Chen's palms were scorching hot, enveloping her icy calf.
Due to the position, Chen Man's leg was almost propped up on Jiang Chen's shoulder.
From Jiang Chen's perspective, he could clearly see her eyes reddened by the pain, and her face tear-streaked and pitiful.
Where was even a trace of that fiery, mature 'Big Sister' persona now?
She was simply a little cat that had been bullied too hard.
"Better?" Jiang Chen felt the muscle under his hands slowly soften, and only then did he slightly ease the pressure.
"Mmm..." Chen Man sniffled, turning her head away somewhat embarrassedly, "It seems... the cramping stopped."
But Jiang Chen didn't let go immediately.
"It's not over yet," he said. "It's just not cramping now, but the muscle is still congested. If I don't knead it open, you won't be able to walk tomorrow."
He continued massaging. This time, the movements became much gentler, carrying a sense of soothing.
His fingertips moved up and down along the curve of her calf, occasionally pressing on pressure points.
Chen Man fell silent.
She lay on the bed, feeling the warmth and strength of those large hands.
The desire to flirt from earlier had flown away to the nine heavens, replaced instead by a sense of security she had never experienced before.
Having worked in nightclubs, she had encountered countless men.
Some wanted to get her drunk, some wanted to throw money at her, and some wanted to take advantage of her.
Never once had anyone, when she was at her most helpless and in the most pain, helped her massage her leg with such a serious expression and sweat pouring down his face.
He hadn't even taken the opportunity to grope her a couple of times.
Jiang Chen's technique was professional and proper.
"Little brother..." Chen Man suddenly spoke, her voice a little hoarse.
"What? Does it hurt again?" Jiang Chen stopped his movements.
"No." Chen Man turned her head, looking at the tall young man close to her, "I just feel... you are a very good person."
"Is that so?" Jiang Chen smiled, gently placing her leg back into the quilt, then meticulously tucked in the corner of the blanket. "Sister Man, your screaming earlier was also quite good; the next compartment probably thought I was slaughtering a pig."
"Go to hell!" Chen Man laughed through her tears and weakly kicked out, but Jiang Chen easily dodged it.
The atmosphere quickly became relaxed again.
Jiang Chen jumped down from the upper bunk, stumbling slightly upon landing.
This was not just physical labor; it was also a test of willpower.
The posture just now, the tactile sensation, coupled with Chen Man's misleading sounds... He was a normal twenty-two-year-old man; it would be a lie to say he wasn't affected.
He turned his back to adjust his clothes, using this to conceal certain physical changes.
This scene happened to fall into the eyes of Lin Wan on the opposite lower bunk.
She hadn't spoken much, merely watching silently.
Watching Jiang Chen massage Su Qingge's back, watching Jiang Chen relieve Chen Man's cramp.
Watching the sweat on his forehead, watching the bulging veins on his arms due to exertion, and his slightly awkward silhouette now.
Lin Wan unconsciously rubbed the diamond ring on her ring finger.
It was the one her husband had put on her when they married five years ago. At the time, he said he would take care of her for a lifetime.
But over these five years, whenever she was sick or uncomfortable, all she ever received was a cold "Drink more hot water" or a bank transfer.
There had never been a pair of warm hands like this, reaching out without hesitation when she needed them.
"Little Jiang," Lin Wan suddenly spoke.
Her voice was very soft, carrying a barely perceptible tremor.
Jiang Chen turned around: "What is it, Sister Wan?"
Lin Wan looked at him, a faint blush coloring her cheeks at some unknown time. She pointed to the empty thermos on the table: "The water got cold, I'll go pour it out."
"No need, I'll go," Jiang Chen was about to reach out.
"I'll go," Lin Wan insisted. She stood up, and as she passed by Jiang Chen, her footing seemed slightly unsteady, and her body swayed a little.
Jiang Chen instinctively reached out to steady her arm.
Through the gray cotton loungewear, the arm felt incredibly soft.
Lin Wan didn't pull away immediately.
She looked up. Her eyes, usually gentle as still water, now seemed to hide a ball of fire, or perhaps an entire ocean.
"Thank you,"
She murmured. But the emotion contained within those two words made Jiang Chen's heart skip a beat.
That look... something was off.
15: Chapter 15 Secret
The atmosphere in the compartment became subtle.
If before it was a kind of unrestrained ambiguity, then at this moment, the emotion flowing in the air became more obscure, more viscous, like an invisible net enveloping the four of them.
Lin Wan took the thermos and went out.
Although that figure tried hard to maintain her composure, her footsteps seemed somewhat hurried, as if she were fleeing in defeat.
Jiang Chen stood in place, the sensation of holding her just now still lingering on his fingertips.
That plumpness and softness unique to a mature woman were completely different from Chen Man's firm elasticity, carrying a kind of intoxicating mildness.
"What's wrong with Sister Wanwan?" Chen Man was sprawled on the upper bunk. Now that her leg wasn't cramping, her gossipy nature resurfaced. "Why is her face so red? Does she have a fever?"
"Maybe it's just too hot in the compartment," Su Qingge replied lightly. She was leaning against the headboard, holding a book, but that page hadn't been turned for a long time.
As someone seasoned in the cutthroat world of business, Su Qingge's insight into human nature was far superior to Chen Man's.
She understood Lin Wan's look from just now.
It was the yearning of a woman who had long existed in an emotional desert, encountering a tiny spark of warmth—a desire akin to a moth flying into a flame.
Dangerous.
But understandable.
Su Qingge looked up at Jiang Chen.
The big boy was sitting on the lower bunk, tidying the messy sheets. The lines of his profile were clean and sharp, and his nose bridge was straight.
When he wasn't speaking, he possessed a calmness beyond his years.
He was indeed quite attractive.
"I'll go check on Sister Wan. Just in case something is actually wrong." Jiang Chen also seemed to sense something and didn't want to linger in the slightly awkward space.
He pulled open the door and walked into the corridor.
The corridor was still noisy.
The train was still moving slowly, and the snow-covered plains outside the window stretched endlessly.
Jiang Chen found Lin Wan by the washbasin at the connecting vestibule.
She was facing away from him, leaning on the washbasin, her shoulders slightly shaking.
The empty thermos was placed by her feet, the water gushing out, yet she was just staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror.
The woman in the mirror, though her eyes showed fine lines around the corners, still possessed lingering charm. Only her eyes were filled with confusion and struggle.
"Sister Wan?"
Jiang Chen called out softly.
Lin Wan was startled, turning around like a frightened rabbit.
Seeing it was Jiang Chen, she hurriedly turned off the faucet and frantically tried to wipe the water stains—or perhaps tear stains—from her face.
"Xiao Jiang... why did you come out?" Lin Wan forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying.
"I saw you hadn't come back for so long and worried you weren't feeling well." Jiang Chen walked over, pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket, and handed them to her. "Here."
Lin Wan took the tissues but didn't wipe her face; instead, she clutched them tightly in her hand.
"I'm fine," she said softly, head bowed. "I just felt... it was too stuffy in here, needed some air."
"It is quite stuffy," Jiang Chen leaned against the window across from her, not exposing her. "This train still has several hours to go. If you feel uncomfortable, shall we get off and walk around when we reach the next major station?"
Lin Wan looked up at him.
Against the light, Jiang Chen's face was slightly blurred, but his eyes were startlingly bright.
There was no pity in them, nor any aggressive desire, only a peace that brought comfort.
"Xiao Jiang," Lin Wan suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance between them to a slightly overstepping range.
The faint milky fragrance on her mixed with the crispness of evian water, drifting into Jiang Chen's nose.
"Tell me..." Lin Wan bit her lip, as if making an extremely difficult decision, "If a woman feels she has lived her whole life wrong, and now wants to start over... is it still not too late?"
The question was abrupt and without context.
But Jiang Chen knew what she was asking about.
About that marriage that existed in name only, about the husband who couldn't give her happiness, about the role of 'dutiful wife' she had been playing for years.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen looked into her eyes, his tone serious. "The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second best time is now."
"As long as you want to, it's never too late."
Lin Wan's pupils contracted slightly.
In that moment, she felt a crack appear in the dam within her heart.
No one had ever said such a thing to her before.
Everyone around her advised her to endure, to save face, to maintain that so-called complete family.
Only this boy, nearly ten years younger than her, told her it was never too late.
"Really?" Lin Wan murmured, her gaze somewhat dazed.
She looked at Jiang Chen's lips—those lips that had just been chatting cheerfully with the other two women, speaking pleasant words.
An unprecedented impulse surged into her heart.
She wanted to know if the words spoken by those lips were warm, and if so... what if...
Just then.
"Thud!"
A dull, heavy sound echoed from the connecting vestibule not far away, like the sound of a heavy object striking a metal plate.
This was immediately followed by a clamor of curses and exclamations.
"What are you doing! That's my bag!"
"Robbery! Someone is stealing!"
The emotions, already on the verge of breaking loose at that moment, were instantly interrupted.
Lin Wan recoiled as if splashed with cold water, taking two quick steps back. The blush instantly faded from her face, replaced by terror.
"What happened?" she asked anxiously, looking in the direction of the sound.
Jiang Chen's eyes also instantly sharpened.
The gentleness belonging to a youth vanished, replaced by a leopard-like alertness.
This train was already a melting pot of mixed elements, and coupled with the previous heavy snow cutting off roads and power outages, the passengers' emotions had reached a breaking point. At times like this, public security was the most likely thing to go wrong.
"Sister Wan, go back to the compartment first!"
Jiang Chen grabbed Lin Wan and pushed her toward Compartment 8. "Lock the door! No matter what you hear, don't come out!"
"What about you?" Lin Wan grabbed his sleeve, unwilling to let go, her eyes full of worry.
"I'll go take a look," Jiang Chen patted the back of her hand, his tone frighteningly calm. "Don't worry, I know my limits."
With that, he let go of her hand, turned, and strode toward the source of the chaos.
In his retreating figure, Lin Wan saw an aura she had never witnessed before.
He was no longer the warm younger brother who would massage legs and coax older sisters into happiness, but a real man capable of handling serious matters.
Lin Wan stood in place, watching that figure disappear into the crowd.
The seed in her heart completely broke through the soil at this moment.
And just as Jiang Chen pushed through the crowd, the familiar mechanical voice sounded in his mind again.
"Ding! Detected sudden conflict event."
"New mission triggered: Righteous Intervention."
"In this moment of chaos, not only the power of money is needed, but also the iron fist of justice. The Host must resolve the current crisis and ensure the safety of companions."
"Mission reward: Martial Arts Proficiency (Beginner) and a random cash reward."
Jiang Chen curled his lips into a cold smile.
An iron fist of justice?
Perfect. The frustration bottled up in the compartment just now had nowhere to vent.
16: Chapter 16 Fists are more effective than reason
The commotion at the train car connection was quite loud.
A crowd formed a semicircle, and in the open space in the middle, a bald man wearing a leather jacket with a brutish face was gripping the collar of a young girl.
The girl looked barely over twenty, still having the appearance of a student, carrying a canvas bag. At that moment, she was so frightened her face was ashen, tears welling up in her eyes but daring not to fall.
"Didn't you see with your eyes? My bag was placed here to save a seat, and you threw it on the floor?" The bald man spat profusely, holding half a bottle of Erguotou in his other hand. "If the things inside were broken, selling you wouldn't be enough to pay for it!"
Lying on the ground was a dirty woven sack, with a few pieces of old clothing and some local specialties scattered nearby.
Evidently, these were the so-called 'valuables'.
The surrounding passengers pointed and whispered, but no one dared to step forward.
In this day and age, it was better to have fewer troubles than more, especially when facing a drunk ruffian like this.
"I... I didn't throw it," the girl argued with a tearful voice. "I just wanted to go get some water and accidentally bumped it..."
"Bumping it is not an excuse!" Fueled by alcohol, the bald man tightened his grip on the girl's collar, which even started sliding down indecently. "You look quite honest, so why are you so malicious? Pay up! If you don't come up with two thousand yuan today, don't even think about leaving!"
The girl was struggling to breathe from being choked and looked around pleadingly, but everyone whose gaze she met quickly averted their eyes.
The attendant hadn't managed to squeeze through yet, and the situation was on the verge of getting out of control.
Just then, a long, strong hand reached in from the side, gripping the bald man's wrist.
"Let go."
The voice was level, betraying no emotion, yet it carried a cold, hard metallic quality.
The bald man froze, turned his head, and saw a young man standing before him who was half a head taller than him.
The young man wore a simple white T-shirt, with clean features, looking like a college student who hadn't entered society yet.
"Oh ho, where did this meddling pretty boy pop up from?" The bald man didn't let go; instead, he grinned, his mouth full of large yellow teeth looking particularly ferocious. "Trying to play the hero saving the beauty? You should look at your own weight first!"
As he spoke, he twisted his wrist, intending to grab Jiang Chen's collar instead.
Jiang Chen didn't move.
A second before the bald man's dirty hand was about to touch his clothes, the mechanical voice in his mind rang out on schedule.
"Ding! Detecting that the Host is executing the 'Witnessing Injustice' mission."
"Temporary Skill 'Basic Combat Proficiency' has been loaded."
"Note: Dealing with a low-class drunk like this only requires the most fundamental muscle memory."
A strange warmth instantly flowed through his entire body.
Jiang Chen felt his senses become extraordinarily sharp; the bald man's movements seemed to slow down in his eyes.
The swinging arm was full of flaws, practically like a slow-motion replay.
Jiang Chen didn't even consider dodging.
He merely shifted his body slightly, avoiding the dirty hand, while simultaneously exerting sudden force with the hand gripping the opponent's wrist.
His thumb accurately pressed down on the pressure point (nerves) of the opponent's wrist and pushed down hard.
"Ah--!"
The bald man let out a pig-slaughtering scream.
Half his body instantly went numb, and the half bottle of Erguotou in his hand crashed onto the metal floor with a 'clank', shattering completely.
Liquor splashed everywhere, and the air was instantly filled with a pungent smell of alcohol.
"It hurts, it hurts! It's broken, it's broken!"
The bald man was forced to bend over along with the force exerted by Jiang Chen. His face, full of coarse flesh, turned the color of liver, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Can we talk properly now?" Jiang Chen maintained the posture of restraining the opponent with one hand, his expression as calm as if he were disposing of a trivial piece of trash.
"Let... let go! I'll let go!" The bald man gasped in pain, his other hand having long since released the girl.
The girl, once saved, immediately stumbled back into the crowd, coughing while clutching her neck, still shaken.
Jiang Chen did not immediately release the bald man.
He looked at the woven sack on the ground, then looked at the bald man: "This is a public walkway. Your bag was blocking the way. It wasn't intentional that she bumped it. Since nothing was broken, we'll let this go. Any problem with that?"
"N-no problem! Big brother, I was wrong, I just drank too much..." The bald man was a bully who picked on the weak but feared the strong. Feeling the grip on his wrist that seemed capable of crushing bone, most of the alcohol haze cleared instantly.
Only then did Jiang Chen release his hand.
The bald man clutched his wrist and retreated a few steps, glaring at Jiang Chen with vicious eyes, seemingly wanting to utter a few harsh words to save face, but upon seeing the completely calm look in Jiang Chen's eyes, the dirty words he was about to say were swallowed back.
He sullenly picked up the woven sack from the ground and scurried away into the crowd.
The surroundings erupted in sparse applause and cheers.
"Good job, young man!"
"He's definitely a martial artist!"
Jiang Chen ignored these cheap praises. He turned to look at the girl who was still huddled in the corner: "Are you alright?"
The girl looked up, her eyes red: "I'm... I'm fine. Thank you."
"Good that you're fine." Jiang Chen nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
This was merely a small interlude.
But the moment he turned, he saw Lin Wan standing not far away.
She hadn't obediently stayed in the private room but had followed him out.
At that moment, she stood at the edge of the crowd a few meters away, those eyes that always held a hint of sorrow now fixed steadily on him.
In that gaze were shock, admiration, and an emotion on the verge of overflowing.
She had seen everything that just happened.
The gentle and humble young man she knew had displayed a composure and strength when facing violence that struck like a heavy hammer, fiercely shattering the last line of defense in her heart.
Jiang Chen walked over.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in the private room?" His tone carried a hint of reprimand, but more so, helplessness.
Lin Wan did not answer.
She looked at Jiang Chen, suddenly took a step forward, and grabbed his hand.
Her hand was very cold and still trembling slightly, but she held on tightly, her fingernails digging into Jiang Chen's flesh.
"Are you hurt?" Lin Wan's voice was slightly shaky as she anxiously scanned his body. "That bottle broke just now, did it scratch you anywhere?"
"No." Jiang Chen grasped her hand back, the warmth from his palm transmitting continuously. "That drunkard didn't even touch the corner of my clothes."
"Really?" Lin Wan was not reassured and pulled up the back of his hand to examine it carefully. Only when she confirmed there wasn't even a red mark did she let out a long sigh of relief.
As her tension eased, the feeling of lingering fear surged up, her legs weakened, and her body was about to slump.
Jiang Chen reacted quickly, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"It's crowded here, too chaotic." He whispered in her ear, his warm breath spraying against her sensitive earlobe. "Let's go somewhere else."
Lin Wan had completely lost her composure at this point, only retaining the instinct to nod.
She leaned obediently into Jiang Chen's embrace, allowing him to lead her through the still lingering crowd towards the connection point at the other end of the carriage.
It was quieter there.
17: Chapter 17 Forced Kiss of Lin Wan
The connection point of this carriage section was near the tail end, and since there were no seats, hardly anyone usually came here.
The rubber seal in the gap of the door was aging, allowing a cold wind to howl in, producing a sharp whistle.
Outside the window, the snow plain gave off a cold blue light in the darkness, and the occasional withered trees flashed past like ghostly shadows flying backward.
It was very cold here.
But the distance between the two was very close, close enough that the heat radiating from each other intertwined and warmed the narrow space.
Jiang Chen led Lin Wan to the corner, turning his back to the wind vent, using his own body to shield her from that bone-chilling cold.
"Are you still scared?" Jiang Chen looked down at her.
By the faint snow light filtering in from the window, he could clearly see Lin Wan's slightly pale face.
Her hair was a bit messy, a few strands of flyaways stuck to her cheek, and her eyes were watery, like a bottomless pool.
Lin Wan shook her head, then nodded again.
"Just now... I was really scared," she said softly, her voice sounding exceptionally fragile against the sound of the wind. "I was afraid that wine bottle would hit you. People like that will do anything when they’re drunk."
"I know what I'm doing." Jiang Chen raised his hand and very naturally tucked that stray lock of hair behind her ear. His fingertip brushed against her hot cheek, causing a subtle shiver.
"You always say that," Lin Wan gave a wry smile but didn't pull away from his touch. "Last time it was the same, and this time too. Xiao Jiang, do you know that in this world, people who try too hard to be strong end up suffering losses?"
"That depends on who it is for." Jiang Chen looked into her eyes, his tone lacking some of the youthful arrogance and gaining some of a man's depth. "If it's for someone worthwhile, taking a loss doesn't matter."
A worthwhile person.
Those four words were like a spark landing in Lin Wan's already dry and barren heart, instantly igniting a massive fire.
She had lived for thirty years.
The first half of her life was spent adhering strictly to rules: being the good daughter in her parents' eyes, being the virtuous wife behind her husband.
She was accustomed to forbearance, accustomed to being ignored, accustomed to swallowing all grievances and even practicing smiling in the mirror.
No one had ever told her that she was 'worthwhile'.
In that so-called home, she was a housekeeper, an ornament, anything but a woman who needed to be protected and cherished.
Lin Wan raised her head, looking at the young man before her.
His outline appeared exceptionally resolute in the shadows, and his eyes shone brightly like the cold stars in the sky.
The ruthlessness he displayed toward the villain earlier had vanished; now, only the tenderness that made her sink remained.
At this moment, the string of reason finally snapped completely.
All worldly morality, her status as a married woman, the age gap—all of it was tossed to the farthest reaches of the sky.
All she wanted now was to grasp this warmth, even if only for a second, even if what followed was a bottomless abyss.
"The question from before..." Lin Wan spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse, carrying a desperate resolve, "You still haven't answered me."
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow slightly: "What question?"
"I said..." Lin Wan took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling violently, as if she needed to use all her strength to squeeze out the words, "If I want to start over now... is it still not too late?"
The air seemed to freeze in that instant.
Only the clanging sound of the wheels hitting the tracks echoed, monotonous and rhythmic, like some kind of countdown.
Jiang Chen did not answer immediately.
He looked quietly at Lin Wan, watching the precarious hope in her eyes, watching her lips tightly pursed from nervousness.
He could feel the stiffness of her body, like a prisoner awaiting a verdict.
If he didn't answer, or gave an ambiguous answer, she would probably immediately shrink back into the shell named 'virtuous wife' and never emerge again.
The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a very faint, yet extremely certain smile.
He suddenly took a step forward.
This step completely eliminated the last bit of safe distance between them.
The tip of his shoe touched the tip of her shoe, and his knee bumped against hers.
Lin Wan was forced to retreat, her back pressed against the cold glass of the carriage door.
The penetrating chill made her shudder, but the masculine presence rushing toward her was hot enough to make her entire body go weak.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen reached out one hand, bracing it on the glass beside her ear, trapping her entirely between himself and the door. This was an extremely aggressive posture, and also a posture of absolute control.
"Do you want to hear the truth?"
Lin Wan felt her heart about to jump out of her throat.
She dared not look directly into Jiang Chen's eyes, only staring at his bobbing Adam's apple, and nodded softly: "Mm."
"The truth is..." Jiang Chen lowered his head, his warm breath sprinkling onto the tip of her nose. "It's never too late. Especially when you meet someone willing to pull you up."
Lin Wan's eyelashes trembled violently.
"Then you..." Her voice was as thin as a wisp of smoke. "Are you willing to pull me?"
These words nearly exhausted all her courage.
As a woman raised with traditional education, this was already the most blatant confession she could make.
Jiang Chen laughed.
It wasn't the polite smile, nor was it the perfunctory small talk. It was a laugh carrying a hint of mischief and a sense of triumph.
"Pull you?" Jiang Chen shook his head, his voice deep like the strings of a cello. "Sister Wan, you underestimate me."
Lin Wan was stunned and looked up in bewilderment: "Wh-what..."
"Just pulling isn't enough?"
Before the words fell, Jiang Chen's hand had already gripped the back of her head.
When that kiss landed, Lin Wan's mind went blank.
She had anticipated many possibilities. Perhaps he would politely refuse, perhaps he would say some ambiguous comforting words, maybe he would even be scared away.
She never expected him to be so direct, so domineering.
Jiang Chen's lips were slightly cool, carrying the scent of the wind and snow outside, but they quickly turned scorching hot.
He gave her no chance to escape; the hand gripping the back of her head was as strong as iron pincers, forcing her to tilt her head back to endure this sudden offensive.
Lin Wan's hands were originally pressed against his chest, intending to push him away—that was instinctual reserve.
But as the kiss deepened, as that scent carrying intense male hormones brazenly pried open her lips, the hands that resisted gradually lost their strength and turned into a tight grip.
She clutched the lapel of Jiang Chen's coat, her knuckles turning white from the force, as if grasping the last piece of driftwood.
This was not the hesitant testing of a young man.
This was the plunder belonging only to an adult man.
He was demanding, confirming, telling her in this most primitive way: You are mine.
The surrounding world seemed to disappear.
The clanging sound of the rails, the howling wind outside the window, the occasional footsteps from the corridor—everything became blurred.
In her world, only the man before her remained, only the dizzying entanglement between their lips.
Lin Wan felt like a piece of wax thrown into a furnace, slowly melting.
That long-lost feeling of being intensely needed surged from her spine straight to the top of her head, causing her entire body to tremble minutely.
Five years.
That damned marriage was like a dry well, draining away her vitality, her passion, her desire.
She thought she had long since achieved a placid heart, long accustomed to that stagnant life.
Until this moment.
Until this man, almost ten years younger than her, smashed the well cover in a manner bordering on brutality, allowing sunlight and fierce fire to pour in simultaneously.
"Mmm..."
A broken whimper escaped her throat, unsure if it was due to lack of oxygen or the release of long-suppressed emotions.
Jiang Chen finally pulled back slightly.
But he didn't create distance; their foreheads were still pressed together, their noses brushing.
Lin Wan gasped heavily, her chest rising and falling violently.
Her face was flushed as if it could bleed, her eyes hazy like a drunken cat.
The lipstick on her lips was smudged, bleeding around the corners of her mouth, carrying a messy, decadent beauty.
"Do you still need to ask that question?" Jiang Chen's voice was hoarse, the unique timbre after intense emotion.
His fingers caressed her swollen lips, his gaze frighteningly dark.
Lin Wan shook her head. She couldn't even speak now.
Was there still a need to ask?
This kiss was the best answer.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen looked at her, his tone softening, but his hand still held the back of her neck with a firm, gentle pressure. "Remember this feeling. If anyone dares to make you suffer again in the future, just think of today."
"No matter where you are, no matter what your status is," Jiang Chen paused, speaking word by word, "As long as you want to start over, I am here anytime."
Lin Wan's eyes instantly reddened.
Tears welled up without warning, sliding down the corners of her eyes. This time, they were not tears of sadness, but of relief.
"You..." She sniffled, her voice thick with nasal congestion. "How can you be so wicked? You're clearly younger, but you talk like an old man."
"Wicked?" Jiang Chen chuckled softly, lowering his head to peck lightly at the corner of her wet eye. "That's because you haven't seen me when I'm worse."
This suggestive remark made Lin Wan's face, which had just cooled slightly, burn up again.
She playfully punched him with a hint of shyness: "Don't talk nonsense!"
This punch was soft, more like flirting.
Jiang Chen took the opportunity to grab her hand and kissed it at his lips.
The large diamond ring originally worn on her ring finger looked so ironic and dazzling at this moment.
But he said nothing.
He knew some things couldn't be rushed.
Lin Wan's heart, frozen for too long, needed to be slowly warmed, not shattered immediately.
Today's step was already a big one.
"Let's go," Jiang Chen straightened her collar and meticulously wiped away the lipstick stain at the corner of her mouth with his fingertip. "It's too cold; if we stay longer, we'll catch a cold. Sister Su and the others will worry."
Mentioning Su Qingge and Chen Man, Lin Wan seemed to fall back into reality from a dream.
She nervously touched her face, then looked at her reflection in the window glass, trying to make herself look more normal.
"Am I... Do I look too obvious right now?" she asked with some apprehension.
Jiang Chen looked at her sparkling eyes and her lips that were clearly loved fiercely, and nodded honestly: "Yes, very obvious."
"Then what do we do?" Lin Wan panicked. "If they see..."
"If they see, they see," Jiang Chen looked unconcerned, even carrying a touch of righteous indignation. "An unmarried man and an unmarried woman, what is there to hide? Besides, I think Sister Chen Man has been wishing for something to happen for a long time."
"You stop it!" Lin Wan glared at him, but there was no hint of deterrence left in her gaze.
The two walked back, one in front of the other.
As they neared the door of Private Room 8, Lin Wan suddenly stopped and tugged on Jiang Chen's sleeve.
"Xiao Jiang."
"Mm?"
"Thank you," she looked at him, her gaze very serious and clean. "Thank you for giving me... the courage to make a mistake."
Jiang Chen turned back, looking at the woman who finally possessed a bit of liveliness, and a smile curved his lips.
"This isn't called making a mistake," he said softly. "This is called cutting your losses."
Just then, the door to Private Room 8 was suddenly pulled open from the inside.
Chen Man poked her messy head out, still holding a bag of sunflower seeds. Seeing the two standing at the door, her eyes instantly became ambiguous, as if trying to see right through them.
18: Chapter 18 The lip gloss seems to have faded.
"Crack."
Chen Man cracked open a melon seed shell, the crisp sound seeming particularly jarring in the quiet corridor.
She made no move to let them pass, instead acting like a dutiful security inspector, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Jiang Chen and Lin Wan.
Her look was too direct, carrying a teasing air of someone who enjoyed watching drama unfold.
Lin Wan, already feeling guilty, recoiled as if electrocuted and immediately let go of Jiang Chen's sleeve, which she had been clutching.
She lowered her head, trying to use the stray wisps of hair near her cheeks to hide her still burning face and her noticeably over-plumped lips.
"Oh, you're back?" Chen Man leaned against the doorframe, spitting the melon seed shell into her palm, her voice drawn out. "You two took quite a long 'breath of fresh air.' I thought you weren't planning on seeing us and would just spend the night outside."
"Don't talk nonsense," Lin Wan's voice was shaky, and she didn't dare look up at Chen Man's eyes. "We just... we just ran into a little trouble."
"Trouble?" Chen Man raised an eyebrow, her gaze hooking onto Lin Wan's lips, followed by a meaningful, soft chuckle. "I can see that. This trouble must have been quite 'tricky,' right? Look how flustered our Sister Wanwan is; she even smudged her lipstick that costs thousands per tube."
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan panicked and raised her hand to cover her mouth, inadvertently exposing a circle of red marks on her wrist that hadn't faded yet—marks left when Jiang Chen gripped her in passion earlier.
Chen Man's eyes lit up even brighter, as if she had discovered a new continent. Just as she was about to tease them further,
A slender hand reached out and stuffed a peeled orange into her mouth.
"Sister Man, have an orange." Jiang Chen wore a flawless, faint smile. He naturally stepped sideways to shield Lin Wan, "There was a drunk causing trouble over there. Sister Wan got scared, so we were outside calming down for a bit."
Chen Man's mouth was stuffed with the orange, and she could only let out a few muffled protests, but her peach blossom eyes clearly spelled out the words, 'Keep dreaming.'
She chewed a couple of times, swallowed the orange, and tossed the melon seed shells into the trash bag by the door. She didn't press the issue further, just stepped aside to clear the passage.
"Fine, fine, a drunk," Chen Man clapped the debris off her hands. As she passed Jiang Chen, she quickly lowered her voice and murmured, "Little brother, remember to wipe your mouth next time. There's still a red mark at the corner of your mouth."
Jiang Chen raised his hand without changing expression and rubbed his corner of his mouth. Sure enough, his fingertip picked up a trace of extremely faint dusty rose color.
He smiled, said nothing, and pushed the still-dazed Lin Wan into the compartment.
The atmosphere inside the compartment was much warmer than outside, but also more suffocating.
Su Qingge was sitting by the small table near the window, still holding her book.
Hearing the noise, she looked up, her gaze sweeping lightly over the two of them.
As an old fox in business, Su Qingge's observational skills were even sharper than Chen Man's.
She immediately noticed Lin Wan's distracted appearance, as well as the lingering, specific restless aura on Jiang Chen.
It was the scent of hormones.
But she asked nothing. She simply closed her book and pointed to the water glass on the table that had long gone cold: "It's good that you're alright. We heard quite a commotion over there earlier and were thinking about calling the railway police."
"No need, it's resolved," Jiang Chen helped Lin Wan sit down on the lower bunk, then sat back down opposite her.
As soon as she sat down, Lin Wan deflated like a leaky ball, shrinking into the corner. She clutched the empty insulated bucket tightly in her hands, as if it were a life raft.
Her heartbeat hadn't settled yet; her mind was filled with that crazy kiss from earlier and Chen Man's suggestive teasing just now.
This feeling was too unfamiliar.
It was both shameful and accompanied by a secret pleasure, like the satisfaction after successfully doing something naughty.
"Sister Wanwan, are you hot?" Chen Man climbed back onto the upper bunk, sticking half her body out. She was holding another handful of melon seeds without anyone noticing. "Your face is as red as a monkey's bottom. Should we ask little brother to go get you some evian water to wash your face and cool down?"
"I'm not hot," Lin Wan retorted softly, burying her head even lower.
"Alright, stop teasing her," Su Qingge looked out the window, her brow furrowing slightly. "Didn't you notice? The train speed seems to have slowed down."
This sentence successfully shifted everyone's attention.
Jiang Chen turned to look out the window.
Just moments ago, they could still make out the outline of the snowy plains, but now the view outside was completely pitch black. They could only hear the wind and snow whipping against the glass with a crackling sound, as if someone was scattering sand outside.
This sound was denser and more urgent than before.
"This snow is a bit unusual," Jiang Chen stood up and pressed close to the glass to look out.
In the faint light leaking from the compartment, one could see a thick layer of white snow already piled up on the window ledge, and it was increasing at a visible rate.
"I remember the weather forecast said there would be a blizzard here tonight," Su Qingge took out her phone. The signal bars on the screen showed only one weak bar, which was flickering continuously. "We were originally expected to reach the major transfer station two hours from now, but looking at it now..."
She didn't finish, but everyone understood the meaning.
The train speed had indeed slowed significantly. The rhythmic clanking sound had become sluggish and heavy, like an old ox pulling a broken cart, requiring immense effort for every inch forward.
"It's not going to stop here, is it?" Chen Man stopped cracking melon seeds too, her playful expression softening a bit. "There's nothing for miles around here. If we get stuck in this godforsaken place, what will we eat or drink?"
"Worrying about food isn't necessary," Jiang Chen pointed under the bed to the two remaining boxes of evian water and the pile of snacks they had bought earlier. "As long as we don't freeze outside, everyone in this carriage shouldn't starve to death."
"We won't starve, but I have a very important meeting tomorrow," Su Qingge's fingers tapped irritably on the table, the sound of her nails clicking. "If we can't reach the provincial capital by tomorrow morning, that bridge loan for the company might fall through."
That was a huge weight pressing on her heart.
This business trip was meant to be a final gamble. If they were stranded on the road, all their previous efforts could be wasted.
The ambiguous atmosphere in the air was instantly dispersed by this real anxiety.
Lin Wan looked up at Su Qingge's tightly knit brow and cautiously spoke, "CEO Su, um... should I pour you a glass of water?"
This was the only thing she knew how to do, her habitual attempt to please.
Su Qingge waved her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose. "No need, I'm not thirsty. Right now, I just want to know if this train can even move anymore."
Just then, the loudspeaker on the ceiling suddenly crackled to life, accompanied by a harsh static sound.
"Sss... Attention passengers, attention passengers. Due to heavy snowfall ahead on the line, the train will make a temporary stop ahead for snow removal operations. The stopping time is tentatively... sss... Passengers are requested to remain in the carriages, avoid moving around unnecessarily, and pay attention to keeping warm..."
The broadcast cut off before it finished.
Immediately following, the train seemed to brake hard as if someone had stomped on the pedal, emitting a teeth-grinding metallic screech. It shuddered violently and then came to a complete stop.
Inertia caused everyone's bodies to lurch forward.
"It's over," Chen Man slapped the guardrail. "The crow's mouth actually called it right."
19: Chapter 19: A Not-So-Optimistic Future
The silence in the compartment only lasted for two seconds before it was drowned out by the noise erupting from the corridor.
Complaints, a baby's cries, and the sound of people banging on the compartment door demanding to see the conductor mixed together, resembling a pot of boiling porridge.
"What kind of junk train is this! Why has it stopped again!"
"I want to file a complaint! I've been sitting here for thirty hours!"
"Where is the conductor? Come out and give us an explanation! When exactly will we leave?"
The four people in the compartment looked at each other speechlessly.
Su Qingge looked at the signal bars on her phone, which had completely turned into red crosses, and her complexion was several shades paler than the snow outside.
She tossed her phone onto the table with a soft 'thwack,' leaned back against the chair, and closed her eyes. A profound sense of powerlessness emanated from her, making even her well-tailored suit look somewhat rumpled.
"Sister Su," Jiang Chen looked at her. "That loan, is the shortfall very large?"
Su Qingge opened her eyes and gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Not large. Only thirty million. But under the current market conditions, this thirty million is the last straw that breaks the camel's back. The bank won't lend, and the investors are pulling out. I was originally going to the provincial capital to ask an old classmate for a short-term loan, but now it seems..."
She didn't finish, just shook her head.
Jiang Chen remained silent.
Thirty million was merely the cashback amount from a few tasks for the Divine Tycoon System to him right now.
The key was, if the System didn't issue tasks, he wouldn't have enough money either!
"Ding! Detected that companion is in a state of extreme anxiety."
"Task triggered: Warm Sun in Winter."
"Task Description: On this cold and desperate night, material satisfaction often brings spiritual comfort. The Host must provide the ladies in the compartment with a 'late-night snack' sufficient to alleviate anxiety within half an hour, and successfully raise their emotional value."
"Task Reward: Random cash cashback."
Jiang Chen's eyebrows slightly lifted.
The System's task had arrived at the perfect time.
"Are you hungry?" Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, breaking the dead silence in the compartment.
The three women were momentarily stunned.
"What time is it? You're still thinking about eating?" Chen Man rolled her eyes, weakly slumping onto the pillow. "I'm full from being angry."
"Food is the paramount necessity for people," Jiang Chen stood up, tidying his clothes. "Since it's stopped anyway, instead of worrying here, we might as well treat ourselves better. I'll go to the dining car and see if I can get something hot."
"The dining car closed hours ago, didn't it?" Lin Wan said worriedly. "And it's so late..."
"That's for other people." Jiang Chen smiled, a confidence in that smile that compelled blind belief. "I have a way. Wait here."
Saying that, he pulled open the door and walked out.
The corridor was even colder than before.
After the train stopped, the heating system also seemed unstable, and gusts of cold air snaked in through the gaps where the carriages connected.
Jiang Chen pushed through the crowded mass of people and arrived at the dining car.
The dining car was indeed dark, with only one on-duty chef dozing at a table.
Hearing the movement, the chef groggily lifted his head. "What? No more food. Come back in the morning."
Jiang Chen cut to the chase, directly pulling out a stack of bright red bills from his pocket and lightly slapping them on the table.
"Master, I'm not asking you to cook. I just need to borrow this space for a late-night snack. Also, do you have any... private stock of good liquor?"
The chef's eyes instantly widened. He looked at the money on the table, then at Jiang Chen, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Ten minutes later.
When Jiang Chen returned to Compartment No. 8 carrying a huge tray, the three women were dumbfounded.
On the tray sat a steaming earthenware pot filled with freshly boiled mutton and radish soup. The milky white broth was churning, emitting a rich aroma.
Next to it was a plate of sliced cured beef, a plate of peanuts, and a bottle of old wine whose label was worn smooth.
This spread, on a green-skinned train trapped by snow, was practically a state banquet level offering.
"Holy crap..." Chen Man jumped down directly from the upper bunk, not even bothering to put on her shoes. "Little brother, did you rob the dining car? Where did this mutton soup come from?"
"The Master happened to have some unused ingredients, so I asked him to help process them," Jiang Chen placed the tray on the table, took out four disposable paper cups. "Here, have something hot to ward off the chill. This wine is brewed by the Master himself, not too strong, perfect for warming up."
The steaming mutton soup, paired with the mellow old wine, instantly chased away the cold in the compartment.
After a few cups of wine, the previously oppressive atmosphere finally began to liven up.
Su Qingge's complexion looked much better.
The alcohol brought a flush to her cheeks, and the icy coldness that kept people at arm's length melted away, replaced by a slightly tipsy languor.
"Jiang Chen," she looked at the big boy across from her, holding the paper cup with a somewhat hazy gaze. "You really are strange."
"How am I strange?" Jiang Chen poured himself a cup of wine and asked with a smile.
"You look like a student who hasn't grown up, but you act as seasoned as... as an old hand." Su Qingge chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "I've met plenty of rich people in my life, but never anyone like you. Using thousands of yuan worth of water to bathe, giving thousands in tips just to get a pot of mutton soup. What are you after?"
"I'm after happiness," Jiang Chen shrugged. "Money—isn't it just for making people happy? If you can't even make the people around you happy, what's the point of earning it?"
This statement seemed to strike a chord deep within Su Qingge. She stared blankly at Jiang Chen, her eyes complex.
"Well said!" Chen Man raised her cup and loudly agreed. "Come, let's toast to little brother's 'after happiness'! Sister Su, stop thinking about that rotten stuff. If the company goes under, your sister will support you! I may not be educated, but I've saved up enough over the years for the few of us to splurge for a while."
"Who needs you to support them," Su Qingge said dismissively, but she still raised her cup to clink against Chen Man's. "But... this soup really is good."
Lin Wan hadn't said much, only quietly refilling everyone's soup.
Watching Jiang Chen chat and laugh easily with the two women, the sour feeling in her heart resurfaced, but it was mixed with a greater sense of security.
As long as he was here, it felt like someone would hold things up even if the sky fell.
Just then, Chen Man suddenly leaned her face close to Jiang Chen's, carrying a whiff of alcohol and slyness. "Hey, little brother, we were so busy eating, I forgot to ask. What exactly were you and Sister Wanwan doing outside just now? Don't try to fool me with that drunkard story; my eyes have seen too many scenes like that."
The compartment instantly fell silent.
Lin Wan's hand trembled, and her soup spoon lightly hit the rim of the bowl with a crisp sound.
Jiang Chen turned his head, looking at Chen Man who was close at hand, then glancing at Lin Wan opposite him, who was so tense she looked ready to burrow under the table.
He suddenly reached out and lightly flicked Chen Man's nose.
"Sister Man," his voice lowered, carrying a magnetic quality that was half-smile, half-tease. "Some things, seeing through without saying them, that's the rule of the adult game. If you're really that curious... next time I'll take you along to 'get some fresh air,' okay?"
This statement neither confirmed nor denied anything; instead, it carried an extremely ambiguous provocation.
Chen Man froze.
She had intended to tease Jiang Chen, but unexpectedly found herself being flirted with instead.
The phrase "I'll take you along," even though she knew it was a joke, made her heart skip a beat.
"Hmph, as if I'd care." Chen Man sat back, her face flushed, muttering under her breath, but her momentum was clearly weakened.
20: Chapter 20 The Warmth of 100,000 Yuan
Jiang Chen sat on the lower bunk, looking at a bank SMS notification that had just popped up on his phone screen.
[Your card ending in 5207 received a deposit of RMB 100,000.00 at 05:22 on January 24th.]
At the same time, the mechanical electronic voice in his mind sounded right on schedule.
[Ding! The 'Warm Sun in Winter' mission is complete.]
[Analysis: The Host not only provided material satisfaction but also successfully soothed the companion's anxiety. Mission evaluation: Perfect.]
[Cash reward obtained: 100,000 yuan.]
[The source of funds has been legalized. The Host may use it with confidence.]
The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curved upward slightly as he tucked his phone back into his pocket.
One hundred thousand yuan.
For him before this journey began, this was a massive sum, even equaling the total living expenses for his four years of university.
But now, looking at that number, his heart was surprisingly calm.
"Aiyo, this train is starting to pick up speed," Chen Man turned over on the upper bunk, letting her leg, which had finally recovered, rest on the guardrail. "Judging by the sound, they must have finished clearing the tracks."
Su Qingge was tidying up the leftover food on the table.
She placed the empty clay pot back onto the tray with elegant movements.
Hearing Chen Man, she turned her head and glanced out the window: "Mm, as long as we pass this snowy section, it opens up to plains, and the speed can increase."
She raised her wrist to look at the exquisite Jaeger-LeCoultre ladies' watch: "If nothing unexpected happens, we should reach the transfer station around three in the afternoon. If we catch the last high-speed train, we can be in the provincial capital before seven tonight."
Saying this, Su Qingge's slightly relaxed brow furrowed slightly again.
Seven o'clock.
The banks would be closed by then, and she didn't know if she could still arrange to meet her old classmate.
"Sister Su," Jiang Chen took the tray from her hands. "Don't overthink it. Worry about the bridge when you come to it. If there is no bridge, then we'll smash one out."
Su Qingge paused for a moment, then smiled.
The smile was faint but very genuine.
"You certainly look at things optimistically," she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Alright, you go return the dishes and ask the conductor for the exact arrival time so we can prepare in advance."
Jiang Chen nodded, carrying the tray out.
The three women were left alone in the compartment.
The atmosphere suddenly became subtly quiet.
Lin Wan sat in the corner of the lower bunk, carefully folding the blanket Jiang Chen had used to cover her.
She folded it slowly and meticulously, as if trying to smooth out every crease.
"Wanwan, you're going to fold a pattern into that blanket," Chen Man lay on the upper bunk, twirling an eyeliner pencil, her gaze playful. "You're reluctant to let it go, huh?"
Lin Wan's hands paused, and her cheeks instantly grew hot: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just... tidying up."
"Tidying up what? That's a shared blanket; you can't take it when we get off the train." Chen Man pouted, then suddenly leaned her head down a bit, lowering her voice. "Hey, seriously, are we really breaking up now?"
The words 'breaking up' felt like a tiny thorn stabbing into Lin Wan's heart.
She looked up, her eyes somewhat dazed.
Yes, they were breaking up.
Although this journey was only a short dozen hours, every event that occurred felt like a dream.
From that not-so-pleasant first encounter, to the bowl of instant noodles later, the shower, and that kiss at the back of the carriage... the one that still made her tremble whenever she thought about it.
Was all of this about to end?
Once they reached the provincial capital, Su Qingge would be the female CEO discussing business, Chen Man would be the carefree nightclub owner, and she...
She would return to that cold, lifeless home, reverting to that timid housewife, facing a husband who only transferred money to her and wouldn't even spare her a proper glance.
This sense of disparity made her feel a suffocating discomfort.
"What's this talk of breaking up? It sounds so unpleasant," Su Qingge said lightly while patting toner onto her face. "The provincial capital isn't that big; we'll see each other if we want to."
"That's true." Chen Man nodded thoughtfully. "I'll be staying in the provincial capital for a while anyway. I just broke up with someone, so I have nowhere to go. Hey, Sister Su, that offer you made about room and board—is that still valid?"
"It's valid," Su Qingge glanced at her. "As long as you don't mind that my hometown is just an ordinary village and not as comfortable as the big villa you used to live in."
"With a great beauty like Sister Su accompanying me, I'd be happy to live under a bridge," Chen Man replied with a playful grin, then shifted her gaze to Lin Wan. "Sister Wanwan, what about you? Going home?"
The movement in Lin Wan's hands completely stopped.
Going home.
This phrase used to mean a destination for her, but now it felt like a cage.
"Mm..." she replied softly, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "I guess... so."
"What do you mean 'I guess'?" Chen Man was clearly dissatisfied with the vague answer. "Isn't your husband coming to pick you up?"
Lin Wan pulled at the corner of her mouth bitterly: "He's... busy. Probably hasn't even looked at his phone."
"Tsk, what a scumbag (scumbag)," Chen Man didn't hold back, rolling her eyes. "Why keep a man like that around? If you ask me, you shouldn't go back at all. Come hang out with us. The three of us can play Landlord, and we can pull the little brother in to play Mahjong. Wouldn't that be great?"
Lin Wan didn't speak, only managed a strained smile.
Just then, the compartment door was pushed open, and Jiang Chen walked in, bringing a chill with him.
"I found out," he said, patting the snowflakes off his shoulders. "The conductor said the track conditions ahead are good. If things go smoothly, we'll arrive at two-thirty. We have about four hours left."
Four hours.
The countdown had begun.
Jiang Chen sat back on his bunk and took a swig from the water bottle he hadn't finished.
His gaze swept across the compartment, finally landing on Lin Wan.
Lin Wan was looking down, unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes, radiating an aura of deep gloom.
Jiang Chen put the water bottle down, making a soft 'thud' sound.
"Sister Wan."
Lin Wan looked up in surprise: "Ah?"
"I noticed your suitcase looks quite heavy," Jiang Chen pointed to the large suitcase on the luggage rack. "There will be a lot of people getting off; I'll help you carry it."
It was a very simple sentence.
But Lin Wan's eyes immediately reddened.
She quickly lowered her head, using her hair to cover her face, her voice slightly choked: "Th-thank you."
"Don't be so polite," Jiang Chen smiled, his tone as natural as if they were family. "We crawled out of the same trench; taking care of each other is what we should do."
"Comrades-in-arms?" Chen Man laughed. "Little brother, that's quite a fresh term you used. Are you saying we went through a hail of bullets?"
"Of course," Jiang Chen said half-jokingly. "We had water outages and power outages, and we still had to guard against drunks. Isn't that harder than fighting a war?"
The atmosphere in the carriage eased slightly because of this lighthearted banter.
But the sorrow of parting, like the thick layer of snow outside the window, although it would slowly melt under the sun, still pressed heavily on everyone's heart at that moment.
Especially Lin Wan.
As she watched the scenery flash by outside the window, the crazy thought in her mind had not cooled down with the passage of time; instead, it had grown wildly like weeds.
21: Chapter 21 The Unfinished Secret
The afternoon sun pierced through the clouds, slanting down onto the snow-covered plain, reflecting a dazzling glare.
The train sped across the vast snowy expanse, resembling a tireless silver snake.
The carriage's broadcast had already announced the impending arrival at the station. That unique female announcer's voice, laced with static, stirred the previously quiet compartment back into a restless state.
“Attention passengers, the train is about to arrive at this line's transfer station... Passengers, please organize your luggage and belongings...”
The compartment also began to bustle with activity.
The tangible feeling that the journey was about to end became clearer and clearer as items were stuffed into suitcases.
Su Qingge had changed back into her sharp professional attire.
Although the washed white shirt was slightly wrinkled, under the enhancement of her cold and glamorous aura, it instead exuded a casual, high-end feel.
She stood before the mirror, carefully buttoning every button, right up to the top one, once again sealing that section of her fair neck beneath the strict collar.
She had transformed back into the decisive CEO Su.
Chen Man, however, presented a completely different style.
She sat on the lower bunk, facing a pile of bottles and jars, meticulously drawing her eyebrows and applying eye makeup in a small mirror.
The carriage swayed slightly, but her hands were astonishingly steady. The eyeliner pen traced an upward curve, instantly injecting soul into her slightly weary face.
“Little brother, hand me that red bag,” Chen Man directed while applying lipstick, pointing toward the luggage rack.
Jiang Chen reached up, took down the Hermès Birkin bag that looked very expensive, and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” Chen Man winked, taking the bag. She pulled out her phone, “Come on, let’s add each other on WeChat first. Otherwise, once we get off the train and it’s crowded, we’ll lose each other.”
She deftly tapped open the QR code and thrust it in front of everyone without asking.
“I’ll make a group chat,” Chen Man typed rapidly on the screen. “The group name will be... ‘Snow Country Train Survivors’? How about that? Isn't it powerful?”
“Tacky,” Su Qingge scanned the code and commented bluntly with a single word, but she still tapped to agree to join.
“Tacky? This is called realism,” Chen Man was unconcerned. She then moved her phone toward Lin Wan. “Sister Wanwan, hurry up and scan.”
Lin Wan was squatting on the floor, tidying things up.
Her luggage was actually not much; most of it consisted of local specialty products for her family, along with some clothes bought for her husband.
Conversely, her own belongings were pitifully few.
Hearing Chen Man, she nervously wiped her hands and pulled out her phone, which was covered in cartoon stickers, and scanned the code.
There was a soft ‘ding’ sound.
The profile picture was a simple landscape photo, and the nickname was ‘Wanwan’.
It perfectly matched the impression she gave others: gentle and non-aggressive.
Finally, it was Jiang Chen’s turn.
Jiang Chen took out his phone and scanned it.
“Ooh, Little Brother’s profile picture is quite deep,” Chen Man teased, looking at Jiang Chen’s black-and-white silhouette avatar. “Looks like an artist.”
“Just a random shot,” Jiang Chen smiled and accepted the group invitation.
Four people, one small group.
It seemed this was the only proof of their strange fate together.
“Alright, let’s keep in touch in the future,” Chen Man put away her phone and clapped her hands with satisfaction. “If anyone runs into trouble, just shout in the group. Especially CEO Su, if you ever need money, feel free to ask. I might not have tens of millions, but treating you to a good meal is no problem.”
Su Qingge paused her file organizing, a very faint curve appearing at the corner of her mouth: “Got it. I won’t starve.”
Just then, Jiang Chen felt his sleeve being gently tugged.
He turned his head and saw Lin Wan squatting by his feet, holding the dirty T-shirt he had changed out of.
“Um... Little Jiang,” Lin Wan looked up, her voice very soft. “This shirt is dirty, why don’t... I take it back to wash for you? I have laundry to do anyway.”
What she said was a bit abrupt.
A UNIQLO T-shirt worth only a few dozen yuan—why bother taking it back specifically to wash?
But this wasn't just about washing clothes.
It was a test, an excuse to maintain contact, a desire to extend this relationship.
Jiang Chen looked at her.
Lin Wan’s eyes flickered evasively, not daring to meet his gaze, but the hand gripping the shirt was tight, her knuckles slightly white.
She looked like a primary school student who had done something wrong, awaiting the teacher’s verdict.
That humble yet yearning look was heartbreaking.
“No need for such trouble,” Jiang Chen squatted down, bringing his gaze level with hers.
The light in Lin Wan’s eyes instantly dimmed, and her hand loosened slightly.
“I’ll wash it myself,” Jiang Chen reached out and took the shirt. As their fingertips brushed during the handover, he intentionally or unintentionally grazed the back of her hand. “But Sister Wan, if you really want to help... could you pass me that bag over there? I can’t reach it.”
That bag was right beside Lin Wan.
Lin Wan was stunned for a moment, then reacted immediately. The light in her eyes reignited.
“Okay, okay, I’ll get it for you,” she quickly turned to grab the bag. Because she moved too hastily, she almost bumped into the edge of the bed.
This scene fell into the eyes of Su Qingge beside them.
Su Qingge pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, and a glimmer of understanding flashed behind the lenses. She said nothing, merely picked up her handbag and stood up.
“I’m going to the restroom,” Su Qingge said lightly, pulling open the door and walking out.
“Me too, me too! I need to touch up my makeup!” Chen Man also seemed to suddenly remember something, grabbed her makeup bag, and bustled out after her.
As she closed the door, she even deliberately winked at Jiang Chen, her eyes full of teasing.
The compartment door clicked shut.
In the narrow space, only Jiang Chen and Lin Wan remained.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The sunlight from outside streamed in, casting mottled shadows on Lin Wan’s face.
She still maintained that half-crouching posture, holding the bag in her hand, but she hesitated to hand it over to Jiang Chen.
“Sister Wan,” Jiang Chen called her name softly.
Lin Wan trembled all over and slowly raised her head.
Her eyes were slightly red, and her lips were bitten pale.
The emotions suppressed throughout the journey were finally becoming hard to contain in this private space shared only by the two of them.
“Little Jiang...” she began, her voice terribly hoarse. “Are we... really going to part ways like this?”
Jiang Chen did not answer immediately.
He reached out, took the bag, and casually set it aside, then leaned a little closer.
The distance between them instantly closed.
Close enough to smell the faint milky fragrance on her, the scent of her hand cream mixed with a hint of anxious sweat. It wasn't unpleasant; rather, it carried an attractive authenticity.
“Sister Wan, what are you afraid of?” Jiang Chen looked into her eyes, his tone calm and certain.
“I...” Lin Wan bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t want to go back. I really don’t want to go back.”
Once these words were spoken, it was like opening Pandora's Box.
The fear of the future, the disgust with the present situation, and the dependence on the man before her all mixed together, transforming into an uncontrollable impulse.
“If you don’t want to go back, then don’t,” Jiang Chen reached out and gently wiped away a tear escaping the corner of her eye. “Your legs are attached to you; who can tie you down?”
“But...” Lin Wan shook her head. “Where can I go? I don’t have a job, no savings, I don’t even have a friend to talk to...”
“You do,” Jiang Chen interrupted her.
He grabbed Lin Wan’s hand and pressed the phone—the one they had just used to add contacts—into her palm.
“Look at the group chat.”
Lin Wan lowered her head. On the screen was the newly established four-person group.
“And me,” Jiang Chen’s voice was low, yet it sounded like a promise. “I said, if you ever want to start over, you can do it anytime.”
Lin Wan looked up, gazing at him dazedly.
That promise was too tempting.
It was like a life raft, making her want to grasp it regardless of the consequences.
Just then, the distinctive sound of high heels echoed from the corridor, along with the voices of Chen Man and Su Qingge talking.
They were returning.
That sense of urgency, of being on the verge of interruption, made Lin Wan’s heart beat violently.
She suddenly made a decision.
A crazy decision that went against all the education she had received in the last thirty years.
22: Chapter 22 Even if it's just this once... I want to be a bad woman.
"Little Jiang."
Lin Wan stood up. Because she had been squatting too long, her legs were a bit numb, and her body swayed slightly, bumping right into Jiang Chen's arms.
She didn't pull away; instead, she used the momentum to grip the lapel of Jiang Chen's coat.
"I want to go... get some air."
Her voice was very soft, carrying a trace of trembling, yet her eyes were unusually bright, as if a fire was burning within them.
"Go where?" Jiang Chen asked, though he already knew the answer, placing his hand on her waist.
Lin Wan bit her lip, leaned close to his ear, and exhaled like a fragrant breeze: "The back of the car."
The indicator light on the restroom door at the connection between the carriages was dark.
The space here was even narrower than she had imagined.
The stainless steel sink reflected a cold light. The mirror was covered in mottled water stains, and the air was filled with the smell of cheap detergent and a faint scent of rust.
The floor beneath their feet vibrated violently with the movement of the train, making loud clanging sounds.
But for the two people in this moment, this was the safest refuge in the world.
With the crisp sound of the lock clicking shut, the noisy world outside was completely sealed off.
Lin Wan leaned back against the door panel, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Her face was so red it looked like blood might drip. She held the doorknob tightly behind her back with both hands, as if it were the only thing supporting her stance.
She had never done anything like this before.
Squeezed together with a man almost ten years younger than her in the restroom of a moving train.
This intense sense of immorality and shame was like a fire, burning away all her reason.
Jiang Chen stood in front of her.
The space was too small; the two were almost pressed against each other.
One of his hands braced against the door panel beside Lin Wan, while the other rested naturally on her waist.
The fabric there was soft, and with his touch, she could clearly feel the taut muscle lines underneath.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen looked down at her, his gaze as deep as a well, "This isn't a good place to get air."
Lin Wan dared not look at him.
Her gaze fell upon Jiang Chen's Adam's apple bobbing up and down, her voice as thin as silk: "I know... I just... I just want to..."
Before she could finish speaking, tears started falling.
They were tears mixed with grievance, fear, and longing.
"I want to be willful just once." Lin Wan finally raised her head. Her eyes, usually gentle and soft, were now filled with shattered light. "For these thirty years, I have lived too tiringly. I am a good daughter to my parents, a good wife to my husband, but never myself. Little Jiang, do you know that feeling? It's like being stuffed into a casing; you're alive, but you can't catch your breath."
Jiang Chen didn't speak, just looked at her quietly, his fingers gently stroking the fabric at her waist, carrying a sense of comfort.
"Just now in the compartment, listening to you talk about your future plans..." Lin Wan sniffled, her voice choked with emotion, "I suddenly felt so scared. I'm afraid that once this trip ends, I won't have the courage to take this step anymore. I'm afraid I'll just swallow my pride like before and continue living that stagnant, dead-water life."
"I don't want that." She shook her head, tears splashing down. "Even if it's just this once... I want to be a bad woman."
Bad woman.
The phrase, spoken from her lips, carried a heartbreaking innocence and resolve.
It felt as if something had violently struck Jiang Chen's heart.
He looked at the woman before him, who was trying to fly into the flame for a sliver of warmth, and the suppressed restlessness in his heart erupted completely.
"Then don't be one."
Jiang Chen's voice was incredibly hoarse.
He suddenly lowered his head and kissed the lips that had been chattering and voicing grievances.
This was not the tentative kiss from before.
This was a deep kiss carrying plunder, possessiveness, and even a hint of punishment.
"Mmm..."
Lin Wan let out a broken whimper. Her hands instinctively wanted to push away, but the moment they touched Jiang Chen's scorching chest, they turned into a tight cling.
She closed her eyes and responded clumsily but passionately.
The train happened to pass a turnout, and the body shook violently.
Lin Wan lost her balance and slid downward.
Jiang Chen reacted quickly. The hand resting on her waist suddenly tightened, lifting forcefully, hoisting her entire body up and pressing her against the cold door panel.
This feeling of weightlessness made Lin Wan gasp, but the sound was instantly swallowed in the kiss.
The temperature in the narrow space rose sharply.
The mirror quickly fogged over, blurring their reflections.
Jiang Chen's hands were not idle.
His palms were large and scorching hot. Through the thin wool dress, they slowly trailed along the lines of her spine.
From her firm lower back, past the edge of the thick leggings she wore for warmth, and then to...
That sensation was too vivid.
Lin Wan felt like a dying fish on a cutting board; every inch of her skin screamed with desire, and every nerve was trembling.
"Little Jiang..." Between breaths, she managed to utter a few words, her voice soft as a puddle of water, "Stop... don't do this..."
Though her mouth said stop, her body honestly pressed closer to him.
This contradictory reaction was the greatest catalyst.
"Sister Wan, didn't you want to be a bad woman?" Jiang Chen leaned close to her ear, his warm breath spraying onto her sensitive earlobes, causing a fine layer of goosebumps. "We're just getting started."
Saying that, his hand pressed down slightly with a bit more force.
It was a highly suggestive movement.
Lin Wan's body instantly stiffened, then immediately went completely limp.
She buried her head in the hollow of Jiang Chen's neck, gasping deeply, like a drowning person who had grasped the only piece of driftwood.
"I don't regret it."
She suddenly said something without preamble.
The voice was light, but firm.
"I don't regret meeting you. Nor do I regret... being like this now."
Jiang Chen's hand paused.
He pulled Lin Wan slightly away, looking at her flushed face, her eyes hazy yet showing a stubbornness.
In that moment, he suddenly realized she was just too cold.
So cold that she wanted to find a bonfire and burn herself to ashes, just to prove she was still alive.
"Silly girl,"
Jiang Chen sighed, brushing the damp strands of hair near her cheek behind her ear. His gaze softened, "No one is making you regret anything. This is just the beginning, not the end."
He held her tightly, giving her the warmth and embrace she needed most in this narrow, foul-smelling restroom.
The roar of the train continued.
23: Chapter 23 The mouth is not only for eating
In the narrow restroom, only the sound of their ragged breathing remained, mixed with the monotonous and dull vibration of the train rolling over the tracks.
That vibration traveled up through the floor, making one's legs feel weak.
Jiang Chen leaned against the sink, looking at the woman in front of him who had completely lost control.
Lin Wan's long hair was slightly disheveled, a few strands stuck to her temples with sweat. Her eyes, which always held a trace of resentment, were now frighteningly bright, like obsidian soaked in water.
It was an explosion after too long being suppressed, a madness born from desperately wanting to grasp onto something.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen's fingers threaded through her hair, his palm pressed against the back of her head. He applied a little pressure, forcing her to lift her head to receive his kiss, "This is on a train, the soundproofing isn't great."
"I don't care."
Lin Wan's voice was muffled, thick with nasal congestion.
Her hands, which had initially been gripping Jiang Chen's clothes tightly as if afraid he would run away, now began to get restless.
She started to probe underneath the hem of his T-shirt.
Jiang Chen's skin was hot. The young man's muscles were firm and elastic, completely different from the perpetually slack, overweight husband at home.
This sensation made Lin Wan's fingers tremble; she felt both fear and craving.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Jiang Chen looked down at her, his Adam's apple bobbing once. His voice was slightly tight.
Lin Wan didn't speak.
She seemed possessed. Thirty years of conformity vanished into thin air at this moment.
All she wanted now was a bit of warmth, a feeling of truly being 'alive'.
Her hand slid down Jiang Chen's firm abdomen, her fingertips touching the black belt.
The cold metal buckle felt exceptionally hard beneath her finger pads.
"Click."
A crisp metallic sound of release echoed in the small space. The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap exploding next to their ears.
Jiang Chen's breathing visibly hitched for a second. He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement entering his eyes: "Sister Wan, you seem quite... proficient in this skill?"
Lin Wan's face instantly turned crimson, like a boiled shrimp.
"No... it's not..." she explained flusteredly, but her movements became even clumsier. The more anxious she got, the harder it was to undo the buckle, "I haven't... never before..."
"Never before?" Jiang Chen caught her restless hand, his gaze deepening, "Aren't you married?"
Lin Wan froze.
She lowered her head, and tears fell onto the back of Jiang Chen's hand without warning, scalding hot.
"He... he's impotent in that regard." Lin Wan's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, carrying shame and grievance too difficult to voice, "We've been married for five years, and he's never touched me. He has someone else outside; she's a... she's a man."
The air seemed to solidify.
Only the clanging sound of the wheels hitting the tracks remained, striking against their hearts again and again.
Jiang Chen looked at the woman before him.
So that was it. No wonder she always carried an indescribable sense of decay; no wonder she craved even the smallest bit of tenderness so intensely.
She wasn't some seasoned veteran wife. In that aspect, she was even purer than a blank slate.
The so-called 'virtuous wife' was merely a decoration living in widowhood.
"So..." Jiang Chen lifted her chin, his thumb gently wiping away the dampness at the corner of her mouth, "You want to practice on me?"
"I..." Lin Wan bit her lip, her eyes flickering, "I just want to know... what that feeling is actually like. I don't want to reach the end of my life without ever having been a real woman."
With things said to this extent, any remaining reserve would just be affectation.
Jiang Chen let go of her hand, leaned back, resting against the mirror, striking a pose of 'yours to take'.
"Then come on," he chuckled softly, his voice hoarse.
Lin Wan took a deep breath.
Her trembling hand returned to the metal buckle.
This time, she wasn't flustered.
With the faint sound of the belt being drawn out, the sense of restraint completely vanished.
The temperature in the cramped space rose abruptly.
...
The train was still speeding along.
The snowy plains outside the window were endless, dazzlingly white. But inside this iron box less than two square meters, spring was in full bloom.
Lin Wan squatted down.
Jiang Chen tilted his head slightly, looking up at the dim yellow ceiling light, which swayed constantly with the rocking of the train.
It was impossible to tell how long had passed.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded, jolting the two of them out of their dazed state.
"Is anyone in there or not? You've been in there for half an hour! Did you fall into a pit or something?" A man with a loud voice complained from outside the door.
Lin Wan flinched violently, her whole body trembling. She suddenly looked up, her eyes full of panic.
"Don't be afraid."
Jiang Chen patted her head, his gesture as gentle as comforting a startled cat.
He quickly tidied his clothes and re-buckled his belt.
"Click."
It was that same crisp sound again, but this time, in Lin Wan's ears, it carried a lingering sense of regret.
Jiang Chen turned on the faucet and quickly washed up, then pulled out a few tissues.
"Wipe yourself," he gestured toward the mirror, "And... straighten your clothes. If you go out looking like this now, even an idiot can tell what we just did."
Lin Wan took the tissues and stood up in a rush.
Her legs were a bit numb, and she almost lost her balance.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes held a lingering passion, and her lips were swollen like ripe cherries.
Where was the dignified, proper wife? This was clearly a woman brimming with allure.
"Are you ready?" Jiang Chen's voice sounded right next to her ear.
"Mm..." Lin Wan took a deep breath, threw the tissues into the trash can, and tried hard to make her expression look more normal.
"Let's go."
Jiang Chen unlocked the door.
The large man waiting for the restroom was just about to knock again when the door opened. A man and a woman walked out one after the other. The man looked composed, while the woman kept her head down, her face intensely red.
The big man paused for a moment, then revealed a lewd smile that suggested, "I get it." He stepped aside to let them pass.
"Young people these days, they really know how to have fun."
This mumbled remark wasn't too loud or too soft, and it landed perfectly in Lin Wan's ears.
Her face burned even hotter. She followed behind Jiang Chen almost as if fleeing, heading back toward the compartment.
24: Chapter 24 The Secret in the Private Box
The wind in the corridor was somewhat cool, blowing against her flushed face, yet it could not suppress the dryness and heat emanating from deep within her bones.
Lin Wan walked behind Jiang Chen, her gaze uncontrollably falling upon his broad back.
Just a few minutes ago, the owner of this back was in that cramped space, allowing her to act recklessly.
That chaotic feeling of control and being controlled was like a strong liquor, its aftereffect so potent it caused dizziness.
She subconsciously licked her lips; a certain unique taste seemed to linger there.
"We're here."
Jiang Chen stopped walking, placed his hand on the handle of Compartment No. 8, and turned back to glance at her.
Lin Wan took a deep breath, forcing down the messy thoughts, and straightened her slightly disheveled collar.
The door opened.
The warmth from the compartment rushed out, mixed with a faint scent of perfume.
Chen Man was sitting on the lower bunk, touching up her makeup with a small mirror, while Su Qingge was still staring blankly at the notebook computer that had run out of battery.
Hearing the door open, both women looked up simultaneously.
"Oh, you're back?" Chen Man snapped the cap onto her lipstick and swept her gaze, like a searchlight, over the two of them. "You two took quite a long time to get some air. I almost thought you two eloped."
If it were before, Lin Wan would probably have panicked to explain or been too ashamed to speak.
But now, she simply tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, wearing a faint smile she had never possessed before. "It was a bit long. The scenery outside was nice, so we stayed a while longer."
She walked to her bunk and sat down, her movements relaxed.
Chen Man raised an eyebrow, her eyes showing a hint of surprise.
As someone who had navigated the nightlife for many years, she was overly sensitive to matters between men and women.
The current Lin Wan, although dressed neatly and her hair tidied, her entire demeanor had completely changed.
If the former Lin Wan was a lily about to wither, the present her was a rose freshly watered by rain and dew, every petal unfurling, every part glowing.
Especially her eyes, they were bright and shimmering with light.
"Nice scenery?" Chen Man stared at Lin Wan’s neck with a half-smile. "What’s there to see outside? I think it must be... a nice person, right?"
Lin Wan’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure.
"Sister Man is such a joker." She picked up the bottled water on the table and twisted the cap open, taking a sip.
The water was somewhat cool, sliding down her throat, but it couldn't extinguish the fire in her heart.
"Ahem." Su Qingge suddenly coughed, closed the computer, "We'll be there soon. Pack up."
She did not join Chen Man's teasing, but her eyes, hidden behind her lenses, thoughtfully flickered between Jiang Chen and Lin Wan.
Jiang Chen acted as if nothing had happened, returned to his seat, and took out a pack of wet wipes to clean his hands.
"Sister Wan, I noticed the wheels on your suitcase seemed a bit stuck earlier. Want me to take a look?" he asked casually, his tone as natural as asking, "How's the weather today?"
"Ah? Oh... okay." Lin Wan was momentarily stunned, then reacted.
Jiang Chen stood up, pulled over Lin Wan's suitcase resting on the floor, and squatted down to pretend to check the wheels.
Lin Wan also squatted down to look closer.
Their heads were very close together.
At an angle invisible to Su Qingge and Chen Man, Jiang Chen’s finger lightly brushed across the back of Lin Wan's hand.
Lin Wan’s hand trembled slightly, but she did not pull away; instead, using the suitcase as cover, she hooked her little finger around his finger.
This momentary touch was more heart-fluttering than their previous encounter in the restroom.
It was the tacit understanding of co-conspirators.
It was having a secret belonging only to the two of them, out in the open, right under the noses of two sharp women.
"It’s nothing major, just a small pebble got stuck," Jiang Chen quickly stood up, patted his hands. "It’s cleared now."
"Thank you," Lin Wan looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tenderness.
"Alright, alright, stop acting out an idol drama here." Chen Man rolled her eyes, pulled the zipper of her makeup bag shut with a "zizla" sound. "I’m about to pass out from this sickening sweetness. Little brother, if you can’t find a job in the future, you won’t starve as a mechanic."
"I’ll take Sister Man’s good wishes," Jiang Chen replied with a smile. "It never hurts to have extra skills."
"Attention, passengers, the train is about to arrive at the transfer station... Please take your personal belongings..."
The broadcast sounded again, clearer and more urgent than before.
The speed of the train noticeably slowed down, and the lights outside the window gradually increased, no longer just monotonous darkness and white snow, but showing the outline of a city.
That anxiety of impending separation once again enveloped everyone’s heart.
Lin Wan looked at the streetlights rushing past the window, her palms covered in sweat.
They had arrived.
Would the absurd events that happened on this journey also come to an end as the train stopped?
That so-called home, that nominal husband, and that always critical mother-in-law were like a huge net, already open ahead, waiting for her to crawl back in.
She didn't want to go back.
She truly didn't want to.
"Sister Su, Sister Man, Sister Wan," Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "It will be crowded when we get off. Let’s try not to get separated. No matter what happens in the future, the bond we formed on this 'Snow Country Express' must not be broken."
"That’s a given," Chen Man stood up and stretched, her figure, where curves were clearly displayed, making the air feel a few degrees hotter. "If anyone dares to leave the group chat, I’ll track them down to their home."
Su Qingge also showed a rare smile and nodded.
Lin Wan looked at those faces, finally letting her gaze settle on Jiang Chen.
The young man, who was almost ten years younger than her, was leaning against the window, his profile looking exceptionally resolute under the light.
He seemed to sense her gaze, turned his head, and winked at her.
In that look, there was a reassuring strength.
Lin Wan’s anxious heart suddenly settled.
25: Chapter 25 The Joy of Crowding
The train finally began to slow down, the friction of the rails letting out a sharp screech.
The anxiety of parting within the carriage was instantly replaced by the chaos of imminent disembarking.
The aisle instantly filled with people, large and small bags acting like walls, squeezing the already narrow space to a standstill.
"How are we supposed to get off here?" Chen Man looked at the crowd outside the door, which resembled a can of sardines, her brow furrowed into a deep crease.
Her Hermès bag looked completely out of place, as if it might be deformed by the crowd at any moment.
"Don't rush, let them go first." Jiang Chen remained very calm, still sitting on the berth, even helping Su Qingge screw the cap back onto the half-finished bottle of water. "Squeezing out now means getting blasted by cold air. It's better to stay warm in the carriage for two more minutes."
Su Qingge glanced at her watch, her brow furrowing slightly: "The transfer only allows forty minutes. If we're late, we'll miss the next one."
"If we miss it, we'll take the next one." Jiang Chen stood up and reached for the black hard-shell suitcase deep in the luggage rack.
That was Su Qingge's; it was dead heavy, filled entirely with documents and samples.
The suitcase was too heavy, and the location was high up.
Jiang Chen supported the bottom of the case with one hand, the muscles in his arm instantly tensing.
"Careful." Su Qingge instinctively reached out to steady him.
Just then, the train lurched to a halt with a loud 'clank,' the final brake engaging.
The massive inertia caused the crowd to sway like a wave.
Su Qingge failed to keep her footing; her foot, encased in a high heel, turned, and she leaned backward.
She didn't fall to the floor.
Because Jiang Chen was half a step behind her, his free hand—the one not holding the suitcase—steadily supported the small of her back.
"Sister Su, this is the price you pay for ignoring advice and insisting on wearing high heels." Jiang Chen's voice sounded above her head, tinged with teasing and a hint of helplessness.
The two were very close.
Su Qingge was almost leaning back into his embrace, her back pressed tightly against his chest.
Through the thin shirt, she could feel his scorching body heat and the strong beat of his heart.
The hand supporting her waist was firm, and due to the momentum, it had slid up slightly, resting precisely on the most sensitive spot just below her ribs.
Su Qingge stiffened. The perpetual frost on her face cracked instantly, revealing a flash of flustered red.
"Let... let go." She tried to stand straight but found her legs felt weak.
"Are you steady now?" Jiang Chen didn't immediately release her. Instead, he used slight pressure to steady her, ensuring her balance was restored before slowly withdrawing his hand.
When his fingertips left, there seemed to be a lingering, reluctant friction.
"Mm." Su Qingge lowered her head to adjust her clothes, her voice quieter than a mosquito's buzz.
A light chuckle came from beside her: "Oh my, Sister Su, your waist looks so slender, the feel of it must be quite nice, right? Little brother, you're too biased. You only focused on helping Sister Su, weren't you afraid I'd fall too?"
Jiang Chen set the heavy suitcase on the ground, dusted off his hands, and turned to Chen Man: "Sister Man practices dancing; her core strength is good. She won't fall."
"Go away." Chen Man rolled her eyes, thrusting her large backpack into Jiang Chen's arms. "Take this, it’s so heavy it’s going to crush your sister's shoulder."
Jiang Chen took it with a smile, acting like a willing little porter.
Lin Wan had been standing nearby without speaking.
She looked at the reddening tips of Su Qingge's ears, then at the fingertips of Chen Man's hand deliberately brushing against Jiang Chen's hand while handing over the bag. The smile on her lips deepened.
Unlike before, she didn't feel a pang of sourness.
Instead, she actively took a step back, holding her own light little carry-on bag, making more space for the other two to be closer to Jiang Chen.
"Little Jiang, how should we proceed?" Lin Wan asked, her tone gentle. "There are too many people. If the four of us get separated, it will be troublesome."
"We'll form a single-file line, like a long snake." Jiang Chen pointed toward the door. "I'll take the lead, responsible for clearing the path and carrying the large items. Sister Su follows right behind me, Sister Man third, and Sister Wan, you take the rear to watch out for anything falling."
"Why am I third?" Chen Man protested. "I want to walk at the front."
"It's windy at the front, and you're more likely to get bumped by the woven bags of the aunties and uncles, which could scuff your designer coat." Jiang Chen's single sentence immediately silenced Chen Man.
"Fine, fine. I guess you have a conscience after all." Chen Man happily accepted the arrangement.
The group began to shuffle outward.
Jiang Chen was like a human bulldozer.
He was tall with broad shoulders, carrying a huge suitcase in each hand, and Chen Man's not-so-light hiking bag on his back. He managed to squeeze a gap through the dense crowd.
"Excuse me, careful not to bump anyone," he called out while using his body to block people attempting to cut in line.
Su Qingge followed closely behind him.
There were simply too many people; every small movement was a difficult contest.
Passengers behind pushed forward, while those at the front blocked the exit, leaving the people in the middle feeling like a pressed sandwich.
To avoid being separated, Su Qingge had to reach out and grab the fabric of Jiang Chen's clothes near his waist.
A burly man ahead suddenly turned around to adjust his luggage, and a huge woven bag was about to sweep across Su Qingge's face.
"Watch out!"
Jiang Chen seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He stopped suddenly, turned, released one suitcase, and pulled Su Qingge into his arms, using his back to shield her from the dirty woven bag.
There was a dull 'thud.'
The woven bag slammed into Jiang Chen's back, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Su Qingge was completely enveloped against his chest, her face buried in the collar of his windbreaker, her nostrils filled with the clean, pleasant scent of soap and the aroma of male hormones.
In this noisy carriage permeated with the smell of sweat, only this small space was safe, and warm.
"Are you okay?" Jiang Chen looked down at her.
Su Qingge shook her head.
She raised her eyes and met Jiang Chen's dark, bright gaze.
Through the wire-rimmed lenses, their gazes locked in the air for a second.
"If you're fine, let's go." Jiang Chen picked up the suitcase again, his voice still calm, as if his instinctive protective action just now was merely a simple favor.
Chen Man, watching from behind, pursed her lips and muttered close to Lin Wan's ear: "Wanwan, look. This little brother seems honest normally, but he really knows how to flirt at a crucial moment. Look at Sister Su's eyes; they are practically sticking together."
Lin Wan just smiled, reached out to help Chen Man adjust a strap that was about to slip off her shoulder, and said softly, "It's nice to have someone protecting you. Don't women... just lack a person like that?"
Chen Man paused for a moment. The peach blossom eyes that always held a hint of seduction dimmed slightly, then quickly returned to their carefree smile: "That's true. Today, let's just act like pampered young ladies and let this little brother serve us well."
At that moment, Jiang Chen turned back and called out: "Keep up closely, the door is just ahead."
"Coming!" Chen Man responded. This time, without needing prompting, she proactively reached out and grabbed the back hem of Su Qingge's windbreaker.
Lin Wan remained at the very back, looking at the three figures connected in a chain ahead. The feeling of emptiness in her heart was miraculously filled.
26: Chapter 26 Hand warmers in the snow
The moment they stepped out of the car, the cold wind felt like knives slicing their faces.
This was an old-fashioned outdoor platform with no roof, and snow the size of goose feathers was pressing down relentlessly.
The accumulated snow had already covered their ankles, making a crunching sound with every step.
"Damn it! What kind of awful weather is this!"
Chen Man let out a scream the moment she stepped out of the car, shrinking into a quail.
Her thin cashmere coat, chosen purely for style, was practically just a sheet of paper in the depths of the Qinling Mountains where the temperature was below minus ten degrees Celsius.
Su Qingge wasn't faring any better. Her high heels were a disaster; the heels sank directly into the snow and wouldn't budge.
Every step she took felt like dancing on a minefield.
"It’s too cold..." Lin Wan pulled her scarf tighter, but the wind still snaked in through the collar, chilling her until her teeth chattered.
Jiang Chen first moved all the luggage out and piled it up behind a slightly wind-sheltered billboard.
He glanced at the three women shivering from the cold and frowned.
"Put this on first." Jiang Chen took off his assault jacket. He was only wearing a thin black sweater underneath.
Without waiting for permission, he draped the jacket over Chen Man, who was wearing the least.
The jacket still held his body heat, and it was so large it resembled a cloak, directly covering most of Chen Man's body.
"What about you?" Chen Man was stunned, clutching the collar of the jacket. The warmth made her feel a little choked up.
"I'm fine, I have this." Jiang Chen patted his chest. "My internal fire is strong."
After speaking, he squatted down and looked at Su Qingge's feet, which were deeply embedded in the snow.
"Sister Su, your shoes won't work."
Su Qingge bit her lip, looking stubbornly miserable: "I didn't expect such heavy snow either..."
"Get on," Jiang Chen turned his back to her and squatted halfway down.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you a piggyback ride." Jiang Chen turned back, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This path is full of ice shards. If you walk two more steps in those shoes, your ankle will be ruined. Then I'd have to go to the hospital to take care of you, which would be even more troublesome."
Su Qingge hesitated, but Lin Wan next to her gave her a push: "Sister Su, don't force yourself. Little Jiang is strong, just let him carry you. It's not worth getting sick in weather this cold."
Su Qingge looked at the vast white expanse ahead, then at Jiang Chen's broad back, and finally let go of her ridiculous reserve.
She climbed onto his back.
Jiang Chen cupped her legs at the bend of her knees, the familiar position, the same heart-fluttering sensation.
But this time he was a gentleman; his hands were clenched into fists, using his wrists to support her, deliberately avoiding touching the thighs wrapped in black silk.
"Let's go," Jiang Chen called out and stood up steadily.
Su Qingge's weight felt as light as a feather to him.
She adjusted her posture somewhat unnaturally, wrapping her arms around Jiang Chen's neck, pressing her entire body against his back.
It was very warm.
That heat was transmitted continuously, making her cheeks feel almost hot.
"Sister Wan, hold Sister Man's hand so she doesn't slip," Jiang Chen directed as he walked. "We're heading to the exit hall; there's a waiting room over there."
The group of four trudged laboriously through the wind and snow.
The surrounding travelers were all grumbling; some had fallen, others were fighting for space on the path.
Only their strange group, though moving slowly, was exceptionally harmonious.
"Brother, are you cold?" Chen Man, wrapped in Jiang Chen's jacket, felt a little guilty looking at him in just his sweater.
"It's alright," Jiang Chen's voice drifted slightly in the wind. "As long as you three don't drop the ball, I'll be fine."
"Hmph, tough talker," Chen Man pouted, but she quickened her pace, staying close to his side, trying to use her body to block some of the side wind for him.
Lin Wan walked on the other side, occasionally reaching out to brush the falling snow off Jiang Chen's hair.
Her movements were light and natural, just like a wife caring for her husband setting out.
"It looks like it's blocked up ahead," Su Qingge, who could see further from Jiang Chen's back, suddenly spoke up.
It was indeed blocked.
The area near the exit hall was swarming with people, a dense mass of heads, and the noise was deafening.
"What happened?" Jiang Chen stopped walking.
"It seems they closed the road," an uncle passing by, wrapped in a military greatcoat, spat out unluckily. "A section of the railway bridge ahead collapsed under the snow, and they are repairing it. All services are suspended. Nobody is leaving tonight."
"All suspended?" Chen Man's eyes widened. "Then what do we do? Sleep in the snow?"
Jiang Chen's expression darkened.
He gently set Su Qingge down, letting her stand on a patch of concrete free of snow.
"You wait here, watch the luggage, and don't go anywhere," Jiang Chen said sternly. "I'll go ahead to scout the situation and see if I can find a place for us to stay."
"I'll go too," Lin Wan instinctively tried to follow.
"No," Jiang Chen pressed down on her shoulders. "Sister Wan, you are the most careful; stay here to look after the other two. Sister Su's leg is inconvenient, and Sister Man... Sister Man tends to argue with people."
Chen Man: "..."
"Be good," Jiang Chen finally squeezed Lin Wan's palm. It was a secret signal only they two understood.
Lin Wan pursed her lips and nodded: "Then be careful, and come back quickly."
Watching Jiang Chen's back disappear into the crowd, the three women stood in the wind and snow, suddenly feeling an emptiness in their hearts.
"We're done for," Chen Man pulled the coat tighter and sniffled. "I realize now that without this young man, I'm practically incapable of taking care of myself."
Su Qingge said nothing, only staring in the direction Jiang Chen had left. Her hand unconsciously stroked the spot where he had carried her, where his warmth seemed to linger.
Twenty minutes later.
Jiang Chen returned. His hair was damp, his eyebrows were coated with a layer of white frost, and his expression was somewhat grim.
"How is it?" The three asked in unison.
Jiang Chen wiped the melted snow from his face and exhaled a puff of white air: "The bad news is, traffic is indeed suspended. Trains won't run until noon tomorrow at the earliest."
"Then what's the good news?" Chen Man asked eagerly.
Jiang Chen glanced at them, his expression a little strange.
"The good news is, I managed to snag a room at the station guesthouse."
"That's great!" Lin Wan let out a sigh of relief. "We finally don't have to freeze."
"Don't celebrate too soon," Jiang Chen interrupted her, shaking a single finger. "There's only one room. And... only one bed."
27: Chapter 27 Only One Bed
The lobby of the bus station guesthouse was filled with the smell of instant noodles and damp mildew.
The Fat Big Sister at the front desk was yelling impatiently into the phone: "None left, none left! I told you, none left! That was the last room! Even the President wouldn't get a room!"
With a snap, she hung up the phone, turned around, and looked at the four young people in front of her whose looks far exceeded the norm but were covered in snow and wind. Her eyes held a bit more sympathy, but even more, they held the gossipy curiosity of a spectator.
"Here, the key." The Fat Big Sister tossed a key hanging from a red plastic tag onto the counter. "302. Let's get the ugly truth out of the way first. This was converted from a twin room into a king room, so it's small to begin with. The four of you... squeeze in and make do. It's better than sleeping on the floor in the lobby."
Chen Man looked at the key and swallowed hard: "Brother, are you sure it's only one bed?"
"Sure and absolutely certain." Jiang Chen picked up the key and spread his hands helplessly. "Besides, I just paid triple the price to snatch this from a scalper. Right now, even a seat at the internet cafe in this town costs two hundred yuan."
Qing Ge pushed up her glasses, regaining her composure: "It's good enough that we have a place to stay. Let's go."
She led the way toward the stairs. Although her leg was still limping slightly, her back was held perfectly straight, as if she wasn't heading to a shabby guesthouse but the presidential suite of a five-star hotel.
The hallway was dimly lit, the wall paint was peeling, and walking created echoes.
Jiang Chen walked last, carrying all the luggage. Lin Wan deliberately slowed her pace to wait for him.
"Little Jiang." Lin Wan lowered her voice, a trace of nervousness only women understood, mixed with... anticipation, "Are you sure there's only one room?"
"There's really only one room." Jiang Chen looked at her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Sister Wan, are you thinking of some R-rated scenes?"
Lin Wan's face flushed red, and she pinched him lightly in mock anger. "Nonsense... I'm just worried Sister Su and Manman aren't used to it."
"In special circumstances, we handle things specially," Jiang Chen said meaningfully. "Besides... if everyone squeezes together, won't it be warmer?"
They arrived at the door of 302.
Jiang Chen inserted the key and turned it. The sound of the old lock cylinder turning was exceptionally clear in the quiet corridor.
The door opened.
The three women stood at the doorway and simultaneously gasped.
The room was indeed small.
It was only about fifteen square meters.
One king-sized bed, estimated to be 1.8 meters wide, occupied almost two-thirds of the room. The remaining space was barely enough to place a few pieces of luggage and turn around.
The only advantage was that the heating was very strong.
That long-lost wave of heat washed over them, instantly making them feel like they had returned to the human world.
"This..." Chen Man pointed at the bed, her voice slightly shaky. "This bed is big, but sleeping four people... isn't that a bit too much?"
Qing Ge didn't speak. She walked straight in, took off her heavy trench coat, and kicked off her high heels.
She relaxed completely, collapsing onto the edge of the bed, rubbing her ankle.
"How do we sleep?" Qing Ge looked up, her eyes fixed directly on Jiang Chen, as if waiting for a distribution plan. "We can't have you sleeping on the floor, right? There's no space on the floor either."
Indeed, there was no space.
The floor was piled high with luggage, barely leaving room to stand.
Jiang Chen closed the door, shutting out the noise of the outside world.
The room immediately became quiet, so silent they could hear each other's breathing. The air rapidly warmed, and ambiguous elements grew wildly in the confined space.
"I can make do on the chair for the night," Jiang Chen pointed to the only broken wooden chair in the corner.
"No." The three women spoke almost in unison.
Chen Man was the first to jump out: "Is that a place for a person to sleep? You carried luggage and people today; even an iron body can't handle it."
Lin Wan also became anxious: "Exactly, Little Jiang, you must sleep on the bed. Otherwise... otherwise, I'll sleep on the chair."
"Sister Wan, your back isn't good, don't force yourself," Jiang Chen interrupted her.
Qing Ge suddenly stood up, walked to the bedside, and pressed the mattress.
"This bed is big enough." Her voice was cold, but her earlobes were bright red. "If we sleep sideways, it can fit everyone."
Sleep sideways?
Chen Man's eyes lit up. Unsure what she was thinking, she chuckled, "CEO Su is brilliant! Sleeping sideways really works. It's just... who sleeps next to whom is the problem."
This was a fatal question.
Four people, how to arrange them?
If it were normal times, this would never happen.
But now, after sharing hardships along the way, coupled with that sense of apocalypse from being sealed in by heavy snow, their bottom lines seemed to be quietly receding.
"I'll sleep on the edge," Lin Wan voluntarily raised her hand, her voice soft and weak. "I sleep soundly and don't take up much space."
"Then I'll sleep on the other side," Chen Man immediately seized the advantageous terrain on the other side. "I'm also afraid of falling off."
Thus, two spots were left open in the middle.
One was for Qing Ge.
One was for Jiang Chen.
Qing Ge looked at the empty stretch of sheets, her expression incredibly complex.
She, the dignified, dominant female CEO, was going to sleep next to a younger man she had only known for a day?
"Um..." Jiang Chen rubbed his nose, feeling that pretending to be a gentleman now would be too fake. "How about I sleep on the very edge, to block some wind for Sister Su?"
"No need," Qing Ge suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a tone of desperate resolution. "We'll sleep like this. I'll sleep on the inside, and you... you sleep between me and Lin Wan."
Lin Wan suddenly looked up, glanced at Qing Ge, then at Jiang Chen, a flash of surprise in her eyes, which quickly turned into a knowing smile.
Was Qing Ge... making the move?
"Well, everyone is sweaty," Jiang Chen felt his throat go a little dry. Was the heating in this room turned up too high? "How about... we take a shower first?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the gazes of the three women simultaneously fixed on the frosted glass door.
The bathroom was right next to the bed.
Although the glass wasn't transparent, it let light through.
The light inside was on, and the silhouettes of people could be clearly seen from the outside.
"Who first?" Chen Man licked her lips, her eyes circling Jiang Chen once before finally settling on Qing Ge. "CEO Su, please go first?"
Qing Ge took a deep breath and grabbed her toiletries bag. "I'll go first."
She walked into the bathroom, and the lock clicked shut.
A few seconds later, the sound of water started up.
The splashing sound was infinitely magnified in the quiet room.
On the frosted glass, a graceful silhouette soon appeared.
Qing Ge was taking off her clothes.
First the blouse, then the skirt... finally, those long legs were lifted, seemingly taking off a thin layer of silk stockings.
Jiang Chen sat on the chair, holding a bottle of mineral water, but he couldn't twist the cap open.
Chen Man leaned over, ignoring that Lin Wan was watching nearby. Her entire body was almost pressed against Jiang Chen, breathing softly into his ear:
"Brother, is it nice to look at?"
Her hand quietly rested on Jiang Chen's thigh, her fingertips drawing circles there.
"This is nothing yet... later, Sister will show you something even better to look at."
Jiang Chen tensed up, and the mineral water bottle in his hand creaked under the pressure.
After a while.
The small room started to become overwhelmingly hot.
The smell, a mixture of damp mildew and cheap air freshener, wasn't pleasant, but for people who had just narrowly escaped death in the icy wilderness, this was already heaven.
Jiang Chen sat on that only wooden chair, his gaze fixed on the bathroom door glowing with orange light.
The figure inside shifted, the sound of water splashed—every sound seemed to be striking the man's nerves.
"Ding!"
The familiar mechanical voice in his mind sounded at the appropriate time, breaking Jiang Chen's reverie.
【Godly Tycoon Cash-Back System has issued a mission!】
【Mission Description: As a Godly Tycoon, even when staying in a humble room, one cannot let down the beauties around him. This guesthouse's conditions are rudimentary and chilling. The Host must immediately improve the room's comfort level to let the three ladies feel warmth like spring.】
【Mission Requirement: Spending amount must not be less than 5000 Yuan. Time limit: 1 hour.】
【Mission Reward: Due to the increase in favorability, this time it is a random multiplier cash-back.】
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
Five thousand yuan? At a remote station guesthouse where there might not even be a small convenience store?
Did this system want him to buy the guesthouse?
"What's wrong, Brother? Your brow is furrowed like a little old man." Chen Man had approached sometime earlier. Having just taken off her coat, she was only wearing a tight base shirt with a somewhat low neckline. That scent of perfume drifted straight into Jiang Chen's nose.
She held half a bottle of mineral water, her eyes playfully fixed on Jiang Chen.
"Nothing." Jiang Chen stood up, picked up the scarf hanging on the clothes rack, "I'm going out for a bit."
"Why are you going out in this heavy snow?" Lin Wan, who was tidying luggage, looked up when she heard him, her face full of worry. "That Fat Big Sister outside said the temperature will drop again tonight, down to minus twenty degrees."
"There's only one blanket in this room, not enough to cover us," Jiang Chen pointed to the pitifully thin printed quilt on the king bed. "And this radiator isn't hot either. If the heat cuts off in the middle of the night, the four of us will freeze into popsicles. I'm going to see if I can get some gear back."
"Get gear?" Chen Man laughed. "In this desolate place, what can you possibly get? Do magic?"
"A capable person has their own methods." Jiang Chen gave a mysterious smile, grabbed his wallet, and pushed the door open to leave.
The wind in the corridor was indeed harsh.
Jiang Chen wrapped his collar tightly and went straight downstairs.
28: Chapter 28 Jiang Chen became a sandwich filling.
The Fat Big Sister at the front desk was cracking melon seeds and watching television. Seeing Jiang Chen come down, she didn't even lift her eyelids: "No more rooms available, stop asking."
"Sister, I'm not looking for a room." Jiang Chen leaned on the counter, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from his pocket, placed it on the tabletop covered in melon seed shells, and pushed it over.
The Fat Big Sister stopped cracking melon seeds, lifted her eyelids just a crack, revealing a shrewd look: "Then what is this for?"
"I want to ask where in town I can buy an electric heater? An oil-filled radiator with high power would be best. Also, I want to get two new quilts, they must be pure cotton and weigh eight catties. Down-filled ones are okay too, as long as they are clean and warm."
The Fat Big Sister inconspicuously tucked the hundred yuan into her sleeve, pursed her lips: "Young man, what are you thinking? It's this late, the town shops closed hours ago. Besides, with the mountain sealed by heavy snow, who has spares to give you?"
Jiang Chen didn't speak, then pulled out two more red bills and stacked them in the same spot as the first.
"Sister, I know you definitely have connections. Look at the three female comrades in our room; it would be terrible if they got frozen. Please trouble yourself to help me think of a way? As long as the things are good, the price is not an issue."
The Fat Big Sister looked at the two hundred yuan, and her throat bobbed.
"Fine, I see you're someone who cares for his wife." The Fat Big Sister wiped away the melon seed shells, stood up, "I have an oil radiator. I use it in my own room; it's nine-tenths new. If you don't mind, you can take it. As for the quilts... there are a few newly filled cotton quilts in the back warehouse. Those were prepared for my son's wedding, never used."
"That would be wonderful." Jiang Chen smiled harmlessly, "How much will it cost, Sister? You name the price."
The Fat Big Sister's eyes darted around, and she held out one hand: "A flat price, including rent and purchase, five hundred."
Actually, that oil radiator was second-hand, and the quilts were just ordinary cotton ones; together they wouldn't be worth more than two hundred yuan. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fleece a customer.
Jiang Chen shook his head.
"Sister, you look down on me too much with that price."
The Fat Big Sister was stunned: "You think it's too expensive?"
"It's not that it's too expensive, it's that the items aren't enough." Jiang Chen pointed outside, "I want you to help me get some food too. It doesn't have to be too fancy—a whole stewed chicken for soup, and some hot meals. Preferably, get a copper pot for shabu-shabu, and the meat must be freshly sliced. Plus those quilts and the heater..."
Jiang Chen directly took out his wallet, counted the money, pulled out a thick stack—about two thousand yuan—and slapped it onto the counter.
"Is this enough?"
The Fat Big Sister's eyes instantly went wide.
In her entire life, she had never seen such a foolish... oh no, such a generous God of Wealth.
"Enough! More than enough!" The Fat Big Sister was so excited that the flesh on her face trembled, "My husband is a butcher, and there happens to be fresh mutton rolls in the backyard! I have a copper pot too! I'll go arrange it for you right now!"
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister. Also..." Jiang Chen pulled out a few more bills from his pocket, "Could you help me knock on the door of the town pharmacy? I need some safflower oil, hand warmers, and the best ginger tea they have."
"No problem! Leave it to Sister!" The Fat Big Sister snatched the money and rushed toward the backyard in a flurry, moving faster than Liu Xiang.
Jiang Chen leaned against the counter, listening to the howling wind outside, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Problems that could be solved with money were currently not problems for him.
Half an hour later.
The door to Room 302 was knocked on.
Chen Man, wrapped in a bath towel, was sitting on the bed applying body lotion when the knock startled her: "Who is it?"
"Room service," Jiang Chen's voice.
Lin Wan quickly went to open the door.
When the door opened, a rich aroma of meat rushed in first, followed closely by Jiang Chen's face, which was a bit red from the cold, and the two stout men dressed like service staff behind him, carrying large and small bags.
"This... what is this?" Lin Wan's eyes widened.
"Move aside, careful it's hot." Jiang Chen directed the two men to bring the items in.
The originally cramped room was instantly filled to capacity.
A brand new, high-power oil radiator was plugged in, its orange indicator light turned on, and waves of heat rolled in.
Two large, bright red wedding quilts, looking thick and soft, were spread over the originally thin large bed, raising the entire mattress height by a section.
The most exaggerated item was the small round table by the window.
An old-fashioned purple copper hot pot was set up on top, the charcoal fire burning brightly. The clear broth inside was bubbling, and next to it were plates piled high with red and white mutton rolls, emerald green cabbage, frozen tofu, and even a steaming pot of old hen soup.
The three women were completely stunned.
"Little brother, did you rob a bank or buy this guesthouse?" Chen Man, almost letting her bath towel slip, stared at the plate of mutton with shining eyes.
Su Qingge, having just finished showering, sat in the corner of the bed wearing her slightly loose white shirt, her hair still dripping water. She watched Jiang Chen busy arranging bowls and chopsticks, her expression complicated.
In a place where one had to walk to the end of the corridor just to get boiling water, how did he manage to procure a hot pot meal?
"Didn't I say I have my own clever ways?" Jiang Chen placed the newly bought safflower oil in front of Su Qingge, handed a box of hand warmers to Lin Wan, and finally passed the ginger tea to Chen Man.
"Eat quickly, this charcoal won't last long."
Just as Jiang Chen sat down, the pleasant voice sounded in his mind.
"Mission Complete!"
"Current consumption amount: 5200 Yuan."
"Crit hit cashback triggered! Current cashback multiplier: 20 times!"
"Cashback amount of 104,000 Yuan has been transferred to the Host's account."
One hundred thousand yuan.
Jiang Chen's hand holding the chopsticks tightened slightly; he felt incredibly satisfied.
Eating hot pot, singing songs, and earning a hundred thousand yuan on the side—he wouldn't trade this life for a god's.
"Come, let's have a toast." Chen Man somehow found several disposable paper cups and filled them with the bulk white liquor the Fat Big Sister had provided, "A toast to our 'Logistics Minister,' Jiang Chen!"
"Cheers to Little Jiang," Lin Wan raised her cup, her eyes as gentle as water.
Su Qingge didn't drink. She held the steaming bowl of chicken soup and said softly, "Thank you."
Steam billowed up, blurring the faces of the four people.
In this world isolated by snow and wind, this pot of rolling mutton, and the big boy beside them who could always create miracles, became their only reliance.
After three rounds of drinks, the temperature in the room had become almost uncomfortably hot.
Chen Man had drunk some white liquor, her face flushed, and the thin bath towel couldn't conceal her proud curves at all.
She casually tucked her legs up onto the chair and gently kicked Jiang Chen's calf with her toe.
"Little brother, you're so good at taking care of people. Whoever marries you in the future will be incredibly happy, won't they?"
Jiang Chen was busy blanching meat when he heard this and smiled, "If Sister Man wants to marry, I could consider it."
"Get out of here, daring to take advantage of your older sister." Chen Man laughed and cursed, but she didn't pull her foot back; instead, it slid up Jiang Chen's pant leg.
Under the table, an undercurrent surged.
Lin Wan, sitting opposite, took in the entire scene.
She didn't speak, just silently picked up the best piece of blanched mutton from her bowl and placed it into Jiang Chen's bowl.
"Eat more meat to replenish yourself," Lin Wan said meaningfully.
Su Qingge kept her head down drinking soup, seemingly oblivious to everything around her.
But only Jiang Chen knew that when he bent down to pick up chopsticks earlier, he had accidentally touched Su Qingge's injured foot.
She hadn't pulled away.
She had even gently stepped on him.
That step was very light; rather than being a punishment, it felt more like coquetry.
The meal concluded with everyone having different thoughts, yet it was exceptionally harmonious.
After eating their fill, the charcoal fire gradually died down.
Jiang Chen was responsible for cleaning up the remnants, stacking the pots and bowls outside the door.
When he returned to the room, the three women had already burrowed into the two newly bought thick quilts.
"Little Jiang, come quickly." Lin Wan patted the empty space next to her, which she had intentionally left for him, "It's warm in the quilt."
The originally quite spacious large bed was now squeezed with three women, leaving very little space.
Su Qingge slept on the innermost side, her back to everyone, and it was unclear if she was asleep.
Chen Man slept in the middle, sprawled out in a star shape, occupying most of the territory. Lin Wan huddled on the outermost side.
The spot left for Jiang Chen was exactly wedged between Lin Wan and Chen Man.
In other words, he was the so-called "sandwich cookie."
Jiang Chen took off his jacket, wearing only a tank top and shorts, and slipped into the quilt.
In that instant, the hot air in the quilt, mixed with the scent of body wash and the women's natural fragrance, almost made him dizzy.
On his left was the gentle and watery Lin Wan; on his right was the fiery and passionate Chen Man.
The three women were clearly testing his self-control.
"Turn off the light," Su Qingge's muffled voice came from under the covers.
"Click."
The light went out.
Only the oil radiator emitted a faint orange glow, illuminating the mottled plaster on the ceiling.
In the darkness, the senses were infinitely magnified.
Jiang Chen could clearly hear Lin Wan's slightly rapid breathing beside him, as well as the rustling sound of Chen Man's quilt as she turned over.
Suddenly, a hand quietly reached out from under the quilt and grabbed Jiang Chen's hand.
The palm of that hand was a bit damp, and the finger pads were soft.
It was Lin Wan.
She didn't speak, just held his hand tightly, fingers interlocked, as if trying to transfer all her anxiety to him.
Jiang Chen gripped her hand back, his thumb gently stroking her hand to comfort her.
However, in the next second, his other hand was also grabbed.
That hand was bolder, carrying the heat from a bit of alcohol, sliding directly up his arm until it stopped and squeezed his firm biceps.
It was Chen Man.
"Little brother, you've trained your body well," Chen Man leaned close to his ear and whispered, "It's hard."
Jiang Chen's whole body stiffened.
This fortune of having an embrace on both sides was something an ordinary person truly couldn't handle.
Just then, Su Qingge, who hadn't moved, suddenly rolled over.
She opened her eyes in the darkness, and using that faint light, she caught sight of Jiang Chen's awkward appearance being squeezed by the two women.
"None of you are sleepy, are you?" Su Qingge spoke coldly, "We have to get up early tomorrow. If you don't sleep now, I'll kick you all out."
Chen Man's hand immediately retracted, and she obediently closed her mouth.
Lin Wan also let go of his hand and shifted to the side.
The room finally became quiet.
Jiang Chen let out a sigh of relief, but the fire in his heart could not be suppressed.
29: Chapter 29 I'll help you pay back your money!
It was late at night, and the sound of the wind and snow seemed to have lessened slightly, turning into a fine pattering sound.
In the room, apart from the occasional 'zizi' sound of the electric oil heater, there were only a few steady breaths.
Jiang Chen was not asleep.
He was calculating.
He now had about several hundred thousand in his card.
This amount of money was definitely a huge sum for an ordinary university student; it was enough to buy a house back in his hometown.
But for Su Qingge, who was facing a debt of thirty million, this might not even be close to the smallest fraction.
To help her, he had to keep completing missions.
Just as various money-making ideas were swirling in Jiang Chen's mind, an extremely faint vibration broke the silence.
Buzz—Buzz—
The sound came from under Su Qingge's pillow.
Su Qingge, who had been lying on her side with her back to everyone, instantly woke up.
Her movements were swift, carrying a hint of panic. She almost immediately fumbled for her phone and pressed the answer button.
But she did not speak in the room.
She lifted the covers, didn't even bother putting on a jacket, wearing only that thin sleepwear, and stepped barefoot onto the carpet. Clutching her phone, she rushed into the bathroom as if fleeing a disaster.
Click, the door locked.
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes.
Lin Wan beside him was also woken up. She drowsily turned over, and one of her legs rested unguardedly on Jiang Chen's leg.
"What's wrong... Sister Su going to the restroom?" Lin Wan mumbled.
"Mhm, it's nothing. Go back to sleep," Jiang Chen gently moved her leg away and helped tuck in the corner of her blanket.
He sat up and perked up his ears.
The soundproofing of this guesthouse was truly terrible; even through a door, the sounds from inside were intermittently transmitted.
"...Let me explain... I can't make it, but the roads here are really blocked... It's not an excuse... the news..."
Su Qingge's voice was kept very low, carrying a deliberate, humble tone of appeasement, making her completely unrecognizable from the usually aloof CEO Su.
"...I can make it... even if you give me a little more time... Really, just..."
The anxiety and helplessness in her tone made Jiang Chen's heart clench.
Silence followed for a few seconds.
The voice inside suddenly rose slightly; it was a precursor to losing emotional control.
"...What we had before...! This round of financing is very important to me... If you withdraw your investment now, my company will truly be finished... Hello?...!"
Then came a dead silence.
After a long time, a suppressed sob echoed from inside.
The sound was muffled, as if someone had covered her mouth, allowing only a trace of broken mourning to squeeze out from the depths of her throat.
Jiang Chen sighed.
He lifted the covers, slipped on his slippers, casually grabbed an overcoat to drape over himself, and walked to the bathroom door.
Knock, knock.
He gently knocked twice.
The sobbing inside stopped abruptly.
"Who is it?" Su Qingge's voice was thick with a nasal sound and tinged with panic.
"Sister Su, it's me," Jiang Chen's voice was calm. "Open the door."
"I... I'm using the toilet. Please wait a moment," Su Qingge was lying.
"Sister Su, stop pretending," Jiang Chen did not leave. "I heard everything. Open the door; it's cold in there. You'll freeze."
Silence lingered inside for a long time.
So long that Jiang Chen thought she wouldn't open it, the sound of the latch retracting rang out.
The door was pulled open a crack.
The light was not turned on.
Borrowing the orange glow from the oil heater outside, Jiang Chen saw Su Qingge sitting on the toilet lid, her entire body curled into a small ball.
She hugged her knees, her face buried in the crook of her arm, her shoulders still trembling slightly.
The white shirt clung to her body, wrinkled, making her look even thinner and weaker.
Jiang Chen didn't speak. He turned sideways and squeezed in, then closed the door behind him.
In the cramped space, the scent of shower gel had not yet dissipated, now mixed with a faint, salty, bitter smell.
"Get out," Su Qingge didn't lift her head, her voice hoarse. "I want to be alone."
"Can being alone solve the problem?" Jiang Chen leaned against the sink, looking down at her. "The financing fell through?"
Su Qingge's body stiffened.
She finally looked up.
Those eyes, usually sharp and arrogant hidden behind lenses, were now swollen red like peaches, filled with bloodshot veins and despair.
She had taken off her glasses and was pinching them in her hand, her knuckles white.
"It fell through," Su Qingge gave a bleak laugh, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Completely fell through. He doesn't want to cooperate with someone who isn't punctual. Actually, I know he was just finding an excuse. No one believes my company can be resurrected..."
She rested her head against the cold tiled wall, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Jiang Chen, I lost."
"I fought for ten years, sleeping only four hours a day, finally managing to build up the small family business. Now... I'm about to lose everything. Not only lose everything, but I'll also be saddled with tens of millions in debt."
"Do you think I'm quite a failure?"
She turned to look at Jiang Chen, a near self-destructive calmness on her face. "For a moment just now, I thought, what if this snow never stopped? Burying me here would end it all."
Jiang Chen's heart gave a sharp pang.
He walked over, squatted down, bringing his gaze level with hers.
"Su Qingge," he called her full name for the first time, his tone frighteningly serious. "Look at me."
Su Qingge looked at him dazedly.
"Isn't it just money?" Jiang Chen reached out and wiped away the tear tracks near her eyes. The rough texture of his fingertips made her tremble. "As long as the person is still here, money is nothing."
"You don't understand..." Su Qingge shook her head. "That's not a few thousand or tens of thousands; that's tens of millions! Where am I supposed to get that money? Sell myself? Even if I did, no one would pay that price! A woman owing tens of millions like me has no value, no one pities me!"
"Who says no one pities you?"
Jiang Chen suddenly grabbed her wrist; the force was so strong it caused her some pain.
"I'll pay."
The air seemed to freeze.
Su Qingge's eyes widened, as if she had heard something from a fairy tale: "You... What did you say?"
"I said, I'll pay," Jiang Chen stared into her eyes and said word by word, "However much your company is short, I'll cover it. Your debt, I'll pay it off for you."
"Ha..." Su Qingge let out a laugh, but the tears flowed even more fiercely. "Little brother, this joke isn't funny at all. How much money do you have? This is a debt of tens of millions! Do you know how much I need? Right now, I need five million! And that's only the most urgent part!"
"What if I can produce it?" Jiang Chen's gaze was too certain, so certain it was frightening.
Su Qingge stopped laughing.
She looked at the twenty-two-year-old boy in front of her.
His face still carried a trace of youthful immaturity.
But at this moment, the aura emanating from him, coupled with his domineering behavior over the past two days, actually gave her an illusion—he really could do it.
"Are... are you serious?" Su Qingge's voice trembled.
"Give me some time," Jiang Chen stood up, took off the overcoat he was wearing, and wrapped it around her. "Before noon tomorrow, I will give you an answer."
Just then, that familiar mechanical voice exploded in his mind again.
[Ding! Detected the Host's strong desire to invest and desire to protect the beauty.]
[Emergency Tycoon Mission Triggered: Redemption on a Snowy Night.]
[Mission Description: Since you've boasted, you must have the strength to back it up. The Host must complete an excessive consumption before dawn to prove that you are qualified to become Su Qingge's savior.]
[Mission Requirement: Consumption amount must not be less than 200,000 yuan.]
[Mission Reward: Unlock 'Tycoon Fund Pool' Level One Authorization (Cashback Multiplier increased to 10-100 times).]
Two hundred thousand?
In this rundown town?
A smile curved the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth.
Things were getting interesting.
"Sister Su," Jiang Chen bent down and, ignoring everything else, scooped Su Qingge up.
Su Qingge gasped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Go back to sleep," Jiang Chen carried her and pulled open the door. "Wipe your tears dry. Remember, from now on, you belong to me. If I don't let you die, not even the King of Hell can take you away."
Back in the room, Jiang Chen tucked Su Qingge back into the quilt.
Su Qingge was as docile as a quail.
She huddled in the quilt, revealing a pair of swollen eyes, constantly staring at Jiang Chen as if he were her only floating piece of wood.
Jiang Chen did not sleep.
He put on his clothes and put his scarf back on.
"Where are you going?" Lin Wan was woken by the movement and mumbled sleepily.
"Going out for a smoke," Jiang Chen casually made up an excuse. "And... to discuss a big deal."
"Big deal?" Chen Man rolled over and mumbled, "Discuss it in your dreams..."
Jiang Chen smiled and closed the door.
The hallway was empty, the cold wind howling.
Jiang Chen took out his phone and glanced at the time. Three in the morning.
At this hour, in this godforsaken place, spending two hundred thousand.
This was an impossible mission.
But he had to complete it.
Because that was not just money; it was the ticket to that woman's heart.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath and headed toward the duty office downstairs.
Since conventional spending wouldn't work, he would have to play dirty.
30: Chapter 30 Su Qingge: I have no way to repay you, from now on I belong to you.
The duty room at three in the morning was dimly and flickeringly lit.
Fat Big Sister was slumped over the table, snoring loudly enough to rival the rhythm of the wind and snow outside.
A small electric stove beside her glowed red-hot, roasting several tangerines on top, filling the air with the smell of char and coal smoke.
When Jiang Chen pushed the door open, he brought in a gust of cold wind.
Fat Big Sister woke up with a jolt, wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, and glared at Jiang Chen with a face full of morning grumpiness: "What are you doing? Summoning spirits in the middle of the night?"
"Sister, I want to discuss some business with you." Jiang Chen cut to the chase, pulling over a broken chair and sitting opposite her.
"Discuss business?" Fat Big Sister rolled her eyes. "What, is the oil heater broken? Or are the blankets not warm enough? I say, young man, instead of cuddling those three big beauties to sleep, why come down here to talk business with an old hag like me?"
"I want to buy something." Jiang Chen's fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop.
"Buy what? I don't run a supermarket."
"I want to buy something from your guesthouse." Jiang Chen's voice was steady, but his eyes held a trace of madness. "I want to buy the exclusive rights to your beverage supply for the next three years, or rather... I want to buy all the aged liquor you have hidden away in your warehouse."
Fat Big Sister froze.
She sized up Jiang Chen as if looking at an idiot: "Are you drunk or running a fever? How much liquor do I even have? I only have two cases of Erguotou."
"Sister, stop pretending." Jiang Chen smiled, but his gaze was as sharp as a knife. "I glanced into the backyard just now and saw a cellar. The lock is rusted, but the snow at the entrance was freshly swept. This guesthouse used to be a state-run restaurant, right? You must have hidden quite a bit of old liquor from that era."
Fat Big Sister's expression changed.
That was her secret stash.
Back when the state-run restaurant was reformed, her late father used his position to secretly keep two cases of iron-capped Maotai from that time, burying them in the cellar and never daring to touch them.
Even her husband didn't know about this; how did this kid find out?
Actually, Jiang Chen was just gambling.
In his previous life, he had read a news report stating that during the demolition of many old station guesthouses, extremely valuable aged liquor was unearthed.
This station guesthouse fit the requirement of being 'old,' so he decided to bluff the owner, and unexpectedly, it worked.
"Those are my treasures." Fat Big Sister dropped her calculating demeanor, lit a cigarette, and said, "Not for sale."
"I'll offer two hundred thousand." Jiang Chen held up two fingers.
The cigarette in Fat Big Sister's hand trembled, and the ash fell onto her pants, burning a hole.
"How much did you say?"
"Two hundred thousand. Cash transfer, right now." Jiang Chen pulled out his phone, opened the banking app showing a balance of over 180,000, and showed it to her. "I know those two cases of liquor might be worth more than that on the market now, but in a place like this, it's hard for you to find an expert buyer. Besides... isn't your son getting married? This money is just enough for the down payment on an apartment in the county town, right?"
That statement hit Fat Big Sister's weak spot.
Her son had a fiancée, and the woman insisted on buying a house in the county town, causing a huge argument at home over the matter.
Fat Big Sister stared at Jiang Chen for a full minute.
"Are you crazy?" She exhaled a ring of smoke. "Spending two hundred thousand in the middle of the night for a few bottles of liquor? Are you trying to burn money?"
"I'm doing this to save someone," Jiang Chen put away his phone. "And to save myself. Sister, just say yes or no."
Fat Big Sister fell silent for a long time, finally crushing the cigarette butt fiercely in the ashtray.
"Sell! Damn it, consider this a dowry gift sent by heaven!"
...
Ten minutes later.
Jiang Chen looked at the transfer interface for Fat Big Sister's private account and pressed the confirmation button.
Due to daily limits, he split the transfer into four transactions.
Transfer Successful! x 4
[Ding!]
[Detected large-amount consumption behavior!]
[Mission 'High-Stakes Gamble on a Snowy Night' completed.]
[Consumption Amount: 200,000 Yuan.]
[Calculating rebate multiplier...]
[Congratulations Host! Triggered Critical Hit Reward for Level One Authorization of the 'Tycoon Fund Pool'!]
[This rebate multiplier: 50 times!]
[Rebate Amount: 10,000,000 Yuan (Ten Million) has been transferred to the Host's offshore secure account, available for withdrawal at any time.]
Ten million.
Jiang Chen stared at the long string of zeros in his mind, feeling as if he had been struck by an electric current, his scalp tingling.
Was this the power of the Tycoon System? Was this the simple and brutal kind of happiness?
He became a millionaire in the blink of an eye.
He took a few deep breaths of cold air, forcing down the urge to sprint three laps in the lobby.
"Where are the liquors? When will you move them?" Fat Big Sister looked at the balance notification on her phone, grinning from ear to ear.
"Keep them here for now." Jiang Chen stood up, patted the dust off his clothes. "When the roads clear, I'll send people to collect them. Thanks, Sister."
"Why thank me? Come visit often!" Fat Big Sister's attitude was now warmer than his own mother's. "Oh, right, do you want Sister to send you two plates of peanuts?"
Jiang Chen waved his hand and turned towards the stairs.
His steps were light, but each one felt incredibly solid.
Arriving at the door of Room 302, Jiang Chen didn't rush in.
He stood there for a moment, calming his excited mood.
He pushed the door open.
The lights in the room were off, but the oil heater in the corner still radiated a warm glow.
All three spots on the bed were empty.
Jiang Chen froze.
Then, he saw a figure standing by the window.
Su Qingge.
She was wrapped in her overcoat, staring blankly out at the pitch-black night. Hearing the door open, she turned her head.
In that moment, Jiang Chen saw the determination in her eyes.
That kind of determination was like a gambler placing their final chip.
"You're back," Su Qingge's voice was very soft.
"Mm." Jiang Chen walked over and stood beside her.
"Where were you just now?"
"Out making money," Jiang Chen turned to look at her profile. "I promised I would give you an answer before noon tomorrow."
Su Qingge gave a wry smile.
She clearly didn't believe him.
In this wretched place, how could one earn five million in half an hour? Even robbing a bank wouldn't be that fast.
"Jiang Chen." Su Qingge suddenly turned to face him.
She undid the buttons of her overcoat.
The coat slid to the floor.
Underneath was the semi-transparent silk nightgown. Under the light of the oil heater, her jade-like skin was faintly visible, her curves fully displayed.
Jiang Chen's breath hitched.
"Sister Su, you..."
"I have no other chips left," Su Qingge took a step closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, her body trembling slightly. "I don't know if you really have a way, or if you're just trying to make me happy. But right now... I just want to take a gamble."
"Gamble that you won't lie to me."
"And gamble that I myself... am still worth that price."
Her lips pressed against his—cold, yet carrying the heat of a desperate throw.
Jiang Chen did not push her away.
He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, taking the lead, deepening the kiss.
This time, it wasn't the tentative ambiguity of before, nor the suppressed explosion like with Lin Wan.
"You won, President Su," Jiang Chen whispered into her ear, his voice carrying a trace of hoarse dominance. "I'm investing this ten million."
Su Qingge's body instantly stiffened.
Her eyes widened, looking at Jiang Chen in disbelief.
Ten million?
Wasn't it five million?
But Jiang Chen didn't give her a chance to think.
He swept her up in his arms and walked towards the crowded yet warm large bed.
Since he was already a millionaire, he might as well collect some interest tonight.
As for whether Lin Wan and Chen Man were pretending to be asleep?
Who cared.
On this night of wind and snow, some secrets were destined to be kept by everyone together.
31: Chapter 31 Mr. Su's First Time, Two Women Forced to Eavesdrop
Jiang Chen held Su Qingge.
Su Qingge was very light, with a delicate frame. Usually, her sharp professional attire gave her a powerful aura, but stripped of those shells, she was just a woman with nowhere left to turn.
"Do you regret it?" Jiang Chen whispered against her ear, his voice so low it sounded like he was discussing what to have for breakfast tomorrow.
Su Qingge didn't speak.
She buried her face in the crook of Jiang Chen's neck, her hands gripping the fabric of his back tightly, her nails almost sinking into his flesh. She shook her head; the movement was slight but resolute.
Jiang Chen smiled. He didn't continue the kiss in the narrow hallway but instead tightened his hold on her arms and walked toward the bed.
The 1.5-meter bed seemed incredibly cramped at this moment.
Lin Wan was sleeping on the outermost edge, her breathing long and steady as if she were in a deep sleep. Chen Man occupied the middle, sprawled out in all directions, leaving only a sliver of space against the wall.
That was left for Jiang Chen.
Now, it had to fit two people.
Jiang Chen first placed Su Qingge inside.
Like a startled rabbit, she quickly shrunk into the corner, her back against the cold wall, curling herself into a ball.
Immediately after, Jiang Chen crawled in as well. He turned on his side, using his broad back to shield her from Lin Wan and Chen Man, completely enveloping Su Qingge in his shadow.
This was a completely enclosed, tiny space that belonged only to the two of them.
"President Su," Jiang Chen propped one hand on the pillow beside her ear, while the other gently pressed down on her hand as she moved to unbutton her pajamas. "The soundproofing here is very poor, and... they are right next to us."
Su Qingge's hand froze mid-air, her eyelashes trembling violently.
She certainly knew.
Lin Wan's back was less than ten centimeters behind Jiang Chen.
She could even feel the mattress slightly rising and falling with Chen Man's breathing.
The illusion of conducting this transaction in plain sight made her already taut nerves feel like they were about to snap.
Shame washed over her like a tide, but she didn't dare stop, fearing Jiang Chen would go back on his word.
"Don't call me President Su." Su Qingge's voice was as thin as a thread, carrying a hint of pleading as her trembling fingers tried to continue. "Call me by my name... I can do this."
"Sleep."
Jiang Chen dominantly grabbed her wrist and tucked her hand back under the covers, his tone brook no argument.
Su Qingge was stunned. She looked up in shock, her swollen eyes filled with confusion and panic. "You... don't want to? Or do you think I'm not worth..."
"I've said before, I don't do losing trades." Jiang Chen leaned closer, their breaths intertwining in an intensely ambiguous atmosphere, yet his eyes remained clear. "Right now, your head is full of debts. I don't like a Su Qingge like that."
"But I..."
"Shh." Jiang Chen placed a finger against her lips.
The mattress made a faint "creak."
The sound was particularly jarring in the silence of the night.
Behind Jiang Chen, Lin Wan's breathing faltered.
Her previously steady chest began to heave rapidly, and her hand outside the covers had tightened its grip on the bedsheet at some point.
She wasn't asleep. Or rather, in a room so thick with hormones, who could sleep?
She couldn't hear their specific conversation, only the rustle of fabric rubbing together and Su Qingge's tearful pleading.
Even without seeing, Lin Wan could imagine everything happening in the corner.
And Chen Man, in the middle, was suffering even more.
In her heart, she cursed Jiang Chen a hundred times.
This bastard really does "spread the favor equally"! But despite the cursing, the emptiness of being neglected grew like wild grass.
The "battle" in the corner continued.
...
After it ended.
"Look at this. Have you calmed down?"
Jiang Chen fumbled in the dark for a moment, grabbed his phone from the pillow, opened an Offshore Banking App, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and shoved the screen in front of Su Qingge.
The moment the screen lit up, the blinding light made Su Qingge instinctively squint.
"Look closely." Jiang Chen's voice carried the confidence of someone in total control.
Su Qingge struggled to focus her gaze.
Behind the "Available Balance" column, a long string of numbers struck like lightning, clearing the fog before her eyes.
Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands...
Ten million.
It really was ten million! And it was cash that could be mobilized at any time!
Su Qingge's pupils contracted sharply, and her breath hitched. All her grievances, despair, and fear collapsed instantly before this number.
She suddenly covered her mouth to stop herself from crying out, but tears gushed out like a flood breaking through a dam.
"Jiang Chen... save me..."
Amidst extreme shock and emotion, she cried out these words hidden in the deepest part of her heart.
It wasn't physical pleasure, but a shudder of the soul.
"I'm here."
Jiang Chen reached out and pulled her into his arms, letting her tears soak his chest. "Dry your tears. Starting tomorrow, no one will be able to bully you except me."
Su Qingge huddled in his arms like a wounded kitten, clutching his waist tightly as if he were the only piece of driftwood in the world.
The wind and snow continued, but at this moment, in this crowded and narrow corner, Su Qingge felt her dead heart begin to beat again.
All these sounds, falling upon the ears of the two women pretending to sleep behind them, became another kind of sleepless, romantic misunderstanding (not exactly).
32: Chapter 32 Expensive Pillow Talk
"Did you see clearly?" Jiang Chen turned off the phone screen and casually tucked it under the pillow, his movements as relaxed as if he had just checked the time.
Darkness descended once more, but Su Qingge's heart was racing even more violently than during the physical pleasure just now.
Her throat felt dry; she wanted to speak, but no sound came out.
"This... how is this possible?" After a long while, she squeezed the words out from between her teeth, her voice kept extremely low and carrying a slight tremor. "You went out for half an hour just now and really earned ten million?"
"I told you, it was a business deal." Jiang Chen's hand wasn't idle under the covers, slowly stroking along the curve of her waist. "What, did President Su think that when I treated you to that sky-high priced breakfast, or bought the military overcoats and quilts, I was just trying to look big? Or did you think I was just some upstart with a bit of money who didn't know his place?"
Su Qingge bit her lip and remained silent.
After all, Jiang Chen was too young; he hadn't fully shed his student-like aura yet.
Although he had been generous with his spending over the past two days, in the eyes of someone like her who was used to capital operations, it was just small-time play worth tens of thousands.
But this ten million was cold, hard cash flow.
"I have far more money than what you see." Jiang Chen leaned in close to her ear, his warm breath fanning across her sensitive earlobe. "This ten million is just a bit of liquid capital I moved on a whim. Moving large sums of money requires going through offshore account procedures and takes a bit more time. But this amount should be enough to solve your current urgent crisis, shouldn't it?"
Su Qingge's body trembled slightly.
Five million.
The most urgent bridge loan she needed right now was exactly five million.
If she couldn't get it together by noon tomorrow, the creditors would apply to freeze all her company's accounts. By then, not even a god could save her.
"It's enough... half is enough." There was a hint of a sob in Su Qingge's voice. It was the feeling of exhaustion that comes when a string that has been taut for months or even years suddenly slackens.
"Alright then." Jiang Chen's fingers gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze in the darkness. "I can give you the money. But there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, especially not for a deal worth tens of millions. Su Qingge, you're a businesswoman; you should know the rules."
Su Qingge took a deep breath. She groped in the darkness, grabbed Jiang Chen's hand, and then slowly but firmly pressed it against her heart.
There, her heart was pounding violently against her chest.
"I understand." Though her voice was soft, it carried a determination as if she were laying herself bare. "As long as I can save the company and protect ten years of my hard work... I'll be yours for the rest of my life. I will never go back on my word."
"I want more than just physical pleasure." Jiang Chen interlaced his fingers with hers, his grip domineeringly strong. "From now on, as my woman, there's only one condition: never leave me."
"Fine," Su Qingge replied decisively. "As long as you don't look down on an old woman like me who's buried in debt."
"Old?" Jiang Chen chuckled softly and flicked her smooth nose with his finger. "You're only ten years older than me. Besides, I don't know who was just crying and begging for mercy like an eighteen-year-old girl."
Su Qingge's face instantly turned burning hot. The shame made her bury her head in Jiang Chen's chest, not daring to come out like an ostrich.
Beside them, Chen Man rolled over with a large movement. The quilt rustled as it was pulled.
Su Qingge froze in fear, not daring to even breathe.
"Go to sleep." Jiang Chen patted her back as if soothing a startled child. "When it's light out, remember to give me your card number."
Silence fell over the room once again.
Only the faint red glow from the oil heater illuminated a corner of the headboard.
Lin Wan had been facing away from them the whole time, her eyes wide open, staring at a piece of peeling paint on the wall. Her hands tightly gripped the corner of the quilt, her knuckles turning white from the effort.
Even though they had spoken in low voices, she had heard most of their conversation in the silence of the deep night.
Ten million.
She had originally thought Jiang Chen was just a thoughtful younger brother with a bit of money, a small comfort in her desperate marriage.
But now she realized that this man's world was far grander than she had imagined.
A sense of bitterness welled up in her heart, but more than that, it was an indescribable sense of peace.
...
Just as dawn was breaking, noisy footsteps and shouting came from the guesthouse corridor.
It seemed some travelers were causing a scene at the front desk because of the service suspension.
In Room 302, on that crowded large bed, all four people "woke up" almost simultaneously.
Or rather, except for Jiang Chen who had actually fallen asleep, the other three women had endured the night in a state of half-sleep.
The atmosphere was somewhat subtly awkward.
Chen Man was the first to sit up. With her messy, wavy hair, she stretched. Her low-cut base shirt rode up with the movement, revealing half of her fair and tight waist.
"My back feels like it's going to break after that sleep." Chen Man rubbed her lower back, her eyes meaningfully darting toward Jiang Chen and Su Qingge. "Some people certainly slept soundly; they didn't seem to mind the squeeze at all."
Su Qingge still hadn't come out from under the covers.
She was only wearing a camisole nightgown, and Jiang Chen's overcoat from earlier was pinned beneath her.
Her face was flushed. In front of these two "eavesdropping" audience members from last night, her aura as a cold and aloof CEO had completely vanished.
"I'm going to wash up." Su Qingge grabbed the overcoat, wrapped herself tightly in it, and fled into the bathroom.
Lin Wan was tidying the bed. She folded the quilt with a virtuous and natural grace, as if nothing had happened last night.
But when her gaze swept over Jiang Chen's exposed, lean upper body, her eyes would flicker away for a moment.
"Morning, Sister Wan, Sister Man." Jiang Chen yawned and fished his phone out from under the pillow.
"Still early? The sun is already high in the sky." Chen Man leaned over and plopped down on the edge of the bed, her flirtatious eyes darting all over Jiang Chen. "Little brother, was last night... tiring?"
Before Jiang Chen could respond, a sudden, rapid phone ringtone came from the bathroom.
Immediately after, the sound of Su Qingge answering the phone followed.
This time, she didn't lower her voice or try to avoid them.
Perhaps it was because she had newfound confidence, or perhaps because she had already shown her most pathetic side last night, so it didn't matter anymore.
"Hello, President Wang." Although Su Qingge's voice was still a bit raspy, her tone had returned to its usual calm.
The voice on the other end was very loud—a man with a coarse, loud voice. His aggressive roaring could be heard even through the door: "Su Qingge! Don't play that game with me! If I don't see that five million by twelve noon today, you just wait to receive a court summons! Also, I've already found someone to look at that villa you mortgaged. If you don't want to end up on the streets, hurry up and pay back the money!"
The air in the room instantly froze.
Chen Man stopped her joking, and Lin Wan also halted her movements, looking toward the bathroom with concern.
"President Wang, it's only eight in the morning." Su Qingge held the phone. "The deadline hasn't arrived yet, what's the rush?"
"I'm in a rush? I think you're just trying to stall for time so you can run away! I'm telling you..."
The bathroom door opened.
Su Qingge walked out with her phone. Her face was somewhat pale, but her eyes were exceptionally determined.
She walked straight up to Jiang Chen. Without a word, she handed over a bank card.
It was her company's corporate account card.
Jiang Chen took the card, glanced at the account number, and then picked up his own phone, his fingers moving rapidly across the screen.
The room was terrifyingly quiet; only the roaring male voice continued to echo from the phone's receiver: "Say something! Are you mute? Su Qingge, I'm telling you, don't think..."
[Ding! Detected that the Host is fulfilling a promise.]
[God-tier Tycoon Mission triggered: A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold.]
[Mission Description: Help Su Qingge resolve her first urgent debt crisis.]
[Mission Funds: Please pay using your own funds, Host.]
[Mission Reward: Based on the amount paid by the Host, a random 1-10x Cashback Multiplier will be triggered.]
[Note: This mission is a Favorability Mission for a specific target. The funds must come from the Host's own capital.]
The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up slightly.
It's here.
Without the slightest hesitation, he entered "5" in the transfer amount field, followed by six "0"s.
Five million.
Fingerprint verified, transfer confirmed.
"Turn on the speakerphone," Jiang Chen said calmly.
Su Qingge was stunned for a moment but pressed the speakerphone button as told.
The man's roaring instantly filled the room: "...you bitch, believe it or not, I'll go to your company right now and hang up banners..."
"Ding-dong."
A crisp notification sound abruptly interrupted the man's cursing.
It was the bank deposit notification on Su Qingge's other work phone.
Su Qingge picked up that phone, took a look, and her eyes instantly turned red.
"President Wang." Jiang Chen took the phone Su Qingge was using for the call, his voice as calm as if he were discussing today's weather. "The money has been sent. Check it. Also, keep your mouth clean. If I hear you shouting at her again, I have plenty of ways to make you spit out that five million just as easily as you swallowed it."
The other end of the line fell into a deathly silence.
After a full five seconds, the man's voice sounded again. His tone had done a complete 180-degree turn, becoming fawning and stuttering: "Oh... is... is this President Su's friend? A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding! Since the money has arrived, then everything's fine, everything's fine... Um, President Su, about our previous contract..."
"Scram." Jiang Chen replied with only one word and hung up the phone.
He tossed the phone onto the bed and looked up at Su Qingge. "Done."
Su Qingge stood there, looking at this young man sitting on the messy bed with his hair uncombed.
At this moment, she felt he was more imposing than those so-called big shots sitting behind massive office desks.
"Thank you..." Her lips moved, and her tears finally couldn't be held back, falling like broken strings of pearls.
These weren't tears of grievance, but a release after being reborn.
Chen Man and Lin Wan watched from the side, dumbfounded.
Although they had heard snippets last night, seeing Jiang Chen transfer five million without even blinking was still a massive visual shock.
"My god..." Chen Man covered her mouth, her eyes showing genuine awe for the first time. "Little brother, are you really a big tycoon?"
33: Chapter 33 Departure for Peony City
Jiang Chen ignored Chen Man's exclamation; his attention was entirely focused on the pleasant mechanical voice in his head.
[Ding! Mission accomplished!]
[The Host has successfully helped Su Qingge repay a debt of 5 million yuan.]
[Detected that the Host's behavior was extremely bold, and the target's favorability has reached the "Unwavering Devotion" stage.]
[High-multiplier critical hit triggered!]
[Current cashback multiplier: 8x!]
[Cashback amount: 40,000,000 yuan (forty million) has been transferred to the Host's secure offshore account.]
[The funds have been laundered; the source is absolutely compliant. Please use them with peace of mind, Host.]
Forty million.
Five million thrown out, and it turned into forty million just like that.
Jiang Chen felt his dopamine surge to its peak at this moment. The rush went straight to his head, feeling almost more exhilarating than last night.
This was practically robbing a printing press.
He suppressed the urge to whistle, his face maintaining that calm and composed look of an expert.
"Since the money issue is resolved, let's eat first." Jiang Chen stood up and stretched his stiff neck. "Is there any mutton left from yesterday? It's early morning; let's have something hot."
"Yes! I'll go get it!" Lin Wan was the first to react.
She nimbly went to tidy up last night's simple hotpot setup, her movements even more diligent than when she usually served her picky mother-in-law at home.
Su Qingge wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and composed herself.
She walked over to Jiang Chen's side and naturally helped him straighten his slightly wrinkled collar.
This gesture looked just like a couple who had been together for years.
"I'll pay you back the money," Su Qingge said softly. "With interest."
"What interest is there between us?" Jiang Chen took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "If you really feel bad about it, just don't kick me out when I want to live off you in the future, President Su."
Su Qingge broke into a smile through her tears. The charm she displayed at that moment left Chen Man, who was looking for her socks nearby, dazed.
"Alright, alright, stop showing off," Chen Man said sourly. "Any more and I'll throw up last night's dinner. Young Master Jiang, since you're so rich, can you solve our travel problem while you're at it? I don't want to stay in this dump forever."
"I can't solve the ticket issue; that's up to God," Jiang Chen shrugged. "However, improving our living conditions shouldn't be a problem."
As they were speaking, there was a knock on the room door.
It was the Fat Big Sister.
Her attitude was even warmer than last night. She carried a tray with several bowls of hot millet porridge and a stack of freshly fried dough sticks.
"Oh, you guys are up?" Fat Big Sister smiled so wide her teeth showed but her eyes didn't. "This is the porridge I specially brewed for you to warm your stomachs. By the way, brother, I heard from the front that the Road Department is already shoveling snow. It should be open by the afternoon. I see you don't have a car, so do you want me to help you contact a chartered vehicle? It can take you straight to the city."
"Chartered vehicle?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "With these road conditions, is there a car that dares to drive?"
"There's always a brave soul for a heavy reward," Fat Big Sister winked. "There are a few old drivers in town who do transport; their cars are all four-wheel-drive off-roaders, and their skills are top-notch. It's just the price..."
"Price is not an issue." Jiang Chen waved his hand. With forty million in his account, this amount was less than a drop in the bucket. "As long as it's safe. I want a good, spacious car. There are four of us, and quite a bit of luggage."
"Got it! I'll go contact them right now!" Fat Big Sister set down the tray and ran off, her agility completely unlike someone weighing two hundred pounds.
The group packed their things and followed her downstairs.
The snow outside the guesthouse had been shoveled into a narrow path just wide enough for people to pass.
The so-called "luxury car" was parked at the intersection. It was a modified toyota prado, covered in mud and looking quite old, but the heavy-duty bull bar and off-road tires gave a strange sense of security.
Fat Big Sister, wrapped in a military coat and clutching the few red bills Jiang Chen had just stuffed into her hand, smiled so hard the wrinkles on her face blossomed. "Brother, this is Old Zhang, the best driver around here. He'll get you to Mudan City nice and steady."
The driver, Old Zhang, was a man of few words. With an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, he was stuffing luggage into the trunk.
"This car looks sturdy enough," Chen Man said as she circled the vehicle, kicking a tire with her high heels. "I just don't know how the suspension is. If it rattles me to pieces on the way, my old bones won't be able to take it."
"No off-road vehicle is smooth," Jiang Chen said as he lifted the last and largest suitcase—Su Qingge's, which was incredibly heavy. "Sister Man, if you're afraid of the bumps, why don't you sit in the front passenger seat?"
Chen Man's eyes darted around. She pulled open the door to peek at the somewhat stiff fabric seat in the front, then looked back at the spacious rear before finally landing her gaze on Jiang Chen.
"I want to sit in the back," Chen Man winked at Jiang Chen. "It's warmer back there, and I can chat with my little brother."
"The back can't fit four people," Su Qingge said from behind Jiang Chen, her voice cold. She had changed back into her professional attire; although the clothes were a bit wrinkled, that aloof aura had returned. However, upon closer inspection, her posture was a bit unnatural, with her weight clearly leaning toward her left foot.
"We can squeeze," Chen Man persisted. "Sister Wan is so thin, and President Su... although President Su has a ten-foot-tall aura, she doesn't actually take up much space."
"No," Jiang Chen decided firmly. "Sister Man, you sit in the front. Old Zhang wants to smoke, and so do you, so you'll be good company. There are three seats in the back; I'll sit in the middle."
Chen Man curled her lip, but seeing Jiang Chen's unquestionable gaze, she obediently opened the passenger door and sat down. "Tch, overbearing."
The back was indeed spacious.
Lin Wan got in first, consciously shrinking into the far left corner. Jiang Chen sat down and patted the empty spot to his right. Su Qingge pursed her lips and, holding onto the car door, slowly sat down.
The door closed, sealing out the wind and snow.
The heater in the car was blasting, making it a bit stuffy.
Old Zhang started the car. The engine let out a dull roar, the chassis shook violently, and then it slowly rolled over the snow, heading out of town.
Once they left the station area, the road conditions became terrible.
Although the snow on the road had been pushed aside, it was full of black ice underneath. The tires made a cringing grinding sound as they drove over it.
The car began to sway violently, like a small boat on the ocean.
"Ouch!" Chen Man cried out from the front, gripping the handle. "Driver, slow down! I'm going to lose my breakfast!"
"The road is just like this," Old Zhang replied without looking back, his voice muffled. "If you want to get to Mudan District early, you have to bear it."
The situation in the back was even more complicated.
Jiang Chen sat in the middle, originally for balance, but with the swaying of the car, he became the biggest beneficiary—or victim.
To steady herself, Lin Wan on the left tightly hugged Jiang Chen's left arm.
She was dressed warmly, and her down jacket rubbed against Jiang Chen's windbreaker, making a rustling sound. Her head was lowered, and her hair occasionally brushed against Jiang Chen's neck, making it itch.
Su Qingge on the right was in even worse shape.
34: Chapter 34 Presidential Suite
The aftereffects of last night's madness were unmistakably clear at this moment.
Every bump was a form of torture for her.
Gritting her teeth, her face was somewhat pale, and her body was held stiff and upright as she tried not to lean on Jiang Chen.
"Uncomfortable?" Jiang Chen noticed her abnormality and turned his head to ask in a low voice.
Su Qingge shook her head, her gaze fixed on the vast white snowy plains outside the window. "I'm fine."
Just as she finished speaking, the wheels rolled over a deep pothole. The entire car tilted violently to the right.
Su Qingge let out a startled cry, her body falling uncontrollably toward Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen reacted quickly, his right hand grabbing her waist and pulling her steadily into his embrace.
"Why act so tough?" Jiang Chen frowned, applying a bit of strength with his hand to adjust her position so she could lean more comfortably. "Lean on me and sleep for a while. This road still has a long way to go."
Su Qingge's body stiffened for a moment before finally softening.
That familiar masculine scent, with a faint hint of tobacco, enveloped her.
In this enclosed, bumpy space, the scent gave her an inexplicable sense of peace.
She stopped resisting, leaned her head on Jiang Chen's shoulder, and closed her eyes.
In the front, Chen Man happened to see this scene through the rearview mirror.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Chen Man snorted, holding a makeup mirror to touch up her lipstick. "Some people say no on the outside, but their bodies are quite honest. They're even using a human cushion."
Su Qingge's eyelashes fluttered. She didn't open her eyes, but a blush crept onto her cheeks.
Jiang Chen ignored Chen Man's sarcasm and turned to look at Lin Wan on his left.
Lin Wan hadn't spoken at all, just quietly staring out the window. Sensing Jiang Chen's gaze, she turned her head and forced a somewhat strained smile.
"Xiao Jiang, what is it?"
"Sister Wan, are you cold?" Jiang Chen felt that her hand clutching his arm was a bit chilly.
"I'm not cold." Lin Wan shook her head. Her eyes lingered for a moment on where Su Qingge was leaning against Jiang Chen's shoulder before quickly looking away. "I'm just a bit sleepy."
"If you're sleepy, sleep for a bit." Jiang Chen moved his left shoulder, gesturing for her to lean over as well. "My shoulders are wide enough; I'll lend you half."
Lin Wan was stunned.
She looked at the shoulder so close at hand. It was another woman's support, yet now, he was generously sharing half of it with her.
In the front, Chen Man grumbled again, "Oh, I'm sleepy too. How come nobody's lending me a shoulder to lean on?"
"You're in the passenger seat. Isn't the leather seat enough for you to lean on?" Jiang Chen joked with a scolding tone.
Lin Wan couldn't help but smile. The bit of bitterness in her heart seemed to be diluted by his joke. She hesitated for a moment before finally, tentatively, leaning her head over.
A beauty on each side.
Jiang Chen watched the withered trees and snowy scenery receding rapidly outside the window, his heart exceptionally calm.
At this moment, in this bumpy old car on this snowy journey, these three women with vastly different personalities seemed to have reached a subtle balance.
Even if this balance was as fragile as the icicles outside the window, shattering at the slightest touch.
...
At four in the afternoon, the sky was already beginning to darken.
The mud-covered toyota prado finally drove out of the mountains and onto the national highway. The road conditions improved significantly, and the car's speed picked up.
A stretch of lights appeared ahead.
"We're here." Old Zhang spat out his cigarette butt. "Mudan City is just ahead."
The three women in the back seat all woke up.
Su Qingge sat up straight and tidied her somewhat messy hair.
Lin Wan also let go of Jiang Chen's arm, rubbing her hands together in a bit of embarrassment.
"Finally here." Chen Man stretched, her joints cracking. "This trip nearly broke my back. Kid, where are we staying? Let's get this straight—I'm not staying in a guesthouse. I want a five-star hotel with a big bathtub!"
Jiang Chen took out his phone and checked the map.
"The Hilton," Jiang Chen said calmly. "We're heading there now."
Although Mudan City wasn't a provincial capital, it was quite prosperous.
When the car stopped at the entrance of the Hilton's grand lobby, the feeling of returning to civilization made all four of them breathe a sigh of relief. The doorman eagerly opened the car door and helped with the luggage.
As soon as Chen Man got out, she took a deep breath of the city air, tinged with exhaust fumes. "I'm alive! This is the life!"
Jiang Chen paid the fare and gave Old Zhang an extra two hundred yuan for cigarettes.
Old Zhang left happily.
Stepping into the lobby, they were greeted by the warmth of the heater, accompanied by the specific fragrance of a high-end hotel.
The marble floor was polished to a mirror shine, and a massive crystal chandelier cast a soft light.
"Ladies and gentlemen, checking in?" the receptionist asked with a professional smile.
Jiang Chen took out his ID and a black bank card. "One room."
"One room?" The receptionist was stunned. Her eyes swept over the three graceful women behind Jiang Chen, a flash of surprise in her gaze that she quickly concealed. "Sir, we have executive suites, but if the four of you are staying..."
"Presidential suite," Jiang Chen interrupted her. "Is there a vacancy tonight?"
"Yes! We do!" The receptionist's eyes lit up, her attitude instantly becoming more respectful. "Our hotel's presidential suite is on the top floor, with an expansive view and an area of three hundred square meters. It has three independent bedrooms, a private theater, and a jacuzzi..."
"We'll take it."
Swipe card, sign. The actions were smooth and practiced.
Beside him, Su Qingge watched Jiang Chen's fluid movements, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Once upon a time, this kind of spending was routine for her.
But over the past six months, to save money for her employees' salaries, she had even been frugal with budget hotels.
"Let's go." Jiang Chen held the room card and looked back at them.
The elevator went straight to the top floor.
When the heavy double wooden doors were pushed open, Chen Man let out an exaggerated scream, kicked off her high heels, and rushed inside.
"Wow! This carpet! This sofa! These floor-to-ceiling windows!" Chen Man, like a child seeing the world for the first time, threw herself onto the massive leather sofa and rolled around. "This is the life! Kid, you're the best!"
Lin Wan appeared more reserved. She changed into slippers at the entrance and neatly arranged everyone's luggage.
Su Qingge walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the heavy traffic of the city below, but her brow was still slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Chen walked up behind her and handed her a bottle of evian water he had just taken from the fridge.
"I'm checking tickets." Su Qingge shook her phone; the screen showed a gray "Suspended" status. "The high-speed rail to the provincial capital hasn't resumed yet. They say that section of the road and bridge is still under repair. The earliest flight isn't until tomorrow night."
Although the five million had been transferred and the situation was temporarily stabilized, there was still a debt of 25 million. While not urgent, if she didn't rush back to take charge soon, there would still be many variables.
"Don't worry." Jiang Chen took a sip of water. "If the train doesn't work, we'll find a car. As long as the roads are open, there's always a way."
"But it's so far, who would be willing to drive?" Su Qingge sighed. "And in this kind of weather."
"Money makes the world go 'round," Jiang Chen smiled. "Let's eat first. We'll have the energy to figure something out once we're full."
35: Chapter 35 Chen Man: Finally, we kissed!
Chen Man walked barefoot around the three-hundred-square-meter suite, pushing open several doors that looked like bedrooms.
"Study... gym... walk-in closet?" Chen Man stood in the center of the living room, hands on her hips, pointing at the largest carved wooden door with a bewildered expression. "Little brother, come here and take a look. Does this hotel have some kind of misunderstanding about what a 'bedroom' is?"
Jiang Chen put down the luggage, walked over, and pushed open that door.
Before them was an absurdly large space.
There were no partition walls, only hanging velvet curtains.
In the very center sat a super-sized circular bed, visually estimated to be over three meters in diameter.
The ceiling above the bed was mirrored, and there were even several chaise longues placed beside the bed in an extremely suggestive manner.
Aside from that, there were no other beds.
"Ring, ring—"
The landline in the living room rang.
Jiang Chen walked over to answer it. From the receiver came the voice of the front desk manager, apologetic yet filled with a professional fake smile: "Mr. Jiang, I am very sorry. The system just showed an error. The executive family suite originally reserved for you is undergoing emergency repairs due to a burst water pipe. To express our apologies, we have upgraded you for free to the hotel's only 'Imperial Honeymoon Floor.' This is our hotel's highest-spec room with the best privacy. I wish you... a pleasant night."
Hanging up the phone, Jiang Chen looked at the three women in the room and shrugged.
"No other rooms?" Su Qingge sat by the bar, gripping the bottle of evian water so hard her fingertips turned white.
"Full." Jiang Chen hung his coat on the rack. "Or, we can check out now and squat at the train station square for the night?"
No one spoke.
In this kind of weather, going out would be pure suffering.
"Fine then." Chen Man was actually the quickest to accept it. She kicked off her other high heel, her eyes scanning back and forth between the massive massage tub and the large bed. "The bed's big enough anyway; we can sleep horizontally or vertically. As long as certain people don't get handsy at night... or if they do, don't deny it."
As she spoke, she shot a meaningful glance at Su Qingge.
Su Qingge turned her head away, pretending to look at the night view outside the window, though the tips of her ears had quietly turned red.
"I'm going to shower first." Chen Man rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out a change of clothes—a few pieces of lace that were pitifully sparse. "I'm covered in sweat; it's so uncomfortable."
The bathroom was semi-open.
The giant circular massage tub faced the floor-to-ceiling window, separated only by a piece of smart glass that could adjust its transparency via remote control.
At the moment, the glass was frosted, and a graceful silhouette could be faintly seen inside.
The sound of running water splashed.
Jiang Chen sat on the sofa, taking out his phone to check traffic information.
Lin Wan silently went to the open kitchen to check the ingredients in the fridge, seemingly trying to find something to do to ease the awkward atmosphere.
Su Qingge sat opposite him, using a tablet to handle company emails, though she hadn't turned a single page for a long time.
*Knock, knock.*
The frosted glass of the bathroom was tapped.
"Um... Jiang Chen?" Chen Man's voice drifted out from inside, carrying a hint of lazy steam. "Can you do me a favor?"
Jiang Chen didn't even look up: "Speak."
"I forgot to take a bath towel." Chen Man sounded perfectly justified. "It's in the side pocket of my pink suitcase. Can you hand it in to me? The floor tiles are slippery, so it's not convenient for me to come out."
Su Qingge looked up, pushed her glasses, and shot a cold gaze toward the bathroom.
Lin Wan's hand cutting fruit also paused for a moment.
"Don't you have hands?" Jiang Chen continued scrolling through the news, unmoved.
"Oh, please, I'm begging you." Chen Man's voice softened, trailing off with a coquettish tone. "We're all so familiar with each other. You've seen what there is to see, so why act like such a gentleman? Hurry up, the water's getting cold."
Jiang Chen sighed.
He stood up, walked to Chen Man's suitcase, pulled out a white bath towel, and went to the bathroom door.
"Open up."
The door lock clicked open.
A wave of hot steam mixed with the rich scent of rose essential oil rushed out.
The bathroom was shrouded in mist.
The smart glass had been adjusted to semi-transparent at some point, making the city's colorful lights the most decadent backdrop.
Chen Man wasn't in the tub.
Wrapped in a layer of bubbles, she was standing by the door, still holding the remote control.
Just as Jiang Chen took a step inside, his foot slipped—the floor was covered in body wash bubbles.
His center of gravity shifted, and he instinctively reached out to grab the door frame, but a wet hand grabbed his wrist.
"Careful."
Chen Man pulled hard.
The two of them fell together into the massive double massage tub.
The warm waves instantly surged over their chests, sending bubbles flying.
Jiang Chen choked on a mouthful of water, and before he could steady himself, a slippery, warm body pressed against him.
Chen Man clung to him like an octopus, her wet long hair sticking to her cheeks. Those peach-blossom eyes, which were usually full of calculation and charm, were now veiled in a layer of mist.
"Are you crazy?" Jiang Chen wiped the water from his face and lowered his voice. "They're right outside."
"I know." Chen Man leaned into his ear, biting his earlobe, her voice thin as a thread. "It's precisely because they're outside... that I have to hurry."
She looked at Jiang Chen, a flicker of resentment and grievance flashing in her eyes.
"Why?" she asked. "Why do the two of them get to monopolize you? What about me? Am I only fit to sit in the passenger seat and blow cold air? Or only fit to be your third wheel?"
Jiang Chen looked at her.
This woman, who was usually loud and seemed the most carefree, was actually the one who lacked security the most.
She was used to using her spicy personality to mask herself and using her initiative to cover the heartache of being backstabbed by her ex-boyfriend.
"Is this the reason you needed a towel?" Jiang Chen's hand supported her waist to keep her from slipping in the water.
"It's not just the towel." Chen Man tilted her head up. Her face, which looked exceptionally pure after her makeup had been washed away, held a desperate stubbornness. "I want to leave a stamp too."
With that, she kissed him.
This kiss had no technique; it was pure emotion.
It carried the scent of body wash, the temperature of hot water, and an urgency as if she wanted to melt herself into him.
Her teeth bumped against Jiang Chen's lips, causing a bit of pain, but this pain instead became the best catalyst.
The bathroom exhaust fan whirred, masking the sound of the churning water.
Jiang Chen didn't push her away.
In this enclosed space filled with heat and bubbles, logic seemed to have evaporated along with the steam.
He reached around and cupped the back of Chen Man's head, deepening the kiss.
If Su Qingge was a lotus on a snowy mountain and Lin Wan was an orchid under the eaves, then Chen Man was a red rose with thorns.
Prickly, but passionate.
After a long time, their lips parted.
Chen Man leaned against the edge of the tub, panting heavily, her chest heaving violently, and a glistening thread hanging from the corner of her mouth.
Her eyes were dazed, and her cheeks were as red as a ripe tomato.
"That's enough." Jiang Chen let go, leaned against the other side, and grabbed a towel from the nearby rack to cover her. "The stamping is over. Let's go out to eat."
Chen Man was stunned for a moment, then she burst out laughing.
She stretched out her foot and gently kicked Jiang Chen's calf underwater: "Little brother, you... really don't take advantage of people. But... I'm very satisfied with how this stamp was placed."
Su Qingge's voice came from outside the door, carrying a hint of imperceptible anxiety: "Jiang Chen? Did you find the towel?"
"Found it."
Jiang Chen stood up from the water, soaked through. The white shirt clung to his body, outlining his firm muscle lines.
He casually wiped his hair back, pushed open the bathroom door, and walked out.
Behind him, Chen Man curled up in the bubble-filled tub, watching his back. Her fingers gently touched her red and swollen lips, and the resentment in her eyes finally faded, replaced by the cunning of someone who had successfully gotten away with something.
36: Chapter 36 A three-meter-wide bed, a night filled with different thoughts.
When Jiang Chen walked out while drying his hair, the atmosphere in the living room was somewhat stagnant.
Su Qingge sat on a single-person sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a tablet resting on her knees. The light from the screen reflected on her face, making her look a bit cold and aloof.
Seeing Jiang Chen come out, she looked up, her gaze lingering on him for two seconds before quickly shifting away. She didn't even ask, "Are you done washing?"
That deliberate avoidance felt more like a silent interrogation.
Lin Wan was fiddling with the coffee machine over in the open kitchen. Hearing footsteps, her movements paused for a moment, and her cup hit the marble countertop with a crisp clink.
"Um... where's Chen Man?" Lin Wan turned around, her gaze flickering as she avoided looking Jiang Chen in the eye.
"She's inside drying her hair." Jiang Chen casually draped the towel over the back of a chair, walked over to Su Qingge, and glanced down at her screen.
It was filled with dense financial reports.
"President Su is so dedicated; it wouldn't be right if the company didn't give you a Model Worker Award." Jiang Chen reached out, pinched the edge of the tablet with two fingers, and gently pulled it away. "But in my room, the current task is to sleep."
Su Qingge's fingers curled slightly, but she didn't resist, allowing him to take the tablet and place it face down on the table.
"I can't sleep." She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "The roads aren't clear yet; every minute is a variable."
"Variables are tomorrow's problem." Jiang Chen sat down on the armrest beside her, his hand naturally resting on her shoulder.
Su Qingge's body tensed slightly, and her nose twitched.
She smelled the familiar scent of shower gel on Jiang Chen, but beneath it, there seemed to be a hint of something else—the scent of Chen Man's perfume. Even after a shower, that strong, powdery fragrance didn't seem to have completely dissipated.
"You washed up quite thoroughly," Su Qingge said blandly, her tone unreadable.
Jiang Chen smiled, his fingers massaging her neck and shoulders with moderate pressure. "With someone to scrub my back, of course I'm clean."
Su Qingge turned her head and gave him a sharp glare.
Just then, the bathroom door opened.
Chen Man walked out wrapped in a bathrobe.
The flush on her face hadn't fully faded, and her damp hair was draped over her shoulders, her entire being exuding a lazy, seductive charm.
Seeing the two in the living room, she didn't feel awkward at all. Instead, she walked over openly and collapsed directly onto the long sofa.
"I'm exhausted." Chen Man stretched, her bathrobe collar falling open to reveal a large expanse of snow-white skin. "This jacuzzi is great and all, but it's too physically taxing. Little brother, next time there's physical labor like this, find someone else. My waist is about to break."
Lin Wan walked over carrying several cups of hot milk. Hearing this, her face instantly turned beet red to the tips of her ears.
Su Qingge gave a cold snort and stood up. "I'm going to sleep."
The carved wooden door was pushed open, and the sight inside left Su Qingge stunned at the threshold.
Although Chen Man had described it earlier, seeing this circular bed with a diameter of over three meters with her own eyes still provided a strong visual impact.
The ceiling above the bed was mirrored, and dark gold canopies hung down. Rather than a bedroom, it looked more like some ancient Greek altar, or... some indescribable party scene.
"There's only one bed." Chen Man followed her in, holding her milk and looking at Su Qingge with a half-smile. "President Su, it looks like we're all 'in the same boat' tonight."
Su Qingge ignored her, walked straight to the far left side of the bed, pulled back the covers, and lay down. She turned her back to everyone, even pulling the duvet up over her head.
This escapist posture made Jiang Chen find it somewhat amusing.
"Sister Wan, you should sleep early too." Jiang Chen took the tray from Lin Wan's hands and set it on the nightstand.
Lin Wan stood awkwardly by the bed, her hands twisting together. "I... I'll just sleep on the sofa."
"In a three-hundred-square-meter suite, if I let you sleep on the sofa, people will think I'm mistreating a decent woman if word gets out." Jiang Chen took her wrist and led her to the right side of the bed. "Sleep here."
Lin Wan couldn't argue, so she slowly took off her coat and, wearing her conservative cotton pajamas, gingerly lay down right at the edge of the bed.
The bed was truly massive.
Even with two people lying in it, a large area remained empty in the middle.
Jiang Chen turned off the lights.
The room fell into darkness, with only the faint city light filtering in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, reflecting off the mirrored ceiling.
After a rustle of clothing, the mattress dipped slightly.
Chen Man crawled in.
She didn't go to either side but instead occupied a spot just to the left of the middle, very close to Su Qingge and even closer to the central spot left for Jiang Chen.
"Little brother, come here quickly." Chen Man patted the empty space beside her in the darkness. "I've already warmed the covers for you."
Jiang Chen lifted the duvet and lay down right in the center.
To his left were Chen Man and Su Qingge, and to his right, at a bit of a distance, was Lin Wan.
Just as he lay down, an arm wrapped around him.
Chen Man was like a snake, pressing her entire body against Jiang Chen, and her leg unceremoniously pinned his down.
"Sister Man." Jiang Chen caught her wrist, his voice calm. "Keep moving, and you'll go sleep in the bathtub."
"Tch, no fun," Chen Man muttered, but she obediently withdrew her limbs, though her body remained pressed tightly against him.
Jiang Chen turned over to face the left.
He reached over Chen Man toward the lump at the innermost side.
Su Qingge was curled up under the covers like an ostrich.
Through the duvet, Jiang Chen gently patted her back.
"Come out for some air; don't smother yourself."
The duvet moved slightly, but there was no response.
Jiang Chen simply reached inside and accurately found her face.
It was damp.
Jiang Chen sighed inwardly. With a firm pull, he hauled Su Qingge over, duvet and all.
"Ah..." Su Qingge let out a startled cry as her body was lifted, and in the next second, she had landed in Jiang Chen's arms.
Chen Man, who was in the middle, tactfully moved aside, letting out a "tsk" as she turned her back to them.
"Let go of me," Su Qingge struggled inside the duvet, her voice raspy. "It's too cramped."
"Don't move." Jiang Chen rested his chin on the top of her head, his arms tightening like iron bands, locking her firmly to his chest. "Keep moving, and I'll assume you want to do some other kind of exercise here."
Su Qingge instantly went quiet.
She lay stiffly against Jiang Chen's chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat.
That intense sense of insecurity miraculously began to dissipate within this embrace full of masculine hormones.
"Jiang Chen," she whispered his name.
"Yeah."
"What if we can't leave tomorrow?"
"There are no 'what ifs'." Jiang Chen's hand stroked her back soothingly. "Go to sleep. If the sky falls, I'll be the one holding it up."
Su Qingge closed her eyes, her fingers quietly grasping the hem of Jiang Chen's pajamas.
That night, nothing scandalous happened.
Perhaps because they were too tired from the previous night, or perhaps because the four of them each had their own thoughts, the room was soon filled only with the sound of steady breathing.
...
The next morning.
Jiang Chen was awakened by a series of urgent knocks.
It wasn't his room door, but the sound from a neighboring suite or the hallway.
He opened his eyes and felt half his body had gone numb.
Su Qingge was sprawled over him like an octopus, one leg draped across his waist, sleeping soundly.
Lin Wan, who had originally been on the far right, had somehow rolled into the middle at some point, her head resting on his arm.
As for Chen Man, she had long since kicked the duvet away and was lying horizontally at the foot of the bed in an extremely unrestrained sleeping posture.
Jiang Chen carefully pulled his hand out. Su Qingge let out a dissatisfied whimper, rolled over, and continued to sleep.
He got out of bed, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and pulled back the curtains.
The world outside was still a silver landscape. Although the snow had stopped, the ice on the road surface looked even thicker than yesterday.
Jiang Chen took out his phone and opened several ride-hailing apps.
All of them displayed "No available vehicles nearby" or "Waiting in queue 200+".
He then checked carpooling groups and local forums.
The screen was flooded with posts begging for rides. Occasionally, a driver would take an order, but the asking price was ten times the usual rate, and they only did short trips within the city. No one was willing to go to the provincial capital hundreds of kilometers away.
"Damn it," Jiang Chen cursed under his breath.
Given this situation, let alone rushing back to the provincial capital, it was possible they could be stuck in this hotel for days.
Su Qingge's company couldn't afford to wait.
Just then, the voice in his head that had been silent all night suddenly rang out.
[Ding! Detected that the Host is facing a travel predicament.]
[In this frozen world, how can a true tycoon be stopped by mere road conditions?]
[Triggered Random Mission: The Mobile Fortress.]
[Mission Description: Ordinary transportation cannot meet the Host's needs. Within two hours, purchase a vehicle capable of ignoring harsh road conditions and equipped with top-tier comfort. Lead the three beauties to break through the wind and snow and reach your destination.]
[Mission Funds: No upper limit (limited to vehicle purchase and related supplies).]
[Mission Reward: God-level Driving Mastery (All-terrain/All-vehicle); one Vehicle Modification Gift Pack.]
37: Chapter 37 The Moving Fortress
Buying a car?
Jiang Chen looked at the mission panel, a slight curve appearing at the corners of his mouth.
The system really was like providing a pillow just as he was nodding off.
He was originally thinking that since he couldn't hail a taxi, he would just buy one.
Anyway, there were over forty million lying in his card; if he didn't spend it, it was just a number.
But the problem was, where to buy it?
In this kind of weather, probably no one was working at the 4S dealerships.
And as for ordinary off-road vehicles, he had just seen on the forums that some had broken down; to be absolutely safe, he needed to get a big guy.
Jiang Chen sat back on the sofa, opened a local second-hand trading website, and directly filtered for "off-road," "RV," and "urgent sale."
After scrolling through a few pages, most were ordinary Iveco-converted RVs or Wranglers.
These cars were fine for normal driving, but on national highways covered in black ice and snow, they weren't quite enough. To carry four adults and ensure comfort, the space had to be large.
Suddenly, a post published less than ten minutes ago jumped into his sight.
[Reluctantly parting with my treasure! Doomsday-grade heavy truck RV, German MAN 8x8 chassis, bulletproof and explosion-proof, vehicle currently in Mudan City, complete paperwork, drive away as soon as you pay! Due to urgent need for capital turnover, serious inquiries only!]
The accompanying photo was of a pitch-black behemoth.
That thing couldn't even be called a car; it was practically a tank on wheels.
Huge all-terrain tires, a towering front end, carrying an armored-looking living cabin in the back, with a row of searchlights mounted on the roof.
This thing, let alone icy roads, could probably ram a path through even a zombie apocalypse.
Jiang Chen's eyes lit up.
This was it.
He glanced at the quoted price: 12 million.
For ordinary people, it was a sky-high price, but for the current Jiang Chen, it was just a matter of moving his fingers.
He directly dialed the number below the post.
The phone rang twice before being picked up. On the other end was a voice that sounded young but extremely anxious: "Hello? Looking at the car? I don't do small talk. This car cost 18 million new, now it's 12 million. No bargaining. Talk to me only if you can transfer the money immediately!"
"I'm in Mudan City," Jiang Chen's voice was steady. "Send me the location. I'll be there in half an hour."
The person on the other end paused, seemingly not expecting such a straightforward buyer these days: "Brother, you're not joking? In this weather..."
"Half an hour," Jiang Chen repeated. "Have the contract ready."
After hanging up, Jiang Chen received a location. It was only five kilometers from the hotel, a warehouse for a modified car club.
He stood up and glanced back at the large bed.
The three women were all awake, looking at him with sleepy eyes.
"Since you're awake, pack up," Jiang Chen stuffed his phone into his pocket, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "We leave in twenty minutes."
"Leaving?" Su Qingge sat up, rubbing her messy hair. The quilt slipped down, revealing her fair shoulders. "Where to? Do you have a car?"
"Not yet." Jiang Chen walked to the coat rack to put on his jacket. "But I've set my sights on one. I'm going to buy it now."
"Buy... buy a car?" Chen Man's eyes widened, doubting if she was still dreaming. "Little brother, you don't have a fever, do you? Buying a car now? And do 4S shops even have stock? Even if you buy it, do you know how to drive? With these road conditions, a novice driver is just seeking death!"
"Stop talking nonsense." Jiang Chen threw Su Qingge's clothes to her. "If you want to go home, listen to me. Also, bring all your luggage. We're checking out and not coming back."
His tone was so certain; that aura of being in control made the three women subconsciously shut their mouths.
Although it felt absurd, they still moved quickly.
Twenty minutes later.
The four of them stood in the hotel lobby and checked out.
Jiang Chen called that toyota prado that had brought them yesterday again.
Old Zhang happened to be nearby waiting for a fare. Hearing they were going to that modified car club, he rushed over without a word.
In the car, the atmosphere was somewhat somber.
Su Qingge had been looking at her phone, seemingly communicating with people from her company, her brow furrowed.
Lin Wan nervously gripped her seatbelt, occasionally glancing at the slippery road outside.
Only Chen Man was still chattering: "I say, little brother, what kind of car are you actually buying? What kind of good car could be in a place like this? You aren't being tricked by a scammer into buying a broken van, are you?"
"You'll know when we get there." Jiang Chen watched the street scenery receding outside.
The car turned into an industrial zone and finally stopped in front of a large warehouse with a sign that read "Peak Off-Road."
The main door was open a crack.
Jiang Chen paid the fare and led the three women out of the car.
The cold wind howled, swirling up snow dust from the ground.
"Here?" Su Qingge wrapped her coat tightly, trudging through the snow in her high heels, her eyes full of doubt. "Does this look like a place that sells cars?"
Jiang Chen didn't speak and straight away pushed open the heavy iron gate.
"Creak—"
The door opened.
The lighting inside was somewhat dim, but it still couldn't hide the domineering presence of the behemoth parked right in the center.
At that moment, all three women stopped in their tracks, simultaneously sucking in a breath of cold air.
If seeing it in the picture earlier just made them feel it was big, then standing before the real thing now, the sense of pressure was simply suffocating.
The vehicle was nearly four meters high and twelve meters long.
The black matte paint shimmered with a cold, hard metallic luster under the lights.
The massive off-road tires were taller than Chen Man herself, and the thick suspension system was exposed, looking like a crouching steel beast.
This wasn't an RV; this was clearly a mobile fortress.
A young MAN wearing a leather jacket and sporting a messy hairstyle was squatting by a wheel smoking. Seeing Jiang Chen and the others enter, he tossed his cigarette butt and stomped it out.
"Was it you who called just now?" The young MAN sized up Jiang Chen, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. Jiang Chen was too young, looking like a college student. Although he was followed by three top-tier beauties, this combination didn't look like people who could produce over ten million.
"It's me." Jiang Chen walked over and reached out to pat the massive bumper; it felt icy and hard to the touch. "How's the vehicle's condition?"
"Just finished maintenance, hasn't been off-road much," the young MAN said somewhat impatiently. "Inside, it's all imported appliances. The generator and water purification system are top-of-the-line. A full tank can run for two thousand kilometers. This was originally meant for me to cross No Man's Land, but then my family... forget it, let's not talk about it."
He waved his hand: "If you're sincerely interested, go up and look for yourself. But I'll be blunt from the start: this vehicle requires an A1 driver's license, and it's a gas guzzler. Ordinary people can't handle it."
Jiang Chen turned to look at the three women behind him.
They were still in shock and hadn't recovered yet.
"Want to go up and see?" Jiang Chen pointed to the electric lift.
Su Qingge swallowed hard, looking at this vehicle door that was even more grand than her company's main entrance: "Jiang Chen... are you sure you want to buy this? Are we going to war?"
"In this kind of weather, only this can take you back to the provincial capital." Jiang Chen stepped onto the ladder first. "Come up, President Su. Inspect your new office."
The group entered one after another.
The scene inside the vehicle once again refreshed their understanding.
A steel monster on the outside, but a five-star hotel on the inside.
Teak flooring, leather aviation seats, a minimalist-style bar, and even a small wine cabinet.
Living area, rest area, and a bathroom with separate wet and dry zones—everything was there.
The heating was on full blast; the moment they stepped in, they felt an isolated warmth.
"My god..." Chen Man touched the coffee machine that looked very expensive. "This isn't much different from the presidential suite last night."
Lin Wan walked to the kitchen area, looking at the large double-door refrigerator and the built-in oven, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. For her, with these things, she could live anywhere.
Jiang Chen took a look around and was very satisfied.
"Swipe the card." He pulled that bank card from his pocket and handed it to the young MAN who had followed them in. "Twelve million, no bargaining, but I have a condition."
The young MAN froze, looking at the card, his hands shaking: "W-What condition?"
"Fill up the gas and the water tank for me." Jiang Chen pointed at the empty refrigerator. "Also, find someone to help me fill this fridge. I know there must be a supermarket nearby; this little thing shouldn't be hard for you, right?"
38: Chapter 38 The Real Veteran Driver
The young man's hand, which took the card, was a little stiff.
He had seen people who were generous, but never someone this straightforward.
A twelve-million business deal, without even a test drive, just swiping the card after one look?
"No problem! Absolutely no problem!" The young man's attitude did a complete 180-degree turn, his face breaking into a huge grin. "Brother, please wait a moment, I'll get someone to process it right away! I have connections at the supermarket, I guarantee I'll stuff it full of the best imported goods for you!"
The card machine beeped once.
Transaction successful.
Jiang Chen looked at the long receipt that was printed out, feeling completely unmoved.
In his mind, the system's voice arrived as scheduled.
[Ding! Mission complete!]
[Congratulations to the Host for purchasing the Doomsday-grade heavy-duty RV, the "black knight".]
[Amount spent: 12,000,000 Yuan.]
[Critical hit cashback triggered! Current cashback multiplier: 5 times!]
[Cashback amount: 60,000,000 Yuan (Sixty Million) has been transferred to the Host's account.]
[Reward issued: God-tier Driving Mastery (Integrated).]
[Additional reward: Vehicle Modification Grand Gift Pack (Automatically applied to the vehicle, performance increased by 30%, added bulletproofing level and intelligent assistance system).]
A massive stream of information instantly flooded into Jiang Chen's mind.
That feeling was marvelous.
One second he was still unfamiliar with the control panel of this behemoth, the next second, it felt as if it had become an extension of his own body.
He knew the function of every button, the revolutions represented by the engine's roar, and even the feedback from the friction of the tires rolling over the snow, all like the back of his hand.
"Alright," Jiang Chen retracted his card and looked at the staff busy moving supplies. "CEO Su, Sister Wan, Sister Man, this is our transportation for the journey ahead. Everyone find a comfortable spot to sit."
Su Qingge sat in the aviation seat in the co-pilot's position and fastened her seatbelt.
The visibility from this seat was extremely high; looking out through the massive windshield gave her the feeling of looking down upon all living beings.
"Can this vehicle... really drive to the provincial capital?" She was still a little uneasy.
"Don't worry," Jiang Chen said, settling into the driver's seat and skillfully flipping a few switches.
The instrument panel lit up, emitting a cool blue light.
The engine let out a low roar, and the entire body vibrated slightly—that sense of power made one's blood surge.
"Hold tight."
Jiang Chen shifted gears, released the handbrake, and pressed the accelerator.
This twelve-meter-long steel giant slowly drove out of the warehouse door.
The snow outside was like flat ground to it.
The massive tires easily crushed the accumulated ice, emitting a grating yet incredibly satisfying sound of shattering.
Chen Man and Lin Wan were sitting in the living area in the rear cabin.
There was a circular leather sofa and a lift-up table there.
"This is too cool!" Chen Man pressed against the window, watching the small cars outside stuck in the snow, unable to move. She was so excited she slapped her thighs. "This is practically a dimensional strike! Sister Wan, look, isn't that a Land Rover? It's completely bogged down, but our vehicle hasn't even wobbled once!"
Lin Wan was organizing the supplies that had just been delivered.
That young man had certainly done things properly. The refrigerator was stuffed with steak, seafood, fruit, and even a few bottles of good-looking red wine.
The cabinets were piled high with rice, flour, and all sorts of snacks.
"With this much stuff, it'll last us half a month," Lin Wan washed a box of strawberries and placed them on the table. "It really feels like we're out for a picnic."
The cabin was very warm, and there was even a faint scent of perfume.
Su Qingge looked back at the two relaxed figures behind her, and her tense nerves finally completely relaxed.
She turned to look at Jiang Chen, who was focused on driving.
His profile had sharp, firm lines, and his eyes were concentrated. That composed and unhurried manner was truly captivating.
"Jiang Chen."
"Hm?"
"Thank you," Su Qingge said softly. "I owe you again."
"Keep owing," Jiang Chen looked straight ahead, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "You're supposed to spend your whole life paying me back anyway, so what's one or two more debts between us?"
Su Qingge's face flushed, and she didn't speak, merely casting her gaze out the window.
The vehicle drove onto the national highway.
The road conditions were indeed terrible, with snowdrifts and skidding vehicles everywhere. Many cars were parked on the roadside waiting for rescue, and traffic police were overwhelmed.
But this black heavy-duty RV was like an anomaly.
It ignored the black ice and deep potholes, weaving through the traffic with an almost brazen attitude.
When they encountered congestion, Jiang Chen simply turned the steering wheel sharply, and the vehicle rumbled off the road base, driving smoothly across the snowy wasteland beside it.
"What the hell is that vehicle?"
"Is it a tank?"
The frustrated drivers stuck on the roadside watched this behemoth speed away, their eyeballs nearly popping out.
Inside the vehicle.
Chen Man turned on the stereo, and dynamic music flowed through the cabin.
"With such a great car, how can we not have some wine?" Chen Man took out a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. Unable to find a decanter, she simply poured it directly into several mugs. "Come on, everyone, a toast to our 'Doomsday Escape'!"
She swayed slightly while holding her cup and walked to the driver's compartment, handing one cup to Su Qingge, and the other... she actually offered it directly to Jiang Chen's mouth.
"Little brother, driving is hard work, wet your throat."
Jiang Chen tilted his head slightly: "No drinking while driving."
"Oh, come on, this car is so stable, what are you afraid of with just one sip?" Chen Man was persistent, leaning forward, her chest curves pressing right against Jiang Chen's arm. "Just one sip."
"Chen Man!" Su Qingge frowned and scolded, "Stop fooling around! The lives of everyone in this vehicle are in his hands."
"Tch, CEO Su is such a spoilsport." Chen Man pouted, took a big gulp herself, and the red wine dripped down the corner of her mouth onto her collarbone, looking exceedingly seductive.
She stuck out her tongue to lick the corner of her mouth and looked at Jiang Chen with hazy eyes: "Then when we're not driving at night... we can drink, right?"
Jiang Chen ignored her, only tightening his grip on the steering wheel slightly.
This woman really knew how to light a fire anytime, anywhere.
Just then, a group of people suddenly appeared on the road ahead, waving red clothes to block the way.
They weren't traffic police.
Judging by their attire, they looked more like nearby villagers, or perhaps... opportunistic local thugs taking advantage of the chaos.
Under such extreme weather, order was often the most fragile thing.
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes; he didn't ease up on the accelerator but pressed it even harder.
"Hold tight."
He coldly spat out two words.
The vehicle's speed soared.
The roar of the engine instantly rose an octave, like an enraged beast charging toward the group of people.
"Ah! Jiang Chen, what are you doing? You're going to hit them!" Su Qingge screamed in fright, instinctively grabbing the handrail.
"They won't dare not move."
Jiang Chen's voice was as cold as the ice and snow outside.
The group of people who had been aggressively blocking the middle of the road, seeing this steel giant charging towards them with thunderous momentum and showing no signs of slowing down, were instantly terrified out of their wits and scrambled to dodge to the sides.
"Whoosh—"
The massive vehicle body kicked up a gust of strong wind, sweeping past the intersection in an instant.
It only left a mouthful of exhaust fumes for the group of people in the wind and snow.
"Now that's a truly skilled driver," Chen Man leaned back against the seat, watching the miserable figures in the rearview mirror, the light in her eyes shining even brighter. "Little brother, you are wild; I like it."
Jiang Chen didn't speak.
His gaze was fixed firmly on the vast, white road ahead.
The provincial capital was only two hundred kilometers away.
"Sister Wan, get some food ready," Jiang Chen suddenly spoke up. "I'm hungry."
"Got it!" Lin Wan's cheerful voice came from behind. "How about pan-seared steak? Or boiled seafood noodles?"
"Both."
39: Chapter 39 The Snowy Journey Home and a Phone Call with Mom
Jiang Chen held the steering wheel with one hand and took a fork from Lin Wan with the other. On the fork was a piece of perfectly seared sirloin, still sizzling with droplets of oil.
"Try the flavor." Lin Wan stood beside the driver's seat, her body swaying slightly with the motion of the car. To maintain her balance, her knee occasionally brushed against the outside of Jiang Chen's thigh.
Jiang Chen took a bite, and the juices exploded in his mouth.
"Sister Wan's cooking is beyond reproach." Jiang Chen swallowed the beef, his eyes still fixed on the white, snowy road ahead. "Better than a Hilton chef."
Lin Wan's face reddened slightly, but she couldn't hide the smile in the corners of her eyes.
She didn't retreat to the rear cabin. Instead, she sat down on the wide armrest box next to the driver's seat, holding the plate like a diligent caretaker.
"Then eat more," Lin Wan said softly. "Driving all afternoon is mentally exhausting."
On the sofa in the back, Chen Man was slumped like she had no bones, swirling half a glass of red wine. Her eyes were somewhat glazed as she stared at the road signs occasionally flashing by the window.
"Fifty kilometers to go." Su Qingge looked at the navigation on her phone, her voice breaking the somewhat sickly-sweet silence. "The entrance to the city expressway is just ahead. If the road isn't blocked, we'll be in the city in half an hour."
There was a hint of tension in her voice.
"Stop looking at it." Without turning his head, Jiang Chen reached back and accurately snatched the debt list from Su Qingge's lap—the one she had flipped through countless times. "We'll talk about it when we arrive. The sky isn't falling."
Su Qingge was stunned for a moment. Looking at her empty hands, she didn't get angry. Instead, it was as if her spine had been removed, and she sank back into the leather seat.
"Mm," she responded softly.
Just then, an abrupt ringtone echoed in the cabin.
It was the most classic kind of ringtone—monotonous, shrill, and highly piercing.
The three women in the car stopped what they were doing simultaneously.
This wasn't any of their ringtones.
Jiang Chen slowed down and pulled an old phone with a slightly cracked screen from the inner pocket of his windbreaker (he hadn't had time to get a new one yet, which in the eyes of the three women, was him just experiencing life).
The moment he saw the caller ID, the originally cold and hard lines of his profile instantly softened.
Two words pulsed on the screen: Mom.
"Hello, Mom." Jiang Chen answered the phone. He didn't intentionally lower his voice, but his tone was so gentle that Lin Wan, who was right next to him, stared in surprise.
"Xiao Chen..." The distorted voice of a middle-aged woman came through the phone, accompanied by the whistling of the wind and the noisy shouting of a market. "I saw on the news that there's heavy snow in the province and the roads are closed. Are you still at school? Can you buy a ticket?"
Jiang Chen glanced at the knee-deep snow outside and then at the luxury car worth tens of millions. His tone was calm: "I'm on the road. I'm carpooling with a few friends. It's very safe. I'll probably... get home in a day or two."
"Carpooling? That must cost a lot of money, right?" His mother's voice carried a hint of worry. "Safety first. If you really can't make it back, just spend New Year's at school. I'll send you some cured meat. Your dad just went to check; the bridge at the village entrance is covered in ice. It's freezing here, too..."
"I can make it back," Jiang Chen interrupted his mother's nagging. "I've arranged everything."
The cabin was very quiet; all three women were listening intently.
Looking at Jiang Chen's back, Su Qingge felt a bit of an ache in her heart.
She hadn't received a call like this in a very long time.
Struggling in this arena of fame and fortune, there were only exchanges of interest, never this kind of pure concern.
"Alright, that's good then." His mother let out a sigh of relief on the other end. "By the way, you're about to graduate. How's the job hunt going? Don't worry if there's nothing suitable yet. The harvest was decent this year, we can still support you..."
"Mom." Jiang Chen interrupted her again, a trace of a smile touching his lips. "Don't worry about work. I've taken on some freelance projects recently and made some money."
"Made money? How much? Is it enough for your living expenses?"
"It's alright." Jiang Chen pulled the car steadily to the side of the road, turned on the speakerphone, and switched to his banking app. "I'll transfer some to you first. You and Dad can get some New Year's supplies. Isn't that old fridge at home broken? Get a new one."
In the transfer amount column, he entered a '1' followed by five '0's.
One hundred thousand.
For him now, this amount wasn't even pocket change.
But he knew that if he transferred a million or ten million, it would only scare his parents into the hospital and do no good.
Money had to be given bit by bit; there had to be an adaptation process.
"Ding." The transfer was successful.
"I've transferred a hundred thousand to you," Jiang Chen said into the phone. "Go ahead and check it."
"How... How much?!" The voice on the other end suddenly jumped an octave, as if her tail had been stepped on. "A hundred thousand?! You child, what did you do? You didn't do anything illegal, did you? Where did all this money come from?!"
"A legitimate project, a bonus for writing code." Jiang Chen casually made up an excuse, his tone so certain it was impossible to doubt. "Spend it without worry. If it's not enough, I have more."
After much persuasion, he finally managed to calm his startled mother down.
Hanging up the phone, Jiang Chen let out a long breath, feeling more tired than he had after driving hundreds of kilometers through the snow.
He tossed the phone back onto the center console and restarted the car.
"Was that your mother?" Chen Man leaned over the back of the driver's seat, getting close to Jiang Chen's ear, her warm breath fanning him. "She sounds quite young. Little brother, you're so filial; you'll definitely be a good husband in the future."
"Sit back." Jiang Chen looked straight ahead, his voice returning to its previous coldness. "We're about to enter the city. President Su, give me directions."
The black knight roared as it sped onto the city expressway.
Ahead, the silhouette of the Mudan Provincial Capital loomed in the wind and snow.
The lights of the skyscrapers shone through the swirling snow, blurring into an orange glow.
That was the light of the civilized world, and also the light of the arena of desire.
Su Qingge sat up straight, adjusted her slightly wrinkled suit collar, and pushed her gold-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"Go to the High-Tech Zone," her voice turned cold. "Tiansheng Building."
That was where her company was located. It was also her final stronghold.
"Going to the company this late?" Lin Wan asked with some concern. "Shouldn't we find a place to stay first?"
"Those people won't let me sleep in peace."
Jiang Chen didn't speak; he just silently pressed harder on the gas pedal.
Half an hour later, the black knight drove onto the main road of the High-Tech Zone.
There were very few cars on the road, with only a few snowplows operating occasionally.
When the car turned the last corner and the glass curtain wall of the Tiansheng Building appeared before them, the atmosphere in the car instantly froze.
The plaza in front of the building was not as empty as imagined.
Even on a snowy day like this, there were still several tents pitched at the bottom of the steps.
Seven or eight people in heavy cotton coats were gathered around an iron barrel, burning a fire for warmth. The red flames reflected on their purple-frozen faces and illuminated a banner stretched out nearby.
Although half-covered by snow, the shocking black characters on it were still clear: "Su Qingge, pay back the money!"
"These lunatics..." Su Qingge's hands gripped her seatbelt tightly, her knuckles turning white. "In such heavy snow, do they have no regard for their lives?"
"People will die for money." Chen Man sneered from the back. "President Su, it seems your title of 'Heartthrob' isn't just for show; so many people are here waiting for you."
Jiang Chen slowly drove the car over.
The shadow of the massive vehicle loomed over the group.
"Sit tight." Jiang Chen unbuckled his seatbelt and took a thick black overcoat from the side to drape over himself. "Since they're being so hospitable, we should go down and say hello."
He turned his head to look at the pale-faced Su Qingge and held out his hand, palm up.
"Let's go, President Su." Jiang Chen's eyes were as calm as water. "I'm taking you to reclaim your lost territory."
40: Chapter 40 We're leaving now, we're leaving now!
The moment the car door opened, the cold wind, laden with snowflakes, poured in, dissipating most of the sweet warmth inside the vehicle.
The group of people huddled around the iron drum for warmth were startled by the sudden appearance of the behemoth.
Under the direct glare of the powerful searchlights, they squinted. Some even picked up nearby wooden sticks and cardboard signs, warily staring at this monster that looked like an armored vehicle.
"Who is it? Where did this car come from?"
"How did this car drive in here? Don't the traffic police care?"
Amidst the noisy discussions, Jiang Chen was the first to jump out of the car. He wore a black windbreaker and a pair of hiking boots stained with mud and snow, landing silently.
He ignored the prying eyes, instead turning around and extending his hand into the car with great gentlemanly poise.
Su Qingge took a deep breath and placed her hand in Jiang Chen's palm.
When the figure wearing a professional suit, draped in a man's overcoat, and stepping in high heels appeared under the lights, the crowd instantly erupted.
"It's Su Qingge! That woman is back!"
"Fuck! I knew she'd definitely come back to get her things!"
"Stop her! Don't let her run away!"
Several people who had been cowering by the fire rushed forward as if they had been injected with adrenaline.
The leader was a bald man with a fleshy face, waving a banner pole that had been frozen stiff.
"President Su! We've been waiting for you for days!" The bald man rushed to the bottom of the steps and spat. "You don't answer calls, you don't reply to WeChat. What's the matter? Did you hook up with some sugar daddy and drive such a nice car back to show off?"
Su Qingge stood on the steps, looking down at these people.
Her hands trembled slightly inside her sleeves, but her face still maintained its usual cold indifference.
"Wang Daqiang," Su Qingge called out the bald man's name. "Your payment isn't due for another three months. It's written clearly in the contract. What are you making a scene for now?"
"Don't use the contract to pressure me!" The bald Wang Daqiang thrust the pole into the ground. "Who doesn't know your company's capital chain is broken? Wait three months for you? By then, who knows where you'll have run off to! If you don't settle that ten million today, don't even think about entering this building, and we won't leave either!"
"Right! Pay up!"
"You must give us an explanation today!"
The people behind him joined in the clamor, and the scene briefly spiraled out of control.
Chen Man and Lin Wan also got out of the car.
Chen Man looked at the group of menacing men, frowned, and pulled a bottle of pepper spray from her bag, clutching it in her hand.
Lin Wan, somewhat frightened, hid behind Jiang Chen, grabbing the hem of his clothes.
"Are these your creditors?" Jiang Chen glanced at the group, his tone as flat as if he were asking for directions.
"Yes." Su Qingge bit her lip. "This is only a part of them. The biggest creditors are the banks, and... a few venture capital firms."
"How much does all of this add up to?"
"Aside from the five million you helped me repay, there's twenty-five million in urgent debt." Su Qingge's voice was very low. "If it's not resolved tonight, the bank will start asset liquidation procedures first thing tomorrow morning."
"Wang Daqiang, right?" Jiang Chen took a step forward, shielding Su Qingge.
He was half a head taller than the bald man. Although young, the composure emanating from his bones made the aggressive bald man hesitate for a moment.
"Who are you? Some pretty boy?" Wang Daqiang sized up Jiang Chen. His gaze lingered on the giant RV behind him for a few seconds, a flash of greed and wariness appearing in his eyes. "Is this car yours? Brother, this is between us and President Su. If you don't want to get mixed up in this mess, then get lost."
"Watch your mouth." Jiang Chen pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and slowly drew one out. He didn't light it, just twirled it between his fingertips. "I am her... investor."
"Investor?" Wang Daqiang sneered. "You? Are you even old enough? An investor? Do you know how much she owes? It's over twenty million! Do you have that kind of money?"
Jiang Chen smiled.
He didn't waste words. He directly took out his phone and opened the offshore banking app he carried with him.
After showing the amount on the screen to the few people in front of him, he began to operate it, entering Su Qingge's account information.
Jiang Chen's fingers danced quickly across the screen.
The cold wind blew, making his fingers turn slightly red, but his movements didn't falter for a second.
Twenty-five million.
Input, confirm, fingerprint verification.
A few seconds later, the phone in Su Qingge's hand vibrated.
It was the notification sound unique to large fund arrivals—crisp and pleasant, sounding exceptionally clear in this noisy, snowy night.
Su Qingge looked down at the long string of zeros on the screen.
"The money has arrived." Jiang Chen put away his phone and looked at the dumbfounded Wang Daqiang. "Now, take your people and get lost."
Wang Daqiang was stunned.
The group of people behind him were also stunned.
Although they hadn't seen the transfer record, they could tell what had happened by looking at Su Qingge's expression.
Twenty-five million? Transferred just like that? Without even blinking?
"This... this..." Wang Daqiang stammered for a long time, his previous arrogance vanishing instantly. He looked at Jiang Chen, a smile that looked worse than crying plastered on his face. "Um... sir, since President Su has the money, then our payment..."
"Follow the contract," Jiang Chen said coldly. "The money will be paid when it's due. If you dare to come here to cause trouble even a minute early, I'll use this money to hire lawyers and sue you until you're bankrupt. If you don't believe me, you can try."
Wang Daqiang shrunk his neck.
Looking at the expensive heavy-duty truck RV and then at Jiang Chen's fearless demeanor, he lost his nerve.
"Alright! Alright! You're the boss! We're leaving now, leaving now!"
With a wave of his hand, Wang Daqiang led his group of subordinates away like a receding tide. They didn't even have time to pack up their few ragged tents, fearing that if they moved too slowly, this god of wealth would take notice of them.
The square instantly became quiet.
41: Chapter 41 Prince Wang
As Wang Daqiang and his group left, the air downstairs at the Tiansheng Building seemed significantly fresher.
Su Qingge stood in the cold wind, looking at the bank's balance change notification on her phone screen. That long string of numbers didn't bring her much genuine joy; instead, it gave her a strange sense of dizziness.
"That's... resolved?" Lin Wan exhaled a plume of white vapor, wrapping her down jacket tighter around herself.
"Only temporarily," Su Qingge put away her phone and pushed up the cool frames of her glasses, regaining her usual composure. "This money can silence the suppliers and the workers, and it can also temporarily quiet the bank. But for the company to start running again, we still need..."
Before she finished speaking, a sharp engine roar tore through the night sky.
This sound was completely different from the low growl of the heavy truck from before; it was the high-pitched scream characteristic of a high-horsepower naturally aspirated engine, carrying an air of arrogant dominance.
On the main road in the distance, several piercing xenon headlights cut through the snowstorm like sharp swords.
Three extremely flashy sports cars—a Ferrari 488 and two Porsche 911s—completely disregarding the slippery road surface, drifted into the plaza with their tails sliding.
The slush kicked up by the tires splattered onto the black heavy truck RV, looking completely out of place.
The car doors swung upwards.
A young man dressed in a white custom trench coat, his hair slicked back until it shone, emerged.
He didn't immediately walk toward Su Qingge. Instead, he first looked down at his pair of limited-edition leather shoes, which had been splashed with snow water, wrinkling his brow in disgust into the shape of the character 'Chuan' ( river).
"Oh, isn't this CEO Su? I heard you showed up, so I rushed over to see you right away."
The young man looked up, wearing the mocking smile unique to rich second-generation heirs. His gaze roamed unrestrainedly over Su Qingge's somewhat slender figure. "Why aren't you home crying your eyes out late at night? Running out here to catch a cold? What, preparing to sell off company assets and skip town?"
Upon seeing who it was, Su Qingge's slightly eased expression instantly dropped to freezing point.
"Wang Zifeng," she squeezed out the three words through clenched teeth. "You are not welcome here."
"Don't be so distant," Wang Zifeng ignored her cold demeanor, walking up the steps with two burly men behind him, stepping on the snow. "I heard Wang Daqiang brought people here to cause trouble earlier? Tsk tsk, Su Qingge, why put yourself through this? Wouldn't it have been over if you had agreed to me earlier?"
He stopped about two steps away from Su Qingge, his gaze sweeping over Chen Man and Lin Wan beside her, a flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes, before finally landing on Jiang Chen, who was standing silently smoking to the side.
However, his gaze only lingered for half a second before sliding past, as if looking at a trash can on the roadside.
In his eyes, this person was probably just a driver or someone of similar status.
"Thirty million," Wang Zifeng held up three fingers, waving them in front of Su Qingge. "I know you're short that amount right now. As long as you're willing to come with me tonight, to my villa for a drink, I'll pay this debt for you."
Chen Man rolled her eyes dramatically beside her, muttering softly, "He looks like a hollowed-out white radish, but he thinks quite highly of himself."
Although her voice was light, it still reached Wang Zifeng's ears in the empty plaza.
His face darkened, but he ignored Chen Man, staring only at Su Qingge:
"Su Qingge, don't mistake kindness for weakness. Without my funds, the bank will seize this place tomorrow. Then you won't be the high-and-mighty CEO Su, but a deadbeat everyone shuns. Be my canary; although you'll lose your freedom, at least... you can still live with some dignity."
Su Qingge's fingers tightened on the corner of her clothes, her knuckles turning white.
This was the mastermind who drove her into a dead end.
This was the scumbag who used despicable means to cut off all her financing channels, wanting only to force her submission.
Anger churned in her chest, but what was stronger was a deep sense of powerlessness.
In the face of the giant wheel of capital, personal dignity seemed so fragile.
Just then, Jiang Chen, who had been standing silently beside her, moved.
He casually flicked the cigarette butt he had just smoked a couple of times into the snow. A spark traced a red parabola in the darkness.
In his mind, the familiar mechanical voice sounded right on cue.
"Ding! Detected that the Host is currently encountering provocation."
"A true prodigy doesn't just need money; he also needs the ability to protect those around him."
"Temporary Mission Triggered: Protect Your Girlfriend's Dignity."
"Mission Description: Please humiliate the clown in front of you within ten minutes."
"Mission Reward: God-Tier Combat Skills (Permanently Solidified)."
"Temporary Buff: Combat Proficiency (Grandmaster Level, lasts for 10 minutes)."
A surge of heat instantly coursed through his limbs. Jiang Chen felt his muscle memory being rewritten. His previously stiff joints became incredibly flexible, and the positions, centers of gravity, and flaws of the people before him appeared in his eyes as clearly as dissection diagrams.
Jiang Chen took a step forward, placing himself between Su Qingge and Wang Zifeng.
"Are you done talking?"
Jiang Chen's voice was not loud, spoken calmly. "If you're done, then move aside. Good dogs don't block the road—didn't your kindergarten teacher teach you that?"
Wang Zifeng froze.
He seemed unable to process that this 'driver,' who looked utterly poor, actually dared to speak to him like that.
"Who the hell are you?" Wang Zifeng narrowed his eyes, sizing up Jiang Chen. "Is it your place to speak here? Get lost!"
"Who I am isn't important," Jiang Chen inserted his hands into the pockets of his windbreaker, a mocking curve on his lips. "What's important is that this is private property. CEO Su doesn't want to see you, and I find you an eyesore too. So, are you going to roll away yourself, or should I help you?"
The snowstorm seemed to halt at that moment.
Wang Zifeng looked as if he had heard the greatest joke. He paused, then burst into exaggerated laughter.
He turned around and looked at the two bodyguards behind him: "Did you hear that? This kid says he's going to help me roll away? Hahahaha! Is there anyone in Mudan City who dares talk to me, Wang Zifeng, like that?"
Before the laughter died down, his expression abruptly turned sinister.
"You asked for it the hard way." Wang Zifeng reached out to shove Jiang Chen's shoulder, while his other hand reached over Jiang Chen, grasping lightly and flirtatiously toward Su Qingge's wrist. "Su Qingge, tell your dog to get lost. You must come with me tonight!"
Su Qingge instinctively took a step back in panic.
But the hand wearing the gold watch never touched her.
Mid-air, a long, powerful hand clamped down on Wang Zifeng's wrist like an iron pincer.
Jiang Chen's movement wasn't fast; it even looked a bit careless, but it was frighteningly precise.
"Let go!" Wang Zifeng felt his wrist was locked by an iron hoop. Intense pain shot through his bones. He struggled with all his might, but couldn't budge an inch. "You're courting death! Get him! Cripple him!"
The two bodyguards behind him reacted quickly.
They were professional thugs with excellent coordination. One swung a punch toward Jiang Chen's face, while the other swept a leg toward Jiang Chen's knee pit, intending to throw him off balance.
Chen Man screamed in fright and covered her eyes.
Su Qingge also shouted, "Jiang Chen, watch out!"
42: Chapter 42 You three, come home with me.
However, the expected scene of Jiang Chen being knocked down did not materialize.
Jiang Chen didn't even glance back at the two bodyguards.
He merely shifted his body slightly, and the fist aimed at his face grazed past the tip of his nose. Simultaneously, the hand gripping Wang Zifeng's wrist gave a pull and a push.
Using borrowed force.
Wang Zifeng, like a marionette, uncontrollably crashed into the bodyguard who was kicking out.
"Bang!"
A dull thud.
Wang Zifeng cried out miserably, kicked in the thigh by his own bodyguard, and the two tumbled into a heap.
The remaining bodyguard who had swung his fist hadn't stopped his momentum before Jiang Chen was already closing in.
No flashy moves.
He stepped into the center line, sank his shoulder, and leaned in.
The Mountain-Leaning Strike.
That bodyguard felt as if a speeding truck had slammed into his chest. The entire man was lifted off the ground, sent flying three meters backward, and smashed heavily onto the hood of the Ferrari, denting the expensive aluminum alloy panel.
It took less than three seconds in total.
Two professional bodyguards: one was howling on the ground, the other couldn't get up from the car.
Wang Zifeng lay wretchedly on the snow, his expensive trench coat covered in mud and water, and his hair was a mess.
He stared in terror at Jiang Chen looking down at him from above, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
Was this even human?
"You... Don't come any closer!" Wang Zifeng scrambled backward using his hands and feet, shouting with false bravado, "My father is the Chairman of the Wang Group! If you dare touch me..."
Jiang Chen walked up to him and squatted down, bringing his gaze level with Wang Zifeng's.
"Young Master Wang," Jiang Chen pulled out the black bank card from his pocket and lightly tapped Wang Zifeng's well-maintained face. "Did Wang Daqiang and the others fail to tell you something?"
Wang Zifeng froze, the icy sensation on his cheek making him jump.
"The small amount of money CEO Su owed, I've already paid it for her," Jiang Chen's voice was soft.
"Th-This is impossible!" Wang Zifeng's eyes widened. "Thirty million! Where did you get the money?..."
"To you, it's thirty million," Jiang Chen stood up, his gaze indifferent. "To me, it's just a number."
He turned around, no longer sparing a glance at the clown on the ground, and simply dropped a casual remark:
"You are insignificant in my eyes. Get lost. Don't force me to throw you into that broken car."
That contempt emanating from his bones was more humiliating to Wang Zifeng than the earlier punches.
He gritted his teeth, struggled to his feet with the help of his bodyguards, shot a venomous look at Su Qingge and Jiang Chen, but ultimately dared not utter any more threats.
The three sports cars started up sheepishly and fled the scene with a harsh screech of friction.
The plaza returned to silence.
Only the sound of falling snow remained.
Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen's back. His broad shoulders and upright posture seemed incredibly tall at this moment.
"Let's go," Jiang Chen turned around, the fierce look on his face already gone, replaced by his familiar gentleness. "Let's go see your office. It's cold outside."
Lin Wan then dared to release the hand covering her chest, her eyes full of starry adoration as she looked at Jiang Chen: "Xiao Jiang... You are amazing! What kind of martial art was that just now?"
"I practiced some Sanda in school for a few years," Jiang Chen casually lied, as explaining the skills granted by the system was complicated. "Let's go."
The group entered the building.
The elevator went straight to the top floor.
When the familiar glass door was pushed open, Su Qingge finally relaxed completely.
The company was empty, only the emergency lights were on.
Computers and documents were neatly arranged at the workstations; the money tree was already somewhat withered.
This place held the effort of her past few years and witnessed her embarrassment of the last six months.
She walked into her private office, her fingers lightly brushing over the large solid wood desk, her eyes growing slightly moist.
"I'm back," she murmured softly, as if speaking to herself, and also to this space.
Jiang Chen stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the city lights below.
The immediate crisis was resolved.
But a new problem lay ahead.
"CEO Su," Jiang Chen turned around and leaned against the windowsill. "Although the debt is paid, it's the New Year holiday, and there's no one in the company, no food in the cafeteria. What are the three of you planning to do?"
This question instantly solidified the previously warm atmosphere.
Lin Wan lowered her head, twisting the corner of her clothes with her fingers.
Go home? That cold home, the mother-in-law who treated her like a nanny, the husband who preferred men... What was she going back for?
Chen Man shrugged, sat on the sofa, and lit a slim cigarette: "Don't look at me. I don't want to go back to deal with my crummy little shop. It's depressing."
Su Qingge was silent for a moment: "I can make do in the office for a few days. After the New Year..."
"Enough."
Jiang Chen interrupted their attempts at stoicism.
"Since none of you have anywhere to go," Jiang Chen waved his hand decisively, "then come back to my hometown for the New Year."
"Go... Go to your hometown?"
The three women asked in near unison.
Su Qingge adjusted her glasses; the usually decisive female CEO seemed somewhat flustered. "Jiang Chen, this isn't appropriate, is it? There are so many of us, and besides... that's your family."
"Nothing inappropriate about it," Jiang Chen jingled the car keys in his hand. "My parents are very nice people; they just love a lively atmosphere. Besides, I already told them you were friends carpooling with me. With this much snow, if I leave you here in the cold company, I'm afraid I'll have to collect your bodies after the New Year."
Lin Wan's eyes lit up, the warmth of 'being taken care of' sending a tremor through her heart. But immediately, a deeper worry surfaced: "But... what if Auntie and Uncle misunderstand?"
"Misunderstand what?" Jiang Chen looked at her with a half-smile.
Lin Wan's face instantly flushed red, and she lowered her head, not daring to speak.
Misunderstand what? She was already associated with Su Chen; what else was there to misunderstand?
"Then it's settled," Jiang Chen didn't give them a chance to back out. "Pack your necessities and a few changes of clothes. We have enough supplies in the car; we'll leave tonight. Given the current road conditions, driving the black knight, we can reach my county town by tomorrow evening."
This kind of unquestionable dominance left the three women without a counter-argument.
After the bumpy ride and the previous commotion, they had subconsciously begun to view Jiang Chen as their anchor.
Half an hour later, the black knight started moving again.
Leaving the High-tech Zone, the car entered the highway entrance leading out of the city.
It was late at night.
The atmosphere inside the cabin, however, was far more subtle than when they arrived.
Su Qingge sat in the passenger seat, watching the snowy landscape rush past the window, feeling uneasy. She wasn't afraid of negotiating multi-million dollar contracts with employees, but the thought of meeting Jiang Chen's parents gave her an unprecedented sense of nervousness. What was this? The ugly daughter-in-law meeting the in-laws?
In the back cabin.
Chen Man swung the half-finished glass of red wine in her hand, her eyes looking vague.
She looked at Jiang Chen's back in the driver's seat ahead, then at Lin Wan beside her who was peeling an orange for Jiang Chen, and a strong sense of crisis arose spontaneously.
Su Qingge was the official 'creditor turned boss,' sharing a deep financial and physical bond with Jiang Chen; one could even say Jiang Chen had saved her life.
Although Lin Wan had a weak personality, her gentle, wife-like quality was the most likely to evoke a man's protective instinct.
The way Jiang Chen looked at her when he ate what she fed him just now was unusual.
Only her.
Chen Man gave a self-deprecating smile.
Aside from that one sneak attack in the bathtub that night, she seemed to be the most distant from Jiang Chen.
"Stop the car," Chen Man suddenly called out.
43: Chapter 43 Chen Man's First Time
Jiang Chen glanced at the rearview mirror.
In the mirror, Chen Man’s face looked slightly flushed under the dim reading light. The half-glass of red wine in her hand was nearly empty, and her eyes were hazy.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Chen’s movements on the pedals didn't stop. The black knight steadily rolled over the accumulated snow, maintaining a speed of sixty miles per hour.
"I said stop the car." Chen Man unbuckled her seatbelt, stood up unsteadily, leaning against the backrest of the leather sofa, pressing a hand to her temple. "I... I feel sick. Car sick."
Su Qingge frowned and closed the file in her hand. "This car is so stable, how could you get car sick? Did you drink too much?"
"Maybe so." Chen Man didn't argue, just stubbornly stared at Jiang Chen's back. "Little brother, I need to get out for some air. If you don't stop, I really will throw up on your millions-dollar wool carpet."
Jiang Chen said nothing and turned on the right turn signal.
The massive vehicle slowly pulled toward the emergency stopping lane on the roadside.
This was a safe haven on the highway, surrounded by pitch-black wilderness, with only the relentlessly swirling snowflakes spinning madly in the beams of the headlights.
"Hiss—" The sound of the air brakes releasing echoed, and the black knight came to a stop.
"I'll be right back." Chen Man grabbed a down jacket and walked somewhat unsteadily toward the door.
"I'll come with you." Lin Wan put down the orange she was holding and tried to stand up to help her.
"No need." Chen Man waved her hand, refusing decisively. "Don't follow me, I just want a moment alone. Sister Wan, you tidy up the back, and CEO Su... you should rest too."
The door opened and closed. A brief rush of cold wind poured in, only to be immediately sealed outside.
Only the huge ventilation fan remained silently turning inside the cabin.
Jiang Chen sat in the driver's seat, his fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel.
Through the side mirror, he could see that Chen Man hadn't walked far; she was just leaning against the side of the car's front end, her back to the wind and snow, lighting a cigarette.
That faint crimson glow flickered uncertainly in the dark night.
After about five minutes, the heavy car door was pulled open again.
Chen Man climbed back in, bringing a chill with her, but she didn't return to the rear compartment. Instead, she directly locked the soundproof door separating the rear cabin from the driver's area.
A light 'click' sounded.
Su Qingge and Lin Wan in the rear compartment were isolated in another space before they could even react.
Jiang Chen turned his head and looked at Chen Man, covered in frost and snow: "Why lock the door?"
Chen Man didn't answer.
She casually tossed the down jacket onto the passenger seat; underneath, she was only wearing a thin, black slip dress.
Because she had just been freezing outside, her skin exhibited a layer of cold, jade-like white, and her chest rose and fell violently.
She walked up to Jiang Chen and straddled his lap directly.
Jiang Chen's hands still rested on the steering wheel, his body leaning back against the seat. He looked at the woman who had suddenly made her move: "Sister Man, we're on the road."
"We're stopped, aren't we?" Chen Man cupped Jiang Chen's face with both hands. Her palms were icy, but her gaze was frighteningly hot. "The other two are still back there, aren't you afraid they'll hear?"
"You should know the soundproofing in this car better than I do." Chen Man leaned closer, her nose almost touching his.
She carried the crisp coolness of the wind and snow, the mellow richness of red wine, and a strong perfume scent that belonged only to her.
Jiang Chen didn't move, just watched her quietly: "Why send them away?"
"Because I'm unhappy." Chen Man bit her lip, her eyes slightly red. "Jiang Chen, tell me honestly, in your heart, am I just someone filling a spot? Su Qingge is your woman, Lin Wan is your... good sister. And me? Am I just a random passerby hitching a ride home?"
Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.
The usual Chen Man, who was so charming and carefree in nightclubs, was now like a child exposing her own heart for someone to see.
"You are not a random passerby." Jiang Chen reached out and brushed away the melting snow water from the tips of her hair. "You are also my creditor."
"Creditor?" Chen Man paused.
"That day in the bathtub, you said you'd put a stamp on it." Jiang Chen's fingers slid down her cheek, stopping at her long neck. "Since the stamp is on, this contract is effective. Are you afraid I won't honor it?"
Chen Man looked into Jiang Chen's deep eyes, and the grievance in her heart suddenly dissipated, replaced by a much more intense emotion.
It was the desire that had been suppressed the entire journey, and the strong sense of possessiveness that arose after seeing Su Qingge rescued and Lin Wan cared for.
"It's good that you acknowledge it." Chen Man took a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision. "Then now, I want to collect the interest."
She lowered her head and kissed Jiang Chen's lips.
This time, it wasn't tentative like it was in the hotel bathroom; it was full of aggression.
Her tongue carried the sweet astringency of red wine, driving straight in.
Although the space in the driver's cabin was spacious, it still felt somewhat cramped for the two overlapping figures.
The snow outside was falling harder, pounding densely against the windshield, sealing the entire world outside.
The heating inside the car was turned up high, and the temperature was gradually climbing.
Chen Man's hands clumsily fumbled with the buttons of Jiang Chen's shirt.
"Jiang Chen..." she whispered next to his ear during a pause for breath, her voice seeming to be squeezed from the depths of her throat, "I've never been with anyone... like this before. With my previous boyfriends, I barely let them hold my hand. Do you believe me?"
Jiang Chen's palm supported her lower back. Through the thin fabric, he could feel her body's tension and trembling.
"I believe you," Jiang Chen replied in a low voice.
"Then be gentle," Chen Man closed her eyes. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, mixing between their lips. "Don't make me hurt."
The backrest of the seat was slowly lowered.
On the side of the national highway amidst the swirling snow, inside this ten-million-dollar steel fortress, Chen Man blossomed without reservation, like a red rose blooming in the snow.
She reached out and turned off the light in the driver's cabin.
In the darkness, only the faint azure glow from the dashboard illuminated two intertwined shadows.
"Mmm..."
A muffled cry of extreme restraint was swallowed by Jiang Chen.
Chen Man's nails dug into Jiang Chen's shoulder, her body taut like a fully drawn bow.
"Relax," Jiang Chen patted her back, his movements unusually gentle.
The wind howled outside, like the roar of a beast, masking the music that had just begun inside the car.
But the door separating the rear cabin was, after all, not a completely sealed wall.
A faint, almost imperceptible sound snaked through the gap in the door, reaching the ears of the two women in the back.
44: Chapter 44: Walls Have Ears; Lin Wan Joins the Battle
The air in the rear cabin was eerily quiet.
Su Qingge maintained her posture of reviewing documents, but ever since Chen Man left and returned to lock the door, the page in her hand hadn't turned once.
Lin Wan was tidying up the fruit peels on the table, moving very slowly, every action appearing cautious, as if afraid of making the slightest sound.
"Is... is she not feeling well?" Lin Wan tossed the orange peel into the trash can, her voice very low, yet her eyes involuntarily drifted toward the tightly closed partition door.
"Probably so." Su Qingge took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "People who get carsick need quiet."
But this was too quiet.
Aside from the sound of wind and snow battering the vehicle body, no sounds of vomiting or discomfort came from the driver's cabin up front.
Instead, as time wore on, a subtle yet piercing sound began to permeate the space.
It was the sound of leather rubbing, heavy breathing, and an occasional low moan that sounded like both pain and pleasure.
Su Qingge's fingers froze mid-air.
Lin Wan's face turned redder than a piece of red cloth.
These suppressed noises were even more explicit and anxiety-inducing than what she had heard in the hotel bathroom that other day.
"This... this is too..." Lin Wan bit her lip, twisting the edge of her apron with both hands, her panicked gaze having nowhere to settle. "Manman, she..."
"Don't mind it." Su Qingge put her glasses back on, attempting to mask her discomfort with indifference. "This is her private matter."
But could she really ignore it?
Although the heavy truck had a top-tier suspension system, in this stationary state, as the activity up front intensified, the entire vehicle body began to exhibit an extremely slight yet rhythmic shaking.
It was like a small boat moored in a harbor, rising and falling with the waves.
Su Qingge felt the aviation seat she was sitting on becoming somewhat hot.
She thought of Jiang Chen.
Right now, that man was occupied by another woman.
An indescribable sourness fermented in her chest.
It wasn't anger, but a sense of loss.
Like someone had gotten their hands on her most precious possession first.
"CEO Su..." Lin Wan suddenly stood up, her voice trembling slightly. "I'll... I'll go get a bottle of water from up front."
That was a clumsy excuse.
The refrigerator in the rear cabin was clearly stuffed with Evian water.
But Su Qingge didn't expose her.
She looked at Lin Wan's flushed face and suddenly understood something: in this vortex named 'Jiang Chen,' no one could remain unscathed.
Lin Wan walked to the partition door, raised her hand, but then stopped midway.
Just then, the sound from behind the door abruptly changed pitch.
"Jiang Chen... I can't take it anymore..." Chen Man's voice carried a trace of crying, yet it was infused with extreme pleasure. "Don't... don't stop..."
That sentence was like a fire, instantly igniting the long-suppressed kindling in Lin Wan's heart, making her want to complete what she hadn't managed last time.
For five years, she had been like stagnant water, never experiencing this kind of sensation.
As if driven by a ghost, Lin Wan's hand gripped the doorknob.
The door wasn't locked tight.
Or rather, Chen Man had only briefly closed it a moment ago.
"Creeeeak—"
The door opened a crack.
The heat wave from the driver's cabin, mixed with that distinct musk scent, rushed toward her.
Using the dashboard's blue light as illumination, Lin Wan saw a scene that made her blood surge.
In the narrow driver's seat, two bodies were intertwined.
Chen Man's long hair was disheveled, and her fair back was covered in sweat beads that slid down with their movements.
Jiang Chen leaned back in the seat, his eyes shining astonishingly in the darkness.
That single glance completely shattered Lin Wan's reason.
She felt her legs weaken, almost unable to stand.
Jiang Chen seemed to sense something, slightly turning his head. His gaze swept over Chen Man's shoulder and accurately locked onto Lin Wan at the doorway.
He didn't show even a trace of panic.
"Sister Wan." Jiang Chen's voice was hoarse, carrying a strange magnetism. "The water is in the fridge, get it yourself."
Lin Wan's breathing became rapid.
She looked at Jiang Chen, then at Chen Man, who was immersed in the afterglow and hadn't noticed anything.
The suppressed yearning, the warmth of being cared for, and her deep attachment to this man converged into a massive flood at this moment, breaking down the dam named 'Dignity.'
"I... I don't want water." Lin Wan said softly.
She untied the strings of her apron, letting the house dress slip onto the carpet.
Underneath was a light pink silk nightgown, outlining her full and mature figure.
Barefoot, she walked step by step into the driver's cabin filled with heat and desire.
Chen Man finally opened her eyes groggily, sensing the movement behind her.
She turned her head, saw Lin Wan walking in, was startled at first, then a lazy smile curved her lips.
"Sister Wan... you couldn't hold back either?" Chen Man didn't get up. "That's right... good things like this shouldn't be eaten alone."
She reached out and grabbed Lin Wan's wrist, pulling slightly.
Lin Wan stumbled and sat down.
Jiang Chen caught Lin Wan.
"Are you cold?" Jiang Chen asked.
"Hot..." Lin Wan buried her face in the hollow of Jiang Chen's neck, greedily inhaling his scent. "Xiao Jiang, I..."
It was a passion entirely different from Chen Man's intensity.
Lin Wan was like a gentle stream of water.
The temperature in the driver's cabin climbed again.
Su Qingge remained seated on the leather aviation seat; the document in her hand hadn't been turned for a long time.
Deep creases were pinched into the edges of the paper by her fingers.
Although the door connecting to the driver's cabin was closed, the ear-splitting sounds seemed to deliberately seep through the gap, one sliver at a time, into her ears.
It wasn't just Chen Man.
Now Lin Wan had joined.
The usually gentle and virtuous Lin Wan, who dared not even speak loudly, was now emitting sounds like a bursting flood, carrying the release of long-suppressed emotions.
Those sounds were full of attachment to that man, even more unrestrained than Chen Man's.
Su Qingge felt a chill.
The vehicle's climate control clearly displayed twenty-four degrees, but she felt her fingertips were ice-cold.
She looked up at the empty rear cabin.
The space that originally belonged to the three of them now only had her, alone.
"They are all up front..." Su Qingge murmured to herself.
An unprecedented feeling of abandonment surged into her heart.
This felt worse than the company going bankrupt or creditors showing up.
It was the feeling of the whole world celebrating while she alone was locked outside, guarding her so-called aloofness and dignity, slowly rotting away.
If it were before, she would not only have disdained it but also felt disgust.
But now, that man was Jiang Chen.
The Jiang Chen who had just paid off her tens of millions in debt for her, pulling her back from the brink of a cliff.
And also the Jiang Chen who took her virginity in bed the day before yesterday.
"Su Qingge, what are you still pretending for?" she asked herself internally.
A certain switch inside her body seemed to have been completely thrown by the sounds coming from up front.
She stood up.
Her high heels made dull thuds on the wool carpet.
She walked step by step to the door.
Her palm rested on the door panel, able to feel the temperature radiating from the other side. It was the heart of this steel behemoth, and also the heat emitted by that man.
"Creeeeak—"
The door was pushed open.
45: Chapter 45 Su Qingge joins the battle, Jiang Chen 1v3
(The content has been heavily revised. Everyone understands what happened, and I really couldn't post it.)
A scent mixing the mellowness of fine red wine, a faint fruity aroma, and the unique warm breath of the two women rushed toward them.
The lights in the cab were dimmed to an ambiguous warm orange, creating a sharp contrast with the cold, snowy color reflecting in from outside the window.
In the cramped space, although the atmosphere was crowded, it exuded an indescribable sense of peace and warmth.
On the wide berth behind the driver's seat, originally a comfort for long-haul drivers during tedious journeys, it was now packed with soft pillows and blankets, becoming a gentle haven to escape the wind and snow.
Hearing the door open, the three people turned their heads simultaneously.
Six pairs of eyes fell upon Su Qingge.
"CEO Su."
Jiang Chen swayed half a glass of red wine in his hand, leaning against the innermost side. His gaze was deep and playful. He patted the small remaining space beside him. "It's cold in the back. Why don't you come in and warm up? It's a bit tight, but it has the advantage of being lively."
Su Qingge looked at him.
There was not a trace of embarrassment in those eyes, only a composure and tolerance that suggested he was in control of everything.
He was telling her: There was no high and mighty CEO Su here, only women who needed his protection.
"I came to..."
Su Qingge opened her mouth, her voice slightly dry. Make an excuse? In front of this man's eyes, which seemed capable of piercing the human heart, any excuse would appear pale and powerless.
Chen Man leaned lazily against Jiang Chen's shoulder, holding a deck of playing cards, smiling like a sly fox: "CEO Su, don't hold out. Sister Wan said the same thing when she came in just now, saying she was coming in to get water. And what happened? She's been here for an hour, and we've already played three rounds of cards."
Lin Wan's face flushed bright red. She buried her head lower in embarrassment, busy peeling an orange for Jiang Chen. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's whine: "Manman, say less..."
This scene deeply stimulated Su Qingge.
The sense of loneliness from being excluded was more biting than the blizzard outside. Yet, the scene before her possessed a strange harmony, as if they were people from the same world.
She took a deep breath, as if letting go of a thousand-pound burden.
She raised her hand, removed the gold-rimmed glasses symbolizing reason and restraint from the bridge of her nose, and casually placed them on the center console beside her.
Without the obstruction of the lenses, those eyes, usually filled with scrutiny and sharpness, now held only the fatigue and longing of shimmering water.
"Since the investor requires it..."
Su Qingge kicked off her high heels, unbuttoned the topmost tight button of her shirt collar, and stepped into that narrow yet scorching space. "Then I have no reason to refuse."
The car door slowly closed behind her.
Completely isolating the coldness and loneliness of the rear compartment.
The berth wasn't large; squeezing four people in made it exceptionally crowded.
"Now, everyone is here."
Jiang Chen casually pulled a blanket over her legs, his tone as natural as greeting a family member returning home. "CEO Su, do you know how to play cards? There are penalties for losing."
Su Qingge paused slightly, her body gradually relaxing. She leaned back against the soft cushion, a rare, slight smile curving her lips—one without any commercial calculation.
"In this area, I might not lose to you."
"Is that so? Then I shall wait and see."
Jiang Chen smiled.
Beside them, Chen Man made a little space for her. Although her words were sharp, her actions were honest: "CEO Su, your skin is really smooth. You must take good care of it. Come over a bit, don't fall off. This vehicle is stable, but it's still a car."
"No need for you to worry."
Su Qingge shot her an annoyed look but didn't push away Chen Man's leaning shoulder.
"Everyone is tired, stop fooling around."
Lin Wan gently broke the peeled orange in half and offered it to Su Qingge. "Qingge, have something to eat. It's... really warm in here."
It was indeed warm.
The blizzard outside was still raging, the strong winds whipping snowflakes against the windows with a 'pitter-patter' sound, like the roar of another world.
But inside this black knight, equipped with top-tier soundproofing and heating systems, it was like a summer afternoon. No forced compliments, no deceit, just a simple card game and occasional bursts of laughter.
Su Qingge felt the tension that had gripped her nerves all the way slowly dissolving.
In this sealed safe house, status, position, debt, and the future—those mountains pressing down on her until she couldn't breathe—none of it mattered anymore.
What mattered was the present temperature.
It was their intertwined breaths.
It was the ultimate tranquility of several people huddling together for warmth after being in a desperate blizzard.
After an unknown amount of time, the card game ended, and everyone felt drowsy.
"Jiang Chen..."
Su Qingge subconsciously wrapped her arm around his, gently resting her head in the hollow of his neck. This was her most relaxed moment tonight, having let down all her defenses.
It was a posture of complete trust.
"Stop calling me CEO Su anymore."
"Call me... Qingge."
Jiang Chen turned his head, looking at the woman beside him who had finally shed her armor. He didn't make any excessive moves, just gently smoothed the stray hair near her ear.
"Okay, Qingge."
Without many words, the four of them were crammed into that small space.
The red ambient light flowed.
The vehicle body still swayed slightly to the rhythm of the wind and snow, like the only Noah's Ark in the storm.
The night was as dark as ink.
Only the reflective road markers occasionally flashing by the sides of the national highway proved that the car was still moving.
In the berth space behind the cab, the air was warm and quiet. That unique smell, mixed with the lingering scent of several shampoos and perfumes, had fermented into a comforting aroma that induced drowsiness.
The car windows had long been covered with a thick layer of condensation.
Su Qingge felt like a fish that had finally swum back to the ocean, breathing deeply the atmosphere belonging to this small group.
It was too crowded.
But it was also too fulfilling.
This sense of security didn't come from the numbers in a bank account, but from the protection this man was giving her at this very moment.
"Tired?"
Jiang Chen's hand gently patted her back intermittently, as if lulling her to sleep.
"I don't want to move."
Su Qingge's voice was very hoarse; it was the relaxation that came from dropping all defenses. "Jiang Chen, your car... is really steady."
This remark drew a light chuckle from the side.
Chen Man played with one of Jiang Chen's hands, as if handling a strange toy, gazing vaguely at the ceiling: "CEO Su, it's not just the car that's steady. It's the heart that's steady."
"You talk too much."
Su Qingge replied with her eyes closed, but there was no anger in her tone.
"Everyone is tired."
Chen Man pressed her face against Jiang Chen's arm, her voice growing lower. "But I don't want to sleep. This feeling... is too good. It's like even if the outside world is destroyed, it has nothing to do with us."
Lin Wan was curled up in the innermost corner. She had the poorest stamina among the three. By now, she was too exhausted to even keep her eyes open, but one hand stubbornly clutched Jiang Chen's lapel, as if it were her lifeline.
After an unknown amount of time.
"The snow seems to have stopped."
Jiang Chen straightened up slightly, stretched out a long arm, and wiped the mist from the car window.
The outside world was silent.
The blizzard had stopped at some point.
Thick layers of snow covered the entire world, reflecting a blinding white light under the illumination of the headlights, pure and untainted.
The entire heaven and earth seemed to be left with only this solitary car, and the four people inside who depended on each other for survival.
"How much longer until we arrive?"
Lin Wan asked vaguely, her voice soft and sweet.
"If there's no traffic, we can reach the town by dawn."
Jiang Chen glanced at the navigation. "About four more hours."
"Then... can you drive a little slower?"
Su Qingge suddenly spoke, her voice very light.
Jiang Chen looked down at her: "What are you thinking about?"
Su Qingge snuggled deeper into his embrace and closed her eyes: "Nothing. I just feel... it would be nice if dawn came a little later."
"Then... can we not leave yet?"
46: Chapter 46 Returning to the Village
Su Qingge suddenly spoke up.
She raised her head, her eyes holding a trace of pleading she had never shown before: “Just stop here for a moment. I want... to stay a little longer.”
She didn't want to return to reality.
Even though the debts in that reality had been settled.
But the moment the car stopped, the moment she returned to the crowd, she would have to put on that cold mask again and resume being the invincible CEO Su.
But here, in this narrow yet warm compartment, she was just Jiang Chen’s woman.
Jiang Chen looked down at her.
At this distance, every pore on her face was clearly visible. It was the truth after shedding all pretense, carrying a heartbreaking fragility.
“Okay.”
Jiang Chen reached out and turned off the navigation voice, also dimming the interior ambient lighting.
“Let’s rest for a while. It’s a good time; I also want to listen to the sound of the snow outside.”
He adjusted his posture so that all three of them could lean more comfortably. His arms naturally wrapped around them, like a great tree sheltering the resting birds.
“Jiang Chen...” Su Qingge’s voice was very soft, her fingers unconsciously drawing circles on his palm, “Thank you.”
“For what?” Jiang Chen chuckled, “Thank me for getting rid of your debts, or thank me for taking you to see the snow?”
“Thank you for letting me know that I am not just CEO Su.” Su Qingge closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, “It turns out... I can also have someone to rely on.”
Chen Man, beside them, uncharacteristically refrained from joking around, quietly holding Su Qingge’s other hand.
Lin Wan, meanwhile, was like a docile cat, resting her cheek against Jiang Chen’s chest, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart.
The previous clamor inside the car was gone, replaced by a gentle warmth flowing through the air.
The wind and snow outside continued to howl, yet they only served to emphasize the increasing tranquility inside the car.
This peace was more intoxicating than any intense pleasure.
After an unknown amount of time, even breathing sounds became steady and synchronized.
Jiang Chen leaned against the headboard, looking at the three sleeping women under the faint light.
Su Qingge’s brow was slightly furrowed, seemingly still worrying about company matters in her dream; Chen Man slept with a smile, her posture unrestrained with her leg draped over the blanket; Lin Wan was curled up like an infant, tightly clutching the corner of his clothes.
He lit a cigarette but didn't smoke it, merely letting it burn at his fingertips.
The system interface flashed in his mind.
The balance figure on it was still astonishingly large.
But at this moment, Jiang Chen felt that the security and trust in his arms might satisfy him more than those cold numbers.
Was this the life of a Divine Tycoon?
Protecting the people he wanted to protect, giving them a shelter from wind and rain.
It seemed... not bad.
The sky began to show the pale white of dawn.
A new day was coming.
...
The first ray of morning sunlight pierced through the thin clouds, spilling onto the national highway covered in thick snow.
The massive body of the black knight lay quietly by the roadside like a dormant steel behemoth.
The black paint reflected a cold, sharp sheen under the sunlight, creating a stark visual contrast with the white world around it.
Inside the car.
Jiang Chen woke up precisely on time due to his biological clock.
He moved his somewhat numb arm.
He had slept exceptionally soundly. The four of them squeezed into the not-so-spacious area; although crowded, it was exceptionally warm.
Su Qingge held his left arm like an octopus, her hair slightly messy, completely lacking the image of the usually aloof goddess.
Chen Man’s feet had somehow ended up near the pillow, while Lin Wan used him as a bolster.
“Mmm...”
Su Qingge’s eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes.
Her eyes were still somewhat dazed upon waking, until she clearly saw the chest in front of her and the surrounding 'jumbled' sleeping positions. The warm yet slightly shy memories of last night instantly flooded back.
Her usually frosty pretty face instantly flushed with a layer of red.
“Awake?” Jiang Chen lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead, his voice hoarse with the characteristic sound of just waking up.
This soft call acted as a signal, and the other two also woke up one after another.
What followed was a brief commotion mixed with morning grumpiness.
“Ah, who is stepping on my hair?”
“Manman, can you move your foot...”
“Where are my glasses? Jiang Chen, have you seen my glasses?”
Everyone tacitly enjoyed this rare touch of everyday life, passing wet wipes and water to each other in the confined space. When their eyes occasionally met, they would quickly look away, only for a faint smile to involuntarily appear at the corners of their mouths.
That awkwardness was quickly replaced by an intimacy only family members share.
“Tidy up, let’s go.”
Jiang Chen got up, quickly washed up, and returned to the driver's seat.
The engine roared.
The black knight shook off the snow on its body and slowly merged onto the main road.
One hour later.
The vehicle exited the highway and entered Qingyun Town, where Jiang Chen’s hometown was located.
It was a typical northern small town, with narrow streets flanked by low brick-and-tile houses and small shops adorned with red lanterns.
Because of the recent heavy snow, the snow on the roads had been crushed into black mud, and a few dilapidated tricycles were moving forward with difficulty.
When the black knight’s massive body, four meters high and over ten meters long, appeared at the entrance of the town, the entire world seemed to fall silent for a few seconds.
“Holy crap! What is that vehicle?”
On the roadside, several elderly men who were sweeping snow stopped their brooms, their cloudy old eyes wide open, their mouths agape enough to fit an egg.
“A tank? Doesn’t look like it! This thing is too big!”
“It looks like one of those foreign RVs! I’ve seen them on TV! I heard one costs several million!”
“Millions? I think this is easily over ten million! Look at those wheels, they’re taller than me!”
Pedestrians on the road stopped one after another.
In this small town where one rarely saw more than a few BMWs or Mercedes-Benzes, a super RV resembling an apocalypse fortress was simply a crushing display of superiority.
It domineeringly occupied the entire lane.
Several passing sedans quickly pulled over in fright, afraid of scratching even a speck of paint off this monster—the cost of which would be unaffordable even if they sold their houses.
“Whose car is that?”
“The license plate isn't local.”
“Could it be a high-ranking leader from above?”
Discussions rose everywhere.
Inside the car.
Su Qingge and the other two had already changed back into normal clothes and were now peering out the window.
“Little Brother, you’re really making a triumphant return home now,” Chen Man couldn’t help but laugh as she looked at the shocked gazes outside. “Look at those young guys; their eyeballs are about to pop out.”
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, regaining some composure: “Jiang Chen, this car is too ostentatious. How are you going to explain it to Uncle and Auntie if you drive this straight back?”
“Tell them the truth, I suppose.”
Jiang Chen gripped the steering wheel, skillfully avoiding a large pothole in the middle of the road. “Just say I won the lottery, or that I made a fortune in business. The money’s legitimate, so what’s there to fear?”
The car slowly drove through the town center.
Wherever it passed, it truly received 'universal attention'.
Whether it was the vegetable-selling aunties, the old men basking in the sun by their doorways, or even the delinquent youths smoking outside the internet cafe, everyone gave it a look of reverence.
Those gazes held envy, jealousy, and, most profoundly, deep awe.
This was the power of money.
Simple, brutal, direct.
Jiang Chen looked at the shocked eyes in the rearview mirror, but his heart felt little fluctuation.
He used to be one of those people, muttering a sour curse like 'nouveau riche' when a luxury car passed by.
Now, he was the one sitting inside the car.
“The road to our village is the first left turn up ahead.”
Jiang Chen signaled for a turn.
It was a newly paved cement road leading to a small village deep in the mountains—Jiang Family Village.
At that moment, a group of people were gathered under the large tree at the entrance of Jiang Family Village, chatting idly.
“Hey, did you hear? That girl from the old jiang family has hooked up with a rich guy and is coming back in a BMW.”
“Jiang Yingying? Isn’t that kid still in school? She’s already latched onto a sugar daddy.”
“Hmph, you don’t know. I heard she had over a dozen boyfriends in college... The old jiang family is going to lose all face this time. I wonder how that kid Jiang Chen is doing outside; he probably can’t even afford a train ticket.”
The speaker was a sharp-featured, thin-faced middle-aged woman, cracking sunflower seeds with an expression of disdain.
Just then, a slight vibration suddenly came from the ground.
On the cement road in the distance, a gigantic dark shadow was slowly approaching, carrying a sense of oppression.
“Th-that’s what?”
The middle-aged woman’s sunflower seeds dropped onto the ground.
Everyone simultaneously turned their heads to look at the behemoth driving towards the village entrance.
47: Chapter 47 Harem!
The old locust tree at the entrance of the village was covered in icicles, and when the wind blew, shards rained down with a rustling sound.
The steel behemoth named "black knight" stopped less than three meters from Aunt Liu, who had a sharp, monkey-like face.
The sound of the air brake exhaust resembled the snorting of an enraged bull, spraying slush onto Aunt Liu's pant leg.
The surroundings fell deathly silent.
The few women who had just been gossiping about the Jiang Family forgot to put the sunflower seeds they were holding into their mouths.
That vehicle was too big.
The tires alone were almost as tall as grinding stones, and the pitch-black body of the truck looked like a wall, blocking more than half of the sunlight at the village entrance.
The door to the driver's cab opened.
A long leg clad in black tactical trousers stepped down, and the hiking boots, speckled with mud, crunched crisply on the snow.
Jiang Chen jumped out of the vehicle, closed the door behind him with a swift movement.
He surveyed the area, his gaze sweeping over the familiar yet strange faces, finally settling on the still stunned Aunt Liu.
"Aunt Liu, enjoying the sun?" Jiang Chen pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, casually took one out, and handed it to an elder nearby. "Second Granduncle, have a smoke."
Aunt Liu's eyes darted around, and she finally recognized the tall young man before her.
"Oh my! Isn't this the eldest son of the Jiang Family?" Aunt Liu slapped her thigh, her voice shrill, like a chicken whose neck was being squeezed. "Jiang Chen! What is this... have you struck it rich? Is this truck yours?"
The surrounding people also gathered around, some touching the wheels, others pointing at the truck's front, which was taller than a person.
"This is too magnificent!"
"What kind of vehicle is this? Why does it look like an armored car?"
Jiang Chen smiled and didn't take the bait: "I borrowed it from a friend. Since the snow is heavy and the roads are blocked, only a vehicle like this can get in."
"Borrowed, huh..." The wrinkles on Aunt Liu's face smoothed out slightly, and the jealousy in her eyes faded a bit. "I thought so; this vehicle looks like it guzzles fuel. How could ordinary people afford it? But Jiang Chen, the fact that you could borrow this truck means you're doing quite well outside."
As soon as she finished speaking, the passenger door on the co-pilot's side opened.
If Jiang Chen getting out of the car had only surprised them, the next scene made this group of villagers, who hadn't seen much of the world, feel completely overwhelmed.
A foot encased in black high-heeled ankle boots emerged.
Immediately following was a long leg wrapped in flesh-colored thermal leggings; the leg shape was perfectly straight, the lines as smooth as if she had stepped out of a painting.
Su Qingge held the door handle and descended from the high cab with some difficulty.
She was wearing a white cashmere coat and a gray scarf around her neck. Although she wasn't wearing her signature gold-rimmed glasses, the aloof and noble aura she possessed was like an ice lotus in the heavy snow.
Once steady, she didn't look at the surrounding people but walked naturally to Jiang Chen's side and hooked her arm through his.
"We're here?" Su Qingge's voice wasn't loud, but it was pleasant, like spring water striking stones.
"We're here." Jiang Chen looked down to tighten her scarf for her. "Are you cold?"
"It's alright."
The villagers were still in a daze, thinking this must be the "carpool" friend of Jiang Chen, someone who looked like a celebrity from television.
But before they could snap back to reality, the hydraulic automatic door on the side of the vehicle slid open slowly, and the retractable step automatically popped out.
Two more people walked down.
The one leading the way was Chen Man.
For ease of exiting the vehicle, she had her heavy down jacket open, revealing a red tight-fitting sweater underneath, paired with a leather skirt and over-the-knee boots. Her wavy hair was casually draped over her shoulders, her face adorned with delicate light makeup and fiery red lips.
As soon as she got out, the drab village entrance seemed to brighten a few shades.
"Is this your hometown?" Chen Man stepped on the snow, and under the direct gaze of several old bachelors, she walked with a smile to Jiang Chen's other side, slipping her hand into the pocket of Jiang Chen's tactical jacket to warm up. "The air is nice, but it does freeze the nose."
Behind her, Lin Wan carefully stepped down carrying two large red gift boxes.
She was wearing a long, beige down jacket, her hair pinned up behind her head, making her appear gentle and virtuous.
Although she wasn't as cold and stunning as Su Qingge, nor as fiery as Chen Man, the mature charm unique to her made the few older uncles present stare blankly.
"Jiang Chen, these... these are tonics for your aunt and uncle," Lin Wan walked up behind Jiang Chen, her voice soft. "Don't keep the elders waiting too long."
The village entrance completely erupted.
Aunt Liu scattered all the sunflower seeds she was holding onto the snow, her mouth wide open, unable to close it for a long time.
What... what was the situation?
If he had brought back one, they could have said she was a girlfriend.
But he brought back three at once?
And each one was prettier and more elegant than the last.
This was a carpool?
This was pooling their lives!
"Jiang Chen..." Second Granduncle forgot to light the cigarette in his hand, trembling as he pointed at the three women surrounding Jiang Chen. "Who are these ladies...?"
"Oh, they are all friends." Jiang Chen remained composed, casually throwing an arm around Su Qingge's shoulder, then shielding Chen Man from the wind. "The snow was heavy on the road, and they had nowhere to go, so I brought them back to spend the New Year with us. Second Granduncle, I'll catch up with you later; I need to go home to see my parents first."
Saying this, Jiang Chen gave the three women a meaningful look.
Su Qingge nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.
Chen Man, however, smiled brightly and waved at the stunned villagers: "Hello, uncles and aunties! Come visit us later."
Lin Wan was more reserved, simply following with a blush on her face and her head down.
The four of them, plus that rumbling giant beast, swaggered into the village just like that.
Leaving a crowd of villagers bewildered in the wind and snow.
"Good heavens..." Aunt Liu swallowed hard and pinched her own thigh fiercely. "Has the ancestral grave of the old jiang family started smoking? What kind of big business did this kid go out to do? This isn't a university student; this is like an emperor returning to his palace!"
A young man standing nearby said sourly: "What carpool friends? I think that's... what's the word for it? A harem!"
"Nonsense!" Second Granduncle lit his cigarette, took a deep drag, and looked with a complex expression at the receding truck. "No matter what, the Jiang Family is going to make a huge splash in all the surrounding villages this time. Hurry, hurry and go tell Old Jiang!"
48: Chapter 48 A Blind Date Triggered by 100,000 Yuan
The Jiang Family Old Residence.
Three rooms with red bricks and large grey tiles. The courtyard wall was built with stones, looking quite old, with withered weeds growing in the cracks.
The light inside the house was a bit dim. The stovepipe was glowing red, and the iron kettle on top was sizzling as hot steam escaped.
The air was filled with a mixed odor of low-quality tobacco and aged pickled vegetables.
"Old sister-in-law, it's not that I'm nagging, but you need to hurry up with this matter."
The speaker was Matchmaker Wang from the neighboring Wang Family Village.
She was wearing a dark red padded jacket, her head wrapped in a green kerchief, sitting cross-legged on the heated brick bed (kang). She was rapidly cracking melon seeds in her hand, spitting the shells all over the floor.
"Look, your Jiang Chen is about to graduate. College graduates aren't valuable now; they are everywhere. If he has no house and no car in the big city, does he think he can find a city girl? That's a pipe dream!"
Matchmaker Wang spat out a melon seed shell, spitting saliva everywhere.
"We need to be practical. This Xiaofang I introduced to you, although she's been divorced once and has a child, she doesn't ask for a betrothal gift! Moreover, she said that as long as Jiang Chen is willing to come back, they can open a supermarket in town, and life won't be worse than in the city?"
Mother Jiang sat on a small stool, sorting green beans in her hands.
Her hair was streaked with white, and her complexion was a bit sallow. Listening to Matchmaker Wang, her expression became somewhat unnatural.
"Auntie, Jiang Chen hasn't come back yet. Besides, he's only twenty-two, there's no rush..."
"Why no rush?" Matchmaker Wang glared, raising her voice by an octave, "Good girls are like chives in the field—cut one crop and the next one is fewer! I heard that Jiang Chen transferred one hundred thousand yuan to you a couple of days ago, right?"
Mentioning the money, Father Jiang, who had been squatting by the stove smoking a dry pipe, raised his head.
It was a face weathered by wind and frost, with wrinkles as deep as knife cuts.
"That's the bonus money the child earned writing programs," Father Jiang knocked the bowl of his pipe, his tone carrying a hint of muffled annoyance, "It wasn't blown in by the wind."
"Oh, my old brother, I didn't say it was stolen or robbed," Matchmaker Wang pouted, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, "But this money, it's only money when it's in hand. If it stays in your pocket, it will bite you! This one hundred thousand yuan is enough to build a two-story small house in the village, but it's just enough for the shell. If you add decoration and a betrothal gift, that’s a bottomless pit."
Matchmaker Wang shifted her rear, leaning closer to Mother Jiang.
"Let me tell you the truth. Xiaofang's side has good conditions; they have some savings too. If you agree to meet, settle this matter first, won't that hundred thousand yuan be saved for the elders' retirement? Jiang Chen is also like that; once he has some money, he doesn't know how to behave properly. Transferring so much back at once, what if he has an emergency outside later?"
Mother Jiang hesitated.
That hundred thousand yuan indeed made her uneasy.
Although her son said it was a bonus, it was still too much.
Ordinary folks live their lives by valuing a steady, continuous flow.
If he could really find a wife back home and live a stable life, it would be a good thing.
"Then... shall we ask him when Jiang Chen comes back?" Mother Jiang said tentatively.
"Ask what to ask! Since ancient times, matters of marriage are decided by parental orders!"
Matchmaker Wang slapped her thigh.
"You two must make the decision for him! Young people nowadays have wild hearts and high expectations. If you don't vet things for him, he won't even know if he's been cheated outside! I'm telling you, those women in the city, every single one of them is cunning and only cheats naive young men who just graduated. Only our rural girls are genuine and know how to cherish others."
Matchmaker Wang actually had her own agenda.
That Xiaofang was her distant cousin. Not only was she large and clumsy, but her temper was also volatile; her ex-husband was beaten away by her. Now she was saddled with a burden and simply couldn't get married.
If she could pawn her off onto the Jiang Family, she could get a significant matchmaker's fee alone.
Moreover, she heard that Jiang Chen was handsome, a college student, and now had one hundred thousand yuan in hand—he was a rare prize.
"Let's wait a bit longer," Father Jiang stood up, tucking his pipe at his waist, "The child is grown up and has his own ideas. This snow is falling so heavily; I don't even know how far he's walked."
Just as he was speaking, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the courtyard gate.
Immediately after, the courtyard gate was slammed upon with a thunderous noise.
"Old Jiang! Old Jiang! Come out quickly!"
It was Ershunzi, who lived next door, his voice as loud as a broken gong.
Father Jiang frowned, threw on his padded jacket, and went out to open the door.
"What is it? Is the house on fire?"
Ershunzi stood at the door, panting heavily, his face frozen red, but his eyes shone with an excited glint of someone who enjoys watching excitement.
"Worse than a house on fire!" Ershunzi pointed toward the village entrance, gesturing incoherently, "Your Jiang Chen is back! Driving... driving a vehicle as big as a house! Oh my god, those wheels are taller than me! The whole village has gone to see the spectacle!"
"A vehicle?" Father Jiang was stunned, "Didn't he say he was coming back by carpooling?"
"Yes, carpooling!" Ershunzi swallowed, "But what he carpooled back wasn't just a vehicle, he carpooled back three women! Each one looks like a celestial fairy! They blocked the road at the entrance of your village!"
Matchmaker Wang inside heard clearly and rushed out without even bothering to put on her shoes properly, shuffling out in her slippers.
"What? Three women?" Matchmaker Wang looked utterly disbelieving, "Ershunzi, stop spouting nonsense! With the Jiang Family's conditions, being able to bring back one would be a blessing, and you say three? What, did he join a pyramid scheme outside?"
"Believe it or not!" Ershunzi rolled his eyes at her, "They are almost at the entrance! That vehicle is too big to enter the alley; it probably has to park near the threshing ground."
Before the words fell, a slight tremor came from the ground.
That deep engine roar could be heard clearly even through several walls.
Matchmaker Wang's expression changed.
That sound didn't seem like a common tractor or agricultural vehicle.
Mother Jiang started to panic, wiping her hands haphazardly on her apron: "This... this child, why is he making such a commotion? Husband, shouldn't we go out to greet him?"
Although Father Jiang didn't say anything, his hands were also trembling slightly.
He straightened his collar and straightened his posture a bit: "Let's go take a look."
At that moment, the behemoth named "black knight" was slowly stopping outside the Jiang Family's rather dilapidated wooden gate.
The black paint reflected a cold light in the snow, like a visitor from the future, looking completely out of place in this poor little mountain village.
The dirt road outside the Jiang Family gate, which wasn't wide to begin with, was completely clogged by the "black knight."
The right wheel stopped almost pressing against the neighbor's wall, while the left side of the body swept down the accumulated snow from the old locust tree.
The engine hadn't even been turned off, but the oppressive feeling made the three people standing in the courtyard feel somewhat breathless.
Matchmaker Wang subconsciously shrank back, hiding her mud-covered cloth shoes behind the threshold.
She looked at the big black thing, and the abacus beads concerning the "one hundred thousand yuan" in her mind suddenly felt hard to move.
This vehicle... didn't look like something that could be bought for one hundred thousand yuan.
"Hiss—"
The air brakes sounded, the body sank slightly, and it stopped steadily.
The driver's door opened, and Jiang Chen jumped down.
Seeing his parents standing stunned at the door, Jiang Chen's face, which had been tense the entire journey, finally softened.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back."
49: Chapter 49 Three Women Make a Drama
The gate of the Jiang Family residence was quite old; the wooden planks were blackened, and the red couplets pasted on them had been bleached white by the wind and snow.
At this moment, the gate stood wide open, resembling a gaping, astonished mouth.
Jiang Chen stood at the very front, followed by three women who were distinct in style yet equally dazzling.
The wind whipped snow into their necks, but Father Jiang and Mother Jiang didn't feel the cold.
They stared blankly at the scene before them, unsure of where to place their hands and feet. Mother Jiang rubbed her hands on her apron, her lips trembling: "Xiao Chen... who... who are all these?"
"Dad, Mom, it's cold outside. Let's go inside to talk."
Jiang Chen didn't offer much explanation, stepping aside to let the three people behind him enter.
Su Qingge naturally took a step forward, her high-heeled ankle boots stepping onto the snow without the slightest hesitation.
She gave a slight bow, the aloof aura of a high-level executive largely receding, leaving only proper courtesy: "Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I am Su Qingge, a friend of Jiang Chen. Due to the heavy snow blocking the roads these past few days, I hope you'll forgive my intrusion."
"Ah... ah! Good, good!" Mother Jiang nodded flusteredly, but her eyes involuntarily drifted toward Su Qingge's cashmere overcoat, which clearly cost a fortune, making her heart pound.
How could this be just a friend? This person looked like a leader on television.
"Happy New Year to you both, Uncle and Auntie!" Chen Man cheerfully chimed in. Her unbuttoned down jacket revealed a long neck and collarbones; her red lips and bright teeth radiated glamour. "I am Chen Man; you can just call me Manman. Jiang Chen told me long ago that you two are in good health, and seeing you today, you truly look spirited!"
Father Jiang was momentarily dazzled by her enthusiastic smile and stammered: "Ah... um, Happy New Year, Happy New Year."
Lin Wan walked last, the things she was carrying were so heavy that they made her fingertips turn white.
She smiled gently, her voice not loud: "Uncle and Auntie, I am Lin Wan. I brought a small token of appreciation for you both to replenish your strength."
Three women, three different auras, instantly illuminated the small, drab courtyard.
Matchmaker Wang, who had been silently tucked away by the door, nearly had her eyeballs pop out.
She tried to hide her mud-caked cotton shoes in the shadows, a sour feeling rising within her.
"Oh my, so these are the 'friends' Xiao Chen brought back?" Matchmaker Wang interjected with a sarcastic tone, deliberately emphasizing the word 'friends'. "They are truly beautiful, like celebrities from a picture magazine. But Xiao Chen, during the New Year, why aren't these young ladies at their own homes? What are they doing coming to our poor little mountain village? Don't tell me you rented... I mean, hired them to put on a show here?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew tense.
Su Qingge paused her movement of adjusting her scarf, the light in her eyes behind the lenses growing slightly cold as she swept her gaze toward Matchmaker Wang.
Jiang Chen wasn't angered; he merely glanced faintly at Matchmaker Wang: "Aunt Wang, it would be a waste if your imagination wasn't used for writing novels. Let's go inside; it's windy out here."
The group entered the house.
The interior was still the same as before: simple furnishings and dim lighting.
In the center sat a chipped octagonal table, surrounded by several wooden stools of varying heights.
The fire in the stove burned brightly, warming the room thoroughly, and intensifying the smell of dry tobacco and the scent of age.
This environment was undoubtedly unfamiliar, even somewhat difficult to settle into, for Su Qingge and Chen Man, who had grown up enjoying luxurious living.
But Su Qingge did not show the slightest hint of disdain.
She glanced at the slightly greasy stool and sat down very naturally, her back held perfectly straight, managing to lend the broken stool the imposing air of a genuine leather executive chair.
Chen Man was even more familiar with the setting. She plopped down on the edge of the heated brick bed (kang), holding her hands out to the fire: "Oh my goodness, this stove is so warm, much better than air conditioning."
Lin Wan placed the gift boxes she brought neatly on the cabinet, then rolled up her sleeves, looking for the kettle: "Auntie, let me pour some water."
Seeing this, Mother Jiang quickly stopped her: "No, no, no! You are a guest, how can I let you work! Sit down, sit down quickly!"
The room was lively for a while before everyone finally settled down.
Matchmaker Wang sat cross-legged at the innermost part of the kang, clutching a handful of melon seeds, her beady eyes darting back and forth across the three women.
She was calculating in her mind: These three women were dressed too glamorously; they looked like people who couldn't manage a household.
Jiang Chen was just an intern; that one hundred thousand yuan in his hand was probably just 'pocket money' given by these women?
No matter what, this was unreliable. Xiaofang, whom she knew inside and out, was much more practical.
Thinking of this, Matchmaker Wang cleared her throat and spat a melon seed shell onto the floor: "Um, Sister-in-law. Since Xiao Chen is back, shouldn't we hurry up and finalize that matter?"
Mother Jiang, who was awkwardly serving guests with a sugar plate, froze when she heard this: "Auntie, we have guests today. That matter... let's discuss it later, okay?"
"How can we discuss it later?" Matchmaker Wang slapped the melon seeds onto the kang table, raising her voice, "That girl Xiaofang has been waiting at home all morning! That child is honest. She heard Xiao Chen was coming back today and specifically changed into new clothes. We elders must keep our word!"
Chen Man, who was taking a sip of water, paused her movement and raised an eyebrow: "Xiaofang? What Xiaofang?"
She turned to look at Jiang Chen, a half-smile on her face: "Little brother, your social life is quite busy, isn't it? A confidante waiting for you the moment you get home?"
Jiang Chen, who was peeling an orange, handed the peeled fruit to Su Qingge beside him without even looking up: "I don't know any Xiaofang."
"Oh, if you don't know her now, you will once you meet!" Matchmaker Wang jumped in, looking very eager. "Xiao Chen, Auntie's introduction is the best girl in our town, one of the best! Although she's divorced and has a child, she doesn't ask for a betrothal gift! As long as you open a supermarket in town, life will be wonderful!"
The air seemed to freeze for two seconds.
"Pfft—"
Chen Man couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. As she laughed, her figure swayed, making Matchmaker Wang's face turn dark.
"What are you laughing at?" Matchmaker Wang glared.
"Nothing, nothing," Chen Man waved her hand, but her eyes were full of mockery. "I just think... Auntie, your matchmaking skills are quite creative. Divorced with a child, no betrothal gift, just wants you to open a supermarket for her to run? The calculation you're making, I can hear it all the way from the city."
Matchmaker Wang was momentarily choked, her face turning the color of pig liver: "How can you speak like that, girl? This is about settling down! What do you city people know? All you know is dressing up; can that be eaten as food?"
She turned to Mother Jiang, her tone carrying a threat: "Sister-in-law, you know Xiaofang's temper. If we break our promise, our reputation in the ten-mile radius won't sound good later. Besides, with Xiao Chen's current standing, it's not easy to find someone so considerate in the hometown!"
Mother Jiang looked at her son with difficulty, then looked at the three friends who were like celestial maidens. She was an honest person; she felt that since they had agreed to meet, suddenly backing out was indeed unreasonable, but bringing it up in front of guests was truly awkward.
Su Qingge swallowed the segment of orange in her mouth and elegantly pulled out a tissue to wipe the corner of her lip.
"Aunt Wang, is it?"
Su Qingge's voice was not loud, cool and clear, yet it carried an undeniable pressure.
She pushed up the non-existent glasses on the bridge of her nose, her gaze falling calmly on Matchmaker Wang.
"Jiang Chen is only twenty-two years old. You are introducing him to a divorced woman with a child, and you expect him to pay to open a supermarket for the woman to manage?" Su Qingge's lips curved into a very faint smile. "Are you finding him a wife, or are you finding Xiaofang a long-term meal ticket?"
"You... who are you? Why are you meddling so much?" Matchmaker Wang felt a bit guilty under the pressure of her aura and retorted stiffly.
"I am his creditor," Su Qingge stated lightly.
Everyone in the room froze for a moment.
Jiang Chen glanced at Su Qingge, his mouth twitching slightly. This woman really knew how to choose an identity.
"Creditor?" Matchmaker Wang's eyes lit up, as if she had grasped a handle. "I knew it! How else would Xiao Chen have so much money! Turns out he owes debts outside! Sister-in-law, listen! This boy owes people money, and this person is chasing the debt right to his doorstep!"
She pointed triumphantly at Jiang Chen: "I said that car was borrowed! Xiao Chen, paying debts is only right, but you can't sell yourself off just to pay them, can you? Although Xiaofang's conditions are average, she has no outside debt! If you marry Xiaofang, that one hundred thousand yuan can be used to pay off your debt, and you can live a stable life from then on..."
"One hundred thousand?" Lin Wan softly interjected from the side.
She looked at Jiang Chen with some confusion, then at Su Qingge, seemingly very puzzled by the number: "Auntie, is Jiang Chen... only worth one hundred thousand?"
50: Chapter 50 A Bloodbath Caused by a Bottle of Wine
"What? Not enough?" Matchmaker Wang planted her legs apart, rolled her eyes, and said, "One hundred thousand yuan is a huge sum in our village! It's enough to build three large tiled houses! It's only because Xiaofang is sensible and willing to use her savings to help him pay off his debts. If it were someone else, who would dare marry someone in debt?"
Jiang Chen sat on the stool, calmly pouring himself a glass of water.
He didn't refute; he almost wanted to laugh. This feeling of being misunderstood didn't anger him; instead, it gave him a sense of leisurely amusement, like watching a clown perform.
But the three women were displeased.
This was the man they cherished, how could a village woman insult him like this?
Chen Man played with the tens-of-thousands-of-yuan limited edition lighter in her hand. The "click-clack" sound was exceptionally crisp in the quiet room.
"One hundred thousand yuan..." Chen Man sighed, her tone laced with lazy sarcasm, "It really is a 'huge sum.' I think the bag I bought last time was about this price. And it wasn't even as expensive as this lighter."
Matchmaker Wang froze for a moment, staring at the shiny lighter, muttering to herself: Can this junk be worth a hundred thousand? She must be fooling me!
"Keep bragging!" Matchmaker Wang curled her lip, "Young people nowadays just love to use fakes to save face. Don't think I don't know, those A-grade knockoffs at the town market are twenty yuan each!"
Mother Jiang felt her heart pound, afraid the two sides would start fighting, so she quickly tried to mediate: "That... Auntie, let's say less. Xiao Chen's friends have come a long way, please have some tea first, have some tea."
"I'm not drinking this tea." Matchmaker Wang turned her head away, "I'll make this clear here. Xiaofang will be here soon. Today, whether you see her or not, you must see her! The girl came with sincerity, and if you dare to chase her away, that means you look down on me, Matchmaker Wang!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of an electric scooter braking came from the yard, followed by a sharp female voice: "Auntie! I'm here! Has that boy come back yet?"
With the voice, the curtain at the door was suddenly flung open.
A blast of cold wind rushed in.
A stout woman wearing a bright red down jacket and sporting an explosive hairdo walked in.
She was holding the hand of a four or five-year-old boy, whose nose was running long, and who was still holding a half-eaten sausage.
This was the legendary Xiaofang.
As soon as Xiaofang entered the room, she was first startled by the crowd, then her gaze immediately locked onto Jiang Chen, who was sitting in the middle.
So handsome!
Even more handsome than in the photos! If she took him out, what face she'd have!
But immediately after, her line of sight was drawn to the three radiant women beside him.
Natural hostility instantly sprang up in her eyes.
"Auntie, who are these people?" Xiaofang pointed at Su Qingge and the others, her tone very impolite, "Why are there women here?"
"Oh, they say they are Xiao Chen's friends, and also his creditors." Matchmaker Wang quickly stood up, pulled Xiaofang over, "Come, come, sit down. This is Jiang Chen. Xiao Chen, this is Xiaofang."
When Xiaofang heard 'creditors,' the hostility in her eyes immediately turned to contempt. She swaggered over, pulled over a stool, slapped the dust off it so it flew everywhere, and then plopped down.
"Creditors, huh?" Xiaofang squinted at Su Qingge, "How much do you two say he owes you? Chasing him all the way home, you're really shameless."
Su Qingge didn't even lift her eyelids, just picked up her teacup and took a sip.
That kind of disregard was more infuriating than being cursed at.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Xiaofang felt slighted, threw the sunflower seed shells on the ground, and said, "Just say how much money he owes! As long as Jiang Chen agrees to marry me, I'll pay it off for him! But we have to make things clear first..."
She turned her head, staring at Jiang Chen as if he were a commodity that already belonged to her: "After we marry, your salary card must be managed by me. That supermarket must have my name on it. Also, you must first take out that hundred thousand yuan betrothal gift and pay for insurance for my son."
Jiang Chen put down his teacup, looked at this woman whose mouth was frothing, and finally spoke: "Are you finished?"
"Huh? Finished talking." Xiaofang was momentarily stunned.
"If you're finished, please leave." Jiang Chen's tone was flat, "I'm not opening a supermarket, and I don't need you to pay off my debts."
"What do you mean?" Xiaofang's eyebrows shot up, "You look down on me? You're just a poor boy in debt, what right do you have to be picky? I'm telling you, once you pass this village, there won't be another shop like this! If you weren't decent-looking, would I even bother with you?"
The snot-nosed little boy next to her suddenly pointed at the candy dish on the table and shouted: "Mom! I want candy!"
Saying that, his dirty hand reached out towards the box of imported chocolates that Lin Wan had just carefully placed.
Lin Wan subconsciously tried to stop him: "Little friend, that's not for..."
"Slap!"
Xiaofang slapped Lin Wan's hand with a crisp sound: "What's wrong with eating a piece of candy? So stingy! This will be my house in the future too!"
Lin Wan's hand instantly turned red.
Having never suffered such humiliation since childhood, her eyes immediately welled up.
This slap completely ignited the powder keg.
Jiang Chen's eyes instantly turned cold.
Before he could move, Su Qingge had already stood up.
"This is your house?" Su Qingge's voice seemed laced with ice, "Who gave you such confidence?"
"What? You got a problem?" Xiaofang stood up. Although she was half a head shorter than Su Qingge, she compensated with her bulk and aggressive posture, "Matchmaker Wang said this matter is basically settled! From now on, I call the shots here!"
"Matchmaker Wang?"
Chen Man, who hadn't spoken, suddenly smiled and walked over. She was still playing with the lighter and approached Matchmaker Wang.
"Auntie, your business skills aren't great. You dare bring this kind of trash here?"
"Who are you calling trash!" Xiaofang exploded and reached out to push Chen Man.
Chen Man sidestepped, and her foot seemingly accidentally stuck out.
"Ouch!"
Xiaofang tripped, and the whole person lunged forward like a mountain of meat, crashing directly into the cabinet.
"Crash—"
The red gift box resting on the cabinet was knocked to the ground.
It was the box Lin Wan had just carefully placed.
The box opened.
Two exquisite white porcelain bottles rolled out and shattered on the ground with a 'smash.' A rich, mellow aroma of wine instantly permeated the entire room.
"My wine!" Lin Wan cried out in alarm.
Those were two bottles of fifty-year-old aged Maotai, which she had secretly taken from her family's cellar; they were priceless on the market.
The room instantly fell silent.
Father Jiang, a connoisseur of fine wine, sniffed twice upon smelling the aroma, his expression changing drastically: "This... this smell... this is real wine!"
Matchmaker Wang was also stunned by the wine's fragrance, but she stubbornly said: "What real wine, fake wine, aren't they just two bottles of baijiu? If they break, they break, it's just a matter of a few dozen yuan!"
"A few dozen yuan?"
Chen Man squatted down, picked up a shard of broken porcelain, looked at the anti-counterfeiting mark on it, and clicked her tongue twice, "Auntie, your taste is truly unique. This one bottle auctions for around eighty thousand yuan. Two bottles, that's one hundred and sixty thousand."
She stood up, looking at Xiaofang, who was lying on the ground looking completely bewildered, her smile bright and dangerous: "Plus the Zitan wood box, it's about two hundred thousand. You just said you have savings? Perfect, pay up."
"Two... two hundred thousand?!"
Xiaofang, lying on the ground, was completely stunned.
All her savings combined wouldn't even reach fifty thousand. How could this be?
"Lies! It must be a scam!" Xiaofang shrieked, scrambled up, and tried to run outside, "You're all colluding to cheat me! Auntie! Let's go!"
"Trying to leave?"
Jiang Chen took a step forward, blocking the doorway.
His tall figure, over 1.8 meters, combined with the cold aura emanating from him at that moment, made him seem like a wall.
"The debt for hitting someone hasn't been settled, and now you want to default on this debt too?" Jiang Chen looked down at Xiaofang, "Is this the 'honest person' you were talking about?"
Matchmaker Wang was so frightened that the sunflower seeds in her hand dropped.
She had lived most of her life and had never seen such a scene! If this was really two hundred thousand, even selling her wouldn't cover the cost!
"Xiao Chen... this... this is just a misunderstanding..." Matchmaker Wang stammered, "It's all because this child is ignorant... How could that wine be so expensive..."
"Whether it's expensive or not, just find someone who knows wine to check it out, won't we know?" Su Qingge spoke coldly, "Let's call the police. Destroying someone else's property with a huge amount involved is enough for a few years in prison."
Hearing the words 'call the police,' Xiaofang's legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the ground, bursting into tears with a loud wail.
51: Chapter 51: Just ignore me!
The crying inside the room was earth-shattering. Seeing his mother crying, the little boy followed suit, howling while stuffing the chocolate he had just snatched into his mouth, smearing his face completely black.
This wasn't a matchmaking scene; it was a farce.
Father Jiang looked at the shattered porcelain shards and spilled wine on the floor, trembling with heartache. Although he had never tasted such fine wine, its rich aroma was unmistakable, far superior to the bulk liquor he had drunk his entire life.
"This... this is really two hundred thousand?" Father Jiang asked Lin Wan, somewhat disbelievingly.
Lin Wan was wiping her hand with a tissue. Hearing the question, she initially wanted to smooth things over, but after glancing at Jiang Chen's icy profile, she pursed her lips. Not daring to say "Forget it," she simply nodded lightly.
This single nod was practically a death sentence in the eyes of Matchmaker Wang and Xiao Fang.
Two hundred thousand! Even if they sold themselves, they couldn't scrape that much together!
Matchmaker Wang was green with regret. These weren't some "improper friends"; they were clearly several true gods they couldn't afford to offend!
"Um... Jiang Chen..." Matchmaker Wang forced a smile uglier than crying and tried to edge toward the door. "It’s the New Year, calling the police would be too unlucky. We're all neighbors, and Xiao Fang didn't mean to do it. This money..."
"Not meaning to do it gives you the right to hit people randomly? Not meaning to do it gives you the right to smash things?" Chen Man leaned against the doorframe, still fiddling with the lighter in her hand, her expression playful. "That elder sister earlier was quite aggressive, wasn't she? She demanded Jiang Chen's salary card, right? Come on, say a few more words so I can hear. Where did all that arrogance go?"
Xiao Fang slumped on the ground, her face smeared with snot and tears, completely lacking the shrewish demeanor from earlier. Looking at the broken wine bottle on the floor, she felt as if she were looking at the warrant for her death; her psychological defenses had completely collapsed.
"I was wrong... I was really wrong..." Xiao Fang cried out. "I don't have the money... I really can't afford to pay it back... Auntie, save me! You insisted I come! You said this boy was easy to handle..."
Matchmaker Wang's old face flushed red, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to hide in. She felt prickly all over under Mother Jiang's sharp gaze.
"Enough."
Jiang Chen spoke coldly. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable chill.
He looked down at Xiao Fang, who was collapsed on the ground, his eyes devoid of any pity, only disgust.
"You know you can't afford to pay it back?" Jiang Chen squatted down, looking directly into Xiao Fang's terrified eyes. "Two hundred thousand is enough to put you away for a few years. I don't lack this small amount of money, but that doesn't mean you can run wild without restraint."
As soon as Xiao Fang heard "a few years in jail," she trembled violently and suddenly grabbed Jiang Chen's trouser leg: "No! Don't touch me! I'll kowtow! I'll kowtow to you! Please!"
"Let go," Jiang Chen frowned in distaste.
Su Qingge chimed in appropriately from the side: "Jiang Chen, my legal team is on standby at all times. They specialize in sending people to eat prison rice for cases involving property damage of this magnitude."
This sentence utterly terrified Xiao Fang and Matchmaker Wang.
"Since you can't pay the money, you will pay a different price," Jiang Chen stood up, his gaze like a knife. "First, apologize to Sister Wan, kowtow and admit your mistake until she is satisfied. Second, take your people and get out of my house. I will keep track of this two-hundred-thousand debt. From now on, if I hear a single rumor in the village about the Jiang Family, or if I see you again within a hundred meters of my house, the court summons will be delivered to your hands the very next day. Understand?"
This was like holding a knife to their throats, ready to strike at any moment!
"Understood! Understood!" Xiao Fang acted as if granted amnesty, scrambling toward Lin Wan, her head hitting the floor with loud thuds. "Big Sister! I'm sorry! It was my fault for being meddlesome! I have eyes but failed to recognize a true master! Please, be magnanimous and just treat me like a fart!"
Lin Wan was startled by the intensity and looked toward Jiang Chen for help. Jiang Chen nodded slightly, signaling for her to decide.
"Fine... you all can go now," Lin Wan was soft-hearted in the end and sighed.
"Still not leaving?" Jiang Chen roared.
Matchmaker Wang pulled the weak-legged Xiao Fang up, not even bothering about the brat still eating chocolate, and dragged her out as if pursued by an evil spirit.
"We'll never dare to come again! Never again!"
The three fled in disarray, even tripping over the electric scooter at the door, finally disappearing into the snowstorm.
Although they didn't pay the money, this was more agonizing than death—it was a lifetime burdened by the fear of massive debt.
The room finally fell silent.
Father Jiang looked at the mess on the floor and sighed deeply. He squatted down to start picking up the broken porcelain shards, his back looking somewhat stooped. "What a pity... truly a pity..."
"Uncle, don't bother, you might cut your hands," Su Qingge walked over, intending to help, but Father Jiang stopped her.
"Don't touch! Your hands are for delicate work." Father Jiang waved his hand and looked up at Jiang Chen, his expression complicated. "Jiang Chen, you are grown up now. But these young ladies... and this two-hundred-thousand wine, you need to tell your father the truth. Even if our family is poor, we can't do illegal things, right?"
Everyone's gaze focused on Jiang Chen. This was also what Su Qingge and the others wanted to know: in front of Jiang Chen's parents, what exactly were they?
Jiang Chen was silent for a moment, then walked over, pulled out a bank card from his pocket, and slapped it onto the scratched-up table, making a crisp 'snap' sound.
"Dad, Mom," Jiang Chen's voice was steady, carrying a powerful confidence. "The wine is real, and the money is real too. There are five million in this card. I was planning to tell you slowly, afraid of scaring you."
"Fiv... five million?!" Mother Jiang's rag dropped straight to the floor, her eyeballs nearly popping out.
"I did some investments outside, got lucky, and made some money," Jiang Chen vaguely brushed past it without mentioning the system. "As for the three of them..."
Jiang Chen glanced at the three women beside him. Su Qingge appeared calm, but her fingers were tightly gripping the corner of her clothes; Chen Man stopped fiddling with the lighter; and Lin Wan kept her head down, not daring to look at the elders.
"They are all people who treat me very well," Jiang Chen gave an ambiguous yet incredibly sincere answer. "They are also people I want to take care of. I brought them back this time to let you meet them, and perhaps... spend the New Year together."
This explanation wasn't perfect, even a bit absurd. But under the impact of the five-million-yuan bank card, Father and Mother Jiang's psychological defenses had completely collapsed. Their son was successful now, no longer bullied—that was better than anything else!
"Alright." Father Jiang dumped the porcelain shards into the trash can, straightened up, and his back seemed straighter than before. "Since you're here, you are guests. Old woman, stop standing around, go cook! Make a few hearty dishes!"
This hurdle had been cleared with great drama.
As the sky gradually darkened, cooking smoke rose.
The three stunning older sisters took off their expensive coats, changed into old aprons, and squeezed into the small kitchen to help. Although their movements were clumsy, the scene was exceptionally harmonious.
Jiang Chen sat in the courtyard, listening to the laughter from the kitchen, feeling a long-lost sense of peace.
But this peace didn't last long.
After dinner, an extremely realistic and awkward problem presented itself to everyone.
The Jiang Family only had three rooms in total. One was for the parents, one was filled entirely with grain, leaving only Jiang Chen's bedroom, which contained a one-and-a-half-meter hard wooden bed.
How were they going to sleep?
52: Chapter 52 First Night, Let's Sleep in Separate Rooms
Mother Jiang held two large, bright red satin quilts that smelled of mothballs, her gaze shifting between Su Qingge's exquisite cashmere coat and her own somewhat yellowed wooden table.
The wrinkles on her face squeezed together, filled with hesitation.
"This... what should we do?" Mother Jiang repeated, the quilts in her hands feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds. "Xiao Chen's room has a small bed; it can't fit this many people. How about... I go borrow two cots?"
Su Qingge glanced at the curtain leading to the inner room.
It was a piece of blue-based, white-flowered cotton cloth, its hem somewhat frayed.
Through the gap, she could see the single bed inside, which was far too cramped for an adult.
For her, Chen Man, Lin Wan, and Jiang Chen to squeeze onto it?
The scene was too beautiful; she dared not imagine it.
Moreover, in front of Jiang Chen's parents, such a situation was truly shocking.
"Mom, no need to trouble yourself."
Jiang Chen put down the teacup in his hand. The bottom of the porcelain cup tapped the tabletop, making a light sound.
"They aren't sleeping in the room," Jiang Chen pointed outside the door. "It's warmer and much bigger in the vehicle; they can sleep in the car."
"Sleep in the car?" Father Jiang, who was smoking, almost dropped his pipe onto his pants when he heard this. "Is that something a person does? In the middle of winter, driving guests out to a vehicle? That metal box becomes like an ice cellar at night; are you trying to freeze someone to death?"
In his simple understanding, a car was for sitting in, not for sleeping in.
No matter how big the vehicle looked, it was still a car.
Chen Man was the first to react. She wrapped her coat tighter and smiled slyly, "Uncle, don't scold him. That vehicle... is genuinely more comfortable than the room."
"Nonsense," Mother Jiang placed the quilts on the kang bed. "You are guests; there's no reason to have you sleep outside. No, your father and I will go to the storage room..."
"Mom," Jiang Chen stood up, walked over, took the quilts from his mother's hands, and placed them back on top of the cabinet. "Hearing is deceiving; seeing is believing. Come on, let me give you a tour of my 'mobile dormitory.'"
Mother Jiang was about to refuse but was stopped by Lin Wan hooking her arm.
"Auntie, let's go take a look," Lin Wan's voice was soft and sweet. "It's a good time for me to grab some toiletries too."
The group pushed open the door, and a cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed toward them.
The 'black knight' was still parked quietly in the yard, like a silent fortress.
Jiang Chen took out the key and pressed the unlock button.
"Beep beep—"
The outline lights on both sides of the vehicle flashed twice, and immediately, the wide side cabin door slid open slowly.
The automatic retractable step popped out, and two rows of LED welcome lights lit up, casting a warm yellow halo on the snow.
"This is too..." Father Jiang stood with his hands behind his back, the light in his eyes flickering, swallowing the half-finished sentence at his lips.
Jiang Chen went up first and reached out to help his mother aboard.
As soon as she entered the cabin, Mother Jiang froze.
There was no imagined biting cold; instead, a wave of warmth washed over her face.
The vehicle's constant temperature system had been running, maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature of twenty-four degrees.
Underfoot was a soft wool carpet that muffled all sound when stepped upon.
Overhead was a dazzling starry sky ceiling light, emitting a soft glow.
The liftable bed, which had been a 'battlefield' on the road, had been retracted, replaced by a large U-shaped leather sofa.
The bar, the refrigerator, and even the seventy-five-inch lifting television—every detail challenged the limits of the elderly couple's perception.
"This... this is a car?" Mother Jiang didn't dare touch anything randomly, afraid of damaging the shiny leather surface. "This is more luxurious than the hotel in town!"
Su Qingge skillfully walked to the control panel and pressed a few buttons.
A sliding door at the rear of the cabin opened, revealing a two-meter-wide large bed, covered with a thick latex mattress and silk bedding.
"Uncle, Auntie, we will sleep here tonight," Su Qingge turned back, a proper smile on her face. "There is an independent bathroom here, and we can take a hot shower. It's indeed more convenient than the room."
Father Jiang peeked into the bathroom, which was brighter than their own kitchen, and saw the smart toilet and constant-temperature showerhead. His Adam's apple bobbed.
He looked back at his own brick-and-tile house, then looked at the vehicle.
A huge sense of disparity spread in his heart, but it was accompanied by an ineffable pride.
This was his son's car?
This wasn't carpooling; it was like bringing the Imperial Palace back home.
"Fine... fine then," Father Jiang walked around the vehicle with his hands behind his back, finally sitting on the leather sofa before quickly bouncing up. "Then you all sleep here. Hey, old woman, let's go back to the room; don't keep the kids up."
Mother Jiang was still a bit dazed and was pulled out of the car by Father Jiang.
Before leaving, Mother Jiang still couldn't help but instruct earnestly, "If the quilt is thin, come back and get the red satin one; that one blocks the wind."
"I know, Mom."
The car door closed slowly.
The world was once again separated into two realms.
Only four people remained inside the cabin.
The three women who had been maintaining their composure moments ago instantly deflated like punctured balls and collapsed onto the sofa.
"I'm exhausted..." Chen Man unceremoniously kicked off her high-heeled boots and tucked her feet into the sofa. "Acting in front of your parents is more tiring than walking the runway."
Lin Wan was organizing the luggage she brought. Hearing this, she smiled, "Uncle and Auntie are very nice, but our current setup is indeed a bit scary."
Su Qingge sat by the bar and poured herself a glass of warm water. She let go of her strong businesswoman facade, looking at Jiang Chen with soft eyes.
"Tonight..." Su Qingge paused. "Are you really going back to the room to sleep?"
Jiang Chen was leaning against the car door, fiddling with the car keys in his hand.
"What else?" Jiang Chen looked at the three women of varying charms; his throat felt a bit dry. "Returning home on the first day and sleeping together in one big bed? I'm afraid the village loudspeaker will turn me into a modern-day Ximen Qing tomorrow."
Chen Man let out a chuckle. Barefoot, she stepped onto the carpet and walked in front of Jiang Chen, hooking her finger on the zipper of his chest.
"Oh, is little brother planning to erect a monument to chastity?" Chen Man leaned close to his ear, her breath fragrant like orchids. "Then when you're sleeping alone on that hard plank bed tonight, unable to sleep, don't think of us."
That familiar scent drifted into his nostrils.
Jiang Chen caught Chen Man's mischievous hand and gently bit the back of her hand.
"Behave," Jiang Chen's voice was somewhat hoarse. "We have to deal with all those relatives tomorrow, so everyone needs a good night's sleep tonight."
He then looked at Su Qingge and Lin Wan. "Text me if you need anything; my phone isn't on silent."
"Go on," Su Qingge walked over and straightened his collar for him, her movements like a young wife seeing her husband off. "Don't let Uncle and Auntie think too much."
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, as if making a huge decision, turned, and opened the car door.
The cold wind rushed in, blowing away the intimate atmosphere inside the vehicle.
He jumped out of the car and closed the door behind him.
Standing in the snow, Jiang Chen looked back at the 'black knight' emitting a warm yellow light, then looked at his own pitch-black window.
This was probably the price of growing up.
He pulled his assault jacket tighter, stepped on the accumulated snow, and strode toward the old house filled with childhood memories, which now felt exceptionally cramped.
He pushed open the door, and a faint smell of coal smoke drifted out.
The quilts on the kang bed had already been spread out—it was that somewhat heavy, bright red cotton quilt.
Jiang Chen took off his outer layer and burrowed into the bedding.
The bed was cool, carrying the long-lost temperature of his hometown.
Resting his head on his arm, he looked at the dark ceiling beams and listened to the deliberately lowered voices of his parents next door. A smile slowly curved the corner of his mouth.
53: Chapter 53 Who doesn't have four rings in their house?
The morning in Jiang Family Village was awakened by the rustling sound of a broom sweeping across the snow-covered ground.
The snow had stopped.
Sunlight shone on the thick layer of accumulated snow, stinging people's eyes.
Jiang Chen woke up very early.
He was wearing that old padded jacket, holding a large broom, and helping his father clear the snow in the courtyard.
His movements were not skillful, but he had strength, and soon steam rose from his head.
Su Qingge and the others had not woken up yet; that 'black knight' was still parked quietly by the door, like a hibernating giant beast.
"Xiao Chen, up so early?"
A raspy voice came from outside the courtyard wall.
Jiang Chen straightened up and looked toward the sound.
On the balcony of a two-story small building next door, a middle-aged, balding man was holding a large enamel mug, looking down with a forced smile.
It was the neighbor, Big Head Liu, whose full name was Wealthy Liu.
This man owned a building materials shop in town. He had made some money in recent years and walked with an air of importance. He often liked to show off in front of Father Jiang.
"Uncle Liu, good morning."
Jiang Chen propped the broom aside and responded lightly.
"Heard you were back?"
Big Head Liu took a sip of tea, his eyes glancing at that 'black knight'.
"Is that big vehicle yours? It looks quite intimidating. Are you... hauling freight outside now?"
In his eyes, such a large vehicle was either used for hauling goods or for construction work.
Father Jiang, who was shoveling snow, frowned upon hearing this and was about to speak, but Jiang Chen stopped him.
"Something like that."
Jiang Chen smiled without explaining.
"Hauling freight is good too. It’s heavy work, just tiring."
Big Head Liu clicked his tongue, with a hint of superiority in his tone.
"Not like my son; he just got accepted as a civil servant and insisted on buying a car. I figured since he works for the government, he should keep a low profile, so I bought him an audi a4."
When saying the words 'audi', Big Head Liu's voice clearly pitched up an octave.
"Four rings! They say it's a... luxury brand!"
Big Head Liu placed the mug on the railing and gestured with both hands.
"The paint on that car is shiny! The leather seats feel like a sofa when you sit in them! Once it hit the ground, it was over 300,000!"
Jiang Chen nodded: "That is quite nice."
This perfunctory attitude made Big Head Liu feel like he had punched cotton—not very satisfying.
Just as he was speaking, an urgent horn blared from the alley entrance.
"Beep—Beep—"
The sound was sharp, carrying a sense of impatience.
A brand-new white audi a4 drove over. Because the road was narrow, and Jiang Chen's 'black knight' occupied most of the lane, this audi struggled immensely to squeeze through.
The car window rolled down, revealing a young man with slicked-back hair—it was Big Head Liu's son, Liu Qiang.
"Dad! Who parked a broken truck in front of the door? Don't they know it's blocking the way?"
Liu Qiang stuck his head out, looking utterly impatient.
"This is such poor etiquette!"
Big Head Liu immediately got energized upon hearing this and shouted towards Jiang Chen: "Xiao Chen, did you hear that? Move your big truck! If this nice car gets so much as a scratch, all your hauling work for the year will have been for nothing!"
The commotion attracted quite a few curious villagers.
Several children were circling the 'black knight', wanting to touch it but not daring to.
Jiang Chen clapped the snow off his hands and did not move.
"The road belongs to the public, and where I parked doesn't obstruct the main path."
Jiang Chen pointed to the tire tracks on the ground.
"The width is enough for a tractor to pass, so an a4 should be able to pass too, right? That's a technical issue."
"Who are you saying lacks technical skill?"
Liu Qiang turned off the ignition and pushed the door open to get out.
He was wearing a slightly ill-fitting suit, and his leather shoes were polished to a sheen, looking particularly out of place stepping into the slushy snow.
"Jiang Chen, right?"
Liu Qiang walked up to Jiang Chen, sizing up the old padded jacket he wore, and sneered.
"Haven't seen you in years, switched to driving big trucks? Well, it's hard for college graduates to find jobs nowadays; having a trade is pretty good. But your vehicle is indeed an eyesore parked here. This is an audi, four rings, understand?"
He patted the hood of his car, making a 'bang bang' sound.
"A car worth over 300,000 is different from your freight hauler. If it gets bumped, you can't afford to pay."
The surrounding villagers whispered among themselves.
"The old jiang family is really showing off now; a car worth over 300,000."
"That’s right, their son is a civil servant, eating the emperor's grain."
"This Jiang Family car looks big, but it's probably just some cheap domestic brand RV, not worth much."
The tide of public opinion was completely one-sided.
Father Jiang was so angry his iron shovel was trembling, and his face turned the color of pig liver.
Just then, the door of the 'black knight' suddenly opened.
The sound of the hydraulic rod working was exceptionally clear amidst the noisy crowd.
Su Qingge, draped in a silver-gray silk dressing gown, her hair casually pinned up, looked languidly noble despite having no makeup on her face.
She stood on the high step, looking down at the farce below.
"What's happening so early in the morning?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried the grogginess of just waking up, cold enough to freeze things.
Immediately after, Chen Man also poked her head out.
She was even more dramatic, still holding an electric toothbrush in her hand, with foam around her mouth, mumbling indistinctly: "Who is shouting? Even a rooster's crow isn't this unpleasant, is it?"
The appearance of the two women instantly silenced the scene.
Liu Qiang's eyes, which had been fixed on Jiang Chen, instantly went wide.
He looked at Su Qingge, then at Chen Man, then at his pride and joy, the audi a4, and suddenly felt the car looked tacky.
"Oh, is this... four rings?"
Chen Man rinsed her mouth and leaned on the railing, looking at the car as if it were a monkey.
"It’s nice. An entry-level luxury car, suitable for a white-collar worker who just started their job."
These words were like a crisp slap across Liu Qiang's face.
"You..."
Liu Qiang blushed.
"What do you know! This is a luxury brand!"
"Enough."
Jiang Chen interrupted him.
He didn't want to waste time on such meaningless comparison.
Jiang Chen turned around and pulled out a thick stack of items from the pocket of his large windbreaker.
It was the cash he had specifically withdrawn from town before returning last night.
Brand new, pink, unopened bundles of one thousand yuan notes.
Ten bundles in total.
One hundred thousand yuan.
In the sunlight, the red banknotes were even more dazzling than the snow.
Jiang Chen casually opened one bundle, pulled out a few bills, and handed them to the few children who were watching eagerly.
"Here, call me 'brother' and take this to buy candy."
The children froze, looking at the bright red hundred-yuan bills in their hands, not daring to take them.
"Take it."
Jiang Chen stuffed the money into the children's hands, then looked at the neighbors gathered around watching.
"Uncles and aunties, it’s the New Year, and I didn't prepare any gifts."
Jiang Chen scattered the bundles of money outwards like handing out flyers.
"Just for good luck; everyone take some to buy melon seeds and candy."
One person got two bills, or even three.
The scene completely erupted.
No one paid any attention to the audi a4 anymore.
Everyone flocked to Jiang Chen's side; their enthusiasm was greater than if they had met their own father.
"Oh! Xiao Chen is successful!"
"Thank you, Xiao Chen! This is what you call generosity!"
"Look at this kid from the old jiang family; this is what you call stature!"
Big Head Liu's hand, holding the enamel mug, froze mid-air; he didn't even notice the tea spilling all over his crotch.
Liu Qiang stood next to the white audi, gripping the car keys, feeling like a clown as he watched Jiang Chen surrounded by the crowd.
A car worth 300,000 yuan was indeed expensive.
But in the face of this stack of real silver thrown out directly, all his sense of superiority was smashed to pieces.
"Uncle Liu, Qiangzi."
After distributing to everyone, Jiang Chen still had half a bundle left.
He walked up to the audi and casually placed the remaining few thousand yuan on the car's hood.
"Nice car."
Jiang Chen patted Liu Qiang's shoulder, his tone sincere to the point where no fault could be found.
"Take this money to fill up the gas tank; consider it a small token of my regard. After all... this car consumes quite a bit of fuel, doesn't it?"
Liu Qiang's face cycled between red and white. The money felt as hot as charcoal in his hand, but he dared not throw it back.
At the car door, Su Qingge watched the scene, the corner of her mouth curving slightly.
"Childish."
She whispered softly, turned, and got back into the car.
"But... it was satisfying."
54: Chapter 54 Uncle's "Sharp Eyes"
Liu Qiang ultimately gathered up the few thousand yuan on the hood without any backbone.
This 'red envelope rain' at the village entrance poured down too heavily, completely pushing the old jiang family into the spotlight.
By breakfast time, the doorstep of the Jiang Family's small courtyard was almost trampled flat. People came to borrow soy sauce, deliver cabbages, and even ask for a lighter; in reality, they all wanted to see the three 'female gods of wealth' and the domineering Jiang Chen.
Father Jiang was beaming, his back held ramrod straight. After living most of his life, today he finally earned back all the face he needed for his lifetime.
"Everyone disperse, disperse!" Father Jiang waved his hand. "We have guests at home, it's time to eat!"
After finally seeing off the last wave of neighbors, Mother Jiang closed the main door and was just about to catch her breath when another knock sounded from outside.
This time, the knock was very rhythmic, unhurried, exuding a sense of stability.
"Second brother, open the door."
Hearing this voice, the smile on Father Jiang's face faded slightly, and he quickly wiped his hands: "It's Big Brother who has arrived."
Jiang Chen's paternal uncle, Jiang Jianguo.
In the large Jiang Family, Jiang Jianguo was a figure of some standing.
He had served as a minor cadre in the county town for a period in his early years. After retiring, he was highly respected in the village, and he was the one who made decisions for any major or minor family matters.
The door opened.
Jiang Jianguo was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit, his hair neatly combed. Although he was old, his eyes were very bright, revealing a shrewdness.
He walked in with his hands behind his back. His first glance wasn't at the people, but at the "black knight" parked in the courtyard.
He circled the vehicle half a time, reached out to tap the thick steel body panel, frowned slightly, and then slowly relaxed.
"Hmm... this car has some substance," Jiang Jianguo nodded, giving an evaluation that wasn't quite an evaluation.
"Uncle," Jiang Chen went to greet him.
"Little Chen is back." Jiang Jianguo looked at his nephew, whom he hadn't seen in years, with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. "I heard you were handing out money at the village entrance? Quite a stir you made."
"Just for fun," Jiang Chen offered him a cigarette.
Jiang Jianguo took the cigarette but didn't light it immediately. His gaze swept past Jiang Chen, landing on the three women carrying dishes out of the kitchen.
Su Qingge had changed into a simple high-necked sweater, Chen Man had tied her hair into a ponytail, and Lin Wan was wearing an apron.
Although the three women were trying to dress low-key, their temperament made them stand out like cranes among chickens in this rustic farmhouse courtyard.
"These ladies are..." Jiang Jianguo narrowed his eyes.
Father Jiang quickly introduced: "Big Brother, these are all Little Chen's friends. That one is President Su, and that one is..."
"Hello, Uncle," Su Qingge put down the plate and bowed slightly. She could tell this old man held weight in this family, so she acted exceptionally respectful.
Jiang Jianguo nodded without speaking and walked straight into the main hall.
At the dining table.
The atmosphere was subtly serious.
Jiang Jianguo sat in the main seat, with Father Jiang and Mother Jiang accompanying him on both sides.
Jiang Chen and the three women sat in the lower seats.
"Little Chen," Jiang Jianguo took a sip of the tea poured by Lin Wan and began slowly, "I've seen a lot in the county. That vehicle isn't just an ordinary RV, is it? That emblem, if it's a pure import German MAN chassis conversion, it probably starts at ten million, right?"
As soon as he said this, Father Jiang's chopsticks clattered onto the table.
"How... how much?" Father Jiang's voice was trembling.
"Over ten million." Jiang Jianguo stared into Jiang Chen's eyes, his tone deepening slightly. "Plus those broken porcelain shards I saw near the courtyard wall just now... that's fifty-year-old Maotai, isn't it? I recognize the mark on the bottom of the bottle; one bottle is worth a house in the county seat."
The room instantly became so quiet that only breathing could be heard.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang looked at their son, their expressions becoming somewhat unfamiliar, even fearful.
They thought the wine was worth a maximum of two hundred thousand, and the car was only a few million.
But now... over ten million?
This figure was too distant and too heavy for a family whose lives were spent toiling the earth.
"Little Chen, be frank with your uncle." Jiang Jianguo lit his cigarette and took a deep drag. "What exactly are you doing out there? Is this money clean?"
Everyone's gaze focused on Jiang Chen.
Su Qingge quietly held Jiang Chen's hand under the table.
Jiang Chen was very calm.
He held Su Qingge's hand back, even lightly scratching her palm.
"Uncle, you have sharp eyes." Jiang Chen smiled, his tone neither servile nor overbearing. "The money is clean. I'm doing investments, and I was lucky enough to catch a few trends. As for the car and the wine..."
He paused, looking at the three women beside him.
"That's all due to their good fortune."
Jiang Jianguo looked at Jiang Chen. Those old eyes, which had seen countless people, now couldn't quite fathom his nephew.
He was too steady.
This steadiness wasn't faked; it was the composure that came from absolute confidence.
Furthermore, he observed the reactions of the three women.
A woman like Su Qingge, clearly a person in a superior position, was now looking at Jiang Chen with eyes full of tenderness; Chen Man, though appearing a bit wild, instinctively leaned her body toward Jiang Chen—that was a posture of protection; and the gentlest one, Lin Wan, was peeling shrimp for Jiang Chen, her eyes filled with doting affection.
This wasn't just about having money.
Jiang Jianguo suddenly laughed and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
"Good," Jiang Jianguo slapped the table. "Since you know what you're doing, Uncle won't ask further. Our old jiang family hasn't produced such a figure in generations. As long as you walk the right path, the family is your backing."
The atmosphere instantly relaxed.
Although Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were still a bit bewildered, since Big Brother said so, it meant there was no major issue.
"Eat, eat!" Mother Jiang quickly urged. "If we don't eat now, the dishes will get cold."
The meal was somewhat long, but also exceptionally lively.
Although Jiang Jianguo stopped inquiring about the money, he started chatting about family matters and even discussed the economic situation with Su Qingge for a few sentences.
Su Qingge answered fluently, offering unique insights, which made Jiang Jianguo nod repeatedly, his look of appreciation growing stronger.
After three rounds of drinks.
Jiang Jianguo put down his chopsticks and glanced out the window.
"Little Chen, you didn't just come back for the New Year this time, did you?"
Jiang Chen put down his wine cup and nodded.
"I have some ideas." Jiang Chen looked at the land that had nurtured him. "The village roads are too bad; I want to pay to repair them. Also, that barren land on the back mountain, I want to contract it and start an ecological park."
He had already planned this on the way back.
The System's money was inexhaustible, but how to make this money take root and sprout in this isolated little mountain village, how to let his parents stand tall among the villagers—that was what he needed to do.
"Repairing roads? That's a good thing!" Father Jiang's face turned red with excitement.
"However..." Jiang Jianguo frowned. "Village affairs are complicated, involving land acquisition and even ancestral graves. Even though you have money, sometimes money alone isn't enough."
As he was speaking, the mobile phone in Jiang Jianguo's pocket suddenly rang.
55: Chapter 55 Returning home in wealth and honor is like wearing brocade at night.
The ringtone of an old Nokia broke the slightly stagnant air in the main hall.
Jiang Jianguo pulled out a candy-bar phone with a severely scratched screen from the inner pocket of his Zhongshan suit. Looking at the caller ID, the stern face that had just been tense to maintain authority instantly relaxed, and a hint of helpless laughter appeared around the crow's feet at the corner of his eyes.
"It's your Eldest Uncles Wife," Jiang Jianguo pressed the answer button. That signature loud voice could be heard clearly even without speakerphone.
"Old man! I asked you to call the Second Brother's family over for a meal, how did you get yourself lost? The dishes are all cold! Jiang Yu and Jiang Feng are both back, hurry up and bring Jiang Chen and the others over!"
Jiang Jianguo held the phone a little farther from his ear and replied twice, "Got it, I'm coming back now."
After hanging up, Jiang Jianguo stood up, patted the non-existent dust off his trouser legs, and turned to look at Father Jiang and Mother Jiang, "Second Brother, Sister-in-law, let's go! Your sister-in-law has stewed all the pig-killing feast. It's been a long time since our whole family got together."
Upon hearing this, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang immediately burst into smiles and quickly stood up to tidy their clothes.
"Let's go, let's go, Big Brother, I must have a good drink with you today." Father Jiang's tone carried an unprecedented lightness.
Jiang Jianguo looked again at Jiang Chen and the three girls sitting quietly beside him, his tone gentle, "Jiang Chen, bring your friends to taste your Eldest Uncles Wife's cooking. That's authentic stove-top, iron pot cooking; the taste is different."
Jiang Chen smiled and stood up, "I dream about Eldest Uncles Wife's pickled cabbage when I'm at school; I drool."
"You boy have a conscience," Jiang Jianguo pointed at him, his tone affectionate, "It's just a short walk, don't drive. That's a gas guzzler; save what we can."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
Jiang Chen turned to look at the three women beside him. Su Qingge was lightly putting down the exquisite white porcelain teacup she had been playing with. Chen Man, on the other hand, looked excited, seemingly full of curiosity about the legendary 'pig-killing feast.'
Only Lin Wan looked at the high heels on her feet with some hesitation.
"Change your shoes," Jiang Chen said softly, his gaze falling on Lin Wan's ankle, "The road is not easy to walk on."
Lin Wan's face blushed, feeling as if she had been soaked in warm water, making her heart comfortable. She nodded lightly, "I have spare snow boots in the car; I'll go change."
A few minutes later, the group walked out of the Jiang Family's main gate in a grand procession.
Although the snow had stopped, the village roads were still muddy. The midday sun shone on the white snow, reflecting a dazzling light.
In his hand, Jiang Chen carried two bottles of Maotai he had just taken from the car, along with two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes. This setup was the top-tier treatment for visiting relatives in the countryside.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang walked in front, side by side with Jiang Jianguo. Father Jiang, whose back was usually stooped, stood ramrod straight today, hands behind his back, his steps carrying momentum.
Su Qingge and Chen Man walked on either side of Jiang Chen. Even though they had changed into flat shoes, their expensive fur coats and down jackets still looked out of place against the drab backdrop of the village.
The villagers they passed along the way stared fixedly.
Some were still reeling from the shock of the earlier 'red envelope rain.' Seeing Jiang Chen's family, they looked as if they had seen the God of Wealth in person, shouting "Happy New Year" from far away.
"Old Jiang, going to Big Brother's house for dinner?"
"Yes, Big Brother insisted on inviting us!" Father Jiang replied with a ruddy face, his voice several degrees louder than usual.
Jiang Chen followed behind, smiling and responding to everyone. His composed manner made Jiang Jianguo, walking in front, nod secretly.
To return home rich without showing it is like wearing brocade clothes at night.
But if this wealth is too dazzling, it's like carrying the sun on one's back, blinding people's eyes.
The Jiang Jianguo family lived at the west end of the village in a two-story house with three bays. The exterior walls were covered in white ceramic tiles. Although the style was a bit outdated, ten years ago, it was the only magnificent house in the village.
Before even entering the yard, a rich aroma of meat mixed with the sour tang of pickled vegetables drifted out with the wind.
"Sister, stop crying. This isn't your fault."
A low male voice came from the yard, carrying the hoarseness and indignation unique to a boy in the middle of puberty.
"Shh! Keep it down!" A female voice urgently interrupted him, carrying an obvious nasal tone. "Don't let Mom and Dad hear. Today is the day Brother Jiang Chen is back; don't ruin everyone's mood."
Jiang Chen's steps paused slightly.
The elders walking in front were chatting animatedly and hadn't clearly heard the conversation in the yard. Jiang Jianguo pushed open the bright red iron gate directly.
"Wife! Brought the people over!"
The voices in the yard abruptly stopped.
A girl wearing a gray down jacket was squatting by the well platform washing vegetables. Hearing the noise, she stood up in a panic and quickly wiped her face while turning her back.
Standing next to her was a tall, thin boy holding an axe, staring blankly at a pile of chopped firewood.
This was Jiang Chen's older female cousin, Jiang Yu, and younger male cousin, Jiang Feng.
"Brother Jiang Chen!"
Jiang Feng reacted the fastest, dropping the axe and running over. He wore a faded denim jacket, his face still childish, but his eyes held a trace of fatigue.
Halfway there, Jiang Feng suddenly stopped. He saw the three women behind Jiang Chen who looked like they had stepped out of a pictorial magazine, and then saw his well-dressed and radiant Second Uncle and Second Aunt.
The aura of this group instantly stunned the rural young man who hadn't seen much of the outside world.
Jiang Feng awkwardly rubbed his hands on his pants. The "Second Uncle, Second Aunt" that was about to leave his lips hadn't been fully spoken before Jiang Chen threw an arm around his shoulder.
"You've grown so tall?" Jiang Chen chuckled, punching his chest lightly, "All this muscle—you haven't been doing light work, have you?"
The familiar gesture instantly broke the barrier. Jiang Feng grinned, "Brother, you've changed too... I almost didn't recognize you."
At this moment, Jiang Yu also walked over. She was pretty and pleasant to look at, but her eyes were severely red and swollen right now.
"Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Jiang Chen." Jiang Yu's voice was a bit hoarse as she nervously tugged at the corner of her clothes, "You're back."
Jiang Chen looked at her bright red fingers—washing vegetables with well water in the middle of winter, her hands were frozen red like carrots.
"Sister," Jiang Chen nodded, his gaze lingering on her red, swollen eyes for a second, but he didn't expose it in public, only gently introducing the three friends behind him.
Chen Man, being naturally outgoing, stuffed two pieces of chocolate into Jiang Feng's hand, making the boy blush deeply.
"Hurry inside! Hurry inside! It's cold outside!" Eldest Uncles Wife rushed out enthusiastically. Seeing the cigarettes and alcohol in Jiang Chen's hands, the wrinkles on her face crinkled into a smile.
The group entered the house. Although the Spring Festival Gala skits were playing on TV and the adults were chatting animatedly, Jiang Chen keenly sensed that beneath this seemingly festive atmosphere, a low-pressure system was surging.
Jiang Yu kept her head down, busy, deliberately avoiding everyone's gaze.
After three rounds of drinks, Su Qingge lifted her teacup, her gaze sweeping almost imperceptibly over Jiang Yu, who was taking a phone call in the corner.
Although the voice was very low, Su Qingge still heard a few broken phrases.
"Boss Wang... I really can't drink anymore... Today is New Year's... Don't deduct my pay..."
Su Qingge put down her teacup and tapped her fingers lightly on the table.
Chen Man was peeling peanuts and suddenly leaned close to Jiang Chen's ear, breathing out a fragrant breath, "Little Brother, your sister seems to be in trouble. That tone sounds familiar to me. Back when the new girls arrived at my old place, when they were forced to drink, they sounded just like that."
Jiang Chen peeled a peanut and threw it into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly.
The fragrance of the peanut spread in his mouth, but he tasted a hint of bitterness.
"Eat first," Jiang Chen said calmly, placing a piece of cold mixed pig ear onto Chen Man's chopsticks, but a hint of undisguised coldness flashed through his eyes.
56: Chapter 56 Undercurrents at the Dinner Table
As soon as those two bottles of fifty-year-old Maotai were opened, the entire room was filled with that rich, heavy soy sauce aroma.
The liquor was slightly yellow, clinging noticeably to the glass—it was clearly high quality.
Jiang Jianguo took a small sip, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he let out a long sigh: “Good wine... I’ve lived most of my life, and only today have I truly tasted something worthwhile.”
The atmosphere at the dinner table grew lively, catalyzed by the alcohol.
Eldest Uncles Wife kept piling food onto the three young women's plates, afraid they would look down on the rural cooking. Lin Wan was the most appreciative, sincerely praising every dish she tried, which made Eldest Uncles Wife beam with delight.
But this lively scene was like oil floating on the surface of water, unable to conceal the undercurrents beneath.
Jiang Yu sat at the very end. Her bowl was piled high with food, but she had barely touched her chopsticks.
Her phone lay by the table, its screen lighting up intermittently. Every time it lit up, her body would tremble almost imperceptibly.
“Xiao Yu, you aren't a young girl anymore,” Eldest Uncles Wife said, placing a piece of spare rib in Jiang Yu’s bowl and naggingly initiating her matchmaking mode. “You’ll be twenty-five after the New Year. A couple of days ago, Aunt Zhang next door mentioned a nice young man who works as a teacher in the county seat...”
“Mom,” Jiang Yu said softly, keeping her head down. “I don’t want to talk about this now. Work is busy.”
“Busy, busy, busy! All you know is busy!” Eldest Uncles Wife put down her chopsticks, her tone laced with disappointment. “How much money can you actually earn selling cars? You leave early and come back late every day, and you still have to watch people’s faces. Look at your hands, how red and chapped they are!”
When her work was mentioned, Jiang Yu’s head drooped even lower. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lip hard, refusing to let them fall.
Jiang Chen picked up his wine glass and clinked it with his uncle’s, asking casually, “Sister, are you working at the 4S dealership in the county seat now?”
“Isn’t that right?” Eldest Uncles Wife sighed. “She says she sells luxury cars, but it’s really just a job serving people. That boss isn’t a good person either; he won’t even give her time off during the New Year. He insists that since all the big bosses are back in their hometowns, it’s the peak season for buying cars, so he forces people to work overtime.”
“Mom, stop talking about it,” Jiang Feng slammed his chopsticks down on the table, his face ashen. “That’s not overtime! That’s...”
“Xiao Feng!” Jiang Yu suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with terror as she stopped her younger brother.
The atmosphere at the table instantly turned cold.
Jiang Jianguo frowned and set down his wine glass. “What’s going on? Is there something you can’t say? The whole family is here; what’s with all the hesitation!”
Father Jiang also put down the wine glass in his hand, his smile fading. He stared at his nephew and asked, “Xiao Feng, if there’s something wrong, tell your Second Uncle. Our old jiang family has never been afraid of trouble.”
Jiang Feng was a straightforward person, boiling with suppressed anger and looking for an outlet. Seeing the elders speak up, he stiffened his neck and pointed at Jiang Yu, saying:
“Dad, Second Uncle! You don’t know! That so-called Manager Wang called Sister yesterday, demanding she go drink with a client! He said if she sells that one slow-moving inventory car, he’ll give her last year’s year-end bonus! That client is some fifty-something-year-old lecher who already made inappropriate advances toward Sister the last time he visited the dealership!”
“Clang—”
The ladle in Eldest Uncles Wife’s hand fell into the basin, splashing a few drops of oil.
Jiang Jianguo’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
Father Jiang was so angry he slammed his palm onto the table, making the bowls and chopsticks rattle loudly: “Outrageous! What kind of garbage company is that? Bullying people right up to the door of our old jiang family?!”
He was an old-fashioned man who valued reputation and integrity above all else. Hearing such a thing, he almost crushed the wine glass in his hand. Mother Jiang also looked heartbroken, quickly reaching out to hold Jiang Yu’s ice-cold hand, her eyes turning red: “Xiao Yu, how is that work? That’s clearly a fiery pit! We’re not doing it anymore!”
“Really?” Jiang Jianguo stared intently at his daughter, suppressing his rage.
Jiang Yu finally couldn't hold back. Tears fell like broken strings of pearls. She covered her face and nodded: “If I don’t go... then that ten thousand yuan year-end bonus is gone... plus the commission from these past few months... We still have to pay back the debt from building the house, and Xiao Feng still needs to do his internship next year...”
The room fell into a dead silence.
Only the occasional crackle from the stovepipe and the heavy breathing of the adults could be heard.
Su Qingge elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth. A cold glint flashed in her eyes, hidden behind her non-prescription glasses.
As a successful businesswoman, she understood these unspoken rules better than anyone and despised such tactics.
“We’re quitting!” Jiang Jianguo slammed the table again. “We don’t want this money! You go resign tomorrow! Even if our old jiang family is poor, our backs must remain straight! I don’t believe we can’t survive without that lousy shop!”
“Dad...” Jiang Yu cried harder. “But if I don’t go, they say they’ll deduct my deposit, and they’ll claim I breached the contract... it’s written in the contract...”
“Contract?” Su Qingge suddenly spoke up.
Her voice wasn't loud, clear and cold like an icy spring, instantly quieting the noisy room.
“The Labor Contract Law stipulates that employers cannot withhold employee documents or property in any form as a deposit. The setting of liquidated damages is also strictly limited,” Su Qingge looked at Jiang Yu, her tone professional and firm. “As for forcing you to entertain clients by drinking, that already constitutes sexual harassment and forced transaction. If you are willing, I can have the company’s legal team take over and sue them into bankruptcy.”
These words were too professional, and her presence was too powerful; the Jiang Jianguo family members were stunned into silence.
Legal team? Sue them into bankruptcy?
This sounded like something out of a TV drama.
Jiang Chen gently patted Su Qingge’s hand under the table, signaling her to remain calm.
For rural people, lawsuits were something distant and terrifying. Moreover, a far-off solution wouldn't solve the immediate problem.
“Sister,” Jiang Chen poured himself a glass of wine, his tone as calm as if he were chatting about daily life. “Did Manager Wang call you again just now?”
Jiang Yu choked back a sob and nodded: “He... he said that client is already waiting at the ‘Golden Coast’ KTV in the county seat. If I don’t get there within half an hour, I don’t need to show up tomorrow, and I shouldn’t even think about getting the money.”
“What car?” Jiang Chen suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.
“Huh?” Jiang Yu was startled for a moment.
“I mean, what car does that client want to buy? The one Manager Wang is forcing you to sell.”
“It’s... it’s a top-trim BMW X5,” Jiang Yu answered instinctively. “Because it has too many impractical configurations added, the price is inflated, and it’s been stuck in the warehouse, unable to sell.”
“How much is it?”
“It’s about 1.1 million yuan after tax and fees.”
Jiang Chen nodded and downed the entire glass of wine.
The spicy liquor slid down his throat, igniting a fire in his stomach and sparking a certain resolve.
1.1 million yuan—for him now, it was just a number.
But he didn't just want to simply throw money at his sister. Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish; more importantly, he needed to help his sister clear this insult.
“What’s the commission on a 1.1 million yuan car?” Jiang Chen continued to ask.
“The commission per car is three percent... about thirty thousand plus,” although Jiang Yu didn't understand why her cousin was asking this, she answered honestly. “Because it’s an inventory car, there’s an extra bonus of twenty thousand.”
“So, if you sell this one car, you can get over fifty thousand?”
“Mhm.”
Jiang Chen smiled. There was an inscrutable depth to that smile. He took out his phone and checked the time.
“Perfect timing. I’ve been thinking of buying a commuter vehicle in the county seat these past few days. This big car is too much trouble to drive, and it can’t fit into the small alleys in the county town.” Jiang Chen casually made up a reason, then looked at Jiang Yu. “Sister, I’ll take this car.”
The room fell silent again.
Jiang Jianguo’s eyes widened: “Xiao Chen, don’t fool around! That’s a BMW! Over a million! Didn’t you just give away all that money?”
In his view, although his nephew was rich, the display of wealth at the village entrance earlier must have cost him a fortune. Buying a 'commuter vehicle' for over a million seemed incredibly wasteful.
Father Jiang also grew anxious: “Xiao Chen, that money was for you, not for you to squander like this! It’s not worth it just to save face!”
“Dad, Uncle, it’s fine, I know what I’m doing,” Jiang Chen didn’t explain further, just shook his phone, confidence radiating from his eyes. “Sister, give me your payment QR code, or the company’s official account number. I’ll transfer the money now.”
“Now?” Jiang Yu was stunned. “But... don’t we need to sign a contract? And see the car?”
“We’re family, what’s there to see?” Jiang Chen’s tone was casual. “Give me Manager Wang’s phone number. Since I’m buying the car, I’m a client. He has to listen to a client, right?”
Jiang Yu fumbled and found the number, handing it to Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen took the phone but didn't dial immediately. Instead, he looked at Lin Wan, who had been sitting beside him without speaking.
“Sister Wan,” Jiang Chen fiddled with the phone. “If I recall correctly, didn’t you mention before that you wanted to switch to an SUV?”
Lin Wan was momentarily surprised, then immediately understood Jiang Chen’s meaning. She smiled gently and cooperated by nodding. “Yes, my current car is a bit small; it’s not very convenient.”
“Then let’s buy two,” Jiang Chen said lightly, as if discussing buying two cabbages. “Sister Wan and I will each take one. Sister, do you have two of those cars in stock?”
“Huh?” Jiang Yu’s brain completely short-circuited.
“It’s okay if you don’t have them. Other models will do too,” Jiang Chen’s long fingers slid across the screen, and he dialed the number, putting it on speakerphone.
Ring... Ring...
The call was answered quickly.
A greasy and impatient male voice came through: “Jiang Yu! Where the hell are you? Mr. Li has been waiting anxiously! I’m telling you, if you don’t get here within ten minutes, pack your bags and get out!”
Jiang Chen leaned toward the phone, a cold curve on his lips, but his eyes were bone-chillingly icy.
“Are you Manager Wang?”
The voice on the other end paused: “Who are you? Where is Jiang Yu? Let her answer the phone!”
“I am Jiang Yu’s client,” Jiang Chen’s voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable sense of pressure. “I want to buy a car. I want two of those X5s. Brand new, paid in full. I need to pick them up right now.”
57: Chapter 57 Dignity Built with Money
Manager Wang on the other end of the line was clearly stunned by this sudden 'boldness'.
After about a three-second vacuum period, a cold laugh suppressing anger came through: "Two X5s? Full payment? Aren't you afraid of getting tongue-tied from boasting! You must be a shill Jiang Yu hired, right? I'm telling you, stop playing these games with me! Hurry up and make Jiang Yu come over to drink with us, or else..."
"Two million two hundred thousand," Jiang Chen interrupted his roar, his tone as calm as if he were reciting a menu. "Give me the account number, and it will be in the account within five minutes. If it doesn't arrive, I lose this deal. If it does arrive..."
Jiang Chen paused, his eyes suddenly turning cold, his voice like shards of ice: "If the money arrives, you must apologize to my sister. Also, get that so-called Manager Li out of here. I don't like seeing dirty things when I buy a car."
"You..." Manager Wang was choked speechless.
He had been in this business for so many years; he had seen people put on airs, but never someone who put on airs like this.
But this was over two million yuan. What if it was real? Some second-generation rich kids really did have strange tempers these days.
"Fine! You've got guts!" Manager Wang reported the company's public account number through gritted teeth. "I'll watch the finance department right now. If I don't see the money, I'll kill you!"
The call ended.
Jiang Chen opened his mobile banking app without the slightest hesitation.
His fingers danced quickly across the screen, the operation interface completely visible under everyone's gaze.
Su Qingge calmly sipped her tea; this amount of money was nothing to her. Chen Man whistled excitedly, her eyes full of anticipation for the show. Only Lin Wan looked at Jiang Chen with some worry, hesitating to speak.
"Xiao Chen..." Jiang Yu anxiously rubbed her hands nearby. "Don't be impulsive! That's over two million! It's not worth it just to save face! I can just quit!"
Mother Jiang beside her couldn't help but clutch the corner of her clothes. She wanted to persuade him but was too stunned by the scene to open her mouth, so she looked toward her husband. Father Jiang, however, tightly pursed his lips, staring at his son with a complex expression, filled with both worry and a faint hint of expectation.
"It's transferred."
Jiang Chen put down his phone. The screen displayed the dazzling green checkmark and the words 'Transaction Successful'.
Simultaneously, the familiar electronic voice sounded in Jiang Chen's mind:
[Ding! Detected that the Host has completed a 'Family Care' consumption task.]
[Consumption Amount: 2,200,000 Yuan.]
[Triggering random cashback multiplier...]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a 10x cashback!]
[Cashback Amount: 22,000,000 Yuan, credited.]
Twenty-two million.
The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth curved slightly upward.
This time, not only did he not spend any money, but he actually made a net profit of nineteen million eight hundred thousand.
This was the simple and unadorned, yet tedious, nature of the Divine Tycoon System.
The room was terrifyingly quiet.
Jiang Jianguo's hand, holding chopsticks, froze in mid-air, his eyes locked onto Jiang Chen's phone screen.
Father Jiang, sitting next to him, felt his heart skip a beat, then his chest heaved violently, a flush of disbelief rising on his dark face. Although he knew his son had struck it rich, watching over two million yuan flow out like water was an impact that could practically blow the top of his skull off.
In less than two minutes.
Jiang Yu's phone vibrated madly.
She shakily picked up the phone. Before she could even speak, Manager Wang's voice, which had undergone a transformation comparable to a Sichuan Opera face-change, came through.
The voice was so obsequious it seemed capable of dripping oil, and even through the screen, one could smell the subservience. "Oh! Xiao Yu! No, no, no, Manager Jiang! A misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!" Manager Wang's voice was so excited it was slightly cracking. "Finance confirmed it! Two million two hundred thousand! Full payment arrived instantly! Your client is truly lightning fast! Who... who is this great master? Why didn't you tell me sooner that you had this kind of resource?"
Jiang Yu held the phone, completely bewildered, as if standing on clouds—soft, unreal.
"Then... that Manager Li..." Jiang Yu subconsciously glanced at Jiang Chen.
"What Manager Li? Tell him to get lost!" Manager Wang roared righteously. "Dare to harass our top salesperson? I think he doesn't want to stay in this county anymore! I'll have someone throw him out right now! Manager Jiang, tell me... when can you bring the client to pick up the car? I'll personally wash the car for you! I'll roll out a red carpet for you!"
Jiang Chen reached out and took the phone, turning on the speaker.
"Manager Wang, is that right?"
"Yes! Sir! You speak! I am Xiao Wang!" The attitude on the other end changed faster than a dog's.
"Apologize," Jiang Chen said only two words.
"I'm sorry! I am truly sorry!" Manager Wang was probably bowing wildly on the other end. "It was my fault for not recognizing Mount Tai! I was blinded by greed! I shouldn't have forced Manager Jiang to drink! I shouldn't have said those wicked things! Please, being magnanimous, just let it go like a fart!"
"Also..." Jiang Chen looked at his uncle's family, who were still in shock, and then at his parents, whose faces were filled with pride. "The commission and bonus must be paid to her in full. If a single cent is missing, I will return the cars."
"No problem! Absolutely no problem! I'll give double! No, triple!" Manager Wang patted his chest and guaranteed, "This is a Super VIP order for our dealership; the commission must be calculated at the highest rate!"
The call ended.
The room was still quiet, but the oppressive low pressure had dissipated, replaced by extreme shock and wild joy.
"Did he... did he really buy them?" Jiang Feng's mouth hung open, looking at his cousin who was only two years older than him, his eyes full of starry adoration. "Bro, you are amazing! Two BMW X5s! That's my dream car!"
Jiang Jianguo took a deep breath and picked up his wine glass. His hand trembled slightly, but this time it was from excitement.
"Good! Well done!" Jiang Jianguo downed his drink, the spiciness almost bringing tears to his eyes. "This is the blood of our old jiang family! This money was spent well! This slap in the face was resounding!"
Father Jiang finally recovered, his back straighter than before. He forcefully clapped Jiang Jianguo on the shoulder and laughed heartily, "Big Brother, I told you Xiao Chen has a good head on his shoulders! He handled this beautifully!"
Mother Jiang held Jiang Yu's hand, her eyes red, but with happiness. "This is great; she won't have to endure that humiliating treatment anymore."
Jiang Yu was still caught in the massive shock, and tears streamed down her face again, but this time they were tears of joy. She looked at Jiang Chen, her lips moving, and after countless words, they finally coalesced into one sentence: "Xiao Chen... thank you."
"We're family, why be so polite?"
Jiang Chen smiled and refilled the glasses for his uncle and father.
Su Qingge, who had remained silent, now had a faint smile playing on her lips.
She watched this man spend money like dirt in conversation, not just to show off, but to defend his family's dignity.
That tenderness within his domineering nature gently plucked a string in her heart.
This young man was quite charming.
"However..." Chen Man suddenly interjected, breaking the sentimental atmosphere.
She shook her wine glass, looking at Jiang Chen with a half-smile. "Little brother, aren't you being too biased? You bought one for Sister Wan, I want one too. I also want to trade up to an SUV. I hear the vibration from that car is quite nice, right?"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Jiang Feng, who was drinking, immediately spat out his drink and coughed violently.
Jiang Chen helplessly touched his forehead.
This enchantress dared to utter such suggestive words.
"Buy it," Jiang Chen quickly shut her mouth, stuffing a chicken leg into her bowl. "We'll have them all. We'll get one each later and form a motorcade."
58: Chapter 58 Money Gone Down the Drain?
The heat inside mingled with the aroma of alcohol, making faces flush.
Although Jiang Chen's piece of chicken leg temporarily silenced Chen Man, this sprite clearly had no intention of letting things rest there.
She gently kicked Jiang Chen's calf under the table, her peach blossom eyes curving into crescents, as if saying: "This isn't over."
Jiang Chen ate his food without changing his expression, pretending not to notice.
But this brief peace did not last long.
Jiang Jianguo, seated at the head, his initial burst of bravado fading, slowly knitted his brows again. He placed the unfinished Moutai in his hand onto the table with a crisp 'thud.'
This sound shattered half the joy in the room.
"Xiao Chen," Jiang Jianguo pulled out a Zhonghua cigarette but didn't light it, instead rubbing it back and forth between his fingers. His tone became exceptionally grave, "Uncle is happy, but my heart isn't steady. This is over two million yuan, not two hundred yuan."
Jiang Chen put down his chopsticks and assumed an attentive posture: "Uncle, please speak."
"Did you pay this money too quickly?" Although Jiang Jianguo had never traveled far in his life, he watched a lot of news. "I heard people say there are tons of telecom scams nowadays. Especially those where you don't see the person or the goods, just directly transferring money—nine times out of ten, it's a scammer."
As soon as these words were spoken, Father Jiang's previously cheerful face also changed.
That specific fear unique to rural people—the fear of a "huge sum being washed down the drain"—instantly took over.
"Big Brother is right!" Mother Jiang was so frightened her chopsticks almost slipped. She grabbed Jiang Chen's sleeve with a terrifyingly strong grip. "Son, we haven't even seen the tires yet! That's over two million yuan! It could buy several apartments in the county seat! You just tapped a few times on your phone, and the money is gone?"
Jiang Chen was about to explain, but Mother Jiang's voice was already laced with tears: "No, no, this is too scary. Xiao Chen, why don't we call the police? While it's still fresh, ask the police to trace the money back! Even if we don't buy this car, we can't let the money get scammed away!"
The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted from a "Lavish Feast" to "Legal Online."
Even Jiang Feng, who had been excited moments ago, was now scared stiff. He held the half-eaten pig's trotter, unsure whether to eat it or put it down, his eyes constantly darting toward Jiang Chen.
"Mom, Uncle, it really isn't a scam," Jiang Chen sighed helplessly, trying to soothe the startled nerves of the elders. "That's the corporate account of a legitimate 4S dealership; it won't run away."
"What legitimate or not!" Jiang Jianguo was now being stubborn. He stopped rubbing the cigarette and pointed at the phone on the table. "That manager, one second he was fierce, the next he heard the money arrived and immediately turned into a lackey. That face-changing was too fast; I think it was an act! To trick people out of money, what can't those people act out? Xiao Chen, you are too young; you don't understand how treacherous people's hearts can be."
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, about to open her mouth to explain the security of corporate accounts using legal knowledge, but was lightly tugged under the table by Chen Man.
Chen Man winked at her, signaling that reasoning was useless at this moment; they needed to watch the show.
Just as the family was anxiously scurrying around like ants on a hot pan, desperate to rush to the police station, Jiang Yu's phone, placed by the table, suddenly rang.
It wasn't a phone call ringtone.
It was the WeChat message notification sound.
"Ding-dong!"
"Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"
The sound wasn't just loud; it was dense. It was as if someone on the other end was firing a machine gun on the send button, connecting into a continuous stream. The vibration of the desktop even caused ripples in the soup in the bowls.
Everyone's gaze was drawn over.
Jiang Yu was startled by the commotion and hastily picked up her phone.
"Is it that guy surnamed Wang again?" Jiang Jianguo stared warily at his daughter's phone, looking as if a tiger might jump out of it. "What does he want now? Does he need more money?"
Jiang Yu didn't speak, her fingers trembling slightly as she swiped the screen open.
What met her eyes was a screen full of messages from Manager Wang.
There was no verbal abuse, no threats or intimidation.
It was all pictures and videos.
"This..." Jiang Yu tapped open the first picture, her pupils dilating slightly.
It was the full payment invoice issued by the finance department, stamped with a bright red official seal. Every single page was photographed clearly, and even every number was specifically zoomed in for a close-up, as if afraid the other side couldn't see clearly.
Immediately following was a video.
The background of the video was the 4S dealership showroom, brightly lit.
Manager Wang, who had been roaring on the phone just moments ago, was now sweating profusely, directing seven or eight salespeople surrounding a black BMW X5.
Some were wiping the wheel rims, some were laying down a red carpet, and some were even tying a huge red silk flower onto the hood.
Manager Wang, while directing, was bowing and scraping toward the camera, squeezing out the most brilliant smile of his life onto his greasy face.
"Manager Jiang! How is the car washing? I specifically had someone use the best imported car wax! Our entire store won't close tonight; we are waiting for your esteemed presence at any moment!"
In the video, Manager Wang even slapped himself hard across the face, the crisp sound like a firecracker going off.
"I was speaking nonsense just now! Manager Jiang, please don't take it to heart! Your younger brother is practically the God of Wealth descended to earth. I will worship this car; I won't let anyone touch it!"
59: Chapter 59 Our Jiang family doesn't cause trouble, but we're definitely not afraid of trouble either.
Father Jiang nodded repeatedly. That thought about begrudging the money from earlier had long since flown out the window. His back was straighter than before: "That's right! My son's business now definitely deserves the best cars! Not just two, he can afford ten!"
The previously tense atmosphere was smoothed over by Lin Wan's few words, and even elevated quite a bit.
Jiang Chen turned his head to look at Lin Wan.
Lin Wan was raising her teacup to drink water. Sensing Jiang Chen's gaze, she slightly turned her head and playfully winked. Her look seemed to say: "How was that? Sister's assist wasn't bad, right?"
Jiang Chen felt a warmth in his heart.
This woman, truly worthy of being born into a wealthy family, understood exactly how to handle the elders' feelings. She not only saved his face but also soothed the elders' emotions, leaving no room for criticism.
"Come! Eat, eat!" Jiang Jianguo was in high spirits. He picked up his wine glass again, "Now I can rest easy! That bastard manager will have to beg our little Yu in the future!"
Laughter and joy filled the room once more.
But in this harmonious atmosphere, someone always wanted to stir up trouble.
Chen Man watched Lin Wan play the virtuous wife, and jealousy churned inside her.
Although she wasn't as eloquent as Lin Wan, she had her own tricks.
"Oh my, the older sisters all have new cars now."
Chen Man suddenly let out a delicate, coquettish sound and leaned softly against Jiang Chen. That unique perfume scent instantly drifted into Jiang Chen's nose.
She pouted her bright red lips and, in front of the whole family, directly extended her hands with delicate manicures and fiercely pinched the inner side of Jiang Chen's thigh under the table.
That pinch was quite substantial.
Jiang Chen almost couldn't keep his expression steady, his mouth twitching slightly.
"Little brother, then what are you planning to give me?" Chen Man blinked her big eyes, her voice so enchanting it could squeeze out water, "You just said you were going to form a motorcade. I want one too, and I want a Flame Red one. If I don't get one, I'll throw a tantrum tonight!"
"Pfft—"
Jiang Feng, who was burying his head in a pig's trotter, unfortunately, got splashed again.
This time, he sprayed farther, directly onto the hand of the Eldest Uncles Wife, who was preparing to pick up food across from him.
This future sister-in-law... is too fierce, right?
The air in the room seemed to freeze for a second.
The Eldest Uncles Wife calmly wiped her hand with a tissue, her eyes darting between Chen Man and Jiang Chen, the smile on her face deepening. Although the old lady had never seen such a scene, looking at the way the girl was acting spoiled toward her nephew, she knew exactly what was going on.
This wasn't acting spoiled; this was a declaration of ownership.
Jiang Chen endured the sharp pain in his thigh, but his expression remained calm. He reached out, picked up a piece of braised pork, and precisely stuffed it into Chen Man's incessantly chattering little mouth.
"Eat meat," Jiang Chen said plainly, but there was a hint of warning and doting in his eyes, "You won't miss out. Forget red, I'll buy you a rainbow-colored one."
"Mmm..." Chen Man mumbled indistinctly while holding the braised pork, but the triumph in her eyes could not be hidden at all.
Her outburst, while seemingly born of jealousy, actually solidified the concept of how wealthy Jiang Chen truly was in the minds of the relatives once more.
Even agreeing so readily to a casual request for a car meant that over two million yuan was truly just pocket change to Jiang Chen.
Jiang Feng stopped gnawing on his pig's trotter now, looking at the room full of gods fighting, feeling like his twenty years had been lived in vain.
"Brother," Jiang Feng leaned over, lowering his voice, his face full of admiration, "I'll follow you from now on. This isn't forming a motorcade; this is building a galaxy battleship."
Jiang Chen patted his head: "Focus on your studies first."
At this moment, Su Qingge, who had been silent beside them, put down her chopsticks.
She elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth, her gaze passing over everyone, landing on Jiang Yu, who was still caught up in intense emotion.
"Jiang Yu," Su Qingge's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a natural air of superiority that made people instinctively want to listen to her.
Jiang Yu quickly sat up straight, like an elementary school student awaiting instruction: "Ms... Ms. Su, please speak."
"Since the money is settled and the anger has been vented, the next step is to consider how to wrap things up," Su Qingge pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, a hint of shrewdness flashing behind the lenses, "Although Manager Wang has backed down now, people like him have dog faces; he might hold a grudge and make things difficult for you later. You really don't need to keep that job."
"Yes, I won't do it!" Jiang Yu nodded vigorously, her eyes firm, "I'll go resign tomorrow."
"Resigning is necessary, but you need to do it with grace," Su Qingge's lips curved into a faint smile, "When you go to handle the paperwork tomorrow, don't take the bus, and don't take a taxi. Drive that newly acquired X5 there directly."
Jiang Yu was stunned for a moment: "Ah? Drive that car there?"
"Yes," Su Qingge's tone was calm, yet carried a commanding dominance, "Not only drive it there, but park it in the most conspicuous spot right in front of the shop. After going in, don't argue with him, and don't cause a scene. Just slam the resignation letter on his desk, take the money that belongs to you, and leave."
"This is called dimensional reduction strike," Su Qingge looked at Jiang Yu, a hint of encouragement in her eyes, "You need to let them know that you aren't leaving because you can't make it, but because this shabby temple is too small to house a great Buddha like you. If you're going to leave, you must take back your dignity, and you must do it beautifully."
These words made Jiang Yu's blood boil with excitement.
She had suffered too many grievances in that shop, always being timid and afraid to offend anyone. She had never imagined that one day she could proudly dismiss her boss, just like the female protagonists in TV dramas.
"I understand!" Jiang Yu took a deep breath, her eyes slightly reddening, "Thank you, Sister Su, for teaching me!"
At that moment, the phone that had been silent vibrated again.
It was a text message notification for a bank card deposit.
Jiang Yu picked up her phone to look, and tears immediately streamed down her face.
"What's wrong?" The Eldest Uncles Wife was startled.
"Mom... the money is here," Jiang Yu held up her phone, her hand shaking violently, "The commission, and last year's year-end bonus, it's all here. That Manager Wang... even transferred an extra ten thousand, saying it was for emotional distress."
Looking at the long string of numbers, Jiang Yu could no longer control herself.
The grievances of the past year, the fright of the previous night, and the overwhelming surprise from just now—all the emotions burst forth at this moment.
She didn't want to cry, but the tears wouldn't stop.
"Alright, what are you crying for?" Jiang Chen stood up, picked up the wine bottle, and filled Jiang Yu's glass completely. "Sister, today is a happy day. If anyone dares to upset you again in the future, just call me. Remember, our old jiang family doesn't look for trouble, but we are certainly not afraid of it."
Jiang Yu looked at the younger brother standing before her.
The little kid who used to follow behind her asking for candy had now become a great tree capable of sheltering the family from wind and rain.
She haphazardly wiped the tears from her face and raised a full glass of white liquor.
60: Chapter 60 Two "Red Bricks" to Gag Him
Saying that, she tilted her head back and downed the pungent liquid in one go.
"Good!" Jiang Jianguo roared, his eyes also turning red. "Now that's our old jiang family's daughter! She has spirit!"
The wine glass fell, making a crisp sound.
Jiang Yu coughed violently, her face turning crimson, but the timidity that used to be in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a light called 'confidence'.
Dignity, sometimes, truly is quite expensive.
But as long as one can afford it, not a single bit of it should be spared.
Jiang Chen watched this scene with a smile, and even the cold system prompt in his mind seemed to sound pleasant.
This money was well spent.
"Come on, come on, keep drinking!" Father Jiang was beaming with joy, beckoning everyone. "Nobody leaves today, we'll drink until we drop!"
Under the table, Chen Man's restless foot kept brushing against Jiang Chen's calf, as if getting an electric shock.
Jiang Chen remained expressionless. Holding his wine glass with his left hand, he used his right hand, concealed by the tablecloth, to grab her ankle that was causing trouble, squeezing it slightly with a bit of force.
"Hiss—-" Chen Man shivered, but a mischievous, triumphant smile curled at the corner of her mouth. She winked flirtatiously at Jiang Chen and silently mouthed the words: "Bad boy."
All of this was seen by Su Qingge, who was sitting diagonally opposite.
She pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose; the lenses reflected a cold light, and the corner of her mouth pulled into a meaningful curve.
After three rounds of drinks and five courses of food.
Eldest Uncles Wife's face, which had been smiling like a chrysanthemum just moments ago, suddenly fell. She let out a long sigh.
"Sigh, speaking of which, Little Chen really is capable," Eldest Uncles Wife threw the melon seed shells onto the table, but her eyes kept darting toward Jiang Chen. "Not like my Feng, who is about to go intern in the provincial capital. That's the provincial capital, a place where every inch of land is worth gold. Once he goes, rent, utilities, food—which one doesn't cost money?"
Jiang Feng, who was gnawing on a pig's trotter, froze when he heard this and quietly buried his head in his bowl.
"Mom, I can earn it myself..." Jiang Feng mumbled softly.
"Earn my foot!" Eldest Uncles Wife glared, raising her voice by an octave. "How much is an intern's salary enough for? It won't even fill your stomach with the cold wind! Besides, our house is only half-built, and we're drowning in debt. Where would we have money for you to squander in the provincial capital?"
As she spoke, Eldest Uncles Wife turned her head, looking at Jiang Chen with an expression of loving kindness. Her gaze was so eager it could melt a person: "Little Chen, you are the elder brother, and now you've made it big. Can you... lend a little help? Even if it's a loan, just enough for your younger brother to have a place to stay in the provincial capital."
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room instantly turned cold.
Father Jiang held his cigarette, unsure whether to smoke it or not, his face turning bright red. They were all family, and asking for money right after finishing a meal was indeed a bit much. But Eldest Sister-in-law's words had some justification; an elder brother taking care of a younger cousin seemed acceptable.
Mother Jiang nervously rubbed her hands, just about to interject to smooth things over: "Um, Sister-in-law, Little Chen he..."
"No problem."
Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, interrupting his mother. He put down his chopsticks, the movement casual, as if he had just agreed to something trivial.
Eldest Uncles Wife's eyes instantly lit up like a light bulb that had been switched on. "Oh my! I knew Little Chen was the most loyal! That... how much can I borrow, roughly?"
Jiang Chen didn't speak, but turned to look at Chen Man: "Sister Man, would you trouble yourself to go get that black bag from the car?"
"Sure thing, whatever the little brother says is an imperial decree." Chen Man stood up cheerfully, the sway of her hips making Jiang Feng blush and his heart race.
In less than two minutes, Chen Man returned carrying a heavy black sports bag. When she placed it on the table, it landed with a dull 'thud,' sounding substantial.
Everyone craned their necks.
Jiang Chen unzipped it and reached inside to rummage around.
Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he pulled out two bundles of pinkish items, just like pulling out bricks.
"Slap!"
The first bundle landed in front of Jiang Feng.
"Slap!"
The second bundle landed in front of Jiang Yu.
They were brand new hundred-yuan bills, the bank wrappers shining dazzling red under the light. One bundle was one hundred thousand; two bundles made two hundred thousand.
This visual impact was simpler and more brutal than the vague mobile phone transfer records from before, striking directly at the soul.
The room instantly fell silent; even Eldest Uncles Wife's sound of cracking melon seeds disappeared.
"This..." Eldest Uncles Wife looked at the two 'red bricks,' letting out a strange sound from her throat, like an old duck whose neck was being squeezed. "Little Chen, what... what is the meaning of this?"
"New Year's money," Jiang Chen leaned back in his chair, his tone as flat as if he were commenting on the nice weather. "Little Feng is going to intern in the provincial capital; he can't go without money. Take this one hundred thousand to rent a decent place; don't let yourself suffer. If the money isn't enough, tell me again."
He then pointed to the bundle in front of Jiang Yu: "Sister, this one hundred thousand is a down payment for your dowry next year. Buying the car just now was business; this is personal. Take it to buy some nice clothes so you can outshine all those snobs during future blind dates."
Jiang Feng looked at the thick stack of money in front of him, his hands trembling; he didn't dare reach out to take it. "Brother... this is too much! I can't accept it!"
"Take it if I give it to you." Jiang Chen frowned, his tone hardening slightly. "When a young man goes out into the world, how can he stand tall without money in his pocket? Take it!"
This sharp rebuke carried an unquestionable authority.
Jiang Feng was stunned into silence. His eyes turned red, and he nodded heavily. "Thank you, Brother! My life belongs to you from now on!"
Eldest Uncles Wife was completely dumbfounded now.
She had prepared a whole stomach full of sob stories—tales of 'the pot being empty' and 'creditors at the door'—but all of them were stuffed back into her belly by these two 'red bricks,' leaving her speechless.
Borrow money? What money to borrow? The person was giving it directly! And giving two hundred thousand at once!
Eldest Uncles Wife looked at Jiang Chen, and her gaze was no longer that of a niece looking at her nephew, but rather looking at a living Bodhisattva, at the God of Wealth.
Her hands trembled as she reached toward the bundle of money, wanting to touch it but not daring to. Finally, she could only nervously rub her trouser legs.
"Little Chen ah... this... this is too extravagant..." Eldest Uncles Wife's face was covered in fawning smiles, her wrinkles deep enough to trap a mosquito. "Since this is your kind gesture for your younger siblings, I will accept it on their behalf. Oh my, our old jiang family has truly produced a real dragon!"
61: Chapter 61 The Daughter-in-Law Showdown
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang sat on the side, watching this scene, feeling immensely satisfied.
This was true vindication!
What is prestige? This is prestige!
The cigarette ash in Jiang Jianguo's hand fell onto his trousers, but he didn't bother to brush it off. He just took a deep breath, looking at Jiang Chen with an expression full of complexity and awe.
He truly couldn't figure this nephew out anymore.
This move of 'Golden Bricks to Seal the Mouth' was played too beautifully. It saved face, shut people up, and built up goodwill all at once.
"Alright, no one stand around stunned anymore." Jiang Chen smiled, picked up his wine glass, "Come, let's toast to the old jiang family having a better and better future! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The sound of the clinking glasses this time was exceptionally loud, as if it were going to lift the roof off.
The meal was finished, but the show had only just begun.
Mother Jiang looked at the messy table and had just stood up to start clearing the dishes when a slender, fair hand reached over and snatched the rag from her hand.
"Auntie, you rest, I'll do it."
Lin Wan had rolled up her sleeves at some point, revealing a section of an arm as smooth as jade.
Although her cream-colored wool sweater looked expensive, she didn't seem to care at all. She started stacking plates with nimble movements.
"Oh my! You absolutely cannot do that!" Mother Jiang was startled and quickly tried to stop her. "You are a guest, how can I let a guest work? It's all greasy, what if you stain your nice clothes? Quick, put it down, put it down!"
"Mom." The way Lin Wan said 'Mom' was extremely natural, soft and sweet, making Mother Jiang's bones feel weak. "I am the junior; it is only right for me to do some work. I often do chores at home; I'm not that delicate."
Although this 'Mom' was called following Jiang Chen, in this context, it sounded exactly like a daughter-in-law addressing her mother-in-law.
Mother Jiang paused for a moment, and the smile on her face instantly bloomed. She loosened her restraining hand: "Well... well, you still can't do it all alone. This child, why is she so sensible?"
Lin Wan smiled and said no more, carrying a stack of plates into the kitchen. Her retreating figure was gentle and virtuous, exuding a quality of being perfectly suited for a home.
Mother Jiang looked at her back, so satisfied that it was almost overflowing. She was beautiful, rich, and most importantly, completely unpretentious and capable of housework! This was the standard for a perfect daughter-in-law!
The Eldest Uncles Wife nearby saw this, her eyes darted around, and she also wanted to go over and show some warmth: "Oh my, this girl is truly skillful. I'll go help out too..."
As soon as she moved, Chen Man cheerfully blocked her path with a smile.
"Eldest Uncles Wife, the kitchen is so crowded, you shouldn't go join the excitement." Chen Man pulled out two exquisite gift boxes from the bag behind her that seemed to hold Doraemon's pocket, and thrust them into the Eldest Uncles Wife's arms without giving her a chance to refuse.
"What is this?" The Eldest Uncles Wife was stunned by this sudden action.
"These are good things." Chen Man blinked her peach blossom eyes, looking mysterious. "This is top-tier skincare I brought back from abroad, specifically for removing wrinkles and firming the skin. Look at your naturally good complexion; if you use this, I guarantee you'll look ten years younger. People outside will think you're Sister Xiao Yu!"
No woman could refuse the temptation of 'looking ten years younger,' not even a fifty-year-old Eldest Uncles Wife.
The Eldest Uncles Wife looked at the golden box in her hands. Although she didn't recognize a single word of the foreign language on it, the aura of luxury was undeniable. She was so happy her mouth couldn't close: "Oh my, this... this is too precious! This is too expensive, isn't it?"
"Precious? Nonsense, we are family." Chen Man took the opportunity to link arms with the Eldest Uncles Wife, acting as close as lifelong best friends. "And this set is for Xiao Yu. This lipstick is this year's limited edition color; it absolutely brightens the complexion when worn—the surefire color for winning at blind dates!"
Jiang Yu took the makeup set, her eyes shining. She had seen this brand in fashion magazines; one lipstick cost several hundred, so how much was this whole set worth!
"Thank you, Sister Man!" Jiang Yu was so excited her face turned red.
With this set of 'sugar-coated bullets,' Chen Man instantly boosted the favorability rating of the Eldest Uncles Wife and Jiang Yu to maximum level. The Eldest Uncles Wife held Chen Man's hand and wouldn't let go, calling her 'daughter' repeatedly, wishing she could become sworn relatives on the spot.
In the kitchen, Lin Wan was conquering the mother-in-law; in the living room, Chen Man was winning over the relatives.
The combat power of this 'harem' was simply off the charts.
Meanwhile, on the other side, although the battle wasn't as lively, it was much more high-end.
Beside the square table in the main hall, Jiang Jianguo was holding a teacup, listening to Su Qingge speak with a serious expression.
Su Qingge hadn't gone to the kitchen or given gifts. She gracefully crossed her legs, holding an unlit Zhonghua cigarette, her tone calm and professional.
"Eldest Uncle, regarding the road construction matter Jiang Chen brought up just now, I think we need to deliberate further." Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, the decisive aura she possessed at the negotiating table naturally flowing out. "Just throwing money isn't enough. Rural road construction involves land acquisition, compensation for standing crops, and the immediate interests of every household. If there isn't a strong Village Committee leadership to spearhead it, the money invested will be wasted. In the end, the road won't be built, and we'll end up taking all the blame."
Jiang Jianguo kept nodding as he listened; the look of contempt in his eyes had long since vanished into thin air. He had served as an official before and naturally knew the intricacies involved. But someone who could analyze these problems so thoroughly and offer solutions—this young woman was definitely not ordinary.
"Then, according to President Su's suggestion..." Jiang Jianguo unconsciously began using respectful language, "What should be done about this matter?"
"It's very simple." Su Qingge tapped the tabletop lightly with her finger. "Establish a special foundation, led by you and Uncle Jiang, executed by the Village Committee, with funds disbursed in installments. The first batch of money will cover surveying and the compensation plan, which will be publicly announced to the entire village. Whichever household agrees and signs, the road will be built up to their doorstep. As for those holdouts..."
Su Qingge let out a cold laugh: "That's the Village Committee's headache, not ours to worry about. We are only responsible for funding; we are not responsible for cleaning up the mess."
Jiang Jianguo listened to these words with deep respect.
This is what vision is! This is professionalism!
"Brilliant! Truly brilliant!" Jiang Jianguo couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. "President Su, your level is more than enough to manage a large factory with thousands of people! It is Xiao Chen's fortune to have a... friend like you!"
Jiang Chen sat beside them, watching the three 'sisters' display their unique skills, feeling both proud and amused.
Lin Wan was pursuing the virtuous wife and good mother route; Chen Man was pursuing the socialite route; Su Qingge was pursuing the domineering CEO route.
This wasn't a battlefield; it was clearly a joint operation by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, completely dominating his entire family.
"Brother." Jiang Feng leaned close to Jiang Chen's ear, looking at the three women with adoration. "How on earth did you manage this? These three sisters-in-law... oh no, sisters—they are simply divine! Can you teach your little brother?"
Jiang Chen patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Talk less, earn more. When you have the power of cash, even gods will descend to earth."
The sky gradually darkened.
But the area outside the Jiang Family home was even livelier than during the day.
News travels faster than the speed of light in the countryside.
The news of Jiang Chen giving out money and buying cars had spread throughout the entire village like it had grown wings.
62: Chapter 62 Let's see how long you can hold out.
At this moment, a dense crowd had gathered on the snow-covered ground outside the Jiang Family home.
Some were there to see the legendary vehicle, described as 'as big as a house'; others wanted a glimpse of the suddenly wealthy young man from the Jiang Family; but most harbored complex feelings—hoping to catch some of the good luck, or simply out of envy.
"Oh my, is this that car? It's huge!"
"I heard the second son's boy from the Jiang Family struck it rich? He just threw money at people?"
"Isn't that right! I heard he gave the kids hundreds of yuan as red envelopes!"
The murmuring was noisy, filled with admiration, jealousy, and sour remarks delivered with a cynical edge.
Father Jiang listened to the commotion outside and grew restless. He had been honest his whole life in the village and had never been gawked at like a spectacle by so many people.
"This... what should we do?" Father Jiang rubbed his hands, looking uneasy. "There are so many people, shouldn't we go out and say hello?"
"Say hello to whom?" Jiang Chen stood up, adjusting his collar. "Dad, unpack those few cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes. Since they've come, let's meet them openly."
Just as he was about to walk out, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor suddenly came from behind him.
Click, click, click.
The three beauties stood up with practiced synchronicity, exchanged a glance, and then positioned themselves on his left, right, and slightly behind him, following Jiang Chen.
Su Qingge slipped on a black overcoat, its collar turned up, obscuring half her face and revealing only a pair of cold, stunning eyes; Lin Wan wrapped herself in a beige wool scarf, exuding grace amidst her gentleness; Chen Man simply and boldly tightened her red down jacket, resembling a ball of burning flame.
The door curtain was lifted.
A gust of cold wind, carrying the gaze of the crowd, rushed toward them.
When these three exceptionally beautiful women, each with a distinct style, stood side-by-side before the RV that resembled a steel behemoth, the previously noisy crowd seemed to have the mute button pressed, falling instantly silent.
They were too beautiful.
And too imposing.
Women like these, only ever seen on television or in magazines, standing alive before them—the visual impact was practically nuclear level. Even the most brazen village women at this moment bit their tongues in shame and shrank behind their husbands.
Jiang Chen stood in the middle, his left arm around Chen Man and his right arm linked with Su Qingge. Lin Wan stood quietly half a step behind him.
The scene didn't look like a rural setting; it looked more like a red carpet event.
"Uncles, aunties, and elder sisters," Jiang Chen began with a smile. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried far in the quiet, snowy night. "It's so cold out here—what are you all doing freezing? My dad didn't prepare much, so please take these cigarettes and disperse."
Father Jiang nervously stepped forward and distributed the opened boxes of Zhonghua cigarettes one by one.
Normally, someone would complain it wasn't enough or demand something else. But today, no one dared utter a sound.
The gap in social status was vividly displayed at this moment. Although the family was smiling and handing out cigarettes, the aloof sense of superiority, like an invisible wall, separated the Jiang Family and the villagers into two different worlds.
The crowd slowly dispersed.
Looking at the "black knight" shimmering with its breathing lights in the darkness, the villagers were left with only one thought: this old jiang family had truly soared to the heavens; from now on, they could only look up.
After seeing off the last group of onlookers, the night deepened completely.
Mother Jiang stood in the yard, looking at the three still radiant young women, a troubled expression on her face.
"Um... Xiao Chen ah..." Mother Jiang hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. "Where will you sleep tonight? Why don't I clear out the room I share with your father, and let these three girls squeeze in? Sleeping in the vehicle is still the vehicle, and it's so cold outside..."
Although they had seen the luxury inside the vehicle during the day, in the older generation's view, sleeping in a car was never ideal. Moreover, it wouldn't sound good if word got out about one man sharing quarters with three women.
Jiang Chen was about to speak, but Su Qingge preempted him.
"Auntie, there's no need to trouble yourself." Su Qingge pulled her coat tighter, a proper smile on her face, but her tone admitted no argument. "The vehicle has heating; it's warmer than inside the house. Besides, we are used to our own beds and can't sleep if the location changes. It's perfectly fine in the vehicle."
"Yes, Auntie," Chen Man chimed in, even yawning and stretching languidly. "I'm already sleepy. The bed in the vehicle is soft; I want to go to sleep early."
Although Lin Wan didn't speak, she also nodded with a smile, siding with Su Qingge.
Their stance was clear: they had endured for a whole day, and tonight they intended to sleep in the vehicle—and sleep with Jiang Chen.
Mother Jiang looked at the three girls who seemed determined to 'walk into the tiger's den,' then looked at her own son, and finally could only sigh helplessly: "Fine... alright then. You all... rest early. Are there enough blankets? Should I get more?"
"Enough, enough." Jiang Chen quickly ushered his mother toward the house. "Mom, hurry back inside, don't catch a chill. We're going to sleep too."
After finally sending the elderly couple back inside, Jiang Chen turned around and looked at the three women already lined up at the vehicle's entrance, his throat inexplicably dry.
"Um... shall we head up too?" Jiang Chen asked tentatively.
"Let's go up." Chen Man glanced at him with a half-smile. "Why are you spacing out? Do we need to invite you?"
Jiang Chen touched his nose and quickly walked over, opening the cabin door.
Warm air rushed out, carrying a pleasant fragrance that instantly dispelled the chill on his body.
The four entered the vehicle in order.
The cabin door slowly slid shut, locking with a 'click,' sealing out the cold wind, the snow-covered ground, and the complicated judgment of the outside world.
The interior lighting was soft, but the atmosphere instantly became ambiguous and thick.
Su Qingge took off her overcoat and tossed it casually onto the sofa. She walked in front of Jiang Chen, the cold fire in her stunning eyes now seeming to burn.
She extended her fingers, lightly hooking the collar of Jiang Chen's windbreaker, and then slowly, deliberately, undid the first button.
"President Jiang," Su Qingge's voice was low and husky, carrying a dangerous allure. "You made enough of a scene today, slapped enough faces, and played the good guy long enough."
She leaned close to Jiang Chen's ear, her warm breath spraying on his neck, raising a fine layer of goosebumps.
"Now, isn't it time to settle these accounts?"
Chen Man beside him chuckled lightly, kicked off her boots directly, and stepped onto the carpet barefoot, clinging to him like a siren.
"That's right, little brother. Weren't you very patient under the table just now? Now that no one else is here, let me see how much longer you can endure?"
Lin Wan, her face flushed, quietly went to draw all the blackout curtains tight.
In the confined space, the temperature was rapidly rising.
63: Chapter 63 Jiang Chen defeats three opponents in one battle; the Party Secretary comes to the door.
It was eight in the morning.
The roosters in Jiang Family Village had already crowed themselves hoarse, scratching for food in the snowdrifts.
But inside the massive "black knight" RV parked at the village entrance, the world presented a quietness and luxury of a different dimension.
On the lavish bed, the silk sheets were tangled into a messy knot.
Jiang Chen felt a slight stuffiness in his chest.
Chen Man was draped over him like an octopus, half her body hanging off him. Her seaweed-like, big, wavy curls were spread across the pillow, and a few strands had managed to worm their way into Jiang Chen's nostrils, making him incredibly itchy.
"Mmm... don't move..."
Sensing Jiang Chen's movement, Chen Man mumbled discontentedly. Not only did she not let go, but she burrowed her head deeper into the hollow of his neck. Her warm breath brushed against his skin, carrying a lazy grogginess and charming innocence from just waking up. "My back is going to break..."
This complaint, thick with nasal sound, sounded more like coquettish pouting.
A slight curve formed on the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth.
Last night, this little temptress had been the loudest one screaming. Now she knew how to complain about being tired. He reached out and gently patted her smooth back. The feel was exquisite, like stroking the finest mutton-fat jade.
"Wake up. If you sleep any longer, you'll miss lunch."
"Not getting up... It's cold outside.", Chen Man whined playfully, wrapping her limbs even tighter around him.
Just then, an enticing aroma of food drifted over.
Jiang Chen looked up.
In the living area at the front of the RV, Lin Wan was already awake.
She was wearing a cream-colored loungewear set, her long hair casually pinned up at the back of her head, revealing a stretch of her long, fair neck. She was standing by the compact yet fully equipped kitchen, gently flipping fried eggs in a frying pan with a spatula.
That gentle, wifely aura seemed to be overflowing from her very bones.
"Awake?" Lin Wan turned around. Seeing the 'one man clinging to one woman' scene on the bed, her face flushed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, her eyes full of doting affection. "Wait just a moment, the milk will be ready soon. I found a few Australian steaks in the fridge, so I fried them up for you both to regain some strength."
Regain strength.
Those four words were used with remarkable implication.
Chen Man let out an inarticulate, strange giggle from under the covers, finally deigning to open her peach-blossom eyes. She blew a kiss toward Lin Wan. "Sister Wan is the most caring. She knows I'm exhausted."
Meanwhile, on the leather sofa by the window, Su Qingge was sitting upright.
She wasn't lingering in bed like Chen Man, nor was she cooking like Lin Wan.
She was wearing a deep purple silk dressing gown, the belt cinched meticulously. Although the collar was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin, her face was adorned with gold-rimmed glasses, and she was holding a tablet computer, looking as focused as if she were ringing the opening bell on the NASDAQ.
If one ignored the setting, based on her demeanor alone, who would guess this was taking place in the snow of Jiang Family Village?
"When you're up, go wash up.", Su Qingge said without lifting her head, her slender fingers swiping across the screen. "Regarding yesterday's road construction matter, I checked the relevant policies and case studies. Also, looking at this village's topographical map, there's a mountain behind that has development potential."
Jiang Chen peeled the 'octopus' off him, threw on a robe, and walked behind Su Qingge. He leaned down to glance at the screen.
It was densely packed with data and charts.
"So dedicated?" Jiang Chen wrapped his arms around Su Qingge's neck from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "The New Year is almost here. Shouldn't President Su take a break?"
Su Qingge's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed. She leaned back into Jiang Chen's embrace, her tone indifferent. "Since my money is being spent, it needs to be spent where it counts. Your money is also money, even if it was blown in by the wind, it shouldn't be allowed to blow away carelessly."
This was Su Qingge.
Even on such an intimate morning, her mind remained crystal clear.
Just then, a slightly hesitant knocking sound broke the silence inside the RV.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
Immediately following was his uncle Jiang Jianguo's voice, deliberately lowered, carrying a hint of caution: "Little Chen? Are you up? That... Village Secretary Zhao is here. He said he wants to chat with you about the road construction."
The air inside the RV instantly solidified for a second.
The next second, all three women moved simultaneously.
Chen Man flipped over and sprang off the bed, swiftly grabbing the clothes next to her. The lazy demeanor from moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by an excitement known as 'battle readiness'.
Lin Wan turned off the gas stove, quickly tidied a few stray hairs, and made the slightly messy countertop look neat and tidy.
Su Qingge took off her glasses, wiped them, and put them back on. She gracefully crossed her legs, tilting her chin up slightly, instantly activating the untouchable aura of a queen.
Where was the warm, intimate haven from just now? It clearly looked like a well-trained public relations team.
Watching this scene, Jiang Chen couldn't help but smile.
This was his confidence.
"We're up.", Jiang Chen called back loudly, casually picking up a coat and throwing it on. "Wait a moment."
He walked to the control panel and pressed the unlock button.
"Hiss—"
The pneumatic door slid open slowly.
The cold wind outside hadn't even managed to rush in before it was pushed back by the RV's heating. Standing in the snow, Uncle Jiang Jianguo and Village Secretary Zhao felt a wave of heat wash over them, as if they had stepped directly from winter into spring.
Before they could clearly see the scene inside, Jiang Chen was already standing on the step, looking down at the two men with his signature faint smile.
"Uncle, Uncle Zhao, it's cold outside. Come on up and chat."
Old Zhao rubbed his red, cold hands, looking at the door that seemed to lead to another world. He shuffled his old padded cotton shoes in the snow, daring not to step onto the pristine white automatic step.
This... this is a vehicle?
The moment the door opened completely, Old Zhao's pupils visibly trembled.
If he had only felt 'warmth' before, what was now displayed before his eyes was a visual assault called 'class difference'.
The interior was covered in thick, cream-white wool carpeting, so clean that not a single strand of hair could be seen.
The ceiling featured an imitation starry sky ambient light, emitting a soft and expensive glow. The air carried the scent of coffee and roast meat—a smell a hundred times more upscale than the town's only Western restaurant.
Old Zhao instinctively shrank his neck, glanced down at his own mud-and-snow-covered cotton shoes, and let out an awkward laugh: "Well... Little Chen, maybe I shouldn't come up? This... this is so clean, don't want to step it dirty."
"It's fine, Uncle Zhao.", Jiang Chen leaned aside and made an inviting gesture. "Come on up. If it gets dirty, we'll just wash it."
64: Chapter 64 The Village Party Secretary Was Dumbfounded
Uncle Jiang Jianguo relaxed a little, but when he got into the car, he subconsciously stamped his feet, wishing he could shake off every bit of mud from the soles of his shoes.
The two of them carefully got into the car, only daring to sit on half the edge of the sofa, their hands resting on their knees—a standard posture for 'primary schoolers facing their head teacher.'
"Tea or coffee?"
Lin Wan walked over holding a tray, her voice gentle and soft, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
"Tea... just tea is fine." Old Zhao quickly bowed, accepting the delicate bone china teacup with both hands, which made his hands tremble.
Chen Man sat on a nearby single sofa, fiddling with the limited-edition lighter in her hand. The tight, bright red knitted sweater she wore outlined breathtaking curves.
She merely glanced at Old Zhao with a half-smile. That kind of seductive charm and oppressive aura unique to city seductresses scared Old Zhao so much that he didn't dare look up directly, only staring at the teacup in his hands.
"Ahem..." Uncle coughed twice, breaking the awkward silence. "Um, Little Chen, this is our village's Village Secretary Zhao. Didn't you mention repairing the road yesterday? Village Secretary Zhao heard about it and took it very seriously, coming over early this morning."
Only then did Old Zhao snap back to reality. He quickly put down the teacup, plastering his face with the slightly greasy yet ingratiating smile characteristic of grassroots officials.
"Oh my, Little Chen... oh no, Boss Jiang." Old Zhao changed his address swiftly. "Truly successful at such a young age! Having a golden phoenix like you emerge from our village is a blessing for everyone here! Look at this road, it's a great deed that benefits future generations..."
Jiang Chen held his coffee, leaning back against the sofa, saying nothing, just smiling and nodding to signal him to continue.
Seeing that Jiang Chen didn't object, Old Zhao's courage grew slightly, and he leaned forward: "It's like this, after Old Jiang called me yesterday, the Village Committee held an emergency meeting overnight. We all felt this matter needed to be expedited. You know our village's situation—the terrain is complex, involving land acquisition, ancestral graves, and all sorts of messy issues. If outsiders came, they would surely be completely lost and it would be difficult to manage."
As he spoke, Old Zhao pulled out a crumpled piece of letter paper from his bosom, with a few lines scrawled crookedly on it.
"So, the village's suggestion is that this money had best be transferred directly into the Village Committee's account."
Old Zhao spoke while observing Jiang Chen's expression.
"If the village handles it, we can find our own construction team—people we know well. You see, Ergazi's uncle is a contractor; his work is impeccable. This way, we save money, support the livelihoods of our neighbors, and avoid all that back-and-forth arguing. You just need to provide the money, and Uncle will take care of everything else for you! I guarantee it will be built beautifully!"
Old Zhao had practiced this pitch several times at home last night.
Appealing to sentiment, reasoning logically, and then using the 'complex situation of the village' to intimidate the young man. Based on past experience, most bosses who made it big outside and wanted to return home to buy a good reputation would mostly just nod in agreement. After all, no one wants to get into trouble; they just want to pay money for peace and quiet.
Jiang Chen listened, the smile on his lips unchanged, but his eyes held a hint of playfulness.
Just as he was about to speak, a light sound suddenly came from beside him.
"Clink."
It was the sound of a porcelain spoon hitting a coffee cup.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally crisp in the quiet cabin.
Su Qingge set down the cup in her hand.
She hadn't spoken the whole time, yet her presence was extremely strong. At this moment, she slightly raised her eyelids; her eyes, hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, held a cold, metallic glint.
"Village Secretary Zhao, is that right?"
Su Qingge's voice was calm and even, yet it carried an unquestionable penetrating force. "I more or less understood the plan you just proposed. However, I have a few small questions I'd like to ask for clarification."
Old Zhao was stunned. Looking at this cold and stunning woman, he subconsciously nodded: "Ah... you ask, you ask."
"First," Su Qingge extended a finger. Her neatly trimmed nail shone with a healthy luster, "If you hire a construction team through acquaintances, what is the bidding process? Will a supervision unit with a national qualification of Level Two or above be stationed here? Which level of national highway standard will the construction adhere to?"
Old Zhao was dumbfounded. Bidding? Supervision? National standard? What kind of terms were these? Ergazi's uncle was a master at building pigsties; what qualifications were needed to build a road?
"This... this is just a village road, it's not that particular..." Old Zhao wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Not particular?"
Su Qingge let out a cold laugh and extended her second finger.
"That was the past. Since we are funding this, the destination of every single penny must have a legal audit trail. If the money is transferred to the Village Committee, does your committee have an independent financial special account? Can it accept audits from a third-party accounting firm at any time? If there is any misappropriation of construction funds or unclear accounts, Village Secretary Zhao, are you guaranteeing this in your personal capacity, or are you using the collective fixed assets of the village as collateral?"
"Thi... third party?" Old Zhao felt his brain struggling to keep up. Why did this involve collateral now?
"Third," Su Qingge didn't give him a chance to breathe. She leaned slightly forward, and the decisive, battle-ready aura she possessed on the negotiation table instantly pressed down on him. "If land acquisition compensation is involved, what is the compensation standard? Has it been publicly announced? If a dispute arises, the Village Committee is both the referee and the player—how will this conflict of interest be avoided?"
The string of questions was like a burst from a machine gun, hitting Old Zhao so hard his face bloomed with confusion. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word for a long time. He originally thought he was just coming to collect money; who knew this would turn into something resembling an investigation by the Disciplinary Committee?
"This... this..." Old Zhao looked toward Uncle Jiang Jianguo as if seeking help.
Jiang Jianguo was currently holding his teacup, pretending to drink water, but his heart was churning with massive waves.
He knew yesterday that these women were not simple, but he hadn't expected them to be this formidable.
With just a few sentences, they had completely stripped Old Zhao of all his petty schemes.
"Uncle Zhao," Chen Man delivered the finishing blow from the side, "This money wasn't blown in by the wind. A project worth millions, or even tens of millions—you want to take it all with just one sentence saying you'll 'handle it all.' Isn't that a bit... too childish?"
Old Zhao was completely speechless. He felt like a child in split pants who had wandered into an adults' conference room, so embarrassed he wanted to find a crack in the floor to crawl into.
The cabin fell into a deathly silence.
Su Qingge picked up her coffee again and took an elegant sip, as if the aggressive female demon she just was simply wasn't her.
Just then, Jiang Chen, who had been watching the show, finally put down his crossed legs.
65: Chapter 65 Achieving Cooperation
The atmosphere reached an absolute stalemate.
Old Zhao sat on the leather sofa, feeling as if thorns had grown beneath his backside, unable to sit still. The longest road he had ever traveled in his life was navigating the schemes of these city women.
Jiang Chen saw that the timing was right, smiled, and stood up to refill Old Zhao's teacup.
This action instantly eased the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere inside the car.
"Uncle Zhao, please don't take offense," Jiang Chen said with a smile, his tone as gentle as a friendly neighbor boy. "They are used to doing business in the city; it's a professional habit. They speak bluntly, so please be understanding."
Old Zhao quickly took the opportunity to save face, wiping the sweat from his brow: "Yes, yes, yes. People from the big city are particular, they have many rules. That's good, very good."
"However, coarse words often carry sound reasoning," Jiang Chen shifted the topic, returning to sit on the sofa. Although his tone remained gentle, his posture of controlling the entire situation never changed. "I will definitely provide the money. I also want to do something for the village. But how this money is spent must follow a proper procedure."
Old Zhao nodded repeatedly: "That's for sure, that's for sure. Boss Jiang, you tell us how to proceed, and we will do it that way."
At this point, he dared not mention anything about 'depositing it into the Village Committee account'; just keeping this god of wealth here was a victory in itself.
"Qingge's meaning just now was actually very simple," Jiang Chen pointed at Su Qingge. "We will establish a special foundation, and this money will be earmarked for specific use. All accounts, every bag of cement, every truckload of sand, must be traceable. The construction team must undergo formal bidding, and third-party supervision must be present. As for land compensation, it will be distributed directly to the villagers without going through any intermediaries."
Jiang Chen paused, looking into Old Zhao's eyes: "Uncle Zhao, although this method is a bit more troublesome, it also benefits you. If anyone investigates later, or if the villagers cause trouble, you can simply present the account books. You will be clear and upright, and no one can fault you. Don't you agree?"
Old Zhao considered it and thought, 'Hey? That actually makes sense!'
In the past, whenever roads were repaired, someone would always whisper behind their back that the village cadres had pocketed money. If Jiang Chen took full responsibility, although he wouldn't get any personal profit, he would gain peace and quiet, and even earn credit for a political achievement!
"Fine! That's excellent!" Old Zhao slapped his thigh. "We'll do exactly as you say! The village will cooperate fully!"
"Then it's settled," Jiang Chen smiled. "Later, I'll have Qingge's people connect with you regarding the specific contract details."
With the matter settled, the usual protocol would be to see the guests out.
But Jiang Chen showed no intention of getting up. Instead, he picked up an orange from the fruit platter and began peeling it slowly.
"Actually, Uncle Zhao," Jiang Chen handed half of the peeled orange to Old Zhao, "Road repair is just the first step. Since I returned this time, I've also taken a liking to that mountain behind our village."
"The back mountain?" Old Zhao, holding half an orange, was stunned. "That's just barren wilderness; there's nothing there but wild rabbits. Why are you interested in it?"
"I plan to develop an ecological tourism resort."
Jiang Chen casually dropped a bombshell. "Build some guesthouses, set up a picking garden, and repair that abandoned reservoir to create a fishing center. City folks love this kind of thing nowadays."
Old Zhao's eyes instantly widened like bronze bells.
Ecological tourism? A resort area?
This was a massive project! If it truly succeeded, wouldn't Jiang Family Village take off? He, the Village Party Secretary, would be able to walk sideways even when visiting the town!
Su Qingge timely added, "The preliminary budget for the first phase of investment is around fifty million."
Fifty... fifty million?!
The orange in Old Zhao's hand dropped onto the carpet with a 'thud'.
His elder uncle, Jiang Jianguo, who had just lit a cigarette, burned his hand, but he ignored the pain, staring intently at Jiang Chen: "Xiao Chen, you... you aren't joking, are you?"
"How can one joke about something like this?" Jiang Chen took out a tissue to wipe his hands, his gaze fixed on the continuous snow-capped mountains outside the window. "However, this matter involves much more. It depends on how smoothly the road is built, and it depends on the village's degree of cooperation. If the road is half-built, and today someone blocks the way, and tomorrow someone demands money, then this resort..."
Jiang Chen left the sentence unfinished, merely shaking his head with regret.
Old Zhao was a smart man and instantly understood the implied meaning.
He was dangling the back mountain project in front of him! If he wanted to taste the big meat later, he had to cooperate obediently with the road repairs. Anyone who dared to obstruct Jiang Chen regarding the road construction would be blocking the financial path for the entire village, and also cutting off Old Zhao's path to political achievements!
"I'd like to see who dares!"
Old Zhao suddenly stood up, his face red and neck thick, roaring loudly. His imposing manner was ten thousand times greater than when he first entered the door. "Boss Jiang, rest assured! Regarding the road construction, if anyone dares to be a holdout, if anyone dares to cause trouble, I, Zhao Tiezhu, will be the first to disagree! If I don't go live at their house, I'm not surnamed Zhao!"
That was more like it.
Jiang Chen nodded with satisfaction.
This was the effect he wanted.
Binding the Village Party Secretary to his war chariot through mutual benefit was more effective than any coercion or temptation.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Zhao," Jiang Chen stood up and proactively extended his hand. "Happy cooperation."
Old Zhao extended both hands, flattered, and gripped Jiang Chen's hand tightly, still buzzing with excitement. "Happy! Extremely happy! Uh... I won't disturb you two to rest. I'll go back to the village office right now and broadcast this good news to everyone!"
After sending off Old Zhao, who looked like he'd been injected with chicken blood, and the elder uncle, who was still in shock, the car door slowly closed again.
The world quieted down once more.
Jiang Chen walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the distant, unsteady figure of Old Zhao running away, looking at the dilapidated earth walls and the snow-laden rooftops.
"Fifty million?" Chen Man walked up behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Little brother, you are really good at painting a grand vision. Are you really planning to invest?"
"Invest, why wouldn't I?" Jiang Chen turned around, casually wrapping an arm around Chen Man's slender waist. "The System... cough, my money will just gather mold if I leave it idle. Building up our hometown to be nicer, then we'll be more comfortable coming back to escape the summer heat, won't we?"
Just then, the pale blue system panel, visible only to him, suddenly flickered slightly before Jiang Chen's eyes.
[Detecting that the Host is currently planning large-scale consumption...]
[Hidden Quest Triggered: Hometown's Makeover.]
[Quest Objective: ...]
The smile on Jiang Chen's lips deepened.
See? Someone delivered a pillow just when he wanted to sleep.
"Let's go," Jiang Chen patted Chen Man's rear. "I'm hungry. Those steaks shouldn't have gone completely cold yet."
Su Qingge watched Jiang Chen's retreating figure, pushed up her glasses, and a very faint curve appeared at the corner of her mouth.
This little man, in the way he painted grand visions, was starting to look more and more like an entrepreneur.
But she liked it.
66: Chapter 66 Liu Fugui instigates people to do bad things
"Zzzzt—zzzzt—"
The two weathered high-decibel loudspeakers at the village committee office first emitted a piercing burst of static, followed immediately by Old Zhao's excited, almost distorted voice, which instantly exploded over Jiang Family Village.
"Hello! Hello! Attention, all villagers, young and old! This is Party Secretary Zhao Tiezhu speaking!"
"I have some fantastic news to announce! Jiang Chen, the boss from our village who made it big! That is... the son of the second son of the old jiang family! He hasn't forgotten his roots after getting rich and has decided to personally fund the construction of a road for our village!"
This announcement was louder than the firecrackers set off during the New Year.
The villagers who were sweeping snow, feeding pigs, or chatting while cracking sunflower seeds all froze in unison.
"Not only will we build a road, but we'll build a proper asphalt highway! And we'll develop tourism on the back mountain! This is a multi-million-yuan project! Everyone listen up: if anyone dares to cause trouble at this critical moment, they're going against the wallets of the entire village! Don't blame me, Zhao Tiezhu, for turning my back on you then!"
The broadcast kept looping, but the news was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a hot oil wok—Jiang Family Village erupted instantly.
"Multi-millions? Good heavens, does the second Jiang Family print money?"
"I told you that was a bmw yesterday! You didn't believe me! Those tires are bigger than my millstone!"
In less than five minutes, dozens of wandering figures gradually appeared outside the already low wall of the Jiang Family home. Too embarrassed to enter directly, they pretended to be passing by, but their eyes swept over the massive black RV in the courtyard like searchlights.
Next door at Second Granduncle's house, Wealthy Liu squatted by the base of the wall, his wrinkled old face shifting between dark and light.
His son had driven back an audi a4 just two days ago, which had been the talk of the village. But now, compared to that "armored vehicle" no one could name, it looked like a toy car.
"Build a road? Hmph." Wealthy Liu spat a thick glob of phlegm on the ground, his eyes glaring venomously at the red-painted gate of the Jiang Family. "Trying to mess with my land? Not so easy."
...
Inside the house, compared to the commotion outside, the atmosphere was a different kind of bizarre liveliness.
It was almost noon.
Mother Jiang looked at the three girls in the room, who seemed to have stepped out of a painting, and rubbed her apron nervously, at a loss.
"Well... girls, shall we have something simple for lunch? We have freshly slaughtered local pork and pickled cabbage..." Mother Jiang's heart pounded, afraid that such humble fare would be hard for them to swallow.
"Auntie, let me handle it."
Lin Wan stood up with a smile, casually taking off her five-figure cashmere cardigan and draping it over the back of the chair. Underneath, she wore a form-fitting white turtleneck, her perfectly proportioned curves drawing a few extra glances from Eldest Uncles Wife beside her.
"Oh, no, that won't do! You're a guest, and from such a family..." Mother Jiang quickly waved her hands. "Besides, you wouldn't know how to use this rustic rural stove with all the smoke and fire."
"Mom, just let her show off her skills." Jiang Chen was shelling peanuts, wearing a look of amusement. "She spends her free time at home studying cooking. Just treat her like a free chef."
"Oh, you." Lin Wan shot Jiang Chen a playful, coquettish glare.
She walked straight to the corner, picked up Mother Jiang's faded floral apron, and deftly put it on, tying a pretty bow around her slender waist.
In that instant, the distance of a wealthy noblewoman vanished, replaced by a striking sense of domesticity.
Su Qingge was still frowning at her tablet on the sofa, while Chen Man licked her lips in anticipation. "We're in for a treat. Sister Wan's 'state banquet' is about to begin."
In the kitchen.
Lin Wan didn't use the pork Mother Jiang had prepared. She beckoned to Chen Man outside the door. "Manman, go get the two pieces of meat from the fridge in the car."
Soon, Chen Man came in carrying two insulated boxes.
When opened, Eldest Uncles Wife's eyes widened.
Inside were two pieces of beef with beautiful marbling like marble, red and white, and a few black, coal-like objects.
"What kind of meat is this? Why is there so much fat?" Eldest Uncles Wife pointed curiously. "And these black lumps—are they charcoal that hasn't burned through?"
"Pfft—" Chen Man nearly spat out the water she had just drunk.
Holding back a laugh, Lin Wan explained gently, "Auntie, this is M9-grade Wagyu beef. It's meant to be enjoyed for the fragrance of its fat. These black things are called black truffles. They're a kind of... well, a type of mushroom, very flavorful."
"Mushrooms? They look like donkey dung balls." Eldest Uncles Wife pursed her lips, thinking to herself: City folks are so strange, ignoring good meat to eat fat and donkey dung balls.
For the next half hour, Mother Jiang and Eldest Uncles Wife were completely dumbfounded.
Lin Wan stood in front of the large iron wok, a meter in diameter, holding a big iron spatula, but her movements were as elegant as playing the piano.
High heat for quick stir-frying, low heat for slow simmering.
The "fatty meat" Eldest Uncles Wife had scorned sizzled and oozed oil under the high temperature, releasing an unprecedented milky aroma. The "donkey dung balls" were sliced thin and sprinkled into the simmered free-range chicken, instantly filling the entire kitchen with an exotic, rich fragrance.
"This... this smells incredible!" Jiang Feng peeked in from the doorway, drooling. "Sis-in-law, what dish is this?"
"Black truffle stewed with free-range chicken, and red wine slow-braised Wagyu beef." Lin Wan tasted the soup with a spoon, nodded in satisfaction, her profile appearing gentle and charming in the steam. "It's ready to serve."
The dishes were brought to the table.
The original large round table was now fully laden with plates.
Besides the two main dishes, Lin Wan had also casually stir-fried some crisp asparagus and prepared a cold appetizer.
Red, green, and black—a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, making Mother Jiang's pot of pickled cabbage and pork beside it look like leftovers.
"Come on, everyone, dig in!" Jiang Jianguo had been craving it for a while and picked up a piece of Wagyu beef to put in his mouth.
As the meat entered his mouth, the old party secretary's eyes widened abruptly.
It didn't need chewing; the meat melted on his tongue like ice cream, the aroma of the fat blending with the richness of the red wine, rushing straight to the top of his head.
"Good heavens!" Jiang Jianguo slapped his thigh. "I've lived sixty years, and it turns out all the beef I've eaten before was like shoe leather!"
"If it's good, have more." Jiang Chen picked up a bite for Lin Wan. "You worked hard."
Lin Wan smiled sweetly, taking off her apron. "As long as Mom and Dad like it."
The way she said "Mom and Dad" flowed naturally, making Mother Jiang's heart bloom with joy. She looked at Lin Wan with more affection than she would her own daughter, almost wanting to pull out the family heirloom bracelet on the spot.
This meal left the Jiang Family members with mixed feelings.
In their mouths was the top-tier deliciousness of M9 Wagyu beef, in their minds the astronomical figure of fifty million, and in the air lingered Lin Wan's gentle, intoxicating fragrance.
Was this the so-called "when one man achieves the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven"?
Jiang Jianguo, flushed and a bit drunk, patted his chest and assured Jiang Chen, "Jiang Chen, don't worry! With your uncle here, if anyone dares to block the road construction, I'll lie down at their doorstep!"
Just as the room was filled with laughter and the atmosphere peaked—
"Bang!"
The large iron gate of the courtyard was suddenly slammed open with force, emitting a harsh crash, followed by the sharp alarm of the bmw X5.
The laughter in the room stopped abruptly.
Before anyone could react, the cotton door curtain of the main room was roughly pulled aside, and a gust of wind carrying snowflakes roared in, instantly dispersing the warm aroma of meat in the room.
An old man in a tattered army coat, with disheveled gray hair, charged in like a cannonball.
Without even glancing around the room, his gaze locked onto Jiang Chen, seated in the main seat.
The next second, amid everyone's exclamations, the old man "thumped" straight down, kneeling on the hard cement floor.
The sound of his knees hitting the ground was painful to hear.
"Boss Jiang! Great benefactor Jiang! Please, save my life!"
The old man's cry was heart-wrenching, snot and tears instantly covering his face. His gnarled, bark-like hands clung desperately to the table leg, shaking the table and splashing soup everywhere.
"Hey, hey! What's going on! Isn't this Old Man Li from the west end?" Father Jiang was startled and hurried to help him up. "Get up! Let's talk properly!"
"I won't get up! I refuse to get up!"
Old Man Li violently shook off Father Jiang's hand, banging his head on the ground with loud thuds, a bruise instantly forming on his forehead.
He looked up, his turbid eyes flashing with a near-mad light, staring fixedly at Jiang Chen as if he were his last lifeline, or a piece of fat meat he had to bite into.
"Boss Jiang! I heard you're spending tens of millions to build a road for the village! You have money! You're so rich!"
Old Man Li wailed while pointing outside. "My grandson is lying in the county hospital! He needs surgery to save his life! Without five hundred thousand, he'll die! Everyone says you're a living Bodhisattva. Since you can spend money on a road for the dead, why can't you spare some to save the living!"
"Five hundred thousand is just a hair to you! Just nod, and my grandson will be saved!"
67: Chapter 67 Afraid to send him to the hospital
Old Man Li kowtowed those three times with real force.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
The cement floor made dull thuds, and a large lump instantly swelled on his forehead. Blood trickled down his face, which resembled withered tree bark, mixing with snot and tears, making him look more gruesome than something out of a horror movie.
The fragrance of M9 and milk that had filled the room was instantly spoiled, replaced by a stale, musty odor and the smell of earth.
Father Jiang was an honest man who had never witnessed such a scene. The chopsticks in his hand fell in fright, and he pushed his rear off the chair to help him up: "Uncle Li! What are you doing! Get up quickly, let's talk this over properly, don't humiliate yourself!"
"I won't get up!"
Old Man Li clung tightly to the table leg with astonishing strength. His eyeballs were nearly popping out, covered in bloodshot veins: "Eldest son of the Jiang Family, don't stop me! My grandson is about to die! He is the only heir of our Old Li family! I see fish and meat all over this house, how could you be so heartless!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to freezing point.
Jiang Chen sat in the main seat, his buttocks not moving an inch.
He fiddled with the silver Zippo lighter in his hand, opening and closing it with a crisp "click-clack" sound that seemed particularly grating amidst Old Man Li's wailing. His face showed almost no expression; his eyes were just as still as a deep pool, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Mother Jiang was soft-hearted and couldn't bear to hear about a life-or-death situation. Her eyes instantly reddened, and she tugged at Jiang Chen's sleeve: "Xiao Chen... perhaps we..."
"Mother.", Jiang Chen gripped his mother's hand in return, applying slight pressure, signaling with his eyes for her to remain silent.
"Pfft."
An untimely, light chuckle suddenly rang out.
Chen Man had half a piece of Wagyu beef dangling from her mouth. She held up her phone, the camera aimed directly at Old Man Li kneeling on the ground.
"Sir, with your acting skills, it's a waste not to be an extra in Hengdian."
Chen Man chewed the beef, her tone utterly disdainful, even carrying a hint of mockery reserved for watching monkeys. "That sequence—entering, kneeling, kowtowing, wailing—is quite practiced, isn't it? Did you rehearse for a long time at home? Come on, look at the camera, say that line about being 'drowning in wealth' again. I'll post it on Douyin, and I guarantee you'll be a big internet celebrity tomorrow."
Old Man Li's half-finished wail caught in his throat. He was completely stunned by Chen Man's unexpected move.
Why wasn't this city girl playing by the expected rules? Shouldn't a normal person quickly pull out money to smooth things over?
"You... how can you speak like that, girl!" Old Man Li's face turned beet red. "That's a human life!"
"A human life?"
Su Qingge set down the coffee cup in her hand.
She slowly and deliberately wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, her movements as elegant as if she were attending a state banquet. Then she pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, and a cold, sharp glint flashed behind the lenses.
"Esteemed elder.", Su Qingge's voice wasn't loud, but the oppressive feeling of someone in authority was maxed out. "According to Article 274 of the Criminal Law, extortion of public or private property, if the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances, is punishable by imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than ten years. Five hundred thousand is enough for you to spend ten years in prison."
Su Qingge turned to look at the uncle, who was already scared stiff: "Uncle, call the police now. Preserve the on-site evidence. Chen Man and I can both testify."
"Call... call the police?" The cigarette in the uncle's hand shook and fell.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted from outside the door.
"Everyone come and see! Is there any justice left in this world!"
Wealthy Liu had squeezed his way to the front by some unknown time. He stood in the yard, stamping his feet and cursing, spitting wildly: "Old Man Li's grandson is waiting to die in the hospital! But these people from the old jiang family not only refuse to help, they want to call the police to arrest people! Is that something a human being would do!"
The surrounding villagers who had gathered to watch also started pointing and whispering.
"Yeah, that child is only eight years old, so pitiful."
"I heard Jiang Chen struck it rich, spending tens of millions on roads. How can he be so reluctant to spend money to save a life?"
"The richer they are, the stingier they get. Capitalists are all like that."
The tide of public opinion instantly shifted.
Seeing that he had support, Old Man Li's tantrum returned. He didn't wipe the blood from his forehead and wailed at the top of his lungs: "Jiang Chen! If you don't save my grandson today, I'll smash my head against your table! I'll make sure you can't eat this meal in peace! I'll make your entire family carry the burden of a life lost!"
This was a typical move by someone with nothing to lose against someone who had everything to protect.
Father Jiang was sweating profusely: "Xiao Chen, this... what should we do? Maybe just give him some money. If this gets out, our reputation will be ruined."
Mother Jiang also spoke with a choked voice: "Yes, son, we aren't short of this money. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."
All the pressure, both inside and outside the house, was resting entirely on Jiang Chen.
The most disgusting thing about moral blackmail is that even when you are clearly in the right, if you aren't 'miserable' enough, you become the villain.
"Heh."
Jiang Chen suddenly laughed.
He snapped the lighter shut with a crisp "Pa" sound, causing the noisy room to quiet down slightly.
Jiang Chen stood up, straightened his collar, walked around the table, and approached Old Man Li step by step.
He squatted down, bringing his gaze level with Old Man Li's, a smile on his face so gentle it felt like a spring breeze.
"Grandpa Li, please get up," Jiang Chen reached out to help him. "It's cold on the floor. At your age, don't let your knees get chilled."
Old Man Li was stunned. He wondered if the young man had finally backed down?
He was ecstatic internally, but he still had to maintain an appearance of utter grief: "I won't get up! If you don't agree to save my grandson, I'll kneel here until I die!"
"Save him! I will definitely save him!"
Jiang Chen's tone was firm, his voice loud enough for Wealthy Liu outside the door to hear. "It's a matter of life and death! How could I, Jiang Chen, stand by and watch someone die? Forget five hundred thousand, I'll pay five million!"
The discussions outside the door instantly stopped.
The sneer on Wealthy Liu's face froze.
Old Man Li was even more overjoyed. A greedy light instantly burst from his cloudy old eyes, and he shakily extended his hand: "R-really? Then transfer the money now! I even brought the account number!"
Saying that, he pulled out a crumpled bank card from his embrace, clearly having come prepared.
Jiang Chen looked at the card and smiled, but did not take it.
"Grandpa Li, you are confused.", Jiang Chen sighed, looking genuinely disappointed. "What are the conditions like at the County Hospital? Your grandson has a serious illness; treating him in the county won't delay the child's recovery, will it?"
Old Man Li was taken aback: "Ah? Then... then what should we do?"
Jiang Chen abruptly turned his head and looked at Lin Wan, who was tidying up the plates.
"Sister Wan.", Jiang Chen's voice was serious and full of authority. "Contact Director Zhao at the Provincial People's Hospital immediately. Tell him I said to dispatch a helicopter right away! And bring their hospital's top pediatric specialist team! No matter how much it costs, the child must be taken to the best ICU ward in the provincial capital!"
These words were resounding and overwhelmingly domineering.
Everyone inside and outside the house was stunned into silence.
A... a helicopter?
A specialist team?
This level of treatment sounded like something reserved for a head of state in a TV drama?
Lin Wan was also sharp and instantly understood Jiang Chen's intention.
She cooperatively took out her phone, her expression solemn: "Understood, CEO Jiang, I will arrange it now. Additionally, I will have the hospital open a green channel directly. All medical expenses, travel costs, and nutritional fees will be settled directly from our company's account, public to public. The family doesn't need to pay a single cent."
"Did you hear that, Grandpa Li?"
Jiang Chen turned back, looking at the completely bewildered Old Man Li with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't hold back on the money. Forget five hundred thousand; as long as the child can be saved, I'll transfer five million directly to the hospital! Not only that, I'll also arrange a five-star hotel for you to stay in while accompanying him, with dedicated transport. How about that? Are these arrangements satisfactory enough?"
This arrangement was more than satisfactory; it was the kind of treatment that made one feel like their ancestors had smoked incense!
The villagers outside the door were drooling as they listened.
"Good heavens! Is this the way a big boss operates? Helicopter transport?"
"Old Man Li has struck dog-shit luck! The child will definitely be saved now!"
Even Wealthy Liu, who had been stirring up trouble just moments ago, had his mouth wide open, unable to utter a single word. If he continued to curse them for being heartless now, there would be no good people left in the entire world.
However.
Old Man Li's face, still kneeling on the ground, instantly turned ashen, whiter than the snow on the ground.
His body began to tremble violently, not from excitement, but from fear.
"No... no!"
Old Man Li suddenly shrieked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, desperately grabbing Jiang Chen's trouser leg. "We can't go to the provincial capital! We can't go!"
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise: "Why not? The provincial capital has better technology; it can save a life."
"It's too... too much trouble! The child can't handle it!" Old Man Li's eyes darted away, large beads of cold sweat dripping down his forehead. "Treating him at the County Hospital is fine! Just give me the money... just give me the money! I have an acquaintance there! We can save money!"
"What kind of talk is that!"
Jiang Chen's face darkened, his tone carrying a hint of reprimand. "It's a matter of life and death! How can you settle for the county just to save money? I don't even care about the money, why are you, the grandfather, worrying about the cost?"
"I just won't go! I won't go!" Old Man Li was so anxious he became incoherent, even starting to throw a fit. "Give me the money! That's my money to save a life! Why are you giving it directly to the hospital! If you don't give me the money, you don't want to save the person!"
68: Chapter 68 There are surveillance cameras here, don't pretend.
Old Man Li fiercely gripped the cuff of the expensive casual pants, his eyeballs darting around.
Old Man Li stretched his neck and shouted, spittle flying everywhere: “The provincial capital... the doctors in the provincial capital are too arrogant! They look down on us country folk! Even if we go, it’ll just be suffering! I’m not going to suffer that foreign torment!”
As soon as these words came out, even Second Granduncle, who was watching the excitement at the door, was stunned.
That was a top-tier expert team; they even provided helicopter transport. Going there meant being treated like royalty, so how could it be suffering torment?
Jiang Chen looked down at Old Man Li, a playful smile curving his lips.
“Grandpa Li, you’re being unreasonable now.” Jiang Chen slowly squatted down, patting the dust off Old Man Li’s shoulder. “Since the doctors in the provincial capital are too arrogant, let’s switch to someone else. Should I have Assistant Lin contact an overseas expert? How about the Mayo Clinic in America? We can charter a plane directly; it’s only about a dozen hours.”
Old Man Li shivered all over, nearly wetting his pants.
Charter a plane? Go abroad?
Could even a single cent of that money ever end up in his pocket?
“No... no good!” Old Man Li’s face turned bright red with anxiety. After struggling for a long time, he finally squeezed out a reason: “The child is too young! He can’t handle a plane ride! He gets airsick! Yes, airsick!”
“Airsick, huh…” Jiang Chen nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense.”
Old Man Li finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this rich second generation was finally going to compromise and just give him the money.
Who knew Jiang Chen just snapped his fingers, his tone becoming even more sincere: “Then let’s move the provincial capital’s ICU over here.”
“What?” Old Man Li was dumbfounded.
Jiang Chen turned to look at Lin Wan and said seriously: “Sister Wan, contact the equipment suppliers. Get the best ventilator, monitors, and that kind of laminar flow equipment for a sterile ward—a brand new set. Have it shipped directly to our village and set it up in the Village Committee courtyard. Since the child can’t go to the hospital, we’ll bring the hospital here.”
Jiang Chen paused, then flashed a mouthful of white teeth at Old Man Li: “Grandpa Li, don’t worry. This set of equipment will cost at least five or six million. That’s definitely more sincere than giving you fifty thousand in cash. This is for our grandson; I’m happy to spend whatever it takes.”
Old Man Li opened his mouth, looking like a dead fish starved of oxygen.
He wanted money! Money!
What good were a bunch of metal scraps sitting in the Village Committee? Could he eat them or drink them?
“You... you’re just wasting money!” Before Old Man Li could speak, a sarcastic shout suddenly came from the crowd gathered at the door.
Wealthy Liu squeezed through the crowd, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his face full of indignation.
“I say, Nephew, just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you have to burn money like this, right?” Wealthy Liu pouted, his eyes swimming with jealous sourness. “Old Man Li just needs fifty thousand for an emergency, and you have to go arranging helicopters and moving hospitals. Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill? If you really wanted to help, couldn’t you just transfer the money? Do you have to show off that bit of money you have?”
As soon as he said this, several envious villagers nearby chimed in.
“Exactly, giving the money directly is much simpler.”
“I think he just doesn’t want to give it and is making excuses.”
“Rich people are always scheming; they’re not as straightforward as us.”
The tide of public opinion was about to shift again.
Before Jiang Chen could speak, a figure clad in red suddenly moved.
“Click, click, click.”
The sound of high heels clicking on the cement floor was as crisp as a war drum.
Chen Man walked up to Wealthy Liu, crossed her arms, and looked him up and down, her gaze resembling that she reserved for a pile of non-recyclable garbage.
“Excuse me, Uncle, you look familiar.” Chen Man tossed her long wavy hair, smiling charmingly. “That audi a4 parked outside belongs to you, right?”
Wealthy Liu puffed out his chest, a hint of pride showing on his face: “Ah, what about it? I bought that for my son. Although it can’t compare to your big RV, it’s still one-of-a-kind in our village!”
“That makes things easy then.”
Chen Man nodded, then her expression suddenly changed, her voice instantly rising an octave: “Since you’re so benevolent and straightforward, why don’t you sell that Audi and donate the money to Old Man Li first? A used A4 should sell for at least two hundred thousand, right? Wouldn't that cover half of the emergency medical funds?”
The smile on Wealthy Liu’s face instantly froze. He stammered and backed away: “What... what nonsense are you talking about! That’s my car! Why should I sell it?”
“Oh?” Chen Man stepped forward, aggressive. “What? When you’re generously spending other people’s money, you’re quite generous, but when it comes to yourself, your heart aches? Did Jiang Chen win his money in a lottery? Your car is your hard-earned money, but his isn't? You demand fifty thousand from someone else with one breath, yet you won’t even part with a single wheel of your own car. What is your face made of, shoe leather? Is it bulletproof?”
“You! You!” Wealthy Liu was so rebutted his face turned red and thick, pointing at Chen Man for a long time but unable to utter a word.
The surrounding villagers burst into laughter.
Although rural people sometimes loved to take advantage, none of them were fools. What this young woman said, though coarse, struck right at Wealthy Liu’s jugular.
“Pfft.”
Someone couldn't help but laugh out loud. The previous heavy atmosphere of resentment toward the rich instantly dissolved.
Just then, Lin Wan, who had remained silent, walked over carrying several cups of hot tea.
She acted as if she hadn't noticed the recent tension, gently handing the tea to several elderly men watching, finally kneeling before Old Man Li with a cup.
“Grandpa, don’t worry, have a sip of water first.” Lin Wan’s voice was soft and sweet, enough to melt anyone's heart. “Our President Jiang is just too worried about the child. By the way, what exactly is your grandson’s illness? What are the specific symptoms? I need to report accurately to the experts so they can bring the right medicine.”
Old Man Li was startled by this sudden gentleness and subconsciously took the teacup: “Uh... it’s just... he’s sick, that’s all.”
“Specifically?” Lin Wan looked concerned, her large eyes blinking rapidly. “Does he have a fever? Is he unconscious? Or is he bleeding somewhere? Modern medicine is highly specialized now. If the wrong medicine is brought, it could delay serious matters.”
The hand holding the teacup began to tremble.
How would he know the symptoms? His grandson had just gotten a scratch fighting someone at school and was currently at home playing Honor of Kings!
“It’s... it’s just a headache!” Old Man Li gritted his teeth and fabricated, “It hurts so much he’s rolling around! And... and his legs hurt! He can’t walk!”
“Headache plus leg pain?” Lin Wan frowned her beautiful brow, looking puzzled. “These symptoms... sound like growing pains? Is it life-threatening?”
“It’s life-threatening! It’s absolutely life-threatening!” Old Man Li panicked, throwing the teacup onto the ground. “Anyway, someone is about to die! Are you going to give the money or not!”
Now, even the most confused Mother Jiang sensed something was off.
How could a family member not even be able to explain the child's illness clearly, only knowing they needed money?
Su Qingge, who had been tapping on a tablet computer on the sofa nearby, suddenly pushed up her glasses.
“I found it.”
Although Su Qingge’s voice was not loud, it instantly silenced the room.
She raised the tablet in her hand; the screen showed a dense chart.
“Li Jianguo, male, 68 years old. Besides the homestead in the village, you own two commercial apartments in the county seat, one of which was bought outright last year. Your son’s credit report shows he just picked up a toyota prado last month.”
Su Qingge looked up, her gaze behind the lenses seeming to pierce through people: “Furthermore, I just had someone check the admission records for your county hospital. This morning, the entire pediatric department at the county hospital had no critically ill patient named Li Xiaolong. There was only one Li Xiaolong who visited the emergency surgery department, and the diagnosis was... a superficial abrasion, treated with iodophor disinfection, costing 12 yuan and 5 jiao.”
“Clang.”
Someone’s shovel dropped onto the ground.
Dead silence.
Everyone stared at Old Man Li.
This was the pitiful grandfather who had been crying, wailing, acting like he was dying, and demanding fifty thousand in life-saving money?
Two apartments? Paid in full?
Superficial abrasion? Twelve yuan fifty?
Jiang Chen sighed, tossing the partially peeled orange back into the plate: “Grandpa Li, fifty thousand to treat a superficial abrasion? Is your Band-Aid made of gold, or is it inlaid with diamonds?”
Old Man Li’s face instantly turned from red to white, and then from white to green.
He had been exposed.
Completely exposed!
He originally thought this rich second generation was young and easy to fool. As long as he threw away his old face and made a scene, for the sake of reputation, he would have to give something.
Who would have thought these city women were like secret agents, even finding out about the house he bought in the county seat!
“You... you all...”
Old Man Li looked at the contemptuous and angry eyes of the surrounding villagers and knew that this matter couldn't end well today.
Suddenly, malice surged.
Since the soft approach didn't work, he'd resort to being a scoundrel!
Old Man Li suddenly rolled his eyes back, clutched his chest tightly, and made a strange gurgling sound in his throat.
“Ah! Someone’s hitting me! Someone’s killing me!”
Old Man Li swayed to one side, falling toward Jiang Chen, kicking his legs as he fell: “Rich second generation bullying an old farmer! Trying to force me to death! I won’t live anymore!”
He was trying to stage a stunt!
As long as he fell onto Jiang Chen, even if he wasn't sick, he could claim a concussion!
Father Jiang was so scared he was about to reach out to help.
“Don’t move.”
Jiang Chen uttered a light command, stopping his father’s movement.
He didn't even retreat; instead, he crossed his legs and even took the leisure to straighten his cuff.
“Thump!”
Old Man Li fell solidly onto the cement floor. This time, he really hurt himself, crying out in pain.
“Everyone saw it! He pushed me! He hit an old man!” Old Man Li lay on the ground rolling around. “Ow, my heart! I’m dying! Pay up! You must pay up!”
Wealthy Liu at the door was about to join the commotion but noticed Jiang Chen smiling and pointing toward the outside of the window.
“Grandpa Li, your acting is quite good, but you forgot one thing.”
Jiang Chen pointed to a few inconspicuous black sensors on the roof of the RV.
“See those black lumps?”
Jiang Chen’s voice was full of mockery: “That’s 360-degree panoramic surveillance, military-grade 8K high-definition quality, with audio recording capabilities. How you came in just now, how you knelt, how you threw a tantrum, and how you pretended to have a heart attack and fell to the ground... even the mole on the tip of your nose is captured clearly.”
Jiang Chen took out his phone and tapped a few times on the screen.
“Coincidentally, I’m also familiar with Director Wang at the police station.” Jiang Chen shook his phone. “Attempted extortion, plus provoking trouble, and this one... open fraud by staging an accident. Grandpa Li, are you tired of living in your county house and want to retire at the station?”
The screams on the ground instantly stopped.
Old Man Li lay on the ground, unable to decide whether to get up or stay down, resembling a salted fish left out to dry.
69: Chapter 69 shattered everyone's worldview.
"Beep— —"
The image displayed on the large screen on the side of the RV was shockingly high-definition.
Old Man Li’s action—one second he was frantically looking for an angle, and the next he suddenly clutched his chest and rolled his eyes—was being played on a loop at half speed. Even the small detail of him bracing himself with his elbow before falling was highlighted in red and magnified.
"Hiss— —"
The few villagers gathered at the front, who were just preparing to rush forward and accuse Jiang Chen of being 'unbenevolent in wealth,' jumped back in unison as if they had been electrocuted.
In this day and age, who hadn't seen a short video exposing a staged accident reversal?
This wasn't a life-saving scene; it was clearly a high-definition, uncensored 'Lesson on How to Extort Money Gone Wrong.'
The air in the courtyard suddenly became awkward.
Old Man Li lay on the cold cement floor, trapped in an impossible situation.
He truly hadn't expected Jiang Chen to have cameras installed in his vehicle. Staying put now was just as bad as getting up.
The worst part was that the ground was too cold. The snow from a couple of days ago had half-melted into icy slush, making the cement floor as hard as an iron plate.
The chill drilled straight into his bones through his thin, old military coat. Old Man Li had initially faked trembling, but now he was genuinely shivering, his jaw chattering as his upper and lower teeth knocked together.
"Ow... I can't take it... My heart... hurts..."
Old Man Li could only steel himself and continue acting, his voice trembling with genuine feeling.
"It hurts, does it?"
Chen Man somehow produced a selfie stick, mounted her phone on it, and pointed the camera directly at Old Man Li's face.
"Come on, everyone, take a look!"
Chen Man adjusted the beauty filter while explaining in the exaggerated tone of a live-stream sales host: "This is the consequence if we don't work hard to earn money! In this cold weather, just for a bit of cash, you have to practice the 'Ground-Lying Fist' on the cement floor."
She turned the camera to Old Man Li’s purplish-blue face and tutted twice: "Sir, your complexion seems off. Did you not perform well during that fall? How about you get up? I studied directing; I can give you some acting tips. We can reshoot it for a better take?"
Old Man Li was so angry he nearly couldn't breathe.
This damned girl!
He had been dominating the village for so many years; when had he ever suffered such humiliation?
"You... you..." Old Man Li tried to point at Chen Man, but his fingers were frozen stiff like carrots.
"Oh dear, look at those shaky hands. This must be advanced Parkinson's," Chen Man sighed, making a funny face at the camera. "Everyone, type 'Professional' in the chat!"
The young onlookers couldn't help but cover their mouths to stifle their laughter.
Mother Jiang truly couldn't bear to watch anymore. Having lived in the countryside her whole life, her heart was as soft as tofu dregs.
"Xiao Chen..." Mother Jiang held a thick blanket, her face filled with pity. "Look at Old Man Li, his face is purple from the cold. Even if he’s faking it, he's so old. If something serious happens to him from the cold, our family won't be able to live with ourselves. Can we let him cover up with a blanket?"
Saying this, Mother Jiang started to move forward.
"Mom, don't move!"
Jiang Chen suddenly shouted, startling Mother Jiang so much that she almost dropped the blanket.
Jiang Chen walked over quickly with a solemn expression to stop his mother, his tone incredibly serious: "Mom, are you trying to kill Grandpa Li?!"
"Huh?" Mother Jiang was stunned. "How does giving him a blanket become harming him?"
"Didn't Grandpa Li just say he had a sudden heart attack?" Jiang Chen was talking nonsense with a straight face. "For a patient suffering from acute myocardial infarction, the worst things are movement and changes in body temperature! Him lying on the ground now is using the cold ground to lower his metabolism; this is extending his life!"
Jiang Chen turned his head to look at Old Man Li, who was waiting on the ground for the blanket to save him, and shouted loudly: "Grandpa Li, hold on! Don't move! Absolutely do not get up! If you move now, your blood vessels might just 'snap,' and even an immortal couldn't save you!"
Old Man Li: "..."
I believe your evil spirit!
He currently felt like a frozen fish lying on a chopping block—cold, stiff, and being made a fool of.
Just then, Su Qingge, who had been silent the whole time, walked up behind Jiang Chen.
The cool scent of her perfume stood out sharply against the courtyard's atmosphere of smoke, earth, and commonality.
Su Qingge handed the tablet computer in her hand to Jiang Chen and lowered her voice: "I dug a little deeper just now and found something even more interesting."
On the screen were screenshots of bank transaction records and a few blurry photos.
The background of the photos was dim, looking like some kind of underground card room.
"Li Jianguo's son, the father of that so-called 'critically ill grandson,' is Li Dazhuang," Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, her gaze behind the lenses icy cold. "Last week, he lost heavily at an underground gambling den in the county seat. Including interest, he owed the bookmaker exactly 480,000. With the interest added, it comes to exactly 500,000."
"The bookmaker threatened that if he didn't see the money before sunset today, they would break one of his legs."
Jiang Chen looked at the numbers on the screen, a cold arc forming on his lips.
So that's how it is.
What critically ill grandson, what life-saving money.
It turns out the father came back to stage an extortion attempt so the sucker would foot the bill for the son's gambling debt?
This family truly wrote the character for 'evil' in plain sight.
"Where is Li Dazhuang?" Jiang Chen asked.
"The location signal shows his phone is rapidly approaching our village," Su Qingge glanced at the time. "He should reach the battlefield in about two minutes."
"Excellent."
Jiang Chen handed the tablet back to Su Qingge and turned to look at his uncle, who was standing to the side, already terrified and at a loss.
"Uncle, please trouble yourself," Jiang Chen pointed at Old Man Li on the ground. "Call Li Dazhuang. Tell him his father had a heart attack while raising money for his son and is close to death. Tell him to rush back for a final goodbye."
The uncle shakily took out his phone: "Th-this... isn't this a bit too malicious?"
"Malicious?" Jiang Chen laughed. "Uncle, we are helping them reunite father and son."
Meanwhile, Wealthy Liu at the entrance finally came to his senses.
Although he didn't know what trick Jiang Chen was playing, he could see that Jiang Chen was stalling for time and had no intention of paying!
"Fellow villagers! Don't be fooled by this kid!" Wealthy Liu jumped onto a large rock, waving his arms, spitting saliva everywhere: "What lowering metabolism, what can't move! These are all excuses! Jiang Chen is watching our village elder freeze to death right at his doorstep!"
"He spent tens of millions to build roads and buy fame, but he won't even spare a blanket for Old Man Li! Is this even human?"
"We cannot let such a cold-blooded animal bully our villagers! Everyone rush in and carry Old Man Li inside! I don't believe he dares to lay a hand on anyone!"
Wealthy Liu's incitement immediately made a few loafers who usually followed him, along with some villagers envious of the Jiang Family's sudden wealth, restless. They started pushing and shoving, preparing to storm into the courtyard.
"I'd like to see who dares!"
A fierce roar echoed.
Jiang Feng slammed a large snow shovel he usually used onto the iron railing at the courtyard entrance with a "clang," sending sparks flying.
"If you want to pass this gate, you'll have to ask my shovel if it agrees first!"
Behind Jiang Feng, seven or eight robust young men had appeared without anyone noticing. They were all distant relatives from the Jiang Family, who had just received large red envelopes from Jiang Chen yesterday and were now eager to show their loyalty.
Their presence alone formed a human wall.
"Jiang Feng! You little brat, I am your Second Uncle!" Wealthy Liu stamped his foot in anger.
"Second Uncle?" Jiang Feng sneered, planting the shovel on the ground. "When my brother gave you cigarettes, you were my Second Uncle. Now that you're trying to bring people here to smash up my family's place, even the Jade Emperor couldn't stop me!"
"Stop wasting time with him!" Chen Man stood on the RV step, shouting as if hoping for more chaos. "Xiao Feng, if anyone dares to step one foot inside, your sister will give you another big red envelope! Guaranteed to deal with all forms of defiance!"
Just as the two sides were at a tense standoff, and the atmosphere was stretched to the extreme—
"Beep— —!!!"
A harsh, urgent car horn tore through the noise of the crowd.
A battered Wuling Hongguang minivan, whose horn was the only thing working, rushed through the crowd like a runaway wild boar, covered in mud, and screeched to a halt in front of the Jiang Family's gate.
The car door was yanked open forcefully, nearly tearing off its hinges.
A stout man with a brutish face, wearing a gold chain thick as a finger around his neck (the kind that floated when wet), and reeking of smoke and stale sweat, jumped out.
It was Old Man Li's son, the father of the legendary 'critically ill child,' Li Dazhuang.
He had rushed so fast that his shoes were almost left behind.
Seeing him arrive, Old Man Li, lying on the ground, finally seemed to see his savior. His cloudy old tears instantly streamed down his face.
"Son... Dazhuang... Dad is here..."
Old Man Li tremblingly stretched out his hand, wanting his son to help him up, wanting to accuse Jiang Chen of his evil deeds, wanting to perform a tragic play of fatherly love and filial piety.
Wealthy Liu also quickly rushed over, his face filled with grief: "Dazhuang, you finally made it! Your dad, just to raise money for your child's..."
However.
Li Dazhuang didn't even spare a glance at his father on the ground. He directly shoved Wealthy Liu, who was blocking the way, with such force that Wealthy Liu almost fell to the ground.
Li Dazhuang’s bloodshot eyes, red from anxiety and greed, locked tightly onto Jiang Chen, who stood in the middle, dressed the most formally.
He completely ignored the fact that his father was still freezing on the ground.
Nor did he ask if his son in the hospital was dead or alive.
Like a hungry wolf catching a scent, he opened his large mouth, blackened from smoking, and the first words he roared shattered everyone's worldview—
"Where's the money?!"
"Has that fifty thousand arrived yet? Hurry up and give it to me!"
70: Chapter 70 The Fake Filial Son Gets Furious
Li Dazhuang was like a wild boar that had charged into a china shop; he hadn't grasped the situation at all, his eyes fixed only on the 'five hundred thousand' gambling stake.
The stench of smoke and liquor mixed with the sour odor of not having bathed for days, forcing the several aunties who tried to step in and mediate to roll their eyes until they saw white.
"Where's the money!"
Li Dazhuang lunged two steps toward Jiang Chen, his large, black-haired hand reaching out to grab Jiang Chen's collar. "Jiang Chen! Stop playing dumb with me! The whole village is watching. Your family struck it rich, handing over five hundred thousand to help in an emergency is accumulating merit! That's the 'Common Prosperity Tax' you should pay! Hurry up and fork it over, I'm in a rush!"
Just as that dirty hand was ten centimeters away from Jiang Chen.
"Swish!"
Old Man Li, who had been 'dying' and 'about to have a heart explosion' on the ground, suddenly erupted with the explosive power of an Olympic sprint champion.
He sprang up from the ground with a carp flip, his movements as agile as an ancient monkey that had achieved sentience. He tightly hugged his son's waist, while simultaneously and extremely accurately covering Li Dazhuang's foul-spewing mouth.
"Mmmph mmmph mmmph—"
Li Dazhuang's eyes rolled back from being covered.
The entire scene fell into a dead silence.
Everyone widened their eyes, watching Old Man Li, who moments ago required 'low-temperature life support,' now wrestling vigorously with his son.
"Oh my dear father!"
Wealthy Liu slapped his thigh while watching from the side, shouting with disappointment, "Uncle Li! Are you rising from the dead? Wasn't that a heart attack just now? How did it turn into a chokehold contest?"
Old Man Li finally snapped back to reality, his old face instantly turning the color of pig liver. But he couldn't afford to pretend to be dead anymore. If this rascal son spoke a few more words, it wouldn't just be about retiring in a nursing home; he'd be looking at spending the rest of his life behind bars!
"Son! You are confused!" Old Man Li desperately covered his son's mouth while simultaneously forcing out two crocodile tears. "This is my final burst of vitality! It's my final burst! Father is using his last breath so you don't act foolishly!"
"Get lost!"
Li Dazhuang wasn't buying any of it. Driven to mental exhaustion by loan sharks these past few days, he was now a powder keg.
He exerted a sudden force, flinging his eighty-pound father two meters away.
"Bang!"
Old Man Li crashed onto the cement ground again. This time, he was truly stunned and dazed, groaning for a long time before he could get up.
"This... this is too 'filial,' isn't it?"
Chen Man held up her selfie stick and couldn't help but exclaim in awe, "Family members, what is a 'filial son who brings shame'? This is a living specimen! For the sake of money, he can throw his own father like a bowling ball."
Li Dazhuang completely ignored the pointing and whispering around him. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Jiang Chen, breathing heavily: "Enough nonsense! If I don't see the money today, I'm not leaving this spot! I don't believe your tens-of-millions RV isn't afraid of getting scratched!"
Jiang Chen sat on the chair, still peeling an orange, without even lifting his eyelids.
"Brother Dazhuang, right?"
Jiang Chen popped a segment of the orange into his mouth, chewed it, and asked, "You want money to treat your son, Li Xiaolong?"
"Nonsense!" Li Dazhuang roared, sticking his neck out. "That's the sole heir of my Old Li family! He's about to die! Do you have no humanity? Why the endless questions? Are you planning not to pay?"
"Not planning to pay?"
Jiang Chen smiled, tossing the orange peel into the trash can. "I just told Grandpa Li, if it's for medical treatment, I'll pay whatever amount. Even chartering a plane to America, I'll cover that cost."
"Who wants to go to America!" Li Dazhuang sounded extremely agitated, his eyes darting. "Just give me the money! I have a secret remedy! An ancestral secret remedy! Fifty thousand per dose, and he'll be cured after taking it!"
"Fifty thousand per dose?"
Chen Man really couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
She walked up to Li Dazhuang, sizing up the man radiating restless anxiety, her tone full of mockery: "Uncle, did this secret remedy come from the Supreme Elder Lord's alchemy furnace? That expensive? And judging by your demeanor, you don't look like someone whose family member is critically ill at all!"
"You know nothing!" Li Dazhuang was momentarily distracted by Chen Man's seductive appearance, then grew enraged with shame. "Who are you, some cheap flirt? What right do you have to speak? My son is dying! As his father, my heart is burning like fire, and you're standing here making sarcastic remarks?"
"Burning like fire?"
Chen Man raised an eyebrow, suddenly thrusting her phone, worth over ten thousand yuan, right under Li Dazhuang's nose. "If you're in such a hurry, why aren't you replying to the WeChat message your son sent you?"
Li Dazhuang froze and subconsciously glanced at the screen.
But he hadn't received any WeChat message.
Chen Man had completely tricked him.
"I think you just want the money for gambling, don't you?" Chen Man's voice suddenly rose, her eyes becoming sharp. "You don't care about your son's life at all! You don't even know where your son is right now!"
"Nonsense!"
Li Dazhuang felt the jab right where it hurt, instantly exploding in rage. "That little brat is playing games at the internet cafe! He's running around perfectly fine! Dying, my foot! I'm using this money to save..."
Before he finished speaking.
The air suddenly became terrifyingly quiet.
Even the sound of a distant dog barking seemed exceptionally clear.
Li Dazhuang's mouth hung wide open, the word 'dying' stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
What had he just said?
At the internet cafe? Playing games? Running around fine?
"Oh my!"
Chen Man dramatically covered her mouth, making an extremely shocked expression to the live stream camera. "Did you hear that, family members? 'Dying, my foot!' This is the real condition of the 'critically ill child' who was just demanding fifty thousand for his life!"
The expression on Wealthy Liu's face, standing nearby, was priceless.
It was as if he had just swallowed a dead fly—unable to spit it out or swallow it down.
"Um... Dazhuang..." Wealthy Liu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, attempting one last struggle. "Are you confused from worry? Saying nonsense? Isn't your son lying in the hospital? How could he be at an internet cafe? Did your brain overheat and cause hallucinations?"
"Yes! Yes, yes!"
Old Man Li on the ground also struggled to get up, grasping at straws. "My son is suffering from acute distress! He's speaking nonsense! Everyone, don't believe it! Don't believe it!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not, we can find out by looking at this."
Lin Wan, who had been standing quietly behind Jiang Chen as background scenery, suddenly stepped forward.
She held a large-screen phone and directly connected it to the 80-inch large screen outside the RV.
"CEO Jiang asked me to send a driver to the 'Speed Net Cafe' in town for a look just now," Lin Wan's voice was still gentle, but to the Li father and son, it sounded like a death knell from hell. "He also took a short video."
The screen lit up.
The picture was extremely clear, obviously shot with high-end equipment.
The background was a smoke-filled internet cafe, with the incessant, noisy sound of keyboards clicking.
In the center of the frame, a sturdy, chubby boy, looking no older than eight or nine, was wearing headphones and furiously attacking his screen.
"Go! Garen, are you a pig? Where is your ultimate? Are you saving your ultimate for the New Year?"
"Damn it! Can you even play support? Stealing my kill? Believe it or not, I'll crawl through the internet cable and hack you to death!"
This little fatty had a booming voice, and his vocabulary for cursing was extremely rich. That rosy little face, those small, nimble hands typing on the keyboard—he certainly didn't look like a dying person in need of fifty thousand yuan to save his life.
In fact, he looked excessively full of vitality.
At the end of the video, the little fatty picked up a bottle of cola, chugged half of it down with loud gulps, and let out a loud, satisfied burp.
The picture froze.
Even the most muddled old woman in the courtyard now understood.
This was a scam.
A complete and utter scam!
"This... this is that grandson who was supposedly dying?"
Second Granduncle knocked his dry tobacco pipe against the sole of his shoe, his face full of contempt. "His spirit is more vigorous than the donkey we keep! He needs fifty thousand to save his life? I think he needs fifty thousand to fix that stinking mouth of his!"
"What a disgrace! Truly an embarrassment!"
"I can't believe I was about to run home to donate two hundred yuan! Ptooey!"
"The two generations of the Old Li family have completely disgraced our village!"
The villagers' murmurs surged like a tide.
The emotions that Wealthy Liu had incited moments ago now transformed into anger and contempt, all crashing down upon the father and son in the middle of the courtyard.
Seeing the situation turn sour, Wealthy Liu tucked his neck in and tried to slip toward the back of the crowd.
"It's over... it's all over..."
Old Man Li sat down hard on the ground, his eyes vacant. He knew that in Jiang Family Village, he would never be able to hold his head up again in this lifetime. His reputation was utterly ruined.
But Li Dazhuang was different.
He had no choice.
The sun was about to set.
If he didn't get the money, those creditors would really chop off one of his hands! Maybe even both!
Fear and despair consumed his reason at that moment, completely turning him into a trapped beast.
"Shut up! All of you shut up for me!"
Li Dazhuang suddenly let out a beast-like roar, his eyes bloodshot, the flesh on his face trembling violently. "So what if I tricked you? I'm short on money! I need to live! Jiang Chen has so much money, what's wrong with giving me five hundred thousand? It's just a drop in the bucket for him!"
He suddenly spun around and pulled out a switchblade from the inner pocket of his worn padded jacket.
With a crisp "snap," the shiny blade sprang open, flashing coldly in the winter sunlight.
The crowd let out a series of terrified screams, scattering backward like disturbed chickens.
"I dare anyone to move!"
Li Dazhuang brandished the knife, the sharp tip waving erratically, forcing back several young men who had tried to step forward. "Today, I'm taking the money! If you don't give it, nobody is getting off easy!"
His gaze frantically scanned the area, finally landing on Lin Wan, who was closest to him and looked the most fragile.
Compared to the inscrutable Jiang Chen and the sharp-tongued Chen Man, this gentle woman seemed the easiest to handle!
"Give me the money! Or I'll stab her to death!"
Li Dazhuang charged toward Lin Wan like a rabid dog, brandishing the knife.
"Ah!" Lin Wan cried out, instinctively stepping back, but the steps of the RV were right behind her—nowhere left to retreat.
"Seeking death."
A low murmur, so faint it was almost inaudible, carried a chill that made one's bones freeze.
The segment of orange in Jiang Chen's hand was crushed into powder.
In that instant, his pupils, which had been pitch black like ink, contracted sharply.
【Ding! Fatal threat detected to Host's close relationship partner!】
【Passive defense mechanism triggered!】
【Temporary skill loaded: Combat Proficiency (Master Level)!】
【Adrenaline soaring, dynamic vision activated!】
In Jiang Chen's vision, Li Dazhuang's violent charge instantly turned into a slideshow resembling slow-motion playback.
The trajectory of the incoming knife, every trembling muscle on Li Dazhuang's face, even the snowflakes kicked up by his foot due to excessive force, were clearly visible.
Jiang Chen moved.
There was no wind-up.
He launched himself like a tightly drawn bow suddenly released, carrying a gust of wind that tore through the air, heading directly toward the blade's edge.
"Sister Wan, close your eyes."
71: Chapter 71 This kick was for the whole village.
With a dull thud, like aged leather being struck fiercely by a heavy hammer.
The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze for half a second.
Immediately following was a grating sound of bones dislocating.
Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes; they hadn't seen how Jiang Chen executed the kick at all.
Li Dazhuang, who weighed over two hundred pounds and resembled a wild boar, was actually lifted completely off his feet, flying backward in a parabola.
In mid-air, he still maintained the posture of rushing forward with a knife, the ferocity in his eyes hadn't yet turned to terror before his body slammed against the three-meter-distant red brick courtyard wall with a 'boom,' like a broken sack.
With a crash, the accumulated snow on the top of the wall shook loose and fell, burying Li Dazhuang halfway.
The switchblade clattered onto the cement floor, bounced twice, and lay still.
Li Dazhuang hung on the wall like a painting for a moment before slowly sliding down. His mouth was wide open, like a catfish out of water, making 'ho... ho...' gasping sounds like a bellows from his throat. His face instantly flushed liver-red, and he clutched his stomach tightly, lacking even the strength to writhe on the ground.
Instant kill.
And it was absolute crushing superiority in terms of pure power.
Jiang Chen slowly retracted his right leg, even leisurely dusting off non-existent dirt from his trouser leg.
He stood in front of Lin Wan like an insurmountable mountain.
"I told you to close your eyes." Jiang Chen turned around, looking at Lin Wan, who was still stunned and slightly pale, his tone instantly shifting back to that helpless tenderness. "What if such a violent scene gives you nightmares tonight?"
Lin Wan finally snapped out of it.
In that instant, she truly thought she was about to be stabbed.
But the next second, the big boy who usually just grinned mischievously and called her 'Sister Wan' was standing in front of her. The style of that kick was domineering and sharp, yet it made her feel incomparably secure.
Lin Wan's heart pounded wildly, not from fear, but from a long-lost tremor of being firmly chosen and protected.
"I... I'm not scared." Lin Wan's eyes were slightly red, but she forced a smile, reached out, and helped Jiang Chen straighten his slightly crooked collar. "I'm not that delicate."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Two very dissonant clicking sounds came from the side.
Chen Man switched the selfie stick to the other hand, pointing the camera at Li Dazhuang, who was still twitching at the base of the wall, but she was teasing Jiang Chen: "Not bad, little brother. Hiding your skills, huh? That 'Divine Dragon Wagging Tail' kick has at least twenty years of practice. I was just about to dig him out with my high heel, and you stole my thunder."
Jiang Chen rolled his eyes at her: "Keep your high heel for digging dirt, lest you hurt your ankle."
At this moment, the villagers in the courtyard finally reacted.
"My heavens... Is this really that bookish college student from the old jiang family?"
"Kicking a two-hundred-pound man flying with one kick? Does his leg have springs installed?"
"Serves him right! Daring to use a knife on a woman, that's not something a real man does!"
The tide of public opinion made another one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. After all, in the countryside, having strong fists was also a form of capital that commanded awe.
"M... Murder!"
Old Man Li, lying on the ground, watched his half-dead son and trembled all over in fear. He was truly terrified. This rich second generation wasn't just rich; he was vicious in a fight too. How could this be a sheep? He was clearly a wolf in sheep's clothing!
"Murder?"
Su Qingge sneered, her high heel striking the cement floor with a crisp sound. She walked to the fallen switchblade, didn't pick it up, but instead took out a tissue from her bag, used it to cover her hand disdainfully, and kicked the knife further away.
"First, self-defense in accordance with the law." Su Qingge pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, her voice as calm as a court verdict. "The comprehensive surveillance footage captured everything: Li Dazhuang was holding a controlled weapon, attempting to commit assault in a public place with clear intent and continuous action. Our party's counter-attack fully complies with the provisions of Article 20 of the Criminal Law regarding the right to unlimited self-defense. Never mind kicking him flying; even if we had beaten him to death on the spot, there would be no criminal liability."
Old Man Li's eyes bulged, and he almost passed out.
Beating him to death without liability?
"Second," Su Qingge continued to press the advantage, "Attempted injury with a weapon, plus the attempted extortion from earlier, multiple crimes will be punished concurrently. Although that kick was heavy, I see he can still breathe; at most, he broke two ribs. For this amount of injury, it's equivalent to at least ten years in prison for him. No matter how you calculate it, he got the better deal."
"Ten... Ten years?" Old Man Li completely collapsed onto the ground, instantly soaking his trousers.
Just then, a set of urgent police sirens sounded again from the village entrance.
This time, it wasn't one car.
It was three.
The flashing red and blue police lights looked exceptionally glaring in the snow.
"They arrived quickly." Jiang Chen glanced at his watch. "Sister Wan, call Director Wang and tell him to come in directly to make the arrests. Manman has already sent the video evidence."
In less than two minutes, seven or eight fully armed police officers rushed into the courtyard.
Director Wang, who was leading them, was sweating profusely. Upon seeing the scene, then looking at the Li father and son lying on the ground and the gleaming knife, he instantly understood the situation.
"Handcuff them!" Director Wang waved his hand grandly. "Attempting assault with a weapon in broad daylight, and trying to extort an investor? I think you've had too many good days!"
Click.
The ice-cold handcuffs were placed on the still groaning Li Dazhuang's wrists. Old Man Li was also held up by two officers. He wasn't pretending to have a heart attack anymore; his legs were surprisingly nimble as he desperately tried to shrink back: "Officers! Misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! We were just playing around!"
"Playing around?" Director Wang snorted coldly. "Go play around with the judge at the station! Take them away!"
The farce was about to conclude.
The crowd began to stir, and many people backed away nervously, afraid of catching bad luck.
The one retreating the fastest was Wealthy Liu, who had been the most vocal earlier.
He hunched his neck, using the broad body of Aunt Zhang in front of him as cover, sneaking toward the door like a shifty-eyed rat. As long as he got out of this door, he would deny everything; after all, he had only used his mouth, not a knife.
Just as one foot was about to step over the threshold.
"Uncle Liu."
A lazy voice, as if eyes were growing on his back, accurately called out to him.
"Why the rush to leave? Stay for some pork-killing feast, won't you?"
Wealthy Liu's body froze instantly. The foot he had stepped out was suspended in mid-air—neither able to land nor retract.
He forced himself to turn around, squeezing out a smile uglier than crying: "Oh, Jiang Chen... Look at this mess... Uncle still has pigs to feed at home, so I won't disturb you anymore."
"Feed pigs?"
Jiang Chen casually picked up the half-eaten orange from the table, peeling it as he walked over with a smile.
The crowd automatically parted a path.
Jiang Chen walked up to Wealthy Liu, stuffed the orange peel into the pocket of his greasy padded jacket, and patted it. "Uncle Liu, the way you were 'commanding with composure' just now, it didn't look like you were feeding pigs; it looked more like you were commanding an army to tear down my house, didn't it?"
"How could I! How could I!" Wealthy Liu broke out in a cold sweat, his legs trembling uncontrollably. "Uncle was... Uncle was misled by that old scoundrel Li! I'm a victim too!"
"Oh? A victim?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one inciting everyone to rush in and grab people just now? Weren't you the one calling me a cold-blooded animal? Weren't you the one saying I wasn't human if I didn't pay up?"
With every question Jiang Chen asked, he took a step closer.
Wealthy Liu took a step back until he couldn't retreat anymore, his back pressed against the cold, heavy iron gate.
"Officers.", Jiang Chen turned to look at Director Wang, who hadn't left yet. "Inciting others to commit a crime, does that count as being an accomplice?"
72: Chapter 72 All were captured
Director Wang immediately understood and walked over with a stern face: "Depending on the severity of the offense, if it is confirmed that you were the mastermind or a major instigator, you will bear criminal responsibility. Come back with us to assist with the investigation."
"Don't! Don't arrest me!"
Wealthy Liu completely panicked. If he went to the police station, his dream of becoming a village official would be completely shattered. In desperation, he started frantically pointing fingers: "I'm not going! Why should you arrest me! I wasn't the only one shouting the loudest just now! Wang Ermazi! Zhao Dajiao! Didn't you two also shout just now? Why only arrest me!"
This was a typical case of 'better you than me.'
The few people whose names were called out in the crowd instantly bristled.
"Wealthy Liu, you're talking nonsense!" Wang Ermazi jumped out, pointing at Wealthy Liu's nose and cursing, "You were the one who brought two bottles of Erguotou to my house last night, saying that if Jiang Chen was discredited and the road construction project fell through, you would take us to town to contract for projects!"
"Exactly!" Zhao Dajiao, a shrew with a loud voice, went full throttle to protect herself this time, "Everyone listen up! What did Wealthy Liu say at the small store last night? He said Jiang Chen is just an outsider, why should he act like the big boss in the village? He also said if they pushed Jiang Chen out, maybe the road construction money could go into the village account, and then everyone could get a piece of the pie!"
That shout completely exposed all of Wealthy Liu's dark intentions under the sun.
"Good one! So it was you, you old scoundrel, causing trouble!"
"I knew it! We had no grudges against the Jiang Family, how did we suddenly all lose our minds!"
"Wealthy Liu, you black-hearted person! You almost caused our whole village to have no road to walk on!"
The villagers who had been standing on the same side as Wealthy Liu moments ago, now, in order to clear their own suspicion and show loyalty to the money god Jiang Chen, instantly transformed into incarnations of justice.
The police didn't even need to act.
Several strong young men rushed forward and pinned Wealthy Liu down in the snow.
"Pah! Stealing chickens and dogs in the village is one thing, but you dare to do something that destroys future generations' paths!"
"The two old hens that went missing from my house last time, did you steal those too?"
"And my watchdog, was it poisoned by you?"
When a wall is about to fall, everyone pushes it. When a drum is broken, a thousand people beat it.
In an instant, old grievances and new hatreds were settled together. Wealthy Liu was pressed to the ground, and someone smeared chicken droppings on his face—it was truly pathetic.
Jiang Chen stood on the steps, watching the farce, his eyes calm without the slightest ripple.
This was human nature.
When you are weak, there are the most bad people. When you become strong enough for them to look up to you, you will find that everyone around you is a good person.
"Alright."
Jiang Chen spoke faintly.
Although his voice wasn't loud, the chaotic courtyard instantly quieted down. Even the young men who were still kicking Wealthy Liu stopped their feet, looking eagerly at Jiang Chen, like soldiers awaiting inspection by their commander.
Jiang Chen walked down the steps and came before Wealthy Liu, who was pinned in the snow.
He didn't kick him while he was down, nor did he offer any triumphant mockery.
He just bent down, took the orange peel that had been stuffed into Wealthy Liu's pocket back out, and threw it on the ground.
"Uncle Liu, this orange peel smells quite nice, don't let it get dirty."
After speaking, Jiang Chen straightened up and surveyed the villagers with varied expressions.
His gaze swept over everyone's face. Those who had been aggressive just moments ago, or those who enjoyed watching the excitement, now lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
"I know, everyone might think that since I have money, I should be the one to take the fall."
Jiang Chen's voice was steady and carried far.
"Fifty million for road construction, I will provide it. For tourism development, I will also invest. That is because I am a member of the Jiang Family Village, and I hope the place that gave birth to and raised me can improve."
"However..."
Jiang Chen's tone shifted abruptly, becoming icy cold.
"Whether my money was blown in by the wind or fell from the sky, it is still my money."
"I can give it, but you cannot rob it. And you cannot use such low-class methods to force me."
"I, Jiang Chen, make this clear here. For those who deserve help, I will absolutely not stand by during any major calamity. But for people like the Li father and son, like Wealthy Liu..."
Jiang Chen pointed at the few figures already stuffed into the police car.
"If anyone thinks they are one of them, you can step out now. I guarantee that my road will absolutely not be built to their doorstep. My resort will also absolutely not employ a single person from their family or buy a single vegetable from their house."
The entire place fell silent.
Only the mournful sound of the cold wind blowing through the treetops could be heard.
"Do you understand?" Jiang Chen asked.
"Understood! Understood!"
"Boss Jiang is right! We can't be ungrateful wretches!"
"If anyone dares to cause trouble for Boss Jiang again in the future, they will be going against the entire village! I'll be the first to take him down!"
The crowd erupted in cheers even more enthusiastic than before.
Jiang Chen smiled and turned to walk back.
"Sister Wan, let's go inside, the meat is going to get cold."
Lin Wan looked at the retreating figure, the brilliance in her eyes practically overflowing. She quickly followed and naturally linked her arm with Jiang Chen's: "I've kept it warm for you long ago. This time, I'll serve you the biggest piece."
Su Qingge closed the folder that had never left her side, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curving her lips. She murmured softly, "A combination of grace and power. This technique is becoming quite proficient."
Only Chen Man was still shouting lingeringly at the now blacked-out livestream room: "Family members! Did you see that! This is the... Huh? Why is the account suspended? They say it's for suspected violent display? Damn it! Can they be reasonable!"
...The farce concluded.
Lunch at the Jiang Family's house could finally be eaten in peace.
However, before the meal was even finished, the situation in the village had quietly undergone a drastic change.
If before, everyone only felt envy, jealousy, and hatred toward Jiang Chen.
Then now, it was genuine awe.
Rich, powerful, skilled, and damn capable of fighting.
This wasn't a golden phoenix; this was practically a local emperor sitting in charge of a region.
At the dinner table.
Uncle Jiang Jianguo, flushed red from drinking, said with the boldness of alcohol: "Xiao Chen, you handled today's matter beautifully! Satisfying! But... Wealthy Liu is, after all, an established resident of the village. His few acres of land are exactly at the crucial intersection for the road construction. If he comes back and causes trouble..."
"He's not coming back."
Su Qingge elegantly cut a piece of steak, saying without even looking up.
"Huh?" Uncle was stunned, "What do you mean?"
Su Qingge swallowed the meat in her mouth and wiped the corner of her lips with a napkin: "Just now, while it was chaotic, I had someone check Wealthy Liu's accounts over the past few years. The funds for dilapidated housing renovation and agricultural machinery subsidies he handled as a group leader had at least 200,000 that couldn't be accounted for. I've already packaged the materials and sent them to the Economic Crime Investigation Detachment."
"Coupled with inciting criminal activity and disturbing public order, he can spend the next few years properly reforming inside."
"Clang."
The wine glass in the Uncle's hand fell onto the table.
He looked at the young people around the table—all smiling and chatting, yet each one capable of striking more ruthlessly than the last—and suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Fortunately... fortunately, this was his own nephew.
If this were an outsider, the entire Jiang Family Village might have been sold off, and they would still be helping count the money.
"Come on, Uncle, have a drink.", Jiang Chen raised his glass with a smile, "The roadblock is cleared. Should we discuss the matter of that mountain tomorrow?"
Just then, the system in Jiang Chen's mind, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly popped up another notification.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has successfully cleared the road construction obstacle and established absolute prestige.]
[Phased reward for the hidden mission is being issued...]
[Reward Item: A seemingly ordinary Mining Development Permit (including clues to a rare mineral vein).]
Jiang Chen's hand trembled, and a few drops of wine spilled from his glass.
A rare mineral vein?
Could there really be a gold nugget hidden in that barren back mountain where nothing but rabbits wouldn't defecate?
73: Chapter 73 Mysterious Mine Mining License
[Item: Mysterious Mining Permit (Back Mountain Area)]
[Description: Legal and compliant, all procedures complete. Includes one geological survey map. After system scanning, this vein contains high-purity rare metal "Flowing Gold," which is a core aerospace-grade material with immeasurable value.]
Flowing Gold?
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
If this is true, then this back mountain isn't a barren hill; it's a gold mine.
Just then, a red exclamation mark suddenly popped up on the system interface.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has acquired a core resource for the territory.]
[Side Quest Triggered: Settling Down.]
[Quest Description: How can a Super Tycoon live in such a humble environment? The Host is requested to comprehensively renovate the Old Jiang Residence and create an estate-level base worthy of his status.]
[Funding Support: System will fully reimburse the renovation costs for this instance, up to 20 million! (Note: This only covers structural work and security facilities; soft furnishings must be paid for by the Host and count towards the daily rebate task.)]
[Quest Reward: 20 million.]
Twenty million? To renovate a rural house?
Is the System planning to turn this place into the Louvre?
"What are you looking at so intently?"
A fragrant breeze swept over. Chen Man's stunningly beautiful face leaned closer, the ends of her long, wavy hair brushing against Jiang Chen's neck, making him feel ticklish.
She glanced at the dark screen of the phone in Jiang Chen's hand and teased, "So focused, are you studying which girl has longer legs, or looking at a contact list of rich older women?"
Jiang Chen calmly withdrew his gaze, casually stuffed a peeled orange into Chen Man's mouth to shut her up, and replied, "I'm looking at bricks."
"Mmm... bricks?" Chen Man chewed the orange, looking utterly bewildered.
Jiang Chen pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands and surveyed the somewhat aged main hall of his home.
The wall plaster was peeling in places, revealing the red bricks underneath. The overhead beams were blackened by smoke, and last year's cured meat still hung in the corner.
It was cozy, but definitely too old.
"Dad, Mom."
Jiang Chen put down the orange peel, his tone as casual as if he were discussing what to eat tonight: "Let's tear down our house."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Uncle Jiang Jianguo, who was sipping tea on the side, spat out his tea in one go.
Father Jiang's chopsticks trembled, and a piece of fatty meat fell onto the table: "What? Tear it down? Son, are you drunk?"
"I'm not drunk." Jiang Chen pointed above his head, "These beams are already infested. If there were an earthquake, not only would this house be dangerous, but our entire family would be in danger. I'm thinking we should knock it down and rebuild."
"Oh dear, how much money will that cost!"
Mother Jiang patted her thigh in distress, the ingrained frugality of the older generation instantly awakened: "This house was left by your grandfather; those walls are three-seven walls, very sturdy! At most... at most, we can spend ten thousand yuan, paint the walls white, and patch up the roof."
"That's right, Xiao Chen," Father Jiang chimed in, his brow furrowed into the character 'Chuan' ( river), "Even if you have money, you can't waste it like this. Building roads is doing good deeds, but a house just needs to be livable. Building a small two-story house in the village would cost thirty thousand at most. You have this money; you should save it for marrying and having children later—that's the proper thing to do."
In the eyes of the elders, although Jiang Chen had struck it rich, the money hadn't fallen from the sky (even though it practically had).
This concept of 'save whenever possible' was like a steel nail driven into their bones, not easily removed.
Jiang Chen got a headache.
Talking about upgrading consumption with his parents was harder than discussing feelings with Su Qingge.
"Uncle, Auntie."
Su Qingge, who had been silent, suddenly set down her red wine glass.
She picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth, pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, and her entire aura instantly switched from 'dinner guest' to 'listed company CEO.'
"From an economic perspective, Jiang Chen's proposal is a very rational asset allocation behavior."
Su Qingge's voice was cool and professional, carrying an authority that compelled belief.
Father and Mother Jiang were stunned: "Asse... asset what?"
"Asset allocation." Su Qingge held up one finger and began to persuade... no, began to educate, "The current inflation rate is rising year by year; holding cash carries extremely high depreciation risk. Converting funds into high-quality fixed assets is the best way to hedge against inflation."
"Moreover," Su Qingge pointed outside, "Jiang Chen just announced the road construction and tourism development plan. This area will become a core scenic spot in the future, and land value will increase exponentially. Building now means establishing a position at a low point. If we wait until development starts and then build, we'll be buying in at a high point, and the cost will at least triple."
"Furthermore, from a Feng Shui perspective..." Su Qingge abruptly changed tack, starting to discuss metaphysics, "This old house faces south, backed by green mountains, which is inherently a configuration for gathering wealth. But due to years of disrepair and a narrow layout, it has become a 'Trapped Dragon Formation.' If we don't expand and renovate, it might suppress Jiang Chen's future financial luck."
This combination punch of 'macroeconomics + superstitious Feng Shui' completely baffled the elders.
They didn't quite understand inflation, but the phrase 'suppressing financial luck' was heard crystal clear.
"Suppre... suppressing financial luck?" Mother Jiang's expression changed, and she nervously grabbed Father Jiang's arm, "Old man, that won't do! We can't delay our son from making money!"
Jiang Chen, listening from the side, almost laughed out loud.
As expected of CEO Su; with that eloquence, she could get rich even setting up a fortune-telling stall under the overpass.
"But..." Father Jiang was still hesitant, "We don't have to tear the whole thing down, just repair..."
"That won't work."
This time, Chen Man spoke up.
Unlike Su Qingge who spoke of grand theories, she smiled sweetly and leaned close to Mother Jiang, linking her arm around the old lady's arm, her voice sickeningly sweet.
"Auntie, just think, if Jiang Chen gets married later and gives you a big, fat grandson, will this old house be enough to live in?"
When the word 'grandson' was mentioned, Mother Jiang's eyes instantly lit up like 200-watt light bulbs.
Chen Man continued to pour oil on the fire: "Besides, young people nowadays care about privacy. How poor is the soundproofing in this old house? If the neighbors cough next door, you can hear it. If the young couple has any... ahem, any movement at night, and it gets overheard, how embarrassing would that be? This is a major issue that affects your ability to hold your grandson!"
After speaking, Chen Man deliberately winked flirtatiously at Jiang Chen, implying: Sister understands you, right?
Lin Wan, who had been sitting quietly like a lady, suddenly flushed crimson, resembling a ripe tomato.
She secretly pinched Chen Man under the table, her eyes reproachful, but her heart secretly held a hint of expectation.
Upon hearing this, Mother Jiang slapped her thigh hard: "Renovate! It must be renovated! Manman thinks things through thoroughly! Soundproofing is a big deal! If it affects my holding a grandson, that is a huge sin!"
Father Jiang opened his mouth, then could only sigh, tapping the bowl of his pipe on the table: "Fine, fine, we'll listen to you all. But... let's not be too ostentatious; just expand it a little."
"Then it's settled," Jiang Chen, afraid the elders would change their minds, immediately made the final decision: "Uncle, I have a favor to ask. Contact a construction team this afternoon. Don't use the village's makeshift crew; find the best construction company directly from the city."
He stood up, walked to the doorway, and pointed at the large area of overgrown weeds next to the old house.
That was village wasteland, about two acres, usually unattended, used only for stray dogs to urinate or for dumping trash.
"It's not just the foundation of the Old Residence," Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly, possessing the heroic air of someone directing the world, "I want that two acres of wasteland next to it too. I want to connect this whole area and build an estate with a garden, a swimming pool, and an underground garage."
"Hiss—"
Uncle gasped, his gums aching: "Two acres of land? And you want a swimming pool? Are you building a palace?"
"Something like that," Jiang Chen smiled, "If we're going to do it, we'll do it right the first time. Don't worry about the money; use the 20 million budget first, and we'll add more if it's not enough."
"Two... Twenty million?!"
In Jiang Family Village, what concept was twenty million?
It was enough to buy half the entire village!
Was this the legendary power of money?
74: Chapter 74 Demolishing a House is Also an Art
The atmosphere was slightly tense.
Father Jiang tapped the bowl of his dry tobacco pipe against the corner of the table, making a 'bang bang' sound. His brow was furrowed so deeply a fly could get crushed: "Twenty million... and we have to tear down the house? Xiao Chen, your uncle just did the math. If we only reinforce and renovate, including decoration, it would be fifty thousand at most. The rest of the money, put it in the bank to earn interest, that's hundreds of thousands a year. That’s an amount we old farmers wouldn't dare to even dream of."
Mother Jiang also looked heartbroken. The rag in her hand was wiping the table so hard it almost sparked: "Yes, son. Although this old house is old, we’ve lived in it for decades; we have feelings for it. I'm even familiar with the rat holes under the foundation. If we really tear it down, my heart will feel empty."
Jiang Chen rubbed his temples.
Talking to the older generation about asset appreciation or quality of life was simply like playing a lute to a cow. In their eyes, money only counted as money when it was in a passbook; turning it into bricks was wasteful.
"Uncle, Auntie."
Lin Wan set down the teacup in her hand.
She wasn't like Su Qingge, spouting grand theories of economics, nor was she like Chen Man, whose words carried barbs. She simply stood up gently, walked to the corner of the wall, pointed at a patch of moldy plaster, and spoke in a voice as soft as a spring breeze brushing the face.
"Look, Elders, this mold spot at the base of the wall is called Black Aspergillus. This thing is very damaging to the respiratory tract, especially for children."
Lin Wan turned her head, her eyes full of sincere worry: "Later, if Xiao Chen has children, a newborn baby is very delicate; their lungs aren't fully developed yet. If they breathe this in every day, won't they be running to the hospital constantly? When that happens, the child suffers, and we are the ones who feel the heartache."
"This..."
Mother Jiang's movements paused.
Money was a small matter; a grandson was a matter of utmost importance.
Lin Wan struck while the iron was hot. She walked to Mother Jiang's side, took the old lady's arm, and lowered her voice, adding a hint of mystery: "Also, Auntie, I just walked around the yard. The layout of this old residence is a 'Hui' character shape, which is actually quite good, but the old locust tree by the entrance has grown too large, blocking the sunlight. This is called 'Yin flourishing and Yang declining.' This kind of Feng Shui... well, it's not very conducive to having sons."
"What?!"
Mother Jiang jumped up as if her tail had been stepped on, her eyes wide as copper bells: "Not conducive to having sons? Is that true or false? Wan girl, you know about this stuff?"
"A little bit."
Lin Wan’s face didn't flush, nor did her heart skip a beat. She even shot a meaningful glance at the stunned Su Qingge beside her. "Don't believe me, ask President Su; she runs a big business and values this highly."
Su Qingge was drinking tea and nearly choked to death.
She pushed up her glasses and looked at Lin Wan’s earnest, nonsense-spouting appearance. Her mouth twitched a couple of times.
This actually works?
But under Mother Jiang's expectant gaze, Su Qingge could only maintain her aloof goddess persona and slowly nodded: "...From an environmental psychology perspective... indeed, insufficient light can affect hormone secretion... well, in common terms, the probability of 'receiving a boy' decreases."
"Tear it down!"
Mother Jiang slammed the large table. Her imposing manner was even fiercer than when Jiang Chen kicked Li Dazhuang earlier: "It must be torn down! Tear it down immediately! If you old man dares to stop me, you can sleep in the pigsty tonight!"
Father Jiang almost dropped his tobacco pipe in fright and weakly opened his mouth: "I... I didn't say I wouldn't tear it down..."
Jiang Chen, watching from the side, gave a thumbs-up.
Brilliant, truly brilliant.
Lin Wan’s move, 'The Art of War,' directly breached the defense tower of the elders.
"Since it's decided, let's get moving."
Jiang Chen stood up and clapped his hands. "Uncle, call the construction team in. Let's first pack up the small valuables inside."
The group started getting busy.
There weren't many valuable things in Jiang Chen's old house; mostly scrap metal and old furniture.
Just as Jiang Chen was about to carry a box of old books out, a heaven-shattering shriek suddenly came from the inner room.
"Ah— —!!!"
That scream startled Jiang Chen so much he almost dropped the box.
"What's wrong? A snake?"
Jiang Chen dropped the box and rushed into the inner room in just a couple of steps.
He saw Chen Man standing in front of the old wardrobe with peeling paint. She was holding up a faded black-and-white photograph, laughing so hard her face was shaking, tears almost streaming out.
"Hahahaha! Everyone! Big news! Earth-shattering gossip!"
Chen Man laughed while trying to shove the photo in front of her phone camera. "Come look quickly! This is the 'original form' of your aloof CEO, Jiang Chen!'"
Jiang Chen took a closer look, and his entire face instantly turned green.
It was a photo of him when he was three years old.
In the photo, he had a bowl cut, was grinning foolishly, and holding a candied haw stick.
The most crucial part was that he was wearing a style unique to that era—a split-crotch pants.
That indescribable little sparrow stood proudly in the sunlight, even looking somewhat... tender.
"Chen Man! Put that down for me!"
Jiang Chen felt his social death moment had arrived. He pounced like an angry cat trying to snatch it back.
"I won't!"
Chen Man twisted her body, slipping away like a loach, and smoothly handed the photo to Su Qingge, who had just entered the door.
"President Su! Take over! Top secret file!"
Su Qingge instinctively took the photo.
She pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses. Her eyes, which usually didn't blink even when looking at contracts worth tens of millions, were now focused intently on scrutinizing the picture.
Two seconds later.
Su Qingge looked up, her expression academically serious, and gave her evaluation: "Hmm... although the pixelation is blurry, judging by the scale, the growth potential is indeed quite good. It qualifies as a potential stock."
"Pfft—"
Lin Wan sprayed out the water she had just taken in.
This time, Jiang Chen truly wished he could die.
"Su Qingge! Is that how you look at a financial report?"
Jiang Chen exclaimed in exasperation. "Give it back to me! Or I’ll dock your salary! Take back the company!"
"Too late."
Chen Man had already snapped a photo with quick reflexes. She shook her phone with a mischievous grin: "It’s already sent to the group chat. If you dare bully us in the future, this will be the evidence presented in court. I’ve even thought of the title—'Shocking! This is What A Trillionaire Tycoon Looks Like Without Pants...'"
"You win," Jiang Chen gritted his teeth.
Amidst the playful fighting, the system in his mind, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly sprung back to life.
"Ding! Detected that the Host is currently performing 'Decluttering'."
"Temporary mission triggered: Out with the old, in with the new."
"Mission Description: As a Tycoon, you must possess a living environment that matches your status. Please completely demolish the old residence and level the land within 24 hours."
"Mission Reward: God-Tier Architectural Blueprint (Includes S-Class Security System) × 1."
"Note: All demolition expenses this time will be fully reimbursed by the system."
Jiang Chen's eyes lit up.
He was just worrying about the design; now, a pillow was being delivered?
...In half an hour.
"Rumble—"
The earth trembled.
Three brand-new yellow excavators, like giant steel beasts, drove into Jiang Family Village, followed by two heavy bulldozers.
This scene was livelier than setting off firecrackers during the New Year.
All the old and young villagers ran out holding their rice bowls to watch the spectacle.
"Good heavens! What are they doing? They’re really tearing it down?"
"What a waste! This house could have stood for decades more!"
"Has that kid Jiang Chen gotten too arrogant? He just got some money and is already spending like this?"
The villagers gathered outside the safety cordon, pointing and chattering. Especially the elderly ones, their eyes were filled with heartache watching the solid brick and tile house about to be pushed over.
Jiang Chen stood at the courtyard entrance, listening to the surrounding discussions, but offered no explanation.
He beckoned, and Lin Wan immediately understood. She moved two large cardboard boxes from the car.
"Rip—"
Jiang Chen directly tore open the tape on the boxes.
Bright red, all soft Zhonghua cigarettes.
"Uncles, elder brothers, aunties, and elders. "
Jiang Chen grabbed two cartons of cigarettes, didn't even unseal them, and threw them directly into the crowd. "We're breaking ground today, so there will be a lot of dust and disturbance to everyone's peace. Take these cigarettes as an apology to all of you."
"If anyone feels it’s too noisy, go to the village shop and get two bottles of liquor; put the bill under my name."
Cartons of soft Zhonghua flew into the crowd like free cabbage.
The voices that had been lamenting the house and criticizing the wastefulness instantly vanished.
What replaced them were gasps of surprise and cheers of people scrambling for cigarettes.
"Holy crap! Soft Zhonghua? One carton is six or seven hundred yuan!"
"Boss Jiang is generous!"
"Tear it down! Tear it down however you want! Even if it collapses my pigsty, it’s fine!"
This was reality.
In the countryside, no matter how well you explained things, it wouldn't be as effective as handing out a good cigarette. This move by Jiang Chen not only silenced the gossipers but also carved the word 'prestige' into the villagers' minds.
Jiang Jianguo stood beside him, watching his nephew's smooth operation, and even forgot to light his own cigarette.
"This kid... he's truly become sharp."
"All units, attention!"
The foreman, wearing a safety helmet, waved a small flag. "Non-essential personnel, step back! Commence work!"
"Vroom—"
The excavator's giant scoop lifted high, carrying irresistible force, and smashed fiercely into the old wall that held over twenty years of Jiang Chen's memories.
"Boom!"
Dust flew everywhere.
Watching the old residence collapse with a roar, Jiang Chen felt no great sadness; instead, there was an inexplicable sense of relief.
The poor, embarrassed, and timid Jiang Chen was completely buried along with that wall.
Just then.
"Stop! Stop for a moment!"
The excavator operator responsible for clearing the foundation suddenly poked his head out and shouted loudly: "Boss! There's something under here!"
Jiang Chen frowned and walked quickly forward.
Lin Wan and Su Qingge also followed curiously.
They saw that deep in the foundation directly beneath where the main hall of the old residence used to be, as the soil was turned over, a rusty iron box was revealed.
It was about the size of a biscuit tin, and it still had a copper lock hanging on it that had long since rotted away.
"What is this?"
Chen Man crowded over. "Your grandpa's hidden stash of money?"
Father Jiang also looked bewildered: "I... I don't know. Your grandfather built this house with his own hands back then; I never heard him say he buried anything underneath it."
Jiang Chen jumped into the pit, not minding the dirt, and reached out to lift the iron box out.
It felt heavy in his hands.
75: Chapter 75 The "Supervisory" Team Worth Twenty Million
The copper lock on the iron box had long since rusted into powder. Jiang Chen lightly flicked his finger, and with a 'crack,' the lock fell off.
A circle of heads instantly crowded closer. Even the excavator operator craned his neck out of the cab, practically wanting to embed his eyeballs onto the shovel bucket.
"Gold bars? Or Yuan Datou silver dollars?" Uncle Liu Er swallowed hard, having completely forgotten the humiliation from the orange peel incident.
Jiang Chen ignored him and lifted the lid.
There was no dazzling golden light, nor was there any gleaming silver.
Quietly lying inside the box was a slab of bluish-gray stone.
It was about two fingers thick, covered with dense, tiny script. However, the slab had likely been buried underground for countless years; dampness and oxidation had blurred the characters into what looked like a tangled mess. Only scattered words like 'Jiang Clan,' 'Nineteenth Generation,' and 'Guard' could be vaguely made out.
"Hmph! I knew it!" Father Jiang slapped his thigh, looking utterly disappointed. "This must be a whetstone left by some ancestor! Hidden so tightly, I thought it was the Imperial Seal of the Realm."
The surrounding crowd let out a burst of jeers and immediately scattered like startled birds. Since there was no gold, there was no more excitement to watch.
Only Jiang Chen's gaze sharpened slightly.
Because the instant his finger touched the stone slab, the system map in his mind—specifically the previously pitch-black, misty area of the back mountain—flickered with a faint golden light.
Is this thing a key? Or a map?
"Put it away," Jiang Chen calmly closed the lid and handed the iron box to Father Jiang. "No matter what, it’s an old item. We can put it in the study of the new house as an ornament later."
Father Jiang took it disdainfully. "What's the use of displaying this broken stone... Alright, alright, you're paying, so you have the final say."
...
Night fell, but Jiang Family Village was as bright as day.
Over a dozen high-powered spotlights illuminated the two acres of newly flattened wasteland with perfect clarity.
Three black Mercedes-Benz commercial vans with provincial license plates stopped silently beside the ruins like ghosts in the night.
The doors opened, and seven or eight men and women in sharp suits, carrying blueprints and surveying equipment, filed out. Leading them was a middle-aged man wearing thick-rimmed glasses—the chief designer of the province's top architectural firm, known in the industry as 'Genius' Old Zhang.
But at this moment, 'Genius' was standing before Su Qingge, sweating profusely, looking like a primary school student being lectured by his homeroom teacher.
A temporary folding table was spread with design blueprints. Su Qingge had changed into a crisp white suit; her gold-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light under the spotlights. Her pen drew circle after circle in red on the drawings.
"Engineer Zhang, is this what you call a top-tier plan?" Su Qingge tapped the location of the main building on the blueprint, her tone chillingly cold. "I asked for a manor with the security level of an apocalypse bunker. You designed so many floor-to-ceiling glass windows? Is that for snipers to aim through, or for future thieves to come and look around?"
Old Zhang wiped his sweat and argued with a pained expression, "Ms. Su, this is for natural light and aesthetics... Modern mansions favor a sense of transparency; this is called 'Minimalism.'"
"I don't listen to '-isms,' I only look at business," Su Qingge sneered. "Replace all the glass with bulletproof grade, at least 30mm thick. And here, the ventilation system for the basement—I want an independent air circulation system capable of resisting biochemical attacks. Don't ask why; just know that I want it."
"And this perimeter wall," Su Qingge pointed to the outside. "Two and a half meters? Too short. Raise it to three and a half meters and install a high-voltage electric fence on top. Don't tell me it's unsightly; cover it with creeping ivy. What I want is an independent survival base the moment the power goes out."
Old Zhang's lips trembled twice. "Ms. Su, this... this construction cost won't stop at twenty million. Just that set of bulletproof glass and the independent fresh air system..."
"If the money isn't enough, I will add more," Su Qingge snapped the folder shut, unleashing her full aura. "But I'll make this clear: the construction period is only three months. If the quality doesn't meet the standard, I will have your firm removed from the industry. Believe me, I have the capability."
Old Zhang looked at the woman before him—stunningly beautiful yet sending a chill down his spine—and forcibly swallowed the words 'This isn't scientific.'
"Understood! We'll revise it immediately! We'll work through the night to revise it!"
In the distance, Jiang Chen sat on the leather sofa in the RV, watching the scene through the window, unable to help but click his tongue.
"Tsk tsk, it really has to be Ms. Su," Jiang Chen sighed. "This isn't building a house; it's building a fortress. Anyone who didn't know better would think I buried a nuclear missile silo underneath."
"Isn't that perfect?"
A pair of soft, boneless hands rested on Jiang Chen's shoulders, kneading with just the right amount of pressure. Lin Wan was wearing a silk nightgown, carrying the fresh scent of a recent bath; her entire being seemed made of water.
"Sister Qingge is just looking out for your safety," Lin Wan's voice was soft and sweet, like cotton candy. "In this remote place, and with us being so conspicuous, one must always be on guard. How is the pressure on your left shoulder?"
"Mmm... a little lower, yes, right there," Jiang Chen hummed comfortably, like a large cat whose fur has been smoothed. "Sister Wan, your technique is getting more and more professional. When we open the resort later, I must reserve a VIP masseuse position for you."
Lin Wan playfully slapped him. "Get out of here, who wants to be a masseuse? I just want to ask, can you reserve a larger kitchen in the new house? Preferably one with a central island. The kitchen in this RV is too small; I can't spread out."
"I will! I must!" Jiang Chen closed his eyes, enjoying the massage. "Besides the kitchen, I'll also build you a temperature-controlled greenhouse so you can grow whatever you want."
"Really?" Lin Wan's eyes lit up, and she leaned even closer, the warmth of her body causing a slight stir in Jiang Chen's heart. "Little Chen, you're so good... Oh, right, the bed in the master bedroom..."
"We'll custom-order the biggest one," Jiang Chen smirked mischievously. "The kind you can roll around on without falling off."
Lin Wan's face flushed red, but the pressure of her hands increased slightly, carrying a hint of shyness mixed with anticipation.
Just as this intimate scene unfolded inside the RV, a sudden commotion erupted outside.
"Family! Do you see this row of excavators behind me? This isn't a recruitment event for the Lanxiang Technical School; this is the base for our President Jiang's new home!"
Chen Man was wearing tight gray yoga pants and a cropped sports vest, casually draped with an assault jacket. This outfit perfectly outlined her fiery figure, especially under the side lights, where her long legs seemed to glow.
She held up her phone on a selfie stick, doing squats facing the camera.
"Someone asked why we're working at night. This is efficiency! Our President Jiang said we need to turn this place into a paradise before spring arrives!"
The bullet comments in the live stream scrolled by rapidly, almost obscuring the screen.
【Sour Cabbage Fish】: It's great to be rich; even this barren land can be turned into something fun. But what's the relationship between this streamer and that tycoon? Could it be...
Chen Man saw this comment, didn't get angry, but instead pushed the camera close to her face, smiling ambiguously. "What relationship? I'm his... personal life assistant. Specifically responsible for supervising how he spends money."
As she spoke, Chen Man swung the camera toward the luxury RV parked nearby. "See that? The boss is inside discussing a 'multi-hundred-million' major project with Sister Wan. Let's not disturb them."
Inside the RV, Jiang Chen listened to Chen Man's provocative shouting outside and opened his eyes helplessly.
"That temptress."
Lin Wan chuckled softly, her fingers tracing circles on his temples. "Manman is helping you promote yourself. In this day and age, fame brings fortune."
76: Chapter 76 Only children make choices; I want them all.
"Rumble—"
The last load-bearing wall finally collapsed under the violent tearing of the hydraulic shears. Before the dust raised could even spread, it was immediately suppressed by two high-pressure mist cannons waiting nearby.
The old residence of the Jiang Family was officially history.
In its place stood three pile drivers working day and night, surrounded by the huge green hoarding that enclosed the surrounding two acres of land.
Because the old house was demolished, Jiang Jianguo and his wife happily moved in with the Eldest Uncle to temporarily stay, fearing they would disturb the young people 'doing serious business'.
The Eldest Uncle's mouth was nearly split to the back of his head with joy. After all, with this demolition and reconstruction, Jiang Chen had also included his leaky west wing in the 'Peripheral Landscape Renovation Project' and fully reimbursed the cost.
These past few days, Jiang Family Village had been more lively than a market day.
Chen Man's live streaming room had completely exploded and gone viral.
Idlers from ten miles around, internet celebrities from the neighboring county, and even onlookers who drove specifically from the city clogged the newly graveled, unhardened road at the village entrance. They all wanted to see what the legendary tycoon looked like—the one who 'kicked a two-hundred-jin strong man flying' and 'threw soft Zhonghua cigarettes like bricks'.
Unfortunately, all they could see were a few bodyguards in black suits standing guard outside the RV like door gods.
"We need to see CEO Jiang! I'm here to discuss a business partnership!" A young internet celebrity with dyed yellow hair shouted from outside the police cordon, holding up a selfie stick.
"Step back." The bodyguard replied expressionlessly, a chill emanating from behind his sunglasses. "CEO Jiang is in a meeting."
...Inside the vehicle, the temperature was a constant 26 degrees Celsius, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive aromatherapy.
He was indeed in a meeting.
However, the content of the meeting was slightly unconventional.
"No! Absolutely not!" Su Qingge, holding a red pen, fiercely crossed out a section on the A0-sized design blueprint spread across the coffee table. Her gold-rimmed glasses nearly slid off. "The master bedroom is 180 square meters? Are you planning to run a marathon in the bedroom? From a Feng Shui perspective of gathering energy, an overly large bedroom disperses the spirit; from a practical perspective, walking for two minutes just to get a glass of water in the middle of the night—this is anti-human design."
"Tsk, CEO Su is clearly an amateur here," Chen Man sat cross-legged on the leather sofa, noisily crunching on a bag of chips, "Crunch, crunch." She was wearing a loose, boyfriend-style white shirt today, the hem just covering the top of her thighs, letting her long, dazzlingly white legs swing freely.
"We want BIG!" Chen Man pointed to the huge circular area on the blueprint. "This bed, I want it custom-made to be five meters wide. That way, the four of us... well, I mean, if we have a baby later, we can all sleep together without crowding."
As she spoke, the temptress winked flirtatiously at Jiang Chen, her toes brushing lightly against his calf. "Boss, don't you agree? This is for family harmony."
Jiang Chen, slouched on the single sofa scrolling through his phone, didn't even lift his eyelids when he heard her. "Five meters wide? Who's going to change the bedsheets then? I'm declaring now, I'm not doing it."
"I'll do it," Lin Wan walked over carrying a freshly cut fruit platter, wearing the familiar little bear apron. She interjected softly, "As long as we buy the largest dryer for the laundry room. But... Manman, won't it be hard to buy a duvet for a five-meter bed?"
"We'll have it custom-made! Is there any problem that money can't solve?" Chen Man rolled her eyes, then snatched the red pen from Su Qingge's hand and drew a massive circle in one corner of the blueprint.
"This! This is the key!" Chen Man tapped the table excitedly. "A hot spring! It must be an outdoor hot spring! And it has to be that Japanese garden style, surrounded by cherry blossom trees, with a big rock in the middle!"
Su Qingge frowned. "This is the North. An outdoor hot spring? Do you want to freeze into an ice sculpture, or do you want to live-stream bathing for the whole village?"
"You just don't understand," Chen Man leaned forward, the scenery beneath her collar subtly revealed. "We can plant a circle of dense, evergreen bamboo around it, and then install one-way privacy glass walls. From the outside, it looks like a mirror; from the inside, it’s a view. The most crucial part is..." Chen Man lowered her voice, a wicked grin on her face. "The water temperature will be constantly at 42 degrees. While snow falls in winter, we soak in the steaming water, and then brew a pot of clear sake. That is truly—the wine doesn't intoxicate you, but you become intoxicated by the scene."
Jiang Chen pictured the scene in his mind.
Three peerless beauties with vastly different personalities, wrapped in bath towels... Wait, since it's a private estate, why wrap towels?
"Ahem," Jiang Chen strategically coughed twice and sat up straight. "Um... I think Manman's suggestion is very constructive. It's mainly for health preservation, to relax tendons and activate blood. My lower back has been a bit sore lately; soaking would be good."
"Lower back soreness?"
The three women spoke in unison, their three pairs of eyes instantly focusing on Jiang Chen's lower back.
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, her gaze sharp. "A precursor to kidney function depletion. I suggest adding a Traditional Chinese Medicine physical therapy room."
Lin Wan looked worried. "Is it because you've been sleeping on the sofa these past few days? I'll stew you some mutton and wolfberry soup tonight to nourish you."
Chen Man, however, licked her lips and smiled like a cat that had stolen cream. "Boss, lower back soreness isn't the issue. The key is—is your stamina still there? How about this private coach gives you a specialized physical fitness test tonight?"
"Stop!" Jiang Chen's face was covered in black lines. "Let's talk business! If you have any more requirements, bring them up quickly. I need to give these blueprints to the construction team first thing tomorrow morning."
"The kitchen," Lin Wan raised her hand, her voice soft but firm. "I want a dual Chinese and Western kitchen. The Chinese kitchen needs a high-heat stove, the kind you can toss the wok with. The Western kitchen needs an island counter and a large built-in oven. The current RV is too small; I couldn't even stretch out when I wanted to make a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall the other day."
"Granted," Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly. "I'll also equip it with a negative pressure fresh air system to ensure no cooking fumes escape."
"And here," Su Qingge pointed to the basement. "I want an independent financial center. Don't ask why; the network speed at home is too slow, which will affect my tens of millions in transactions. I need a dedicated fiber optic line and a monitoring wall. Furthermore, there must be a vault capable of withstanding a nuclear blast."
"A vault?" Jiang Chen was stunned. "Do we have any family heirlooms to store?"
"We don't have any now, but that doesn't mean we won't later," Su Qingge gave Jiang Chen a meaningful look. "Besides, cash reserves are essential. What if one day the system... I mean, what if the network or power goes down one day, cash is king."
As expected of the one handling the money, her crisis awareness was maxed out.
"Fine, all arranged." Jiang Chen was like an incompetent ruler who only knew how to sign and stamp documents. "Anything else?"
"Let me think..." Chen Man bit the end of her pen. "We must have an audio-visual room, right? We can watch movies in there later; the sound effects must be good, but the soundproofing is the most important thing, hehe."
Jiang Chen ignored her subtext: "Anything else?"
"An e-sports room!" Jiang Chen added himself. "Set up five top-tier computers for me, connected in a row. We can all queue up together when we're bored."
"Five people?" Chen Man sharply caught the blind spot. "There are only four of us here. Are you planning to find another one?"
The air instantly solidified.
Death Glare x3.
Cold sweat was about to break out on Jiang Chen's forehead. "I meant... we can team up with our younger male and female cousins to make a five-person party!"
"Hmph," Chen Man snorted proudly. "You wouldn't dare find another sister for us."
The topic finally shifted from interrogation back to decoration.
"Oh, right," Lin Wan suddenly seemed to recall something important, putting down her fruit fork. "It's almost New Year's. Even though we won't be able to move into the new house, we still need to prepare the New Year's goods. And this year... your status is different; you'll probably have a lot of social obligations with the villagers."
The moment 'New Year' was mentioned, the atmosphere in the car shifted slightly.
For Chinese people, the Spring Festival is both a hurdle and a knot.
In the past, when the Jiang Family was poor, New Year meant hiding from creditors and enduring insults. The cold sarcasm from relatives and the showing off from villagers were as disgusting as flies.
But this year, the tables had turned.
"Prepare! Prepare like crazy!" Jiang Chen leaned back on the sofa, a playful smile curling his lips. "Before, we were 'afraid to see people' during the New Year; this year, we'll be 'afraid people aren't enough'."
"Manman, you're in charge of procurement," Jiang Chen commanded directly. "Don't worry if it's useful or not; just buy anything expensive, rare, or impressive-looking. Get several truckloads of Australian lobsters, king crabs, and ham air-freighted from Spain."
"Understood!" Chen Man gave a less-than-standard salute, her eyes gleaming. "I'm familiar with this job! I have a few friends who run imported supermarkets; I guarantee we'll block the village entrance solid."
"Qingge," Jiang Chen turned to the female CEO. "Go exchange some new currency. Make sure to get fifty-dollar and hundred-dollar bills—get about... two million. Fill up a few briefcases."
Su Qingge frowned. "Everyone uses mobile payment now; why do you need so much cash?"
"To give out red envelopes," Jiang Chen shrugged. "In the past, the village children would walk around me when they saw me. This year, I want them to know how much it's worth to shout 'Brother Chen'."
That wasn't giving out red envelopes; that was clearly throwing money around.
But it had to be admitted, it felt great.
"Sister Wan," Jiang Chen finally looked at Lin Wan, his gaze softening. "You just be in charge of drafting a list. For all those aunts and cousins of ours, anyone who was ever kind to our family, even if they only gave us a single scallion, we must repay them tenfold or a hundredfold this year. As for those who kicked us when we were down..." Jiang Chen paused, his eyes turning cold. "List them too. I want them to watch us feast while they can't even get a sip of the soup."
"This..." Lin Wan hesitated slightly. "Isn't that too harsh? After all, we're neighbors."
"This is the rule," Su Qingge interjected coldly. "The commercial world values clear rewards and punishments. Tolerance without punishment is just cheap, misplaced kindness."
"Listen to CEO Su," Jiang Chen made the final decision.
Just then, Chen Man suddenly pointed outside the window and shouted, "Wow! It's snowing!"
Everyone turned to look.
Outside the window, fine snowflakes danced within the beams of the searchlights, resembling countless scattered sprites.
On the construction site, the excavators were still roaring. In the distance, the village lights flickered on and off.
"Timely snow promises a good harvest," Jiang Chen murmured with emotion.
77: Chapter 77 A Romantic Picnic Below Zero
Inside the RV, the heater was burning fiercely.
Su Qingge looked at the blueprints on the table, which had been completely altered by red pen marks. She glanced at her watch; it was two in the morning.
"Engineer Zhang, I don't care what method you use." Su Qingge activated the speakerphone, her voice as cold as if she were discussing tomorrow's weather instead of a massive project costing tens of millions. "Before dawn, I want to see the structural engineers, the geological survey team, and the first batch of specialized building materials appear on this ruin."
On the other end of the line, Old Zhang, known in the industry as a 'genius,' sounded like he was on the verge of a breakdown, his voice trembling with intense collapse: "CEO Su, it's the middle of the night! And we're in a mountain ravine! Even if I were Doraemon, I'd need time to pull things out of my pocket! Besides, those geological team academics are more stubborn than mules..."
"Double.", Su Qingge uttered the two words lightly.
Silence hung on the other end of the line for a second.
"What I mean is, although the difficulties are immense, for the sake of art, for the client's dream, we must overcome every obstacle!" Old Zhang's tone instantly became sonorous and powerful, as if the collapsing middle-aged man from moments ago had been possessed. "I'm going right now to drag those old academics out of their warm beds! Even if I have to carry them, I'll bring them to the site for you!"
Beep—
The call ended.
Jiang Chen peeled a grape and popped it into his mouth, commenting vaguely, "CEO Su, is the cooldown time for your 'Money Power' zero?"
"Efficiency is money," Su Qingge closed her phone and elegantly took a sip of coffee. "Standard procedures are waste paper. As long as enough money is paid, we can even cut the concrete curing time in half."
Chen Man sat cross-legged on the other end of the sofa, browsing soft furnishings on Taobao. Hearing this, she rolled her eyes. "Evil capitalist. But... are we really going to finish this in three months?"
"More than that," Jiang Chen stretched, pointed outside the window, "We also need to poke a hole in the sky."
...
The facts proved that in the face of absolute capital, nothing was impossible.
At four in the morning, before the village dogs had even woken up, a low and dense engine roar shattered the tranquility of Jiang Family Village.
It wasn't the sputtering sound of old farm vehicles, but the characteristic rumble of high-horsepower diesel engines.
A convoy consisting of six black SUVs and two mobile exploration vehicles charged into the construction site like a well-trained special forces unit, kicking up sprays of snow.
The car doors opened, and a group of engineers wearing assault jackets and carrying precision instruments jumped out. Although their faces showed fatigue from being forcibly woken up, their eyes glittered with a desire for money... oh no, a desire for technology.
The leader was an old man with a receding hairline, clutching a roll of blueprints. As soon as he got out of the car, he shivered from the cold wind.
"They are really pushing themselves," Lin Wan stood at the RV doorway, draped in a thick cashmere shawl, holding a cup of hot milk. "Don't they sleep?"
"Sleep what sleep, get up and party," Chen Man walked over yawning, hanging onto Jiang Chen like a boneless koala. "Boss, these guys look even more intense than when we pulled all-nighters at the nightclub before."
Jiang Chen patted Chen Man's back to signal her to stand properly, then pushed the door open and stepped out.
The cold wind was biting.
"General Manager Jiang!" Old Zhang rushed up, sporting two massive dark circles under his eyes, still carrying a safety helmet in his hand. "The survey team is in position! As long as the foundation is fine, we'll issue drawings on one side while driving piles on the other! This parallel operation method, although... a bit costly, is definitely fast!"
"Cost is not the issue; time is the issue," Jiang Chen glanced at the group of professionals who, despite their fatigue, were moving briskly, and nodded with satisfaction. "Tell everyone, if we finish before the New Year, everyone gets double bonuses. Also, meals must be five-star standard—seafood and Wagyu beef every day. How can they work hard if they don't eat well?"
Several young engineers setting up equipment nearby flinched, nearly dropping their expensive total stations.
Is this the world of a divine tycoon?
Eating Wagyu beef while working on a construction site?
"Boss is generous!"
"General Manager Jiang, rest assured! Even if this foundation were made of tofu, we'll pound it into a steel plate for you!"
Just as the construction site buzzed with activity and Jiang Chen was preparing to return to the RV for a quick nap, the system that had been silent in his mind suddenly chimed.
[Ding! Detecting that the Host is currently constructing a luxury mansion.]
[The so-called luxury mansion is defined not only by its interior extravagance but also by absolute control over surrounding natural resources.]
[Temporary Fun Mission Triggered: Territory Inspection.]
[Mission Description: As the owner of this land, how can you not have visited your own backyard mountain? The Host is required to immediately lead three confidantes to the designated coordinates on the back mountain for a 'Winter Picnic'.]
[Mission Reward: Unlock Hidden Resource Point on the Back Mountain (Entrance to the Flowing Gold Ore Vein), Cash Reward 5 Million.]
[Note: This picnic must have a sense of ritual; it cannot be perfunctory.]
Jiang Chen stopped in his tracks.
A picnic?
In this northern region where the temperature was minus ten degrees and the north wind howled?
System, do you have some misunderstanding about the word 'romantic'? This is basically wilderness survival, isn't it?
But upon seeing the words 'Entrance to the Flowing Gold Ore Vein,' Jiang Chen gritted his teeth.
He endured it.
For that entire mountain of gold nuggets, never mind a picnic, he'd even go streaking on the back mountain... Wait, maybe let Li Dazhuang do that one.
Jiang Chen turned back to the RV and looked at the three beauties who were preparing to remove their makeup and sleep. He cleared his throat.
"Uh... everyone, don't sleep yet."
Su Qingge, who was in the middle of taking off her earrings, paused. "What? Did something happen at the site?"
"No," Jiang Chen said with a righteous expression. "I suddenly feel that since we'll be living here long-term, we need to gain a deep understanding of the surrounding environment. Especially the back mountain; the scenery there is excellent, and the view is expansive..."
"Speak human language," Chen Man interrupted mercilessly.
Jiang Chen: "I want to have a picnic on the back mountain."
Silence.
A dead silence.
Even the humidifier mist inside the RV seemed to pause for an instant.
Chen Man's eyes widened, staring at Jiang Chen as if he were an alien. She even reached out and touched his forehead. "You're not running a fever? It's the middle of winter, and it's snowing outside. You want to have a picnic? Do you want to eat frozen pears, or do you want to turn yourself into a frozen pear?"
Su Qingge also frowned and adjusted her glasses. "From a medical perspective, eating in extreme cold environments can easily lead to gastric spasms. From a logical perspective, this behavior indicates a lack of brainstem function."
Only Lin Wan, after a moment of surprise, actually began to consider the feasibility. "A picnic... it's not impossible. We have those outdoor cassette stoves at home, and insulated containers. If we bring a tent and a windbreak, we could cook a piping hot hotpot..."
"See! Sister Wan understands life!" Jiang Chen quickly seized the opportunity, throwing an arm around Lin Wan's shoulder. "This is called ambiance! Think about it, snow everywhere, silent pine forests, us cooking hotpot and singing songs on the mountaintop—isn't that better than eating that cat food at a Michelin restaurant?"
"Better my foot," Chen Man rolled her eyes. "I'm just afraid we'll be licked on the head by a bear halfway through eating."
"There are no bears on the back mountain, at most two wild rabbits," Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly. "It's settled! This is our 'Mountain Sealing Ceremony' before we move in. No one is allowed to miss it! It must have a sense of ritual!"
Looking at Jiang Chen's 'I am the tyrant, my word is final' demeanor, the three women exchanged glances.
Su Qingge sighed and closed her folder. "I'll go change into my hiking boots. Also, bring the satellite phone; I don't want to make headlines for dying of hypothermia in the wilderness."
Although Chen Man complained verbally, her body was very honest as she jumped off the sofa. "Fine, fine. Since the moneybags spoke, this young lady will risk her life to accompany the gentleman. I want to wear my new white down jacket; it'll look good in photos!"
"Then I'll go prepare the ingredients," Lin Wan smiled gently and turned into the kitchen. "It's perfect; Uncle sent over a freshly slaughtered local pig yesterday. Sliced thin, it’s the best for hotpot."
One hour later.
The group of four, plus four porters (responsible for carrying the pot, stove, and tent), marched mightily toward the back mountain.
"Darling, are you sure it's this way?"
Halfway up the mountain, Chen Man was panting heavily, her originally delicate makeup slightly smudged. She leaned against an old pine tree, pointing at a chaotic pile of rocks overgrown with weeds ahead. "There isn't even a shadow of a ghost up here. What are we doing up there? Feeding wolves?"
Jiang Chen glanced at the system map in his mind.
The coordinate flashing with a golden dot was less than five hundred meters ahead.
"This is called infinite scenery lies on the dangerous peak," Jiang Chen babbled solemnly. "Besides, I just asked an old villager to divine it; that spot is the 'Dragon's Eye' of this entire mountain. If we eat a meal there, we'll be absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, and all our future sons will be top scholars."
"Ptooey!" Chen Man spat, her cheeks flushed—it was unclear if it was from the cold or from embarrassment. "Who wants to give you top scholars? I want a daughter to inherit my beauty."
"A daughter is fine too; a daughter is like a 'China Merchants Bank' (a pun on being wealthy)," Jiang Chen smiled and pulled her up. "Hold on a bit longer, we're almost there."
Su Qingge walked at the rear, her hiking pole tapping the snow with a dull thud. She looked at Jiang Chen's back—though tired, it was exceptionally determined—and a hint of suspicion flashed in the eyes behind her lenses.
This man never did anything without a purpose.
Insisting on coming to this godforsaken back mountain in this bitter cold...
Could there really be something hidden in this mountain ravine that was worth more than that multi-million dollar mansion?
"We're here!"
Jiang Chen suddenly stopped and pointed at a massive, abruptly horizontal, dark-green rock lying in the snow ahead.
"Right here."
"Here?" Lin Wan looked at the bare, large stone. There was nothing around it but withered grass. "This... doesn't even have a place to block the wind."
"This rock is ugly," Chen Man offered the most direct evaluation. "It looks like a giant turtle."
Jiang Chen's mouth twitched slightly.
Sister, underneath that 'giant turtle' you mentioned lies a priceless, aerospace-grade rare ore vein!
"Stop the nonsense and get started!"
78: Chapter 78 I think you're just looking for thrills
"Achoo—!"
Chen Man hugged her shoulders, shrinking like a startled quail. All her usual flirtatious charm had been completely blown away by the crosswind on the back mountain.
She shivered, pointing at the large greenish-black rock. "Darling, if this 'turtle' doesn't show some divine power soon, your favorite Little Manman is going to freeze into an ice cube. Then you’ll only be able to sleep hugging an ice sculpture, and that texture is really hard."
"What turtle? That’s the Black Tortoise."
Jiang Chen corrected her seriously, then casually untied the scarf from around his neck. He wrapped it twice around Chen Man’s face, which was flushed red from the cold, effectively bundling her up like a zongzi.
"Alright, stop wailing. I didn’t say you had to sit in a snowdrift and gnaw on cold steamed buns."
Jiang Chen snapped his fingers.
The four bodyguards behind him, who had been holding back their energy, immediately sprang into action.
"Unload!"
The giant mountaineering packs were opened. Inside were not the thin-skinned, big-filling regular tents, but several heavy-looking special engineering plastic cases.
"Click, click."
The sound of metal clasps locking echoed crisply in the silent forest.
Su Qingge, who had been poking the strange rock with her trekking pole to study its geological texture, turned back when she heard the noise. Her eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses instantly lit up.
"Norway’s 'Polar Dome'?" Su Qingge raised an eyebrow. "This is standard issue for the Antarctic research team. A set, including the fresh air and heating system, costs at least three hundred thousand. You brought this thing for a picnic?"
"Three hundred thousand?"
Chen Man struggled to poke half her head out of the scarf. She looked at the hemispherical behemoth that was rapidly erecting itself like a Transformer, her eyes full of disbelief. "This one tent can trade for my BMW Mini?"
"As long as the money is right, I can move the South Pole to the equator for you."
Jiang Chen didn't pay much attention to the price; the System would reimburse him anyway. He just directed the bodyguards: "Drive the ground stakes deeper; the wind is strong here. Hook up the diesel heater. I want the inside temperature to reach twenty degrees in ten minutes."
"Yes!"
The bodyguards' execution speed was comparable to a special forces unit.
In less than fifteen minutes, a massive tent, covering an area of thirty square meters, entirely silver-gray, and featuring a transparent observation dome, stood abruptly and domineeringly on the desolate, rocky ground.
Not only that, but a thick Persian handmade wool carpet had been laid inside. In the center sat a folding pear blossom wood round table, and even the few chairs were genuine leather upholstered.
That damned sense of luxury created an extremely absurd visual impact against the surrounding bare, withered grass and accumulated snow.
"Alright, you guys can withdraw first. Go wait in the car down the mountain," Jiang Chen waved his hand at the bodyguards. "Leave us some private space."
The burly men, without complaint, carried the last few boxes of supplies into the tent and vanished into the wind and snow.
As long as the pay was sufficient, their boss could ask them to wrestle bears, let alone just wait in the warm car playing cards.
"Come in, my mountain fortress ladies."
Jiang Chen lifted the windproof curtain and made a gesture to invite them in.
A wave of warm heat instantly washed over them, mixed with a faint scent of fruit wood.
Chen Man was the first to scramble inside. She immediately stripped off her down jacket and plopped down onto the carpet, which was thick enough for her ankles to sink into, letting out a comfortable groan.
"Ah... I’m alive again."
Chen Man stretched out in a spread-eagle pose, completely without regard for image. Her curves, outlined by the tight yoga pants, looked particularly alluring under the warm yellow camp light. "Is this the smell of money? It smells so good."
Lin Wan followed closely behind. She wasn't idle; as soon as she entered, she headed straight for the counter in the corner.
She lit the cassette stove, and a "whoosh" sound followed as a blue flame shot up.
"You must all be starving, right?" Lin Wan took out a plate of premium Wagyu slices, which she had already cut at home, and arranged them beautifully. Her voice was as gentle as if she were coaxing a child. "I already simmered the broth at home; it’s a large bone broth. It’s ready to go as soon as it boils."
Su Qingge was the last to enter.
She gracefully took off her windbreaker and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Then, she picked up a bottle of red wine from the insulated box and skillfully uncorked it with a waiter's corkscrew.
"1996 Romanée-Conti," Su Qingge glanced at the label and shook her head. "Only you would pair wine like this with hotpot."
"Wine is wine once it’s in your stomach."
Jiang Chen sat cross-legged in the main seat, looking at the three beautiful women before him, each with a distinct personality, and the sense of satisfaction swelling in his chest was overwhelming.
Outside, the cold wind howled, and heavy snow flew, enough to freeze a person into a silly dog.
Inside, it was as warm as spring, with red wine, hotpot, and beautiful women surrounding him.
Wasn't this ten thousand times better than any high-end club with young hostesses?
"Come, a toast to our impending cohabitation life."
Jiang Chen raised his rather unpretentious outdoor stainless steel cup.
"That’s 'co-renting,' don't make it sound so ambiguous," Su Qingge corrected him, but she still raised her stemmed glass.
"I want the room on the second floor facing south!" Chen Man shouted, holding up her drink.
"Whatever you want," Lin Wan smiled, using chopsticks to place a perfectly cooked slice of beef into Jiang Chen's bowl. "Eat more meat. You must be tired from climbing the mountain earlier."
"Sister Wan is the most caring," Jiang Chen picked up the beef, dipped it in sesame paste, and popped it into his mouth.
Delicious!
The fat burst in his mouth, mixing with the richness of the sesame paste, instantly driving away the last trace of cold from his body.
"Oh, right, Jiang Chen."
Chen Man, while wrestling with a large shrimp, asked indistinctly, "Did you have to come all the way here just for a meal? That doesn't fit your sneaky persona of 'thinking three steps ahead' for every move you make.'"
"What do you mean sneaky? That’s called far-sighted planning," Jiang Chen rolled his eyes at her. He tilted his head up, looking through the massive transparent dome above him at the pitch-black night sky and the swirling snowflakes outside.
The view here was excellent, perfectly overlooking the lights of the entire Jiang Family Village and the winding river in the distance.
"I just think the Feng Shui here is good," Jiang Chen casually lied. "We plan to develop this area into a high-end resort later, and this back mountain will be the core attraction. I have to come see it myself to feel assured."
"Tsk, I wouldn't believe a word of that," Chen Man pouted. "I think you just wanted to find a secluded place to subdue the three of us on the spot again. You came to the back mountain because you wanted some excitement!"
"Ahem, ahem!"
Su Qingge, who was drinking, nearly choked to death. Her usually cool face instantly flushed red, and she glared fiercely at Chen Man: "Is there anything besides yellow trash that can fit in that brain of yours?"
"Food and sex are natural desires!" Chen Man retorted righteously.
Just as the group was bantering, the familiar mechanical voice suddenly sounded in Jiang Chen's mind.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has completed the 'Winter Picnic with a Sense of Ritual'.]
[Mission Evaluation: Perfect.]
[Mission Reward Issued: 5 Million cash has been deposited into your account.]
79: Chapter 79 Of the three people present, who would you most like to eat first?
Outside the tent, the north wind whipped snowflakes, howling mournfully in the dark night, like an orchestra playing a frantic symphony.
Inside the tent, however, was a completely different scene.
The diesel heater operated diligently, maintaining the room temperature at a constant 24 degrees Celsius. The wool carpet absorbed all the chill, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of red wine, the warm scent of burning fruitwood, and an indescribable aura of hormones.
That bottle of 1996 Romanée-Conti was already empty.
As the saying goes, red wine has a strong after-effect.
Su Qingge’s usually ice-cold, beautiful face was now flushed with two alluring patches of crimson, like a red plum blossom blooming in the snow. She took off her signature gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes hazy. Her usual sharpness and astuteness had completely melted away, replaced by a breathtaking, languid enchantment.
She propped her chin up with one hand, unconsciously swinging the empty wine glass with the other. Two buttons on her collar had come undone at some point, revealing a delicate collarbone.
"Jiang Chen..." Su Qingge spoke, her voice no longer cool but carrying a hint of soft, nasal drawl, "Is this wine... fake? Why do I feel like... the tent is shaking?"
"President Su, this is the wine you personally brought," Jiang Chen leaned back against the soft chair, finding the sight of the intoxicated beauty before him immensely pleasing. "It's not the tent shaking, it's your brain."
"Nonsense." Su Qingge stuck out a finger and tapped a few times in the air, "My brain... is also a precision instrument certified by ISO9001..."
This contrast in personality was simply unfair.
"I think President Su is truly drunk," Chen Man, however, became more spirited the more she drank, her peach blossom eyes shining terrifyingly bright. She tied a knot at the hem of her oversized white shirt, revealing her flat, tight abdomen, and coiled herself on the cushion like a beautiful serpent.
"A long night, just drinking is so boring!" Chen Man’s eyes darted, and she pulled out a deck of playing cards from her bag, "Come on, let's play something exciting."
Lin Wan was tidying up the dishes and chopsticks when she heard this and sounded a little worried: "Manman, stop messing around, Qingge is already drunk."
"It's more fun when she's drunk!" Chen Man slapped the cards onto the table, "Truth or Dare! Whoever draws the smallest card loses. The loser... either has to answer a 'fatal question,' or..."
Her gaze swept over everyone before finally landing on Jiang Chen, a wicked smile curving her lips: "Or, take off an article of clothing. Or, perform the action designated by the dare."
"I... I'll join," Su Qingge suddenly raised her hand. Although her eyes were hazy, her desire to win was still online. "In probability theory... I have never lost."
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow: "Fine. Since the esteemed ladies are in the mood, I shall accompany you to the end."
It was warm like Sanya in this tent anyway; he wouldn't catch a cold taking off a couple of layers.
First round.
Lin Wan drew the King of Hearts, Jiang Chen got the 10 of Diamonds, and Chen Man drew the Queen of Spades.
Everyone's eyes turned to Su Qingge.
President Su confidently flipped over her hidden card—
The 3 of Clubs.
"Pfft—" Chen Man laughed impolitely, "President Su, is this your probability theory?"
Su Qingge stared at the 3 of Clubs for a full five seconds, seemingly contemplating whether it was commercial fraud. Finally, she sighed, leaned back, and adopted an expression of complete submission: "A bet is a bet. Ask away."
"Truth is boring, Dare!" Chen Man, afraid the world wouldn't be chaotic enough, tapped her lips with a finger, "Since President Su is a domineering CEO, let's go for a contrast. President Su, you have to act coquettishly towards our Boss Jiang and call him 'Good Brother.'"
"Cough, cough!" Jiang Chen nearly spat out the water he had just taken a sip of.
Making Su Qingge act coquettishly? That was harder than making a sow climb a tree!
Lin Wan also covered her mouth and chuckled lightly: "This... might be a bit difficult for Qingge, right?"
Su Qingge frowned, seemingly processing the instruction.
After a while, she slowly turned her head. Those eyes that usually didn't even blink when looking at multi-million dollar contracts were now watery as she stared at Jiang Chen.
She pushed herself up and slowly moved closer to Jiang Chen.
The distance between the two instantly closed, close enough for Jiang Chen to smell her faint, cool perfume mixed with the mellow fragrance of red wine.
"Jiang Chen..."
Su Qingge reached out, tugged lightly on Jiang Chen's lapel, and shook him slightly.
"Good Brother... this road is too bumpy, I feel dizzy..."
Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying three parts intoxication and seven parts delicate pouting, the final syllable trailing off with a little hook that snagged directly onto the crown of Jiang Chen's head.
In that instant, Jiang Chen felt half his bones turn to jelly.
"Damn it..." Jiang Chen cursed inwardly.
Where was the domineering CEO? This was clearly Daji reborn!
After speaking, Su Qingge seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Her body went limp, and half of it leaned against Jiang Chen's shoulder, mumbling, "Mission... complete. According to the spirit of the contract... no reneging."
Jiang Chen stiffly supported her shoulder, feeling two gazes from the side sweeping over him like lasers.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Chen Man clicked her tongue sourly, "It seems President Su has been hiding her talents. Come on, let's continue! I don't believe I can't win this time!"
Second round.
The tables had turned.
This time, Chen Man lost. Jiang Chen drew the highest card.
"Truth or Dare?" Jiang Chen played with the Ace of Spades in his hand, smiling like a wealthy landlord.
Chen Man bit her lip, her eyes challenging: "Truth is so boring, Dare! Bring out whatever tricks you have, this young lady can handle them!"
Jiang Chen stroked his chin.
Making Chen Man take off her clothes? That would be letting her off too easy, and letting the readers off too easy... cough. Besides, this temptress probably wished for it.
"Then... do ten squats," Jiang Chen said righteously, "You ate so much meat just now, this will aid digestion."
"Huh?" Chen Man's eyes widened, "Squats? In this atmosphere? Are you incapable?"
"Less nonsense, are you doing it or not?"
"I'll do it!" Chen Man grit her teeth.
She stood up and took a deep breath.
Her yoga pants were already tight, and as she squatted, they accentuated her breathtaking waist-to-hip ratio to the extreme. Every rise and fall seemed to challenge the limits of the visual nerves.
Especially since, under the influence of alcohol, her movements weren't entirely standard; instead, they carried a seductive hint of instability.
"One... two... Boss, I can't do it anymore..." After the fifth one, Chen Man started whining, looking at Jiang Chen with damp eyes, "This carpet is too soft, I can't stand steady... Why don't you help me up?"
This temptress!
Just as Jiang Chen was about to refuse, Chen Man swayed and naturally fell into Jiang Chen's arms, her long legs straddling his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing softly by his ear: "This is part of the punishment... a human support frame."
Now this was something.
On his left leaned a soft and coquettish female CEO, and sitting in his lap was a fiery and seductive female streamer.
Lin Wan, on the right, was cutting fruit. The knife in her hand 'thudded' onto the cutting board with a crisp, pleasant sound.
"It seems everyone is having a great time," Lin Wan walked over with a smiling face, holding a fruit platter, "Then I'll join in the fun too."
Third round.
Perhaps it was Murphy's Law, or perhaps it was the inevitability of a Shuraba (a chaotic confrontation scene).
This time, Jiang Chen lost.
And the person who gained the greatest authority was—Chen Man.
Chen Man straightened up from Jiang Chen's lap, wearing a sly, fox-like smile. She extended a finger and slowly slid it down Jiang Chen's Adam's apple, finally stopping at his chest.
"Boss, since it landed in my hands, I won't be polite."
Chen Man's gaze swept over the drunkenly hazy Su Qingge beside her, then glanced at Lin Wan, who appeared calm but was clearly listening intently.
"Truth," Chen Man's voice was lowered, yet it clearly pierced everyone's ears, "Of the three people present, who do you most want to eat first?"
80: Chapter 80 Sleeping Together, the Defeat of the Three Women
Chen Man, the cunning little fox, was still drawing circles on Jiang Chen's chest with her finger, even daring to poke him lightly: "Speak up, Boss. This is the truth segment.
Should I eat the cold iceberg first, or the gentle sweet soup, or... my spicy meat with thorns?"
Jiang Chen looked down at the woman in his arms who didn't know the danger she was in.
Her eyes and brows were filled with provocation—the madness of a gambler going all-in at the card table, and the probing of a female asserting her territory.
Jiang Chen smiled.
He slowly put down the wine glass in his hand, the bottom of the cup tapping the pear wood table surface with a soft 'thud'.
"Manman, have you forgotten my style of doing things?" Jiang Chen's voice was very light, yet carried an unquestionable sense of pressure.
Chen Man paused: "What style?"
"When I buy things, I never look at the unit price; I only look at the inventory. When I do business, I never discuss choices; I only discuss monopoly."
Jiang Chen suddenly gripped Chen Man's slender waist, pulling her whole body heavily into his embrace, their noses almost touching. The smile in his eyes vanished, replaced by an aggression that made Chen Man's heart pound.
"Only children make choices."
Jiang Chen's warm breath sprayed by her ear, making Chen Man flinch her neck from the heat.
"Adults, of course, take everything."
The moment his words fell, Chen Man felt the world spinning.
Without giving her any time to react, Jiang Chen had already proven what the 'tyrant's dominance' meant through action.
The originally bright main camping light was casually turned off by one hand, leaving only a ring of warm orange ambient light strips emitting an ambiguous halo along the edge of the dome.
In the interplay of light and shadow, the space inside the tent seemed infinitely compressed, leaving only hurried breathing and the rustling sound of fabric friction.
"Wait... Jiang Chen... President Su is still here..." Chen Man's previous arrogance instantly extinguished, turning into flustered incoherence, just like an online keyboard warrior who suddenly finds someone tracking him down through the network cable.
"Weren't you quite capable just now?" Jiang Chen had no intention of letting her go. The hands that usually held a steering wheel were now measuring the trembling of the person in his arms with an extremely practiced and dominant technique. "Trying to run now? Too late."
"Mmm..."
All unvoiced protests were blocked.
Su Qingge, who was leaning on Jiang Chen's shoulder, was somewhat dazed by the sudden movement.
She propped herself up; her gold-rimmed glasses were long gone. Her eyes, usually used to scrutinizing reports worth hundreds of millions, were full of confusion.
"Is this... signing a contract?" Su Qingge mumbled, then as if some instinct was awakened, she swayed over, reached out to grab Jiang Chen's collar, and spoke with a seriousness as if chairing a board meeting, "I want to sign too..."
Jiang Chen was amused by this 'business term.' He freed one hand and pulled the female CEO over as well.
"Okay, sign," Jiang Chen's voice was hoarse. "Tonight, we'll sign a big deal."
Lin Wan sighed inwardly.
She put down the fruit platter in her hand, walked to the tent entrance, carefully checked the sealing of the windproof curtain, and then turned up the power of the diesel heater by one notch.
After finishing everything, she turned around.
"What a pair of destined rivals."
...
That night passed very slowly.
Outside the tent was the biting cold of minus ten degrees Celsius. The north wind, like a rutting beast, frantically battered the not-so-large shelter, letting out a 'whoosh' roar.
Heavy snow fell, dyeing the entire world a vast white.
Inside the tent, however, the heat was surging.
The top-of-the-line Norwegian geodesic dome tent endured the most severe test since it left the factory. It had to not only resist the external wind and snow but also withstand the volcanic eruption-like passion within.
Shadows projected onto the translucent dome, flickering with the light, resembling a silent yet intense shadow play.
...
After an unknown amount of time, the wind and snow gradually subsided.
A sliver of fish-belly white appeared in the east, and faint morning light pierced the clouds, spilling onto the snow-covered back mountain.
The temperature inside the tent was still maintained at a comfortable twenty-four degrees.
Jiang Chen opened his eyes.
He wasn't sleepy at all; instead, he felt refreshed, as if an inexhaustible supply of energy coursed through his body. This was the physical quality enhanced by the system—truly a bug.
He slightly turned his head, looking at the scene beside him.
Chen Man's signature big wavy hair was scattered, covering half her face, with a satisfied smile still lingering on the corner of her mouth; she was clearly exhausted.
Su Qingge was curled up on his right side. Even in her sleep, her brow was slightly furrowed, and her hand tightly clutched a corner of Jiang Chen's sleep robe. The cool temperament she usually possessed was completely shattered, leaving behind only a pitiable fragility.
Lin Wan slept on the outermost side. Even while asleep, she maintained a posture of guardianship. She had carefully covered everyone with a blanket, while half of her own smooth shoulder was exposed.
Looking at this scene, a huge, indescribable sense of satisfaction surged in Jiang Chen's heart.
This is what the pinnacle of life is, right?
What listed companies, what Forbes lists, all seemed bland and tasteless at this moment.
What does a man strive for his whole life? Isn't it just to command the world's power while resting his head on a beauty's lap?
[Ding!]
The untimely mechanical sound in his mind suddenly rang out, breaking Jiang Chen's moment of clarity.
[Hidden Achievement Detected: The Blessing of Having Many Wives.]
[On this cold winter night, the Host interpreted the generosity and stamina of a magnate through practical action. To ensure the harmony of the Host's harem and the physical health of the various confidantes, the system specially issues a reward.]
[Reward: Primary Physique Enhancement Potion x3.]
[Description: This potion is colorless and odorless. It can greatly improve female constitution, enhance beauty, delay aging, and slightly increase... stamina. Recommended to be mixed into breakfast.]
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
Stamina?
System, you're going too far.
Last night was indeed a bit 'tragic in the battle situation.' Chen Man's throat went hoarse later, and Su Qingge even completely blacked out. With this potion, wouldn't it be possible in the future...
Cough, cough.
Jiang Chen retracted his wandering thoughts, lightly pulled out his trapped hands and feet, and did not wake them.
He threw on a black silk sleep robe, casually picked up half a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the table, lifted the windproof curtain, and walked out.
"Hoo—"
The cold wind rushed to meet him, instantly dispelling the warmth and ambiguous aura on his body.
Jiang Chen stood barefoot on the thick snow but didn't feel cold. He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, let the pungent smoke swirl in his lungs, and slowly exhaled, turning into a puff of white mist.
Jiang Family Village below was still asleep.
Occasional crowing roosters and barking dogs drifted over, making the scene exceptionally quiet.
At the construction site in the distance, the giant green hoarding looked like a scar, isolating the old residence from the outside world.
"This Jiangshan is truly magnificent."
81: Chapter 81 Hey, isn't that Jiang Chen?
The morning wind, with the unique chill of the Changbai Mountain Range, felt like an ice blade scraping against Jiang Chen's face, yet it couldn't penetrate the warmth in his heart.
The snow had stopped.
The rising sun peeked out from the eastern mountain hollow, its golden rays spreading across the pristine white snow, dazzling the eyes. Jiang Chen, clad in his black silk robe, walked barefoot on the compacted snow from last night. A tingling coolness spread from his soles, making him even more alert.
He stood before the gigantic, dark green rock that resembled a 'giant turtle'.
Last night, Chen Man even complained about its ugliness, unaware that this was a true treasure trove.
[Ding! Detecting Host at the core node of the 'Flowing Gold Ore Vein'.]
[Item Appraisal: Black Tortoise Mountain Suppressing Stone.]
[Description: This stone is the eye of the 'Dragon Locking Array' laid down by the Jiang Family ancestors a hundred years ago using feng shui mystic arts. Beneath it suppresses an astonishingly rich associated rare metal ore vein—'flowing gold'. This metal possesses extremely high energy conductivity and memory, making it an indispensable core material for future aerospace materials and high-precision wafers.]
[Current Status: Seal Loosening.]
Jiang Chen squinted, exhaling a puff of white mist.
flowing gold? It sounds valuable. And since it involves aerospace and wafers, it's not just about money; it's a strategic resource.
"System, if this thing is discovered by an exploration team, my mansion will probably turn into a national mine, right?"
[Host, please rest assured.]
[The System Mall has automatically matched an item: S-grade Quantum Stealth Array Disk (Disposable).]
[Price: 10 million (Given Host's excellent performance last night, this is a free gift).]
[Effect: Completely locks down energy fluctuations within three thousand meters underground, shielding all radar, sonar, and spiritual energy detection. Unless the Host actively activates it, from the outside, this will appear to be an ordinary feng shui treasure land.]
"How considerate."
Jiang Chen flipped his palm, and a palm-sized, translucent crystal disk appeared. He squatted down and placed the array disk on the cold surface of the Black Tortoise Stone.
Buzz—
There was no earth-shattering sound, only a ripple, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, that instantly spread like water and drilled underground. The gigantic stone, which had previously emitted a faint, strange magnetic field, instantly became plain and unadorned, as if it truly were just an ordinary mountain rock.
"Done."
Jiang Chen clapped his hands and turned to look at the still-closed dome tent behind him.
Business was done; it was time to go back and coax those three 'little lazy pigs'.
...
Pulling aside the heavy windproof curtain, a mixed scent of red wine, calming incense, and an indescribable sweet, cloying aroma wafted out.
It was the smell of a 'battlefield'.
The tent was in disarray. On the expensive handmade wool carpet, there was evidence of 'casualties' everywhere: a lonely high heel hung on the back of a chair, Su Qingge's formal white suit jacket was tossed in a corner, Chen Man's torn black stockings draped like a flag over a table corner, and several red wine glasses lay haphazardly on the ground, proclaiming the wildness of the previous night.
In the center, three bundles of quilts were tightly wrapped.
"Ugh... water..."
The middle bundle of quilt moved, and an arm as white as a lotus root stretched out, fumbled in the air twice, and then fell limply.
Chen Man poked half her head out from under the covers, her hair a bird's nest. Her usually captivating peach blossom eyes were now swollen like walnuts, and her voice was as hoarse as if she'd swallowed two catties of gravel.
"Jiang Chen... you beast..." Chen Man struggled to turn over, immediately letting out a miserable wail, "Oh, my back... it's broken, definitely broken. I want worker's compensation..."
Beside her, Su Qingge was also woken up.
Unlike Chen Man's fussiness, she quietly sat up, the quilt sliding down to reveal her shoulders covered in red marks. She stared blankly for three seconds, seemingly rebooting her brain.
Then, she abruptly grabbed the mirror by her hand.
"Hiss—"
Su Qingge gasped, looking at the clearly visible hickeys on her neck in the mirror. Her usually cool face instantly flushed crimson, and she glared at Jiang Chen, who was brewing coffee: "Jiang Chen! Are you a dog? I have a video conference this afternoon, how am I supposed to face people?!"
"Just use concealer, two layers should do it." Jiang Chen didn't turn his head, steadily manipulating the pour-over kettle, the water circling on the filter paper. "Besides, CEO Su is naturally beautiful; even if you wear a sack to the meeting, you'll be the center of attention."
"This is a matter of principle!" Su Qingge slammed the mirror down, trying to regain her domineering CEO aura, but at this point, she could barely sit up straight, greatly diminishing her presence. "Last night... last night was an irrational impulse. Alcohol interfered with my judgment; it was an act of God."
"Right, right, an act of God." Jiang Chen smiled as he brought over a tray. "Then who was it last night who insisted on hugging me and calling me 'good older brother,' and even said she wanted to transfer all her shares to me?"
Su Qingge's face instantly turned so red it looked like it could drip blood, and she buried her head in her knees like an ostrich.
"Alright, alright, both of you say less."
Lin Wan was the earliest riser and in the best condition—though her walking posture was also a bit awkward. She had already quickly washed up and was helping everyone gather the intimate clothing scattered on the floor.
She picked up the torn stockings, blushed, quickly stuffed them into a garbage bag, and then gently handed a cup of steaming hot coffee to everyone.
"Drink something warm first to warm your stomach. Jiang Chen specially brewed this snow water coffee; it's very fragrant."
Jiang Chen had added a drop of the System-rewarded [Primary Physique Enhancement Potion] to each cup of coffee.
This stuff was colorless and odorless, but its effects were immediate.
Sure enough, after Chen Man took a couple of sips, her pale complexion became much rosier, and the aching sensation, as if she'd been taken apart, also subsided considerably.
"Huh? This coffee is miraculous?" Chen Man's eyes lit up, and she took another big gulp. "I feel like I've been injected with adrenaline. Boss, you didn't put any illegal substances in it, did you?"
"What are you thinking? This is the power of love," Jiang Chen said shamelessly.
"Hmph." Chen Man rolled her eyes, but her body honestly leaned over, resting her head on Jiang Chen's thigh like a lazy cat. "But seriously, Boss, can we take it easy on these 'team-building' activities in the future? Even the donkeys on the production team don't work this hard without rest."
Jiang Chen reached out and ruffled her head: "What, already chickening out? Who was it last night who was shouting about fighting me for three hundred rounds?"
Chen Man's face flushed, and she fiercely pinched Jiang Chen's inner thigh: "Shut up! Cut that part out of the broadcast!"
...
At ten in the morning, they broke camp and descended the mountain.
Four bodyguards returned to the mountain to move their belongings. When these burly men, accustomed to grand scenes, entered the tent and saw the mess on the floor, the lingering ambiguous scent in the air, and their boss's refreshed appearance, each of them had mastered the 'unflinching gaze' technique.
However, their admiration for Jiang Chen in their hearts flowed like an endless river.
This was a true man!
One against three, and still a complete victory!
"Boss, this tent..." The bodyguard captain pointed to the bent aluminum alloy poles, hesitating to speak.
"Throw it away," Jiang Chen waved his hand. "Get a new one."
This tent held too many secrets; keeping it would only be 'evidence'.
The descent was harder than the ascent.
The compacted snow was very slippery.
Su Qingge and Lin Wan supported each other, leaning on trekking poles, swaying with every step like two penguins.
As for Chen Man...
She was completely done for.
"I'm not walking! You can kill me, but I'm not walking!" Chen Man hugged a tree, acting spoiled. "My legs are weak, really weak, I can't even stand steadily. Jiang Chen, you're responsible! Carry me!"
Jiang Chen sighed helplessly, tossed the equipment in his hands to a bodyguard, and squatted in front of Chen Man: "Come on, my ancestor."
Chen Man cheered, directly pouncing onto Jiang Chen's back, her long legs tightly wrapped around his waist, her hands around his neck, hanging on him like a koala.
"Hehe, giddy up!"
Jiang Chen supported her plump thighs, feeling a soft warmth. The astonishing sensation transmitted through his jacket made his heart flutter again.
"Don't move around," Jiang Chen patted her butt. "Move again and I'll throw you into a snowdrift."
"You wouldn't dare~" Chen Man blew air into his ear, her warm breath tickling his neck.
Jiang Chen carried a hundred-plus jin adult, moving swiftly over the snow. His physique, enhanced by the system, was simply superhuman; this weight was no different from carrying a backpack to him.
Su Qingge, following behind, watched this scene, pushed up the sunglasses on her nose that were meant to hide her dark circles, and snorted sourly: "Childish."
Lin Wan smiled and held her arm: "If you're tired, should Jiang Chen take turns carrying us?"
Su Qingge's body stiffened, and she immediately shook her head, imagining the scene: "No need. I have my dignity."
However, five minutes later.
"Um... Jiang Chen, I think we can implement a rotation system. After all, this is teamwork..."
...
By the time the group finally made their way to the foot of the mountain, it was already noon.
This was the time when villagers would come out for a stroll after lunch to aid digestion.
Under the big locust tree at the village entrance, a group of elderly men and women were gathered, cracking melon seeds and chatting.
"Hey, isn't that Jiang Chen?" The sharp-eyed Aunt Liu Er pointed into the distance and called out.
82: Chapter 82 Having weak legs is also a kind of prestige
"Hey, isn't that Jiang Chen?"
Second Aunt Liu's shout was comparable to a loudspeaker test at the village entrance, possessing incredible piercing power.
Several middle-aged women who were originally gathered under the big locust tree cracking melon seeds instantly turned their heads in unison, like radars locking onto a target.
The air seemed to freeze for three seconds.
Chen Man was lying on Jiang Chen's back, her long legs still tightly wrapped around his waist. Hearing the shout, her body suddenly stiffened, and she instinctively wanted to jump down.
"Don't move." Jiang Chen's hands supporting her thighs tightened. Instead of letting go, he gave her a little hoist. "If you get down now, are you planning to crawl back?"
Chen Man's face turned as red as a freshly cooked spicy crawfish. She buried her face in the crook of Jiang Chen's neck, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz: "It's over, it's over. My lady-like image in Jiang Family Village is completely ruined."
"Did you ever have one?" Jiang Chen chuckled, carrying her past them with complete composure.
Behind them, Su Qingge and Lin Wan supported each other. Although they tried their best to maintain an elegant posture, their slightly slow and strange gait betrayed their current weakness.
"Oh, Jiang Chen!" Aunt Wang held a handful of melon seeds, her gaze scanning the four of them like an X-ray before finally stopping on Chen Man's slightly trembling calves. Her expression became meaningful. "What's going on? Why is a young lady being carried?"
"Um... hello, Aunt Wang." Chen Man had to lift her head, squeezing out a smile that looked worse than crying. "The... the mountain path was slippery, and I accidentally fell... fell down."
"Fell?" Auntie Li leaned in, her eyes, which had seen countless people, sparkling with the light of gossip. "How come all three girls can't walk? Did they all fall?"
Su Qingge adjusted her sunglasses, attempting to use academic authority to dominate the scene. She cleared her throat and explained solemnly, "Auntie, this is a normal physiological phenomenon. Due to prolonged high-intensity anaerobic exercise, excessive lactic acid has accumulated in the muscles, resulting in delayed onset muscle soreness. A couple of days of rest will be fine."
The women looked at each other, clearly not understanding terms like 'lactic acid' or 'anaerobic.'
But who was Aunt Wang? She was the chief analyst of the Jiang Family Village intelligence center. Her eyes darted around, landing on a red mark on Su Qingge's neck that hadn't been fully covered even with concealer. She instantly understood.
"I get it! I get it!" Aunt Wang slapped her thigh, laughing suggestively. "Young people have a lot of fire in them! Although there's no path on the back mountain, it's nice and quiet, with no one to disturb you. It's just that on such a cold day, the ground is too hard, and it's easy to 'slip'."
The other women nearby burst into a chorus of knowing laughter.
"I don't think the road was slippery; it's just that someone is too 'strong'." Auntie Li gave Jiang Chen a thumbs-up, her tone carrying a hint of admiration. "Jiang Chen, it's got to be you. Compared to you, the young guys in our village are all like wet noodles."
Su Qingge's cold face instantly turned the color of pig liver, and she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. What 'fire in them', what 'ground too hard'! This explanation was worse than no explanation at all!
Chen Man buried her face even deeper, not daring to see anyone.
Only Jiang Chen, far from being embarrassed, smiled smugly. "Aunties are right. It's mainly to respond to the national call to exercise and defend the motherland. Once the house is finished, I'll invite everyone over for tea."
"Sure, sure! You go ahead! Hurry back and give the girls some nourishment!" Aunt Wang waved the melon seeds in her hand as if seeing off a victorious general.
Only after they were out of the women's sight did Su Qingge grit her teeth and pinch Lin Wan's arm hard—because she couldn't reach Jiang Chen.
"Jiang Chen! What were you talking about, responding to the call? My reputation has been ruined by you!"
"I was just going with the flow." Jiang Chen looked innocent. "Was I supposed to say it's because you insisted on playing Truth or Dare last night and got tired from doing squats after losing?"
Su Qingge was speechless. No one would believe that reason either!
As they spoke, they passed the Village Clinic.
The Barefoot Old Doctor with a goatee was moving a lounge chair to sunbathe at the entrance. Seeing the group's miserable state, his old eyes lit up, and he shouted:
"Jiang Chen! I see these young ladies' Qi and blood are a bit weak! Do you want a couple of bottles of special Safflower Oil to get rid of the bruises? And you, although you're young and have a good foundation, you should also be careful not to overexert yourself! I have a jar of Tiger Whip Wine I just finished steeping; should I save it for you?"
Pfft—
Chen Man almost spat out a mouthful of blood onto Jiang Chen's back.
"Hurry! Let's go!" Chen Man was dying of shame and frustration, her hands pounding Jiang Chen's shoulders. "I don't want to live anymore! How can even the doctor in this village be so improper!"
Jiang Chen suppressed his laughter and sped off like the wind, rushing toward the RV parked in the clearing.
...
"Bang!"
The RV door slammed shut, cutting off the inquisitive and teasing gazes from outside.
At that moment, the three women felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, and they slumped onto the sofa without any regard for their image.
"I'm going to shower!" Chen Man was the first to spring up. Although the movement triggered some soreness that made her grimace, she still rushed toward the bathroom with incredible willpower. "I want to wash away all this 'evidence'!"
"Me too." Su Qingge followed closely behind, completely disregarding her CEO persona. "I smell like smoke and alcohol; it's unbearable."
"Um... the bathroom probably can't fit three people, right?" Lin Wan gently reminded them.
"Then we'll wash two at a time!" Chen Man's voice came from the bathroom, accompanied by the sound of splashing water. "Sister Wan, you wait outside first and get breakfast ready. I'm starving!"
Jiang Chen leaned back on the sofa, listening to the playful banter and the sound of water coming from the bathroom, feeling quite refreshed.
He took out his phone, and just as he was about to browse the news, a text message popped up.
The contact was [Uncle Jiang].
The content was simple but explosive: [Nephew, a young man's good health is an asset, but you have to take it easy. The whole village is talking, saying you wore out three girls on the back mountain. This influence... cough, watch the influence. Also, that Snapping Turtle Soup you wanted, I've started stewing it. I'll bring it over to you tonight.]
Jiang Chen looked at the screen, his mouth twitching.
The speed of information in the village was indeed faster than 5G. In just a short while, he had gone from a tycoon to a 'God of War'?
But this feeling of being looked up to by all the men in the village... why did it feel so good?
"Ding-dong."
Another message. This time it was a WeChat from Su Qingge, even though she was in the bathroom just a few meters away.
[Su Qingge]: Don't just sit there gloating. Go to the construction site in half an hour. Old Zhang just messaged saying the geological survey results are out, and there's a tricky problem that needs an on-site decision. Also, if you don't want me to write your hooligan-like behavior from last night into my memoirs, you'd better prepare a decent set of clothes for me. My suit... is wrinkled.
Jiang Chen replied with an [OK] gesture and got up to walk toward the walk-in closet.
Half an hour later.
The RV door opened again.
The three stunning beauties looked brand new.
Su Qingge had changed into a sharply tailored gray cashmere coat with a turtleneck sweater underneath, perfectly covering the marks on her neck. Her gold-rimmed glasses were back on her nose, and her aura was fully unleashed, as if the woman who was dying of shame at the village entrance earlier wasn't her at all.
Chen Man wore a loose hoodie and jeans. Although she still walked a bit bow-legged, her makeup had restored that seductive refinement, and her lips were painted a dripping bright red.
Lin Wan remained in her gentle home style, a beige down jacket making her skin look as white as snow.
"Let's go, President Jiang." Su Qingge glanced at her watch, her tone returning to its business-like coldness. "Let's see if that foundation of yours, worth tens of millions, can actually carry your ambition."
If one ignored her hand tightly gripping Lin Wan for support, she truly had the majesty of a domineering female CEO.
Jiang Chen smiled. This woman really would rather suffer than lose face.
"Let's go." Jiang Chen tucked his hands in his pockets and led the way to the construction site.
83: Chapter 83: A "Big Trouble" Unearthed from the Foundation
On the mid-slope of the mountain behind Jiang Family Village, the construction site had already begun to take shape.
What should have been a bustling scene of roaring machines and flying dust was now eerily quiet.
Dozens of workers wearing yellow hard hats had stopped their work, huddling in small groups and pointing toward a deep pit in the center of the site.
"President Jiang, over there!"
Old Zhang spotted Jiang Chen's group and came running over, practically crawling in his haste, not even bothering to straighten his lopsided hard hat. His face, usually weathered by wind and sun, was now as pale as if it had been powdered, his eyes filled with terror.
"What exactly happened? Did the foundation collapse?"
Jiang Chen walked at the front with his hands in his pockets. Behind him, Su Qingge and Lin Wan were still walking a bit unsteadily, while Chen Man was practically hanging half her body weight on Jiang Chen's arm.
"It didn't collapse, it's... it's oozing 'blood'!" Old Zhang's voice carried a sob as he pointed toward a half-finished pile foundation hole in the center.
"Oozing blood?" Chen Man, who had been yawning repeatedly, instantly widened her almond-shaped eyes upon hearing those words. "Old Zhang, isn't your script a bit too advanced? We're building a luxury villa, not filming a horror movie."
Su Qingge also frowned and adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses. "Engineer Zhang, you are a professional. Such nonsense..."
"President Su, I'm really not making this up! See for yourself!" Old Zhang pulled them toward the edge of the foundation hole.
Jiang Chen leaned over to take a look inside.
The hole was about ten meters deep. At this moment, a dark red, viscous liquid was slowly seeping out from the cracks in the soil, emitting a nauseating stench that smelled like rust mixed with some kind of rotting matter.
That red color was indeed striking, looking extremely out of place against the grayish-brown soil layers; it truly resembled dried blood.
"Oh my, this is what happens when you disturb the dragon vein!"
An aged and shrill voice drifted over from behind the crowd.
Following that, an old man wearing a faded button-down jacket and holding a compass approached, flanked by several burly men. Jiang Chen recognized this old man—Divine Man Wu from the neighboring village, who made a living off funerals, weddings, and feng shui readings.
Walking alongside Divine Man Wu was a middle-aged man with a shaved head and a gold chain as thick as a finger around his neck. This man had a face full of scars and was fiddling with two walnuts in his hand; he clearly wasn't a good character.
"Hu San?" Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes, recognizing the bald man.
Hu San was a well-known local thug in Jiang Family Village. He had spent a few years wandering outside before returning to the village to gather a group of idlers. He specialized in monopolizing small projects, which was essentially forced buying and selling.
"President Jiang, it's a good thing to return home and help with construction, but this site selection... is a bit ill-considered." Hu San fiddled with his walnuts while looking at Jiang Chen out of the corner of his eye. "Master Wu has already looked at it. Your drill went down and happened to hit the 'heart of the dragon vein' of our Jiang Family Village. This red water is the blood of the Earth Dragon!"
Divine Man Wu stood to the side, solemnly pinching his fingers and muttering to himself, "A sin, truly a sin. Dragon blood entering the soil is an omen of great misfortune. At best, the project will stall; at worst... all the men within a ten-mile radius will suffer."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of several village elders watching immediately changed.
"Jiang Chen, you can't take this lightly."
"Master Wu's readings are very accurate. Back then, Er Gou's family didn't believe in such things when they built their house, and their cow died the next day."
"Maybe we should stop work first? If the dragon vein is ruined, our village's future fortune will be cut off."
The villagers' discussions rose and fell. Several uncles who had originally supported Jiang Chen now had hesitant looks in their eyes.
Su Qingge gave a cold laugh and stepped forward, her pressure as a corporate strongwoman instantly filling the air.
"What dragon blood? This soil layer contains iron oxide or other minerals. They oxidized under the high-temperature friction of the drill bit. Producing this color is a normal chemical reaction. Master Wu, is it? This kind of charlatan routine might work on children, but it won't work with me."
"And who are you?" Hu San glanced at Su Qingge, his gaze lingering for a moment on her uniform skirt and black-stockinged legs before he gave a lewd chuckle. "Yo, President Jiang's female secretary is quite pretty. But little sister, in this remote backcountry, your city logic doesn't apply. Isn't that right, folks?"
"Exactly! Our ancestors lived here; we know the rules!" The burly men Hu San brought with him joined in the jeering.
Chen Man couldn't take it anymore and jumped out with her hands on her hips. "Hu San, don't think I don't know what you're planning. Isn't it just because President Jiang didn't hire you for the construction of his luxury villa? Why are you putting on this feng shui act here?"
"You can't say it like that, Miss Chen." Hu San smiled maliciously. "I, Hu San, may not have much education, but I am also a member of Jiang Family Village. I have to be responsible for the village's luck. If you want to continue, that's fine, but since the dragon vein has been startled, we must invite Master Wu to perform a ritual for nine days and nights. Additionally, this foundation hole must be filled and redrilled, and the materials for this site... must be replaced with our village's own production to suppress the evil energy."
Old Zhang was nearby, trembling with rage. "President Jiang, his sand and gravel are three times more expensive than outside! Are those even materials? That's just waste residue mixed with dirt!"
Jiang Chen hadn't said a word.
He looked at the hole oozing "blood" and then at the smug Hu San. In his heart, he had already roughly guessed how this play was being staged.
This kind of old-fashioned routine could only fool honest and simple farmers.
"Hu San, in your opinion, how much would this ritual and the 'compensation fee' cost?" Jiang Chen asked in a flat tone.
Hu San thought Jiang Chen had chickened out. He stopped fiddling with the walnuts and held up a hand. "Not much. Considering we're all from the same village, this much."
"Fifty thousand?" Chen Man curled her lip. "You're really not that greedy."
"Fifty thousand?" Hu San snorted, a hint of greed appearing in his eyes. "Miss Chen must be joking. I meant five million. This involves the fortune of the entire village; not a penny less."
Five million.
This was no longer extortion; this was a direct attempt to swallow a piece of Jiang Chen's flesh.
The watching villagers also sucked in a breath of cold air, clearly shocked by this figure, but under Hu San's intimidation, no one dared to speak up.
"Jiang Chen, don't agree to it. This is obvious extortion." Su Qingge pulled on Jiang Chen's sleeve, her voice very low.
Lin Wan also looked at him worriedly. "Jiang Chen, we can call the police."
"Call the police?" Hu San spat on the ground and pointed arrogantly at the villagers. "I'm doing this for the good of the whole village. What will you say when you call the police? President Jiang, this is a local dispute; even if the police come, they can only mediate. If you don't pay, the Earth Dragon's blood won't stop flowing. Let's see who dares to work here!"
Just then, the system notification sound that had disappeared all morning rang out in Jiang Chen's mind again.
[Ding! Detected that the Host is facing "Obstruction from a Clumsy Clown."]
[Random Mission Issued:]
[Mission 1: Defeat "Metaphysics" with "Science." Expose Hu San's scam.]
[Mission 2: Upgrade the project's quality. Since you're doing it, make the whole world take notice.]
[Today's Mission Limited-Time Consumption: 15 million (must be used to improve project quality and village infrastructure; cannot be used directly to pay extortion fees).]
[Cashback Multiplier: 20-100x randomly generated.]
Jiang Chen's heart settled.
He had originally wanted to play slowly with these bastards, but since the system mission had arrived, there was no need to be polite.
"Five million?" Jiang Chen started laughing, looking at Hu San as if he were looking at an idiot.
"What? You think it's too much?" Hu San narrowed his eyes. "President Jiang, you throw around tens of millions outside. Are you unwilling to give the village this little 'disaster relief money'? If word gets out, you won't be able to stay in Jiang Family Village anymore."
"I think it's too little." Jiang Chen slowly pulled a Wahaha cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He took a deep drag and looked at Hu San sideways. "Hu San, a person like you will only ever have a five-million-dollar vision in this life. You want to block my work? You're not worthy."
"Jiang Chen, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Hu San flared up, slamming the walnuts in his hand onto the ground.
"Engineer Zhang." Jiang Chen turned to look at Old Zhang, his tone becoming stern. "Bring the survey team's equipment over. Since Master Wu says the Earth Dragon is bleeding, we'll perform an 'autopsy' on-site. If it's a mineral vein, I'll take it; if it's trash, I'll fill it."
"But President Jiang..." Old Zhang looked troubled. "Divine Man Wu has a lot of prestige in the village. If we forcibly disturb the earth, the villagers' side..."
"Do my words carry no weight?" Jiang Chen's gaze turned cold, and the aura of a superior nurtured by money and the system instantly pressed down.
Old Zhang shrank his neck and nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, yes, I'll go get the men right away!"
"Let's see who dares to move!" Hu San waved his hand, and several burly men immediately blocked the foundation hole, looking menacing.
The scene instantly became tense, with swords drawn.
Su Qingge had already taken out her phone, appearing ready to call for backup or her legal team.
Chen Man rolled up her sleeves, looking very much like she would charge in and tear that bald man apart the moment Jiang Chen gave the order.
Only Lin Wan walked quietly to Jiang Chen's side and took his hand. The warmth of her palm caused Jiang Chen's anger to subside slightly.
"Jiang Chen, don't be impulsive. They are deliberately trying to provoke you," Lin Wan said softly.
Jiang Chen turned his hand to grip Lin Wan's soft, boneless little hand and patted it, giving her a reassuring look.
"Hu San, do you think you're the only smart person in this world?" Jiang Chen took a step forward and stood in front of Hu San. The two were of similar height, but Jiang Chen's calm and composed temperament completely suppressed Hu San's petty, worldly air.
"I won't stop this project today, and I won't give you a single penny. Those underhanded little tricks of yours—I'll make you swallow them yourself in a moment."
Jiang Chen blew out a smoke ring, the embers flickering in the cold wind.
"Old Zhang, go fix the drilling rig. Also, help me contact the best geological and environmental team in the country. I want to perform a 'Ley Line Grooming' on all the surrounding hills. The budget is twenty million; if that's not enough, add more."
Hu San was stunned.
Twenty million? Is this kid crazy?
For this one lousy foundation, he was going to throw down twenty million for Ley Line Grooming?
"Stop trying to bluff me!" Hu San shouted with false bravado. "Twenty million? If you have that kind of money, you might as well give it to me..."
"Give it to you?" Jiang Chen laughed. "You're not worthy. I can use twenty million to build roads for the village, build schools, and build nursing homes. But in my eyes, you, Hu San, aren't even worth a single dime's worth of sand and gravel."
"Master Wu, don't just stand there; continue your performance." Jiang Chen pointed at the hole oozing red water. "If this blood hasn't dried in ten minutes, I'll admit defeat. But if this blood dries, I'm going to chop off someone's claws."
Hu San's eyelids twitched unnaturally.
He subconsciously glanced at Divine Man Wu, then quickly peeked toward a certain direction in the crowd.
That subtle movement did not escape Jiang Chen's eyes.
You want to play? Then let's play big.
84: Chapter 84 On-site "Ghost Hunting"
At the construction site, the wind blew colder and colder.
Divine Man Wu shook that rust-covered bell in his hand, dancing a shamanic rite around the foundation pile hole that was oozing "red water," muttering incantations that no one could understand. That commotion, combined with the grim expressions of the several burly men around him, truly intimidated many of the villagers.
"President Jiang, are you really going to let him keep messing around like this?"
Old Zhang squatted beside Jiang Chen, clutching a wrench with a face full of misery. "Every minute this drill stops is a loss of several thousand yuan. The experts from the geological team are still on their way; distant water can't put out a nearby fire."
Su Qingge walked unsteadily on the gravel ground in her high heels. She frowned as she looked at Divine Man Wu, then looked at Jiang Chen. "You just said you were going to spend twenty million on 'Leyline Grooming'—were you serious? Or was it purely to spite him?"
"President Su, when have you ever seen me make a joke like that?" Jiang Chen calmly exhaled his last puff of smoke and reached out to wrap his arm around Su Qingge's shoulder, feeling the slight tremor coming from the female CEO. "This foundation doesn't just need to be stable; our reputation needs to be stable too. If we don't clear out these demons and monsters, we won't feel at ease living in our future luxury villa."
Being held by him like this, Su Qingge's originally anxious mood miraculously calmed down quite a bit, but she still wouldn't back down verbally: "You just have money to burn."
"That's called an investment," Chen Man chimed in with a pout. "The boss calls this exorcism via 'money power.' But seriously, Jiang Chen, what's really going on with that red water? I can smell it, and it's really eerie—it doesn't smell like paint."
Jiang Chen didn't answer. Instead, he looked toward a young man standing at the edge of the crowd with an evasive expression. That was the village electrician, A-Qiang, who usually helped out at the site by pulling wires and changing light bulbs.
"A-Qiang, come here," Jiang Chen suddenly called out.
The young man named A-Qiang flinched as if his pressure points had been struck. It took him a long time to shuffle over to Jiang Chen, his eyes not daring to meet Jiang Chen's at all. "Pres... President Jiang, did you need something from me?"
"Nothing major. I just wanted to ask, that abandoned old well behind our construction site—did water start flowing from it yesterday afternoon?" Jiang Chen smiled amiably.
A-Qiang's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he stammered, "I... I didn't notice. I took the afternoon off yesterday."
"Oh, you took the afternoon off." Jiang Chen nodded, then looked at Hu San.
At this moment, Hu San was smugly fiddling with his walnuts. Seeing Jiang Chen questioning the electrician, he sneered, "President Jiang, don't waste your effort. This is damage to the dragon vein; it's useless no matter who you find. Master Wu said that the Earth Dragon has a spirit. If you continue to be ungrateful, tomorrow this site won't just be oozing blood—I'm afraid people will start dying!"
"People will start dying?" Jiang Chen snorted coldly. "Hu San, are those words a threat, or are you previewing your next plan?"
"This is a warning from the Heavens!" Hu San shouted arrogantly.
Divine Man Wu's ritual had just reached its "climax." He suddenly pulled a talisman from his robes, dipped it into the "red water," and shouted loudly, "The Earth Dragon reveals its divinity; let the evil spirits appear!"
No one knew what trick he used, but after the talisman was soaked in the red water, it actually emitted a thick smoke, and a clawing, fanging ghost shadow could vaguely be seen.
"Aieee! There really is a ghost!"
Several timid women screamed and backed away.
The villagers' emotions were instantly ignited, and many began pointing fingers at Jiang Chen.
"I told you we couldn't build a house there; that's the feng shui on top of the Jiang Family's ancestral graves."
"Hurry up and stop. Just give Hu San some money to settle this; don't drag the whole village down with you."
The smugness on Hu San's face was practically oozing from his pores.
Just then, Jiang Chen received a message on his phone.
It was from Li Dazhuang. Although that kid wasn't the brightest, he was reliable. Jiang Chen had sent him to check the abandoned old pump house on the back mountain.
The message contained only one photo: an opened chemical reagent bucket next to a small booster pump connected to a hose. The label on the bucket hadn't been fully torn off, and it read: Red Lead Anti-Rust Powder.
Jiang Chen smiled.
Red lead powder—this stuff didn't just look like blood; it even smelled of iron. By mixing it with water and pumping it into the soil layer through a hidden pipe, once the drill passed through, it would be heated and diluted, making it look like fresh blood gushing from underground.
"Old Zhang, take two brothers and go fetch that booster pump from the pump house on the back mountain." Jiang Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet construction site.
Hu San's hand fiddling with the walnuts froze.
Divine Man Wu was still waving his bell, but his movements noticeably slowed down.
"What's... what's there to see at the pump house? That's village public property!" Hu San panicked slightly and shouted loudly.
"Public property?" Jiang Chen sneered and walked straight toward Divine Man Wu.
The burly men blocking the path tried to stop him, but after being swept by Jiang Chen's icy gaze, they all involuntarily moved aside.
Jiang Chen walked to the bucket of "red water," leaned over, and dipped his finger into the viscous liquid.
"Jiang Chen, you're crazy! That's dragon blood; it's cursed!" Divine Man Wu screamed.
Jiang Chen ignored him. Instead, he put his finger under his nose and sniffed, then looked at Hu San with contempt. "Hu San, use your brain next time you put on a show. Red lead powder mixed with industrial glue? Your costs are too low. For five million, you could at least buy some decent red food coloring."
"What red lead powder? I don't understand!" Hu San remained stubborn as a dead duck.
"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. A-Qiang, do you understand?" Jiang Chen turned to look at the electrician.
A-Qiang was practically collapsing onto the ground by now.
"Tell us, how much did Hu San pay you? To connect the temporary power to the pump house and help him cover up the burial of that hose?" Jiang Chen's tone was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable deterrent force.
"President Jiang... I, I didn't want to. Brother Hu said it was just a joke and wouldn't cause any trouble..." A-Qiang's psychological defenses instantly crumbled, and he cried out with a miserable face, "He said he'd give me twenty thousand after it was done. I just helped him connect the electricity; I don't know anything else!"
*Whoosh—*
The surrounding villagers instantly erupted into an uproar.
"What? It was man-made?"
"This Hu San is too wicked, scaring us with this kind of thing?"
"What was with that talisman of Divine Man Wu's just now? Why did it smoke?"
Hearing this, Chen Man reacted immediately, rushing forward to snatch the remaining stack of talismans from Divine Man Wu's hand. As someone who had hung out in nightclubs, what kind of street scams hadn't she seen?
"White phosphorus plus saltpeter—it smokes as soon as it touches water. Master Wu, these props of yours probably cost nine yuan and ninety cents with free shipping on Taobao, right?" Chen Man disdainfully slapped the talismans onto Divine Man Wu's face.
Divine Man Wu's old face turned from white to green. The bell in his hand dropped to the ground with a *ding-dang*, and he couldn't say a single word.
Seeing that the plot had been exposed, Hu San's original petty merchant air instantly turned into ferocity. He stuffed the walnuts into his pocket and waved his hand viciously. "Damn it, so what if you found out? Jiang Chen, even if I made this water, so what? Without my approval, you won't be able to move a single inch of this two-acre foundation!"
The burly men behind him closed in again, each rolling up their sleeves to reveal low-quality tattoos on their arms.
"Want to play rough?" The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth curled into an arc. "President Su, Qingge, give me three minutes. Contact that special security company we just signed and have them bring the 'big guys' over. Since Hu San wants to be a road bully, I'll let him know what real 'right of way' means."
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, a flash of excitement in her eyes. She had long been annoyed by these local thugs. This feeling of crushing an opponent with absolute strength was what she, as a businessperson, liked most.
"They're already on the way. Five heavy-duty industrial drones and thirty fully armed bodyguards. Estimated arrival at the battlefield in two minutes." Su Qingge calmly counted down the seconds.
Hu San was stunned.
Heavy-duty drones? Security company?
Before he could react, the dense roar of propellers came from the horizon.
Five black drones, each as large as a millstone, hovered over the construction site like a dark cloud. Immediately following that, the sound of synchronized footsteps echoed from the site entrance.
Dressed in uniform black combat gear and black helmets, although they didn't carry guns, their bulging muscles and the "Aegis Security" badges on their chests were enough to make any petty thug's legs go weak.
"President Jiang, Aegis Security First Battalion is assembled and awaiting instructions!"
A man who looked like a lead instructor stood before Jiang Chen, his voice like thunder.
The burly men who had been acting all high and mighty just a moment ago were already starting to sneak toward the back of the crowd. Hu San's face, full of trembling flesh, was now only left with the trembling.
"It's nothing major." Jiang Chen pulled a stack of new bills from his pocket and scattered them in front of Hu San like he was handing out flyers. "Earlier, I thought that five million was too little. Now, I've changed my mind."
Jiang Chen pointed to the huge supply crates suspended from the drones. "Inside these are the best precision exploration equipment. Hu San, from now on, you and your brothers will stay right here and be my audience. Old Zhang, unload the equipment. We're going to perform some 'scientific dragon taming.'"
The drones slowly descended in the air, and the massive supply crates landed.
"What... what kind of things are these?" Hu San looked at the silver instruments, which shimmered with a metallic luster and were full of sci-fi vibes, his tongue practically tied.
"These are High-Frequency Vibration Detectors and Liquid Soil Displacement Machines." Old Zhang directed the workers to unpack while wiping his sweat. "To put it simply, no matter what pipes you've buried, these machines can vibrate them into tiny pieces deep underground. Then we'll pump in a special high-strength solidifying liquid. In the future, not even an atomic bomb will be able to crack this foundation."
"Brother Hu, do we... still stop them?" a burly man asked Hu San in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the dozens of black-clad bodyguards nearby.
"Stop them my ass! Are you going to use your head to stop a drone?" Hu San gnashed his teeth, nearly crushing the walnuts in his hand. "Jiang Chen, don't think you can walk all over Jiang Family Village just because you have some money! This matter of the leyline—we'll see about that!"
"You haven't left yet, so what's the rush?" Jiang Chen pointed to the ground covered in the wet, red viscous substance. "Since you've dirtied my land, you have to wash it clean before you leave. And you, Master Wu, stop playing dead."
Divine Man Wu was shrinking behind a tree, trying to slip away, but he was hauled back by a bodyguard in one stride, squawking like a frightened old hen.
"President Jiang, President Jiang, have mercy! I'm just a traveling performer; it was all Hu San's idea!" Divine Man Wu completely broke down.
"Fine, stop that dog-eat-dog act." Jiang Chen waved his hand in disgust. "Clean up this filth. Also, Hu San, didn't you just say the Earth Qi was ruined? I, Jiang Chen, never take advantage of the village. Old Zhang, take a note."
Jiang Chen looked around at the watching villagers and raised his voice an octave.
"From today on, I'm not just going to build this house. I won't give a single cent of that five million 'calamity-dispelling money' for the site. Instead, I will put up twenty million to establish the 'Jiang Family Village Livability Renovation Fund.' The first step is to pave all the muddy roads in the village with asphalt. The second step is to provide free running water to every household in the village and update all the old pump houses. The third step is to give every elderly person over sixty in the village a five-hundred-yuan monthly living allowance, paid out of my own pocket. What do you all think of this deal?"
The villagers, who were still fixated on the "dragon vein," instantly fell into a deathly silence.
Immediately after, there was a world-shaking cheer.
"President Jiang is so righteous!"
"Who cares about dragon veins? Letting everyone drink clean water is the real dragon!"
"Hu San, you wicked thing, you almost cut off our village's benefits!"
The direction of the wind changed faster than a tornado.
Hu San stood there, unable to stay or run. The expression on his fleshy face was uglier than if he had swallowed a thousand flies.
"Hu San, did you just say I couldn't get a foothold in Jiang Family Village?" Jiang Chen sneered, looking past his trembling shoulders at the construction site that was getting back on track. "Now, who do you think should be the one to get lost from this area?"
85: Chapter 85 I'm really happy with this money.
"Jiang Chen, you're just buying people's hearts!" Hu San squeezed a shriek out of his throat, but amidst the overwhelming cheers, it sounded incredibly weak and powerless.
"So what if I am?" Chen Man chuckled as she peeked out from behind Jiang Chen, her seductive fox-like eyes full of mischief. "Hu San, a lowlife like you who only knows how to snatch a few pounds of sand and gravel money from villagers could never understand what 'the big picture' means. Right, Boss Jiang?"
Jiang Chen took the opportunity to pinch Chen Man's cheek and turned to Su Qingge. "President Su, could you process a flow for this twenty million special fund? Let's call it the 'Jiang Family Village Takeoff Plan.' Since we're doing this, let's make it formal. We don't want people thinking we're just some nouveau riche bumpkins who happened upon a fortune."
Su Qingge pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, her fingers flying across her tablet. "I'm already drafting the proposal. However, from a financial audit perspective, this money offers no direct benefit to the company. It's pure charity."
"Charity?" Jiang Chen looked at the workers who had already started their tasks and the villagers gathered around the construction site, their eyes once again filled with awe and expectation. "I call it buying peace of mind. Besides, spending this money makes me feel great."
[Ding! Detected that the Host has completed 'Upgrading Project Standards' while also attending to infrastructure construction.]
[Detected valid consumption amount: 21.5 million (including subsequent infrastructure funding commitments).]
[System beginning random multiplier cashback...]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a 6x cashback!]
[129 million RMB has been injected into the Host's personal account via offshore funds and compliant accounts.]
Hearing the wonderful notification of the deposit in his mind, the curve of Jiang Chen's lips became even more pronounced.
Twenty million for two hundred million—this deal made him happier than even all the sisters present combined ever could.
"Oh, Jiang Chen, I knew you were a good boy since you were little!"
Grandpa Wang, who had been standing on Hu San's side earlier, now wore a kind smile and approached, trying to take Jiang Chen's hand. "Can that road really be paved right to my doorstep? My old legs are most afraid of muddy roads on rainy days."
"Grandpa, we'll pave it, definitely." Jiang Chen calmly withdrew his hand and pointed at the bodyguards who hadn't left yet. "Not only will the roads be paved, but our village will also be turned into a star-rated scenic spot. As for those eyesores..."
He gave Hu San a meaningful look.
Grandpa Wang immediately caught on and turned to spit at Hu San. "Hu San! Why haven't you and your hoodlums gotten lost yet? Didn't you hear President Jiang? This is a scientific foundation! Take your ghostly superstitions and go fool some ghosts! If you delay everyone from getting tap water, see if I don't crack your skull open!"
The villagers' gazes instantly became extremely hostile. Dozens of elderly men and women holding shovels and brooms seemed to be on the verge of surrounding Hu San and his group.
Hu San had spent half his life fiddling with walnuts; when had he ever suffered such humiliation?
But looking at those tower-like bodyguards and the buzzing drones in the sky, the last bit of his bluster died out.
"Fine... Jiang Chen, you're ruthless! This is Jiang Family Village; we'll meet again!" Hu San dropped a cliché parting shot and scurried down the mountain with his disheveled thugs.
Divine Man Wu scrambled away even more frantically, even forgetting to pick up his copper bells from the ground.
"Um... President Jiang." A-Qiang the electrician stood there, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. "Do... do I need to turn myself in?"
"No need to turn yourself in." Jiang Chen glanced at him. "Go to the construction site and assist Old Zhang. Dig up all those rotten pipes you just buried. If one is left behind, I'll make sure you pay your electricity bills in jail for the rest of your life."
"Yes! Yes! I'll go dig them up right now!" A-Qiang felt as if he had received a grand pardon, grabbed a Luoyang shovel, and rushed into the red mud.
The crisis was resolved, and the construction site became lively once again.
Old Zhang led the detection team, using advanced instruments to perform a deep scan of the foundation.
"President Jiang, it's truly miraculous!" Old Zhang pointed at the images on the display screen. "There really is an abandoned hidden culvert underground. It was probably left over from when an air-raid shelter was built, and Hu San and the others just happened to use it. Luckily, our detector is advanced enough; it not only found the pipes but also measured the load-bearing capacity below, which is twice as high as expected!"
"Naturally. As long as the money wasn't wasted." Jiang Chen let out a sigh of relief.
At that moment, Lin Wan came over carrying a thermos and carefully adjusted Jiang Chen's collar.
"You must be exhausted, right? Those people are truly shameless." Lin Wan's tone was filled with concern.
"I'm not tired; watching a monkey show is quite interesting." Jiang Chen took a sip of water. "Sister Wan, about the subsidies for the elderly I mentioned earlier, please take the trouble to help me draft a list. Don't leave anyone out, but don't let those sneaky people take advantage either."
"Don't worry, I'm more familiar with the village's household registrations and seniority than you are." Lin Wan smiled gently.
Chen Man stretched beside them, her tight-fitting sweatshirt outlining a breathtaking curve. She had returned to her lazy, enchantress-like self.
"Since the trouble is resolved, Boss, shouldn't we discuss dinner? I've been out here in the cold wind for so long that I'm about to turn into a shriveled salted fish."
"We'll eat. Order whatever you want." Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly.
"I want hot pot! The kind where you can throw all the wild mushrooms from the whole mountain into it!" Chen Man took Jiang Chen's left arm.
Su Qingge also put away her tablet and came over to take his right arm. Although her expression was still a bit haughty, her tone had softened considerably. "I want to have bird's nest porridge from that shop. My stomach feels uncomfortable after being tossed about all morning."
Sandwiched between these two mature beauties, with the gentle-as-water Lin Wan leading the way, Jiang Chen walked slowly back to the RV under the envious and sighing gazes of the villagers.
"Say, what kind of luck did this Jiang Chen cultivate in this life? Not only is he rich, but the women around him are each more stunning than the last."
"That's because he's capable. Your brat isn't even worthy of carrying his shoes!"
86: Chapter 86 Slaughtering the Pig for the New Year: Su Qingge's Unwavering Spirit
In the early morning, the light mist in Jiang Family Village had not yet fully dispersed, and the air carried a crisp, cold scent of earth.
The heavy electric door of the RV slid open slowly. Jiang Chen stepped down from the running board with a yawn, and just as he was stretching, he saw his Eldest Uncle, Jiang Jianguo, hurrying over across the muddy path that hadn't been paved with asphalt yet.
Eldest Uncle had changed into a clean, dark gray Zhongshan suit today, and his old cloth shoes had been specifically brushed until they were white.
“Jiang Chen! Are you up yet?” Eldest Uncle waved from a distance, his voice so loud it could carry for three miles. “Quick, call those 'nephew's wives' of yours. We're slaughtering the New Year pig at home! We’re having the Pig-slaughtering feast today, and I’ve saved the best tenderloin and hind legs for you!”
Jiang Chen responded with a smile, “Eldest Uncle, what time is it? Has the Butcher arrived already?”
“He’s been here for a while! He’s sharpening his knives in the courtyard.” Eldest Uncle walked up, looking at the RV shimmering with a cold light under the sun, his tone full of intimacy. “This is the highest level of hospitality in our countryside; usually, you can't even get them to come. Your sister-in-law started boiling water before dawn, just waiting for you all to come over.”
At that moment, three heads poked out from the vehicle door.
Su Qingge still maintained her professional woman persona, though there was a hint of sleepiness behind her gold-rimmed glasses. Chen Man looked excited, already clutching the latest model of her filming phone. Lin Wan was the most composed, nodding gently to the uncle, “Good morning, Eldest Uncle.”
“Morning, morning to you all!” Eldest Uncle couldn't stop smiling. “Quick, get ready. You won't see a pig-slaughtering scene like this in the city. Jiang Chen, tell your friends to dress warmly; the wind is strong at the west end of the village.”
Once Eldest Uncle had walked away, Chen Man jumped up high and shook Jiang Chen’s arm. “Jiang Chen, Jiang Chen! A Pig-slaughtering feast! Can I livestream this? The netizens definitely haven't seen this before; it’s so down-to-earth!”
“You can livestream, just don't get scared.” Jiang Chen patted her hand away. “Go change your clothes. Eldest Uncle said the wind is strong there; don't dress too lightly just to look pretty.”
Half an hour later, when the three women reappeared before Jiang Chen, he was momentarily stunned.
Su Qingge had changed into a milk-white, high-end custom cashmere coat with a minimalist cut but incredible texture. It was a piece she had custom-ordered in Paris last year, costing hundreds of thousands, and every step she took carried an air of “do not approach” nobility. On her feet was a pair of slender high-heeled ankle boots, which looked utterly absurd on that muddy village road.
Chen Man was even more exaggerated; she had pulled out a fiery red fur coat, worn over tight leather pants, with her wavy curls cascading loosely—looking exactly like a supermodel who had just stepped off a runway.
Lin Wan was the most appropriate, wearing a beige knitted long dress covered by a light coffee-colored wool coat, looking as gentle as a pool of water.
“Are you sure you want to go to the pigpen dressed like that?” Jiang Chen pointed at their shoes. “That place is full of mud, pig manure, and fresh pig blood.”
Su Qingge frowned and pushed up her glasses. “I didn't bring sneakers; this is my most ‘casual’ outfit. Besides, as your... friend, I can't lose face for the Jiang Family.”
“Exactly! We are the women of a god-tier tycoon; we have to maintain our aura perfectly.” Chen Man said while adjusting her gimbal. “This is called a sense of contrast, don't you understand?”
Jiang Chen sighed helplessly. “Fine, just don't cry later.”
The group headed toward Eldest Uncle’s house. Jiang Chen led the way, with the black off-road vehicle slowly following behind, its wheels making a squelching sound as they rolled over the muddy dirt road.
Villagers looking for excitement had already gathered on both sides.
“Oh my, the old jiang family has really made it big this time! Look at those three girls; they must be fairies descended from heaven!”
“Look at that fur coat. I saw one in the county mall before; it must cost tens of thousands!”
“Tens of thousands? You're looking down on them! Didn't you see that car just now? Those clothes could probably buy half the hills in our village.”
This intense visual impact—hundreds of thousands in luxury goods intertwined with yellow earth full of pig manure—created a strange sense of “cyber-countryside.”
Su Qingge walked very slowly. With every step, she carefully avoided puddles, but her high heels inevitably sank into the wet, soft mud.
“Hiss—” Su Qingge grabbed Jiang Chen’s shoulder, her brow furrowed into a knot. “Jiang Chen, why is this road... so soft?”
“This is called being down-to-earth.” Jiang Chen reached out to support her waist to prevent her from falling. “Hang in there; Eldest Uncle’s courtyard is just ahead.”
Before they even entered the door, they heard a series of piercing squeals accompanied by the “cha-cha” sound of knife sharpening.
Eldest Uncle’s courtyard was very large. In the middle sat a long wooden bench, where several strong young men were pinning down a large fat pig weighing at least three hundred pounds.
The Butcher was a lean, sturdy man with a cigarette in his mouth and a two-finger-wide sharp knife in his hand, testing the edge with his thumb.
“Ho, you're here!” Eldest Uncle greeted them. “Quick, make some space! Jiang Chen, bring the nephew's wives to sit here; these are the seats of honor!”
The so-called “seats of honor” were just a few small low stools made of wooden planks, directly facing the pigpen.
Su Qingge looked at the fat pig struggling desperately and the stained men around it, her face turning pale instantly.
“Jiang Chen... are we really going to watch this here?” Su Qingge lowered her voice, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her coat. “I feel a bit nauseous.”
“It’s not appropriate to leave now. The village has many rules; if you don't stay for the Pig-slaughtering feast, it’s seen as looking down on the host.” Jiang Chen comforted her in a low voice. “Just close your eyes; it’ll be over soon.”
Chen Man had already started her livestream with an incredibly arrogant title—[God-tier Tycoon takes you to see the most authentic rural Pig-slaughtering feast: High-end Custom Fur vs. 300lb New Year Pig].
The livestream room exploded instantly.
“Holy crap! Is that Loro Piana top-tier cashmere? Wearing that to a pigpen? Streamer, you must be crazy!”
“Is that a fur coat? I see walking stacks of cash!”
“This background is too magical. On one side are luxury cars worth tens of millions, on the other is a Butcher sharpening his knife. Love it, love it, this is the true life of a god-tier tycoon.”
Chen Man laughed brightly at the camera. “Brothers, keep the gifts coming! Today I’ll show you what authentic traditional culture looks like!”
The Butcher spat out his cigarette butt and glanced at Jiang Chen. “Young man, have you seen a pig slaughtered in the village before?”
“I have; I’ve helped catch the blood many times.” Jiang Chen smiled.
“Good, you're a real man.” The Butcher chuckled, his eyes suddenly sharpening as his quick knife flashed in the sunlight. “Catch the basin!”
The white blade went in, and the red blade came out.
In that instant, the screams built up in the throat came to an abrupt halt.
Su Qingge couldn't hold out after all. The second the blood sprayed into the basin, she spun around violently and buried herself completely in Jiang Chen’s embrace.
“I can't do this... Jiang Chen, I want to throw up...” Her voice trembled violently, and even her gold-rimmed glasses were crooked.
Lin Wan also averted her gaze, unable to bear it, while only Chen Man held up her phone, filming with great enthusiasm.
“Oh, Sister Qingge, this is called raw nature!” Chen Man said while filming. “Look how red the blood is. When it's made into blood sausage later, you’ll definitely be able to eat two bowls.”
Su Qingge responded with a muffled voice from Jiang Chen’s chest, “If you dare make me eat that, I’ll take you down with me.”
Jiang Chen rubbed the back of Su Qingge’s head. Feeling the fragility of this usually decisive female CEO, a strange protective urge rose in his heart.
“Eldest Uncle, there’s plenty of blood; this year will surely be a prosperous one.” Jiang Chen shouted to his uncle.
“That’s for sure!” Eldest Uncle directed excitedly. “Quick, take off the ribs! Today we’re going to stew the best meat in that big iron pot!”
Cooking smoke rose in the courtyard, and billowing steam emerged from the massive iron pot. Eldest Uncle's Wife somewhat awkwardly brought over several white porcelain teacups; the edges of the cups still had some dark brown tea stains that couldn't be washed away.
“Young ladies, have some water. This is wild tea picked from the mountains; it’s a bit bitter, but it helps clear internal heat.” Eldest Uncle's Wife handed a cup to Su Qingge.
Su Qingge lifted her head from Jiang Chen’s chest. Though her face was still pale, looking at Eldest Uncle's Wife’s hands—covered in calluses and written with sincerity—she hesitated for less than half a second before reaching out to take the cup.
“Thank you, Auntie.” Su Qingge said softly, then took a sip.
In truth, the tea tasted like dirt, but she didn't show the slightest hint of distaste.
Jiang Chen saw this and nodded inwardly. Although this woman was a germaphobe, the upbringing in her bones was indeed impeccable.
“Auntie, I want some too!” Chen Man also leaned in, casually taking a cup and drinking it all in one go. “Delicious! It’s much punchier than those Pu-erh teas that cost thousands per ounce!”
Eldest Uncle's Wife was delighted. “Good, good! This is called fate. You all sit first; I’m going to the kitchen to get busy. The meat will be out of the pot soon!”
At this moment, an awkward problem arose.
After the slaughter, the courtyard was covered in bloodstains and scraps of offal, and combined with the lingering smell of the pig, Su Qingge felt like she was about to snap.
“Jiang Chen... can I go help out? I really can't stand staying here.” Su Qingge pleaded in a small voice.
Jiang Chen glanced at the kitchen; it was a traditional earthen stove with thick smoke billowing out. Going in there would definitely turn her into smoked bacon.
“Are you sure? It’s even messier inside.”
“It’s better than watching a dissection.” Su Qingge said with a look of stubbornness.
She rolled up the sleeves of her cashmere coat, revealing a section of her fair wrist, and walked toward that pitch-black firewood room with a look of someone facing death.
87: Chapter 87: The Dark History Completed, The "Smoky CEO" by the Stove
Eldest Uncle's kitchen was of the most primitive earthen brick structure. The beams, blackened and shiny from decades of smoke and fire, looked as if they had been coated in a layer of paint.
When Su Qingge entered, she arrived just as Eldest Uncle's Wife was adding pickled vegetables into the large iron pot.
With a "sizzle," the sour aroma mixed with cooking fumes instantly exploded throughout the room.
"Oh my, President Su, why have you come in here?" Eldest Uncle's Wife was busy with a giant spatula. Seeing the elegant Su Qingge, she was so startled she almost dropped it. "Quick, get out, get out. There's so much smoke; what if it ruins your expensive clothes?"
Su Qingge choked and coughed twice, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held onto the doorframe to steady herself. "Auntie, it's fine. I... I'm here to help you add firewood. I really can't watch the scene outside anymore."
"Adding firewood..." Eldest Uncle's Wife looked at Su Qingge's slender, scallion-like hands with their fresh manicure and hesitated for a long time. "Alright then, sit on that small stool and just stuff wood into the stove opening. Don't make the fire too fierce, or the bottom will burn."
And so, the most surreal scene in the history of Jiang Family Village occurred.
The great President Su, worth over a hundred million and controlling the livelihoods of hundreds, was now squatting on a small stool only twenty centimeters high.
Her high-end cashmere coat, worth hundreds of thousands, dragged on the dusty dirt floor. In her hand, she held a piece of blackened dry pine wood, tentatively poking it into the glowing red fire of the stove.
"Cough, cough... cough!"
A thick cloud of smoke billowed from the stove opening. Su Qingge couldn't dodge in time and took it full in the face.
"Jiang Chen! You're still outside watching the show!" Su Qingge cried out with a sob in her voice, rubbing her eyes. Her originally exquisite makeup had been turned into a "little calico cat" by the soot.
Jiang Chen leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "I think you look quite professional. At this rate, you could go back to the city and apply to be a BBQ master."
"You're still laughing!" Furious, Su Qingge grabbed a thin piece of kindling and threw it at him. "Who am I doing this for? Isn't it so I don't embarrass you!"
"Yes, yes, President Su is truly magnanimous." Jiang Chen walked over, pulled her back slightly, and took the fire poker from her hand. "Alright, let me do it. This high-end coat of yours is about to become tinder."
Chen Man popped out from somewhere, holding up her phone camera and snapping photos of Su Qingge.
"Family, look! This is the usually cold and aloof President Su! Her current code name is 'Kitchen Fire Goddess.' Look at those blurry eyes and this charming smoky makeup. Does anyone want the same look?"
In the livestream room, gift effects were already covering the screen.
"President Su: I've never suffered such a grievance in my life!"
"Hahaha, a cashmere coat worth hundreds of thousands paired with fifty-cent firewood—the visual contrast is incredible."
"President Jiang, hurry up and give President Su an extra chicken leg! This wife is a keeper; she really dares to burn the fire!"
Su Qingge looked at herself on the phone screen, her face turning as red as a cooked shrimp. "Chen Man! Turn that off! If you dare post that on your Moments, I'll cancel all your advertising contracts next year!"
"Pfft, I'm being supported by President Jiang now, who's afraid of you?" Chen Man playfully stuck out her tongue but obediently turned off the livestream. "But Sister Su, seriously, this gap moe of yours is amazing. If those old-fashioned business partners in the city saw this, their eyes would probably pop out."
Su Qingge sighed and stopped struggling. She simply sat there in resignation, watching the pork belly bubbling in the large iron pot.
"Auntie, when will the meat be ready?" she asked softly, even sniffing. The aroma of the stewed meat with pickled vegetables was indeed starting to whet her appetite.
"Soon. Simmer it for another fifteen minutes until the fat is tender enough to melt in your mouth." As she spoke, Eldest Uncle's Wife took out a large sea bowl and ladled some soup from the pot. "Here, President Su, have a taste. These are our home-pickled vegetables, no pesticides."
Su Qingge took the soup and was about to blow on it when she suddenly noticed a thin... pig hair floating on the rim of the bowl.
Her movements instantly froze.
It was a typical, poorly cleaned black pig bristle.
Jiang Chen leaned in for a look and said, holding back a laugh, "Why aren't you drinking? This is the essence, it's packed with collagen."
Su Qingge glared at him, then did something that even surprised Jiang Chen.
She quietly flicked the pig hair away with her finger, without even a frown, and tilted her head back to drain the bowl of soup.
"Fresh." She put down the bowl and gave Eldest Uncle's Wife a sweet smile. "It tastes even better than what they serve in those Michelin-starred restaurants in the city."
Eldest Uncle's Wife was delighted. "Oh, this girl is so easy to please! I love someone who isn't picky like this."
Jiang Chen looked at Su Qingge, his eyes filled with complex emotions. This woman was truly trying her hardest to fit into his life.
Just then, a rapid sound of chopping meat came from the courtyard.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The rhythm was incredibly strong, each strike sounding like it hit a beat.
"Who's cutting the meat? With this knife work, they must have at least twenty years of experience, right?" Jiang Chen was curious too.
The Butcher shouted from outside, "Boss Jiang, come out and see! This other 'nephew's wife' you brought is amazing!"
Jiang Chen and Su Qingge exchanged a look and hurried out of the kitchen.
They saw that Lin Wan had somehow changed into one of Eldest Uncle's aprons. She was standing before the massive mahogany chopping block, holding the Butcher's heavy cleaver.
A large piece of hind leg meat with the bone still in it was like tofu in her hands.
Her movements were extremely fast but not frantic. With every stroke, the meat and bone were separated neatly. Even more astonishingly, she was scoring the pig skin with Decorative Cuts; the fine slits were as precise as if they had been measured with a ruler.
"Sister Lin?" Chen Man's eyes widened. "You have this skill too?"
Lin Wan smiled somewhat shyly and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Strands of hair stuck to her flushed cheeks, radiating a very healthy, hardworking beauty.
"When I was doing work-study in university, I helped out in a restaurant kitchen for two years. Later, after I got married... during those years when he was out socializing, I would stay home and practice these things. I thought I'd gotten rusty, but I didn't expect the feel to still be there."
Lin Wan spoke calmly, but hearing it, Jiang Chen felt a bit uneasy.
Those so-called "those years" were likely the lonely times when Lin Wan was neglected by her ex-husband, keeping watch over a large house all by herself. She had ground all that loneliness and grievance into the blade.
The Butcher gave a thumbs up from the side. "Boss Jiang, I'm not exaggerating. This young lady is not only beautiful, but her skill is more than enough to be a head chef at a big restaurant in the county. Cutting this meat has saved me a lot of trouble!"
Jiang Chen walked over, took the knife from Lin Wan, and held her hand with concern. "Sister Wan, are you tired? Let me do it."
"I'm not tired." Lin Wan looked at him tenderly. "Being able to cook a meal in your hometown feels very meaningful to me."
At this moment, Eldest Uncle also came running over happily, followed by several village elders.
"See that? This is our Jiang Chen's eye for talent!" Eldest Uncle pointed at the three women, his face full of pride. "One is intellectual, helping with the accounts and road repairs; one is capable, helping with the housework; and another... can even do livestreams to let the whole world know about our Jiang Family Village!"
The aunties were also buzzing with discussion.
"The old jiang family must have accumulated blessings for eight lifetimes. Any one of these three girls is top-tier."
"I think Miss Lin is the most practical. Look at that vigor in chopping meat; you can tell she's the type who knows how to run a household. As for Miss Su, she's a bit delicate, but look at her tending the fire for her sister-in-law. She cried so much from the smoke but didn't complain—her heart is in the right place!"
Amidst this peaceful scene, the system's voice suddenly rang out.
[Ding! Detected that the Host is engaging in hometown folk consumption—Pig Slaughter Feast.]
[Today's Mission Issued: Enhance the happiness of the entire village. Please invest funds into this feast; there is no upper limit.]
[Mission Tip: Money is not the goal. The "extravagance" and "respect" conveyed through money are the core.]
The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up. Looking at the villagers filling the courtyard, he had an idea.
88: Chapter 88 Tonight, back in the RV, let's play a different kind of 'adventure'
"Uncle, how do we usually eat the pig-slaughtering feast in our village?" Jiang Chen handed his uncle a Huazi cigarette, and the lighter made a crisp 'ding' sound.
His uncle took a puff and said with a smile, "How else? We slaughter one of our own, share some with the neighbors, stew the rest in a big pot, and everyone gathers to drink a few cups of bulk white liquor. It's considered a celebration for the New Year."
"That won't do." Jiang Chen patted his uncle's shoulder. "Today's meal is on me. If we're going to eat, we have to eat the best."
His uncle froze for a moment. "Jiang Chen, the pigs are ours and there are plenty of vegetables. What else are you planning to do?"
Jiang Chen didn't explain. He directly picked up his phone and made a call. "Engineer Zhang, have the city seafood supplier and the high-end private catering team I asked you to contact arrived yet?"
"President Jiang, they've already reached the village entrance! Two cold-chain trucks, one logistics truck, and a total of twelve head chefs are waiting for your instructions!" Old Zhang's voice sounded extremely excited over the phone.
Ten minutes later, under the stunned gazes of the villagers, a professional culinary team filed in one after another.
The leading executive chef wore a snow-white uniform with five stars embroidered on the chest. Upon seeing Jiang Chen, he bowed so low he almost touched the ground. "President Jiang, everything you requested is ready. Australian lobsters, premium abalone, and wild mountain mushrooms air-freighted overnight from the Tibetan region. Today, we'll Host a 'Rural Pig Feast + Deep Sea Banquet,' how does that sound?"
"Do it," Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly. "Set the tables out on the dam. Anyone in the village, young or old, as long as their surname is Jiang or they've helped my Jiang Family, invite them all. Each table gets two bottles of Feitian Moutai, and for cigarettes, use Huazi directly."
The courtyard fell into a deathly silence once again.
The cigarette butt in his uncle's hand dropped onto his foot, nearly burning his cloth shoes.
"Jiang... Jiang Chen, how much is this going to cost?" His uncle's voice was trembling.
Two bottles of Feitian Moutai per table? The whole village? Plus lobster and abalone?
"Money isn't important, Uncle, it's about having fun." Jiang Chen smiled, then turned to look at Su Qingge. "President Su, I wronged you by making you tend the fire earlier. I'll make it up to you later."
Su Qingge looked at the professional chefs busy unloading goods, then at the large lobsters still jumping on the dirt ground, and shook her head helplessly. "Jiang Chen, your consumption style is really... simple and crude. But I like it."
Chen Man went even crazier, rushing into the logistics truck with her phone. "Family! Here comes the main event! What is a god-tier tycoon? This is a god-tier tycoon! Returning to his hometown for a pig-slaughtering feast and bringing the city's top five-star chefs along! Look at this abalone, it's bigger than my face!"
The popularity of the livestream immediately surged to number one across the entire platform.
"I want to go to Jiang Family Village for the feast too! Is it too late to change my surname to Jiang?"
"Does President Jiang need a bag carrier? I don't want lobster, just two sips of Moutai soup will do!"
"This is the true meaning of returning home in glory. No posturing, just direct benefits. Hardcore!"
That day, the dam of Jiang Family Village became a sea of joy.
Fifty round tables were arranged uniformly, covered with red cloths. Although the ground beneath was still yellow earth, the tableware on the tables sparkled with silver.
Lin Wan couldn't stay idle either. Although she didn't have to cut meat anymore, she stayed by the chefs to offer guidance.
"Master Wang, you need to add some of our back mountain's wild honey to this braised pork; that's how you get the authentic flavor. For these pig blood sausages, the heat shouldn't be too high when filling them, or the skin will crack easily."
The chefs had initially looked down on this village woman, but after Lin Wan showed off a few of her seasoning secrets, they all became filled with respect.
"Ms. Lin, your level of seasoning... without ten or twenty years of experience, you really couldn't produce such a mellow flavor," the executive chef praised sincerely.
Jiang Chen sat at the main table, with Su Qingge and Chen Man on either side, and his uncle and several elderly villagers opposite him.
When the first bottle of Moutai was opened and the mellow aroma of the liquor drifted with the mountain breeze, the eyes of every man, young and old, in Jiang Family Village went wide.
"Come, uncles and aunts!" Jiang Chen stood up with his glass, the setting sun splashing across his face. His youthful appearance was tinged with an overbearing aura of someone in total control. "I, Jiang Chen, have been out in the world for a few years, but I haven't forgotten my roots. I toast this glass to everyone. For this meal, let's not go home until we're drunk!"
"Good!"
"Jiang Chen has made it!"
"Smoke is rising from the Jiang Family's ancestral graves!"
The cheers almost blew the snow off the mountain peaks.
After three rounds of drinks and five courses of food...
Su Qingge had also completely let loose.
She had changed out of her soiled cashmere coat and put on a red padded jacket that Eldest Uncle's Wife had stuffed into her hands. Surprisingly, the red jacket didn't look rustic on her; instead, it highlighted a stunning sense of earthly charm.
Holding a glass of juice, she went around toasting the village women one by one.
"Auntie, does the food suit your taste?"
"Oh my, yes, it really does! So this is lobster? It looks like a big bug, but the meat is so tender!"
Su Qingge explained with a smile, her eyes and brows filled with gentleness.
Just then, a frantic series of broadcast sounds rang out in Jiang Chen's mind.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has significantly increased the sense of happiness among the villagers of Jiang Family Village.]
[Today's task is successfully completed! Total consumption amount: 12 million RMB (including subsequent donations for road repairs and pension reserves).]
[System beginning random multiplier cashback...]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host! Triggered a Super Critical Hit! 8x Cashback!]
[96 million RMB has been deposited into your account. Relevant procedures have been automatically completed by the system, making it legal and compliant.]
96 million.
Jiang Chen's hand holding the wine glass tightened slightly, then relaxed again.
He looked at his mother nearby, who was pulling Lin Wan into conversation; he looked at his father, whose face was flushed red while bragging with several old friends; and he looked at the three women beside him who were willing to stay in a muddy village for his sake.
Money was truly just a number.
This ability to make everyone stand tall and laugh heartily was the best gift the system had ever given him.
"Jiang Chen, what are you thinking about?" Su Qingge leaned into his ear, her breath like orchids. Under the influence of alcohol, her eyes were startlingly bright. "Are you calculating how much this meal cost? Feeling the sting?"
Jiang Chen took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her waist. Against the backdrop of the red padded jacket, her face was as delicate as a blooming flower.
"Feeling the sting?" Jiang Chen laughed and said in a low voice, "I was thinking, when we go back to the RV tonight, should we play a different kind of 'Truth or Dare'? After all... I spent this money very happily today."
Su Qingge's face turned red, and she gave him a bashful, annoyed pinch.
89: Chapter 89 The Red-Clad Fairy Battles the Village Bully Rooster
Soon, the villagers, carrying the leftover food and looking radiant, greeted Jiang Chen and said their goodbyes one by one.
While Eldest Uncle's Wife was leading several aunts to clear the dishes, Chen Man found herself unable to sit still.
Her fiery red fur coat was exceptionally eye-catching in the sunset. Holding a Gimbal, she was scouting the courtyard for content.
The "Tycoon's Pig-Slaughtering Feast" just now had pushed her live stream's popularity to a new high, and now she was pondering what kind of stunt to pull next to maintain this level of heat.
"Hey? Jiang Chen!" Chen Man's eyes suddenly lit up as she pointed to a pile of dry firewood at the base of the courtyard wall. "Look at that!"
Jiang Chen looked in the direction she was pointing.
He saw a massive, glossy-feathered rooster standing on one leg atop the woodpile. Its comb was so red it looked like it was dripping blood, its eyes were sharp, and the feathers on its neck were puffed out, giving off a "boss of this area" vibe.
"That's a Luhua Chicken Eldest Uncle has raised for three years," Jiang Chen said, leaning lazily against the RV while smoking. "What, didn't get enough to eat? Want to add an extra dish?"
"Add a dish? No!" Chen Man excitedly pointed her camera at the rooster. "Look at its arrogant little eyes! Guys, this is definitely the fighter jet of the village! I'm going to take a photo with it, and while I'm at it... hehe, see if I can catch it to perform a 'Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg' for everyone."
The comments in the live stream immediately flooded the screen.
"Sister Man, don't be impulsive! That chicken looks like it has bad intentions!"
"That's not a chicken, that's a village tyrant! Run, Sister Man!"
"Is this one of the legendary three tyrants of the countryside? The streamer is in danger!"
Jiang Chen blew out a smoke ring, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "I'd advise you not to go. Even Dahuang takes a detour when he sees this chicken. If you go over there, you're liable to get disfigured."
"Tsk, you underestimate me too much." Chen Man tightened her fur collar defiantly. "I've seen all kinds of scenes in nightclubs before. You think I'm afraid of a chicken?"
Nearby, Su Qingge was wiping her hands with a wet wipe. Hearing this, she pushed up her glasses and added a cold remark: "The ones in nightclubs are 'ducks'; this is a 'chicken'. Different species, different attack power."
"Susu, you've become naughty!" Chen Man turned to glare at her, then handed her phone to Lin Wan. "Sister Wan, hold this for me, I'm about to start my performance."
Lin Wan took the phone with some concern. "Manman, be careful. The snow just melted, and the ground is slippery."
"Don't worry!"
Chen Man took a deep breath, striking a pose as if she were about to take the chicken into custody. She hunched over and crept toward the woodpile on tiptoe.
The big rooster clearly wasn't one to be trifled with. It tilted its head, its beady eyes fixed on the approaching red object.
The red fur coat Chen Man was wearing became the ultimate source of aggression at that moment.
"Cluck... cluck-cluck-cluck!" The rooster let out a low warning from its throat, and all the feathers on its neck stood on end.
"Good boy, don't move. Sister just wants to pet you..." Chen Man said, talking nonsense while reaching out a hand with a delicate manicure.
One meter away.
Just as Chen Man thought she was about to succeed, the rooster moved.
It didn't turn to run; instead, it flapped its wings and charged straight at Chen Man's face like a launched cannonball!
"Holy sh*t!" Chen Man's elegant "good boy" instantly turned into a stream of profanity.
This chicken was too fierce! That sharp beak was like two daggers, pecking right at Chen Man's eyes.
Chen Man turned pale with fright, instinctively leaning back and waving her hands wildly in the air. "Go away! Get away! Jiang Chen, help!"
The muddy ground was already wet and slippery. Wearing those high-heeled leather boots, her center of gravity shifted, and she fell backward.
"Ah—"
Just as she thought she was about to have an intimate encounter with the earth and fall flat on her back, a powerful force suddenly hit her waist.
A warm and strong arm steadily caught her around the waist.
As the world spun, Chen Man didn't fall into the mud but instead crashed into a solid embrace.
Jiang Chen, holding a cigarette in one hand, fished her up with the other, pulling her into his arms.
"I told you not to go." Jiang Chen looked down at the startled Chen Man, his tone teasing. "Believe me now? The dignity of the village tyrant is not to be trifled with."
Chen Man was practically hanging off Jiang Chen, their posture extremely intimate for a moment.
In her panic, one of her legs had instinctively hooked around Jiang Chen's waist. Her red fur coat had slipped halfway off, revealing the tight-fitting base layer underneath... and although she was wearing thick leggings, her mini-skirt was definitely bordering on a wardrobe malfunction.
And all of this was being broadcast in high definition through the phone Lin Wan was holding.
The live stream went silent for a second.
"!!!!!"
"Let go of that girl! Let me do it!"
Leaning against Jiang Chen's chest, Chen Man's heart was still thumping wildly. She looked up at Jiang Chen's well-defined jawline, smelled the faint scent of tobacco on him, and her face turned completely red.
"Scared stiff?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to get down? Planning on having me hold you until New Year's?"
Only then did Chen Man react, scrambling down from Jiang Chen. She hurriedly smoothed her skirt and hair, stubbornly saying, "Who... who's scared stiff! That was a tactical lean-back! If the ground hadn't been slippery, I would've stewed it long ago!"
Jiang Chen smiled and didn't expose her. He reached out to take the phone back from Lin Wan. "Alright, stop being stubborn. Say goodbye to the viewers, let's get ready to end the stream. It's getting dark."
Just then, Jiang Chen glanced at the screen, and his originally smiling eyes turned a bit colder.
Jiang Chen turned the phone screen toward Chen Man and jerked his chin. "Someone wants to talk to you."
Chen Man leaned in to look, and her blushing face instantly darkened.
In the live stream comments, several golden, glittering messages were dominating the center of the screen, drowning out the comments from other fans.
They were sent by a user with the ID "Young Master Number One of Dragon City."
[Young Master Number One of Dragon City]: Who is this guy? So arrogant? Doesn't look like some big boss to me, just dressed normally.
[Young Master Number One of Dragon City]: Streamer, stop hanging out with this hillbilly in that backwater place. Come to big brother, and I'll give you ten Carnivals.
[Young Master Number One of Dragon City]: As long as you accompany me for dinner tonight and talk about life, you can name your price. Whatever this guy can give you, I'll double it.
As soon as these words appeared, the atmosphere in the live stream changed instantly.
Although Chen Man's fans usually liked to joke around, such blatantly insulting remarks directly ignited the powder keg.
"Where did this idiot come from? You think having money makes you special?"
"Where's the Room Manager? Kick this guy!"
"I know this guy. He's harassed several female streamers in the Beauty Section next door. He's forgotten who he is just because he has a bit of stinking money."
90: Chapter 90 Is it enough to buy you to shut up?
That "Young Master Number One of Dragon City" was clearly enjoying the feeling of being besieged and continued to send bullet chat messages.
【Young Master Number One of Dragon City】: What? Did I hit a nerve? Isn't the streamer just out here selling herself? Why act so pure? And that guy, looking all impoverished—can you even afford to keep this woman? Ten Carnivals are thirty thousand yuan, enough for you to build a pigsty in your village, right? Hahaha!
Chen Man was trembling with rage.
Although she was usually carefree and used to run a nightclub, it didn't mean she could tolerate such public humiliation. Especially in front of Jiang Chen, this was a direct slap to her face.
“Keep your mouth clean!” Chen Man shouted at the camera, her voice shaking. “Whether I have money or not is none of your damn business! I don't need your stinking money! Mod, block him!”
Just as her hand was about to touch the screen, a slender hand stopped her.
Jiang Chen took the phone and looked at the provocative messages still popping up on the screen, his expression terrifyingly calm.
That kind of calm wasn't born of cowardice; it was like watching a grasshopper jumping around his feet.
“Ten Carnivals?” Jiang Chen spoke to the camera, his voice not loud but carrying a chilling edge. “That's it?”
The “Young Master Number One of Dragon City” on the other end seemed to freeze for a moment before sending a string of mockery.
【Young Master Number One of Dragon City】: Oh? Acting tough? Think it's too little? Then name a price! Today, I'll let you know what the power of capital is! Has a village bumpkin like you even seen thirty thousand yuan in cash?
Jiang Chen smiled.
He ignored the buffoon and opened the recharge interface of the livestream room.
“Manman, which platform is this account bound to?” Jiang Chen asked, turning his head slightly.
Chen Man was a bit dazed. “It's Doule... what are you doing? Don't be impulsive, just block him. There's no need to get angry with trash like that.”
“Angry?” Jiang Chen's fingers tapped rapidly on the screen. “He's not worth it.”
Beside him, Su Qingge saw through Jiang Chen's intentions, and a playful curve formed at the corner of her mouth. She knew this young man's personality all too well. He didn't look for trouble, but if anyone messed with those close to him, the consequences were usually severe.
And it would be handled in the simplest, most direct way possible.
“System, help me transfer some change from my account,” Jiang Chen muttered in his mind. “Not too much, let's start with 1.5 million.”
【Ding! Detected that the Host is making a 'Maintaining Dignity' category purchase.】
【Funds have been credited instantly via a virtual channel. Current livestream platform balance: 15,000,000 Doule Coins.】
Jiang Chen looked at the long string of zeros in the account and nodded with satisfaction.
He looked back at the camera, his eyes filled with a bit of playfulness.
“You're that 'Young Master Long' from earlier, right?” Jiang Chen said unhurriedly. “You said I don't understand the power of capital? Fine, today I'll give you a lesson. Let you see what... pocket money looks like.”
“Ten Carnivals? Is buying your silence enough?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Chen's finger tapped the pink “Carnival” icon.
But he didn't tap it just once.
His fingers were like a pianist's, beginning to tap frantically on it.
If it were an ordinary person, there would be a limit to their hand speed no matter how fast they were. But Jiang Chen, enhanced by the system, moved his fingers so fast they even blurred into afterimages.
The next second, everyone in the livestream room witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
On the screen, there were no more bullet chats, and no more video feed.
The entire phone screen was completely flooded by pink special effects.
【User "Jiang" sent Carnival x1!】
【User "Jiang" sent Carnival x10!】
【User "Jiang" sent Carnival x50!】
【User "Jiang" sent Carnival x100!】
...
The numbers were jumping frantically. Every jump represented a Carnival worth 3,000 yuan.
One hundred, two hundred, three hundred...
The special effects seemed as if they cost nothing, layering one over another. The brilliant visual effects caused the entire livestream room to start lagging.
“Holy shit????”
“Is this a freaking bug?”
“I just see a screen full of pink, I can't see anything else!”
“Where's that Young Master Long from before? Come out and say something! How much money is this now?”
The “Young Master Number One of Dragon City” was currently holding his phone, dumbfounded.
He had originally thought Jiang Chen would at most send a few Rockets to save face, but who knew this wasn't just gifting—this was wholesale!
In less than a minute.
The number on the screen finally settled on a breathtaking figure.
【User "Jiang" sent Carnival x500!】
Five hundred.
Three thousand each.
1.5 million RMB.
In just this one minute, it was thrown away like scrap paper.
The livestream room's server finally couldn't take it anymore. The screen went black for five seconds before barely recovering.
The whole world went silent.
The “Young Master Number One of Dragon City,” who had just been clamoring about the “power of capital,” now looked like a joke with his golden ID. Not a single sound came from him again.
He was likely scared witless, or perhaps he felt so embarrassed that he simply logged off the internet.
Jiang Chen felt the back of the phone getting a bit hot. He casually tossed the phone back to the still-stunned Chen Man, his tone as flat as if he had just bought a bottle of mineral water.
“In the future, don't waste your breath on trash like that.” Jiang Chen brushed the dust off his hands and looked into Chen Man's eyes. “Just block them directly. My woman doesn't need to rely on others for gifts, nor does she need to care about anyone's opinion.”
Chen Man held the hot phone, completely dazed.
1.5 million...
She used to run a nightclub, and while the turnover was high, she had never seen anyone drop so much money in a single minute just to vent their anger.
That massive, enveloping, protective sense of security instantly pierced through all her psychological defenses.
Independent woman, glamorous female lead—at this moment, it all seemed so redundant.
She only felt her eyes heating up, and her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her throat.
“Jiang Chen...” Chen Man's voice carried a hint of a sob.
“What? Too little?” Jiang Chen was about to make a joke.
The next second, Chen Man suddenly rushed forward.
She didn't care that millions of people were still watching in the livestream room, nor did she care what kind of expressions Su Qingge and Lin Wan had behind her.
She hooked her arms around Jiang Chen's neck, stood on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips firmly against his.
“Mmm...”
It was a passionate, wild kiss, tinged with the taste of salty tears.
The millions of viewers who hadn't left the livestream room went completely crazy.
“!!!!!”
“Kissing squad, assemble!”
“Overbearing CEO quotes! ‘My woman doesn't need to care about anyone's opinion,’ so cool!”
After a long while, Chen Man finally let go of Jiang Chen, panting for breath.
Tears still hung on her face, but her fox-like eyes were terrifyingly bright. She turned around, faced the camera, grabbed Jiang Chen's hand, and interlocked their fingers.
“Did you all hear that?” Chen Man shouted at the camera, her tone full of pride and showing off. “This is my husband! In the future, whoever dares to talk shit, check your balance first to see if you even measure up to one of my husband's fingers!”
After saying that, she unhesitatingly pressed “End Stream.”
The screen went black.
But in the courtyard of Jiang Family Village, the atmosphere became extremely subtle.
Su Qingge leaned against the car door, clapping with a half-smile. “Wonderful. Spending 1.5 million to buy a kiss—CEO Jiang's business dealings are becoming more and more grand.”
Although her words had a sting, the softness in the depths of her eyes betrayed her. What woman wouldn't want someone to stand unconditionally in front of her like that when she was being bullied?
Lin Wan walked over and draped a thick coat over Chen Man's shoulders. “Alright, stop standing in the wind. You just worked up a sweat; it's easy to catch a cold.”
Chen Man was still in a state of excitement. She looked at Jiang Chen and murmured softly, “Just now... was I too impulsive? Will it cause trouble for you?”
Jiang Chen reached out and tucked a strand of hair blown messy by the wind behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her burning cheek.
“Trouble?” Jiang Chen smiled, his eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the twilight. “Things that can be solved with money are never called trouble. Let's go, get back in the vehicle.”
He turned and walked toward the RV, his silhouette tall and straight.
“Tonight, we can properly calculate the interest on this 'huge sum'.”
91: Chapter 91 Jiang Chen... slow down...
The morning inside the RV always arrived a little later than outside.
This was thanks to the thick blackout curtains and the top-tier soundproofing system that could block out noise even deep in the old mountain forests.
The air carried a lingering, cloying sweetness, like overripe peaches mixed with the scent of the red wine that had been uncorked but not finished last night.
It was nine-thirty in the morning.
She had slept like the dead.
Just then, Su Qingge, who was hanging near the edge of the bed, suddenly moved.
First, her brow furrowed, and she let out a very soft moan. Then, as if she had a nightmare, her whole body sprang up as if electrocuted.
The sudden movement pulled half the blanket away with her.
"Hiss—Cold!"
Chen Man grumbled, irritated by the cold air, and tried to snatch the blanket back with her eyes still closed. Her hand happened to land right on Su Qingge's thigh.
"Don't move!"
Su Qingge's voice trembled slightly, husky from just waking up, but it was dominated by a sense of forced, suppressed anxiety.
She frantically pushed Chen Man's hand away. Her face was a little pale, and a fine layer of sweat had beaded on her forehead. She didn't bother looking for her glasses, nor did she have time to address the sudden exposure of her figure under the blanket. Barefoot, she jumped off the bed and rushed toward the bathroom at the other end of the compartment.
That retreating figure screamed 'Urgent business' in every aspect.
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, propped himself up on his elbows, and leaned against the padded headboard to watch the show.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Su Qingge stood at the bathroom door, turning the handle twice.
It wouldn't budge. It was locked.
"Is someone in there?" Su Qingge's voice instantly shot up an octave. Her usual cool demeanor shattered completely in the face of a physiological limit. "Who is inside?"
"Oh dear... Sister Su?" Chen Man's lazy, slightly teasing voice drifted from inside, accompanied by the sound of rushing water. "Hold on a sec, Sister Wan and I are doing our morning skincare. Sister Wan said this mountain spring water is great for the skin. We're taking a bath right now."
Bathing?
Both of them were inside?
Su Qingge took a deep breath, her legs involuntarily clamping tighter together. The rhythm of her hand hitting the door panel clearly became erratic. "Could you... come out for a moment? I have an emergency."
"An emergency? What emergency is more important than your face?" Chen Man giggled inside. "Sister Su, you're the CEO; you need to manage your expression. Just hold on a bit longer; we just put on hair masks and still need ten minutes to rinse."
"Chen Man!" Su Qingge ground her teeth. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"How could we? We just got in here too," Lin Wan's voice floated out. Although gentle, it carried the unmistakable tone of someone enjoying the drama. "Qingge, why don't you go drink some water first? Or... chat with Xiao Chen to distract yourself?"
Drink water?
That was like pouring oil on a fire.
Su Qingge felt her bladder staging a final protest; every breath was torture. She turned around and met Jiang Chen's eyes, which held a knowing smirk.
"Why... why are you smiling?" Su Qingge was slightly angry and embarrassed. She instinctively grabbed a shirt from the sofa to cover her chest, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity.
"I'm not smiling," Jiang Chen spread his hands innocently. "I'm just thinking that CEO Su looks much cuter now than she does at the negotiation table."
"Stop the nonsense!" The veins on Su Qingge's forehead twitched twice. The sense of impending rupture made her forget to argue. "Do you have a spare key? Open the door."
"That doesn't seem right, does it?" Jiang Chen slowly got out of bed, pulled on a bathrobe, and said, "Two ladies are bathing in there, and we force our way in—that's hooligan behavior. Besides, the design philosophy of this RV emphasizes privacy. Once it's locked from the inside, it's basically impossible to open from the outside without a chainsaw."
Su Qingge was in despair.
She glanced at the closed door, then at the vast expanse of white snow outside the window.
"No... I can't wait any longer," Su Qingge's voice cracked with near-tears. "I need to get out of the car."
"Get out of the car?" Jiang Chen walked up to her, looking down at her flushed, pretty face. "CEO Su, let me remind you, within a five-hundred-meter radius, there is nothing but the outhouse at the old man's place. Are you sure you want to go?"
Su Qingge froze.
Outhouse.
For the young mistress who grew up in the city and used disposable seat covers even in public restrooms, those two words sounded like a scene from a horror movie.
But...
"It's better than bursting!"
Su Qingge shoved Jiang Chen aside, grabbed the down jacket from the rack, haphazardly threw it on without bothering to fasten the buttons, and rushed toward the car door in her slippers.
"Beep—"
The pneumatic door slid open, and a blast of cold air mixed with snowflakes rushed in.
Su Qingge shivered, but her body's instinct drove her to take that step out.
Jiang Chen sighed and shook his head.
"This woman truly won't give up until she hits the Yellow River."
He casually picked up the scarf Su Qingge had dropped, then slowly changed into a pair of snow boots before following her out.
...
Outside the car, the air was as cold and sharp as mint candy.
Su Qingge stood outside the courtyard wall of her uncle's house, staring at the small shed built from a few pieces of broken felt and some wooden planks. Her entire body froze like an ice sculpture.
That was the outhouse.
Even in winter, even from five or six meters away, the unique stench, a mix of ammonia and aged fermented matter, still drilled straight into her nose on the cold wind.
The rickety wooden door was half-open, revealing the bottomless dark pit inside, where a few green-headed flies circled, unafraid of the severe cold.
Su Qingge's stomach churned violently. The urge to urinate that she had felt moments ago was instantly suppressed by half due to nausea, but the remaining half became even more unbearable due to tension.
"What? Not going in to experience the local customs?" Jiang Chen sauntered over, hands tucked in his pockets, and stood behind her, his tone full of teasing. "This is a purely natural, pollution-free fertilizer production base. Isn't CEO Su planning an agricultural support project? This should count as the first stop for your inspection, right?"
Su Qingge turned her head, her eyes turning red.
"Jiang Chen... you bastard."
She bit her lip, her legs pressed together unnaturally. In this icy, snowy weather, her appearance—both proud and fragile—made one simultaneously want to bully her and cherish her.
"I can't go in," Su Qingge's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "I really... can't go in."
It wasn't just about the dirtiness.
The bottom was empty; squatting over it made her feel like she might fall at any moment. And the smell...
"I guessed as much," Jiang Chen stepped forward, wrapped the scarf in his hand twice around her neck, and conveniently fastened the buttons on her down jacket. "Chen Man and Lin Wan were deliberately messing with you. It's because you insisted on clinging to me last night, squeezing them out to sleep on the edge."
"I didn't..." Su Qingge tried to argue, but her conviction was clearly lacking.
"Alright, stop explaining," Jiang Chen glanced around.
At this hour, the village elders had already finished breakfast and were out for their morning stroll. If the few heads peering in their direction from not far away were any indication, if Su Qingge really entered that outhouse, the news that 'the city CEO fainted from the stench in the latrine' would probably spread throughout the entire village by tomorrow.
"Then... what should I do?" Su Qingge clutched Jiang Chen's sleeve like a last lifeline. "It will definitely be a while before we can get back in the car. I... I can't hold on much longer."
She was genuinely on the verge of tears.
That feeling of impending loss of control was more terrifying to a CEO with extremely strong self-esteem than the bankruptcy of her company.
Jiang Chen didn't speak. His gaze swept past the dilapidated toilet toward the small woods covered in snow behind it.
There was a dense bamboo grove there, backed against the hillside, secluded, and with a nice view.
"Want to try... some rustic fun?"
Jiang Chen suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered a sentence.
Su Qingge startled, then immediately realized what he was suggesting. The blush on her face instantly spread to her earlobes. "Are you crazy? We're outside! What if someone sees..."
"No one comes back here, and the snow is deep; no one will walk that way," Jiang Chen reasoned persuasively. "Look, the sky is blue, the snow is white, the air is fresh, and no one will bother us. Isn't that much better than standing next to this biological weapon?"
Su Qingge looked at the foul-smelling shed, then at the distant, pure white, quiet bamboo grove.
This was a multiple-choice question that required no thought.
But... her sense of shame was still acting up.
"I... I don't have shoes," Su Qingge looked down at the cotton slippers on her feet. "The snow is too deep; I can't walk through it."
Jiang Chen smiled.
That smile looked exceptionally bright in the winter sun, carrying an irresistible rogue charm.
"That's not something you need to worry about."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Chen suddenly bent down, slipping one arm under her knees and the other around her back, giving her a textbook princess carry.
"Ah!"
Su Qingge let out a short cry and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing! Put me down! Someone might see!"
"Hold on tight."
Jiang Chen completely ignored her protest, stretched out his long legs, stepped through the snow that barely covered his ankles, and strode quickly toward the bamboo grove behind the house.
"CEO Su, stop putting on airs right now. We are solving a physiological need; this is called returning to nature, understand?"
Su Qingge buried her face in Jiang Chen's chest, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart and feeling the continuous warmth emanating from this man.
In this ice and snow, on this strange rural morning, she suddenly felt that this kind of unconventional madness wasn't so bad after all.
It was just that the urge to urinate became even more overwhelming with the jostling as Jiang Chen walked.
"Jiang Chen... slow down..." Su Qingge begged with a tearful voice, "Don't bounce... I'm begging you..."
92: Chapter 92 President Su's "Outdoors"
Jiang Chen carried Su Qingge in his arms, the snow crunching beneath his feet.
The path wasn't actually long, only about a hundred meters, but for Su Qingge, whose bladder was at its limit, it felt like walking for a century.
Every vibration from each step felt like a precision strike against her willpower. She bit her lip hard, her hands gripping the collar of Jiang Chen's windbreaker so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
"We're here."
Jiang Chen stopped behind a massive bluestone.
This was deep within the bamboo forest, surrounded tightly by dense Moso bamboo. Several natural mountain rocks formed a perfect blind spot. Not even a wild rabbit, let alone a person, could necessarily squeeze in. The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves and fresh snow, as clean as a sheet of drawing paper.
Jiang Chen carefully set her down.
As soon as Su Qingge's feet touched the ground, her legs gave way, and she had to rely on Jiang Chen's support to keep from sitting in the snow.
She looked around, her face turning as red as a crimson cloth.
Although it was indeed secluded and the scenery was quite nice, this was still... outdoors!
With the sky as a blanket and the earth as a house.
In books, this kind of thing was the "Wei-Jin style," but on herself, it was just a "shame play."
"You... you turn around." Su Qingge gave Jiang Chen a nudge, her voice so soft it was barely audible.
"Alright, I'll turn around." Jiang Chen agreed readily, turning his back to her like a dutiful door god. "Don't worry, I'll keep watch. Within a ten-meter radius, not even a male mosquito will fly in."
Looking at his broad back, Su Qingge felt a bit more at ease.
Taking a deep breath, she tremblingly reached for the waistband of her padded trousers.
This damn weather, it's really cold.
Just as she was about to squat down, she suddenly thought of an extremely serious problem.
"Jiang Chen..."
"What now?" Jiang Chen didn't look back, his voice tinged with amusement. "President Su, isn't your 'wind-up' a bit too long? If you dawdle any longer, you'll turn into a popsicle."
"No..." Su Qingge stomped her feet in frustration. "The snow... the snow is too deep! It'll get my pants wet!"
The snow here was a full twenty centimeters deep. If she squatted down directly, the scene... she didn't even dare to imagine it.
Jiang Chen sighed.
This young miss is really hard to please.
He turned around, looked at the embarrassed Su Qingge, and shook his head helplessly. "Su Qingge, you're lucky you met me. Anyone else would have left you here long ago."
After saying that, he looked around.
Then, he walked over to an old tree about the thickness of a wrist and gave it two hard kicks. The snow on the tree came cascading down. He broke off a few leafy branches, walked back, and spread a layer on the snow.
"There, a makeshift footrest." Jiang Chen brushed the snow off his hands. "Step on these. It's a bit higher, so it should be fine."
Su Qingge looked at the branches, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
This man—when he was attentive, he was truly attentive, but when he was a bastard, he was a real bastard.
"Um... go a bit further away." Su Qingge made her request with a blushing face.
"President Su, in this wilderness, if I go too far and a wild boar or a weasel jumps out, are you sure you can handle it?" Jiang Chen looked at her with a half-smile.
Su Qingge shivered at the mention of "wild boar."
"Then... then cover your ears!"
"Alright, alright, I'll cover them." Jiang Chen raised his hands in surrender, turned around, and symbolically plugged his ears with his fingers.
Finally.
After confirming he really couldn't see, Su Qingge carefully stepped onto the branches.
The cold wind whistled in.
The sudden shock of her skin touching the cold air gave her goosebumps all over.
...
A few seconds later.
A trickling sound echoed in the silent bamboo forest.
The sound was exceptionally clear in the snow, like melting snow dripping onto withered leaves.
Su Qingge closed her eyes and buried her head in her knees, the shame almost overwhelming her. In her entire life, even forgetting her lines while giving a speech at a press conference with thousands of people hadn't been as soul-crushing as this moment.
She, the dignified CEO of a multinational corporation, was actually doing this in a small forest in the countryside!
And less than three meters away from that man!
Time seemed to pass especially slowly.
Just as she was about to finish, she suddenly felt a strange sensation on her thigh.
It felt like something fuzzy and long had lightly brushed against her most sensitive skin.
In her highly tense state, that sensation was infinitely magnified.
A bug?
Or a snake?
Or some unknown mollusk?
Fear instantly overcame shame.
"Ah!!!"
A scream pierced the silence of the bamboo forest.
Su Qingge didn't care that she wasn't fully decent yet; she instinctively tried to jump up, but her foot slipped off the branch, and she fell backward.
"What happened?!"
Jiang Chen had been listening intently (he hadn't actually plugged his ears tight, of course). Hearing the scream, he turned and rushed over without a second thought.
The scene before him made his breath hitch.
Su Qingge was half-sitting in the snow, her pants not yet fully pulled up. That flash of snowy white seemed even more dazzling against the backdrop of the surrounding white snow.
Her face was filled with terror, and tears were welling up in her eyes.
"There's a bug! A bug bit me!"
Su Qingge cried out with a sob, waving her hands frantically, completely unconcerned about exposing herself.
Jiang Chen rushed over, pulled her up, and quickly helped her pull up her pants, his movements as fast as if he were defusing a bomb.
"Where? Where's the bug?"
Jiang Chen held her protectively in his arms while warily scanning the surroundings.
"Right there... it touched me just now... fuzzy... it must be a big spider or a centipede..." Su Qingge was shivering with fear, gripping Jiang Chen's clothes tightly and hanging onto him.
Jiang Chen frowned and looked in the direction she was pointing.
Where she had just squatted, there was nothing but a patch of melted snow.
No, wait.
There was a long, thin, withered Foxtail grass stubbornly poking its head out of the snow, swaying gently in the breeze.
When that gust of wind blew earlier, this grass happened to be at just that height...
Jiang Chen froze for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You're still laughing!" Su Qingge punched him in the chest in anger. "I was scared to death! It must be poisonous!"
"President Su, I think we need to have another biology lesson."
Jiang Chen bent down, reached out to pluck the Foxtail grass, and waved it in front of Su Qingge.
"Is this the 'big spider' you were looking for?"
Su Qingge stared at the grass, looking at its fuzzy head; her brain stalled for three seconds.
That sensation...
It really was similar.
The color returned to her face at a visible rate, this time not just from shame, but from sheer embarrassment.
She had actually been scared to death by a piece of grass, and in front of Jiang Chen... she had been like that.
"I... I thought..." Su Qingge stammered, wishing she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
"Thought it was what?" Jiang Chen smirked and leaned closer, brushing the Foxtail grass against the tip of her nose. "Thought I was up to no good? Or thought some mountain spirit had taken a fancy to you?"
"Jiang Chen!" Su Qingge snapped in embarrassment, reaching out to snatch the grass. "Throw it away! Hurry!"
Jiang Chen took the opportunity to grab her hand. He didn't throw the grass away but instead pulled her a bit closer with a gentle tug.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together.
Su Qingge had just relieved herself, and her body was at its most relaxed and sensitive. Now, enveloped by the strong scent of Jiang Chen's hormones, her legs felt even weaker than before.
"You... you didn't see anything just now, did you?" Su Qingge bit her lip, her eyes darting away.
"See what?" Jiang Chen feigned ignorance. "See President Su dancing in the snow? Or see... the scenery was exceptionally fine?"
His gaze drifted casually across Su Qingge's waist.
That brief, startling glimpse just now had indeed been an exceptionally fine scene.
That skin, as delicate as mutton-fat jade, was even whiter than the snow covering the mountains.
How could Su Qingge not understand his implication? She felt as if her whole body was about to catch fire.
"Scoundrel..." she cursed softly, but she didn't push him away. Instead, she buried her head in the crook of his neck, her voice carrying a faint, barely perceptible trace of dependency. "Carry me back. My legs are weak; I can't walk."
This time, her legs were truly weak.
The exhaustion following her shame made her not want to take a single step.
Jiang Chen chuckled, tossed away the "offending" Foxtail grass, bent down again, and picked her up steadily.
"As you command, my Queen."
"However..." Jiang Chen said leisurely as he walked back, "this appearance fee will have to be calculated separately. To save you just now, I even sacrificed my 'charms'."
Su Qingge rolled her eyes in his arms, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
"Then what do you want?"
"Hmm... tonight, wear your glasses?" Jiang Chen's voice dropped a few notches, carrying a certain suggestion. "I quite like that... 'Refined scoundrel' vibe."
Su Qingge's body stiffened, and then she gave his arm a hard pinch.
"In your dreams!"
93: Chapter 93 Toilets Installed Throughout the Village
When Jiang Chen carried Su Qingge back to the RV, the bathroom door that had been shut for half an hour finally opened.
Chen Man walked out wrapped in a bath towel, with a dry hair cap on her head, humming a little tune while holding a bottle of body lotion.
When she looked up, she saw this extremely 'melodramatic' scene.
Jiang Chen had dead leaves stuck to him, and his shoes were covered in snow. Su Qingge in his arms was even worse off; her hair was slightly messy, there were still tear stains on her eyes that hadn't been wiped away, and her face was as red as if she had just downed two pounds of Erguotou. The entire person was curled up in Jiang Chen's embrace, playing ostrich.
This picture looked exactly like they had just gone through an unspeakable 'fierce battle in the wilderness'.
"Oh ho?"
The body lotion in Chen Man's hand almost dropped. Her eyes widened like bronze bells. "So exciting? While Sister Wan and I were having an SPA session inside, where did you two go to get 'wild'?"
She deliberately emphasized the word 'wild,' her eyes darting back and forth between the two, brimming with gossip.
Lin Wan also came out wiping her hair. Seeing the scene, she paused for a moment, then seemed to understand something, a gentle yet helpless smile appearing on her face: "Xiao Chen, you too. It's so cold outside, aren't you afraid of freezing Qingge?"
Jiang Chen placed Su Qingge on the sofa and casually explained while taking off his coat: "No choice. Our President Su is too delicate. She couldn't stand the pit latrine at Uncle's house and insisted on experiencing nature in the back mountain. As a result, she was scared half to death by a blade of grass."
"Ah?" Chen Man was stunned for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter.
"Hahahaha! A blade of grass? Su Qingge, you have a day like this too?" Chen Man laughed so hard she couldn't straighten her back, collapsing onto the sofa while clutching her stomach. "I thought you ran into a wolf! Turns out you were subdued by a foxtail grass?"
Su Qingge had regained her composure by then.
She found her glasses and put them back on. Although the blush on her face hadn't completely faded, the aura of the cold female CEO was working hard to reassemble itself.
"Chen Man, shut up." Su Qingge gave her a cold glance. "If you two hadn't been hogging the bathroom, would I have ended up like that?"
"Blame me?" Chen Man blinked innocently. "Who told you to be such a hog last night? Sister Wan and I were engaging in retaliatory consumption, understand?"
"Alright, stop messing around."
Lin Wan walked over, holding a freshly brewed cup of ginger tea, and handed it to Su Qingge. "Drink something hot quickly to ward off the cold. That kind of place has heavy yin energy; don't actually get sick from the cold."
Su Qingge took the ginger tea, and the warmth from her palm warmed her heart.
She glanced at Lin Wan and whispered, "Thank you, Sister Wan."
Although she had been grinding her teeth in anger just moments ago, she could never muster any anger against Lin Wan's quiet and subtle care. This was probably the aura of the principal wife—tolerant of everything, and capable of suppressing everything.
"But speaking of which..." Chen Man leaned closer, staring at Su Qingge with a mischievous grin. "Sister Su, a quick interview: in the snow... what was that feeling like? Was it particularly... chilling to the bone, yet exhilarating?"
The sip of ginger tea Su Qingge had just taken nearly sprayed out.
She glared fiercely at Chen Man: "You want to know? How about I have Jiang Chen carry you over right now to experience it? That blade of grass is still there; if you like it, I can give it to you as a specimen."
"No, no, no, I don't have that hobby." Chen Man waved her hands repeatedly. "I still prefer this temperature-controlled, twenty-four-degree toilet. You and the Boss can slowly enjoy that kind of 'wild fun' together."
Jiang Chen sat to the side, watching the three women bicker, feeling very pleased.
This was life.
Just then, a noisy sound of footsteps came from outside the car door, followed by the Uncle's grating voice.
"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen! Come out quickly!"
The tone sounded urgent.
Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat.
Could there be a problem with that 'Black Tortoise Stone'? Or had that 'Young Master Long' who was blocked contacted people to cause trouble?
He gave the three women inside a look, signaling them to stay put, then got up and pulled open the car door to step out.
The moment he got out of the car, he was startled by the scene before him.
He saw the Uncle leading seven or eight strong laborers from the village, each carrying a shovel, a bag of cement, and several brand-new PVC pipes.
"Uncle, what is all this?" Jiang Chen looked completely bewildered.
The Uncle slammed his shovel onto the ground, wiped the sweat from his brow breathlessly, and pointed at the dilapidated pit latrine next to them. "I just saw you running toward the back mountain carrying Miss Su, so I figured the toilet must be too filthy, and the city girl isn't used to it! So, I called your cousin and the others over!"
"We may be poor, but we can't let our esteemed guests suffer discomfort, right?" The Uncle waved his big hand. "We'll start right now! Tear down this pit latrine! Convert it! Convert it into that... flushable kind! And tile it!"
Jiang Chen froze.
He looked at the group of villagers, their faces full of simple honesty, sleeves rolled up and ready to work, and felt an indescribable emotion well up in his heart.
These were his relatives.
They didn't understand what high-end custom meant, nor did they understand what Michelin meant, but they knew they couldn't let guests feel wronged. Even if it was just a matter of using the toilet, they wanted to solve it in the simplest, most direct way possible.
"Uncle..." Jiang Chen opened his mouth, wanting to say it wasn't necessary to go to such trouble.
"Stop the nonsense!" The Uncle was impatient. "The materials are all ready, and your cousin does renovations. This job can be done in half a day! Before tonight, I guarantee Miss Su will be able to use that kind of... sit-down toilet!"
Inside the car, the three women had also heard the commotion outside.
Chen Man stopped laughing.
Lin Wan's eyes were a little red.
Even Su Qingge took off her glasses and gently rubbed the corners of her eyes.
She had just been complaining that the toilet was dirty and smelly, even feeling it was the biggest flaw of this trip.
But now, seeing the villagers who were about to dig up and renovate the latrine in the dead of winter because of a single word from her, she suddenly felt that her previous fussiness was practically a sin.
"Jiang Chen."
Su Qingge pushed the car door open and stepped out.
She was still draped in her down jacket. She walked up to the Uncle and bowed deeply.
"Uncle, thank you. There's no need to change it, really, no need." Su Qingge's voice was sincere, without any hint of a CEO's airs. "It was me being too delicate. That toilet... it's actually quite good, really."
The Uncle was startled and quickly waved his hands: "Aiyo, girl, what are you saying! That place really stinks! Even I dislike it! It must be changed! Not just for you, but if Xiao Chen brings friends back in the future, we can't lose face either!"
"Then let's change it."
Jiang Chen suddenly spoke.
He walked over, pulled a card out of his pocket, and handed it to his cousin.
"Cousin, since we're changing it, let's make it the best one." Jiang Chen's eyes were bright. "Not just at Uncle's house, but for every household in the village willing to change, I will pay for it. We will uniformly install those smart toilets with heating and washing functions, build a septic tank, and lay down the sewage pipe network as well."
"Since we're going to implement new rural construction, let's start with this 'trivial matter'."
Silence fell over the entire area for one second.
Immediately following, a burst of cheers erupted.
"Holy crap! Smart toilets? Isn't that the one that sprays hot water under your butt?"
"Boss Jiang is generous!"
Watching the lively scene, Su Qingge stood next to Jiang Chen and secretly held his hand.
"Does this count as a kind of 'money power'?" she asked quietly.
Jiang Chen held her hand back and smiled: "This is called 'keeping the benefits within the family circle.' Also, President Su, is your 'pit latrine syndrome' cured now?"
Su Qingge blushed fiercely and pinched him hard, but the corners of her mouth curved into the brightest smile she had worn since returning to the countryside.
"Vulgar. But... well done."
94: Chapter 94 Commander-in-Chief of the Toilet Revolution
Just as the sun peeked over the treetops, the accumulated snow on the old locust trees at the entrance of the Jiang Family compound began to fall, hitting the freshly swept cement ground with a soft 'pussusu' sound.
Jiang Jianguo stood on the steps, clutching the bank card containing a huge sum of money, his entire body trembling.
It wasn't from the cold; it was excitement.
"Little Chen, you're really entrusting this entire matter to your Dad and me?" The eldest uncle clutched the card until it felt hot, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "There are hundreds of households in the entire village; this project is no small feat. Is the money... really enough?"
"Eldest Uncle, just put your heart at ease." Jiang Chen sat on a small stool, peeling a roasted sweet potato, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing what to eat for lunch. "There are two million on the card. If it's not enough, call me anytime. The only principle for this task is—speed. I want our village's elders and youngsters to enjoy the... warmth in their rear ends brought by technology this Spring Festival."
Father Jiang, who was squatting nearby smoking a dry tobacco pipe, knocked the pipe bowl against the sole of his shoe and stood up, his back perfectly straight.
"Eldest Brother, since Little Chen has given us this responsibility, we must handle it beautifully." Father Jiang's eyes, usually a bit cloudy, were frighteningly bright at this moment. "In the past, when the village repaired roads or dug canals, those old stubborn ones always tripped us up. This time, we're taking money to build them toilets; let's see who dares to show their teeth now!"
This was the taste of power. In the countryside, money was the greatest power, and the two men who held the power to distribute that money currently felt like the local emperors of the village.
"Done!" Jiang Jianguo waved his big hand, with a tone suggesting he was directing the world. "Second Brother, go notify every household. Each family must provide one able-bodied laborer. Wages are three hundred a day, paid on the spot! Also, go ask the Village Chief for a loudspeaker; I want to broadcast to the entire village!"
Watching the two elders energetically organize this vigorous 'Toilet Revolution,' Jiang Chen dusted off the sweet potato peel from his hands, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Logistics were handled; next up was figuring out how to entertain these few grand ladies.
Just as he was thinking, he heard the sound of high heels stepping on the snow behind him.
"Mr. Jiang, are you planning to let us suffocate in the car all day?" Chen Man, wrapped in a fiery red fur coat, looked like a burning flame. That color was jarringly conspicuous in the drab rural courtyard. "I heard there's a big market day in town today? I want to go take a look."
Su Qingge also walked out, still holding her tablet computer, but clearly, her mind was no longer on the spreadsheets. She pushed up her glasses, glanced at her Jimmy Choo shoes, and frowned slightly: "I also want to investigate the consumption potential of the township market."
Great, one wants to play, and one wants to work (pretending to).
Only Lin Wan was the most practical. She held a cloth bag and said gently, "The New Year's goods at home haven't been fully prepared. I want to go buy some couplets, 'Fu' characters, and that... sweet potato starch used for making fried balls."
Jiang Chen stood up and spun the car key around his finger.
"Fine, since all the elder sisters are interested, let's go on an undercover visit to the town."
"However..." Jiang Chen looked up and down at the three beauties. "Are you sure you want to go dressed like this? The town market is truly 'down to earth.' These furs and silk dresses will probably be ruined by the time we get back."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Chen Man tossed her voluminous hair, looking completely unconcerned. "My closet doesn't have the words 'dirt-resistant' in it. Besides, aren't clothes meant to be worn? If they get ruined, can't Mr. Jiang just buy new ones?"
After speaking, she even winked flirtatiously at Jiang Chen.
Su Qingge snorted coldly: "I'm doing this to maintain my professional image. Whether on Wall Street or at a rural market, dress code etiquette is a basic quality."
Lin Wan, however, looked down at her cashmere coat and hesitated for a moment: "Maybe... I should change into a darker down jacket?"
"Don't change, let's just go like this." Jiang Chen opened the car door. "We're just here to add some color to this drab market. Get in the car!"
The massive black SUV roared out of Jiang Family Village like an iron behemoth, making the snow on the road crunch loudly.
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance to the town.
Driving further in was impossible; the crowd of market-goers had already jammed the already narrow road completely. Various three-wheeled motorbikes, motorcycles, and agricultural tractors were parked haphazardly, and the sounds of horns, hawking, and haggling mixed into a boiling porridge.
As soon as Jiang Chen got out of the car, he felt countless gazes hitting him like searchlights.
The car was too imposing, and the people were too handsome.
But immediately after, when the passenger and rear doors opened and three top-tier beauties with distinct styles stepped out, the air at the town entrance seemed to freeze for two seconds.
The feeling was like a TV playing "Country Love" suddenly switching channels to a "Victoria's Secret" fashion show.
The contrast in style was so jarring it made one's scalp tingle.
"Oh my goodness..." The old man selling roasted chestnuts nearby stopped his shovel. "Whose daughters are these? Could they be fairies descending from heaven?"
Chen Man enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention the most. She stepped on her eight-centimeter heels and managed to stride through the mud and scattered vegetable leaves with the air of someone walking the Cannes red carpet.
"Wow! This is the big market?" Chen Man pointed at a stall ahead displaying half a side of pork, with two baskets of green onions next to it, looking as excited as a child who had never seen the world. "That pork is still steaming hot!"
Su Qingge followed behind her, taking every step with extreme caution, afraid that the heel of her expensive shoe would sink into some unknown soft mud. Her exquisitely cold face was filled with resistance, yet her eyes held a trace of curiosity.
"This sanitation situation..." Su Qingge covered her nose and muttered quietly, "Don't the people from the Food Safety Supervision Bureau ever manage this?"
Lin Wan, however, was much more adept. She linked arms with Jiang Chen and pointed to a stall not far away: "Little Chen, look over there. They have homemade tofu; it smells authentic."
Jiang Chen put his hands in his pockets and looked at the scene with a smiling face.
"Let's go, ladies, this territory belongs to you to splurge in today."
95: Chapter 95 The President Eats Candied Hawthorn
The marketplace was truly crowded, shoulder to shoulder.
The air was filled with a mixture of the aroma of fried dough sticks, the fishy smell of live poultry, the scent of cheap cigarettes, and that unique damp odor of earth mixed with melted snow.
For Su Qingge, this was simply a disaster for both her sense of smell and her sight.
"Let us through, please make way." Su Qingge clung tightly to Jiang Chen, holding up the hem of her expensive custom-made coat worth hundreds of thousands, terrified of brushing against the live chickens in the old man's basket beside them.
"President Su, relax a little." Jiang Chen reached out and put an arm around her shoulder, forming a semi-circular protective barrier. "Just pretend you are surveying an undeveloped, primitive commercial ecosystem."
"I never want to invest in this kind of ecosystem in my lifetime." Although Su Qingge spoke harshly, her body honestly shrank closer into Jiang Chen's embrace.
Just then, a surprised shriek suddenly came from Chen Man ahead.
"Candied Hawthorn! Such big Candied Hawthorns!"
Not far away, a bundle of straw was stuck with bright red, gleaming candied hawthorns.
The hawthorns were huge, each one perfectly sized, coated in a thick layer of rock sugar glaze that shone with an alluring luster under the winter sun. Besides hawthorn, there were also strawberry, tangerine, and even some stuffed with walnuts.
The candied hawthorn seller was an old man wearing a worn padded jacket; the wrinkles on his face were like dried tree bark, and he was stomping his feet to keep warm, tucking his hands in.
Chen Man darted over in two steps, like a rabbit spotting a carrot.
"Old man, how much for this strawberry one?"
"Five yuan a skewer." The old man grinned, revealing a mouth missing two yellowed teeth. "Strawberries grown by myself, they are very sweet."
"So cheap?" Chen Man exclaimed. When she bought these at the mall in the city, they started at twenty yuan.
She was about to pull out her phone to scan a code when she suddenly remembered the old man didn't have a QR code displayed.
"Oh dear, I didn't bring any cash." Chen Man turned back and looked pleadingly at Jiang Chen. "Boss~ could you spot me some money?"
Jiang Chen walked over leisurely, looking at the bundle of straw completely loaded with candied hawthorns—about forty or fifty skewers in total.
"Want some?" Jiang Chen asked.
"Mmm, yes, yes!" Chen Man nodded rapidly. "I want the strawberry one, and I want to try the walnut one too. That jujube one looks pretty good as well..."
"Then stop choosing." Jiang Chen pulled out three crisp hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and handed them to the old man. "Old man, I'll take this entire bundle of candied hawthorns."
The old man froze, his hand holding the pipe stopping mid-air: "What? Take them all? Young man, there are forty or fifty skewers here. How can you three eat all that?"
"If we can't eat them, we'll play with them." Jiang Chen stuffed the money into the old man's rough hand. "No need for change, I'll take the straw bundle too."
The aunties and older women shopping nearby were all stunned.
Who buys candied hawthorns like this these days?
"Here, take this." Jiang Chen hoisted the straw bundle full of candied hawthorns onto his shoulder as if carrying a peerless weapon, then handed it to Chen Man. "Now you're the sweetest girl in this market."
Chen Man looked at the huge bundle of bright red candied hawthorns, her eyes sparkling with stars. She immediately stood on her tiptoes, ignoring the many people watching, and planted a loud kiss right on Jiang Chen's cheek.
"Thanks, Boss! I love you to death!"
The kiss was loud enough to make the auntie selling frozen pears next to them blush.
"Indecent..." the auntie muttered softly, but her eyes were full of envy.
Su Qingge stood to the side, watching Chen Man swagger through the market carrying the giant bundle of candied hawthorns, her mouth twitching: "Immature. Jiang Chen, just keep spoiling her. Eating this much sugar, aren't you afraid of cavities?"
"President Su is mistaken about that," Jiang Chen said, casually plucking a walnut skewer, peeling off the sticky rice paper, and offering it to Su Qingge's lips. "This is called emotional value. Here, have a taste. This is pure, natural, additive-free happiness."
Su Qingge instinctively wanted to refuse, but the crystal-clear sugar coating was too tempting, coupled with Jiang Chen's smiling eyes...
She hesitated for a moment, parted her red lips, and took a small bite.
With a 'crunch,' the crisp sugar shell shattered, and the sweet and sour hawthorn mixed with the fragrance of walnut exploded in her mouth.
Su Qingge's eyes instantly brightened.
"How is it?" Jiang Chen asked.
"Barely... it's okay, I guess," Su Qingge turned her face away haughtily, but the chewing motion in her mouth clearly sped up. "A bit better than that box of imported chocolates worth thousands that a client gave us last time."
Jiang Chen smiled. This woman's habit of being tough on the outside but soft on the inside was never going to change.
Lin Wan watched from the side, and Jiang Chen had also handed her an orange skewer. She smiled very gently, her eyes full of doting affection as she looked at Jiang Chen: "Xiao Chen, you didn't come here to the market; you came here to stock up."
"As long as the sisters are happy, what does it matter if we buy out the entire market?" Jiang Chen carried the remaining candied hawthorns, walking at the front to clear the way. "Let's go, it looks like there's someone selling Spring Festival couplets up ahead. We should go pick out the most imposing pair."
Along the way, the handsome man carrying the bundle of candied hawthorn straw, followed by the three stunningly beautiful women behind him, became a strange sight in the town.
Many young people secretly took out their phones to take pictures and posted them on their social media with captions like: "Shocking! A convoy of luxury cars appears in the vegetable market! Overbearing CEO buys out all the candied hawthorns just to make his beauties smile!"
Unbeknownst to Jiang Chen, his action inadvertently became the town's topic of conversation for the next half month.
"Um... Jiang Chen," Chen Man said unclearly while biting her candied hawthorn, "I saw a lot of people gathered over there just now. It looks like they're selling some kind of high-tech product. Should we go take a look?"
Jiang Chen followed the direction she pointed.
He saw a place with a simple stand surrounded by elderly men and women with white hair. A middle-aged man in a suit but with an oily face was standing on the platform, spewing saliva while holding up an object resembling an induction cooker.
"Quantum? Nano? Cures all diseases?"
Jiang Chen frowned slightly after catching a few keywords drifting over. This script felt familiar.
Around the simple stand, the loudspeaker was blasting that jarring, low-quality disco music, making people's hearts pound.
The middle-aged man on stage had his sleeves rolled up high, holding the dark plastic circular plate in his hand, his voice as loud as a broken gong: "Grandpas and grandmas! This is not an ordinary massager! This is the 'Life Energy Device' utilizing the latest German nano-quantum technology! Whether you have rheumatism, bone pain, high blood pressure, or diabetes, just place it on for half an hour every day, and the quantum waves will unblock your Ren and Du meridians!"
The crowd of elderly listeners was mesmerized, their eyes full of longing.
"Only 998! Original price 3,800! Today is factory direct sale, only for the first ten elderly folks in our town to sign up!" the middle-aged man shouted hoarsely.
When Jiang Chen and the others squeezed in, they saw an old grandmother in a worn padded jacket trembling as she pulled out a cloth pouch, peeling off layers to reveal a wad of wrinkled small change.
"Young man, does... does this thing really cure back pain?" the old grandmother asked with hopeful eyes.
"Auntie! It absolutely does! This is high-tech!" The middle-aged man was about to grab the money. "Take it home and use it. If it doesn't work, you can smash my stall!"
Just as that greedy hand was about to touch the money, a well-maintained hand suddenly reached out and firmly grasped the old grandmother's wrist.
"Hold on."
96: Chapter 96 The Hardcore Physics Lesson of the Vegetable Market
That well-maintained hand firmly grasped the old woman's thin wrist.
The understated yet luxurious nude French manicure on her nail caps formed a stark, tragic contrast with the crumpled change in the old woman's hand.
Su Qingge pushed up the glasses on her nose. Although she wasn't wearing the gold-rimmed pair, the aura she exuded—the same one she used in board meetings to veto multi-million dollar bad projects—managed to carve out a vacuum zone in this market filled with the stench of chicken droppings.
"Auntie, please take this money back," Su Qingge's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable calm. "This thing won't even be good for roasting sweet potatoes, let alone curing back pain."
The entire scene instantly fell silent.
The middle-aged man, who was about to pocket the money, froze for a moment. Then, the flesh on his face twitched, and his eyes turned fierce. He sized up Su Qingge, seeing a young, pretty woman. Even though she was dressed expensively, in this desolate place, even a powerful dragon couldn't suppress a local snake.
"Hey? Miss, you're being a bit unreasonable, aren't you?" The middle-aged man slammed the 'Quantum Device' onto the table with a 'bang'. "Ruining someone's livelihood is like killing their parents, don't you know the rules? Besides, what do you know about quantum technology? This is core technology imported from Germany!"
"Germany?" Su Qingge sneered. It was a standard CEO smile, carrying three parts mockery and seven parts cold indifference. "Which Germany? The one in Baoding, Hebei?"
Pfft—
Chen Man, standing nearby, couldn't help herself; the candied haw she had just bitten nearly sprayed out.
"You!" The middle-aged man choked, his face turning the color of pig liver. "Stop talking nonsense here! We are a legitimate manufacturer! We have patent certificates!"
Saying that, he pulled out a poorly printed 'certificate' from under the stand, where even the official seal was illegible, and waved it in front of Su Qingge.
"Uncles and aunties! Judge this fairly!" Seeing that being tough wasn't working, the middle-aged man immediately changed tactics and started inciting the crowd. "Young people nowadays, they aren't filial themselves, and not only do they refuse to buy things for their elders, but they also stop the elderly from pursuing health! What kind of mentality is that? It's seeing the elderly do well that they can't stand!"
This move of 'moral blackmail' was executed with practiced ease. Several elderly folks nearby, who were already confused by the sales pitch, immediately cast disapproving glances at Su Qingge.
"Dear girl, this little Wang is right. Our bodies hurt, and this machine is warm; it works quite well." The old woman who was stopped hesitated, trying to pull her hand back.
Su Qingge didn't let go; instead, she gripped tighter. Ignoring the middle-aged man's clamor, she directly picked up the 'Quantum Device' from the table, which was still emitting a red glow.
"What are you doing! Don't break it! It's three thousand eight hundred!" The middle-aged man anxiously reached out to snatch it back.
A long, powerful hand shot in, clamping down on the middle-aged man's wrist like an iron pincer.
Jiang Chen, with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, smiled at him. "What's the rush? Let Teacher Wang give you all a lesson. I'll cover the tuition fee."
The middle-aged man felt like his wrist was caught in a hydraulic clamp. He grimaced in pain, half his body going numb, yet he didn't dare move again.
Su Qingge flipped the plastic casing over and pointed to the heat dissipation hole on the back, her tone as calm as if she were delivering a product acceptance report.
"Firstly, quantum technology is currently mainly applied in communication and computing fields. To cram this technology into such a plastic shell, the cost alone would be at least several hundred million. You sell it for 998? Even a philanthropist wouldn't do that."
Su Qingge's slender fingers lightly tapped the casing, producing a hollow plastic sound.
"Secondly, this so-called 'bio-wave' heat sensation." Su Qingge placed her hand on the reddened circular plate, feeling it for two seconds. "If I'm not mistaken, inside there should be a nichrome heating wire with a power output not exceeding 50 watts, plus a red LED bead. The principle is no different from an electric blanket from twenty years ago, perhaps even worse, because an electric blanket at least has temperature control."
"You... you're talking nonsense!" The middle-aged man started sweating from his forehead. "This is nano! Nanomaterials!"
"Nano?" Su Qingge raised an eyebrow. "Nano is a unit of length, not a material name. Making a heating wire thinner doesn't count as nanotechnology; it counts as cutting corners."
Some of the young people around started snickering, and others took out their phones to record videos.
Chen Man handed the rest of the candied haw to Lin Wan, crossed her arms, and adopted an expression of watching a good show. "Tsk tsk, she ran right into a hornet's nest. Trying to lecture Sister Su on intellectual tax? Isn't that like showing off one's swordsmanship in front of Guan Gong?"
Seeing the situation turning bad, the middle-aged man's eyes darted around, and he suddenly shouted, "Who says it's useless? Didn't that old man Li just say his leg doesn't hurt anymore? Efficacy is the hard truth! What do you know about medicine, you little brat!"
His shout seemed to act as a signal.
Two middle-aged women wearing thick cotton-padded jackets and looking simple and honest suddenly pushed their way out of the crowd, shouting as they squeezed forward. "Oh my! Divine doctor! I bought this instrument yesterday, heated with it all night, and my chronic cold legs truly got better so I could walk!"
With these two 'shills' appearing, the atmosphere immediately became tense.
One of the plump aunties rushed to the front, tearfully grabbing the middle-aged man's hand. "Teacher Wang! You are truly a living Bodhisattva! Not only did my leg get better, but my chronic migraine also eased up significantly! This girl too, how could she speak nonsense? This is something that saves lives!"
The other tall, thin woman was not to be outdone and started lecturing while pointing at Su Qingge's nose. "Dressed up like a decent person, why is your heart so black? If you don't buy it, fine, but don't delay us from getting treated! I still need to get one for my great-uncle's great-grandfather!"
The coordination, the positioning, the emotional outburst—it would be a waste if they didn't get a box lunch in Hengdian.
The old men and women who had been wavering just now, upon hearing the 'first-hand testimonials,' had their eyes glaze over again, and their gazes toward Su Qingge became even less friendly.
"It's over, Sister Su has stirred up a hornet's nest," Chen Man leaned close to Jiang Chen's ear and whispered quietly. "These uncles and aunties are the most susceptible to this; it's even worse than that pyramid scheme brainwashing."
Jiang Chen didn't speak; he just snapped the unlit cigarette in his hand into two pieces. He looked at Su Qingge, his eyes showing no worry, but rather a hint of amusement.
He knew Su Qingge hated only two things: falsifying accounts and idiots. The current situation contained both.
Facing the spitting words of the two women, Su Qingge didn't even blink. She even elegantly took out a wet wipe from her bag and cleaned the fingers that had touched the plastic casing.
"Are you done performing?" Su Qingge asked lightly.
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a basin of ice water poured directly onto the heads of the two aunties whose desire to perform was overflowing.
"Wh-what performing?" The plump auntie froze, her eyes flickering slightly.
Su Qingge tossed the dirty wet wipe into the nearby trash can and turned around, fixing her gaze like a torch on the plump auntie.
"You said your chronic cold legs were cured yesterday?" Su Qingge scanned her legs up and down. "But I saw you moving with speed when you rushed in just now, even stepping on the old man next to you. That force doesn't look like someone who just recovered from an illness."
"I... I was excited!" The plump auntie retorted, sticking her neck out defensively.
"Fine, excited," Su Qingge nodded, then looked at the tall, thin woman. "You said you were buying one for your great-uncle's great-grandfather? But I saw you sitting in that van in the back for half an hour just now, holding a boxed lunch the whole time. What? Does buying this device come with a free boxed lunch? Or perhaps that boxed lunch was your appearance fee?"
The tall, thin woman's face turned pale. "You... you're slandering people! Which eye did you see that with?"
"I saw it with both eyes."
97: Chapter 97 Lin Wan's Assistance
Lin Wan, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly interjected.
She gently pointed to a Wuling Hongguang parked not far away: "Just now, when we were buying candied haws, we saw the two of you dividing money in that car. Oh, and that Fat Big Sister, is the red cloth bag in your hand given to you by this 'Teacher Wang' just now?"
The Fat Big Sister instinctively covered her pocket, an action that was the very definition of 'guilty conscience'.
A buzzing murmur arose from the crowd. Although the elderly folks could be easily fooled, they weren't fools. Seeing the flustered expressions of the two women now, they all started having doubts.
The middle-aged man referred to as 'Teacher Wang' saw the situation turning sour and became completely anxious.
If he let these women keep talking, the scam would be ruined today, and they might even end up at the police station.
"Go away! Stop causing trouble here!" The middle-aged man suddenly waved his hand, his 'benevolent' expression instantly replaced by that of a thug. "If you're not buying, then scram! If you don't scram, believe it or not, I'll have people throw you out!"
Following his roar, four or five scruffy, tattooed youths suddenly surrounded the edge of the crowd. They were all holding cigarettes, looking lazy and shiftless—clearly thugs hired to watch the place.
"Oh, are we going to fight?" Chen Man wasn't scared; instead, she excitedly rolled up her sleeves. "Boss Jiang, this is your highlight moment for saving the damsel! Can I join in for a couple of rounds too? I've been practicing Muay Thai recently and was just looking for a punching bag."
Jiang Chen helplessly pressed down on Chen Man's restless head: "Stop messing around. Let CEO Su finish her act."
He took a step forward, subtly positioning himself between Su Qingge and the group of hoodlums.
The tattooed man leading the group pointed at Jiang Chen: "Kid, if you know what's good for you, quickly take your girl and scram. The waters in this town are deep; be careful not to drown!"
Jiang Chen smiled.
He looked at the tattooed man as if looking at a chihuahua barking at an elephant.
"Deep waters?" Jiang Chen pulled out his phone from his pocket and casually waved it. "How deep? Deeper than 110? Or deeper than the Market Supervision Bureau?"
Hearing those two phone numbers, the middle-aged man's expression changed, but he still tried to maintain composure: "Who are you trying to scare? This place is remote; who cares about your petty business!"
"Is that so?"
Su Qingge suddenly peeked out from behind Jiang Chen. She was holding a utility knife—she had casually taken it from the bag Lin Wan used to buy couplets earlier.
"Since this is high-tech," Su Qingge held the knife and gestured toward the 'quantum device' she had confiscated, "then we might as well unbox it right here and let everyone see what kind of treasure this one thousand yuan bought. If it's real, I will compensate ten times the price. If it's fake..."
Su Qingge's gaze turned cold, and she brought the knife down.
With a crisp 'crack' sound.
The so-called 'German original imported' quantum device cracked open under Su Qingge's not-so-great force, just like a brittle biscuit.
The low-quality recycled plastic casing didn't even have a clasp; it was purely glued together.
As the casing fractured, the 'core technology' inside was completely exposed under the winter sun.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes stared intently at the cracked black box.
There was no chip, no circuit board, not even a decent transformer.
Just as Su Qingge had said, inside the empty shell, there was only a resistor wire wound around a piece of mica, a few strands of messy red and blue wires, and a red LED bead haphazardly stuck on with hot glue.
Even more outrageous, to increase the weight and make people think it was 'substantial,' there was a rusty lump of iron glued to the bottom—shaped like a counterweight block picked up from a scrap yard.
How could this be three thousand eight hundred yuan worth of high-tech?
If the cost exceeded thirty yuan, the manufacturer would have to be showing genuine conscience.
The old grandmother cautiously leaned closer to look, her cloudy eyes filled with disbelief: "This... this is just a light bulb?"
"It's not even as good as a light bulb," Lin Wan added a jab from the side. "This is just a flashlight that gets hot."
The crowd exploded.
The elderly people who had been speaking up for 'Teacher Wang' moments ago now felt their intelligence being dragged across the floor. The anger of being deceived was even fiercer than losing money.
"Swindler! Give us our money back!"
"What kind of despicable junk is this? And it costs 998? Are you robbing us?!"
"Beat these bastards to death!"
The 'fan group' that had originally gathered to listen to the lecture instantly transformed into an angry debt-collecting army. The Fat Big Sister and the skinny tall man, seeing the situation turn bad, had long tried to slip away, but they were immediately grabbed by the hair by two quick-handed elderly women.
"Trying to run? Didn't you just say your leg was healed? Come on! Let everyone see if your leg is made of iron!"
The scene became extremely chaotic for a time.
The middle-aged man, 'Teacher Wang,' was also panicking now. He glanced at the surrounding crowd, then at Jiang Chen standing in front of him, and malice surged in his heart. He grabbed a folding chair from the table and hurled it at Jiang Chen.
"I'll kill you, you meddling fool!"
"Be careful!" Su Qingge cried out in alarm.
But before her cry landed, Jiang Chen had already moved. He didn't even take his hand out of his pocket; he merely shifted his body slightly, and the folding chair scraped past the corner of his clothes, smashing onto the empty ground. Immediately after, Jiang Chen lifted his leg and kicked the back of the middle-aged man's knee.
He didn't use much force with this kick—only about ten percent of the strength after his system enhancement.
But for the middle-aged man, whose body had been hollowed out by wine and women, it was no different than being hit by a truck.
With a 'crack!' accompanied by a bone-jarring sound of fracture, the middle-aged man screamed and knelt on the ground, his entire face instantly turning white with pain, his features contorted together.
The tattooed thugs nearby froze when they saw their boss instantly defeated. They didn't even react when the cigarette butts in their hands burned their fingers.
"What? Still want to spar?" Chen Man jumped out at this moment, wielding the large, uneaten stalk of the candied haw cluster like a female war god. "This Big Auntie's Candied Haw Formation is well-practiced!"
The thugs exchanged glances. They looked at their boss howling on the ground, then at the incensed elderly crowd, and with a tacit understanding, they dropped what they were holding and immediately fled into the crowd, disappearing without a trace.
This is what is known as 'a wise man submits to circumstances.'
Ten minutes later.
The police sirens from the town police station wailed as they arrived. In reality, the police didn't even need to be called; the commotion had already alerted the officers patrolling nearby.
The 'Teacher Wang' and the two female shills who hadn't managed to escape were handcuffed, and the box of ill-gotten fortunes was seized on the spot, ready to be registered for return.
The old grandmother held Su Qingge's hand, tears welling up in her eyes: "Dear girl, thank goodness for you! If it weren't for you, this old woman's coffin money would have been completely cheated away! I even blamed you earlier; I'm truly senile!"
Su Qingge had already retracted the aggressive aura she displayed moments ago. She somewhat awkwardly allowed the old grandmother to hold her, a faint, almost imperceptible blush rising on her face.
"It's fine, Auntie. It's good that the money wasn't lost," she said, unskillfully offering comfort as she wasn't good at handling such pure emotional expressions.
Jiang Chen stood to the side, watching the female CEO—who had been decisive against the swindlers moments ago but was now flustered in front of the old grandmother—and a gentle smile curved the corner of his mouth.
98: Chapter 98 Wild Vegetable Connoisseur Su Qingge
Director Zhang from the police station held two boxes of premium cigarettes he had just sent someone to buy, his enthusiasm completely unconcealed as he clung to the car window.
"Mr. Jiang, Miss Su, it's the middle of the day, you absolutely must stay for a simple meal before leaving." Director Zhang smiled so widely his face was covered in creases. "What you handled just now was perfect. Our town has long wanted to clean up these Jianghu swindlers. Today, we owe it all to you all. I've booked a table at the best restaurant in our town, 'Yuelai Restaurant.' Will you grant me this favor?"
Jiang Chen sat in the driver's seat, one hand resting on the steering wheel, the other fiddling with the lighter. He looked at Director Zhang through his sunglasses, a signature faint smile playing on his lips.
"Director Zhang, we'll have to skip the meal." Jiang Chen pointed to the back seat, where the spoils filled more than half the trunk—sugar-coated hawthorn sticks, couplets, and all sorts of miscellaneous New Year goods. "We have a whole family waiting for us at home. Please keep the cigarettes for yourself. We are just idle people returning to our hometown for the New Year; we don't want to cause too much of a stir."
"This..." Director Zhang looked troubled. This was a major patron whose net worth exceeded a hundred million. Entertaining him well was a political achievement; failing to do so was dereliction of duty.
Su Qingge sat in the passenger seat, wiping her fingers with a wet wipe—she had sacrificed quite a bit earlier to authenticate that 'quantum device.'
"Director Zhang." Su Qingge didn't look up, her tone cool. "We appreciate the sentiment. Our CEO Jiang has a peculiar temper and dislikes socializing. If you truly wish to show gratitude, investigate those swindlers thoroughly and prevent them from moving to another place to continue harming the common folk."
"Absolutely, absolutely! Rest assured, CEO Su!" Director Zhang immediately stood straight and guaranteed.
The car window slowly rolled up, and the SUV sped away, leaving behind only exhaust fumes and Director Zhang's expression of lingering regret.
Leaving the town, the scenery along the roadside quickly turned desolate. The fields, having just snowed, were a vast expanse of white, occasionally revealing patches of dark earth not covered by snow.
"Hey! Stop the car, stop the car!"
Lin Wan, who had been quiet in the back seat, suddenly shouted, her voice carrying a rare note of surprise.
Jiang Chen slammed on the brakes, stopping the car steadily by the roadside.
"What's wrong, Sister Wan? Did you see someone you know?" Chen Man, who was busy editing photos she had just taken on her phone, nearly dropped it due to the sudden stop.
Lin Wan didn't bother to answer; she pushed the door open and jumped out. Ignoring the residual snow on the ground, she trotted onto the field ridge in her small leather boots, which were ill-suited for rough terrain.
"You all, come quickly and look!" Lin Wan stood on the ridge, pointing to an inconspicuous depression near her feet, waving excitedly. "This is a treasure!"
Jiang Chen pulled out the key, and with the two bewildered women following him, he walked over.
It was a slope sheltered from the wind where the snow had melted early, revealing brown soil and some dark red plants that looked like withered grass.
"Isn't this just weeds?" Su Qingge frowned, pushing up her glasses. "Lin Wan, are you making such a fuss just to look at this?"
"Weeds?" Lin Wan turned back, her eyes filled with a pity that suggested, 'You mortals wouldn't understand.' "CEO Su, this is houttuynia cordata! Its scientific name is houttuynia cordata. Look at the color of these leaves—purplish-red. That means they've been touched by frost; the flavor will be the best! And over there, that patch of lush green is wild shepherd's purse; it makes dumplings taste incredibly fresh!"
As she spoke, Lin Wan pulled out a small shovel she had casually bought at the market from her pocket, squatted down, and started digging.
Her movements were extremely practiced. The shovel cut into the soil at an angle, and with a slight flick of her wrist, a complete houttuynia cordata, fragrant with earth, was unearthed. The pale, tender root stalk looked wonderfully crisp.
"Really?" Chen Man was also a foodie. The moment she heard 'tastes incredibly fresh,' she became energized. "I want to try too!"
She didn't mind the dirt and tried to pull it out with her bare hands. However, she used too much force, and with a 'snap,' she only pulled out a handful of leaves; the root snapped off completely in the soil.
"Oh dear, why don't I get along with this thing?" Chen Man stamped her foot in frustration.
Lin Wan smiled, handed the shovel in her hand to Jiang Chen, and then magically pulled out a spare one from her bag.
"Digging this requires a knack," Lin Wan demonstrated while explaining. "You can't just pull hard; you have to follow its root system. houttuynia cordata likes to grow in soft, sandy soil. As long as you find the right direction, a gentle lift will yield a whole cluster."
At this moment, Lin Wan's gentle and delicate demeanor completely transformed. She seemed like a queen ruling this patch of land, and every scoop brought a harvest. Before long, her bag at her feet was filled with nearly half a bag of white houttuynia cordata.
Su Qingge stood to the side, watching these people hunch over, digging in the mud, feeling her worldview being challenged.
"Um..." Su Qingge hesitated for a moment but couldn't suppress her competitive spirit. "I don't see much technical skill involved here. It's just an application of the lever principle."
She took off her small sheepskin gloves, accepted a small shovel from Jiang Chen, located a 'wild vegetable' that looked particularly plump, assumed a stance, calculated the angle and the point of force, and dug in fiercely with one scoop.
"Crack."
The plant was uprooted completely.
Before Su Qingge could feel smug, Lin Wan sighed, "CEO Su, that's a weed, not shepherd's purse. Besides... you severed its root; it won't grow back next year."
Su Qingge: "..."
Jiang Chen, standing nearby, laughed until his stomach hurt. He walked over and patted Su Qingge's shoulder. "CEO Su, everyone has their specialty. You can command respect on Wall Street, but in this field, Sister Wan is the true CEO. At best, you're just a newly hired intern."
Su Qingge glared at him, her cheeks slightly flushed, and tossed the weed aside stubbornly. "Who says I can't? I just... lack sufficient sample data. Give me five more minutes, and I'll build a model."
"Alright, alright, Dr. Su the great scientist." Jiang Chen suppressed his laughter. "You take your time modeling. I'll go check over there to see if there are any other wild delicacies."
This field became a battlefield where the three women competed.
Lin Wan was the undisputed MVP; her bag quickly filled up, and every vegetable she dug up was clean and intact, with very little soil attached. Chen Man, on the other hand, was purely a 'King of Destruction'; everywhere she went was a mess. Everything she dug up was either broken or rotten, but she was having the most fun, not caring about the mud smudges on her face.
As for Su Qingge...
She was squatting in front of a shepherd's purse, holding her phone up to compare it with a picture from Baidu Encyclopedia, her expression as serious as if she were studying an unexploded bomb.
"Leaves pinnately lobed, terminal lobe larger... white root..." Su Qingge muttered to herself. "Target confirmed, execute excavation."
99: Chapter 99 The Wheat Seedling and Leek Mishap
The wind on the ridge was quite strong, stinging their cheeks, but the excitement of the few people hadn't diminished at all.
Lin Wan's haul was already quite impressive, with two large bags of shepherd's purse and houttuynia cordata piled up, looking appetizing.
"That should be enough, right?" Lin Wan straightened her back, rubbing her slightly sore lower back. "This is enough for us to make dumplings for several meals, and we can enjoy some cold-dressed houttuynia cordata too."
"No way!" Su Qingge suddenly spoke up. She still clutched the small shovel in her hand, and a thin layer of mist covered her glasses. "I just got the hang of it, and now we're stopping? My KPI isn't even met yet."
Once a competitive spirit is ignited, it demands a clear winner. Su Qingge was currently like a child who had just learned to ride a bicycle, refusing to get off even if she fell and bruised her face.
Jiang Chen smiled helplessly: "Fine, then let's switch spots. Sister Wan has already stripped this area bare. That patch ahead looks fertile; let's check over there."
The group relocated, crossing a dry irrigation ditch to arrive at a flatter field.
This piece of land had clearly been meticulously managed by someone. The furrows were perfectly straight, and rows of lush, vibrant green plants, about a dozen centimeters tall, stood out spiritedly under the winter sun.
Su Qingge's eyes lit up.
"I recognize this!" She pointed at the patch of green plants, her tone full of confidence. "This is chives! I saw them at the market just now. The leaves are flat and green—it's definitely chives!"
As if discovering a new continent, she quickly walked over, squatted down in front of a furrow, and beckoned to the others. "Hurry up! This whole area is chives! We can have chive and egg dumplings tonight!"
Saying that, she was about to swing her shovel to dig.
"Wait!"
Jiang Chen and Lin Wan shouted almost simultaneously.
But it was a step too late. Su Qingge acted swiftly; with one downward strike of the shovel, there was a 'snap,' and several tender green seedlings were ruthlessly severed.
Su Qingge held up the small handful of 'chives' and stood up, looking for praise. "How about it? I didn't misidentify it this time, right? This quality, this color—it's definitely Grade A stuff."
The air suddenly went silent for a few seconds.
A cold wind blew past, swirling a few dry leaves around Su Qingge's feet.
Lin Wan's expression was complex; she wanted to laugh but dared not, struggling to hold it in. Chen Man, however, was unapologetic, directly squatting down and clutching her stomach, bursting into loud laughter, "Ge-ge-ge!"
"What are you laughing at?" Su Qingge was a bit confused. She looked down at what she was holding. "Isn't this chives? Smelling it... although it doesn't have much scent, it must be the variety."
Jiang Chen walked over, looking mournfully at the few plants that had met a tragic end. Then, he patted Su Qingge's shoulder and said earnestly, "President Su, first, I must affirm your observational skills. This thing is indeed green, and the leaves are indeed flat."
"But..." Jiang Chen's tone shifted. "Have you ever considered why chives would grow across hundreds of acres of fields, and why they lack that characteristic pungent smell of chives?"
"Why?" Su Qingge hadn't caught on yet.
"Because these are wheat seedlings," Jiang Chen sighed. "That is, the wheat we use to make steamed buns and noodles; this is what it looks like when it's young."
"Wheat... wheat seedlings?" Su Qingge froze.
She looked at the seedlings in her hand, then at the boundless fields. The string in her mind concerning 'agricultural knowledge' had completely snapped.
"These aren't chives?" Su Qingge's voice weakened slightly, and the cool facade on her face finally failed, quickly flushing crimson. "But... they really look alike! From a botanical perspective, this degree of similarity is enough to cause a visual misjudgment!"
She was still trying to save face with logic.
"Sister, my dear sister." Chen Man was laughing so hard tears streamed out. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around Su Qingge's neck. "You truly have never worked the land. Chives are harvested in batches, while wheat ripens once a year. If you were to cut someone's wheat seedlings like this, the owner of this land would definitely chase you away with a big broom."
Su Qingge was thoroughly embarrassed now. She was still clutching the few pieces of 'evidence' in her hand—neither daring to throw them away nor keep them. The dignified, domineering female CEO, a business elite whose minutes were worth millions, had completely crashed and burned on a rural field ridge.
"It's okay, it's okay." Lin Wan walked over to smooth things over, gently taking the wheat seedlings from Su Qingge's hand and tucking them back into the soil (though it was pretty useless). "It's normal for city people to not recognize this. Before, there were people who raised weeds thinking they were orchids. Qingge, you are a person who handles big affairs; small things like this aren't worth your worry."
Although the words sounded comforting, Su Qingge felt something was odd.
"Alright, stop embarrassing yourself here." Jiang Chen suppressed his laughter, pulled Su Qingge's hand, and helped her brush the dirt off her gloves. "President Su, to prevent you from continuing to destroy our nation's grain production, I suggest you cease all excavation activities and transition to being a 'field observer.'"
Su Qingge angrily pulled her hand back, snorted, and turned her back to the group, looking as if she had gone into a sulk.
At this moment, Chen Man started to feel a bit bored.
Gathering wild vegetables was just manual labor once the novelty wore off. She looked at her muddy hands, then at the tall haystacks standing in the distance. Her eyes darted, and her mischievous nature resurfaced.
She quietly walked behind Jiang Chen and poked him in the waist with her finger.
"Boss~" Chen Man lowered her voice, her tone laced with allure. "Digging wild vegetables makes my back ache. I see the scenery over there is nice; shall we go over there... and explore a bit?"
Jiang Chen followed her gaze.
It was a threshing ground at the edge of the field, piled high with several huge stacks of wheat straw. The winter sun shone on them, turning them a brilliant gold, looking warm. Moreover, the location was hidden behind several large trees, making it a natural blind spot.
Jiang Chen understood immediately.
"Ahem." Jiang Chen cleared his throat and said to Lin Wan, who was still diligently digging, and Su Qingge, who was sulking. "Uh, I think I saw signs of wild rabbits over there. Manman and I will go see if we can catch one for an extra dish. Sister Wan, you stay here with President Su and rest for a bit."
Lin Wan looked up with an expression that clearly conveyed, 'I understand everything,' but she didn't say anything, just nodded gently. "Go ahead. Be careful, and don't go too far."
Su Qingge was still studying the difference between wheat seedlings and chives, not even lifting her head. "Hurry up and go, don't be an eyesore here."
A smirk played on Jiang Chen's lips. He took Chen Man's hand, and the two of them ran toward the haystacks like students skipping class.
100: Chapter 100: The "Massage" with Chen Man in the Haystack
The stacks of wheat straw were extremely high, resembling pyramids standing on the desolate winter fields.
This type of haystack was a unique product of the countryside. The threshed wheat stalks were pressed layer upon layer; although rough inside, they were extremely windproof and warm.
For children raised in the countryside, this was the best playground; for adults, this place often signified a kind of hidden romance, one carrying the scent of the earth.
Jiang Chen pulled Chen Man behind the largest haystack.
This spot was sheltered from the wind and faced the sun, allowing the sunlight to spill over them completely, feeling warm and cozy. Around them, there was only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the dry grass and the occasional bird calls drifting from the distant fields.
"Hoo—" Chen Man leaned against the haystack. Her red fur coat looked dazzlingly bright against the backdrop of golden wheat straw. "This place is really nice, much more breathable than the car."
As she spoke, she stared at Jiang Chen with a half-smile, drawing circles on the ground with her toes.
"Go on, what do you want to do after dragging me out here?" Chen Man asked knowingly, but her fingers were already restlessly climbing up Jiang Chen's collar, tugging lightly.
Jiang Chen didn't speak. He stepped forward directly, bracing both hands on the haystack beside her, trapping her in a small space.
The two were very close. Jiang Chen could smell the unique scent on Chen Man—a mixture of expensive perfume and a faint earthy smell—and he could see the blue sky and himself reflected in her peach blossom eyes.
"Didn't you complain about your sore waist?" Jiang Chen's voice was low, laced with a hint of teasing. "I am a responsible boss. I must take responsibility for treating an employee's work injury."
"Oh?" Chen Man raised an eyebrow. Not only did she not dodge, but she leaned closer, the softness of her chest brushing faintly against Jiang Chen's coat. "Then how does Doctor Jiang plan to treat it? Acupuncture? Or... a massage?"
"Let's try the massage first."
As soon as the words fell, Jiang Chen's hand had already slid down her waistline.
They were wearing thick winter clothes, but this in no way affected the precision of Jiang Chen's technique. His palms were warm and strong, accurately pressing on Chen Man's lower back acupoints through the thin base layer shirt.
"Mmm..."
Chen Man let out a soft groan unexpectedly, her body instantly going half-limp. "Gently... Are you trying to crush me?" Although she complained verbally, her hands had already wrapped around Jiang Chen's neck, her entire body hanging on him like a puddle of water.
The haystack was not only windproof but also soundproof.
The space here seemed to have been cut out from the rest of the world.
Jiang Chen's movements became bolder. The red fur coat had slipped halfway off at some point, revealing her rounded, delicate shoulders. The rough texture of the wheat straw rubbed against her back, causing a slight stinging sensation that heightened the acuity of her senses.
"Don't... don't do this here..." Chen Man's voice became somewhat broken, her eyes hazy, her cheeks flushed like overripe apples. "What if someone...?"
"This is the middle of nowhere, who would be here?" Jiang Chen chuckled softly in her ear, his breath hot. "Besides, didn't you say you wanted an adventure just now? This is part of the adventure."
"You brute..."
All protests were swallowed back.
As their lips intertwined, their breathing grew rapid and heavy. The haystack let out an overburdened 'creak,' accompanied by the faint sound of fabric rubbing together, which sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet afternoon.
Chen Man felt as if she were floating in the clouds, or sinking into the deep sea. That sense of taboo under broad daylight, out in the wilderness, made every cell in her body tremble with excitement.
Just as the two were getting into the swing of things, and Jiang Chen's hand was preparing to explore the 'lesion' further—
"Moo—"
A deep and loud cow's bellow exploded near their ears like a sudden clap of thunder.
This was immediately followed by the sound of chaotic hoofbeats and dry grass being trampled.
Jiang Chen and Chen Man instantly froze.
They both turned their heads simultaneously.
On the other side of the haystack, a huge yellow ox had appeared at some point. The ox was staring at them with large, bell-like eyes, still chewing a mouthful of dry grass, looking innocently at the man and woman who were "illegally trespassing."
And behind the ox's rear end followed a little boy, perhaps seven or eight years old.
The child wore a dirty padded jacket, had a long string of snot hanging from his nose, and was holding a small branch. He was staring blankly at the pair.
His clear yet naive big eyes were filled with curiosity and confusion.
Six eyes met (if you don't count the ox's).
The air solidified for a full three seconds.
Chen Man sprang away from Jiang Chen's embrace as if electrocuted. She frantically pulled her slipped fur coat back up to cover herself, her entire face so red it looked like it might bleed.
If Su Qingge saw this, that woman would probably mock her for a whole year!
Jiang Chen, however, was much calmer. He slowly adjusted his slightly disheveled collar, then stood in front of Chen Man, looking at the child.
"Ahem." Jiang Chen cleared his throat, trying to assert adult authority to control the situation. "Hey... little friend, are you herding cattle?"
The child sniffled, not answering Jiang Chen's rhetorical question, but instead pointing at Chen Man and asking a soul-piercing question in a childish voice:
"Uncle, are you fighting? Why is this sister lying on you and biting you?"
Pfft—
Chen Man almost spat blood. She hid behind Jiang Chen, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Biting someone, indeed!
The corner of Jiang Chen's mouth twitched as well. This child's angle of observation... was very tricky.
"We're not fighting," Jiang Chen said solemnly, talking nonsense. "This sister... she's sick. Her stomach hurts. Uncle is treating her illness; this is called... Qigong therapy."
"Treating an illness?" The child tilted his head in thought, his eyes full of suspicion. "But when my mom gets a stomachache, my dad just rubs her belly; I've never seen him kiss her mouth for treatment."
Jiang Chen: "..."
Are modern children really that hard to fool?
Chen Man truly couldn't listen anymore. She was afraid if the conversation continued, the child might ask even more outrageous things. She peeked out from behind Jiang Chen, a stiff smile on her face, and pulled out a piece of chocolate she hadn't finished eating at the market from her pocket.
"Little friend, big sister isn't sick. It's just... well, take this candy, but can we agree not to tell anyone about this?"
This was blatant bribery.
The child's eyes lit up as he looked at the colorful chocolate.
"Okay! I won't tell!" The child snatched the chocolate, stuffed it into his pocket, then tugged the ox's rope and turned to run, shouting at the ox as he ran, "Hurry up, hurry up! Don't delay their treatment!"
Watching the retreating figures of the child and the ox, Chen Man let out a long sigh, leaning against the haystack as if utterly drained.
"That scared the life out of me..." Chen Man patted her chest. "If this got out, my lifelong reputation would be ruined."
Jiang Chen looked at her startled appearance and couldn't help but laugh: "Ruined for what? This is called experiencing life at the grassroots level. How about it? Is Miss Chen's 'waist injury' feeling any better?"
Chen Man shot him a look and lightly kicked his calf with her leg: "Feeling better my foot! That cow scared the soul right out of me! Let's get out of here, this place has bad feng shui, it's full of informants!"
The two tidied their clothes and walked out from behind the haystack, one after the other.
When they returned to the field ridge, Lin Wan had already packed up and was bagging the collected items. Su Qingge was sitting on a large rock by the roadside, still searching Baidu for "the difference between wheat seedlings and leeks," attempting to arm herself with scientific knowledge.
Seeing the two return, Lin Wan just smiled gently: "Back from your adventure? Did you catch any rabbits?"
Chen Man blushed, her gaze drifting evasively: "No... well, the rabbits ran too fast, we didn't catch any."
Su Qingge looked up, pushed up her glasses, and swept a sharp gaze over a piece of wheat straw stuck in Chen Man's hair, then looked at the slightly wrinkled collar of Jiang Chen's shirt.
"Didn't catch the rabbit, but you got covered in grass," Su Qingge commented lightly. "It seems this rabbit was quite fierce, even capable of wrestling with people."
Chen Man: "..."
Jiang Chen quickly interrupted the dangerous topic, waving his hand grandly: "Alright, it's getting late, let's pull out! Tonight when we get home, we're making dumplings! Shepherd's purse filling, nobody gets to fight me for it!"
The sun set, casting the four figures' shadows long. The SUV started again, carrying a car full of laughter and gathered wild vegetables, driving toward Jiang Family Village.
And near the haystack in that field, the little boy herding the ox was eating chocolate while muttering to the big yellow ox: "That sister must be seriously ill; her face is so red. Tsk tsk, city folk are so pitiful."
101: Chapter 101 The Big Boss Also Knows How to Play Cards
The sun was heading west, and the clouds on the horizon were burning like glowing charcoal.
The SUV turned steadily into the alley and parked in the courtyard of the uninhabited old house belonging to the Eldest Uncle next door.
Beside it sat that grand RV, filling the already small courtyard to the brim.
Their own old house had just been demolished, so Eldest Uncle had arranged for the family to stay here temporarily for the time being.
"Oh my! Why did you dig up so many?" Mother Jiang patted the flour off her clothes; she was just about to make dumplings. "These shepherd's purse are so fresh, but they're too dirty. Quick, quick, go inside and warm up. I'll take care of these."
"Mom, let me help you." Lin Wan rolled up her sleeves, ready to start.
"Don't move!" Mother Jiang stopped her immediately, her gaze protective like a mother cow with its calf. "Your hands are meant for holding pens and signing contracts. How can they be soaked in cold water every day? Go inside; your father has the stove burning bright, and there's fruit. Go on!"
Lin Wan couldn't argue and had no choice but to be pushed into the house.
It was indeed warm inside. Father Jiang was turning up the volume on an old color TV, watching a war drama. Seeing his several future daughters-in-law return, he quickly pushed the plate of melon seeds toward the center.
"What did you find?" Father Jiang asked with a smile.
"We dug up a project worth several million." Chen Man took off her coat and tossed it onto the heated brick bed, her lazy streak surfacing again. "Uncle, you have no idea; the wind in the fields is deadlier than any air conditioner."
While they were chatting, a flurry of noisy footsteps came from the courtyard—the distinct 'crunch-crunch' of old cotton shoes stepping on snow—and then a large, dark hand lifted the door curtain.
"Aiyoh! I knew I heard a car!"
A plump woman with permed curls, wearing a bright red floral cotton jacket, squeezed inside, followed by two or three middle-aged women dressed similarly. These ladies were the village's 'intelligence center' and 'mobile casino,' and the leader was none other than Second Aunt, who lived in the back courtyard.
Second Aunt's small, beady eyes darted around the room before fixing intently on Su Qingge and the other two. Her gaze was like that of a hungry wolf spotting tender little lambs.
"This is Second Aunt, that's Third Nai, and Auntie Li." Jiang Chen sat on a small folding stool, peeling peanuts as he introduced them in a flat tone.
"Happy New Year, Aunts." Although the three women had different personalities, they were all well-mannered and greeted them in unison.
"Good! Good! So pretty!" Second Aunt wiped her mouth, the powder on her face flaking off. "Jiang Chen, you've really made something of yourself. It's Chinese New Year; just sitting here cracking melon seeds is so boring. There's no entertainment in our village, so how about... playing a few rounds?"
The dagger was revealed once the map was unrolled.
In the countryside, 'playing a few rounds' during the New Year was a traditional fixture. But Second Aunt's 'playing a few rounds' wasn't for entertainment; it was for generating income.
Everyone in the village knew that Second Aunt's card skills were notoriously 'the devil's despair,' specifically targeting returning youths and daughters-in-law from out of town.
These three girls from the city looked pampered and spoiled, and since they drove a Mercedes-Benz, they definitely had money in their pockets. Weren't they just fat sheep delivered to her doorstep?
Su Qingge adjusted her glasses, a cold glint flashing across the lenses. She was someone who frequently sparred with old foxes at the negotiating table; Second Aunt's little scheme was as transparent as glass to her.
"Play a few rounds?" Su Qingge's tone was indifferent. "We don't really know how to play."
"Aiyoh! It's more fun if you don't know how!" Second Aunt slapped her thigh, spit flying in her excitement. "We're all family, let's just have some fun! Nothing big, just... fifty or a hundred, just for a bit of joy!"
Fifty or a hundred was already high-stakes gambling in this village where average incomes were low.
Mother Jiang listened from the side, her expression changing slightly. She knew Second Aunt's character; she was trying to swindle her daughters-in-law. Just as she was about to speak up and stop it, she saw Jiang Chen give her a slight shake of his head.
"Since Second Aunt is in the mood," Jiang Chen tossed a peeled peanut into his mouth and brushed the red skins off his hands, "then play a few rounds with our elders. It just so happens that these long nights are indeed boring."
He turned his head to look at the three women, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Which of you is going? If you lose, it's on me; if you win, it's yours. Just consider it giving Second Aunt a New Year's red envelope."
These words sounded generous, but to Second Aunt, they were synonymous with 'more money than brains.' The old sisters exchanged glances, greed practically overflowing from their eyes.
"I'll do it." Su Qingge stood up and smoothed out her wrinkle-free cashmere sweater. She possessed an aura of remaining unruffled even if Mount Tai were to collapse before her as she walked over and sat down at the already prepared automatic mahjong table.
"Aiyoh, this girl is straightforward!" Second Aunt quickly pulled out a chair and sat as the upper house to Su Qingge, while the other two aunts quickly occupied the other positions, fearing someone would snatch their lucrative spots.
"Um... dear, our mahjong machine is a bit old, and sometimes it doesn't shuffle evenly. Don't mind it," Second Aunt said hypocritically while skillfully pressing the shuffle button.
The machine began to rumble.
Su Qingge sat there with her back ramrod straight, looking completely out of place in this rustic environment. She extended a long, fair hand and lightly tapped the tabletop.
"What are the rules?" Su Qingge asked.
"Simple! It's Tuidahu! You can pong and kong, with side bets and bonuses!" Second Aunt grinned so wide her eyes disappeared, thinking that since she even had to ask the rules, this game was in the bag. "And... if you don't have cash, WeChat pay is fine too."
"No need."
Chen Man pulled two stacks of bright red bills from her massive bag—the 'reserve funds' Jiang Chen had just given her. She slapped the money onto the table in front of Su Qingge with a 'thwack.'
"Twenty thousand." Chen Man leaned on Su Qingge's shoulder with a smile and winked at Second Aunt. "Auntie, this should be enough to lose for a while, right?"
The air in the room froze for a second.
Second Aunt and the other aunts stared at those two 'bricks' of cash, their eyes bulging. Good heavens, city folk carry this much cash when they go out? This wasn't a fat sheep; this was a golden pig!
"Enough! Enough!" Second Aunt's hands were trembling slightly with excitement.
The walls of tiles rose.
Su Qingge casually grabbed a handful of tiles, not even bothering to arrange them neatly like most people. She just took a quick glance and then laid the tiles face down on the table.
"Not sorting your hand?" Auntie Li, sitting opposite her, was stunned for a moment.
"No need," Su Qingge said indifferently. "I've memorized them."
Second Aunt sneered inwardly: Stop pretending to be a big shot! You didn't even sort your tiles; you won't even know how you lost in a moment!
"Then let's begin! The dealer rolls the dice!" Second Aunt shouted, her posture making it seem as if that twenty thousand yuan was already in her pocket.
Jiang Chen sat on the edge of the heated brick bed nearby, watching the scene and unable to suppress a smile.
Playing a mind game with Su Qingge? That was like competing in a breath-holding contest with the Dragon King or a somersault competition with Sun Wukong. Su Qingge was someone who could memorize an entire balance sheet; these mere 136 tiles had probably already formed a 3D model in her mind.
"Playing this one." Second Aunt threw out a Nine of Bamboo.
Su Qingge didn't move, only tapping her finger lightly on the tabletop.
The first round was uneventful.
In the second round, Second Aunt began to signal Auntie Li across from her. It was a silent understanding they'd developed over years; a wink or a nudge told them exactly what tile was needed.
Auntie Li understood perfectly and was just about to play a Three of Characters to feed Second Aunt—
"Pong."
Su Qingge's voice rang out unexpectedly. She flipped over two Three of Characters tiles, her movements elegant and swift, directly cutting off Second Aunt's path to profit.
The smile on Second Aunt's face stiffened. "Aiyoh, you've got good luck, dear, having a pair in your hand."
Su Qingge said nothing, only adjusting her glasses.
102: Chapter 102 The Third Daughter-in-Law Dominates at the Card Table
The atmosphere around the mahjong table slowly changed from lively to somewhat eerie.
The stove fire in the room was burning brightly, occasionally spitting out a few sparks.
Yet, a fine layer of cold sweat had broken out on Second Aunt's forehead.
"Eight Wan." Su Qingge's voice remained steady, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
Second Aunt was holding an Eight Wan in her hand, wanting to discard it but not daring to.
As the round progressed, she discovered a terrifying fact: any tile she wanted to claim, Su Qingge would snatch it first; any tile she needed to win with, Su Qingge would refuse to discard even a single piece, even managing to keep them precisely hidden until the hand ended in a draw.
Has this girl opened her Heavenly Eye?
"I win." Su Qingge gently pushed over her hand of tiles.
All Chows, a Straight Flush.
Second Aunt stared at the perfectly aligned row of Wan tiles, her eyeballs nearly popping out. This pattern was rare to see even once in several hundred years; how did she manage to assemble it?
"Time to pay up," Chen Man, acting as the cashier beside her, grinned and extended her hand. "Auntie, this hand was a four-time multiplier, you know."
Second Aunt tremulously pulled out a handful of small change from her pocket. It was her private stash she had been saving for a long time, and this one hand cost her more than half of it. It hurt! Her heart was bleeding!
"No! Change players! Change players!" Second Aunt grew anxious. She felt this girl Su Qingge was a bit uncanny. "I think this girl is too formidable. Let's change the way we play. That... that gentle girl, can you play?"
She was pointing at Lin Wan.
Lin Wan was peeling an orange for Mother Jiang when she heard this and looked up in confusion. "Ah? Me? I'm not very good at calculating multipliers..."
"It's fine if you don't know how to calculate! We will!" Upon hearing this, the heavy weight in Second Aunt's heart lifted. Not knowing the score was the same as a little white rabbit entering a wolf's den.
Su Qingge stood up, giving her seat to Lin Wan, and whispered in Lin Wan's ear, "Just play casually, don't think too much."
Lin Wan nodded vaguely and sat down.
Second Aunt and Auntie Li exchanged a look, conveying: That last round was an accident; this time we must recoup our losses!
However, the next half hour completely overturned the understanding of these rural mahjong masters.
If Su Qingge relied on crushing intelligence, then Lin Wan relied purely on metaphysical strikes.
"Oh dear, I don't want this tile." Lin Wan frowned and casually discarded a Five of Bamboos.
The player to her left, Third Granny, was just about to call "Chow," but Lin Wan quickly reached her hand back out. "Ah, wait, I think I drew the wrong one..."
"Once the tile is played, there's no turning back!" Second Aunt quickly called out. "Once you discard it, you can't take it back!"
"Oh... alright then." Lin Wan reluctantly retracted her hand, then casually drew a tile.
Upon drawing, her eyes lit up.
"Um... have I won?" Lin Wan carefully pushed over her hand.
Winning off a Kong. And it was a crucial winning tile.
Second Aunt: "..."
Auntie Li: "..."
Third Granny: "..."
"Again!" Second Aunt refused to believe it, rolling up her sleeves. "This hand must have been pure luck!"
Ten minutes later.
"Tsumo?" Lin Wan looked at the tiles in her hand with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Auntie, I won right after drawing the opening hand. How much does this... how much is this worth?"
Second Aunt's face had turned the color of pig liver. She had played mahjong for thirty years and had never seen anything so bizarre. This girl looked so soft and delicate, but as soon as she sat at the table, it was as if the God of Wealth possessed her—whatever she wanted, she got; whatever she thought of, she achieved, even managing to draw edge tiles that seemed utterly unrelated!
"This... what's the point of playing this!" Auntie Li pushed her tiles away, her composure shattered. "This isn't playing mahjong, this is robbery!"
Seeing the situation about to freeze, Chen Man, who had been standing by watching the show, finally couldn't help herself.
"Oh my, Sister Wan, you're making it too boring, there's no suspense at all." Chen Man pulled Lin Wan up. "Let me try, let me try! I see you all are itching to play!"
When Second Aunt saw someone who looked less 'proper' (more flamboyant), a sliver of hope rekindled in her heart. This girl looked like an impatient person, and impatient players were the easiest to lose with!
The style of play changed drastically the moment Chen Man sat down.
"Pong! Kong! Win... oops, sorry, false win."
Chen Man's style was defined by 'random punches defeating a seasoned master.' She never followed the conventional rules, aiming for big hands every time, even trying to force an All Chows even if her hand was full of trash tiles.
"Nine of Bamboos!" Chen Man shouted, slapping her tiles down with a resounding bang.
Second Aunt was overjoyed in her heart; she was waiting for a Nine of Bamboos to win!
"Win—"
"Wait a moment!" Jiang Chen, standing behind Chen Man, suddenly reached out and held Chen Man's wrist. "That's a Six of Bamboos, you looked at it backward."
Chen Man looked down. "Oh! It really is! Then I won't discard it, I'll change it... Three Wan!"
Second Aunt nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. It was like a cooked duck flying away, only to perform a mid-air somersault!
"Xiao Chen! A true gentleman does not advise while watching chess!" Second Aunt got agitated. "How can you give guidance from the sidelines?"
"Second Aunt, Manman has slight astigmatism and can't see clearly at night," Jiang Chen lied with a straight face. "Besides, when you were signaling Auntie Li earlier, I didn't say anything, did I?"
Second Aunt's old face flushed red, and she was choked speechless.
The subsequent situation turned into: 'Chen Man plays randomly, Second Aunt tries to win, Jiang Chen causes trouble.'
Although Chen Man's skill was indeed poor and she often paid into others' wins, she couldn't help having a 'human cheat engine' behind her. Whenever Chen Man was about to lose money, Jiang Chen would always 'accidentally' slip up or 'unintentionally' knock over the tiles, muddying the situation.
What was even more infuriating was that Chen Man didn't feel any pain when she lost money; instead, she laughed until she bent over: "Oh, I lost again! Husband, give me money!"
Jiang Chen didn't say a word and directly pulled money from his pocket to cover it.
Second Aunt did win a little, but the win felt extremely stifling. She felt less like she was winning money and more like she was indulging this young couple in a flirtatious game.
"Not playing anymore, not playing anymore!" Second Aunt pushed her tiles away and stood up angrily.
She finally understood. This family consisted of a calculating spirit, a reincarnated koi fish, and a crazy woman with a bodyguard. This game was impossible to play!
By this time, the table was a mess.
The pile Su Qingge won was still there, and Lin Wan's winnings had also piled up into a small mountain. Only Chen Man's area was empty, but the smile on her face was brighter than anyone else's.
"Auntie, leaving already?" Chen Man played with a mahjong tile in her hand. "I haven't had enough fun yet. Let's play two more rounds, okay? I'm sure I can make a Thirteen Orphans this hand!"
Second Aunt glanced at her deflated wallet, wincing in pain. She had originally come to fleece some money, but instead of pulling wool, she got kicked by the sheep.
"Not playing! I have to go home and cook!" Second Aunt pulled a long face and called to her old friends to leave.
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.
After all, it was the New Year. If these gossiping women left with resentment, who knew what unpleasant rumors would spread in the village the next day?
Saying the Jiang Family's daughters-in-law bullied people? Saying Jiang Chen looked down on his elders now that he had money?
Mother Jiang stood by the side, rubbing her hands, looking very conflicted.
Just then, Jiang Chen stood up.
103: Chapter 103 Who said you can take the money with you after winning it?
"Second Aunt, in such a hurry to leave?" Jiang Chen slowly spit out a peanut shell, jumped off the edge of the kang, and just happened to block the doorway.
Second Aunt's face, which had lengthened due to losing money, instantly forced out a smile uglier than crying. She patted the somewhat deflated wallet in her arms: "Oh, Jiang Chen, look, it's almost time for dinner, your mom must be making dumplings, wouldn't we just be getting in the way here? The card game is pretty much over. These girls are really luckier than the last, I've almost lost my entire savings."
The other two aunties also chimed in, their eyes a bit shifty. They had originally intended to get some small benefits, but they hadn't expected these three women from the city to be so formidable, each one more skilled than the last, especially the one wearing glasses, who seemed as if she could see through their bottom cards.
"Second Aunt, look at you, saying such things. Once you're home, you're family." Jiang Chen pointed to the two piles of red banknotes on the table, "Sister Wan and Qingge are big businesswomen in the city. They never carry cash. This money was won, but it's too heavy to take away. Qingge, how do you plan to handle this money?"
Su Qingge pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, her tone as indifferent as ever, yet exuding an undeniable grandeur: "Cash is indeed inconvenient to carry. This money, why not leave it in the village as a welcome gift for the elders?"
Second Aunt's steps halted, her eyes once again glowing with an unusual brilliance, a sign of rapidly secreting dopamine. She asked, somewhat disbelievingly, "Leave it in the village? This... what does this mean?"
"The meaning is simple." Jiang Chen clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention in the room, "How much did Qingge and Sister Wan win in total just now? Manman, have you counted?"
Chen Man casually flipped through the pile of money on the table, her tone relaxed: "Not much, all the bits and pieces add up to about three thousand yuan. Qingge's big wins just now, plus Sister Wan's self-draws, it's roughly that amount."
Three thousand yuan, in Jiang Family Village, was no longer a small sum.
It was enough for a family to have an extremely lavish New Year.
Second Aunt's breathing grew heavier, and Auntie Li behind her muttered softly, "Over three thousand yuan, that's enough to buy so many New Year's goods..."
"Second Aunt, we're not taking this money." Jiang Chen saw their greed but didn't expose it, instead going along with the flow, "But if we just give this money directly to you, my parents might feel uncomfortable, as if we're bestowing charity upon our elders."
Father Jiang, sitting on the kang, had originally been worried about an awkward situation, but hearing this, he couldn't help but speak up: "Jiang Chen, what trick are you playing? That money was won by the girls themselves, don't go giving orders here."
"Dad, I'm not giving random orders, I'm helping you maintain good neighborly relations." Jiang Chen smiled, then turned to Second Aunt, "Second Aunt, Uncle Wang's convenience store at our village entrance should still be open, right? The cigarettes, alcohol, candy, tea, and those nuts and pastries for New Year's, there should be a lot in stock?"
"It's open! Wang Balzi just stocked up a lot before the New Year, he's worried about not selling it all." Second Aunt answered hastily, her voice rising by an octave.
"Alright then."
Jiang Chen pulled out another stack of brand new banknotes from his pocket and slapped them directly on top of the money they had just won, instantly doubling the thickness.
"There's six thousand here in total. Second Aunt, please make a trip, call Auntie Li and Third Nai, and buy all the good New Year's goods from Uncle Wang's place. Not just for us here, but for all the folks on our street, distribute some to every household. The remaining money will be your hard-earned fee. We'll continue playing tonight, but this time we won't gamble money, we'll gamble on who distributes more things. What do you think?"
The air in the room seemed to freeze for a few seconds, followed by a violent clamor.
Second Aunt's small, focused eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets. She tremblingly reached for the thick stack of banknotes, her voice choked with emotion: "Oh, Jiang Chen, you child... this isn't playing cards, this is taking care of our whole village! Oh, look, I always said this boy from the old jiang family was kind-hearted since he was little!"
"Go, go, hurry up!" Mother Jiang, though also feeling a pang for the money, felt a great sense of vanity satisfied by Second Aunt's grateful demeanor, "His Second Aunt, you're efficient, hurry and get things organized, don't delay everyone from getting their New Year's goods."
The three middle-aged women, like soldiers receiving the highest command, grabbed the money and rushed out the door without even zipping up their down jackets. Before leaving, Second Aunt didn't forget to turn back and shout to Su Qingge and the others: "Girls, sit down! Auntie will go take care of it now, and tonight I'll make sure the whole village knows how good you all are!"
The room finally quieted down. Jiang Chen watched Second Aunt's bustling figure, a playful glint of successful calculation in his eyes.
Just then, the mechanical voice in his mind sounded again:
[Ding! Detected Host completing a random consumption behavior.]
[Consumption Scenario: Giving back to the community.]
[Consumption Amount: 6000 yuan.]
[Cashback Multiplier: 50 times!]
[Three hundred thousand in cash has been transferred to Host's debit card ending in 8888. The source of funds is explained through compliant equity monetization. Please check your account.]
Jiang Chen's heart bloomed with joy.
Six thousand for three hundred thousand, this wave was absolutely a huge profit.
"Husband, you're quite generous with your vision." Chen Man leaned over, her body softly pressing against Jiang Chen's arm, and whispered, "A few thousand yuan shut up the entire village. I saw Second Aunt's posture just now, she looked like she wanted to kneel down and kowtow to you on the spot."
"This is called investment." Jiang Chen calmly put the remaining peanut kernels into his mouth, "In the countryside, reputation is more valuable than gold. As long as they take the goods, if anyone dares to gossip about you behind your backs later, Second Aunt will be the first to slap them across the face."
Su Qingge sat to the side, elegantly adjusting the hem of her suit skirt. She glanced at Jiang Chen, a hint of curiosity in her eyes: "Your methods for handling these matters don't seem like those of a fresh graduate intern. Giving and taking, and even utilizing human nature, Jiang Chen, sometimes I really wonder if you used to be an advisor to some big shot?"
Lin Wan gently took Mother Jiang's hand: "Auntie, Jiang Chen also wants you and Uncle to have more face in the village. This money was well spent."
Father Jiang sighed, tapped his pipe against the sole of his shoe, his tone complex: "We have face now, but you, child, money doesn't grow on trees. It's not even New Year's yet, and you've already spent so much..."
"Dad, money is made to be spent. If you don't believe me, just wait and see, Second Aunt will definitely bring back an unexpected surprise." Jiang Chen said with certainty.
Sure enough, less than twenty minutes later, it started to get lively outside.
"Oh, Jiang Chen from the old jiang family has made it big! He's giving us New Year's goods!"
"Wang Balzi's convenience store is almost empty, hurry and go see!"
"I heard it's the money given by those city girlfriends Jiang Chen brought back, tsk tsk, each one prettier, and each one more generous!"
The noisy sounds drifted in from outside the courtyard gate, and the originally somewhat quiet village instantly erupted like water dripping into a hot oil pan.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang exchanged glances, their eyes filled with undisguised joy. Mother Jiang, who had been a bit reserved, now boldly pushed open the door and shouted outside: "Look at you all, so easily impressed! A little bit of stuff and you make such a fuss, why don't you come in and sit?"
"No sitting, no sitting, we're busy collecting goods! Sister-in-law, your Jiang Chen is truly blessed!"
Jiang Chen sat in the room, listening to the praises, and turned to Su Qingge and the other two: "Three sisters, are you ready? Next, we might have to welcome the 'inspection' of the entire Jiang Family Village. If this act isn't performed well, my six thousand yuan will have been wasted."
"Acting?" Chen Man touched up her red lips in the mirror, her smile charming, "Acting is what I'm best at in this life. However, this time I won't charge a performance fee, as long as the boss works hard tonight and helps me massage my waist."
Su Qingge and Lin Wan exchanged glances, their cheeks slightly flushed, clearly thinking of the romantic moments in the car or other confined spaces last night.
104: Chapter 104: Playing Cards Turns into a Poverty Alleviation Office Scene
Wang Balzi's convenience store.
Second Aunt had never been so imposing in her life.
She stood behind the peeling counter, directing several strong young men to move boxes, her demeanor grander than a mayor visiting the countryside.
"Hey, Old Wang, open two of your best Dazhonghua cigarettes! And that Wuliangye, don't try to fool us with the fifty or sixty yuan kind, get the most expensive one! Our Jiang Chen said he wants the best!" Second Aunt shouted, spitting as she spoke.
Wang Balzi chuckled while busy tallying the accounts: "Second Aunt, your words are really sweet. Jiang Chen is quite something, all the old stock I've had for half a year is gone, and this is all cash, right?"
"How could it be fake?" Second Aunt patted the thick wad of cash in her pocket. "Those three city girls, their hands didn't even tremble, thousands of yuan were like waste paper to them. I'm telling you, the Jiang Family's ancestral grave is smoking green this time. Those girls, I see each one as richer than the last. Jiang Chen won't have to worry about anything in this life."
The news spread quickly. In less than half an hour, the Jiang Family's originally not-so-spacious small courtyard was packed with villagers who had heard the news.
Jiang Chen stood on the steps, looking at the courtyard full of elders and relatives, his heart overflowing with satisfaction.
When he used to come back for holidays, although everyone was polite, there was always a hint of scrutiny, wondering if 'this child, who studies well, will amount to anything in the future.' Now, all that scrutiny had turned into blatant envy and flattery.
"Everyone, don't rush, Second Aunt has everything counted. These things today are a small token of appreciation from my three... friends, for all the elders." Jiang Chen deliberately paused on the word "friends."
Chen Man had already gotten into character. She changed into a fiery red down jacket, looking as vibrant as a ball of fire in the snowy landscape. She held Lin Wan's hand, carrying several bags of high-end imported nuts, and weaved through the crowd.
"Auntie, these nuts are good for the brain, eat more."
"Third Grandfather, this cigarette isn't harsh on the throat. Smoke less, your health is important."
Chen Man's social butterfly nature was on full display. She knew how to talk to everyone, praising one uncle for his spirit and another sister-in-law for her youth.
Although Lin Wan didn't speak much, her gentle demeanor and refreshing smile were even more impactful. Many old men and women looked at Lin Wan, their eyes almost glued to her, praising her as the ideal daughter-in-law for the old jiang family.
Su Qingge didn't come downstairs; her personality wasn't suited for such occasions. She stood by the railing on the second-floor corridor, holding a cup of strong tea Mother Jiang had just brewed, looking down at everything.
Her eyes, behind the gold-rimmed glasses, narrowed slightly. She looked down at Jiang Chen, who was navigating the crowd with ease.
"I underestimated you," Su Qingge murmured softly. She noticed that Jiang Chen's "distributing wealth" wasn't blind; every gift he gave was carefully considered. The cigarettes and alcohol for the village cadres had more emphasis on packaging, while for ordinary neighbors, it was practical grains, oil, sugar, and tea.
Such a sense of propriety even amazed her, who had been in the business world for so many years.
At this moment, Second Aunt led a few old sisters, carrying several boxes of things back into the courtyard.
"Jiang Chen! The things are almost distributed. What's left is specially for our own house." Second Aunt wiped a bead of sweat, her facial muscles trembling. "All the good cigarettes and alcohol left at Wang Balzi's are here. Let's go, back inside for more fun!"
Inside the house, the mahjong table was set up again. But this time, the atmosphere had completely changed.
When Second Aunt sat down, it was as if her bottom was cushioned with sponges, her back ramrod straight, and the look in her eyes towards Su Qingge and Lin Wan was no longer greed, but full of reverence.
"Girls, I was ignorant just now, I haven't seen much of the world." Second Aunt shuffled the tiles, lowering her voice. "Let's not play for money this round. How about 'sticker strips'? The loser gets a sticker on their face, and whoever loses the most tonight performs a show, and we'll all have a good laugh."
Su Qingge's lips curved into an almost imperceptible arc: "Second Aunt, let's still play for money. Without a prize, playing cards is boring."
Second Aunt's hand trembled, almost sending the tiles flying. She laughed awkwardly: "Girl, you..."
"Still fifty or a hundred. Our losses are ours, your winnings are yours, Second Aunt." Chen Man pushed aside the dice in the middle of the mahjong table. "But this time there's a condition: if Second Aunt wins, you have to tell us embarrassing stories about Jiang Chen's childhood. We're very curious. This guy usually acts so profound, he must have done a lot of things like raiding bird nests and blowing up toilets when he was little, right?"
Second Aunt's spirits immediately lifted at this, her eyes shining: "Oh! There are so many! You wouldn't believe it, when Jiang Chen was five, he stole his dad's tobacco leaves and almost suffocated himself..."
"Second Aunt!" Jiang Chen's face darkened by half. This Chen Man really enjoyed watching the drama unfold.
The situation that followed became extremely absurd.
Su Qingge and Lin Wan began to demonstrate what "top-tier control" meant.
Su Qingge remembered all the tiles on the table, and every tile Second Aunt wanted to pick up, she could precisely discard.
Even when Second Aunt was just one 'three of bamboos' away from winning, Su Qingge could circle around and deliver the 'three of bamboos' right into Second Aunt's hand.
And Lin Wan used her mysterious "lucky koi attribute" to constantly create draws or constantly let Second Aunt win.
"Won! Oh, won again!" Second Aunt was so happy she danced, the small pile of money in front of her slowly growing taller. "When Jiang Chen was five, there was another time, he was running in the snow in his open-crotch pants, and then..."
Jiang Chen's head ached from listening. He sat nearby, watching these three women revolve around a village woman, feeling both touched and amused. To integrate into his life, they had truly set aside their pride.
"Hubby, did you really run in the snow in open-crotch pants when you were little?" Chen Man asked slyly, turning her head while playing a tile.
"...Second Aunt remembered wrong, that was Jiang Feng." Jiang Chen shifted the blame expressionlessly.
"How could I remember wrong! Jiang Feng wet his pants, you were the one running happily!" Second Aunt's shout drew laughter from inside and outside the house.
This was the effect Jiang Chen wanted. A family that had become somewhat unapproachable and prone to envy due to "getting rich" was now reconnected to the earth through these trivial, even embarrassing, anecdotes.
The system's notification kept flashing in Jiang Chen's mind:
[Random Spending Mission Accomplished! Purchased supplies for neighbors, total expenditure 18,000 yuan.]
[Due to Host's clever balancing of neighborly relations and enhancement of family reputation, the system has determined a 'Win-Win Bonus' has been triggered!]
[Cashback multiplier increased to 100 times!]
[1.8 million cash has been transferred to your personal account!]
As dusk fell, the clamor in the courtyard gradually subsided, replaced by the scent of cooking smoke rising from various households.
Before Second Aunt left, she not only clutched several hundred yuan she had won, but also carried two extra bottles of good wine, saying they were for her husband.
She walked to the door, held Jiang Chen's hand, her expression more serious than ever: "Jiang Chen, Second Aunt has never admired anyone in her life. You, child, bringing these girls from the big city back to our poor mountain village, and not forgetting us elders, you're the best!"
Second Aunt gave a thumbs up, then leaned in close to Jiang Chen's ear: "Um... Second Aunt, if I may say, I think the girl in white is the most steady and suitable to be the main wife. The one with glasses is too cold, you probably can't control her. The one in red... she's a bit of a vixen, but she also brings wealth. You need to be careful with your waist, don't deplete your body at such a young age."
Jiang Chen saw Second Aunt out, both amused and exasperated: "Second Aunt, please worry about other things, take care."
105: Chapter 105 Sleeping Together Under the Same Blanket: What's a Motorhome Compared to a Warm Bed? (10,000 words, 5 updates!)
Second Aunt and the others left, satisfied, carrying their spoils, and the courtyard returned to quiet.
Jiang Chen stretched, about to call the three beauties back to the RV to rest. After all, it had air conditioning, hot water, and a big soft bed. Although it was a bit cramped, its advantage was good privacy; no matter what they did, no sound would get out.
“Um, Mom, we’ll go back to the car first…” Jiang Chen had just opened his mouth, but before he finished speaking, Mother Jiang cut him off.
Mother Jiang stood at the door of the West Room, holding two large, bright red satin cotton quilts that had just been sun-dried and smelled of sunshine, with a look of disapproval: “Go back to the car for what? That metal box looks imposing, but how can it be as warm as inside the house? Since moving into this house these past few days, your father and I specifically cleaned out this West Room. The kang is burning hot, guaranteed to be much better than that so-called air… air conditioning!”
Jiang Chen’s mouth twitched: “Mom, that’s an RV, it has a constant temperature system, it’s not cold.”
“That won’t do either!” Mother Jiang’s attitude was firm; this was the absolute authority of an elder. “That warm air dries out a person’s throat. How can it compare to a traditional kang for nourishing the body? Especially Wanwan, Qingge, and Manman—I see they usually dress thinly. They need to sleep somewhere warmer now to drive out the cold. I’ve already laid out the bedding, brand new. No one is allowed to complain.”
With that, Mother Jiang pushed open the door to the West Room without argument. A wave of heat mixed with the pleasant scent of soap bean powder rushed out.
The room was indeed spotless. The most conspicuous item was the large communal bed-like kang that occupied almost half the room. It was covered with thick felt, and on top lay two neatly folded, bright red quilts patterned with 'Mandarin Ducks Playing in Water'.
The visual impact was so strong that even Su Qingge’s world-weary gold-rimmed glasses slipped down slightly.
“This…” Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, looking at the gigantic “bed.” Although she could debate fiercely at a business negotiation table, facing this type of accommodation with strong Northern rural characteristics caused her brain to momentarily freeze.
“Such a big bed?” Chen Man’s eyes lit up instead. She kicked off her high heels, ignoring whether the floor was cold, and scrambled onto the kang in a few steps. Then she rolled around on it. “Ah! It’s really warm! Is there floor heating underneath? Why is it burning my bottom?”
“This is a fire kang,” Lin Wan explained with a smile. She took off her coat, revealing the slim cashmere sweater underneath, and skillfully helped Mother Jiang arrange the pillows. “I stayed at my grandmother’s house when I was little. This thing is the best cure for sore lower backs and leg pain. Auntie, you took such pains. The heat on this kang is just right.”
Upon hearing this, Mother Jiang’s face broke into a wide smile. She held Lin Wan’s hand and refused to let go: “Wanwan really knows her stuff. Alright, you young people should rest early; it’s been a tiring day running around. This is our own home too, so don’t be reserved.”
After speaking, Mother Jiang gave her son a meaningful look, then thoughtfully closed the door and left with light steps.
Four people remained in the room, and the atmosphere instantly became somewhat subtle.
Although they lived together in the RV, that was a relatively modern environment.
Now, faced with bright red quilt covers, a dirt kang, and New Year pictures pasted on the wall—this scene, steeped in rustic charm, paradoxically added an indescribable sense of taboo to the ambiguous atmosphere.
“How are we sleeping?” Su Qingge looked at the bedding laid out side-by-side. Although her tone remained calm, the rims of her ears were already bright red.
“How else would we sleep?” Chen Man sat cross-legged at the head of the kang, took off her down jacket, revealing the somewhat risqué black lace slip dress underneath. She beckoned to Jiang Chen, “We are guests, so we follow the host’s arrangements. Since Auntie asked us to squeeze in, then we’ll squeeze in. Besides, this kang is so big, we won’t fall off even if we roll around.”
Jiang Chen bolted the door and drew the curtains before turning to look at the three ‘beauties’ on the kang.
“Cough, um… I’ll sleep on the side?” Jiang Chen asked tentatively.
“Dream on.” Chen Man gave him a white look, reached out, and patted the spot in the middle. “You are the personal hot water bottle, you sleep in the middle. Sister Wan is afraid of the cold, so she’ll be next to you on the left; President Su’s chronic cold legs also need warming up, so she’ll sleep on your right. As for me… I’ll suffer a little and take the outermost spot to watch over you, just in case someone misbehaves in the middle of the night.”
Su Qingge frowned: “Who has cold legs? That’s a professional ailment.”
Although she argued verbally, Su Qingge’s body was honest. She took off her suit jacket, changed into a silk pajama set, and stiffly slipped under the covers.
As soon as she got in, the heat from below made her let out a soft sound. Her tense body instantly softened.
“It really is… very comfortable,” Su Qingge closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
Lin Wan also got in with a blush. She was always so gentle, like an obedient kitten, quietly snuggling up next to Jiang Chen.
This night was destined to be long and “scorching.”
The heat from the fire kang continuously transmitted upwards, mixing with the different fragrances emanating from the three women beside him—Su Qingge’s cold cedar scent, Lin Wan’s gentle milky fragrance, and Chen Man’s strong rose scent.
Lying in the middle, Jiang Chen felt like he was undergoing the ultimate test of willpower.
Although his parents were just in the East Room next door, preventing any major commotion, certain subtle movements and sounds couldn't be completely covered by the quilt.
For example, Chen Man’s restless hand, which always launched “sneak attacks” in the dark; or Su Qingge, who verbally said, “Don’t touch me,” but unconsciously moved closer to the heat source; and then there was Lin Wan, who simply held onto one of Jiang Chen’s arms quietly, her breathing gradually becoming long and steady.
It wasn't until the latter half of the night that the sound of the wind outside continued to howl.
...
The next morning.
Jiang Chen was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
“Xiao Chen! Are you awake, Xiao Chen? Hurry up! Your Third Aunt is back from the city and came looking for you as soon as she hit the village. She said she has an urgent matter!” Mother Jiang’s voice sounded quite anxious outside the door.
Jiang Chen groggily opened his eyes, feeling as if he were entangled by an octopus. On his left, Lin Wan’s head was resting on his shoulder; on his right, Su Qingge’s leg was draped over his stomach. As for Chen Man… that temptress was lying completely on top of him, sleeping soundly, her saliva almost dripping onto his chest.
After exerting great effort to break free from the gentle embrace, Jiang Chen quickly dressed and opened the door.
He saw Mother Jiang pulling a middle-aged woman with very red eyes standing in the courtyard. Jiang Chen recognized the woman; she was Third Aunt, who lived at the east end of the village.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Chen rubbed his hair, not fully awake yet.
“It’s all about that girl Xiao Cui!” Third Aunt wiped away a tear, her tone filled with disappointment. “That wretched girl, I can’t control her anymore! Today was her blind date, the man has already arrived, but she’s crying in the room refusing to come out. That man is a big boss from the city, drives a BMW! If this falls through, I don’t know how she’ll ever get married!”
“Third Aunt just got home yesterday, and when she heard that Xiao Chen you’re capable now, she came to you with any trouble. Third Aunt begs you to help out and go persuade Xiao Cui!”
“Xiao Cui?” Jiang Chen’s mind conjured up the image of a small, thin girl who never dared to speak loudly. She was his distant cousin, two years younger than him. She had dropped out of junior high to go work. She was very introverted and had only returned from out of town last night.
At this moment, the three women inside the house also woke up one after another. After a brief wash, they pushed open the door and came out.
Even without makeup, their natural beauty, combined with the slight languor of just waking up, stunned Third Aunt into silence.
“Are… are these the wives Xiao Chen brought back?” Third Aunt forgot to cry, staring blankly with her mouth agape.
“Hello, Third Aunt,” the three women greeted in unison.
“Good, good…” Third Aunt nervously wiped her hands. In front of these glamorous city girls, she suddenly felt a bit ashamed of how she had been crying her eyes out just now over a bit of betrothal money.
“Third Aunt, you mentioned Xiao Cui’s blind date just now?” Jiang Chen frowned. “She’s barely turned twenty, right? What’s the rush?”
“Twenty isn’t young anymore! Girls her age in the village already have two kids!” Third Aunt sighed. “Besides, this man’s conditions are really good this time. He handles construction projects in the county seat—he’s rich! It’s just… he’s a bit older, and he has a bit less hair. But men, as long as they have money, that’s what matters. What good is a head full of hair?”
Chen Man, who was applying lotion nearby, snorted with laughter upon hearing this: “Auntie, your perspective is certainly unique. But if he were truly that good, would he have to resort to a blind date in the village? I bet he has some hidden illness, right?”
“How could that be! He was just delayed by focusing on his career!” Third Aunt quickly defended. “Oh, never mind talking to you all. That man has been sitting at my house for half a day already. Xiao Chen, you’re a university student, you’ve seen the world. Why don’t you go over and help take a look? And persuade your stubborn little cousin while you’re at it?”
Jiang Chen glanced at the three “advisors” behind him, a playful smile curling on his lips: “Sure. It’s good timing; I need to digest my breakfast. Let’s go meet this ‘boss without hair.’”
106: Chapter 106 The Perfect Blind Date
The group made their way in a grand procession towards the eastern end of the village.
Though the village roads had been paved, they were still somewhat bumpy. Su Qingge had switched to a pair of flat-heeled Chelsea boots today, walking with a confident stride.
Chen Man, on the other hand, wore a fiery red wool coat, burning like a flame against the withered winter scenery. Lin Wan remained gentle and graceful, her arm linked with Jiang Chen's, a picture of tranquil bliss.
Arriving at Third Aunt's doorstep, even before entering the yard, they heard a voice like a strangled duck inside, as if its owner had phlegm stuck in his throat. It was a sound that made one's skin crawl.
"Not to be rude, but you country folk have so many rules. My car is a BMW 5 Series, low chassis. I almost scraped it coming in just now! Can't even fix the roads properly, how shabby."
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open.
In the yard, a middle-aged man wearing a tight-fitting black polo shirt with the collar popped high sat on a small stool. In the dead of winter, seemingly impervious to the cold, he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing a large, glittering gold watch and a string of prayer beads about the size of walnuts.
Most eye-catching of all was his hairstyle. It was the legendary 'Mediterranean with reinforcements from the sides'—the middle bald and shiny enough to reflect light, with a few stubborn strands around the sides slicked back with gel, desperately trying to create the illusion of 'I have a full head of hair.'
Opposite him, a young girl huddled on a stool, her head bowed so low it almost disappeared into her chest, her hands tightly twisting the hem of her clothes. That was Jiang Chen's cousin, Xiao Cui.
Seeing someone enter, the 'Mediterranean' cast a sidelong glance. His face was originally full of impatience, but the moment he saw the three people behind Jiang Chen, his eyes nearly popped out, and he forgot to spit out the sunflower seed shell in his mouth.
"Well, well, who knew the village was hiding such top-tier beauties?" The man's gaze was brazen, sweeping over Chen Man's legs and Su Qingge's chest—a naked, nauseating appraisal.
Jiang Chen took a subtle step forward, blocking the man's line of sight.
"Third Aunt, is this the big boss you mentioned?" Jiang Chen's tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
Third Aunt hurried over, forcing a smile. "Yes, yes, this is President Wang. President Wang, this is my nephew Jiang Chen. He just came back from the big city and brought a few friends to visit these past couple of days."
Hearing the word 'friends,' 'President Wang's' eyes gleamed even more slyly. He stood up, ignoring how his round belly strained the polo shirt almost to bursting, and pretentiously extended a hand. "Pleasure, pleasure. I am Wang Dafa, in the building materials business. Where do you make your fortune, brother?"
Jiang Chen didn't shake his hand, just nodded with his hands in his pockets. "Still studying. Intern."
"Oh—an intern." Wang Dafa's attitude instantly cooled. With a hint of disdain, he withdrew his hand and sat back down on the stool, crossing his legs high. "Young people should endure some hardship. Like me, I started from nothing. Now I own three apartments in the county town, and my car costs hundreds of thousands. A man's fate, after all, is what matters."
Then he turned to Xiao Cui, who hadn't spoken a word, his tone turning extremely arrogant. "Alright, enough dawdling. I see you're honest enough. Though you're not as pretty as these ladies here, you'll do. I'm not a picky man, so let's lay things out clearly."
Xiao Cui trembled but didn't dare utter a sound.
Wang Dafa cleared his throat and extended three fingers as thick as carrots. "First, after marriage, you stop working outside. What can two or three thousand a month do? Not even enough for a tank of gas for me. Your duty is to stay home, take care of my mother, cook, and do laundry. That's a woman's place."
The air in the room grew several degrees colder. Chen Man crossed her arms and let out a cold laugh.
Wang Dafa didn't hear and continued, "Second, my ex-wife left me a son, eight years old. You'll be his stepmom as soon as you enter the door, and you must treat him as your own. If I find out you're not good to him, don't blame me for slapping you. Of course, we still need to have one more—must be a son. My family has been single-line for three generations; we can't let it die out."
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses. The look behind the lenses was already as if she were staring at a corpse.
"Third," Wang Dafa shook his leg, his face full of condescension, "I can give a bride price of a hundred thousand. That's a sky-high amount in your village, right? But I have a condition: eighty thousand of that must be brought back as dowry, and you must also provide a car, no less than a hundred thousand worth. After all, my BMW is busy with business, and it's inconvenient not to have a grocery-run car at home."
"Pfft—" Chen Man couldn't hold back and laughed out loud.
That laugh seemed to flip a switch.
Wang Dafa's face darkened. Dropping all pretense of gentlemanliness, he glared at Chen Man. "What are you laughing at? What's so funny? These are the rules! With my excellent conditions, what's wrong with making a few demands? Meanwhile, this girl here didn't even finish middle school. Marrying me would be her ancestors' graves smoking with luck!"
Xiao Cui finally couldn't take it anymore. Tears pattered down, her voice trembling. "Mom... I don't want to marry. I won't marry him..."
"You stupid girl, what are you saying!" Third Aunt panicked, slapping Xiao Cui on the back. "President Wang has such good conditions, and you're still being picky? Do you want to kill me with anger?"
"Third Aunt." Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, his voice quiet but carrying a chill. He walked over, pulled Xiao Cui behind him, then looked down at Wang Dafa.
"President Wang, right? Your conditions are indeed quite 'good.'" Jiang Chen emphasized the word 'good.' "Three apartments in the county town—are the mortgages paid off? The BMW 5 Series—must be second-hand, right? Has the mileage been adjusted?"
Wang Dafa's face changed, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "What do you, a brat whose feathers aren't even fully grown, know? I paid in full! Full payment, you understand?"
"Is that so?" Su Qingge stepped forward then. She wore high heels, and though standing on muddy ground, her aura was as if she were inspecting her own business empire.
She glanced only once at the watch on Wang Dafa's wrist, her tone indifferent. "Patek Philippe Nautilus, current market price around 1.2 million. But yours is quite interesting, President Wang. The font on the date window is too thin, the gradient color of the dial is off. Most importantly, the sweep of the second hand... if I'm not mistaken, this is a knockoff from Guangzhou's Zhanxi Road, not even a proper replica. Wholesale price about three hundred?"
Wang Dafa instinctively covered his watch, his face turning purplish-red. "You... you're talking nonsense! I had a friend bring this back from Hong Kong!"
"And these clothes." Chen Man also leaned in, picking up Wang Dafa's popped collar with two fingers, her face full of disgust. "Bro, although there's a crocodile printed here, its mouth is crooked—did it have a stroke? Even the nine-ninety express items on Pinduoduo have better craftsmanship than this. Your taste is truly something else. Only in the village can you fool honest folks with this."
"You... you people..." Wang Dafa trembled with rage, pointing at the women. "Who are you? Mind your own business! Believe it or not, I can call a whole carload of people over!"
"Call people?" Jiang Chen smiled. He took out his phone and casually waved it. "President Wang, don't get excited. Let's reason this out. You just said you'd give a hundred thousand bride price, but want eighty thousand back, plus a car as dowry. So, you want a free maid and expect her to pay you to raise your son?"
"So what? In this backwater, who else would want her?" Wang Dafa stiffened his neck, still putting on a brave front. "Her family is dirt poor, what dowry could they possibly have? She should be secretly thrilled to marry me!"
Hiding behind Jiang Chen, Xiao Cui cried even harder, overwhelmed by the humiliation.
Jiang Chen turned around, gently patted Xiao Cui's shoulder, then looked at Third Aunt. "Third Aunt, Xiao Cui doesn't want to marry. Let's just drop this."
"But... but the bride price..." Third Aunt hesitated. She was truly scared of poverty; that hundred thousand was an astronomical figure to her.
Jiang Chen sighed. He knew that in the countryside, some mindsets couldn't be changed with just a few words. To solve the problem, the simplest and most direct method was needed.
"Xiao Cui, take out your phone," Jiang Chen said.
Xiao Cui was stunned for a moment, then tremblingly pulled out an old phone with a cracked screen.
Jiang Chen took out his own phone and scanned Xiao Cui's payment QR code.
"Ding! Alipay received, five hundred thousand yuan."
107: Chapter 107 Are all the villagers so cooperative in this charade?
"Alipay payment received, five hundred thousand yuan."
The voice was crisp and standard, exactly like the sound you'd hear when aunties queue up to buy eggs at the supermarket, except the number at the end was a bit on the large side.
Xiao Cui held the phone with its screen cracked like a spiderweb, her whole body frozen as if struck by an acupoint. Her eyes were wide as saucers, and her finger trembled as she swiped across the screen, seemingly counting the zeros.
"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands..."
"Alright, stop counting."
Wang Dafa suddenly let out a scornful laugh, breaking the silence. The disdain on his greasy face hadn't lessened; if anything, it had increased, mixed with a smug look of having seen through everything.
He plopped back down onto the small stool that not only bore his weight but also the constant jiggling of his leg. Reaching out, he twisted the fake "Nautilus" on his wrist.
"Young people these days have such strong vanity," Wang Dafa said, shaking his head like a marinated egg, putting on a heartbroken expression. "To show off, they'll resort to such low tricks? Guess you college students have nimble minds. This 'simulated transfer' app, downloaded from the internet, right? Probably cost you a few bucks for the membership fee, didn't it?"
Jiang Chen, who had been about to put his phone away, raised an eyebrow at this and chuckled. "Boss Wang seems quite knowledgeable? Looks like you use it often?"
"Why would I use that crap? I have real assets!" Wang Dafa retorted, his voice instantly rising as if his tail had been stepped on. "I'm just worried you youngsters are going down the wrong path! Think you can settle this by playing a recording on a broken phone? Five hundred thousand? Do you know how tall a stack of five hundred thousand in cash is? With your build, could you even carry it?"
Chen Man, standing to the side with her hands in the pockets of her red coat, rolled her eyes. "Oh my, this balding uncle, what era are you living in? Who carries cash around these days? Is that a professional habit left over from your days as a contractor absconding with funds?"
"You—women and petty men are indeed hard to deal with!" Wang Dafa, red-faced and thick-necked from the retort, turned to Third Aunt. "Third Aunt, are you going along with these kids' nonsense too? This is a matter of lifelong importance! Using a fake app to fool me? Believe me, I'll walk out right now and let your niece rot at home for the rest of her life!"
Third Aunt had also been stunned by the shout of "five hundred thousand," but now, frightened by Wang Dafa's threat and having never in her life seen anyone casually transfer five hundred thousand, the scales in her heart immediately tipped again.
She quickly tugged at Xiao Cui's sleeve, lowering her voice. "Cui, your brother... your brother is just joking, right? Put the phone away, don't let Boss Wang laugh at us. This Boss Wang, although... although his hair is a bit thin, he really has money!"
Xiao Cui finally snapped out of it. She looked at the solid numbers in her phone's balance, then raised her head to look at Jiang Chen's calm face, and tears immediately streamed down.
"Mom! It's real! This money is real!" Xiao Cui thrust the phone under Third Aunt's nose. "Look! It's showing in Yu'ebao!"
Third Aunt squinted for a long time, still not daring to believe it.
Just then, the roar of a tractor sounded from the courtyard gate, followed by a clamor of voices.
"Coming through! Oh my, Third Sister-in-law's place is lively today!"
Village Party Secretary Old Man Zhao, draped in a military coat and holding a Hongtashan cigarette between his fingers, walked in leading several strong men in camouflage uniforms. The men were carrying measuring tapes, blueprints, and a few red plastic buckets.
Seeing the tense standoff in the courtyard, Old Man Zhao paused, then his gaze landed on Jiang Chen. His wrinkled face instantly blossomed into a chrysanthemum-like smile.
"Ah! Xiao Chen is here too!" Old Man Zhao tossed his cigarette away, his enthusiasm overflowing as he rushed over to shake Jiang Chen's hand. "Perfect timing! I was just about to look for you! The road construction crew just entered the village, said the first batch of materials has arrived. And also..."
Old Man Zhao pointed at the strong men behind him. "These are the technicians planning the sewer renovation for our village. You kid, you just finished playing cards last night and immediately transferred a twenty million advance to the town's construction company overnight? That's too hasty! Our village committee didn't even have time to put up a banner for you!"
Two million.
Another two million.
Sitting on his stool, Wang Dafa suddenly found his crossed leg wouldn't stay up. He blinked his mung bean eyes, looking from Old Man Zhao to Jiang Chen, finally settling his gaze on Chen Man and Su Qingge.
"This... this village party secretary is also an extra you hired?" Wang Dafa muttered to himself, but his voice was unusually clear in the quiet courtyard. "To cover up a lie, you even bribed the village cadres? That's really going all out, isn't it?"
Su Qingge, who had been wiping her hands with a wet wipe, paused slightly at his words. She pushed up her glasses, a faint trace of mockery curling at the corner of her mouth. "This Boss Wang's imagination is truly wasted if he doesn't write xianxia novels. In his eyes, the world is probably just one big slapdash troupe, performing solely to fit his pitiful understanding."
Old Man Zhao, though old, wasn't deaf. He frowned, looking at Wang Dafa. "Who's this? Don't recognize him. Third Sister-in-law, a relative of yours?"
Third Aunt's mind was now a complete mess.
On one side, the blind date with "three apartments in the county town." On the other, her own nephew who casually transferred five hundred thousand and gave two million for road repairs.
She might not have seen much of the world, but she wasn't stupid. What kind of show brings a construction crew right to your doorstep?
"Ah... this is... this is a blind date," Third Aunt stammered.
"Blind date?" Old Man Zhao sized up Wang Dafa, then glanced at the BMW parked at the gate blocking half the alley, his frown deepening. "Blind date is fine, but how did you park your car? The construction vehicles can't get in, they're honking outside! Move it, now!"
Wang Dafa felt his dignity severely challenged.
Wherever he went in the county town, wasn't he called "Brother Wang"? How come in this backwater village, everyone dared to step on him?
"I'm not moving!" Wang Dafa stiffened his neck, his fat trembling. "The road is narrow to begin with. Could you afford to pay if my car gets scratched? A single paint job on this car costs several thousand! Besides, what construction vehicles? Just a couple of trucks of cement? Let them wait!"
Jiang Chen sighed, looking at Wang Dafa as if he were an idiot.
"Boss Wang, with your mindset, you're only worth the price of a paint touch-up." Jiang Chen turned to Old Man Zhao. "Uncle Li, since Boss Wang is reluctant to move his car, perhaps we could slightly adjust the location for that public toilet?"
Old Man Zhao, a shrewd man himself, immediately caught on. "Right, right! I think the feng shui here at the gate is quite good. If we dig the septic tank right here, it might just ward off certain negative energies."
"You wouldn't dare!" Wang Dafa shot to his feet, pointing a finger at Jiang Chen's nose. "Who do you think you're scaring? Dig a pit next to my car? Believe me, I'll have someone flatten this shabby village of yours!"
"Pfft—"
Lin Wan, standing to the side, couldn't hold back anymore. Covering her mouth, she laughed until her shoulders shook. Usually the gentlest, she couldn't resist adding a jab now. "Husband, has this Boss Wang watched too many gangster movies? 'Flatten the village'—even real estate developers don't dare say that these days, right?"
"That's how the legally ignorant are," Su Qingge added coldly. "According to the Criminal Law Amendment, charges like picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and intentional destruction of property, could have him treading a sewing machine for years."
Wang Dafa trembled with rage. He realized that in this courtyard, whether it was comparing wealth, wit, or even presence, he was utterly defeated.
But how could this be?
He was a big boss in the county town! This kid was just some country bumpkin!
"Fine! Fine! Ganging up on me, are you?" Wang Dafa grabbed the car keys from the table, glaring viciously at Jiang Chen. "You have money? What money? You're just putting on a show with the whole village! I'm not leaving today! I'll stay right here and watch! I'll see if that two million of yours is hell banknotes! I'll see if that construction crew is made of paper!"
As he spoke, a loud boom suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard gate.
"Boom—"
It was the sound of a heavy truck's air brakes while reversing.
Immediately after, a foreman in a yellow hard hat, covered in dust, ran in holding a slip of paper, sweating profusely as he shouted, "Excuse me, which one is Boss Jiang Chen? The first batch of premium tiles has arrived! One hundred crates total, plus that truck of imported bathroom fixtures! The truck's too big to get in!"
Wang Dafa's car keys clattered to the ground.
108: Chapter 108 Even Tiles Need a Place of Origin?
Wang Dafa’s hands, which were originally resting on his hips, visibly wobbled when he saw that heavy-duty truck with a "Yu A" license plate carrying a full container.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his eyes scanning the wooden crates printed with foreign letters.
"Boss Jiang, how should we unload the tiles? The alley at the village entrance is narrow, and the crane can't get in!" Foreman Old Li wiped the sweat from his forehead and trotted over to Jiang Chen, his expression full of flattery.
Jiang Chen didn't even glance at the truck, replying casually, "Old Li, don't go to all that trouble. Have the guys work a bit harder; use a forklift to move them to the clearing first, then carry them on your backs. This shipment is precious. If even one piece breaks, your half-month's wages won't be enough to cover the loss."
Old Li nodded repeatedly. "Understood! Understood! Those imported things, we'll definitely treat them like our own ancestors!"
"Heh, keep pretending. Keep it up."
Wang Dafa sneered from the side, squinting at the crates with a sour tone. "Imported bathroom fixtures? Jiang Chen, you're really going all out with the costs. Renting this truck full of empty crates must cost a few hundred yuan, right? And putting on some fake letters to fool people—do you really think we in the building materials business haven't seen the world?"
Chen Man was boredly fiddling with her nails. Hearing this, she turned her head and looked at him like he was a rare species. "Uncle, your logic is quite something. Do you really think Jiang Chen would specifically dispatch a heavy truck from the provincial capital and drive hundreds of kilometers with a load of empty crates just to tease you? Just how big do you think your face is to be worth that kind of effort?"
"Who knows what you're plotting!" Wang Dafa stiffened his neck and circled the unloaded wooden crates. "I've been in the building materials business in the county for over a decade. What brand haven't I seen? Come on, open one up for everyone to see. Don't let it be filled with red bricks later; that would be a joke!"
Old Man Zhao couldn't stand it any longer. With a dark face, he pointed his tobacco pipe at Wang Dafa. "What's wrong with you? Xiao Cui's blind date is a family matter. Why are you meddling in someone else's construction project? This is a blessing for our Jiang Family Village. If you keep stirring up trouble, don't blame me for calling the militia to kick you out!"
"Old Party Secretary, don't be biased!" Wang Dafa shouted loudly, fearing the neighbors wouldn't hear. "I'm doing this for Third Aunt's sake, so she won't be fooled by these flashy young people! If Xiao Cui marries the wrong person, she'll suffer for a lifetime at most, but if the whole village suffers in silence because of this, your time as secretary will be over!"
Third Aunt rubbed her hands together on the side, looking at Jiang Chen and then at Wang Dafa, her mind trapped in a logical loop.
Jiang Chen smiled and waved to the foreman. "Old Li, since Boss Wang wants to broaden his horizons, open one up. We can't let our 'professional' think we're engaging in false advertising."
"You got it!"
Old Li pulled a crowbar from his waist and struck the nearest wooden crate. With a "crack," wood chips flew everywhere.
As the outer wooden boards were forcefully dismantled, thick shock-absorbing foam and shaped cotton were revealed. Old Li carefully lifted the final layer of packaging, and a corner of a tile, as lustrous as jade with faint gray veins, peeked out.
Wang Dafa leaned in, frowning at first, then curled his lip. "This is it? Isn't this just a plain white tile? There are plenty of these in the county's building materials market. Fifty yuan a piece—I'll give you as many as you want!"
Su Qingge had been standing on the steps. Now, she slowly walked down, her high heels making a crisp sound on the frozen, solid ground. She stopped in front of the crate, her fingertips lightly grazing the surface of the tile, her voice cold yet piercing.
"Fifty yuan a piece?"
Su Qingge looked up at Wang Dafa, a flash of contempt passing behind her lenses. "Boss Wang, if I'm not mistaken, your building materials store probably deals in scraps from small township factories, right? Please open your eyes and look at the laser anti-counterfeit code on the side."
Wang Dafa was stunned and instinctively bent down to look.
"These are handmade tiles from Imola, Italy, part of a top-tier global sintered stone series."
Without waiting for him to speak, Su Qingge continued in that same flat tone.
"This texture isn't printed on; it's made from natural mineral powder pressed at high temperatures. You said fifty yuan? The customs clearance and international logistics costs for a single tile alone add up to more than five hundred. As for the price of this entire crate, it's probably worth as much as that second-hand bmw at your door."
The entire place fell silent.
Even the laborers moving the tiles stopped, staring at the crate of tiles as if they were looking at a monster.
Wang Dafa's face turned from a deep purple to a deathly pale. He stubbornly argued, "You can say whatever you want! Who doesn't recognize English letters? It must be a knock-off! College students these days sure have silver tongues, claiming a few broken tiles cost a fortune!"
"Whether it's a knock-off or not, won't you know if you touch it yourself?" Chen Man giggled, her eyes full of mockery. "Boss Wang, aren't you a professional in building materials? Come on, test the water absorption rate and hardness of this tile. Don't just talk; show us some real skill."
Wang Dafa actually reached out to touch it. When his fingertips met that cold, fine, and solid texture, his heart skipped a beat. Having worked in the industry for so many years, he could tell the quality of a tile with one touch. He had seen this kind of texture in high-end luxury model homes in the city.
But how was this possible?
In this remote backwater, who would use tiles costing ten thousand yuan per square meter to build a house? This wasn't even a matter of being rich or not; it was pure extravagance!
"No... this definitely isn't right!" Wang Dafa suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "Jiang Chen, where did you get this money? You're just an intern. Even if you didn't eat or drink for a lifetime, you couldn't afford a truckload of these tiles! Are you doing something illegal out there? This money's origin is unknown!"
As if grasping at a final straw, he shouted to Old Man Zhao and Third Aunt, "Don't let him fool you! What do you call this? This is money laundering! He's bringing these ridiculously expensive things back to the village to show off, surely wanting to drag you down with him! There's definitely something wrong with this money!"
Third Aunt shuddered in fear and quickly pulled Xiao Cui away, her voice trembling. "Jiang Chen... is this, is this money really yours?"
Jiang Chen rubbed his temples and looked at Wang Dafa helplessly. "Boss Wang, the source of my money is absolutely safe. It arrives instantly, and the national tax system can verify it. If you're really worried, I can print out the tax certificate and stick it on your forehead. How about that?"
"I don't believe it! If you're so capable, produce another five hundred thousand right now!" Wang Dafa roared uncontrollably. "That five hundred thousand you gave Xiao Cui must have been a recording! If you've got the guts, go to the bank and withdraw the money in front of everyone right now! If you can really take it out, I, Wang Dafa, will kneel on the ground and kowtow to you!"
Just as he was speaking, Wang Dafa's phone suddenly rang.
He looked down and saw it was the driver he had hired at the county construction site.
"Hello! What is it? I'm busy here!" Wang Dafa barked irritably.
"Brother Wang, this is bad! That bmw we parked at the village entrance is blocked by a massive excavator! The driver says he's doing some sewer renovation and that your car is in the way of the 'earth pulse.' If it's not moved within half an hour, he'll just plow right over it! Brother Wang, come back and take a look quickly. That guy is a tough customer; it doesn't look like he's joking!"
Wang Dafa's phone almost slipped from his hand.
He whipped his head around and stared fixedly at Jiang Chen. "Earth pulse? Sewers? Jiang Chen, is that your man?"
Jiang Chen shrugged, looking innocent. "Boss Wang, didn't I say it earlier? Our village is undergoing a comprehensive livability renovation, and the sewers are a top priority. Your bmw has a low chassis and happens to be parked right over the main pipe. If the project is delayed, the loss is several thousand yuan per minute. Can your bmw afford that compensation?"
109: Chapter 109: Is the foundation too low or the scope too narrow?
Wang Dafa was truly panicking now. That was his only "face"; if the excavator really "kissed" it, he’d be spending the rest of his life pedaling a tricycle.
"Jiang Chen, you're ruthless! Just you wait!"
Wang Dafa didn't have time to fuss over those few tiles anymore and bolted toward the village entrance.
Third Aunt and Xiao Cui exchanged a glance, then followed along with a crowd of curious villagers.
Jiang Chen led the three women, walking unhurriedly behind as if strolling through his own backyard.
On the small path at the village entrance, the already narrow dirt road was completely blocked by a massive yellow Caterpillar excavator.
Its massive steel bucket hovered right over the hood of Wang Dafa's bmw 5 Series, the roar of the engine shaking the snow off the surrounding trees.
"Stop! Stop right now!"
Wang Dafa started shouting from afar, his voice heart-wrenching and more desolate than if there had been a death in the family.
He ran to the car, shoved the driver aside, and stood in front of the vehicle with arms wide, roaring at the worker on the excavator, "Do you dare touch my car? This is a luxury car worth hundreds of thousands! Even if you sell that scrap metal of yours, you won't be able to afford the repairs!"
The excavator driver was a dark-faced man. He poked his head out of the cab and spat in disgust, "Boss, I'm doing public work! The village committee gave a strict order that this drainage ditch must be dug through today. Your car is blocking the way, and the dozen or so dirt trucks behind me can't get in. Are you going to pay for my lost time?"
"I don't care about your strict orders!" Wang Dafa argued unreasonably. "Is this road built by your family? What does it matter to you if I park here? If you have the guts, just drive over it!"
At that moment, Jiang Chen and his group arrived.
Old Man Zhao, wearing an overcoat over his shoulders, walked over with his hands behind his back, his face so gloomy it looked like it could drip water. "Wang Dafa, you're making an enemy of the whole village. I tried to persuade you nicely to move your car just now, but you insisted it was too expensive. Fine, your car is expensive. But if you delay this village-wide project, will you be the one to compensate for the losses?"
"I'll compensate! I don't believe this damn ditch is worth much!" Wang Dafa said stubbornly.
Jiang Chen smiled, walked up to Wang Dafa, took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Old Man Zhao, then turned to look at the bmw. "President Wang, moving the car really isn't that much trouble. You insist on stalling here—do you think your status is more important than the entire village's fortune?"
"Jiang Chen, stop acting like a good person!" Wang Dafa pointed at Jiang Chen's nose. "Don't think I don't know you must have hired this excavator. You just want to show off in front of these women and step on me. Let me tell you, when I was making a name for myself in the county town, you were still playing with mud somewhere!"
Chen Man walked to the side of the car, circled the bmw once, and suddenly chuckled. "Uncle, this bmw 525... if I'm not mistaken, it's a 2015 model, right? The headlights are turning yellow, and the logo on the rims was stuck on later. In the second-hand market, this is worth a hundred thousand or so at most. Where on earth do you get the courage to call it a luxury car?"
"You... what does a little girl like you know!" Wang Dafa's secret was exposed again, and he flew into a rage.
"I don't know cars, but I know money." Chen Man took a card out of her Chanel bag and tapped it lightly on the roof of the car. "Jiang Chen, how about this? Since this uncle thinks this car is so expensive, I'll buy it from him in full right now, just to clear the space for the village. After buying it, we'll just let this excavator crush it into a pancake for everyone's entertainment. What do you think?"
Hearing this, the surrounding villagers burst into a fit of laughter.
"Great idea! I've never seen a bmw get crushed before!"
"That city girl is really rich. She'd crush a car worth hundreds of thousands just like that?"
Wang Dafa's legs began to tremble. Looking at Chen Man's serious expression, he felt incredibly guilty. These people didn't follow the rules at all; what sane person would buy a crappy car just to crush it for fun?
"You... you're going too far!" Wang Dafa gritted his teeth. "I have money, why should I sell it to you? I'm not selling! I'm staying right here!"
Jiang Chen sighed and waved to the excavator driver. "Master, don't listen to him. Just do your work. Since President Wang feels this car can block the village's development, let him be a nail house here."
After saying that, Jiang Chen looked at Old Man Zhao. "Uncle Zhao, since President Wang loves this spot so much, let's move the entrance of the village's largest septic tank here. The soil here is soft and easy to dig."
Old Man Zhao nodded immediately. "Sure! We'll do as you say! This road needs to be rebuilt sooner or later anyway, and this piece of land is just sitting empty. Come on, technician, drive a stake behind that bmw's rear and write 'Septic Tank Position No. 1'!"
"You got it!"
Two men in camouflage behind them came over with red paint and a wooden stake, making a move to start behind the bmw.
Wang Dafa was so scared he fell onto his backside, his face turning green. If they really dug a big pit behind his car and put up a sign for a septic tank, he would be the laughingstock of Jiang Family Village for the rest of his life.
"Don't! Don't dig!"
Wang Dafa finally broke down. He scrambled back into the car, his hands trembling as he inserted the key. "I'll move! I'll move right now!"
With a roar of the engine, the bmw retreated out of the alley dejectedly. Because he was in such a hurry, the chassis scraped against a rock with a "crunch," making Wang Dafa's heart bleed.
Watching the bmw's departing figure, Chen Man clapped her hands triumphantly. "Tsk, with that little courage, you're trying to act like a domineering CEO on a blind date? What a waste of my time."
Third Aunt stood nearby, completely stunned.
She looked at Jiang Chen, then at Su Qingge and Chen Man, and finally at Xiao Cui, who was squatting on the ground counting ants. She suddenly realized what kind of abyss she had almost pushed her own daughter into.
"Jiang Chen..." Third Aunt walked over, her eyes a bit red. "Third Aunt was foolish just now; I shouldn't have believed that man named Wang..."
Jiang Chen took Third Aunt's hand and spoke in a calm tone, "Third Aunt, don't say that. You care about Xiao Cui and want her to have a good life; your heart was in the right place. From now on, with me around, no one will dare bully Xiao Cui. She can keep this five hundred thousand as her nest egg; if she wants to start a small business, she can, and if not, she can just rest at home."
Xiao Cui looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Brother, I can't take this money for nothing. Once your new house is built, can I go and clean it for you?"
"Silly girl." Jiang Chen patted her head. "You can do whatever you want. Let's go, don't stay out here in the wind. Let's go back and eat some meat. Old Li, keep a close eye on this project. Keep up the pace; money is not an issue."
"Understood, Boss Jiang!"
Just as Jiang Chen was about to head back, a pleasant notification sound suddenly rang in his mind.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has completed a round of high-quality face-slapping behavior and successfully promoted home village construction spending.]
[Triggered a random God-tier Tycoon cashback task: The Village's Prestige.]
[Task Content: Purchase winter warmth gift packs for all elderly people in the village over sixty years old and establish the Jiang Family Village Education Scholarship.]
[Task Requirement: Confirm the first expenditure within one hour.]
[Cashback Multiplier: Randomly drawing... Draw successful! The cashback multiplier is: 18x!]
110: Chapter 110 Five Million Yuan Spent to Create a "New Jiangjia Village," Wang Dafu's Collapse
Wang Dafa sat in his car, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his chest heaving with anger.
He was unwilling, truly unwilling. In the county town, he was a man of some standing, yet today he had suffered such a great humiliation in front of these villagers. If this got out, how could he continue to mix in society?
"Damn it, that kid must be up to no good!"
Wang Dafa slapped the dashboard, gasping in pain. "That village Party secretary definitely took his benefits. And those two women... they look like decent people, but they might be kept by big bosses from the provincial capital. This kid is just a runner, using someone else's generosity to show off here!"
The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had discovered the truth, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
Wang Dafa pulled out his phone, opened his contacts, found a number saved as "Manager Liu," and dialed it.
This Manager Liu was a section chief in the county's Housing Administration Bureau. Although his power wasn't top-tier, he was still a figure in the local construction circles.
"Hello, Brother Liu! It's Dafa! Yes, yes, I haven't returned to the county yet. Well, I ran into some trouble in Jiang Family Village. There's a kid named Jiang Chen who's illegally occupying land in the village for a large development, claiming to have invested tens of millions. I think his origins are suspicious..."
Wang Dafa exaggerated, portraying Jiang Chen as a dangerous individual who caused trouble outside and returned to the village to launder black money. He believed that if Section Chief Liu was willing to investigate, this kid would immediately reveal his true colors.
However, Section Chief Liu on the other end of the phone, upon hearing the name "Jiang Chen," fell silent for a few seconds, then his voice suddenly became serious.
"Dafa, who did you just say? Jiang Chen? Which Jiang? Which Chen?"
"Just the son of the old jiang family's second son, a newly graduated intern..." Wang Dafa hadn't finished speaking when Section Chief Liu sternly interrupted him.
"Wang Dafa! Are you out of your mind?"
Section Chief Liu's voice carried a hint of panic,
"Don't you know that this morning, several big leaders from the province and city were asking about the planning of this Jiang Family Village? I heard that a mysterious young entrepreneur is going to build a model project for rural revitalization here, and twenty million in start-up capital was deposited this morning! All the township committee members are waiting at the back mountain of Jiang Family Village right now! If you dare to pull any stunts there, don't blame me for not warning you, you're just asking for trouble!"
"Clatter."
The phone slipped from Wang Dafa's stiff hand and fell onto the floor mat.
Wang Dafa's mind buzzed, as if attacked by thousands of bees. Twenty million in the account... model project... leaders inquiring...
These words were like heavy artillery shells, completely destroying his worldview. He had thought Jiang Chen was putting on a show, but it turned out he was serious.
And this seriousness was so grand that he couldn't even see its boundaries when he looked up.
Just then, the car window was tapped.
Wang Dafa trembled all over, looking up to see the black-faced excavator driver again, but this time he was accompanied by two men in well-tailored suits, with shiny badges pinned to their lapels.
"Boss, please get out of the car."
One of the suited men spoke politely, but his eyes were extremely cold,
"We are the legal representatives of the Jiang Family Village Livable Renovation Foundation. Due to your illegal parking delaying the entry of three heavy engineering vehicles, our hired foreign design team incurred lost work hours. According to the contract, this part of the delay fee shall be borne by the defaulting party. This is our preliminary loss estimate, please confirm it."
The suited man handed over a printed sheet. The numbers on it weren't many, but each zero was like a knife.
"Delayed by half an hour... loss... forty-eight thousand?"
Wang Dafa looked at the number, his heart almost stopping. "Are you robbing me?! I moved the car! I just moved it!"
"That was because we took compulsory measures, and you were passively forced to move the car." The legal representative pushed up his glasses, his movements as refined as a surgeon. "If you refuse to sign, our next step is to apply to the court for preservation, sealing off this bmw car under your name and related operating assets."
Wang Dafa completely deflated. He slumped in the driver's seat, sweat running down his Mediterranean hairline and onto his neck. He realized that the "connections" and "assets" he had been so proud of all his life were as fragile as a wet tissue in the face of true capital.
On the other side, in the Jiang Family courtyard, the atmosphere was completely different.
Old Man Li's workers were busily moving materials. Besides tiles and sanitary ware, there were dozens of high-power air source heat pumps.
"Jiang Chen, are these for the whole village?" Old Man Zhao's eyelids twitched as he looked at the rows of silver machines. "These things must cost a lot, right?"
"Not much, just about ten thousand yuan each," Jiang Chen said lightly. "I thought since we're renovating, we might as well do it right the first time. In the future, the village won't need to burn coal; everyone will use electricity for heating. I've already discussed the electricity bill with the power supply bureau; the foundation will cover heating subsidies for the first three years."
Jiang Chen turned his head to look at the three women, each with her own unique charm.
Su Qingge was holding a notebook, recording something, and occasionally calling the design team, demonstrating strong professional competence.
Lin Wan was helping Third Aunt tidy up the messy courtyard, her gentle and virtuous demeanor earning praise from the surrounding aunties. Chen Man was the most relaxed, live-streaming on her phone.
"Folks, look closely! This is the rural version of 'Minecraft'!" Chen Man shouted into the screen. "See those trucks over there? They're full of top-grade building materials! My boss said he won't go back to the provincial capital until this place is built into a resort!"
Jiang Chen walked over to Xiao Cui and asked softly, "How is it, do you feel more at ease now?"
Xiao Cui nodded vigorously, clutching her old phone tightly; it was her confidence to change her fate.
"Brother, I've made up my mind. I want to go to the township agricultural technology station to study, and in the future, I also want to help you manage those picking gardens." Xiao Cui was a little nervous, but her eyes were firm.
"Good, you have ambition." Jiang Chen smiled with satisfaction.
Just then, Third Aunt suddenly ran over, her face full of embarrassment and shame.
"Jiang Chen... that surnamed Wang... he's crying at the gate." Third Aunt whispered, "He said he was blinded by greed just now and wants you to help him, saying his building materials store is about to go bankrupt and he wants to supply you with some ordinary materials..."
Jiang Chen walked into the house without looking back, his voice clear.
"Third Aunt, tell him. There's no such thing as regret medicine in this world. My project doesn't accept trash."
Outside the courtyard gate, Wang Dafa slumped beside his stalled bmw car, watching the warm lights emanating from the Jiang Family courtyard and listening to the cheerful laughter of the villagers, feeling as if he had been abandoned by the world.
He finally understood that the reason his status was low wasn't because it was a bmw, but because his perspective had never been high enough.
111: Chapter 111 A Two Million Yuan Cash Gift Package
Wang Dafa's bmw, whose chassis was squeaking, finally disappeared completely from sight.
The air at the village entrance seemed several degrees fresher because of the departure of that plague god.
Jiang Chen withdrew his gaze, his hands in his pockets, his fingertips sliding across his phone screen. Only he could see the translucent system interface.
[Triggered God-level Tycoon Random Cashback Mission: Hometown Prestige.]
[Mission Requirement: Purchase heartwarming winter gift packages for all villagers over sixty, and establish the Jiang Family Village Education Scholarship Fund.]
[Cashback Multiplier: Minimum 18 times!]
A slight twitch played on Jiang Chen's lips.
Eighteen times.
If he poured in ten million, he would turn around and get over a hundred million.
"Manman, stop the livestream. We have serious business to attend to," Jiang Chen knocked on the RV window.
Chen Man put away her phone stand and nimbly jumped out of the car. Her long legs swayed, making the young men around forget to even move.
"Boss, what exciting big move is next? I haven't even gotten over the adrenaline rush from betting against the bmw earlier."
Chen Man brushed the dust off her hands, her face full of excitement.
Jiang Chen smiled: "Go, contact your friends who deal in import trade, and the largest chain supermarket in the county."
"What are we buying? Didn't we just haul a truckload of construction materials?" Chen Man tilted her head in confusion.
"Every elderly person in the village over sixty gets one 'Winter Warmth Gift Package'."
Jiang Chen held up three fingers: "Standard it at three thousand yuan per package. It must include the best down jackets, fully automatic foot baths, high-end massage chairs, and two boxes of Australian cherries."
"What?"
Chen Man's eyes widened, and her voice shot up an octave: "Three thousand per package? Boss, our village has quite a few old folks. This is another several hundred thousand going out."
"That's not all."
Jiang Chen turned to look at Su Qingge, who was talking with his uncle: "Qingge, help me draft a charter to establish the 'Jiang Family Village Education Scholarship Fund.' Anyone from the village who gets into a key high school will be rewarded ten thousand; those who get into undergraduate programs, thirty thousand each; and those who get into a prestigious university will directly receive one hundred thousand."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was just clear enough for the surrounding villagers who hadn't dispersed to hear distinctly.
In an instant, the crowd that had been discussing Wang Dafa uniformly sucked in a sharp breath.
"Ten thousand... thirty thousand... one hundred thousand?"
Second Granduncle's tobacco pipe fell directly onto his foot. It hurt enough to make him flinch, but he didn't even spare a moment to rub it.
"Xiao Chen, is this scholarship... for real?" His uncle, Jiang Jianguo, strode over in a few steps, his old eyes filled with shock.
Jiang Chen nodded seriously: "Uncle, you don't need to worry about the money. I have already prepared two million in cash specifically for operating this project. The legal representative for the foundation will be your name, and it will be jointly supervised by you and the village committee."
"Two million..."
His uncle rubbed his eyes, feeling like he hadn't woken up from the buzz of that Wagyu beef dinner.
Old Man Zhao was even more agitated, his face flushed crimson, unable to even light his cigarette: "Boss Jiang, you... you're going to make our village school soar! If this news gets out, won't all the kids from our village studying in town try to wear out their exam papers?"
Su Qingge pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, her tone calm but carrying a natural authority.
"What Jiang Chen said is correct. I can have the initial draft of the charter out this afternoon."
She looked at his uncle: "A scholarship of this philanthropic nature will not only boost Jiang Chen's prestige in the village but will also greatly aid in the subsequent development of the back mountain. This is giving first and taking later; the vision is expansive."
Actually, Su Qingge also had some doubts in her heart.
The way this man spent money had completely surpassed any concept of 'return on investment'.
But looking at Jiang Chen's face, which held a clear, youthful quality, she found herself instinctively wanting to support all his decisions.
"Fine! Since you trust your uncle so much, your uncle will stake this old face of mine and get this done beautifully for you!"
His uncle slapped his thigh and turned to shout at the few strong laborers behind him: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and start counting the roster! Everyone over sixty, count them all, don't miss a single one, and don't count anyone twice!"
"Got it!"
The men scattered like they had been injected with chicken blood, vanishing in a flash.
Chen Man was already on the phone beside them, speaking at the speed of a machine gun.
"Hello? Old Liu? Yes, it's me. Hurry up and set aside that batch of massage chairs I looked at last time. And the down jackets—I want the highest-end Bosideng series. Don't try to fool me with substandard goods; I have plenty of money!"
Lin Wan also walked over at this time, holding a small notebook and carefully recording something.
"Xiao Chen, it would be best to add some more practical items to the package," Lin Wan suggested gently. "I see the elders in the village are very frugal; if you buy them expensive things, they might be reluctant to use them. Add a bag of the best Wuchang rice and two cans of premium peanut oil. Things they can see and touch will make them feel more at ease."
"Sister Wan is always the most thoughtful."
Jiang Chen squeezed Lin Wan's soft, boneless little hand.
Lin Wan blushed and instinctively tried to pull back, but Jiang Chen gently pinched it.
"Everyone, don't stand around idle," Jiang Chen looked at Old Man Zhao. "Uncle Zhao, turn on the broadcast again. Tell all the elders over sixty in the village to gather at the village office square at two in the afternoon. I have a second announcement to make."
"There's more?" Old Man Zhao felt his heart was already struggling to cope.
"Yes." Jiang Chen pointed to the smoking old squat toilet in his uncle's backyard. "The toilet renovation for the entire village will start construction in the next few days. I'll cover the money, and the village will provide the labor. Any villager participating in the construction will receive two hundred yuan in wages per day, plus two meals."
The news spread like wings. In less than half an hour, the entire Jiang Family Village was in an uproar.
The village, which had been somewhat desolate due to the approaching New Year, instantly became bustling with activity.
A few people who had been doing odd jobs in town even heard about the work that paid two hundred a day plus meals, immediately quit their bosses, and ran back carrying shovels.
Two o'clock in the afternoon, Village Office Square.
The area was densely packed with elderly people, their faces etched with wrinkles filled with confusion and expectation.
A massive logistics truck roared into the square, its conspicuous markings advertising its value.
Chen Man jumped off the truck like a conductor: "Come on! Get in line! Collect your items according to the roster!"
When the exquisitely packaged massage chairs, thick down jackets, and deep-red cherries were handed to the elders one by one,
The entire square fell silent.
Many elders, clutching their gifts, had their eyes redden instantly.
"This... this is what Xiao Chen gave us? I saw my son search for this jacket online; it costs over two thousand!"
"Why are these fruits so big? What was that called again? Carlet?"
A white-haired old grandmother trembled as she touched the fabric of the down jacket, tears streaming down her face: "What a good child, the old jiang family has really produced a literary star, and he hasn't forgotten us old bones."
Jiang Chen stood on the high platform, looking at those grateful eyes.
A dazzling white light suddenly flashed before him.
[Ding! Detected first expenditure: Winter Gift Packages and the first installment of the scholarship fund, totaling 2.1 million yuan.]
[Due to the high recognition gained by the Host's actions from the entire village, the cashback multiplier is triggered for an increase!]
[Final Cashback Multiplier: 30 times!]
[Cashback Amount: 63,000,000 yuan, transferred to your account through secure channels. Please check.]
The phone in Jiang Chen's pocket vibrated slightly.
It had arrived.
Sixty-three million.
Looking at the long string of zeros after his account balance, Jiang Chen took a deep breath.
His previously restless mood became incomparably calm at that moment.
He picked up the microphone and looked at the villagers below.
"Elders, this is just the beginning. After the New Year, we will pave the roads to the best condition! After the New Year, everyone's homes will improve. As long as everyone works together, our Jiang Family Village will be the best ecological tourism village in the province!"
"Good!"
Deafening applause echoed in the silent winter mountain valley.
112: Chapter 112 As long as the money is there, the holdout will tear down the wall overnight.
At this time, the Jiang Family had clearly become the eye of the storm for the entire village and even the whole town.
In the main hall, smoke curled in the air. Eldest Uncle held the latest construction blueprints that had just been delivered, his hands trembling—he was terrified.
"Jiang Chen, this... aren't these specifications a bit too high?"
Eldest Uncle swallowed hard and pointed at the parameters on the blueprints. "What we talked about before was just hardening the road surface. But your requirements now... expanding the village's main road to six meters and paving it with asphalt? Adding solar streetlights and a brand-new drainage system on both sides? With all this, the budget will at least double compared to our previous calculations! The little bit of capital we reserved before won't even make a splash."
Jiang Chen sat in a grand armchair, leisurely peeling an orange. He popped a segment into his mouth, his expression as nonchalant as if he were discussing what to have for dinner.
"Eldest Uncle, if we're going to do it, let's do it right the first time. Don't worry about the money; I've already contacted the Provincial Road and Bridge Company. The down payment has been sent, and the construction team will arrive on the eighth day after the Lunar New Year."
Su Qingge pushed up her glasses and added from the side, "It's not just the main road. Jiang Chen's intention is to extend this 'city-level' infrastructure standard to every household's doorstep. We've already bought out the production capacity of two quarries in town for the month after the New Year. With this series of moves, Jiang Family Village's hardware level will jump directly to that of a first-class provincial demonstration village."
Hearing the words 'Provincial Road and Bridge,' Old Man Zhao almost dropped the pipe in his hand.
His greatest wish in life was to build a good road for the village, but he never dared to dream of an asphalt road! That was a luxury only found in the county seat!
But immediately after, Old Man Zhao's brow furrowed into deep lines.
"Boss Jiang, it's great, but this matter... it's tricky."
Old Man Zhao sighed, his face full of worry.
"You don't know, but ever since people heard you're doing major road repairs, a few of the village's notorious 'tough customers' have started getting ideas. In just one morning, several families have set up temporary trees and sheds in front of their doors, demanding astronomical compensation. If we agree, once that precedent is set, we won't be able to do any work; if we don't, they'll just lie down in front of the bulldozers..."
At this point, Old Man Zhao's teeth itched with anger. "Those ungrateful bastards!"
"Lie in front of bulldozers?"
Jiang Chen smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, carrying a chilling coldness that made one's heart skip a beat. "Uncle Zhao, we're doing a good deed, not begging them to take our money. So my principle is very simple: the principle of voluntary participation."
He pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands, his tone casual.
"Go and make an announcement over the loudspeaker. For those willing to cooperate by removing illegal structures and yielding land, I'll have the road in front of their house paved smooth, deliver a smart toilet to their door, and provide a heating subsidy. As for those unwilling to cooperate..."
Jiang Chen paused, a playful look in his eyes. "We won't force them at all; we'll even respect their 'property rights.' I'll have a word with the Design Institute—the road will simply bypass their front doors. Even if we have to make the road narrower, we'll avoid their 'precious' fruit trees and stinking pit latrines."
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent for a few seconds.
Old Man Zhao was stunned for a moment, then slapped his thigh hard, his face flushing with excitement.
"Brilliant! Truly brilliant!"
This wasn't 'voluntary' at all; it was an outright 'open scheme'!
This was ten thousand times more ruthless than forced demolition or arguing!
Imagine: in the future, neighbors walk out onto wide, smooth asphalt roads and use smart toilets with warm water at home, staying warm in winter and cool in summer.
While in front of one's own door is a muddy dirt path, guarding a mess of a tiny plot, being watched by the whole village like a fool... this psychological gap is more devastating than death itself!
"I'm going to make the announcement right now!" Old Man Zhao rushed out energetically, as if he'd been injected with adrenaline.
Sure enough.
Once the news broke, in less than half a day, the holdouts in the village who had planned to extort money using a few trees completely panicked.
Without the village committee even needing to do any persuasion, several families tore down their illegally built sheds overnight. Some even went to Eldest Uncle's house of their own accord, offering to move their walls back two meters, crying and begging for the six-meter-wide asphalt road to pass by their doors.
...
In the evening, inside the RV.
"See? This is what you call the power of money."
Chen Man lay lazily on the leather sofa, her two fair, long legs crossed, swaying enough to make Jiang Chen dizzy. She swirled a wine glass in her hand, her eyes seductive. "Boss, this move of yours to defeat the enemy without a fight... you've learned the face of a capitalist quite quickly."
Jiang Chen ignored her teasing, casually squeezed her calf, and then turned to look at Lin Wan, who was reviewing the renovation plans.
"Sister Wan, you need to keep a close eye on the renovation progress of the new house. Especially that hot spring system."
"Hot spring?" Lin Wan was taken aback and put down the album in her hand. "Jiang Chen, although we're in a mountainous area, I've never heard of any natural hot springs here. Could it be that under the foundation of your new house..."
"It's not natural, but it's better than natural."
Jiang Chen smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice, as if describing a beautiful dream:
"I've already ordered the top-of-the-line Deep-well Ground Source Heat Pump System. It extracts mineral water from five hundred meters underground, then circulates and heats it to a comfortable, constant temperature. Moreover, I've specifically designed a highly private outdoor soaking pool behind the master bedroom, with two hundred-year-old plum trees transplanted around it."
Lin Wan visualized the scene.
In the middle of a heavy snowfall, with steam rising and plum blossoms falling on the water's surface, she and Jiang Chen...
"That... that is quite luxurious." Lin Wan lowered her head, her fingers instinctively twisting the hem of her clothes. A captivating blush appeared on her face, which was as smooth as jade, and even the tips of her ears turned red.
Su Qingge, however, wasn't swayed by the romantic atmosphere. She closed her tablet, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Jiang Chen, about that stone slab, I showed the photos to an archaeology expert from the province. Although the writing is blurred, judging by the unique blue-gray material and patterns, it looks very much like a gate-sealing stone from an underground palace of a wealthy family during the late Qing Dynasty. Combined with the legend that your ancestors produced a Jinshi, there might really be something hidden under that foundation."
"It doesn't matter what's hidden there."
Jiang Chen looked through the car window at the bustling construction site outside. It was a fortress he was building with his own hands, and his foundation in this world.
" The important thing is， From now on， This is our territory.. Whoever， Don't even think about pointing fingers here.."
Just then, a piercing horn sounded from the entrance of the village.
A long line of jet-black Audis slowly drove in.
113: Chapter 113 Were you happy this New Year?
The villagers, who had been working, all stopped what they were doing and peered over curiously.
The door of the lead car opened, and a pot-bellied middle-aged man in a down jacket ran over, drenched in sweat. As soon as he saw Jiang Chen, he gripped his hand tightly.
"Oh! CEO Jiang! I'm Little Wu from the town! I heard you've returned home to help with construction, and our Town Party Committee and Town Government support it with both hands! Just say the word if you need anything; we'll handle it as a special case and give you the green light all the way!"
Jiang Chen looked at this town official, who was usually seen as unapproachable by the villagers.
He calmly withdrew his hand and casually handed over a Chunghwa cigarette.
"Mayor Wu, you're being too polite. I'm just a junior who made a bit of money outside and came back to show some filial piety. I'm already fixing the roads; I'm already renovating the toilets. Next, I plan to invest fifty million to turn the back mountain into a nationally famous eco-tourism zone. Regarding the paperwork..."
"No problem! Absolutely no problem!" Mayor Wu's eyes lit up. "I'll personally go to the county to handle the paperwork for you! CEO Jiang's act of giving back to his hometown is something our entire town should learn from!"
The surrounding villagers watched as the usually formidable Mayor acted with such caution in front of Jiang Chen.
That shock was even more intense than when the New Year goods were being distributed.
Father Jiang and the eldest uncle exchanged a glance, both seeing the ecstatic look of "the ancestors have manifested" in each other's eyes.
At this moment, the threshold of the Jiang Family home was truly about to be worn down by big shots from both official and business circles.
Jiang Chen, however, appeared very calm.
He knew this was only the beginning.
He turned to look at Su Qingge, his tone carrying a hint of dominance.
"CEO Su, regarding the follow-up investment plan for the fifty million, I want to see a detailed plan on the bed tonight... cough, on the table. No problem, right?"
Su Qingge's beautiful face stiffened, and her icy CEO demeanor returned.
"Don't worry, Boss. As long as the money is in place, I can build you a miniature Forbidden City right here in Jiang Family Village."
Chen Man laughed heartily on the side. "Boss, what about me? What's my mission?"
"You?"
Jiang Chen glanced at her sideways, the corner of his mouth curling up. "You're responsible for going to town to buy fireworks. The biggest, loudest, and most beautiful kind. This New Year, I want everyone in the entire county to know that for Jiang Family Village, the dawn has come."
The day before New Year's Eve.
Jiang Family Village had never been this lively in its entire existence.
The travelers who usually didn't come home for the New Year heard that their home had undergone a total transformation and rushed back like they were crazy.
The moment they entered the village entrance, they were completely stunned.
The old dirt road that used to make drivers curse was now leveled with a thick layer of gravel, just waiting for the weather to warm up after the New Year to be paved with asphalt.
The utility poles on both sides had all been replaced with European-style vintage landscape lights. Although they weren't lit yet, the sense of sophistication was already overflowing.
"Is this... is this my hometown?"
A young migrant worker carrying many bags looked at the uniform new drainage ditches by the road, hardly able to believe his eyes.
But the most eye-catching thing was the massive building that had already risen from the ground on those two acres at the east end of the village, with its main structure completed.
To call it a villa was an understatement; it was more like a miniature manor.
Lao Zhang, the 'genius' designer Su Qingge had specifically brought in from the provincial capital, had practically taken up residence here.
With Jiang Chen's 'money power' paving the way, a construction period that would have normally taken months was handled by hundreds of workers in three shifts, forcing the completion of the main frame and exterior decoration before the New Year.
Gray cladding paired with large areas of bulletproof glass exuded a cold yet luxurious aesthetic under the warm winter sun.
"CEO Jiang, take a look at the peripheral landscaping."
Lao Zhang pointed to a row of newly transplanted landscape bamboo. Although surrounded by frozen soil, they remained verdant thanks to nutrient solutions.
"The high-voltage electric fence inside the perimeter wall has finished testing. Unless the opponent comes with a tank, this manor is an absolute restricted zone. As for that underground hot spring you wanted..."
Lao Zhang wiped his sweat and led Jiang Chen around to the back of the main building.
It was a sunken courtyard three meters deep.
Steaming mist was rising from the pool, creating a sharp visual contrast with the surrounding snow.
"Using high-temperature compensation technology from ground-source heat pumps, the pool water is a constant 40 degrees Celsius. Plus, we've added a filtration system, so the water quality meets drinking water standards."
Chen Man had long since abandoned any pretense of her image.
She squatted by the pool, reached out to test the water temperature, and cried out in surprise, "Boss! This isn't just taking a bath; this is clearly bathing in gold! Running this pump for an hour must cost a lot of electricity, right?"
"I have my own decentralized photovoltaics and energy storage station." Jiang Chen stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at the swirling mist, feeling refreshed.
"Even if the whole county loses power, I can still soak in the bath and watch TV here."
Lin Wan was wearing a deep purple slim-fit down jacket today, with a ring of white fox fur at the collar making her skin look even more delicate.
She looked at the large bath, which was big enough to hold five or six people, her eyes darting away shyly.
"Jiang Chen, if we really soak in there, will the neighbors see us?"
"Sister Wan, you're underestimating this glass."
Chen Man jumped up and patted the entire mirror-like wall next to them. "This is called one-way glass. From inside, you can see exactly which neighbor is slaughtering a pig, but from the outside, we're just a mirror. Forget bathing; even if you were having a disco party in here, they'd just think it's a wall."
Lin Wan gave a light huff. "You little vixen, all you think about is disco."
Despite her words, the look in Lin Wan's eyes as she gazed at the pool water was filled with an unprecedented sense of anticipation.
The gloom that had been suppressed for years in her life within a wealthy, restrictive household seemed to be dissipating bit by bit with the rising steam.
"By the way." Su Qingge walked over with a folder, still maintaining her business-like manner.
"Jiang Chen, the two million in cash red envelopes you asked me to prepare have been packaged. Your uncle and Old Man Zhao are at the village office distributing the 'Winter Bonus.' Do you want to go over and say a few words?"
"No."
Jiang Chen stretched. "Let my uncle handle that kind of thing to win over people's hearts and build a reputation. He'll be in charge of village affairs in the future, so the more prestige he has, the better. I just want to be a quiet spendthrift."
Su Qingge shook her head helplessly, but the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily.
She had seen countless entrepreneurs, every one of whom couldn't wait to carve 'I'm rich' on their foreheads or talk about their grand visions in front of the media all day.
Only Jiang Chen was different.
He spent money nonchalantly, yet every step landed on the most effective point.
This sense of ease was even more charming than money itself.
"Let's go, let's head inside and take a look." Jiang Chen led the way into the main building.
Although the interior decoration wasn't completely finished, the floor heating was already on, making the house as warm as spring.
The living room had a double-height ceiling, with a massive three-meter-diameter crystal chandelier hanging in the center.
The solid wood floors gleamed under the soft lighting.
"This floor is reserved for my parents."
Jiang Chen pointed to the spacious bedroom on the first floor. "It has the best natural light and connects to the small garden outside, with the village square right out the door. They've never lived in a western-style house in their lives; let them have a taste of it."
"The second floor is our place."
Jiang Chen gave a wicked grin, looking at the three beautiful women before him.
There weren't many bedrooms on the second floor, only three, but each was incredibly large and shared a massive curved balcony.
Most importantly, a hidden sliding door had been designed between the master bedroom and the guest bedrooms. Once pushed open, the rooms were completely connected.
Even a battle-hardened female CEO like Su Qingge couldn't help but feel her face flush when she saw this design.
"Jiang Chen, isn't this design... a bit too obvious?"
"Is it?" Jiang Chen looked innocent. "It's called facilitating the exchange of feelings. In case the power goes out at night, everyone can gather together to tell ghost stories."
"I don't believe a word you say." Chen Man giggled, already rolling around on the soft bed that didn't have a mattress yet.
"But Boss, this bed... is indeed big enough. I bet three people could roll around and not fall off."
Lin Wan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the village lights that were gradually coming on outside.
She suddenly felt a warmth at her waist as two strong arms wrapped around her.
Jiang Chen buried his face in the crook of her fragrant neck.
"Sister Wan, is this New Year happy?"
Lin Wan gripped Jiang Chen's hand somewhat tremulously, her eyes shimmering.
"Happy. Jiang Chen, I never thought that New Year could be so... so meaningful."
114: Chapter 114 When was the first time you felt the urge to sleep with Jiang Chen?
On a winter night in Jiang Family Village, the wind was harsh, scraping against the face like a blunt knife.
But at this moment, in the backyard of the manor that had just begun construction, the atmosphere was scorching hot.
Several high-powered construction searchlights had been temporarily requisitioned, illuminating the sunken courtyard as bright as day.
The newly laid red brick walls blocked most of the cold wind. In the center, a huge bonfire had been temporarily built with firebricks, and the stainless steel grill mounted above it sizzled as it was licked by the charcoal flames.
"I say, Boss," Chen Man shouted at Jiang Chen, who was turning the charcoal, while she held a bunch of iron skewers and brushed oil onto them. "Aren't we being a bit too wild? We haven't even moved into this multi-million dollar luxury mansion yet, and we're already having an open-air barbecue in the yard?"
Jiang Chen tossed a thick slice of M9 Wagyu beef onto the grill mesh. The fat instantly burst into an enticing aroma and a flare of open flame.
"This is called being down-to-earth." Jiang Chen glanced at her, his movements as he sprinkled salt as smooth as flowing water. "A house is meant to be lived in, not to be enshrined. Besides, don't you think there's a unique charm to eating meat under the stars in a courtyard that hasn't even been roofed yet?"
Su Qingge sat on a folding chair nearby, a cashmere blanket draped over her legs.
Holding a glass of freshly decanted red wine, she watched the top-grade beef sizzling and dripping fat over the fire, then pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose.
"It certainly has a 'flavor'," Su Qingge spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of helpless teasing. "But if the outside world knew that the dignified President Jiang was casually grilling air-freighted Australian lobsters and Wagyu beef worth three thousand yuan per kilogram on a construction site still covered in cement dust, I expect the headlines of the financial section would curse you for being a spendthrift for three days straight."
"Let them curse." Jiang Chen flipped the meat over nonchalantly, the aroma growing even richer. "They can curse all they want while I eat. Sister Wan, pass me a plate."
Lin Wan, who had been quietly slicing fruit nearby, quickly stood up and handed over an exquisite white porcelain plate.
"Be careful, it's hot." Lin Wan's voice was soft and sweet, sounding exceptionally comforting on this cold night. Seeing Jiang Chen's face slightly flushed from the smoke and fire, her eyes filled with tenderness, and she couldn't help but reach out to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Jiang Chen didn't dodge; instead, he lowered his head slightly, leaning into her hand for a moment.
"Sister Wan is still the one who knows how to dote on people." Jiang Chen winked at her and picked up a piece of freshly grilled ox tongue with his tongs, feeding it to her. "Taste it, the first bite is yours."
Lin Wan's cheeks flushed slightly as she opened her mouth and took a small bite. The ox tongue was charred on the outside and tender on the inside, the juices exploding in her mouth. It was so hot that she frowned slightly, yet she couldn't bear to spit it out.
"Favoritism!" Chen Man tossed the skewers in her hand onto a plate and strode over to squeeze between the two of them. "I want some too! Boss, you can't be biased. I worked too—I'm the one who carried the charcoal!"
"Fine, fine, there's enough for everyone." Jiang Chen laughed and picked up another piece, stuffing it directly into Chen Man's non-stop chattering mouth. "Even food can't shut you up."
Chen Man inhaled sharply from the heat but chewed with a look of satisfaction, saying indistinctly, "Mmm... so good! But Boss, just eating meat and drinking wine is boring. It's New Year's, and we're out here in the middle of nowhere. Why don't we play something exciting?"
Su Qingge took a sip of red wine and gave her a wary look. "What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up now?"
"What do you mean 'trouble'? This is called cultivating one's character!" Like a magician, Chen Man pulled an empty wine bottle out of her down jacket's large pocket and set it in the middle of the temporary wooden table. A sharp 'thud' echoed through the empty courtyard.
"Truth or Dare." Chen Man arched an eyebrow, her eyes—adorned with smoky makeup—gleaming with mischief. "The rules are simple and crude. Whoever the bottle points to has to choose. Truths must be the kind that strip you down to your underwear, and dares must be the kind that make your heart race and face flush. If anyone chickens out..."
She pointed to the unopened crate of "Spirit of Life" (96% ABV vodka) nearby.
"One glass of this, downed in one go. You game?"
Lin Wan looked at the bottle of spirits that practically radiated brutality and shrank back. "Manman, that alcohol... it could kill someone, right?"
"Don't worry, I know when to stop. We'll mix it." Chen Man was relentless, her gaze provocatively shifting to Su Qingge. "What do you say, President Su? Surely a decisive career woman like you isn't afraid to play a little game?"
Su Qingge set down her wine glass, her long fingers lightly tapping her knee. She was a proud person; she couldn't stand this kind of provocation.
"What's there to be afraid of?" Su Qingge sneered with the composure of someone in a high position. "I'm just worried someone won't be able to handle losing and will end up crying for their mother."
"Hmph, whoever cries is a puppy!" Chen Man plopped down on the thick carpet spread on the ground, crossing her long legs. "Come on, come on, everyone sit down! Boss, stop grilling and let them cook themselves. Hurry up!"
Jiang Chen wiped his hands and looked at these three women, each with a different personality but equally stunning.
The firelight reflected on their faces, shifting between light and shadow.
Su Qingge's coldness had melted slightly under the influence of alcohol, Lin Wan's shyness held a hint of anticipation, and Chen Man was the powder keg that had lit the fuse.
"Fine." Jiang Chen walked over and sat directly in the head seat, his lips curling into a meaningful arc. "Since we're playing, let's play big. Tonight, no one is allowed to run away."
Chen Man rubbed her hands excitedly and grabbed the empty wine bottle.
"First round, just to test the waters! Heavens, show us the way!"
The bottle spun rapidly on the rough wooden table, making a 'grumble' sound from the friction. Four pairs of eyes stared intently at the green bottle neck.
Spinning, slowing down, slowing down further...
Finally, the bottle neck slowly came to a stop, pointing directly at Lin Wan, who was wrapped up like a little white rabbit.
"Oh!" Chen Man let out a strange cry, slapping her thigh excitedly. "Sister Wanwan! What a great start!"
Lin Wan's body trembled, and she looked at the bottle neck in a panic, her fingers twisting together nervously. "I... I choose Truth."
Compared to an unknown dare, she felt that a truth was at least within her control.
"Truth, is it?" Chen Man chuckled, her expression like a hunter seeing prey fall into a trap. She didn't ask immediately, but instead swirled her wine glass, her gaze scanning back and forth between Lin Wan and Jiang Chen.
"Then I'm going to ask." Chen Man leaned forward, lowering her voice, yet making sure everyone present could hear clearly.
"Sister Wanwan, when was the first time you felt that... that urge to sleep with Jiang Chen? You must be precise about the specific event!"
115: Chapter 115 Sit on Jiang Chen's lap... and give him a French kiss
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116: Chapter 116 The Cold and Aloof Female CEO's Ten-Minute French Kiss
Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, who was sitting across from her with a calm and composed expression.
This man was tossing branches into the fire pit every now and then, the flames outlining his features and making them appear much deeper.
His "I'm just a background prop providing a lap" attitude made Su Qingge feel inexplicably annoyed.
"What are you looking at? Come here." Su Qingge's voice was as cold as ice cubes dropped into an ice hole, but if one listened closely, one could detect a slight instability in the tail of her voice that even she hadn't noticed.
Jiang Chen smiled, stood up cooperatively, pulled over his folding chair, and added a thick cushion to it. "Since CEO Su wants to do a 'Dare,' the service must be thorough."
Su Qingge, in her high heels, walked across the ground filled with bricks, rubble, and cement dust with the air of someone walking down a red carpet.
She slowly moved in front of Jiang Chen, the distance between them instantly closing to the point where they could hear each other's breathing.
"CEO Su, let's get this straight, this is just a game. Don't take the opportunity to settle a personal score and bite me later." Jiang Chen tilted his head back, looking at the cold, beautiful face inches away, his tone light.
"Shut up." Su Qingge spat out the two words coldly.
She took a deep breath, as if she were heading into some decisive battle.
Then, her legs, wrapped in black silk stockings, bent slightly; with a stiff yet determined posture, she settled steadily onto Jiang Chen's lap.
Hiss—
Jiang Chen felt as if two balls of cool cotton had landed on his knees, but what followed was a softness and elasticity that made his body heat up rapidly.
"Whoa, it's starting!" Chen Man's hand trembled as she started the countdown, the look of a spectator eager for drama thick on her face. "Ten minutes, five hundred ninety-nine, five hundred ninety-eight... Timer starts!"
Su Qingge pressed her two fair hands tightly onto Jiang Chen's shoulders, as if that were the only fulcrum she could grasp in this world.
She looked down at Jiang Chen's smiling face, feeling angry and panicked, along with an indescribable heat that surged up along her tailbone.
"Jiang Chen, close your eyes." Su Qingge bit her lower lip, her voice softening.
"Alright, listening to the boss." Jiang Chen obediently closed his eyes, but his hands weren't idle, taking the opportunity to wrap around her slender waist.
Su Qingge didn't hesitate any longer; she lowered her head slightly and, with a sense of tragic determination as if facing death, pressed her lips against that familiar warmth.
For the first few seconds, the two were like statues by the fire, locked in a stalemate. Only Chen Man was there muttering the countdown, along with the faint breathing of Lin Wan, who was shyly watching from the side.
But this coldness didn't last long.
When Jiang Chen's palm began to gently stroke Su Qingge's back through her cashmere sweater, the icy coldness Su Qingge had feigned melted instantly like a glacier in a raging fire.
Her fingers, which had originally been pressed on Jiang Chen's shoulders, began to curl up unconsciously, wrinkling his shirt.
"Mmm..."
A very faint moan escaped from deep in Su Qingge's throat, as if resisting, yet also as if sinking in.
Chen Man stared wide-eyed, forgetting to even count. The peanut in her mouth dropped onto the carpet without her even noticing. "Holy... CEO Su, French, I said French! Hasn't your tongue found its home yet?"
Provoked by Chen Man, Su Qingge's movements, which were still tentative, suddenly became somewhat aggressive. Her competitive nature flared up again; since it was a game, and she had to win, she had to win thoroughly!
She began to take the initiative, and the offensive, carrying the predatory aura of a superior, made even Jiang Chen look on in surprise.
Ten minutes is not short, but it's not really long either.
In this roofless courtyard, surrounded by desolate ruins, with the brilliant starry sky overhead and scorching charcoal at their feet, in his arms was that female CEO who was usually high and mighty, but now soft as water.
Jiang Chen felt the dopamine in his body secreting crazily; the pleasure of being actively sought out by the cold goddess was even more intoxicating than the system giving him hundreds of millions.
"Time's up!" Chen Man suddenly shouted, her voice laced with reluctance. "Separate! Oh my, it's already stringing! Is this necessary? You're acting so realistically, are you trying to win an Oscar?"
Su Qingge, as if electrocuted, suddenly snapped out of that dazed state. She pushed Jiang Chen away, stood up shakily, her meticulously groomed long hair now somewhat messy, with a few strands sticking to her forehead, which was covered in fine beads of sweat.
What was most striking, however, were her eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses, which had completely lost their focus, and her lips, which were now slightly red and swollen.
"Is that... is that it?" Chen Man stared at Su Qingge with a suspicious look. "CEO Su, your eyes... why do you look like you've had your life force drained by a demon?"
Su Qingge turned her head away, trying to hide her rapid breathing. She looked at the countdown on the table that had already gone out, then at the smirking Jiang Chen, and said through gritted teeth, "Jiang Chen, you... cheated."
"I'm wronged, CEO Su." Jiang Chen raised his hands, smiling innocently. "I kept my eyes closed the whole time and didn't move around. Didn't you say that a 'Dare' should look like a 'Dare'? I was just giving my all to support your performance."
"You..." Before Su Qingge could finish her sentence, her throat felt dry and hoarse.
"Alright, alright, CEO Su wins this round, a complete victory!" Although Chen Man didn't let up with her words, there was a hint of shock in her eyes. She hadn't expected Su Qingge, who usually seemed to keep people at a distance, to be so intense when she let loose.
Lin Wan quickly handed over a cup of warm water, looking at everyone with some bewilderment. "Um... the fire is about to go out, should we add some more charcoal?"
"What more charcoal!" Chen Man jumped up from the carpet, patted her butt, and swept her gaze ambiguously over the three of them. "It's so windy in this courtyard, the fire in your hearts is burning quite brightly, but your bodies can't take it. What we just played was the foreplay, the next part is the main course, right?"
Although Su Qingge didn't speak, her movements of lowering her head to drink water slowed down considerably.
Jiang Chen felt the ambiguous factors in the air that were almost becoming tangible.
"There's freshly boiled hot water in the car, and ready-made red wine." Jiang Chen stood up, straightened his collar, and a smirk of being in complete control curled at the corner of his mouth. "Since everyone is feeling cold, let's move to a warmer place and continue the 'Dare'."
117: Chapter 117 The Second Round Inside the RV
On this winter night, the temperature dropped rapidly; even the lively bonfire from moments ago couldn't withstand the chill seeping in from all directions.
Although Chen Man was acting tough, her hands had already instinctively wrapped around her arms.
She glanced at the luxury RV shimmering with a metallic luster under the moonlight, then turned to Lin Wan and said, "Sister Wanwan, let's go, let's go! I feel like my heels are about to crack from the cold. We have to make up for it on that RV tonight."
Lin Wan gave a soft reply as she helped pack up the leftover nuts. She looked back at Su Qingge; President Su was currently staring blankly at her own palms, lost in thought.
"President Su, let's go. It's warmer in the vehicle." Jiang Chen walked to Su Qingge's side and naturally put his arm around her shoulder.
This time, Su Qingge didn't struggle; she even leaned into his embrace a little. That ten-minute French kiss earlier hadn't just been an exchange of saliva; it felt more like the final psychological barrier between them had been shattered.
Pushing open the RV door, a wave of heat carrying a faint woody scent instantly enveloped the four of them.
This RV was a top-of-the-line model Jiang Chen had spent a fortune on, with its interior space utilized to the extreme by the designer.
With its off-white leather interior, soft hidden LED strips, and the floor heating system radiating a gentle warmth, this place was a completely different world from the desolate ruins outside.
"Wow—" As soon as Chen Man entered, she flopped onto the massive U-shaped sofa and grabbed a bottle of champagne from the fridge. "Now this is living! Standing out there in the cold wind is just self-torture."
Jiang Chen closed the doors and windows as requested.
The soundproofing of this ultra-luxury RV was excellent; once the door was closed, the howling wind outside vanished without a trace, leaving only the faint sound of their breathing and the crisp "pop" of the champagne being opened.
"Continue playing?" Jiang Chen sat down opposite Chen Man, his eyes bright and clear.
"Of course we're playing, but we can't play something so low-skill anymore." Chen Man distributed the champagne glasses one by one; even Lin Wan, who usually didn't touch a drop of alcohol, had a glass forced into her hand.
Su Qingge changed into a pair of disposable slippers provided in the vehicle and hung her cashmere coat behind the door. At this moment, she was wearing only a dark leather hip-hugging skirt and black stockings as thin as a cicada's wing, which shimmered with an almost seductive luster under the lights.
"Chen Man, what wicked idea have you come up with now?" Su Qingge took a sip of champagne, her originally cold tone gaining a hint of laziness tinged by the alcohol.
"Since it's 'Truth or Dare,' we have to play a game that decides our fate." Chen Man pulled a deck of cards from a gap in the sofa, shuffling them with a loud rustle. "Four cards in total. Whoever draws the K becomes the King and can order anyone to do anything. Note, that's anything."
Her large eyes darted mischievously between Jiang Chen and the other two women, her intentions couldn't be more obvious.
"First round, who goes first?" Chen Man placed the cards face down on the small wooden table.
The atmosphere grew tense again. Su Qingge was the first to reach out, her slender fingers brushing over the cards as she drew one. Lin Wan followed closely, pulling her hand back as if she were holding a hot potato. Jiang Chen took the last remaining card.
"Reveal time!" Chen Man flipped her card over abruptly—the Jack of Hearts.
"I have the Queen of Diamonds," Lin Wan said softly.
Su Qingge flipped her card over expressionlessly: the Ten of Spades.
Everyone's eyes fell on Jiang Chen simultaneously. Jiang Chen rubbed his nose somewhat helplessly and slowly tossed the King of Spades from his hand onto the table.
"It seems the heavens are favoring me tonight." The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled up slightly.
"Damn! Boss, did you cheat?" Chen Man looked incredulous. "How is it that you're in control every single time?"
"This is called luck, which is also a part of strength." Jiang Chen leaned back against the sofa, his gaze scanning the three women. These three—a cold CEO, a gentle wife, and a hot model—were all sitting across from him now, awaiting his "judgment."
The pleasure brought by this sense of control caused the boldness from the system rewards within Jiang Chen to explode completely.
"Alright, since I'm the King, I'll set the rules." Jiang Chen lowered his voice, his magnetic tone creating a strange resonance in the cramped space.
"The first decree: Chen Man."
Chen Man shrank her neck back and said stubbornly, "What? Let's get this straight first: no making me do a striptease; that's an extra-charge service."
"In your dreams." Jiang Chen pointed to the small bar in the middle of the RV, which was designed to be somewhat compact to save space. "Go and set the lights to breathing mode. Then, go and demonstrate the action President Su didn't finish earlier on Sister Wan."
"What?" Lin Wan cried out, her face turning bright red instantly. "Xiao Jiang, don't... how can this be okay?"
"The King's word is law," Jiang Chen said composedly. "Sister Wan, you saw it just now; even someone as cold as President Su followed the rules of the game. Are you really going to be the first deserter?"
Lin Wan looked to Su Qingge for help, but Su Qingge turned her head away, pretending to study the bubbles in her glass. Clearly, that "ten minutes" from earlier had left her still recovering, and she had no intention of interfering.
"Oh, Sister Wanwan, it's just a game!" A hint of excitement flashed in Chen Man's eyes; she was the typical type who loved to see the world in chaos. "Since the Boss has spoken, then please excuse your little sister's rudeness."
Chen Man's movement as she stood up was light and graceful, like a leopard preparing to hunt its prey.
She walked to the bar and precisely found the ambient light button. The originally bright lights dimmed instantly, replaced by a flickering, pink-tinted breathing light.
Under this light, people's features became blurred, but desire was infinitely magnified.
Chen Man walked up to Lin Wan and reached out to tilt her chin up. Lin Wan's body was somewhat stiff, and her breathing became rapid. Her mature and gentle temperament seemed particularly weak in the face of Chen Man's highly aggressive sexiness.
"Sister Wanwan, don't close your eyes. Look at me." Chen Man's voice was very low, with a seductive rasp.
Clack.
It was the sound of an icicle from outside falling onto the roof. Inside the vehicle, Chen Man slowly lowered her head and pressed her lips, coated in fiery red lipstick, against Lin Wan's bashful lips.
Jiang Chen sat to the side, swirling the pale gold liquid in his glass.
This scene was more visually stunning to him than any expensive blockbuster movie.
Su Qingge sat to one side; though her eyes were still darting away, her hands instinctively gripped the sofa's armrest.
She suddenly realized that for this little pre-melee game, she had an unprecedented urge to join in.
At this moment, the temperature inside the vehicle was rising rapidly.
118: Chapter 118 Three people lined up
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119: Chapter 119 Jiang Chen Personally Buys Sanitary Napkins
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120: Chapter 120 Jiang Jiancai and Da Mao's Malice
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121: Chapter 121 Terrified
Lin Jiaojiao's right hand slowly reached into the yellow cloth satchel that always hung by her side.
Her consciousness quickly connected to that Absolute-Freshness Miniature Supply Warehouse, which had already expanded to two cubic meters.
Because she had been spending every night with the Luo brothers these past few days, their 'intimacy' had been steadily rising. Not only was the space fully stocked, but this morning it had even refreshed a pile of high-end goods that people of this era wouldn't even dare to imagine.
With a hook of her finger, Lin Jiaojiao grabbed a large handful of items directly from the bag and casually tossed them onto the nearby bluestone slab.
Several crisp 'clatters' rang out.
The older women's eyes instantly bulged wide, and even their breathing hitched.
It was a whole handful—at least a dozen pieces—of authentic Shanghai Milk Candy, perfectly packaged and printed with the vibrant White Rabbit logo!
Every piece of candy wrapper was so clean it reflected light; it wasn't something that Ma Weidong's lump of grimy trash could even be compared to.
Not only that, Lin Jiaojiao pulled out two extremely exquisite glass jars from her bag.
Those were system-exclusive canned yellow peaches. Inside the transparent glass bottles, large chunks of golden fruit pulp were soaked in thick syrup, emitting an incredibly tempting luster under the morning sun.
The only sound left by the well was the noise of people swallowing their saliva.
“You dare to bring out that piece of junk and embarrass yourself?” Lin Jiaojiao sneered and kicked a pebble on the ground. “The food I usually feed the stray dog in our yard is more refined than your trash. You want to keep me with half a piece of candy? Are you even worthy?”
This display of wealth was a dimensional strike that directly ground everyone's worldviews into the dirt.
Sister-in-law Wang and Widow Li, who had been chiming in earlier, now looked at Lin Jiaojiao with completely changed eyes.
This was simply a hidden Living God of Wealth!
They hadn't even heard of milk candy and canned goods of this quality, let alone seen them! Where on earth did the Luo family get such good things?
Ma Weidong’s beady eyes stared fixedly at the pile of high-end supplies on the ground. Shock, jealousy, and greed—all sorts of extremely complex emotions frantically intertwined on his mud-streaked face.
He realized that his earlier showing off was nothing more than a clown's ridiculous performance in the other party's eyes.
But instead of making him retreat in shame, this greatly stimulated the greed in his heart.
This woman must have an unidentified black market channel!
Those stray dogs of the Luo family must have made a fortune through illegal reselling!
As long as he caught them and finished them off, this woman and these supplies would all belong to him, Ma Weidong!
“Good! Very good!” Ma Weidong let out a wild laugh, his voice as unpleasant as a night owl's. “You actually have so many contraband supplies! Speculation and profiteering, undermining the foundation of socialism! Lin Jiaojiao, your Luo family is completely finished! I’m going to get people to seal off your yard right now!”
He wiped the mud off his face, turned around, and prepared to run to the supply office to call for help.
The moment he turned, a tall and upright figure leisurely rounded the corner of the barracks wall less than twenty meters from the well.
It was the third brother, Luo Mu.
Luo Mu was still wearing that faded white coarse cloth short-sleeved shirt, with veins winding across his sturdy forearms. His face, which was perpetually smiling, was still pleasant and showed no signs of rage. However, his right hand was carrying a large meat cleaver that had just been sharpened to a brilliant shine on a whetstone.
As he walked with a casual stroll, the sharp blade reflected a bone-chilling light in the sun.
“Oh, Officer Ma, where are you going in such a hurry?” Luo Mu spoke with a smile, his voice as gentle as if he were greeting an old friend.
Ma Weidong’s footsteps instantly froze in place.
He looked at the gleaming cleaver in Luo Mu’s hand, then at the eerie smile on Luo Mu’s face that didn't reach his eyes at all. He felt a chill rush straight from his spine to the top of his head.
All the veterans in the base knew that among the five Luo brothers, the loudest one, the fourth, wasn't scary; the most terrifying was this smiling tiger, the third.
Provoking the fourth brother would at most result in a beating, but provoking the third brother might mean not even being able to piece together a whole corpse.
“You... what are you doing with a knife! This is a military corps stronghold, don't you dare act recklessly!” Ma Weidong’s voice shook like a sieve, and his legs involuntarily retreated.
“Look at what you're saying, how can you call this acting recklessly.” Luo Mu lightly scraped the edge of the blade with the pad of his left thumb, producing an extremely faint metallic friction sound. “It's not a holiday or the New Year, but I saw that Jiaojiao has been getting thin lately, and I just happened to hear some noise over here.”
The smile on Luo Mu’s face grew even more brilliant, but his eyes looked past Ma Weidong’s head as if looking at a dead object. Staring at the empty space behind him, he said word by word, “I see a stupid pig here that doesn't know whether to live or die, squealing away. This pig is really too noisy. I was thinking of just slaughtering it to add a meat dish for Jiaojiao. Officer Ma, what do you think of this idea?”
Ma Weidong was truly scared out of his wits this time. The murderous aura on Luo Mu was real, something he had acquired from actually killing people, and it was not something a piece of trash like Ma Weidong, who climbed up through maneuvering, could withstand.
“You... you family of lunatics! Just you wait!” Ma Weidong didn't even care about the volume of his voice as he shouted his hollow threats. He scrambled and crawled toward the main road, not even bothering to pick up the broken leather shoe he had dropped on the ground.
After Ma Weidong fled in a panic, the older women watching the scene by the well scattered like startled quails, carrying their laundry tubs and slipping away faster than rabbits.
Lin Jiaojiao didn't take the farce just now to heart at all.
She unhurriedly gathered the scattered White Rabbit milk candies and canned peaches back into her yellow cloth satchel. Carrying the chipped enamel basin, she returned to the Luo family courtyard with light steps.
The sun in the courtyard was extremely harsh, and even the weeds in the cracks of the earthen walls were wilted from the heat.
Luo Yan, the fourth brother, was shirtless, crouching in the corner of the yard repairing the old water pump.
His firm, well-defined muscles glistened with an oily sheen under the sun. Beads of sweat slid down the grooves of his back and into his coarse cloth waistband, exuding an extremely wild power.
Hearing footsteps, Luo Yan turned his head and wiped a smear of black grease off his face. “Jiaojiao, why was it so noisy over by the well just now? What did the third brother go off to do with a meat cleaver?”
Lin Jiaojiao set down the water basin, picked up a dry towel hanging on the wooden rack, and handed it over. She then recounted the disgusting incident of Ma Weidong trying to keep her with expired soda and half a piece of dirty candy.
122: Chapter 122 President Su's "Heavy Drinking" and His Ancestral Bracelet
"Auntie, look, isn't it clean?"
The Eldest Uncle's Wife grinned so wide her mouth wouldn't close. She reached out and pinched Chen Man's smooth cheek. "Don't you worry! As long as your belly is up to the task, I can't speak for the land in Jiang Family Village, but you'll definitely have a share of the old jiang family's bank accounts! If Jiang Chen dares to go back on his word, I'll be the first to take a fire poker to him!"
With Chen Man as a "role model," the Eldest Uncle's Wife's firepower instantly focused on Su Qingge.
Su Qingge looked at the bowl of steaming soup in her hand, her brow furrowed so deeply it could have crushed a fly. She was someone who checked the pH level even when drinking evian water; this bowl of "mixture" with unknown ingredients was practically a biochemical weapon to her.
"Qingge," the Eldest Uncle's Wife moved a small stool and sat directly opposite Su Qingge. Her posture carried a persistence that said, "If you don't drink, I'm not leaving." "Why aren't you drinking? Do you think I didn't make it well? Or do you think my bowl isn't clean?"
With such a heavy accusation leveled at her, Su Qingge didn't dare say "no."
"No... no." Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen as if for help, only to find the man leaning against the bar counter, watching the show with a half-smile. He even raised the half-glass of warm water in his hand toward her, signaling a "cheers."
That bastard!
Su Qingge cursed inwardly. She took a deep breath, as if heading to an execution ground, and brought the bowl to her lips.
It was slightly bitter upon entry, followed immediately by a strong aftertaste of Chinese medicine and the unique aged fat flavor of an old hen. This complex taste profile assaulted her taste buds, and Su Qingge almost couldn't stop herself from spitting it out on the spot.
But seeing the Eldest Uncle's Wife's expectant, sparkling eyes, she forced down the wave of nausea.
Endure it! For a "growth stock" like Jiang Chen, what was a little bitterness!
Su Qingge steeled her heart, closed her eyes, and following Chen Man's example, tilted her head back and gulped it down.
"Good! How refreshing!" The Eldest Uncle's Wife slapped her thigh with a thunderous sound. "I knew it, a big boss from the city has guts! Drinking soup like she's negotiating a multi-million dollar deal—decisive!"
Lin Wan, watching Su Qingge's heroic sacrifice from the side, couldn't help but burst into a "pfft" of laughter. She quickly picked up her own bowl and finished it with slow, careful sips.
Seeing that the three girls had completed their "mission," the Eldest Uncle's Wife nodded in satisfaction, the wrinkles on her face blooming like an old chrysanthemum.
She mysteriously placed the empty thermos on the floor and then reached into the inner pocket of her cotton coat, rummaging around.
"I don't have anything fancy," the Eldest Uncle's Wife pulled out a red cloth bundle and unwrapped it layer by layer, revealing three somewhat tarnished silver bracelets and two pairs of gold earrings. "These were given to me by my mother-in-law when I married into the family. The style might be a bit old, but the silver is pure—it was made from old silver coins back in the day."
She grabbed Lin Wan's hand and, without allowing any refusal, slipped a silver bracelet onto her wrist. "Wanwan, you're the one who worries me the least. Wear this bracelet; it wards off evil."
Lin Wan panicked slightly and instinctively tried to pull her hand back. "Auntie, this is too precious. This is a family heirloom..."
"Heirloom or not, it's only a treasure if it's passed to a daughter-in-law. Locked in a cabinet, it's just a piece of scrap iron!" The Eldest Uncle's Wife was very strong and forced it on. "Wear it! No taking it off!"
Next, she picked up the two pairs of gold earrings and stuffed them into Su Qingge's and Chen Man's hands respectively. "You two are young and love pretty things; you'd probably find these silver bracelets too rustic. These gold earrings aren't big, but they're a token of my heart. Especially Manman—these earrings are solid gold and heavy. Even if you don't like them later, you can melt them down to make a ring."
Looking at the pair of simple, even slightly deformed gold earrings in her hand, Chen Man felt as if something had suddenly struck her heart.
She had spent many years in the world of fame and fortune, receiving diamond rings, luxury watches, and even sports car keys. Those things were very expensive, but this was the first time someone had given her something while worrying she'd find it "too rustic," even thoughtfully telling her she could "melt it down to make a ring."
This simple, almost clumsy affection made her nose feel a bit prickly.
"Auntie, I don't mind at all." Chen Man sniffled, took off the Chanel studs from her ears, and poked the gold earrings in. "Look, do they look good?"
"They look great! This girl is so pretty, she looks good in anything!" The Eldest Uncle's Wife clapped her hands happily.
Su Qingge also held the earrings, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She pushed up her glasses and said softly, "Thank you, Auntie. I will keep them safe."
The Eldest Uncle's Wife's "warmth delivery" mission was a complete success. She picked up the empty thermos and stood up. "Alright, you all rest. That soup is potent. If you feel hot, turn down the AC. Jiang Chen, take good care of them. Don't miss the time for the ancestral worship this afternoon."
With that, the Eldest Uncle's Wife left in a whirlwind, leaving behind three women in the carriage wearing "rustic jewelry" with "fertility soup" sloshing in their bellies, and an innocent-looking Jiang Chen.
The car door closed with a "click," shutting out the Eldest Uncle's Wife's loud voice.
The carriage fell into a brief, eerie silence.
Chen Man touched the heavy gold earrings on her ears and suddenly turned to look at Jiang Chen, her gaze a bit dazed. "Jiang Chen, that... what Auntie just said about the 'Suoyang,' is it really that potent?"
"Why?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling something?"
"Not exactly..." Chen Man tugged at her collar, an unnatural flush rising to her cheeks. "I just feel like the heater in this car is a bit too high? It's a little hot."
Su Qingge, who had been sitting upright on the sofa trying to steady her breathing, unbuttoned the first button of her silk pajamas upon hearing this. Her brow furrowed slightly. "It is indeed a bit hot. Jiang Chen, turn the temperature down two degrees."
Jiang Chen glanced at the temperature control panel. "Twenty-four degrees, standard room temperature. Is your heart hot, or is it your stomach?"
Lin Wan didn't have much of a reaction. She just quietly stroked the silver bracelet on her wrist, her eyes so gentle they seemed to overflow with warmth.
"Xiao Jiang," Lin Wan spoke softly, her voice even softer than usual. "We accept Auntie's kindness. But the herbs in that soup... let's not let Auntie go to all that trouble in the future. After all, all medicine has side effects, and we don't have plans to conceive right now."
Su Qingge nodded, regaining some of her composure. "Exactly. Jiang Chen, I know you want to show filial piety, but things involving physical health shouldn't be left to the whims of the elderly. I only drank it just now so Auntie wouldn't lose face. This won't happen again."
Jiang Chen walked over and sat on the armrest of the sofa next to Su Qingge, reaching out to tidy her slightly messy long hair.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Jiang Chen's voice was steady, carrying a reassuring power. "Today was an accident; I didn't expect Auntie's initiative to be so strong. In the future, I'll help you deflect this kind of 'dark cuisine.'"
At this point, Jiang Chen paused, his gaze sweeping over the three women, his tone becoming serious.
"Also, regarding the matter of having children."
The three women's eyes instantly focused on him. Chen Man stopped complaining about the heat, Su Qingge stopped frowning, and even Lin Wan stopped stroking her bracelet.
In this traditional rural environment, the Eldest Uncle's Wife's "baby-pushing" remarks earlier were like an invisible tightening spell. Although they had played along on the surface, they all felt some level of pressure in their hearts.
After all, Jiang Chen was now the richest man in the village and the hope of the entire village. Carrying on the family line was a massive political task in the eyes of the older generation.
"I want to make this clear to you."
"Really no rush?" Chen Man blinked her big eyes. "Does that mean the hundred million bonus from earlier doesn't count anymore?"
Jiang Chen smiled and flicked her forehead. "I have plenty of money; I don't need children to trade for it. If you want to have them, it's the icing on the cake; if you don't, we'll just live in our world of two... oh wait, four. Your bodies are your own, and the right is in your hands. In this matter, I don't listen to Auntie, I don't listen to the Clan Head—I only listen to you."
These words were extremely blunt, without any flowery language, yet they were like a stabilizing pill that dropped straight into the hearts of the three women.
Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, her eyes flickering behind her glasses. She had heard countless empty promises in the business world and seen countless wealthy young masters who treated women as accessories.
But a man like Jiang Chen, who could clearly hand the power of choice to them in an environment with such heavy clan values, was too rare.
"At least you have a conscience," Su Qingge huffed, though the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward. "However... since the word about that hundred million quota is already out, shouldn't there be some other compensation mechanism?"
123: Chapter 123 Ancestor Worship
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124: Chapter 124 They are my wives
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125: Chapter 125 Framework
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126: Chapter 126 The Mafia Strategist Who Stirs Up Trouble
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127: Chapter 127 This is truly a good daughter-in-law for the Jiang family!
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128: Chapter 128 Who's Wearing a Maid Outfit During a House Cleaning Ceremony?
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129: Chapter 129 The Overseer's Exclusive Perk: If He Doesn't Clean Properly, He'll Only Get... a Lollipop Tonight
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130: Chapter 130 Severe Punishment: Why Was President Su Not So Unrefined While Eating a Lollipop?
"Who was it that just said as long as the door is closed and the curtains are drawn, no one can see?"
Jiang Chen spoke as he casually yanked the curtains shut.
The thick, dark curtains blocked the last sliver of the setting sun, and the room instantly dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of the fire from the edge of the kang bed.
Su Qingge pushed up her slipping glasses, her tone still attempting to maintain its loftiness. "Jiang Chen, quit while you're ahead. Don't you know how dangerous that situation was just now? If we were really discovered..."
"So what if we were?" Jiang Chen pressed closer, step by step, until he was right in front of her.
At this distance, he could clearly smell the cold cedar fragrance on Su Qingge, mixed with the heat radiating from her nervousness.
"In this village, I am the only local tyrant. Who would dare gossip about what my women choose to wear?" Jiang Chen reached out and tilted Su Qingge's delicate chin upward. "On the other hand, President Su, your movements weren't quite up to standard when you were cleaning the windows just now."
"What wasn't up to standard?" Su Qingge's breath hitched, forced to look up at him.
"Cleaning windows is all about using your core and waist. Just now, your waist wasn't dipped low enough."
Jiang Chen's other hand naturally supported her lower back. Through the thin fabric of the maid outfit, the heat from his palm transmitted directly to her skin.
Su Qingge trembled slightly but remained stubborn. "Nonsense... I'm not a professional housekeeper."
"That's why you need me, your master, to teach you personally."
Jiang Chen applied a bit of force, pulling her into his embrace. Su Qingge's resistant posture gradually melted against his chest, finally turning into a very soft, coquettish groan.
"Meow~ Master, you're playing favorites!"
Chen Man had leaned over at some point, wrapping her arms around Jiang Chen's neck from behind, sticking to his back like a piece of taffy.
The bells on her cat ears jingled noisily, carrying a sense of clingy affection.
"The little kitty worked very hard too. Look, I'm all sweaty here." Chen Man grabbed Jiang Chen's hand and pulled it toward her neckline. "If you don't believe me, feel it. Isn't my heart beating exceptionally fast?"
Jiang Chen felt like he was being roasted over a fire. With the cold and elegant President Su in front and a spicy little wildcat behind, who could withstand this?
Meanwhile, Lin Wan quietly put the mop back into the bucket and stood by the kang bed, looking somewhat ill at ease. Watching the two of them frolicking with Jiang Chen, a flicker of longing flashed in her eyes, but her personality kept her from knowing how to intervene.
How could Jiang Chen possibly neglect her?
He let go of Su Qingge, yanked Chen Man forward, and then smoothly put his arm around Lin Wan's shoulder, bringing the gentle woman into his embrace as well.
"Sister Wan, is the kang bed hot?"
Lin Wan lowered her head, her voice barely audible. "It's hot... Auntie stoked the fire very high."
"Since it's hot, don't just stand there. Let's go onto the kang... and inspect the results of the spring cleaning."
As soon as Jiang Chen spoke, Chen Man was the first to respond. With a cheer, she kicked off her leather shoes and dove into the bright red bedding. Su Qingge struggled for a moment, but under Jiang Chen's deep gaze, she was eventually pulled onto the kang, half-resisting and half-yielding.
This earthen kang bed became the territory of the four of them.
Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, the atmosphere was filled with the beauty of spring.
Jiang Chen sat in the middle, looking at the three women beside him—each with a vastly different style, yet all wearing these outfits for him. This sense of control was more intoxicating than earning hundreds of millions.
"It's settled then. Since this is an inspection of the cleaning, there must be a reward and punishment system." Jiang Chen's hands wandered restlessly under the covers. "President Su, you go first. Tell me, if these windows don't pass inspection, how do you plan to compensate me?"
Jiang Chen touched a ticklish spot on Su Qingge, and her originally ice-cold face completely broke. She twisted her body to hide, but she couldn't escape.
"Compensate however you want... just don't... don't do it in that kind of place..."
"What about you, Manman?" Jiang Chen turned to look at the restless little cat.
"Me? This little kitty only knows how to scratch." Chen Man acted like a real cat, lightly scratching Jiang Chen's chest with her nails. "If the inspection fails, I'll drag Master back to the den and lock him up for seven days and nights, not allowing him to leave the bed!"
Hearing these explicit words, Lin Wan buried her face even deeper.
Jiang Chen leaned toward her ear with a wicked grin and whispered something. Lin Wan gave a startled cry and looked up, her eyes full of shyness and disbelief. "That... that's too embarrassing."
"This is an order from your Master," Jiang Chen said, intentionally putting on a stern face.
And so, in this dim West Room, under the bright red satin quilt, a unique "cleaning inspection ceremony" began.
In this special environment, the fabric of the uniforms rubbed together, creating small sparks of static electricity, as if fueling the passion of the moment.
Su Qingge's glasses eventually fell onto the pillow, revealing a pair of eyes that were usually hidden behind logic, now full of daze and mist.
Lin Wan's thin gauze garment also became disheveled, instead revealing a sort of fragile charm. Chen Man was the happiest one; she acted as if she were on her home turf, freely using all her various "tricks."
Jiang Chen felt the serotonin and dopamine in his body reaching a critical point.
The wind and snow outside seemed to have picked up, making the window frames rattle.
But that had nothing to do with Jiang Chen.
He rolled over into the covers, pre-enacting that grand and intense... New Year's Eve, within that gentle sanctuary.
By the time the sky was completely dark, the chaotic battle in the West Room finally subsided.
Chen Man was like a dehydrated fish, sprawled across the quilt, her long wavy hair a complete mess.
The cat-ear headband had long since been kicked into some corner. One white silk stocking hung from her ankle, while the other was nowhere to be found.
"I can't anymore..." Chen Man feebly slapped Jiang Chen. "I feel like I'm about to go bankrupt and need restructuring."
Su Qingge lay on the pillow, glasses off, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Her exquisite long maid outfit was now wrinkled like a rag. The tightly fastened belt had come undone, revealing a section of her snow-white, slender waist, which bore several fresh finger marks.
She didn't speak, but her rapid and ragged breathing showed what kind of psychological and physiological double impact the female CEO had just experienced.
Only Lin Wan, though her face was flushed with exhaustion, was still thinking about business. She propped herself up halfway, pulling a corner of the quilt to cover her exposed skin, her voice carrying a hint of lazy hoarseness.
"Xiao Jiang, if Mom and Dad call us for dinner later, how can we go out looking like this?"
Jiang Chen was leaning comfortably against the head of the kang, feeling refreshed in every pore.
"What's the rush? We just finished cleaning; what's wrong with resting for a bit?" Jiang Chen stroked Lin Wan's smooth back. "Didn't Mom say she was bringing over some cured meat? She's probably busy right now and doesn't have time for us."
Su Qingge finally recovered her strength. She fumbled to put on her glasses, her gaze toward Jiang Chen containing an indescribable complexity.
"Jiang Chen, we need to set some ground rules." Su Qingge propped herself up, trying to regain some of her CEO dignity. Unfortunately, against the backdrop of her disheveled maid outfit, it only created an alluring contrast. "In the future, try to do fewer of these... ridiculous things at home. Especially wearing these clothes. What if a neighbor or relative walks in? How am I supposed to face people?"
"President Su, you're worried about facing people now?" Jiang Chen looked at her teasingly. "When you were shouting 'Master, be gentler' and eating a lollipop under the covers, where were your principles then?"
"Shut up!" Su Qingge's face turned so red it looked like it might drip blood. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
Chen Man burst out laughing. She rolled over, propping her chin on her hand with a playful look. "I think it's great. It's called romance! President Su, you're just a typical closet pervert. Look at Sister Wan; she's usually such a steady person, but wasn't she quite proactive just now?"
Lin Wan was thin-skinned; hearing this, she wished she could find a hole to crawl into and quickly buried her head in the quilt to play dead.
Jiang Chen smiled and pulled the three of them closer into his arms.
"Alright, I'm just teasing you. I know where to draw the line." Jiang Chen said seriously, "Everyone stay low-key for these few days in the village. After the New Year, when we go back to Shenzhen, I'll buy you a villa with a private pool. Then, you can wear whatever you want and play however you want, and no one will care."
"You said it, Big Boss Jiang." Chen Man gave Jiang Chen a kiss on the cheek. "I want the biggest villa and the biggest walk-in closet. I'm going to buy every uniform in the world and change into a new one every day until you're bored to death!"
"Sure, as many as you want." Jiang Chen pinched her cheek dotingly.
131: Chapter 131 Crime Scene: This shirt is for whoever wants to wear it.
The air in the west room felt as if it had been sucked dry, leaving only an element called "panic" pulsating wildly.
Mother Jiang's booming voice exploded outside the door: "Jiang Chen! Bring your wives out to eat! The food is going to be stone cold. How does it take you this long just to tidy up a room?"
This shout instantly shattered the lingering, amorous atmosphere on the kang.
Chen Man, who had been lying on Jiang Chen's chest drawing circles like a lazy cat, shot up at the sound, letting out an "Ouch" as she bumped into Su Qingge beside her.
"Hiss—Chen Man, do you even have eyes!" Su Qingge was frantically fumbling for her glasses under the covers; the bump almost caused her to snap the gold-rimmed frames she had just found.
"Quiet, quiet! We're in big trouble!" Chen Man didn't even have time to apologize. She jumped out of bed barefoot and, in the dim light, rummaged through the pile of clothes on the floor that looked as if it had just been hit by a category 12 typhoon. "Where's my sweater? Where are my rhinestone leggings? It's over, it's over. If I go out there naked, I'll have to move to another planet."
Jiang Chen leaned against the head of the kang, watching the three women—who were usually so glamorous and imposing outside—scurrying about like ants on a hot pan in the faint moonlight filtering through the gap in the curtains.
This scene was, indeed, a bit... too stimulating.
The remnants of maid outfits scattered on the floor were the most compelling evidence of a "fierce battle."
Two of the back straps on Su Qingge's black dress had been torn off, hanging forlornly on the back of the chair.
Lin Wan's thin gauze apron was even more pitiful; it had been crumpled into a ball and shoved into the gap of the pillow at some point.
As for Chen Man's outfit... it had originally been just a few pieces of fabric stitched together, and now it was so torn that its original shape was unrecognizable.
"Jiang Chen..." Lin Wan's voice was tearful. She huddled in the corner wrapped in a quilt, holding a sock she had just retrieved. "My bra... I think the clasp popped off."
"Popped off?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and reached out to turn on an old-fashioned desk lamp on the edge of the kang.
The dim, yellow light instantly flooded the room.
"Turn it off! Turn it off quickly!" Su Qingge shrieked, subconsciously covering her chest with her hands. Although she was still covered by the quilt, the sense of shame was inescapable under the light.
She looked disheveled, her hair messy and obvious red marks on her collarbone; there was not a trace left of the overbearing CEO.
"It's faster to find things with the light on." Jiang Chen leisurely put on his jacket, his calm and collected demeanor in stark contrast to the panic of the three women. "Mother Jiang is already on her second reminder outside. If you don't go out soon, she'll probably use the spare key to 'inspect the work'."
As soon as he said this, the efficiency in the room instantly increased by two hundred percent.
"Where's my haute couture trench coat? Why is it full of wrinkles!" Su Qingge held up the six-figure garment, gasping in distress. "Jiang Chen! It's all your fault! You just had to drag me into this!"
"My fault?" Jiang Chen laughed as he picked up a high heel from the floor and handed it to her. "Who was it screaming 'don't stop' just a moment ago? CEO Su, you need to have a conscience."
Su Qingge's face turned red enough to drip blood. She snatched the shoe and put it on through gritted teeth. "Shut up! We'll settle this score when we get back to Shenzhen!"
On this side, Su Qingge barely managed to squeeze herself into her professional attire. Although the buttons on her shirt were misaligned, she at least had her coat to cover it, maintaining a facade of decency.
Over there, Lin Wan was also frantically pulling on her knitted dress, desperately trying to comb through her tangled long hair with her fingers, attempting to look like the gentle and virtuous daughter-in-law again.
Only Chen Man encountered a major problem.
"It's over!" Chen Man held a torn piece of her lace top, looking desperate. "My clothes... they're completely ruined. How can I wear this? If I go out like this, I'll be indecent in public!"
They had played too hard earlier, and this already tight-fitting inner layer had sacrificed itself during one of the intense moments.
"Wear mine."
Jiang Chen casually pulled a white shirt off the coat rack nearby and threw it to her.
It was something he had specifically brought back this time—pure cotton, loose-fitting.
"Yours?" Chen Man caught the shirt and held it up against herself. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey? Is this the legendary 'boyfriend shirt'?"
She didn't shy away, putting the shirt—which still held Jiang Chen's body heat and a faint scent of tobacco—on right in front of him.
The wide sleeves were long enough to cover the backs of her hands, and the hem reached down to the top of her thighs. The originally slim-fit design, when worn by her, made her look a size smaller and more petite.
She haphazardly buttoned it twice, leaving the neckline wide open, revealing her delicate collarbone and a dazzling expanse of snow-white skin. The forbidden feeling of wearing a man's shirt was instantly maxed out.
"Tsk." Jiang Chen watched her, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Wrap your coat tight. If Uncle sees you like this, he'll think I'm abusing you by not giving you clothes to wear."
"I won't!" Chen Man looked in the mirror and tied a knot in the hem of the shirt, managing to turn an ordinary men's shirt into something out of Paris Fashion Week. "This is called fashion! This is what you call 'laid-back style'! Besides, this shirt has your scent on it; wearing it makes me... feel at ease."
"Stop joking around." Lin Wan had regained her composure by now, recovering some of her dignified air as the head wife. She walked over and helped Chen Man turn up her coat collar, covering the glimpses of skin underneath. "Let's hurry out. It's not good to keep the elders waiting too long."
Jiang Chen took one last look around the room, which was filled with "incriminating evidence."
The air was permeated with a mix of photinia flowers, high-end perfume, and an indescribable musky scent. It was a smell only adults would understand—intense and decadent.
"Crack the window open to let some air in," Jiang Chen instructed. "Otherwise, when we come back after dinner, this room won't be fit for sleeping."
Su Qingge pushed the window open, and the cold wind rushed in, dispelling some of the heat and cooling her flushed cheeks slightly.
She took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, and put her gold-rimmed glasses back on.
"Let's go." Su Qingge pushed up her glasses, her gaze instantly turning sharp, as if she weren't the same person who had been begging for mercy under the covers just moments ago. "I've noted that account from earlier, CEO Jiang."
Jiang Chen smiled and reached out to unlatch the door.
As the door opened, the aroma of food mixed with the cold air from the courtyard rushed in.
"Oh! Finally out!" Mother Jiang was standing at the entrance of the main room holding a plate of steaming dumplings. Seeing the four of them come out, her eyes swept over them with a subtle look.
Especially when she saw the collar of the men's shirt peeking out from under Chen Man's coat, the slightly smudged lipstick on Su Qingge, and the flushed complexion on Lin Wan that clearly showed she had been thoroughly pampered.
As someone who had been through it all, the smile on Mother Jiang's face deepened—it was the satisfaction of knowing there was hope for grandchildren.
"Quick, quick! Come in and eat!" Mother Jiang beckoned. "You must be starving, right? You kids, you use so much energy when you work—and you consume so much, too—you need to replenish! I specifically stewed that old hen tonight!"
Jiang Chen clearly felt the three women behind him falter in their steps simultaneously.
Consume a lot? Replenish?
Chen Man secretly pinched Jiang Chen, whispering through gritted teeth: "It's all your fault! Now look, my lifelong reputation is ruined!"
Jiang Chen remained calm, holding her hand in return and striding towards the main room. "This is a family activity, it's not against the law. Besides, Mother Jiang is just happy."
"Happy my foot!" Su Qingge cursed softly behind him, but she still followed along obediently, though her gait looked a bit awkward no matter how you looked at it.
This dinner was filled with undercurrents.
132: Chapter 132 Wet Temptation
That night, the big kang in the west room was packed full.
Although Mother Jiang had thoughtfully brought two new quilts, the intimacy of four people sleeping on one kang, with limbs intertwined, still made one blush and heart race.
Fortunately, everyone was exhausted, and other than Chen Man restlessly pressing her leg onto Jiang Chen's stomach in the middle of the night, nothing else "accidental" happened.
The next morning, the first ray of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, scattering like fine golden sand onto the head of the kang.
Jiang Chen was woken up by a faint movement.
He opened his eyes to see a lotus-white arm lying right before him.
Following the arm, he saw Lin Wan's flushed, sleeping face.
She was still in her dreams, her brows slightly relaxed, and a tranquil smile on the corners of her mouth.
On the other side, Chen Man was wrapped around him like an octopus, her head buried directly into his chest, her big wavy hair spread out, making Jiang Chen's neck feel itchy.
As for Su Qingge... even when sleeping, this CEO was proper, lying on her side on the innermost edge with her back to him, leaving him only a cold back profile and a beautiful neck curve.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, feeling his dopamine levels rising again with the morning physiological reaction.
He carefully moved Chen Man's arm away and sat up lightly.
With this movement, Su Qingge next to him seemed to wake up, her shoulders trembling slightly, but she didn't turn back, her breathing just becoming a bit erratic.
"Don't pretend to be asleep if you're awake," Jiang Chen teased in a low voice, patting the quilt behind her waist.
Su Qingge's body stiffened for a second, then she slowly turned around.
She wasn't wearing her glasses; those eyes, usually sharp, now held the confusion of just waking up, with faint dark circles under them—clearly, this female CEO, accustomed to sleeping alone in a big bed, wasn't used to this kind of crowding.
"What time is it?" Su Qingge's voice was husky from waking up, sounding unexpectedly sexy.
"Just past six," Jiang Chen glanced at his phone. "People in the countryside get up early; the chickens outside have already crowed three times."
At this moment, Chen Man also woke up with a groan. Dazed, she rubbed her eyes, and before she could even see who it was, she buried her face into Jiang Chen's lower abdomen and nuzzled: "Mm... Master... let me sleep a little longer..."
That "Master" made Lin Wan, who was still pretending to sleep, unable to keep up the act, her face instantly turning red to the roots of her ears.
Su Qingge rolled her eyes, lifted her leg, and kicked Chen Man inside the quilt.
"Get up! Don't get horny first thing in the morning." Su Qingge sat up, tidying her slightly messy hair. "Hurry up and wash up, where are you taking us today? This kang is too hard; I need to go out and move around."
"Alright, up!" Jiang Chen stretched, the sound of his joints extending appearing exceptionally clear in the quiet morning. "Today I'll take you to the back mountain. I heard from my dad that it's been lively on the mountain these past few days."
The four began to get dressed.
This time, there was no panic like the night before, but it was still full of unique scenery.
In the morning sunlight, dust danced in the light beams. The silhouettes of the three women getting dressed against the light were as beautiful as an oil painting.
Because Chen Man's clothes were ruined last night, she still had to wear Jiang Chen's white shirt.
She seemed to have fallen in love with this way of dressing and had no intention of changing into anything else, just casually tucking the hem of the shirt into a pair of tight jeans. The contrast of "stealing her boyfriend's clothes on top, showing off long legs on the bottom" was simply a straight-male killer.
"Let's go, let's go get water," Jiang Chen picked up the washbasin.
In the courtyard, the air was cold enough to make one feel refreshed.
By the well, a thin layer of frost covered the bluestone slabs.
Jiang Chen skillfully threw the iron bucket into the well, flicked the rope in his hand, and after a dull "thud," he pulled it up, a full bucket of steaming cold well water rising.
"Wow! This water looks freezing!" Chen Man shrank her neck and tucked her hands into her sleeves.
"Cold makes you sober." Jiang Chen poured the water into the iron basin and mixed in hot water from the thermos, with white steam instantly rising in the cold air.
The three women gathered around the well to wash up.
If paparazzi captured this scene, it would definitely dominate the trending lists for three days and three nights.
Three wealthy, stunningly beautiful women, squatting by a rural well, bare-faced, even fighting over a bar of soap.
"Su Qingge, is that facial cleanser or are you painting a wall? You squeezed out so much!" Chen Man, brushing her teeth with a mouth full of foam, didn't forget to tease.
"Mind your own business." Su Qingge patted the cleanser foam on her face. "The wind is too dry; if I don't moisturize, my face will crack."
Lin Wan was the most virtuous one; she had already finished washing and was using a towel to help wipe Jiang Chen's back.
Just then, Chen Man suddenly had a mischievous idea.
Seeing Jiang Chen bending over to wash his face, she rolled her eyes, scooped up a ladle of water, pretended her hand slipped, and splashed a little onto Jiang Chen's neck.
"Oops! My hand slipped!" Chen Man exclaimed dramatically, then quickly leaned over, using an extremely ambiguous posture to rub her chest against Jiang Chen's back through the shirt. "Sorry, Master, let me help you wipe it off?"
The oversized men's shirt swayed with her movements, the collar wide open, and the scenery inside was fully exposed the moment Jiang Chen turned his head.
Morning, by the well, wet body, uniform temptation.
With this combination of moves, before Jiang Chen could say anything, Lin Wan next to him couldn't watch anymore.
"Manman!" Lin Wan said with a red face, pulling Chen Man away, her tone carrying the dignity of an "older sister." "Stop messing around! Mom and Dad are in the room; what if they come out and see this! Button up your shirt!"
Chen Man stuck out her tongue but didn't argue, obediently standing straight.
Although she loved to mess around, she knew her limits.
Jiang Chen straightened up, took the dry towel Lin Wan handed him to wipe his face, and looking at these three women revolving around him, the sense of satisfaction in his heart was about to overflow.
"Alright, stop messing around." Jiang Chen draped the towel over his shoulder, the aura of a head of the household naturally exuding. "Get cleaned up; we'll head into the mountain after breakfast. I have a feeling we'll find treasure today."
Su Qingge's hand, which was applying face cream, paused, her eyes narrowing slightly behind her glasses: "Find treasure? Are you talking about that so-called 'wild donkey'?"
"Maybe something more valuable than that." Jiang Chen smiled mysteriously, and the system that had been silent all night in his mind suddenly emitted a crisp prompt.
[Ding! Detected Host special energy magnetic field fluctuation.]
[Target location: Wolf Tooth Valley, back mountain.]
...
Breakfast was simple: a pot of golden millet porridge, a few dishes of homemade pickled radish, and a large basket of steaming white flour steamed buns.
This was the most authentic rural breakfast. Although there were no abalone or lobster, the most genuine aroma of the food made one's appetite soar.
The three women were obviously starving too. Last night's high-intensity "physical labor" consumed a lot, plus the stimulation of washing their faces with cold water just now, so none of them cared about dieting or cutting carbs.
Su Qingge held her bowl, eating pickles with porridge, sweating on her forehead. Chen Man was even more direct, taking a bun, tearing it open, stuffing two pieces of oily fermented bean curd inside, and eating with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster protecting its food.
Even Lin Wan, who usually had a small appetite, silently drank two bowls of porridge.
Father Jiang, Jiang Jianguo, sat at the head of the table, holding an enamel mug filled with strong, bitter tea. Seeing these beautiful daughters-in-law giving him so much face, the wrinkles on his face bloomed with a smile.
"Eat more, eat more!" Father Jiang pushed the plate of pickled vegetables to the center. "This radish was planted by your mother herself; it's crunchy! You can't buy this taste in the city."
"Uncle, this is really delicious." Su Qingge swallowed a mouthful of porridge and praised it politely. This wasn't just courtesy; a stomach accustomed to exquisite cuisine really found a unique flavor in this simple fare.
Jiang Chen peeled an egg and asked casually: "Dad, I heard you whispering with Second Uncle next door in the yard earlier, saying the back mountain hasn't been peaceful lately?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the warm atmosphere at the table paused slightly.
Father Jiang put down his tea mug, the smile on his face receded a bit, and his brows furrowed into a "river" shape. He took out his pipe, wanting to light it, but looked at the three women at the table and sheepishly tucked the pipe back into his waist.
"That's true." Father Jiang sighed. "For the past half month, we've been hearing strange noises over at Wolf Tooth Valley in the back mountain. That sound, it's like a donkey braying, and yet like a wolf howling; it sounds terrifying. A few days ago, Old Li's big black dog ran into the mountain and hasn't come back yet. Everyone says it was eaten by that 'wild donkey'."
"Wild donkey?" Chen Man widened her eyes curiously, the bun in her mouth not yet swallowed. "What's that? A new species of monster?"
"What monster, it's just a wild donkey without an owner, but it's much fiercer than an ordinary donkey." Mother Jiang chimed in from the side, with a hint of superstitious fear on her face. "The old people in the village all say it's the Mountain God getting angry, sending out patrol guards. They say we've been blasting rocks and opening mountains too severely these past few years, disturbing things underground."
"Disturbing things underground?"
Jiang Chen's chopsticks paused, a faint arc appearing at the corners of his mouth.
If it were before, he might have dismissed this as a common rural superstitious legend. But now, the system prompt panel constantly flashing in his mind told him things weren't that simple.
[flowing gold Vein (SSS-rank): Located deep underground in Wolf Tooth Valley. Due to geological movement, cracks have formed, causing high-purity gold elements to overflow, leading to chaotic surrounding magnetic fields and abnormal biological auditory systems. The so-called "wild donkey braying" is actually high-frequency wind whistling as underground airflow passes through rock crevices.]
Wind whistling? Gold mine?
Jiang Chen felt his blood start to boil.
This was the God of Wealth knocking on his door!
"Dad, I want to take them into the mountain for a spin later." Jiang Chen put the peeled egg into Lin Wan's bowl, his tone as casual as if he were talking about going to the corner store to buy soy sauce.
"What?!" Father Jiang's eyes widened, and his tea mug clattered heavily onto the table. "No! Absolutely not! Are you not listening to me? I already said there's a 'wild donkey' eating dogs, and you still want to go die? And you want to take them with you?"
Mother Jiang was also anxious, putting down her chopsticks and starting to wipe away tears: "Jiang Chen, don't be foolish! If something happens to you, how is this whole family supposed to live?"
Su Qingge and Lin Wan looked at each other, both seeing worry in the other's eyes. Although they trusted Jiang Chen, this unknown danger still made them feel instinctively afraid.
Only Chen Man had excited light flashing in her eyes. This woman was born an adventurer; the more dangerous the place, the greater the attraction for her.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry." Jiang Chen pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth, the aura of confidence belonging to a superior immediately spreading out, making Father Jiang, who wanted to continue scolding, pause. "I know what I'm doing. Besides, we're not going deep into the forest, just walking around the periphery to digest. And..."
Jiang Chen paused, his gaze becoming deep: "If the Mountain God is really showing signs, we might even be able to pray for great wealth if we go."
"Pray for wealth?" Father Jiang was stunned.
"Yes, pray for wealth." Jiang Chen stood up and patted Father Jiang's shoulder. "Dad, don't you know your son's abilities by now? If that so-called wild donkey really dares to come out, we'll just have donkey meat fire-roasted buns for dinner tonight."
"Then... then you must be careful." Father Jiang finally compromised, but his tone was still very stiff. "Take that shotgun! Although it's a homemade gun, it's still useful for scaring that beast."
133: Chapter 133 Top-Tier Gear Enters the Mountains
Jiang Jianguo was an honest man; when he said he would prepare equipment for entering the mountains, it was definitely the hardcore kind that could withstand the sub-zero twenty-degree cold.
Ten minutes later, when he carried a pile of military overcoats smelling of old mothballs and several pairs of Jiefang shoes with dried mud on the soles and tossed them onto the stone table in the courtyard, the expressions of the three women were instantly a sight to behold.
"This... this is the equipment?" Su Qingge took a step back, her disgusted gaze looking as if she were staring at a pile of nuclear waste. She pinched her nose with two fingers, her brow furrowed so tightly it could crush a fly. "Uncle, while it's polite for guests to follow local customs, the grease stains on these clothes... they've practically formed a patina, haven't they?"
Those military overcoats were indeed quite old; the cuffs were worn shiny, and the ring of faux fur around the collar even had several bald patches, looking like they had alopecia.
"Those are the marks of time!" Jiang Jianguo chuckled, even trying to hold the clothes up against Su Qingge to measure them. "Qingge, don't look at how old it is; this thing blocks the wind! The wind is strong on the mountain; that bit of fabric you're wearing would be blown right through in two seconds. Put this on, and I guarantee you'll be warm!"
Su Qingge's exquisite, cold face was currently written with resistance, and she looked toward Jiang Chen as if pleading for help.
Letting her wear this? Killing her would be more merciful.
Even if she, Su Qingge, froze to death on the mountain, it would be impossible for her to parade around draped in this "battle robe" that looked like it had just been dug out of an ancient tomb.
Chen Man wasn't quite as much of a germaphobe, but she also looked troubled as she kicked a pair of Jiefang shoes with her toe. "Uncle, these shoes look like a size forty-three. If my size thirty-six little feet go in there, won't I be rowing a boat?"
Lin Wan was the one who least wanted to go against an elder's wishes. She bit her lip and reached out to take the relatively cleaner overcoat. "It's fine, Dad. As long as it's warm, I'm not picky..."
"That's enough." Jiang Chen pressed down on Lin Wan's hand, pushing the pile of "antiques" back with a mix of laughter and tears. "Dad, you should keep these good things for your own collection. If I let them enter the mountains dressed like this, people will say I, Jiang Chen, am abusing my family."
"Then what? It's cold on the mountain!" Jiang Jianguo glared at his son. "Those fancy down jackets you have in the city won't stand up to scratching! One snag on the mountain's sour jujube thorns and you'll have a hole!"
"Don't worry, I'm prepared." Jiang Chen gave a mysterious smile and pointed at the giant RV parked at the courtyard entrance. "This vehicle is a mobile warehouse. What doesn't it have inside?"
In reality, the RV obviously didn't have such things, but he had the system.
In the [God-Tier Tycoon's Wilderness Fun] mission the system had just issued, besides that yet-to-be-seen gold mine clue, it had directly distributed a full set of top-tier outdoor equipment into the system warehouse.
Those weren't common goods like Decathlon; they were all custom models from top-tier outdoor luxury brands like Arc'teryx and Mammut, ensuring functionality while also accounting for that damned sense of fashion.
"Everyone, get on the vehicle." Jiang Chen waved to the three women. "I'll take you to pick out some decent battle robes."
The three women felt as if they had been granted a general amnesty and quickly followed behind Jiang Chen into the RV.
The door closed, sealing out the biting cold wind and that table full of military overcoats with their aged scent.
Jiang Chen pretended to open a hidden compartment in the trunk, but in reality, he was pulling things out from the system space.
"Wow—!"
As several large silver suitcases were opened, Chen Man was the first to exclaim, "Is... is this Moncler's latest polar collaboration? I remember this set hasn't even been released yet, right?"
Three sets of outdoor equipment in vastly different styles were neatly arranged in the cases, complete with thermal underwear, wool socks, and goggles—even matching hiking boots.
"Stop talking and change quickly." Jiang Chen casually picked up a set and threw it to Chen Man. "The heating in this RV is sufficient, so don't get cold."
The narrow space of the RV instantly turned into a temporary dressing room.
Although they were all like an old married couple, the scene of these three women gathering to change clothes still made Jiang Chen feel a bit of a blood rush.
The air was filled with the rustling of fabric and that unique, warm fragrance of their bodies.
"Oh my, Sister Wan, your set looks too good!" Chen Man said as she pulled a pair of fleece-lined tight ski pants onto her legs, not forgetting to look enviously at the clothes in Lin Wan's hands. "A pure white one-piece down suit! You're practically a snow mountain goddess!"
Lin Wan somewhat shyly held the pure white equipment; it was a high-end model from the Moncler Grenoble series, designed to be extremely form-fitting, with the waist specially tapered and a hood featuring a large fur collar.
"This color... will it get dirty easily?" Lin Wan hesitated slightly.
"If it gets dirty, throw it away and buy a new one." Jiang Chen leaned against the door, admiring the process of Lin Wan changing clothes.
When she shed her knit dress and put on this pure white one-piece, her gentle temperament instantly became cool and noble.
The white fabric made her skin look like snow; once the belt was fastened, her slender waist and full bust formed a perfect S-curve, like a proud white swan.
"Don't just look at Sister Wan." Chen Man had already squeezed herself into that fiery red tight ski suit.
The suit was made of elastic fabric, tightly wrapping her hot figure and revealing every inch of her curves.
In particular, the lines of her buttocks and thighs were so tight one couldn't look away.
She pulled the zipper halfway to her chest, intentionally revealing a section of her black sports bra's edge; that wildness and flamboyance almost threatened to burst through the roof.
"How about it, Jiang Chen? Is this set suitable for 'wild combat'?" Chen Man gave Jiang Chen a flirtatious wink and even intentionally turned around to show off her perky peach-like buttocks.
"It's suitable for a spanking." Jiang Chen slapped her on the bottom. "Zip it up. The wind is strong on the mountain; don't come back with a stomach full of cold air and a bellyache."
Su Qingge chose a pure black techwear-style hardshell jacket, which was also the set that best matched her temperament.
It was from Arc'teryx's Veilance series, with sharp tailoring and no redundant decorations.
The black hardshell jacket was paired with matching cargo pants and black high-top tactical boots.
When she put on those black sunglasses and tied her hair into a neat high ponytail, the female CEO who was decisive in the business world was instantly transformed into a female secret agent protagonist from a movie.
"The soles are a bit hard," Su Qingge remarked as she stepped on the floor. "But the grip should be good."
"Those are Vibram outsoles, specifically for gripping rock crevices." Jiang Chen walked over and helped her straighten her collar. "Not bad. With President Su dressed like this, anyone who didn't know better would think the boss of some bodyguard company had come to inspect the work."
Su Qingge rolled her eyes at him but didn't dodge his hand, her lips merely curving upward in an almost invisible arc.
Ten minutes later, when these three fully armed beauties stepped out of the RV, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were stunned.
Lin Wan's pure white was as holy as snow; Chen Man's fiery red was as passionate as fire; Su Qingge's pure black was as cool as night.
Three completely different styles, yet all using the same language to interpret what "beauty built with money" meant.
"Good heavens..." Father Jiang swallowed hard, quietly hiding the military overcoat in his hand behind his back. "These clothes look a bit better than my overcoat... but how much must they cost?"
"Not expensive, just about ten thousand times more than your overcoat." Chen Man giggled and hooked her arm through Jiang Chen's. "Let's go! I can't wait to see what that 'wild donkey' looks like!"
Jiang Chen and his group set out in a grand manner.
134: Chapter 134 The Domineering CEO's Little Darling
As the group of four stepped out of that humongous RV, the yellow dogs sunbathing at the base of the wall were left completely dazed.
Winter in the village had a monotonous palette, consisting of either dull grey walls or vast white snow. But when these few stepped out of the car, it was as if several frames of 4K high-definition color footage had been forced into a black-and-white television.
Lin Wan’s all-white outfit blended into the snowy landscape, but the pearlescent texture of the fabric reflecting in the sunlight made it clear at a glance that it was a completely different species from the white coats worn by Auntie Wang at the edge of the village.
Chen Man’s fiery red was even more eye-catching, like a ball of blazing fire in the snow, seemingly about to ignite the chilly air. As for Su Qingge, her black techwear outfit made her look as cold and professional as a female special agent who had just finished a mission.
"Take this."
Like a magic trick, Jiang Chen produced four carbon-fiber trekking poles from somewhere and shoved one into each of their hands.
"What's this now?" Chen Man weighed it in her hand; it felt incredibly light. "Boss Jiang, this stick doesn't look as sturdy as a poker. Can it actually support me?"
"It's called a trekking pole. One of these can buy two tires for your Beetle," Jiang Chen rolled his eyes at her, then reached out to adjust the fur collar on Lin Wan's hood. "The road will be slippery later. It's mainly for leverage; don't actually lean on it like a cane."
Su Qingge was looking down, struggling with her pair of extremely complex-looking tactical boots.
The boots were great, but the lace design was practically anti-human, featuring a professional quick-lace system. Someone like her, who usually only wore slip-on high heels, had never seen anything like it.
The more she hurried, the messier it got, until the black laces were a tangled mess in her hands.
"Alright, stop pulling."
Jiang Chen's voice suddenly drifted down from above her, carrying a hint of a helpless smile.
Su Qingge was startled, and before she could react, the tall figure in front of her suddenly dropped down.
Jiang Chen knelt on one knee in the snow.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze in that instant.
Su Qingge instinctively pulled her foot back. Her long-standing poise from being in a high position made her naturally resist this feeling of being "served," especially in public.
"Don't move."
Jiang Chen's palm was warm and strong as he grabbed her ankle.
Despite the thick ski socks and tactical boots, that warmth still shot up Su Qingge's spine from her ankle.
"I... I can do it myself," Su Qingge's voice wavered slightly, her eyes darting around in panic.
In the distance, Second Granduncle was puffing on his pipe and peering over, his eyes full of the playful mockery that said, "Young people these days really know how to have fun."
"You can do what?" Jiang Chen didn't even look up, his slender fingers moving nimbly through the complex buckles, his movements as practiced as if he were dismantling a precise business contract. "This is called a double non-slip knot. If you go into the mountains with a bow knot, you'll fall flat on your face before you're halfway there. I won't be carrying you then."
Su Qingge pursed her lips and stopped speaking.
She looked down at the man crouching at her feet.
From this angle, she could see his straight nose and slightly lowered eyelashes. The sunlight spilled over his broad shoulders, plating this man—who usually had a bit of a rogue air—with a gentle golden edge.
"Done."
Jiang Chen gave the laces a final tighten, patted the side of her tactical boot, and stood up.
"See if it's too tight."
Su Qingge only felt her ears burning intensely; even the cold wind couldn't cool them down.
She nodded haphazardly, not even daring to meet Jiang Chen's gaze. She just pushed up her sunglasses, trying to hide the panic in her eyes behind the black lenses.
"It's... fine." She tried to make her voice maintain the authority of CEO Su, but the slight tremble at the end betrayed her.
"Yo, yo, yo! CEO Su is blushing!"
Chen Man, that little demon who loved stirring up trouble, had approached at some point with a selfie stick, pointing the phone camera directly at Su Qingge's face.
"Look, family! This is the legendary 'Overbearing CEO's Little Pampered Wife' script... oh wait, it's 'The God-tier Tycoon and His Tsundere Female CEO'! Wasn't that shoe-tying move just now incredibly cool? If you think so, type 1; if not, smash your phone!"
In the live stream, the comments instantly flooded the screen like a waterfall.
[11111111!]
[He’s tying my heartstrings!]
[Who is that man? I want his full profile within three minutes, or I'll get on my knees and beg you!]
[Wake up, person above! That's the top donor on the leaderboard, Mr. Jiang! He's the god-tier tycoon who crashed the system by spamming Carnivals last time!]
[Holy crap! So this is Mr. Jiang? It would be a waste for someone with those looks not to debut!]
Chen Man watched the skyrocketing popularity and laughed so hard she shook, the zipper on her chest nearly bursting.
"Alright, family, we're not selling anything today, and no PKs either." Chen Man panned the camera around, capturing the rolling snow-capped mountains in the distance and the three fully equipped beauties nearby. "Today, Mr. Jiang is leading the team to take us on an adventure! I heard there are monsters in the back mountains. If you want to see 'Beauty and the Beast,' start hitting those little red hearts!"
Jiang Chen shook his head helplessly and flicked Chen Man's forehead. "Stop being silly and stay close. Once we enter the forest, the signal might not be great."
"As you wish, Master!" Chen Man gave a playful, sloppy salute, emphasizing the word "Master."
Lin Wan walked over, holding two thermos flasks, and gently tucked them into the mesh pockets on the side of Jiang Chen's backpack. "I brought hot water and ginger tea. Xiao Jiang, are we really going deep inside?"
"Not deep, just a walk around the edge of Wolf Fang Gully." Jiang Chen tightened his backpack straps, his gaze fixed on the vast, hazy mountains in the distance.
In his vision, a layer of golden aura that only he could see was faintly floating above that mountain range.
That was the scent of wealth.
"Let's go." Jiang Chen waved his hand, his aura as a leader instantly fully activated. "I'll take you to hear how these great mountains sing."
The four figures, dressed in top-tier outdoor gear, thus stepped onto the crunching snow and headed toward the deep mountains full of legends and the unknown.
In the live stream, someone posted an inconspicuous comment:
[Geology nerd passing through... Looking at the mountain formation, Wolf Fang Gully seems to be a fault zone. Be careful not to fall into any holes going there this season.]
But this line of text was quickly drowned out by a screen full of "My wife is so beautiful" and "Does Mr. Jiang need a sidekick?"
135: Chapter 135 That Warm Embrace
When they first entered the mountains, the vibe was indeed quite fitting.
Chen Man held up her selfie stick, acting like a husky that had just been let out of its cage, shouting excitedly at every pine tree covered in rime ice.
Lin Wan stepped on the creaking snow, wearing a smile of serene contentment, occasionally bending down to scoop up a handful of snow; she was truly enjoying the scenery.
Only Su Qingge, the female CEO who usually traveled by Maybach and never let her feet touch the dust, was now facing the greatest crisis of her career—a physical breakdown.
This wasn't a simple mountain picnic like last time; back then, she had four bodyguards, and they only went to relatively flat areas, but this time they were heading deep into the mountains.
The deep, uneven snow along the way was completely unpredictable; what looked like a flat, smooth surface could cause you to sink up to your calves with a single step.
Su Qingge's long legs, which she took such pride in, now felt like they were filled with lead, and it took all her might to pull them out with every step.
"CEO Su, are you still holding up?"
Jiang Chen walked at the very front, clearing the path; the unassuming carbon fiber trekking pole in his hand was wielded like a machete, effortlessly pushing aside the dead branches blocking their way.
He turned his head and glanced at Su Qingge, who was trailing several meters behind.
This woman was clearly panting like a bellows, her face pale beneath her sunglasses, yet she was still stubbornly pushing on.
"No... no problem." Su Qingge leaned against a crooked tree, using the pretext of adjusting her sunglasses to secretly wipe the cold sweat from her forehead. "This is nothing... back in the day, when I was..."
"Alright, stop reminiscing." Chen Man darted over from the side, gleefully exposing her. "Susu, your legs are shaking so much that anyone who didn't know better would think you were doing the tango in the snow. Why don't we take a break?"
Su Qingge glared at her fiercely and straightened her back. "No need. Let's keep going."
This was Su Qingge, the classic example of someone who would rather suffer than lose face. In her life philosophy, admitting defeat was even more unbearable than going bankrupt.
Jiang Chen smiled without saying a word, simply slowing his pace imperceptibly to shorten the original distance of over ten meters to just two or three.
The further they went toward Wolf Fang Gully, the harder the path became. The small trail that had been visible before was now completely covered by snow, with nothing but loose rocks and potholes beneath their feet.
"Ah!"
A short, sharp exclamation broke the silence of the forest.
Lin Wan, who was walking in the middle, stepped on a patch of hidden ice, instantly lost her balance, and slid to the side.
Just as Su Qingge's heart tightened and before she could even cry out, a black figure had already moved.
It was as if Jiang Chen had eyes in the back of his head; he turned, stepped, and reached out with fluid, seamless movements, so fast it didn't seem like he was in the snow at all.
A strong, large hand steadily supported Lin Wan's lower back, while his other hand grasped her arm.
Under the force of inertia, Lin Wan crashed straight into Jiang Chen's embrace.
"Are you okay?" Jiang Chen's voice came from above, carrying a reassuring calmness.
Still shaken, Lin Wan gripped the lapels of Jiang Chen's windbreaker tightly, her face pressed against his broad chest, and she could even hear the strong, powerful heartbeat within.
"I... I'm okay." Lin Wan's face flushed red instantly, like rouge blooming in the snow.
She was somewhat reluctant to leave the warmth of this embrace; the solid, warm, and powerful sensation instantly calmed her heart, which had been pounding from the shock.
"Be careful, there's hidden ice everywhere underneath." Jiang Chen didn't let go immediately, instead taking the opportunity to brush the snowflakes off her shoulders, his movements so natural and intimate that it felt like he was taking care of his own child.
This scene fell entirely into Su Qingge's eyes.
She stood two meters away, her footsteps, originally intended to go forward and show concern, stopping abruptly.
Watching Lin Wan nestled in Jiang Chen's arms like a startled little deer, being cared for so gently, a sour feeling suddenly surged in Su Qingge's heart.
It was as if her favorite limited-edition bag had been worn by someone else first.
Envious? Definitely.
Jealous? Just a little bit.
I want to fall too.
As soon as this ridiculous thought popped up, it gave Su Qingge a fright. She hurriedly shook her head, trying to shake off this "lovestruck" notion.
Su Qingge, you are a female CEO worth over a hundred million; how can you act like a little girl vying for favor?
"Ahem." Su Qingge cleared her throat, her voice returning to that cold, aloof tone. "Since you're fine, let's continue. We need to get back before dark."
After speaking, she took large strides as if in a huff, wanting to pass the two of them.
As a result, the moment she stepped down, tragedy struck.
Her already overdrawn physical strength, combined with the disrupted rhythm of her breathing due to jealousy, caused her left foot to step directly into a tree pit covered by snow.
Her ankle gave way, and she instantly lost control of her body.
"Ah—"
This time it wasn't a gasp, but a genuine scream. Su Qingge fell backward uncontrollably, on the verge of making intimate contact with the cold, snowy ground.
It's over.
This time, I've really embarrassed myself.
Su Qingge closed her eyes in despair, her mind already conjuring the socially dead image of her falling flat on her back, only to be photographed by Chen Man and posted to her Moments.
However, the expected pain did not arrive.
Her back hit a warm, solid wall.
A pair of iron-like arms reached from behind through her underarms, steadily holding her suspended in mid-air.
That familiar masculine scent, carrying a faint hint of tobacco and mint, instantly enveloped her.
"CEO Su, are you trying to stage a scam?"
Jiang Chen's voice, carrying a hint of mockery, rang in her ear, his warm breath spraying onto her cold earlobe, stirring up a wave of goosebumps.
Su Qingge opened her eyes and found herself hanging on Jiang Chen in an extremely shameful posture, her feet off the ground like a child being lifted up by an adult.
"Put... put me down!" Su Qingge's face was so hot she could fry an egg, and she struggled to stand upright.
Jiang Chen let go, letting her feet touch the ground.
But the moment Su Qingge's feet touched the ground, her knees felt like they had no bones, so weak she couldn't stand, and her body tilted, about to fall again.
Jiang Chen sighed and shook his head helplessly.
"Alright, stop trying to act tough."
He turned around, facing away from Su Qingge, crouched down slightly, and patted his broad shoulders.
"Get on."
Two simple words, domineering and beyond questioning.
Su Qingge froze, looking at the broad back in front of her, biting her lip. "I won't..."
"One." Jiang Chen began to count. "Two."
"This is so improper..."
"Three." Jiang Chen made a move to stand up. "If you don't get on, I'll carry you, princess-style. You choose."
Su Qingge glanced at Chen Man's eager expression to the side, and the phone camera already raised.
Compared to being carried princess-style like a giant baby, lying on his back was slightly... more decent?
She steeled her heart, like a martyr about to head to the execution ground, and slowly crawled onto Jiang Chen's back.
"Hold on tight."
Jiang Chen supported the back of her legs with both hands, and with a slight exertion of force, hoisted the face-saving female CEO onto his back.
In that instant, Su Qingge felt like she was lying on a moving heater.
136: Chapter 136 Pigsy Carrying His Bride
Jiang Chen walked very steadily; even with an adult on his back, his breathing remained frighteningly calm, and his pace didn't falter in the slightest.
Su Qingge had initially kept her body tense, trying to maintain the last shred of her dignity in this intimate posture.
Her hands were stiffly resting on Jiang Chen's shoulders, and she leaned back as much as possible, not wanting to press too closely against his back.
“President Su, are you training your core muscles?”
Jiang Chen gave the person on his back a little bounce. His palms, separated from her by thick ski pants, accurately gripped her thighs and gave them a slight upward hoist. “Stick closer. If you fall off and break something, there are no orthopedic surgeons in this wilderness.”
“You... don't move around!” Startled by his bounce, Su Qingge let out a low cry and her body lunged forward uncontrollably.
Well, that was that. All her reserve and sense of distance were thrown to the dogs.
Her entire body was now pressed seamlessly against Jiang Chen's back.
Through two layers of windbreakers, she could still clearly feel the rhythmic movement of the man's back muscles as he stepped.
It was a sense of power belonging to a young male—hard, yet possessing a startling elasticity.
What was even more fatal...
Was that her cheek was resting right against the crook of Jiang Chen's neck.
Due to the intense physical activity, Jiang Chen's body temperature was very high.
That small patch of skin exposed to the air radiated a scorching heat that continuously transferred over, making half of Su Qingge's face feel numb from the warmth.
She caught a scent.
It wasn't a pungent cologne, but a mixture of the crisp cold wind, sun-dried fabric, and the faint scent of sweat unique to a man after exercise.
It wasn't unpleasant.
In fact... it was a bit intoxicating.
“Are you tired?”
Su Qingge asked as if possessed. Her voice was as small as a mosquito's hum, her usual domineering aura completely gone, replaced by a soft mumble like a cat that had just woken up.
“What's this little bit of weight?” Jiang Chen chuckled and turned his head.
Their faces were extremely close, their noses almost touching.
Su Qingge could see the fine beads of sweat at his temples and those black eyes that always held three parts nonchalance and seven parts unfathomable depth.
“I'm carrying the whole world, how could it not be heavy?” Jiang Chen made a cheesy romantic joke.
If anyone else had said this, Su Qingge would have definitely gotten goosebumps and blacklisted the person immediately.
But coming from Jiang Chen's mouth, combined with this time and place, Su Qingge only felt her heart take a heavy thump, as if struck by something.
She slowly relaxed her body, like a deflated balloon, and slumped limply against Jiang Chen's back.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, her chin rested lightly on his shoulder, and her cheek buried deep into the crook of his neck that gave off that pleasant scent.
“I want one too! I want one too!”
Chen Man's mood-spoiling shout came from the side.
Seeing Su Qingge's look of enjoyment, this woman's eyes turned green with envy. She thrust her selfie stick into the snow and ran over, tugging and shaking Jiang Chen's sleeve.
“Good brother, I'm tired too! I want a piggyback ride too! You can't be biased!”
Chen Man pouted, her peach-blossom eyes blinking like a little fox begging for food. “Why does Susu get to take a private car while I have to measure the earth with these two legs? My legs are legs too, and they're even insured!”
Lin Wan watched from the side with amusement. Though she didn't speak, a faint trace of envy also flickered in her eyes.
Jiang Chen looked at the one hanging on his left, the one lying on his back, and the one on his right who was full of expectation despite not speaking. He suddenly felt this was what people called 'painful yet happy.'
“Fine, fine, fine, everyone gets a share.”
Jiang Chen freed a hand and grabbed Chen Man's restless little hand, clutching it tightly in his palm.
“There's no more room on my back right now, so hold my hand for now.”
After saying that, he looked at Lin Wan and extended his other elbow: “Sister Wan, take my arm.”
And so, in the silent snowy back mountain, an extremely absurd yet extremely harmonious scene appeared.
A tall man carrying a cold and elegant beauty on his back, holding the hand of a hot little vixen with his left hand, and having a gentle wife-type woman clinging to his right arm.
The four of them were like a strange human train, pressing two lines of footprints into the snow—some deep, some shallow, but always closely intertwined.
“Jiang Chen,” Su Qingge suddenly spoke in a muffled voice from his back.
“Hmm?”
“In the future... can you not be so good to everyone?”
The jealousy in those words could be smelled from three miles away.
Jiang Chen curled his lips. He didn't answer directly, but just gave the person on his back another bounce and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Don't worry, for a labor-intensive task like carrying my bride, I don't take orders from just anyone. The fee is very expensive.”
“How expensive?”
“A lifetime, I suppose.”
Su Qingge didn't speak again, but the arms wrapped around his neck silently tightened a little.
Just then, Jiang Chen's footsteps suddenly stopped.
His gaze pierced through a grove of withered trees ahead, locking firmly onto a shaded mountain hollow not far away.
To others, it was just a patch of scattered rocks and withered grass.
But in Jiang Chen's eyes, with his [System Mineral Prospecting Vision] activated, a thick pillar of golden light, invisible to the naked eye, was rising from that spot, shooting straight into the clouds.
That was the glow of wealth.
It was also the true entrance to the so-called 'flowing gold vein' from the system prompt.
“We're here,” Jiang Chen's voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement.
“We're here?”
Chen Man pulled her hand out of Jiang Chen's, rubbed her cheeks which were slightly red from the cold, and looked around suspiciously. “This place... looks even more desolate than before. Forget wild donkeys, I don't even see a rabbit's hair.”
Before them was a natural U-shaped mountain hollow.
Three sides were steep rock walls, covered in greyish-white icicles that looked like rows of sharp wolf fangs, exuding a sinister chill.
There were no trees in the middle of the hollow, only large patches of exposed blue-black rock covered by a thin layer of residual snow.
The wind seemed exceptionally strong here.
As it whistled through the crevices in the rocks, it made a 'woo woo' sound that indeed sounded a bit like some wild beast lowing, or perhaps the wailing of a vengeful soul.
“Is this that... Wolf Fang Gully?” Lin Wan tightened her white down jacket and instinctively leaned closer to Jiang Chen. “The sound is really a bit creepy.”
Su Qingge also slid down from Jiang Chen's back.
Though her legs were still a bit weak, at this moment, her curiosity as a science student overrode her fear.
She adjusted her sunglasses, walked to a huge rock, and reached out to touch the rock wall.
“The rock structure here is very strange.” Su Qingge frowned, her tone returning to a professional one. “The texture looks like volcanic rock, but this isn't a volcanic belt. And...”
She took off her glove and pressed her palm against a crevice in the rock to feel it.
“There's heat?” Su Qingge turned back to Jiang Chen in surprise. “Is there a heat source underground?”
“Not just a heat source, but a great treasure,” Jiang Chen said with a mysterious smile.
137: Chapter 137 Why is the back mountain so scary?
Just as they stepped into the U-shaped mountain pass, the bright sky suddenly seemed to be covered by a hazy, gray filter.
The steep rock walls on both sides were like two rows of a giant beast's fangs about to close, blocking the sunlight completely and only letting through a few dismal rays that shone on the blue-black scattered rocks covering the ground.
"Hiss—"
Chen Man, who had just been clamoring to be the "Adventure Queen," had now tucked both hands into her sleeves, wishing she could stick to Jiang Chen's back like an accessory.
The excitement in her peach blossom eyes was gone, replaced by pure terror, and her voice trembled, "I say, Boss Jiang, isn't this place a bit... you know?"
"A bit what?" Jiang Chen asked knowingly with a smirk. His hands weren't idle either; he inconspicuously pulled Lin Wan, who was walking on the outermost edge, toward the middle to avoid a patch of mossy rock that looked slippery.
"It's... eerie with Yin energy." Chen Man swallowed hard, her eyes darting around. "Look at those icicles; they look like the tongues of hanged ghosts. And the sound of the wind, wailing like crying souls. We're clearly here to deliver takeout to the King of Hell, aren't we?"
To match this terrifying atmosphere, Chen Man silently retracted the selfie stick she had been holding.
The viewers in the livestream were watching intently when the screen suddenly went black, and the bullet chat instantly exploded. But at this moment, Chen Man couldn't be bothered to explain to the Top Donors.
Compared to traffic, her life was more important.
Su Qingge had been walking at the back. Hearing Chen Man's words, although she still maintained her cold CEO persona, her pace honestly quickened by a few steps until she was almost stepping on Jiang Chen's heels.
"Superstition." Su Qingge pushed up the sunglasses on the bridge of her nose, trying to arm herself with science. "This is a typical Venturi Effect. When airflow passes through narrow terrain, the flow rate increases, creating negative pressure and noise. It's a very normal physical phenomenon. As for the low temperature, it's because this area is in the shade and doesn't receive sunlight year-round, plus the specific heat capacity of the rocks..."
She recited her facts fluently, but the hand clutching the hem of Jiang Chen's windbreaker had slightly white knuckles, betraying a hint of her inner unease.
"President Su is right; this is a wind gap." Jiang Chen stopped and turned to look at the three women who were practically huddling together, the amusement in his eyes deepening. "However, while this place looks scary, in terms of Feng Shui, it's actually a good spot."
"A good spot?" Lin Wan pulled her pure white down jacket tighter, her small face a bit pale from the cold, but her eyes still filled with trust as she looked at Jiang Chen. "It looks barren here; what's good about it?"
Jiang Chen was in no hurry to answer.
In his mind, he watched the red light flashing frantically on the system interface and the long string of dizzying zeros in the estimated value column.
"This is called 'Hidden Wind and Gathered Qi, Black Dragon Reaching its Claw'." Jiang Chen began to talk nonsense with a straight face, drawing a circle in the air and pointing at the dark rocks. "Look at these stones; their color is black with a hint of blue. That's a variation of 'Water produces Wood, Wood produces Fire.' Although it looks desolate now, there's a true Dragon Vein suppressed beneath. With just a little guidance, it'll bring overwhelming wealth."
If a blind fortune teller had said this, Chen Man would have definitely kicked them out.
But coming from Jiang Chen's mouth, combined with his domineeringly confident tone and the eerie surroundings, it somehow produced a strange sense of conviction.
"Really?" Chen Man poked her head out to look at the ugly rocks. "Just this pile of broken stones can generate money?"
"You'll find out in a bit whether it can generate money." Jiang Chen turned and continued deeper. "Keep close. The path here is difficult; don't fall behind. If anyone gets lost, I won't be responsible for coming back to find you. At most, I'll burn more paper money for you during next year's Qingming Festival."
"Pah, pah, pah! Take those words back!" Chen Man was so angry she punched him in the back. "Jiang Chen, can't you wish me some good luck for once?"
The further they went, the harder the path became.
There was no road at all, only a gentle slope made of piled-up scattered rocks.
When they stepped on them, the gravel would clatter down, which was unnerving to hear.
The surrounding temperature seemed to drop a few more degrees.
It wasn't the dry cold of winter, but a damp, eerie chill that seeped straight into the marrow of one's bones.
Lin Wan was struggling a bit, her breathing becoming rapid.
Unlike Chen Man, who exercised regularly, or Su Qingge, who, though pampered, had some physical stamina, this high-intensity rocky slope was a significant challenge for her.
"Here, give me your hand."
Jiang Chen had noticed long ago. He turned around and naturally extended his right hand.
Lin Wan froze for a moment, looking at the large hand in the black tactical glove, two red clouds appearing on her face. But she didn't act coy and obediently placed her hand in Jiang Chen's palm.
Even through the thick glove, she could still feel the strength being transmitted from him.
With a slight pull from Jiang Chen, Lin Wan felt herself light as a feather as she used his strength to leap over a deep ditch and land steadily on flat ground.
"Thank you..." Lin Wan said softly, her eyes shimmering like spring water.
"No need to be polite with me." Jiang Chen didn't let go; instead, he gripped her hand tighter. "This place is eerie. It's safer if you hold onto me."
Chen Man watched from the side, her pout deep enough to hang a bottle of oil, muttering sourly, "Favoritism! He wanted me to be a human tripod earlier, but now he won't let go of Sister Wan's hand. He's a total scumbag!"
Just as she was about to shove her own hand over, Su Qingge, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Su Qingge's voice was slightly off-key, not sounding like fear, but more like the shock of discovering a new continent.
She took off her sunglasses and stared fixedly at a hollow at the bottom of the right rock wall.
"What's wrong, Susu? Did you see a ghost?" Chen Man was startled and quickly grabbed Jiang Chen's other arm.
"It's not a ghost." Su Qingge walked forward a couple of steps and crouched down, her tone filled with disbelief. "This... what is this?"
The spot where Su Qingge crouched was a dead corner sheltered from the wind.
In the crevices of those blue-black rocks, a faint glimmer of deep blue light was actually showing through.
If one didn't look closely, they would surely think it was frost formed in the shade.
But who was Su Qingge? She was a strong woman who had built her career in the industrial sector. Although she hadn't done geological exploration, she was very familiar with all sorts of rare and high-end materials.
She took off one glove, wanting to see more clearly.
That touch of blue wasn't the cold blue of ice, but a deep blue that looked like solidified burning flames.
It was crystalline, embedded in the texture of the rock like scattered diamonds in the night sky, emitting an eerie and lethal attraction.
"This luster... it doesn't look like crystal or sapphire." Su Qingge murmured to herself, her professional instincts instantly kicking in. "With this refractive index, if this is an undiscovered new ore, its industrial value would be simply immeasurable."
Chen Man and Lin Wan also leaned in.
"Wow—it's so beautiful!" Chen Man instantly threw her previous fear to the back of her mind, her eyes full of little stars. "If this were pried off and made into a necklace, how sparkly would it be! This color is simply like 'Tears of the Mermaid'!"
Lin Wan was also amazed. "In such a cold place, how can such beautiful stones grow?"
Women naturally have no resistance to shiny things.
Su Qingge's rational shell was gradually crumbling, replaced by a feverish desire to explore.
She reached out her slender, fair hand, her fingertips trembling slightly as she slowly moved toward the largest blue crystal.
"If it's raw ore, it should have a special texture..."
Close.
Closer.
Just as Su Qingge's fingertips were less than two centimeters away from that deep blue, and she could even feel a faint current of air swirling around her fingertips—
A large hand appeared out of nowhere.
*Slap!*
Jiang Chen was like a hunting leopard, his movements so fast they stirred up a gust of wind. He grabbed Su Qingge's slender wrist with incredible force, showing no intention of being gentle, and jerked it back violently.
"Ah!"
Su Qingge didn't have time to react before she was pulled off balance by this brute force. She cried out, her body spinning half a turn as her back slammed heavily into a hot, hard embrace.
The impact was solid.
She could even feel the rock-hard muscles of Jiang Chen's chest pressing painfully against her spine.
"What are you doing?!" Su Qingge was still in shock, instinctively trying to struggle as she looked up and glared at Jiang Chen. "You hurt me!"
"Pain is better than being crippled."
Jiang Chen did not let go.
Not only did he not let go, but his other arm also wrapped around Su Qingge's waist, locking her firmly in his arms like a ragdoll, making it impossible for her to move.
His chin rested on the top of Su Qingge's head. His eyes, which were usually full of amusement, were now terrifyingly cold as they stared fixedly at the deep blue stone.
"Jiang Chen, what are you going crazy for?" Chen Man was also frightened by this. "It's just a broken stone! Is it necessary to be so mean to Susu?"
"A broken stone?" Jiang Chen sneered. "If she had touched this thing, President Su's hand—the one that's supposed to sign contracts worth hundreds of millions in the future—would probably have to be amputated."
Those words were so heavy that the three women instantly fell silent.
Su Qingge stopped struggling and looked up at Jiang Chen's cold, hard jawline, her heart pounding. "This... what exactly is this? Is it poisonous?"
"It's more troublesome than poison." Jiang Chen obviously couldn't say the system had prompted him that this was "High-energy radiation associated ore." Touching it might not lead to amputation, but skin burns and blistering were certain.
His eyes darted around as his "mystic" theory came back online.
"This is called 'Netherworld Fire,' condensed from Earthly Baleful Qi." Jiang Chen looked down at the slightly pale but still breathtakingly beautiful face in his arms, his tone softening slightly with a hint of intimidation and a touch of pampering. "It looks pretty, but its temperature is actually extremely low, and it's highly corrosive. If you touch it, that layer of skin would be frozen off instantly, and then the poison would seep into your bones."
"Earthly Baleful Qi... Netherworld Fire?" Su Qingge was stunned.
Normally, she would have denounced this as feudal superstition.
But at this moment, she was completely enveloped by Jiang Chen's unquestionable, domineering aura. The strong male pheromones caused her brain to short-circuit.
"Then... you didn't have to use so much force." Su Qingge's voice softened, carrying a hint of a pout that even she didn't notice. "You almost crushed my wrist."
Jiang Chen finally released his grip on her wrist, but the hand around her waist did not let go. Instead, he tightened it even more brazenly, pulling their bodies closer together.
"Sorry, I didn't control myself in the heat of the moment." Jiang Chen said he was sorry, but there wasn't a hint of guilt on his face. He even went a step further, lowering his head to Su Qingge's ear. "However, President Su's waist is really soft; I can't get enough of holding it."
Su Qingge's face instantly turned bright red, as if someone had splashed chili oil on it.
"You—! Let go of me!" She pushed Jiang Chen in embarrassment and anger, but the movement was weak, more like a feigned resistance.
138: Chapter 138 Eating Hot Pot
"Alright, stop hugging."
Chen Man leaned her head in sourly from the side like a food-protecting kitten, forcibly squeezing out every bit of the ambiguous air between Jiang Chen and Su Qingge.
"If you keep hugging, Sister Wan and I are going to freeze into two 'Husband-awaiting Rocks' in the snow."
Su Qingge was like a cat that had its tail stepped on, instantly springing away from that dizzying warmth.
She tidied her slightly messy bangs and pushed her sunglasses back onto the bridge of her nose, trying to use the black lenses to hide the blush that hadn't yet faded from her face.
"Who... who cares about hugging?"
Su Qingge spoke stubbornly, but her momentum had clearly been cut in half.
"This was a tactical retreat to prevent being burned by that... whatever ghost fire."
Jiang Chen smiled and didn't expose her.
"Let's go. There's a leeward platform up ahead, perfect for a rest."
Jiang Chen pointed to a huge protruding rock not far away. The place was surrounded by mountains on three sides, perfectly blocking the sinister draft blowing through Wolf Fang Gully.
"A rest?" Hearing those words, Chen Man became like a deflated ball, hanging her entire body weight on Jiang Chen's arm. "What's the use of a rest? My stomach is playing the 'Empty Fort Strategy' right now. The calories from climbing just now are long gone."
As she spoke, she pulled piteously at Jiang Chen's sleeve. "Boss, does your bag only have those compressed biscuits? Or the kind of beef jerky that's hard enough to break a tooth? Let me say this first—this young lady cannot swallow that kind of dog-food-like stuff."
Lin Wan gently tried to smooth things over from the side: "Having food at all is good enough. In this kind of wilderness, as long as we can fill our stomachs, it's fine. I still have half a thermos of hot water in my bag. Manman, do you want a sip first?"
"Sister Wan is the only one who pities me." Chen Man was just about to lean her mouth in.
Jiang Chen directly reached out and pressed down on the thermos in Lin Wan's hand.
"Who said we're eating compressed biscuits?" Jiang Chen unhurriedly took off the hiking bag from his back, which didn't look very bulky, and placed it on a flat bluestone slab that looked like a table.
The sound of the zipper opening was exceptionally crisp in the silent valley.
"I don't have many other virtues, but when it comes to eating, I never wrong myself."
Under the curious gazes of the three women, Jiang Chen began taking things out like Doraemon pulling items from his pocket.
First was a folding windproof Butane Stove.
Next were two butane gas canisters specifically for high-altitude use.
Then came a very sophisticated-looking brass 'mandarin duck' split pot.
"This... this is?" Su Qingge pushed her sunglasses up. Her cold and elegant face finally couldn't hold its composure, revealing an expression as if she had seen an alien landing.
"You carried a pot up the mountain?"
"I'm not done yet."
Jiang Chen's hands didn't stop.
Four exquisite Japanese-style bento boxes were lined up in order.
The moment the lids were lifted, the fresh, sweet scent unique to chilled meat—even in the sub-zero air—domineeringly forced its way into everyone's noses.
The first box contained M9 Wagyu ribeye with marble-like patterns, sliced as thin as a cicada's wing. The red and white contrast against the snow light made it look like a work of art.
The second box contained cleaned deep-sea shrimp paste and crunchy tripe.
The third box was a platter of drippingly fresh organic vegetables.
The last box contained pre-mixed special Kawasaki Dipping Sauce and sesame oil with minced garlic.
*Gulp.*
Someone, at this serious moment, very ungracefully swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Chen Man's eyes widened. The light in those peach-blossom eyes was even brighter than when she saw the sapphire earlier.
She pointed at the table full of ingredients comparable to a Michelin-starred kitchen, her fingers trembling: "Jiang... Jiang Chen, are you here for an adventure or a spring outing?"
"This is called quality of life."
Jiang Chen skillfully connected the gas canister and clicked the ignition with a 'snap.'
A blue flame danced stubbornly in the cold wind, instantly bringing a hint of cozy warmth to this frozen world.
He then pulled two large bottles of pre-boiled beef bone broth from the side pocket of his bag, unscrewed the caps, and poured them into the pot with a 'gurgle, gurgle' sound.
"We can start dipping once the water boils." Jiang Chen stuffed a pair of clean serving chopsticks into the hands of the stunned Lin Wan and winked at her. "Sister Wan, this is your specialty. Today's Michelin feast in the wild depends on your skills."
Lin Wan held the chopsticks, looking at the gradually boiling soup base, and a supremely gentle smile bloomed on her face.
"Okay, leave it to me."
She took off her gloves, revealing a pair of pale, bare hands, and began adding the meat with practiced movements.
Su Qingge stood by the side, watching this extremely absurd yet extremely harmonious scene.
This was the uninhabited, supposedly haunted Wolf Fang Gully. Beneath their feet was permafrost that hadn't melted for ten thousand years, and above them was a gloomy, narrow strip of sky.
But right here.
This man had forcibly turned what could have been a pathetic wilderness survival situation into an exquisitely luxurious snow party.
"Jiang Chen." Su Qingge looked at him with a complicated gaze. "As long as you have money, can you turn life into poetry anywhere?"
Jiang Chen picked up a piece of freshly cooked tripe, rolled it in the oil dip, stuffed it into his mouth, and squinted his eyes in satisfaction.
"President Su, 'poetry and distant lands' are too ethereal." Jiang Chen pointed at the pot of steaming meat. "Only the Wagyu in your stomach is real."
White steam rose in the valley, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding eerie icicles.
The soup base in the pot bubbled. The rich aroma, a blend of beef tallow, Sichuan peppercorns, and bone broth, domineeringly dispelled all the cold.
"Here, this one is cooked." Lin Wan was the perfect example of a virtuous wife and mother.
She didn't even bother to eat herself; her chopsticks flew back and forth, precisely distributing every piece of perfectly cooked beef into the three bowls.
"President Su, this piece is the ribeye, the most tender. Try it." Lin Wan placed a piece of beef coated in red oil into Su Qingge's bowl, her voice gentle. "Be careful, it's hot." Su Qingge said thank you somewhat unnaturally.
She took off her gloves, held the portable stainless steel chopsticks, and picked up the meat.
It melted in her mouth.
The aroma of the fat exploded on the tip of her tongue, and the heat slid down her esophagus into her stomach like a pair of warm hands, instantly ironing out all the wrinkles and cold in her body.
"Mmm..." Su Qingge couldn't help but let out a very slight sigh of praise. Her eyes, which were always scrutinizing, now squinted slightly like a Persian cat that had been stroked.
"How is it? This roadside stall isn't bad, right?"
Jiang Chen held a self-heating thermos cup. Inside wasn't tea, but warmed mulled wine; the scent of cinnamon and cloves drifted in the air.
"It's... passable." Su Qingge spoke stubbornly, but the speed at which her chopsticks reached into the pot clearly accelerated. "It's mainly because the ingredients are fresh; it has nothing to do with your crude cooking environment."
"Tch, saying one thing but meaning another." Chen Man was already having a blast eating.
To make eating easier, this vixen had unzipped the collar of her windbreaker a little, revealing the tight-fitting base layer underneath.
With a mulled wine glass in one hand and chopsticks in the other, she ate until her lips were bright red, as if coated in the most tempting lip glaze.
"Boss, this wine is good." Chen Man took a sip of the mulled wine. Two beautiful blushes had already risen on her bright face, and her eyes became misty with a hint of seductive intoxication. "My body is warm, and my heart is warm too." Chen Man suddenly leaned forward, staring straight at Jiang Chen with those peach-blossom eyes across the steaming brass pot. "It's just my legs... they're still a bit cold." Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Chen felt something lightly touch his calf under the table.
It was her snow boot.
But this action was definitely not accidental.
That foot slowly rubbed up his pant leg with a pressure that was neither light nor heavy, carrying an extremely obvious teasing intent.
Even through the thick ski pants, he could feel the current crawling up his calf.
Jiang Chen glanced down.
The tablecloth (actually a moisture-proof mat) hung down, perfectly blocking all views.
Jiang Chen looked up at Chen Man.
She was biting the tip of her chopsticks, looking at Jiang Chen with innocent eyes, but the mischievous smile at the corner of her mouth couldn't be hidden no matter how hard she tried.
"Cold?" Jiang Chen calmly clamped that restless leg. Using a bit of clever force, he fixed her foot between his legs, making her unable to move.
"If you're cold, eat more mutton. It strengthens the yang and tonifies the kidneys."
Jiang Chen picked up a large portion of mutton slices and stuffed them directly into Chen Man's bowl, his tone flat. "Don't do those frivolous things, or you'll get too much internal heat."
Chen Man felt her foot locked tight. She tried to pull it twice but couldn't move it, and the expression on her face instantly became a sight to behold.
It was part shame and annoyance, part excitement from having succeeded in her provocation.
"Hmph, you don't understand romance."
Chen Man muttered in a low voice, but she didn't dare to act up again and obediently lowered her head to eat meat.
Only her gaze would drift over from time to time.
"What are you talking about?" Su Qingge was focusing on wrestling with a piece of shrimp paste and didn't notice the undercurrents beneath the table at all.
139: Chapter 139 This is clearly a way to give the King of Hell a performance bonus.
Inside the steaming copper pot, red oil bubbled and white mist swirled. A slice of M9 Wagyu beef had just changed color, reaching its most exquisite texture.
However, at this moment, the battle under the table was even more intense than the one in the pot.
Chen Man’s foot, clad in a snow boot, had originally intended to be a flirtatious little minx, but it was now clamped by Jiang Chen’s long legs like a pair of iron pincers; even a slight movement was a struggle.
Her face, which had been full of seductive flirtation, was now flushed red, seemingly from both embarrassment and anger.
"Jiang Chen..." Chen Man bit the tip of her chopsticks and lowered her voice. Her peach-blossom eyes shimmered with a watery light, carrying a hint of a plea for mercy. "Loosen up a bit, will you? My leg is numb."
"Numb?" Jiang Chen calmly poured himself a glass of mulled wine, his tone as flat as if he were discussing the weather. "Didn't you just say you were cold? I'm giving you some local heating; you should be thanking me instead."
"You're just being vindictive!" Chen Man indignantly stuffed a piece of beef tripe into her mouth. Before she could even chew, her gaze suddenly darted to the side, looking to Su Qingge for help.
Su Qingge was elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth with a tissue, completely oblivious to the undercurrents surging beneath the table.
She adjusted the sunglasses on the bridge of her nose, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding eerie forest of jagged rocks, her brow furrowing slightly. "The wind direction here has changed. It was a northwest wind just a moment ago, but now it feels like it's swirling in circles. And..."
*Snap.*
An extremely soft yet crisp sound abruptly cut off Su Qingge's words.
The sound didn't seem like wind blowing against rocks; it sounded more like dry, dead wood being snapped under the weight of something heavy.
In this silence, where only the sound of the wind and chewing could be heard, the noise was as startling as a clap of thunder.
Jiang Chen’s hand, holding the wine glass, instantly froze in mid-air.
The legs that had been "sparring" with Chen Man under the table also released their grip.
His eyes, which usually carried a hint of a smile, narrowed instantly like a hawk's. His gaze shot past everyone’s heads, darting straight toward a thicket about fifty meters away to the front right.
"What's wrong?" Lin Wan was the first to notice the change in Jiang Chen’s aura. She hadn't even put down her strainer, and the gentle smile on her face hadn't had time to fade before it was replaced by a look of tension.
Jiang Chen didn't speak; he just slowly set down his wine glass. The bottom of the glass tapped against the folding table with a soft "clink."
He raised a finger to his lips, making a "shushing" gesture.
The previously lively hot pot gathering went cold in an instant.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
Chen Man’s foot, which had been causing trouble earlier, had long since retracted and was now tucked away properly.
She swallowed hard and whispered, "Um... Boss, don't scare me. Is it that 'Wild Donkey' thing coming? Are the four of us even enough to fill its stomach?"
"Shut up," Su Qingge scolded in a low voice, though her voice carried a clear, subtle tremor.
She instinctively leaned closer to Jiang Chen, her grip on her chopsticks turning her knuckles white.
Jiang Chen stood up.
His movements were light, like a leopard poised to strike.
He reached behind his waist for a short-handled machete he had used to clear the path earlier. The black scabbard reflected the snowy light, emitting a cold, sharp aura.
"The three of you, stay here," Jiang Chen said in a low voice, but with a tone of command that brooked no argument. "No matter what you hear, don't run around. Especially you, Chen Man—if you dare run off, I'll leave you here to feed the wolves."
"I won't run! I won't run even if you kill me!" Chen Man shook her head like a rattle and grabbed Lin Wan’s arm.
Although Lin Wan was also afraid, she maintained her composure as the eldest sister. She patted the back of Chen Man’s hand and looked at Jiang Chen with concern. "Xiao Jiang, where... where are you going?"
"To see exactly what kind of sacred being this 'Mountain God' is."
A playful curve appeared at the corner of Jiang Chen’s mouth. He gave the machete a stylish flourish and sheathed it with a "shing," though he didn't snap the safety buckle, ready to draw blood at any moment.
He turned around, stepping over the jagged rocks and crouching low as he crept toward the source of the sound step by step.
The wind grew stronger.
The howling wind whistled through the crevices in the rocks, sounding remarkably like a woman’s weeping.
Su Qingge watched Jiang Chen’s receding figure, her nerves pulled taut. She glanced at the pot of boiling red broth beside her, but she no longer had any appetite.
"What kind of hellish place is this..." Su Qingge murmured to herself, taking off her sunglasses. Her eyes, which were usually decisive and sharp, were now filled with panic. "I should have just stayed in the car."
"Su Su, do you think..." Chen Man’s voice carried a hint of a sob as she practically huddled into Lin Wan’s embrace. "Is there a ghost over there? I thought I saw the dry grass move just now, like a hand was beckoning me over..."
"Don't scare yourself!" Although Su Qingge was acting tough, she couldn't help but huddle closer to Lin Wan.
Three top-tier beauties, who were usually radiant and powerful, were now like three startled quails, huddled around a small folding table, staring at the back of the man walking further and further away.
Jiang Chen had now reached the edge of the thicket.
There were no Wild Donkeys, nor any ghosts.
There was only a patch of messy, flattened dry grass and a long trail dragged through the snow.
It was the mark of a heavy object being dragged.
Jiang Chen crouched down and reached out to touch the trail.
It wasn't mud.
A sticky, warm sensation came from his fingertips. He brought his finger to his nose and sniffed; a faint, metallic smell of blood instantly filled his nostrils.
It was blood.
And it was fresh.
Jiang Chen’s heart skipped a beat or two, but he didn't lose his cool.
He followed the blood trail with his eyes.
At the end of his line of sight was a derelict trap, half-covered by snow.
It was a pit once used by old hunters to catch wild boars or bears, usually two or three meters deep, with rusted leg-hold traps at the bottom.
With the mountains closed for reforestation over the years, such traps had long been abandoned, but in heavy snow, they became the most lethal invisible killers.
And the blood trail stopped abruptly at the edge of that trap.
On the snow at the edge of the trap was an extremely clear handprint.
It wasn't the paw print of a wild beast.
It was a human handprint.
The five fingers were spread wide, clawing deeply into the snow. It seemed as if the fingernails had snapped in that instant, leaving behind several shocking scratch marks.
The snow around the handprint had been stained a startling crimson, as if a large glass of cheap red wine had been spilled onto the pure white snow.
Jiang Chen gripped the handle of his knife.
He slowly leaned forward and looked down into the dark bottom of the pit.
140: Chapter 140 The Broken Porcelain Doll in the Beast-Trapping Pit
The bottom of the pit wasn't as dark as he had imagined.
Although the midday sun was dim, its reflection off the snow managed to illuminate this small space.
A stronger scent of blood, mixed with the musty smell of ancient decayed soil, rushed to his head.
Jiang Chen first saw a messy pile of withered branches and leaves; they were the camouflage for the trap's opening, now all collapsed at the bottom.
And amidst that heap of rotting debris, a bundle of indistinguishable color lay curled up.
Like a ragdoll, discarded by someone in this corner forgotten by the world.
"Hey?" Jiang Chen called out tentatively, his voice low, afraid of startling something or triggering an avalanche.
That bundle of "rags" twitched slightly.
Just this extremely faint tremor made Jiang Chen certain—this was a person.
He hesitated no longer, tucked the machete behind his waist, spotted a slightly sloped foothold, and leaped straight down.
With a dull thud.
Jiang Chen landed steadily.
The pit was deeper than it looked from above, about three meters or so. Only a freak like him, with a body enhanced by the system, would dare to jump like that; anyone else's legs would have gone numb from the shock.
The moment he landed, the smell of blood became intense to the extreme.
Jiang Chen strode to the figure in two steps and reached out to brush away the layer of dry grass covering them.
It was a girl.
In this world of ice and snow, she was dressed alarmingly thin.
A windbreaker whose original color was no longer visible, its cuffs frayed into fringes, with two very conspicuous patches on it.
On her lower body was a pair of faded jeans; currently, the thigh area of her right leg was soaked in blood, turning a dark, blackish-purple.
A large, rusty leg-hold trap, its two rows of hideous serrated teeth, was biting firmly into her thigh.
"Are you still alive?"
Jiang Chen frowned and reached out to turn her over.
The touch was incredibly light; this girl was so thin she hardly looked like an adult, feeling as if she were nothing but a bag of bones.
As her body was turned over, a face was revealed.
Jiang Chen froze for a moment.
He had seen too many beauties. Su Qingge, the cold and noble queen; Chen Man, the seductive enchantress; Lin Wan, the gentle and virtuous lady.
But the face before him was different from all of them.
If Su Qingge was a thorny red rose, then this girl was a white pear blossom knocked into the mud by a storm.
Even with mud and blood on her face, even with lips as pale as paper from excessive blood loss, it still couldn't hide that breathtaking beauty.
It was an extremely fragile, sickly beauty with a strong scholarly air. Her eyelashes were long, dusted with fine ice crystals, and there were dark shadows under her tightly closed eyes.
In her arms, even while unconscious, she was still clutching something tightly.
It was a thick notebook.
The edges of the kraft paper cover were worn, and there was half a bloody handprint on it, but one could still clearly see a line of small, elegant handwriting in pen: "Wolf Fang Gully Geological Fault Exploration Records: Volume III"
Below that was an even smaller signature: Yanjing University of Geosciences · Bai Lu.
Jiang Chen looked at this small face, not even as big as his palm, and felt a mix of emotions.
"Cold..."
The girl in his arms suddenly let out an extremely faint murmur, her body instinctively shrinking toward the heat source. Her hand unconsciously grabbed Jiang Chen's lapel, her survival instinct refusing to let go even in unconsciousness.
Jiang Chen reached out and touched her forehead.
Burning hot.
This was a high fever caused by wound infection; combined with prolonged hypothermia, this girl was already hovering at death's door.
He couldn't delay any longer.
Jiang Chen stood up and roared toward the top of the pit:
"Sister Wan! Bring the first aid kit! Fast!"
This shout pierced through the sound of the wind and reached the hot pot stall not far away.
The three women, who were already anxious, shuddered at the sound of the shout.
"Is someone there?" Lin Wan was the first to react. She threw down her chopsticks, turned, and lunged toward the large backpack sitting on a rock.
"What's going on? Is there really a wild man?" Chen Man was still in a daze.
"Where would a wild man come from? Didn't you hear him shouting for the first aid kit?" Su Qingge, after all, had seen much of the world. Though her face was pale, her mind worked fast. "Someone must be injured. Let's go and see!"
Lin Wan quickly rummaged through and found the red first aid kit. It was a top-tier outdoor medical kit Jiang Chen had specially prepared, even containing epinephrine.
"Manman, give me a hand!" Lin Wan put on the bag, no longer caring about her lady-like image, and ran toward Jiang Chen, stumbling through the deep snow.
The three women stumbled to the edge of the pit.
Looking down, they all gasped.
On the snowy white ground, the glaring pool of blood looked like a burst of fireworks.
And the man who haunted their dreams was kneeling on one knee in that pool of blood, holding a very thin person whose face they couldn't see clearly.
"Oh my god..." Chen Man covered her mouth, her peach-blossom eyes full of shock. "Is... is this a murder scene?"
"Stop talking nonsense! Throw the bag down!" Jiang Chen didn't even look up; he was busy unzipping the girl's tattered windbreaker to check the wound.
Lin Wan quickly dropped the first aid kit down along the pit wall.
Thud.
The bag landed at Jiang Chen's feet.
Jiang Chen grabbed the kit, his movements as skilled as a combat medic.
"Bear with it, it might hurt a lot."
He whispered to the girl in his arms, though he knew she couldn't hear him.
Then, his hands gripped both sides of the rusty leg-hold trap.
The atmosphere at the bottom of the pit was even heavier than above.
Jiang Chen's hands, which usually either gripped a steering wheel or held a wine glass, now had veins bulging as every muscle exerted force.
The rusty trap had an incredible bite; without real strength, an ordinary person couldn't pry it open at all.
Creak—
A tooth-gritting sound of metal grinding echoed.
Those two rows of bloody serrated teeth were forced open by Jiang Chen's brute strength.
Even in her coma, the intense pain made the girl's body jerk violently. A pained whimper escaped her throat, and her already pale face contorted in agony.
"Alright, it's over."
Jiang Chen threw the harmful hunk of iron aside with force. It hit a rock with a "clank," which felt satisfying to hear.
His hands didn't stop, quickly pulling a tourniquet and sterile gauze from the kit.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
At the top of the pit, Chen Man poked half her head out. Watching Jiang Chen's fluid movements, she couldn't help but feel a bit sour. "Look at our Boss Jiang's technique. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was some master gynecologist. He's so gentle with that little girl, yet he was so hesitant when I asked him for a back-ride just now."
"Shut up." Su Qingge stood nearby. Though her tone was cold, her eyes were also fixed on the bottom of the pit. "This person has arterial bleeding; they'll die if he's any later. You're still acting jealous at a time like this?"
"Is this jealousy? I'm standing up for us sisters!" Chen Man huffed, but she couldn't help taking a few more looks at the girl in Jiang Chen's arms. "But in all honesty, though this girl is dressed like a beggar, her face is truly pure. That... pity-inducing feeling, any man would soften up."
Lin Wan didn't say anything; she just stared intently below, her palms drenched in sweat.
141: Chapter 141 This is a test of my cadre's composure.
Jiang Chen knelt there, the snow beneath his knees already stained a deep red.
The girl in his arms was as light as a feather, her face as pale as the surrounding snow. Only the slight trembling of her eyelashes beneath her closed eyes proved that she was still breathing.
"Give me the first aid kit." Jiang Chen didn't even look up, having no time to worry about the three women peering down from above.
"Catch!" Lin Wan's voice carried a hint of panic. The red first aid kit fell like a life-saving straw from the sky, landing with a thud right next to Jiang Chen's hand.
Jiang Chen supported the girl's neck with one hand and deftly unzipped the first aid kit with the other.
His movements were swift yet steady, showing no sign of panic.
He first took out a bottle of medical alcohol, then pulled out a roll of hemostatic bandages.
But when his gaze fell on the jeans leg mangled by the Bear trap, his brow furrowed deeply.
The pants were old-fashioned fleece-lined denim, thick to begin with. Now, soaked in blood and rapidly freezing in the minus twenty-degree temperature, they had become as hard as sheet metal, clinging tightly to the wound.
To treat the wound, these pants had to be removed.
"These pants can't stay." Jiang Chen pulled out his Swiss Army knife from his waist and flipped out the scissors. "The blood has frozen to the fabric. Tearing it off would take a layer of skin with it."
Hearing this, Chen Man, whose face was already a bit pale from fear, suddenly looked as if she were about to watch a good show.
"Oh, Boss Jiang, getting hands-on already?" Chen Man leaned over the edge of the pit, her tone dripping with sarcasm as if she had just drunk a bottle of aged vinegar. "Have you been wanting to do this for a long time? Out here in the middle of nowhere, just a man and a woman... tsk, tsk, tsk..."
"Would it kill you to shut up?" Su Qingge shot her a cold look. Although her tone was unfriendly, her eyes behind her sunglasses remained fixed on the scene below. "This is wound debridement. If you don't understand, stop being so cynical."
"Fine, fine, I'm just a vulgar person while you're all saints." Chen Man curled her lip but still leaned further down. "Jiang Chen, keep your hands steady. Don't take advantage of the situation."
Jiang Chen couldn't be bothered to respond to her.
"Bear with it," he whispered, inserting the scissors into the opening at the bottom of the pant leg.
Riiip—
The sound of fabric being cut sounded particularly jarring in the quiet pit.
As the stiff denim was sliced open bit by bit, the leg that had been covered was exposed to the air without reservation, and also to the three pairs of eyes above, each with a different expression.
It was an incredibly beautiful leg.
Although the wound on the thigh was a bloody mess and looked shocking, the rest of the skin was as delicate as the finest mutton-fat jade, with smooth, tight lines and not a trace of excess fat.
Against the backdrop of the dark red blood, that pale skin tone instead exuded an almost eerie beauty.
Gulp.
Someone above swallowed hard.
Chen Man's eyes widened. The criticism she was about to voice took a sharp turn: "This... this leg shape is quite something. Straight and long—she's definitely been blessed by the heavens!"
As she spoke, she subconsciously glanced down at her own long legs, which she was so proud of, and felt a slight twinge of jealousy.
"Stop staring and pass down the hot water." Jiang Chen didn't look up; his scissors continued upward, cutting all the way to the upper thigh, leaving only the last bit of fabric for modesty.
When the cold wind blew, although the girl was still unconscious, her body instinctively recoiled, and a layer of goosebumps immediately appeared on her pale leg.
"Sister Wan, throw down that spare down jacket." Jiang Chen tossed the torn fabric aside and pressed his palm against the cold leg, applying a bit of pressure to the femoral artery to try and slow the bleeding.
The touch from his palm was delicate and icy, like touching a piece of exquisite soft jade that had just been unearthed.
"Catch!" Lin Wan hurriedly pulled a long men's down jacket from her bag, balled it up, and threw it down.
Jiang Chen caught it but didn't rush to put it on her. Instead, he padded the thick garment beneath her to insulate her from the cold of the snow.
"Alcohol." Jiang Chen unscrewed the cap.
High-concentration medical alcohol was poured directly onto the gruesome wound.
"Mmm..."
Even in a deep coma, the piercing pain caused the girl in his arms to react instantly.
Her body tensed like a fully drawn bow, her arms flailing wildly before finally wrapping tightly around Jiang Chen's neck.
Her pale little face crumpled in agony, and like a frightened small animal, she desperately burrowed into Jiang Chen's embrace, as if trying to melt into his warm body.
Looking down from above, this scene was practically a major "Shura field."
The zipper of the girl's Windbreaker was already open, and underneath she wore only a thin gray sweater, which was now pressed tightly against Jiang Chen's chest.
Her smooth thigh rubbed unreservedly against Jiang Chen's Ski pants.
The posture was so intimate it made one's heart race.
"Hey, hey, hey! This is too much!" Chen Man stomped her feet in frustration, making the snow crunch. "Treating her is one thing, but why the hugging? Have you no shame?"
Su Qingge didn't speak; she simply pushed up her glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light.
She watched the woman clinging to Jiang Chen, her lips pressed into a thin line, her grip on her hiking pole so tight it started to bend.
While quickly bandaging the wound with gauze, Jiang Chen took a moment to reply, "If you have time to be jealous, you should be thinking about how we're going to get her out of here."
"Who... who's jealous!" Chen Man reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I'm just afraid you won't be able to control yourself! With the three of us beauties watching from up here, how can you even do that?"
Jiang Chen ignored her again, his hands moving rapidly.
Stopping the bleeding, disinfecting, and bandaging—it was all done in one smooth motion.
But this was only the first step.
The bigger problem was hypothermia.
The girl was freezing cold and had already begun to show signs of stiffness. If her body temperature didn't rise, no amount of wound care would matter.
Jiang Chen sighed, looking at the shivering "trouble" in his arms, and silently apologized for what he was about to do.
"It seems I have no choice but to use that move."
142: Chapter 142 President Su Wants to Call the Police
Jiang Chen knelt in the snow hollow, the girl in his arms shaking like a phone on vibrate mode. It wasn't because of fear, but pure cold; her core body temperature had dropped drastically, and her teeth were chattering with a grating sound that made one's own teeth ache.
"That... Boss Jiang," Chen Man lay on the edge of the pit, leaning half her body over with her eyes wide and round, "the 'move' you mentioned, it couldn't possibly be the kind of R-rated scene I'm imagining in my head, right?"
Jiang Chen ignored her and directly reached out to unzip his thick hardshell jacket all the way to the bottom.
With a sharp zipping sound,
the black jacket fell open, revealing the tight-fitting base layer underneath. It was specifically designed for outdoor sports, a thin layer clinging to his body. The outlines of his pectoral and abdominal muscles looked as if they were sculpted, rising and falling with his breath, his hormones practically overflowing.
Su Qingge's brow twitched as she watched from above; the poor hiking pole in her hand had likely suffered internal damage by now.
She took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her cold and aloof tone: "Jiang Chen, this is medical first aid, don't... don't go too far."
"Too far?" Jiang Chen looked up and glanced at the three 'Great Buddhas' above who were about to overturn their jars of jealousy, yet his hands didn't stop for a second. "President Su, didn't your MBA courses teach you how to treat hypothermia? In this situation, besides an infusion of warm saline, the fastest and most effective method is active rewarming using body heat."
As he spoke, he directly stripped away the girl's tattered, wet, and cold clothes that felt as stiff as sheet metal.
"Ah!"
Three exclamations rang out in unison from above.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen was still a gentleman; he didn't actually strip her naked, leaving her in a close-fitting camisole.
But even so, the visual impact of that large expanse of snowy-white, delicate skin exposed to the air was no joke.
The girl was thin, but her frame was truly well-proportioned. Her collarbones were deep enough to hold water. Although her skin lacked color, that sickly paleness instead gave off a fragile feeling that made one want to pull her into their arms and protect her.
"Forgive me, forgive me," Jiang Chen muttered, but his body honestly pressed against hers.
In that instant, it was a collision of ice and fire.
The person in his arms was like a block of eternal ice. The moment she touched Jiang Chen's burning chest, she was like a moth to a flame, instinctively letting out a comfortable whimper.
"Mnh..."
The sound was incredibly soft and sweet, with a hint of nasality and a lingering hook at the end.
"I can't take it anymore!" Chen Man stamped her feet in anger above, treading that small patch of snow until it looked like it had been rooted up by a wild boar. "Jiang Chen! I'm cold too! I feel like I'm hypothermic as well! I'm coming down right now to 'rewarm' with you!"
"That's you being horny, not hypothermic." Jiang Chen took the oversized men's down jacket Lin Wan had thrown down earlier and wrapped it directly around the two of them, bundling them up like a tight rice dumpling.
In the narrow space, two bodies were pressed tightly together.
The girl's hands were terrifyingly cold, unconsciously slipping under the hem of Jiang Chen's shirt to press against the burning skin of his waist.
Jiang Chen sucked in a breath of cold air. That sensation truly felt like being shocked by ice, yet also like an electric current passing through him.
"Behave yourself," Jiang Chen warned in a low voice, though he knew the girl couldn't hear him.
He reached out to hold her slender waist, pressing her deeper into his embrace, attempting to use his own body temperature to melt this block of ice.
The inside of the down jacket was filled with the girl's scent.
It wasn't the scent of perfume, but a faint, crisp aroma like old paper mixed with soil, along with a slight, pleasant, chilly body fragrance.
Su Qingge looked down at the large black cocoon. From time to time, the rustling of clothes rubbing together and the heavy breathing necessitated by the close embrace drifted out.
Her cold and elegant face finally couldn't hold its composure, turning half-dark with annoyance.
"Lin Wan," Su Qingge turned to look at Lin Wan, who also had a conflicted expression, "do you think if we go down now, it would count as interrupting his 'good time'?"
Lin Wan bit her lip, her eyes full of worry yet tinged with sourness. "President Su, although we should believe in Little Jiang's character... with a lone man and woman wrapped in one 'blanket' like this... it really is a test of a man's self-control."
"Test my ass!" Chen Man couldn't take it anymore and rolled up her sleeves. "I can't stand it! This isn't saving someone; this is clearly filming an R-rated spin-off of 'Beauty and the Beast' in the middle of nowhere! I have to go down and supervise him!"
With that, the headstrong woman didn't care how deep the pit was and slid directly down the slope on the side.
"Hey! Manman!" Lin Wan didn't even have time to shout.
Chen Man scrambled and slid to the bottom of the pit with a terrifyingly loud commotion, kicking up a cloud of snow dust.
She rushed aggressively toward the "conjoined twins." Just as she was about to reach out and pull them apart, Jiang Chen poked his head out from the collar of the down jacket.
His handsome face was covered in sweat—partly from the heat, and partly from restraint.
He made a "shh" gesture to Chen Man, his eyes shining dark. "Don't make a scene. Her heartbeat just stabilized. If you keep fussing, we'll really be burning incense for her funeral."
Chen Man's flare of anger was instantly halved by that single look.
She sullenly withdrew her hand and crouched to the side like a Golden Retriever scolded by its owner, staring pitifully at the slightly trembling bundle of the down jacket. "Then you... don't let your hands wander. I'm doing this to maintain the purity of our team."
"Both my hands are rubbing her back to generate heat; how would I have time to wander?" Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. "As for you, pull back that gaze of yours; it's making my skin crawl."
Just as he spoke, the person in his arms suddenly moved.
The girl's eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly flapping its wings. Then, those tightly closed eyes slowly opened.
Her gaze was hazy, carrying the daze of someone who had just woken up.
The first thing she saw wasn't the sliver of gray sky above, but Jiang Chen's chin right in front of her, along with his extremely masculine Adam's apple.
"You're awake?" Jiang Chen felt the movement in his arms and looked down.
Their faces were so close that their noses almost brushed against each other.
The girl froze for a full three seconds before her brain slowly began to process the situation.
She was shamelessly being held in someone's arms, and it was the kind of embrace... with almost no distance between them.
Worst of all, she could clearly feel something hard pressing against her thigh.
"Ah—!"
A weak but still sharp scream exploded at the bottom of the pit.
Although the decibel level wasn't very high, in a snow pit full of echoes, the effect was similar to having a reverb turned on.
"Shut up!" Jiang Chen's ears rang from the shriek, and he instinctively reached out to cover her mouth.
The sensation under his palm was as soft as tofu, carrying a bit of moist warmth.
The girl's eyes widened in terror like a little rabbit that had fallen into a wolf's den. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes as she desperately tried to shrink back, but this movement pulled at the wound on her thigh.
"Ugh!" A muffled groan escaped her as the pain made cold sweat break out. Her small face, which had just regained some color, instantly turned pale again.
"Don't move. I just bandaged you up; if it bursts open again, I'm not responsible for stitching it," Jiang Chen said, letting go and pulling back slightly. However, for warmth, the two were still wrapped in that down jacket, their posture still ambiguously close enough to make one's teeth itch.
At this time, Su Qingge and Lin Wan also slid down the slope.
The three 'Great Buddhas' formed a semi-circle, surrounding the two of them tightly.
That sense of pressure was practically more deadly than the bear trap from earlier.
"Oh, little sister is awake?" Chen Man spoke sarcastically, crossing her arms and looking down at the girl who was still lingering in Jiang Chen's arms. "It's broad daylight; how much longer do you plan to hug? Are we invisible?"
The girl was clearly stunned by this display.
She looked at the three beautiful women in front of her, each dressed glamorously and possessing an aura stronger than the last, then looked at her own tattered outfit and the handsome man holding her. Her mind was a complete mess.
"You... who are you?" Her voice was incredibly raspy, carrying a thick sense of timidness. "Where... where is this?"
"This is Wolf Fang Gully. You almost became a pile of frozen meat here," Su Qingge said, adjusting her slightly crooked sunglasses with a cold tone—the characteristic scrutiny of someone in a high position. "If our President Jiang hadn't dug you out of the pit, you'd be drinking tea with the King of Hell by now."
"President... Jiang?" The girl turned to look at Jiang Chen, her eyes showing a trace of fear mixed with the gratitude of a survivor.
"Alright, stop scaring the kid." Jiang Chen felt the girl shaking even harder, like a quail, and sighed helplessly. "Can we let her put some clothes on first? Can't you see she's shy?"
As he spoke, he naturally took off his own jacket and draped it over the girl without allowing for any argument.
The movement was fluid, carrying a domineering kind of tenderness.
The girl's face turned so red it looked like it might bleed. She lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone, and could only obediently let Jiang Chen fuss over her.
The jacket, filled with a man's scent, was so large on her it looked like a robe, making her appear even more petite and pitiful.
"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"What's your name?" Jiang Chen asked casually while helping her button up.
"Bai... Bai Lu."
"Like the solar term, White Dew?"
"Yes." Bai Lu nodded, her hands tightly clutching the blood-stained notebook as if it were her last lifeline. "I'm a student from the University of Geosciences... I came here for a surveying project."
"Surveying?" Su Qingge's sharp professional radar ears perked up.
She took a step forward, her piercing gaze softening slightly as she stared at the notebook in Bai Lu's arms. "This place is in the middle of nowhere; what is there worth surveying?"
143: Chapter 143 A Geology Department Fresh-faced Girl Encounters a Jealous Show in a Wealthy Family
Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, as if weighing whether to speak.
But she glanced at the people around her, especially the man who was currently straightening her collar; that inexplicable sense of security made her drop her guard.
"There's something... down there." Bai Lu pointed to the crack in the rock wall where the sapphire was found, her eyes suddenly lighting up with the fanaticism of a science student. "There's an outcropping of an associated mineral vein there. Those blue crystals, if I'm not mistaken, should be the legendary..."
"We'll talk about that later," Jiang Chen interrupted her academic report.
He patted Bai Lu's head; it felt quite nice, her hair was soft. "Let's get you up first. The yin energy at the bottom of this pit is too heavy; it's bad for your wound."
"I... I can't walk." Bai Lu tried to move her leg, the piercing pain making her gasp.
"Nonsense, your leg is nearly broken and you still want to walk?" Jiang Chen turned around and crouched down again. "Get on, I'll carry you."
This time, Su Qingge didn't say anything.
Chen Man didn't cause a scene either.
Because everyone could see that the girl was indeed seriously injured.
Bai Lu hesitated for a long time, looking at that broad and sturdy back, her face turning even redder.
She hadn't even held a boy's hand at school, yet in this short time today, she'd been hugged, touched, and now she had to be carried on his back...
"What are you dawdling for? Waiting for the New Year?" Jiang Chen urged.
Only then did Bai Lu grit her teeth and carefully lean onto him.
Jiang Chen stood up, his movements very steady.
Even with an extra person on his back, climbing that rocky slope was like child's play to him.
The three women followed behind, watching the back of the two ahead—a scene so warm it was almost an eyesore—with a complex mix of emotions in their hearts.
"President Su," Lin Wan, walking at the very back, whispered, "I think this little girl looks quite innocent. She shouldn't... be much of a threat, right?"
"Innocent?" Su Qingge sneered, stepping over a piece of rubble. "These days, this kind of 'Little White Flower' is the most high-end hunter. Look at the way she was looking at Jiang Chen just now; it was practically dripping with longing."
Chen Man heard from ahead and turned back to deliver a sharp blow: "Exactly! Once an honor student from a school like that falls in love, they're scarier than old hands like us. This isn't saving someone; we're practically finding ourselves a love rival!"
"Whether she's a rival or not," Su Qingge stared at the notebook in Bai Lu's hand, her eyes growing deep, "that thing in her hand might be more valuable than she is. This time, Jiang Chen is likely to find another treasure."
Returning to the hotpot stall from earlier, the pot of red broth was actually still bubbling away, though the fire had died down a bit.
Jiang Chen placed Bai Lu onto a folding chair covered with a moisture-proof mat, his movements as gentle as if he were handling fragile porcelain.
He didn't feel tired after carrying her all that way; instead, the soft sensation against his back made his heart flutter a bit.
"Drink some hot soup first."
Jiang Chen took the thermos that should have belonged to Chen Man, poured a capful of steaming beef bone soup, blew on it, and held it directly to Bai Lu's lips.
This treatment was practically on the level of an Empress Dowager.
Chen Man watched from the side, her eyes turning green with pure envy and jealousy. Holding a chopstick, she poked the meat in her bowl into mush. "I want to drink soup too... I want someone to feed me... Why did my hand suddenly cramp up..."
"That's a precursor to Parkinson's; you need treatment," Jiang Chen retorted without looking back, the cup lid held steadily at Bai Lu's lips. "Open up."
Bai Lu was truly famished and chilled to the bone. Smelling the aroma, her stomach let out a long, traitorous growl.
With a red face and under the scrutiny of those three pairs of searchlight-like eyes, she braced herself and leaned in, taking a sip like a kitten.
As the hot soup went down, a warm current instantly spread through her limbs. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of satisfaction, her eyes brightening a bit.
"It's delicious..."
"If it's good, drink more." Jiang Chen refilled the cap for her and picked up a piece of blanched mutton with his chopsticks. "Eat some meat to replenish your blood."
Su Qingge finally couldn't watch any longer.
She walked over and pulled up a chair directly opposite Bai Lu. Her aura fully unleashed, she instantly transformed the heartwarming feeding scene into a business negotiation table.
"Miss Bai, is it?" Su Qingge crossed her arms, her sharp gaze sweeping over the worn notebook. "Shall we discuss some professional matters?"
At the mention of her profession, Bai Lu's timid demeanor faded significantly.
She swallowed the last of the soup, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, placed the notebook she cherished like a treasure on her lap, and flipped to a page.
It was filled with dense, hand-drawn topographic maps and various complex data formulas.
"This is the core of the fault zone." Bai Lu pointed to the gloomy mountain hollow in the distance, her tone becoming serious. "That blue stone's scientific name is 'Earth Core Ethereal Fire.' It's an extremely rare high-energy flowing gold ore. Industrially, it's a key catalyst for manufacturing superconducting materials and core components of aircraft engines."
"Earth Core Ethereal Fire?" Su Qingge frowned. Having spent so many years in the business world, she had some knowledge of rare metals, but this name was indeed obscure. "You mean, it's not just a gemstone?"
"A gemstone?" Bai Lu shook her head, a hint of the disdain unique to top students appearing at the corners of her mouth. "Using it as a gemstone is simply a waste of a heavenly resource. The price of the active ingredients refined from one gram of this ore on the international market is..."
She held up five fingers.
"Five times?" Chen Man curled her lip. "That's about it."
"Fifty times," Bai Lu corrected calmly. "And it's a seller's market with no supply. Because currently known veins are all in the deep sea, and the extraction costs are extremely high. A rich deposit like this that can be mined in the open..."
She paused and looked up at the rocky mound, her eyes feverish. "If this area has more than just that outcropping, but an entire mineral vein, the value is at least this much."
She wrote a number in her notebook.
Su Qingge leaned in to take a look.
"A hundred billion?!"
Even for President Su, who was used to large sums of money, her voice cracked a bit. She suddenly looked up at Jiang Chen, her gaze incredibly complex.
Was this man's luck simply heaven-defying, or did he really have some sort of precognitive ability?
Lead the way, eat some hotpot, save someone, and conveniently pick up a hundred-billion-yuan mineral vein? If this were written in a novel, readers would curse the author for such an outrageous cheat!
"What are you looking at me for?" Jiang Chen was leisurely blanching a piece of tripe. Feeling Su Qingge's gaze as if she wanted to eat him alive, he looked innocent. "I told you earlier it was a great treasure and told you not to touch it, but you just wouldn't listen."
"You knew all along?" Su Qingge fixed her gaze on him.
"I know a little, just a little." Jiang Chen acted profound, but inside he was already overjoyed.
The system didn't lie to me; this time I not only made money but also showed off big time in front of the beauties.
"Then... who does this mine belong to now?" Chen Man, the money-grubber, finally came to her senses. No longer jealous, her eyes sparkled as she stared at the dark mountain. "Does finders keepers apply? Are we rich?"
"This hilltop, if I remember correctly, should still be part of the village's collective land." Su Qingge quickly regained her business acumen, her mind racing. "Jiang Chen, you're familiar with the village chief. This land..."
"Already secured," Jiang Chen said indistinctly as he stuffed the blanched tripe into his mouth. "In that agritainment contract from last time, I conveniently included a seventy-year development right for the barren hills. At the time, the village chief even felt he'd gotten the better of me and insisted on giving me two pigs."
Silence fell over the scene.
Su Qingge looked at the man before her, whose eating manners weren't exactly elegant, and her heart was in total turmoil.
Is this what you call strategic planning? Is this what you call foresight?
She suddenly felt that her previous pride as a business strongwoman was nothing more than playing house in front of this man.
"What's wrong? All impressed by my handsomeness?" Jiang Chen looked at the three stunned women and grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "Since we all know we're standing on a mountain of gold and silver now, shouldn't we celebrate properly?"
He picked up a glass of red wine and swirled it toward the still-dazed Bai Lu.
"Welcome to our... expedition team, Student Bai Lu."
Bai Lu stared at him blankly.
The sunlight happened to hit the side of his face, gilding his roguish smile with a golden edge.
In this moment, in her eyes, this man wasn't just her savior; he was practically a radiant deity.
Su Qingge was all too familiar with that look.
That was the precursor to her own fall.
"It's over," Su Qingge lamented in her heart, turning to look at the silly-grinning Chen Man and the adoring Lin Wan beside her. "This team is probably going to be even harder to lead from now on."
144: Chapter 144 This medicine is too hot to handle.
The cold wind still whistled through the crevices of the rocks in Wolf Fang Gully, making a sound like a broken bellows.
But around this hot pot stall, which covered just a few square meters, the atmosphere was so heated it made one sweat.
It wasn't just because of the bubbling red oil in the pot, but also because of the girl sitting on the folding chair, being attended to like a piece of fragile porcelain.
Bai Lu held the stainless steel cup lid in her hands. She hadn't even fully swallowed that mouthful of expensive beef bone soup before she was unnerved by Su Qingge's "billion-dollar mineral vein" gaze.
She shrunk her neck, feeling like a little lamb surrounded by several beautiful lionesses.
"Alright, stop looking at her like she's a gold ingot." Jiang Chen stuffed the last piece of cooked beef into his mouth. He didn't even use chopsticks, just pinched a tissue to wipe the corner of his mouth with a casual motion. "We'll talk about business later. Let's handle the important matter first."
"Important matter?" The chopsticks in Chen Man's hand were already being used as weapons against various imaginary enemies, stabbing the air twice. "What other important matter is there? I think you're just using 'important matter' as an excuse to get a few more feels in, aren't you?"
Jiang Chen ignored the jealousy that was practically overflowing.
He walked up to Bai Lu and knelt on one knee.
If he had a diamond ring in his hand, this would be a proposal scene. Unfortunately, he was holding a bottle of iodine and a roll of white ointment he'd pulled from somewhere.
"Straighten your leg." Jiang Chen's voice wasn't loud, but the unquestionable sense of command left Bai Lu with no thought of resisting.
"I... I'll do it myself." Bai Lu's face flushed as she tried to put down the empty cup lid. In her fluster, she almost dropped that priceless notebook.
"You'll do it yourself?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her injured leg which was still trembling slightly. "Can you see the back of your own leg? Or do you have three hands to hold back those rags while applying the medicine?"
Bai Lu was silenced.
She bit her lip. The stubbornness of a top student from an ivory tower shattered in the face of reality.
She really couldn't see it, and the wound hurt piercingly with the slightest movement, making her break out in a cold sweat.
"Sorry to... trouble you." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum.
Jiang Chen reached out and grasped her ankle. At that moment, Bai Lu became like a doll that had its pause button pressed; every muscle in her body tensed up.
Although there was a thin layer of a sock in between, the heat from his palm still transferred through without any obstruction.
Jiang Chen's hands were large, his fingers long and powerful. Holding that slender ankle, it felt as if he could crush it with just a little force.
He slowly lifted the injured leg and rested it on his knee.
Although the oversized men's down jacket covered her upper body, because of the earlier cutting, most of her smooth thigh was now exposed. In this icy world, its whiteness was almost blinding.
"It might be a bit cold and a bit painful. Bear with it." Jiang Chen unscrewed the cap of the ointment.
A scent of cool mint mixed with some kind of Chinese herbal medicine drifted out.
He took a dollop of translucent paste on his fingertip and gently applied it to the edge of the hideous wound.
"Mm!" Bai Lu couldn't help it; her body jerked violently.
The moment that icy sensation touched her burning, inflamed skin, it was like throwing a red-hot iron into cold water, triggering an indescribable shudder.
"Don't move." Jiang Chen's hand was steady. His other hand pressed down on her restless calf. "This medicine is specially made to remove necrotic tissue and promote muscle growth. It's more effective than the anti-inflammatories in hospitals. It just packs quite a punch."
It certainly packed a punch.
That cooling sensation quickly turned into a stinging heat, seeping through her pores like countless ants crawling in the crevices of her bones.
Bai Lu was in so much pain that her hands gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Her breathing became rapid—a panting effort to endure the pain—but to the onlookers, it sounded quite different.
"Gentle... be gentler..." she pleaded with a sob, the corners of her eyes reddening, making her look particularly pitiable on that pale little face.
The expressions of the three women standing nearby were quite a sight.
Chen Man slammed her wine glass down on the table, causing a few drops of wine to splash out.
"Listen to that, just listen! This is only because we're in the middle of nowhere. If this were in a hotel hallway, anyone who didn't know better would think something scandalous was going on inside!"
Su Qingge crossed her arms, her eyes behind her sunglasses narrowing into slits.
She watched Jiang Chen's focused expression and that large hand moving over the fair skin, and the string of her sanity was being pulled bit by bit.
"Just applying medicine." Su Qingge spoke coldly, as if convincing Chen Man, but more like convincing herself. "The medicine must be rubbed in to be effective."
"Bullshit!" Chen Man rolled her eyes. "Look at his thumb. Is that rubbing in medicine? He's clearly... fondling her! Look at what he's doing to the poor girl; she's about to cry!"
Jiang Chen was indeed rubbing it in now.
The ointment had to be combined with massage techniques to penetrate the bruised tissue.
His fingertips, calloused and rough, moved in circles over that skin as delicate as silk.
This sensation was also a test for him.
The skin was too soft, so soft it felt like it would sink in with a single poke.
As he moved, the delicate flesh slightly recessed and then bounced back. The temperature and elasticity transmitted to his fingertips were simply a top-tier indulgence.
"Jiang Chen..." Lin Wan really couldn't watch any longer. She was holding a bottle of mineral water, originally intending to wash Jiang Chen's hands, but now the bottle was being squeezed out of shape by her grip. "How about... how about I do it? I've learned a bit of first-aid nursing."
"Sister Wan, you can't handle this kind of manual labor." Jiang Chen didn't even look up, and the strength in his hand actually increased a bit. "If this bruise isn't massaged out, this leg will swell up like an elephant's leg by tomorrow. Who will be responsible if it has to be amputated then?"
Hearing the word "amputated," Bai Lu was so scared she didn't dare cry out in pain anymore. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall, making her look incredibly pitiful.
She could only bite her lip hard and let the man's hand wreak havoc on her leg.
Amidst that pain, a strange numbness slowly began to emerge.
It spread from the wound, crawling up the nerve endings to the base of her spine. She could clearly feel the patterns of the man's palm; every slide brought a surge of heat.
" alright."}],
145: Chapter 145 Carrying her down the mountain
About five minutes passed, which felt like an entire century to Bai Lu.
Jiang Chen finally let go, picked up the gauze from the side, and began applying the final bandage.
His knotting technique was professional; he didn't do anything fancy like a bow, keeping it clean and tight.
Having finished, Jiang Chen stood up and clapped his hands. He looked at his windbreaker, which was still wrapped around Bai Lu, and said, "Alright, it's saved for now. But you'd better not move around for the next few days. Just stay here... wait, that won't work either."
He glanced at the harsh surroundings. Although they had a hot pot and a tent, they were still in the wild after all. With the constant wind and snow, even a healthy person would struggle, let alone a patient who had just been pulled back from death's door.
"We have to get her out of here first," Jiang Chen concluded.
"Get her out?" Su Qingge frowned. "Walking out with an injured person will take at least two hours. In her condition, how is she supposed to walk?"
"How else?" Chen Man interjected sarcastically. "Doesn't our great Boss Jiang have great stamina? He didn't break a sweat carrying her in; he probably won't break a sweat carrying her out either. Maybe he's even enjoying it."
Jiang Chen tucked the Swiss Army knife back into his waist and looked at Chen Man with a half-smile. "What? Is Boss Chen jealous? If you break your leg too, I promise I'll carry you the same way. I definitely won't play favorites."
"Pah! You're the one who'll break a leg!" Chen Man was so angry she wanted to kick him, but she glanced at Bai Lu's leg, which was wrapped up like a zongzi, and didn't dare let the curse stick.
By now, Bai Lu had finally caught her breath.
Looking at these older brothers and sisters who, despite their sharp tongues, had no intention of abandoning her, a wave of warmth welled up in her heart.
"Um... excuse me..." Bai Lu spoke up cautiously, trying to join the conversation. "Could I ask, where... where exactly is this place? Are you... are you here on a trip?"
As soon as she said this, the scene suddenly went quiet for a few seconds.
The expressions of Jiang Chen, Su Qingge, Chen Man, and even Lin Wan all turned a bit strange.
A trip?
"You could say that," Jiang Chen was the first to break the silence. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, but just as he was about to light it, he looked at Bai Lu and tucked it back in. "We were just bored out of our minds and came to these mountains looking for some excitement. Who knew that instead of excitement, we'd pick up a huge headache."
"A headache?" Bai Lu was stunned for a moment, and then a blush of shame crept onto her pale little face.
She really was a burden; she had nearly died right in front of them the moment they met, and now they had to take care of her.
"I'm... I'm sorry." Bai Lu lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her down jacket. "Once I get back to school, I'll definitely pay you back for the medical expenses and... and this jacket."
"Pay us back?" Chen Man burst out laughing as if she'd heard a joke.
She walked over and leaned down, bringing her bright, beautiful face close to Bai Lu's, carrying a pleasant scent of perfume.
"Little sister, do you have any idea what brand that cushion under your butt is? And the ointment Jiang Chen used on you—that's a special medicine you can't even buy on the black market with money."
Chen Man wagged a finger in front of Bai Lu. "Save your little allowance for some pork ribs. To our Boss Jiang, this amount of money is like something dropped on the ground that he wouldn't even bother to bend over and pick up."
Bai Lu was stunned by this overwhelming "aura of wealth."
Although she was a top student at a key university, she was a geology major after all. Usually, she only dealt with rocks and dirt; she had never met people who treated money like mere numbers.
"But... but I can't just take everything for free." Bai Lu seemed a bit flustered. She glanced at the notebook. "This... I can compile the data about the ore veins for you. Even though I'm still a PhD student, my supervisor is one of the top geology experts in the country. The data I write will definitely be accurate."
"Now that's more like it," Su Qingge nodded, resuming her female CEO persona. "We'll take the data. In exchange, we'll guarantee your safety."
This transactional exchange sounded cold, but it actually made Bai Lu feel relieved.
Compared to unprovoked kindness, this exchange of interests felt more solid to her.
"Alright, stop scaring the kid." Lin Wan had finished cleaning up the brass hot pot by now, even polishing the used bowls and chopsticks with snow until they shone. "Pack up, let's get ready to head down the mountain. The sky looks like it's about to change again. Any later and we might get hit by a blizzard."
Jiang Chen glanced at the sky. Indeed, the sky that had been slightly bright moments ago was now weighed down by a layer of dark clouds, and the whistling sound of the wind was becoming increasingly shrill.
"Let's go," Jiang Chen said succinctly.
He walked over to Bai Lu, naturally turned around, and half-squatted. "Get on."
Jiang Chen was very practiced in this movement.
Looking at that broad back, the heat that had just faded from Bai Lu's face came rushing back.
Earlier, saving her life was the priority, so she hadn't thought much of it. Now that everyone had calmed down, climbing onto his back again—especially in front of these three beauties—made her feel a chill down her spine.
"Um... could I try walking on my own..."
"One more word of nonsense and I'll leave you here to guard the mine," Jiang Chen said, looking back. His tone was flat, but the threat was unmistakable.
Bai Lu shut her mouth immediately and climbed on like an obedient koala.
Jiang Chen stood up, his hands supporting the crooks of her knees.
The sensation of those two soft mounds made his heart flutter slightly, but that was all.
He was more concerned now with how to get this whole family out safely.
The way back was even harder than the way there. The wind seemed to have eyes, specifically seeking out any gap in their clothes to whistle through.
The formation of the group was quite interesting.
Jiang Chen walked at the front carrying Bai Lu to clear the path, Su Qingge followed closely behind, and Chen Man pulled Lin Wan along in the middle to prevent anyone from falling behind.
"Hey, I say," Chen Man said, her mouth busy even as she trudged through the deep snow. "Little sister, looking at you, you don't seem like the type to spend much time in the wild. How did you end up in a deadly place like this all by yourself?"
Leaning against Jiang Chen's back, her face pressed against the fabric of his windbreaker which held his body heat, Bai Lu's voice was muffled. "I came to do some research for a project. I originally had a guide, but halfway here he said the place was haunted, returned my deposit, and ran off. I figured since I was already here..."
"So you thought you'd offer yourself to the King of Hell as his bride?" Chen Man quipped smoothly. "You've certainly got guts. But then again, you're really lucky to have run into us, especially Jiang Chen."
"It... it really is lucky," Bai Lu whispered in agreement.
She stole a glance at Jiang Chen's profile.
Even in the midst of such a blizzard, the man's breathing remained steady and powerful, and every step he took was firm and grounded, giving off an intense sense of security.
146: Chapter 146 The Moving Humanoid Heater
The wind in these mountains had a strange temper; just a moment ago it was whistling and howling, but now it had quieted down quite a bit, leaving only heavy snowflakes falling from the sky as if they were free.
Jiang Chen carried Bai Lu on his back, his feet treading on the accumulated snow, making a "crunching" sound with every step, which felt quite therapeutic to hear.
Leaning against the man's back, Bai Lu felt like she was about to be cooked through.
She had never been pressed so tightly against a member of the opposite sex in her entire life.
Through the layer of his windbreaker and that unknown brand of down jacket, she could still clearly feel the muscles in Jiang Chen's back tensing and relaxing with the rhythm of his walk.
That sense of power traveled from her chest all the way to her cerebral cortex, making her feel a bit dizzy.
The main thing was the heat.
This man was like a walking nuclear reactor, continuously radiating heat, warming her body which had already been frozen to the core.
Especially those two large hands supporting the crooks of her knees; the temperature of his palms was practically scalding. Even through her thick ski pants, that heat felt like two branding irons pressed firmly against her skin.
"Are you tired?" Hearing Jiang Chen's breathing grow slightly heavier, Bai Lu felt a bit guilty. "How about... putting me down to rest for a bit?"
"Rest for a bit?" Chen Man, following alongside, tossed her big wavy hair. "Little sister, look at all this snow on the ground. If he puts you down, are you planning to sit in the snow and practice the 'Frozen Heart Palm,' or are you planning to have our Boss Jiang be your human stool?"
"I..." Bai Lu was choked up and could only bury her face into Jiang Chen's wide collar like a wronged little quail.
"Don't listen to her scaring you." Jiang Chen didn't look back as he adjusted the person on his back. The movement was gentle, yet it inevitably caused Bai Lu's two soft mounds to press against his back. "There's a sheltered rocky outcrop ahead; let's go there to take a breather. The snow is getting heavy and visibility is poor; it's easy to lose your footing if we push on."
After just a few steps, they indeed saw a large protruding rock halfway up the mountain, forming a natural haven from the wind underneath.
Jiang Chen walked over and carefully turned around. Instead of dropping her directly on the ground, he first had Lin Wan spread a moisture-proof mat on the relatively dry rock surface.
"Slowly, slowly." Lin Wan directed while reaching out to support Bai Lu's waist. "Watch that leg, don't bump it."
After this whole process, Bai Lu felt less like she had a broken leg and more like an Empress Dowager returning to the palace after her postpartum confinement.
Jiang Chen set her down, having worked up a thin layer of sweat himself.
He unzipped his outer windbreaker. The tight-fitting quick-dry shirt underneath was already soaked, clinging to his body and clearly outlining the well-defined contours of his chest and abdominal muscles.
With his breathing, that thin layer of fabric rose and fell, and one could even see beads of sweat trickling down his neck into the hollow of his collarbone.
Bai Lu only took one look before her throat felt dry. She quickly looked away, staring at the tips of her toes.
"Drink some water." Su Qingge handed over a thermos. Though her tone was still indifferent, her movements were quite efficient.
Jiang Chen took it and tilted his head back to take a large gulp.
That sexy Adam's apple bobbed up and down, exuding a sense of primal, wild pheromones in this icy world.
"President Su, give me a sip too." Chen Man leaned in. This enchantress couldn't stay idle no matter where she was, always needing to make her presence felt.
"Get it yourself, there are more in the bag." Su Qingge didn't even give her a glance. Instead, she pulled a pack of wet wipes from her pocket, took one out, and handed it to Jiang Chen. "Wipe your sweat; don't catch a cold in the wind."
"Oh my, feeling protective already?" Chen Man sourly rummaged through the bag herself. "My legs are almost breaking from walking, and yet no one feels bad for me."
Lin Wan watched with amusement and pulled a piece of chocolate from her bag to hand to Chen Man. "Alright, Manman, eat some candy to replenish your energy and talk a bit less."
Bai Lu sat to the side, watching the three women revolve around Jiang Chen.
One handed him water, one handed him a wipe, and although one was complaining, her eyes never left the man.
This scene... looked bizarre no matter how you sliced it.
Logically, even if they were colleagues, three such beautiful women shouldn't interact this way in such an extreme environment.
There was neither the politeness of the workplace nor the intimacy of best friends; instead, there was an inexplicable tacit understanding.
It was as if... they had long since grown accustomed to taking care of this one man together.
"Um..." Bai Lu really couldn't contain her curiosity; her scholarly spirit of inquiry surfaced again. "Are you... really colleagues traveling together?"
Chen Man had just torn open the chocolate wrapper when she heard this, and her movements paused.
Her eyes darted around, and she took a bite of the chocolate, smiling with profound meaning.
"Colleagues?" Chen Man repeated the word unclearly while chewing the chocolate, then glanced at Jiang Chen, who was tilting his head back while Su Qingge wiped his sweat. "I guess you could say that. After all, we all make a living under the same 'boss.'"
"Boss?" Bai Lu looked at Jiang Chen. "Big Brother Jiang is your boss?"
"Yeah, the big boss." Chen Man swallowed the half-piece of chocolate and licked a bit of crumb off her lip with the tip of her tongue in a highly provocative manner. "He doesn't just manage our salaries; he also manages our... food, clothing, housing, transportation, and even our 'ideological counseling' at night."
"Cough, cough!" Jiang Chen, who was drinking water, almost choked to death.
He glared at Chen Man. "Can't even food shut your mouth?"
Chen Man made a face at him, not at all afraid. "What? I didn't say anything wrong. Is this even a tour group? It's practically a mobile... whatchamacallit."
"A whatchamacallit?" Bai Lu looked bewildered.
Su Qingge finally couldn't listen anymore. She pushed up her glasses and interrupted the increasingly dangerous topic. "Miss Bai, regarding your data on the Mineral Vein, besides that notebook, do you have a digital backup?"
This move to change the subject was blunt, but effective.
Mentioning her profession, Bai Lu was immediately sidetracked. "Yes, it's all on the hard drive in my backpack. But that bag... seems to have been left at the bottom of that pit earlier."
After saying this, her face turned a few shades paler.
That was the culmination of her hard work over the past six months.
"Don't worry." Jiang Chen handed the empty water bottle to Lin Wan and crouched down to look at Bai Lu's injured leg, his tone certain. "It won't be lost. There isn't even a ghost in a place like that normally. Once the snow stops, I'll have someone go down and retrieve it for you."
When he said this, his tone was as casual as saying, "I'll go buy you a popsicle in a bit."
Bai Lu looked at Jiang Chen, who was right in front of her.
The man's black eyes were bottomless, without a hint of a joke in them.
"Tha... thank you." Bai Lu felt her face starting to heat up again.
Jiang Chen reached out and checked her forehead; his palm was rough and warm, his palm lines grazing her forehead gently.
"Good, no fever." Jiang Chen withdrew his hand and tightened her coat collar. "If you had a fever, in this desolate wilderness, I'd have to use home remedies to cool you down."
"Wha... what home remedies?"
Chen Man burst out laughing on the side. "There are plenty of those. For example, 'artificial respiration,' or 'skin-to-skin heat dissipation'... Anyway, our Boss Jiang has plenty of tricks up his sleeve."
Bai Lu was stunned. Although she felt something was off about those words, seeing Jiang Chen's righteous and stern look, she wondered if she was just overthinking.
"Alright, that's enough rest." Jiang Chen stood up and brushed the snow off his rear. "It's getting dark; we need to hurry back. Otherwise, we'll really have to spend the night on the mountain. By then, forget wild donkeys—even real wolves will treat us like snacks."
He turned around again, and that broad back appeared before Bai Lu once more.
"Get on."
Two simple words, carrying a magic that was impossible to refuse.
Bai Lu bit her lip and, under the various gazes of the three women, obediently climbed back on.
This time, she clearly felt that the hands supporting her thighs seemed steadier and... more powerful than before.
147: Chapter 147 The Human-Shaped Pendant in the Snow
"Um... Brother Jiang," Bai Lu's voice sounded a bit weak, with a slight tremor from shyness, "Am I too heavy? Maybe you could just put me down and drag me along. I've seen them do that on polar survival TV shows..."
"Drag you along?" Before Jiang Chen could speak, Chen Man, who was beside them, laughed.
She brandished the trekking pole that cost tens of thousands of yuan as if it were a mere firewood stick. "Little sister, do you want to be a human sled? With your small frame, you'd probably scrape your skin off after being dragged for two hundred meters. Our Boss Jiang would have to pay for your plastic surgery then."
"But... you can't just keep carrying me like this," Bai Lu muttered softly, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato, whether from the cold or from embarrassment.
She could clearly feel the warmth of the palms beneath her bottom.
Although separated by high-tech ski pants, those two hands felt like cushions with built-in heating, steadily supporting the soft mounds of her flesh.
"Stop moving." Jiang Chen felt the person on his back squirming restlessly again. He reached back and slapped the fleshy part of her thigh. "If you keep moving, I'll throw you into a snow pit to feed the wild donkeys."
The slap was crisp and loud.
Bai Lu shuddered all over and immediately became well-behaved, not even daring to breathe heavily.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Chen Man walked alongside them, curling her lip with a face so sour with jealousy it was practically overflowing. "President Su, Sister Wan, look at this treatment. Usually, if we want Boss Jiang to carry us, it depends on his mood. But here, he picks up a girl with a broken leg and she gets imperial-level service."
Su Qingge pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose, which were now wet from the snow, and sneered. "If you break your leg, I can pay for someone to carry you too. Ten or eight burly men can take turns carrying you, ensuring you look quite spectacular."
"No way, I want Boss Jiang to carry me." Chen Man huffed and intentionally sped up a few steps to get close to Jiang Chen, reaching out to tug at his sleeve. "Hubby... Boss, I'm tired too, I can't walk anymore."
That sweet, coquettish plea gave Bai Lu goosebumps.
Lying on Jiang Chen's back, her eyes darted between Chen Man's sultry face and Jiang Chen's stern profile.
The relationship between these people was truly unfathomable.
"If you're tired, let Sister Wan drag you along." Jiang Chen didn't give her any face at all, not stopping as he stepped over a dead log lying across the path. "I didn't see you tired when you were eating chocolate just now, but now you're being dramatic."
Lin Wan shook her head helplessly from behind, coming forward to take Chen Man's arm like she was coaxing a child. "Alright, Manman, stop it. The path is slippery as it is, and it's not easy for Little Jiang to carry someone. If you're really tired, give me your bag, I'll carry it for you."
"I won't!" Chen Man was like a stubborn donkey that needed to be stroked the right way; the more she was coaxed, the more spirited she became. But seeing that Jiang Chen was ignoring her, she could only pull her hand back resentfully. However, her mouth didn't stay idle as she turned to start teasing Bai Lu.
"Hey, Geologist," Chen Man called out.
Bai Lu pulled her head out slightly from the crook of Jiang Chen's neck. "Huh?"
"Which school did you say you were from again?" Chen Man's sultry eyes narrowed slightly, like a fox sizing up its prey. "With your scholarly air, you must have received plenty of love letters at school, right?"
"I... I'm from the Geology Department of Jingda," Bai Lu answered honestly, a bit bewildered by this sudden interrogation. "There weren't many love letters. There are few boys in our department, and we're out in the field every day, so everyone treats me like one of the guys."
"Like one of the guys?" Su Qingge chimed in from the side, her tone indifferent yet sharp. "That's because they're blind. With your delicate skin and tender flesh, being out in the wild is like giving a treat to nature."
Bai Lu was embarrassed by the compliment and buried her face again.
But the confusion in her heart grew deeper.
These three women—one radiant and glamorous, one cold and domineering, and one gentle and virtuous—had completely different personalities. How could they revolve around the same man so harmoniously?
And hearing that red-clothed sister call Jiang Chen "Hubby" before changing it to "Boss," what kind of secret was behind that?
"Um... Sister Chen," Bai Lu spoke up tentatively, "Is your company's... team building usually this intense? Bringing along the boss and the... boss's wife?"
As soon as she said this, the air suddenly went silent for three seconds.
Even the howling wind seemed to pause for a moment.
Chen Man's footsteps faltered, and the smile on her face instantly became playful. She glanced at Jiang Chen, who was walking with his head down, then at the expressionless Su Qingge and the slightly embarrassed Lin Wan, the curve of her lips widening.
"Boss's wife?" Chen Man laughed as if she had heard the world's biggest joke, her whole body shaking so much the zipper on her chest seemed about to burst. "Little sister, your eyesight isn't very good. Which of the three of us do you think looks like the boss's wife?"
Bai Lu was stunned.
Lying on Jiang Chen's back, she raised her body slightly and took a serious look around.
The sister with the glasses (Su Qingge) had an aura as cold as ice, but the practiced way she had wiped Jiang Chen's sweat earlier suggested they were definitely together often.
Moreover, she had such a strong empress vibe, clearly a female lead who controlled the overall situation.
The gentle sister (Lin Wan) had been taking care of everyone from start to finish, handing out water and tidying clothes. Her gaze toward Jiang Chen was so soft it could melt, making her seem more like a traditional virtuous wife and mother.
As for this sister in red (Chen Man)... although her tongue was a bit sharp, that way she flirted with Jiang Chen—who would dare speak to their boss like that without a special relationship?
"I... I can't guess," Bai Lu shook her head honestly, feeling like she had fallen into a logical maze. "Sister Su looks like she's in charge of money, Sister Lin looks like she's in charge of daily life, and Sister Chen... Sister Chen looks like..."
"Looks like what?" Chen Man stepped closer, her gaze burning. "Do I look like I'm in charge of 'that' side of life?"
"Cough, cough!"
This time, Jiang Chen really did choke on his own spit.
He stopped and looked back at Chen Man with a warning glare. "Chen Man, if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll sew your mouth shut."
"What's wrong!" Chen Man looked innocent and threw up her hands. "The little sister is curious, and I'm just trying to satisfy the desire for knowledge of a flower of the motherland. Besides, with our big family out together, we have to give people a reasonable explanation, right?"
"Shut up." Su Qingge finally couldn't listen anymore. Although she didn't argue, the authority in those two words still made Chen Man behave a bit.
Bai Lu was completely confused, but her intuition told her that this was definitely no ordinary "colleague relationship."
She leaned back onto Jiang Chen's back and felt that the man's heartbeat hadn't lost its rhythm because of those few teases; it was still as steady and reassuring as ever.
148: Chapter 148 One slip-up, and my worldview shattered.
The snow was falling harder and harder, and the footprints on the ground were being completely covered by fresh snow as soon as they were made.
Jiang Chen carried Bai Lu on his back, his gait as steady as an old dog.
Don't let his silence fool you; he was currently calculating how to smooth over the nature of their relationship.
It wasn't that he was afraid of anything else; it was mainly because this young lady was from the Geology Department at Jingda University, and he might need to utilize her advisor's resources to develop the flowing gold mine later on. Scaring her away would be a troublesome affair.
But Chen Man clearly didn't mind stirring up trouble.
This woman had been walking the whole way, finding it more and more amusing the more she thought about it.
Watching Bai Lu's expression—that look of wanting to ask but not daring to, scratching her heart and liver with curiosity—the mischievous cells in her heart began to multiply wildly.
"Hey, little sister." Chen Man didn't know when she had snuck behind Jiang Chen, and she even took the liberty of reaching out to poke Bai Lu's exposed calf. "You didn't finish asking your question just now. Do you really want to know what kind of group we are?"
Bai Lu's body stiffened.
She did indeed want to know.
This was fast becoming an unsolved mystery in her heart.
Such a configuration wouldn't even make sense for a company team-building event.
"I was just... asking casually." Bai Lu swallowed hard, feeling her throat go dry. "If it's not convenient to say, then never mind."
"There's nothing inconvenient about it." Lin Wan spoke up at this moment. She stepped forward, gently swatting away Chen Man's hand, which was about to cause more trouble, her tone as gentle as if she were coaxing a kindergarten child. "Don't listen to Manman's nonsense. Actually, we are all..."
"All Jiang Chen's wives."
Chen Man suddenly blurted out.
This voice was crisp, loud, and articulate, even carrying a hint of proud inflection at the end.
It was like a bombshell, thrown directly into the silent snowy landscape.
With a "bang," it shattered Bai Lu's worldview into pieces.
The air solidified.
The wind stopped.
The snow seemed to have frozen in place.
Bai Lu, clinging to Jiang Chen's back, was completely petrified.
She felt as if her brain had been flattened by a hydraulic press, completely unable to process the massive amount of information contained in that short sentence.
Wives?
All?
Three?
"Chen Man!" Su Qingge gritted her teeth, her voice squeezed out from between them. "No one will think you're a mute if you don't talk."
"What's the matter!" Chen Man looked righteous, even reaching out to hook her arm into Lin Wan's and leaning her head against Lin Wan's shoulder. "Isn't this just the truth? We've all slept on the same kang, and we've all done that... thing, what more proof do you need? Do we have to stick a marriage certificate on our foreheads?"
Lin Wan's face was red enough to drip blood; she lowered her head to look at her own shoe tips, completely afraid to meet Bai Lu's eyes, which were widened like copper bells.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath.
He didn't stop walking, and he didn't even lose his rhythm, but the feeling of helplessness traveled along his back to Bai Lu.
"What? Scared silly?" Jiang Chen's voice carried a magnetic hint of a smile. He didn't deny it, nor did he explain; he just asked that question calmly.
Bai Lu mechanically turned her neck, looked at Su Qingge on her left, then at Lin Wan on her right, and finally, her gaze landed on Chen Man, who was winking at her.
"You... you guys..." Bai Lu's voice trembled violently. "This... this is against the law, right?"
As a law-abiding citizen who had received nine years of compulsory education and was currently pursuing a doctorate, Bai Lu's first reaction was that this violated Article 258 of the Criminal Law regarding bigamy.
"Against the law?" Chen Man giggled. She walked over and looked at Bai Lu with the eyes one might use on an alien. "Little sister, have you studied yourself silly? Who told you that what we have is illegal? This kind of thing... it's called soulmates, understand?"
"Soul... soulmates?" Bai Lu felt like her CPU was about to burn out.
What kind of soulmates is this? Isn't this feudal dross? Isn't this a decadent capitalist lifestyle?
But the problem was...
She was clinging to this man's back, listening to his steady heartbeat, and watching these three women—though they argued and bickered, the unabashed love and dependence for Jiang Chen in their eyes didn't look at all like they were coerced victims.
And even... even a bit of damn harmony?
"Alright, stop teasing her." Jiang Chen finally spoke to set the tone. He shifted the person on his back upward, making Bai Lu press closer. "Dr. Bai, don't listen to their nonsensical terms. Simply put, they are all the most important women in my life. As for the legal side of things, in the face of our feelings, that is secondary."
This was spoken... so clearly like a scumbag, yet it was so domineering that one couldn't refute it.
The most important women.
And it was "they."
Bai Lu felt her cheeks burning hot.
The most outrageous confession she had ever heard in her life was something like "I will love you for a lifetime," but this declaration of "I will love the three of you for a lifetime at the same time" was simply rubbing her worldview into the dirt.
"Then... then don't they fight?" Bai Lu couldn't help her curiosity, asking the question every man in the world wanted to know.
"They do, why wouldn't they?" Chen Man answered quickly, deliberately glancing toward Su Qingge. "Especially when fighting over the quilt at night, that's when it gets fierce. But..."
Chen Man leaned into Bai Lu's ear, her voice lowered, carrying a seductive tone that made one's heart race: "As long as hubby's... technique is good, and he can satisfy everyone, naturally there won't be any energy left for fighting."
Boom!
Bai Lu felt like smoke was coming out of the top of her head.
This car was driving too fast; she didn't even have time to fasten her seatbelt before she was thrown right off the track.
What satisfy? What technique?
Although she was a bookworm, she was also an adult; the subtext in this was just too obvious!
She subconsciously squeezed her legs together, forgetting that she was still on Jiang Chen's back. This squeeze caused the soft flesh on the inside of her thighs to press tightly against Jiang Chen's waist.
Jiang Chen let out a muffled grunt, and his steps faltered for a moment.
"Squeeze lighter." Jiang Chen's voice was somewhat husky. "If you squeeze any harder, my waist will break."
Bai Lu let out an "ah" in surprise, quickly releasing her legs as if she had been electrocuted, so embarrassed that she wished she could bury her head in the snow like an ostrich.
Su Qingge watched this scene from the side, her eyes somewhat complex.
She should have been angry, or at least expressed some dissatisfaction as the primary wife.
But watching Jiang Chen's look of enjoyment, and Bai Lu's silly, naive appearance, she actually couldn't bring herself to be angry.
Even... she felt a strange sense of superiority rising in her heart.
Look, this is the man I chose.
Even if it's outrageous, he has the ability to make everyone have to admire him.
"Alright." Su Qingge stepped forward, reaching out to help Bai Lu put on her down jacket's hood, covering her small face, which was red enough to drip blood. "Don't listen to that hooligan Chen Man's nonsense. Just pretend... we are a special startup team. Jiang Chen is the chairman, and we are the partners. Can you accept this explanation?"
Partners?
Bai Lu blinked.
This seems... to sound much more reasonable?
Although the content of this "partnership" might be a little... you know.
But regardless, this atomic bomb had finished exploding.
Although Bai Lu's worldview was shattered to pieces, on this snowy mountain road, clinging to this man's back, she miraculously accepted this setup.
After all, this man was really warm.
And, very rich.
And... really handsome.
149: Chapter 149 The road here is a bit slippery, and so are Sister Chen Man's hands.
The road conditions ahead became even worse.
A steep slope of nearly forty-five degrees lay across their path, covered with a thick layer of snow; beneath it, there was no telling if it was smooth ice or loose gravel.
"This slope doesn't look like a good person."
Chen Man complained, poking the ground with her hiking pole. "It's slippery as heck. I'm afraid my high-heeled ski boots won't hold up."
"If you're afraid of falling, hold onto Sister Wan." Jiang Chen didn't look back, his voice steady. "I'll step out footprints in front; you guys follow them. Don't step randomly; there might be a snow-covered hole right next to you."
Having said that, he took a deep breath and began to climb the steep slope.
Carrying over a hundred pounds on his back on a crappy road that only wild donkeys would take—only someone with a cheat-like constitution like Jiang Chen could walk it as if it were level ground.
But he didn't get overconfident. He planted every step firmly, his hiking boots sinking deep into the snow with a tooth-aching crunching sound.
When they reached the middle of the slope, Jiang Chen paused for a moment.
This spot was a wind gap; the wind blew so hard people could barely keep their eyes open.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, trickling down his sideburns, past his sharp jawline, and finally sliding into his collar.
Both his hands were supporting Bai Lu's legs, so he had no free hand to wipe it.
"Oh my, look how tired our Boss Jiang is."
A fragrant breeze suddenly approached.
Chen Man had somehow sidled up to Jiang Chen's side.
This woman was also a tough character; in a place where even standing was difficult, she actually managed to walk with a catwalk-like grace.
She took off her glove, and her hand, maintained like white jade, reached out. Without using a tissue, she directly wiped Jiang Chen's forehead with her warm fingertips.
"Look, it's all sweat." Chen Man's voice was soft enough to squeeze water out of. In this icy world, it sounded exceptionally seductive. "It breaks my heart."
Jiang Chen glanced at her. "If you keep blocking the way, I really will kick you down."
"Would you have the heart to?"
Instead of retreating, Chen Man pushed her luck and pressed closer to him.
Using the motion of wiping his sweat as cover, her lips moved close to Jiang Chen's ear.
In that instant, warm breath mixed with the scent of high-end perfume drifted directly into Jiang Chen's ear, triggering a wave of numbness.
"Master~"
She kept this form of address extremely low, like a hook, so only the two of them could hear it.
"Carrying a delicate new flame on your back, have you forgotten about us old flames? I see your hands are holding her quite steadily; I haven't seen you hold me like that before."
This woman was simply a demoness incarnate.
Although Bai Lu couldn't hear clearly what Chen Man said, she was on Jiang Chen's back; that ambiguous atmosphere could be felt even by a blind person.
Moreover, when Chen Man pressed closer, that fiery mass on her chest inevitably squeezed against Jiang Chen's arm.
What was this? A live broadcast of a Shura Field?
Jiang Chen's eyes darkened.
He didn't dodge; instead, using the physical contact, a surge of masculine aggression instantly pushed back.
"Stop being so sarcastic."
His voice was low and gravelly, like wind carrying sand. "I'll keep a tally of this debt. Once we're back in the RV and the lights are out tonight, you'll see how I compensate you."
He emphasized the word "compensate," laden with an implication that made one's face flush and heart race.
Chen Man's eyes lit up, and she licked her red lips with the tip of her tongue, clearly satisfied with this promise.
She giggled, giving Jiang Chen's ear a squeeze before pulling away contentedly.
"Then I'll be waiting. If the compensation isn't enough, I'm going to make a scene."
This interaction happened in a flash.
Behind them, Su Qingge looked at the two figures ahead who were almost pressed together, her eyes narrowing behind her sunglasses.
"This vixen, she really goes into heat regardless of the occasion."
She cursed under her breath, her hiking pole stabbing fiercely into the snow as if she wanted to poke a hole in the ground.
"Qingge, watch your step."
Lin Wan pulled her back from behind, her tone gentle yet helpless. "Manman is just like that; why bother arguing with her? Besides, Xiao Jiang is just saying things to appease her."
"Appease her?" Su Qingge sneered. "I think he's enjoying it. This man, as long as a woman throws herself at him, he never refuses."
Despite her words, she still kept up with her pace, afraid of being left behind.
Bai Lu lay on Jiang Chen's back, feeling like the cream in a sandwich cookie, caught in the middle.
She could even feel the vibration of Jiang Chen's chest when he spoke; that vibration traveled through her body, making her feel a bit weak.
The group finally climbed the steep slope.
Chen Man was clearly in a good mood after that flirtatious exchange, walking with a spring in her step.
Su Qingge, on the other hand, had a cold expression, radiating an aura that warned people to stay away.
Only Lin Wan was as gentle and virtuous as ever, silently looking after everyone from behind.
As for Jiang Chen, carrying a whole person while having to deal with these ladies, he sighed inwardly.
This wasn't the bliss of having many wives; this was clearly a weighted cross-country run combined with a major EQ test.
After getting down that deadly steep slope, the rest of the road was much easier to walk.
A few dim yellow lights finally flickered at the foot of the mountain in the distance, like guiding beacons in the dark, making one feel a sense of relief.
"Finally, some signs of life."
Chen Man let out a long breath, her flirtatious energy subsiding quite a bit; she was truly exhausted. "Right now, I just want to get back to the RV, take a hot bath, and have someone massage my feet."
As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Jiang Chen.
"You'll have to wait in line for a bath," Su Qingge interjected coldly. "And given tonight's situation, I don't think any of us are going to get any peace."
Indeed, there would be no peace.
With an extra person, and an injured one at that, just settling her in would be a major issue.
The group trudged into the village. At this hour, most villagers went to bed early; an occasional dog bark or two was muffled by the wind and snow.
Jiang Chen led them familiarly around the houses of the old ladies who loved to gossip and headed straight for the small courtyard behind the old residence.
The courtyard was quiet right now, but the sensor light on top of the RV snapped on as it detected someone approaching.
"Shh—"
Jiang Chen made a gesture, signaling everyone to keep the noise down.
Just as they entered the courtyard gate, they saw the door curtain of the west room being lifted.
Father Jiang, draped in a semi-old military coat and holding a flashlight, walked out with sleepy eyes.
"Chen Zi? Is that you back?"
150: Chapter 150: Bailu rests, the other four take a bath together.
Father Jiang's voice carried a hint of sleep-deprived grogginess and concern. "What time is it? Why are you just getting back? Your mother was so worried she kept nagging about it several times."
Jiang Chen paused, his heart tightening slightly.
If his old man saw him carrying a strange young woman on his back—one with a broken leg, no less—it would be impossible to explain in the middle of the night.
By tomorrow, the whole village might be gossiping that he went into the mountains to kidnap a bride.
"Yeah, I'm back, Dad."
Jiang Chen shifted his body slightly, using the RV's massive shadow to skillfully hide himself and Bailu on his back in the darkness. "I just thought I'd go to the mountaintop to see the night view and lost track of time. You know how it is—city folk haven't seen snow this deep, we went a bit wild playing."
"Sigh, you kids... you never make things easy."
Father Jiang let out a yawn, the beam of his flashlight flickering over the group.
Because of the backlight and the fact that Su Qingge and the others were bundled up in bulky ski suits, Father Jiang failed to notice there was an extra person.
He only saw a large, bulging mass on his son's back and assumed he was carrying a pile of outdoor gear.
"Alright, as long as you're back. I left some hot water in the pot and a few sweet potatoes; grab some if you're hungry." Father Jiang waved a hand, unable to bear the cold wind any longer. "Get back to the vehicle quickly; it's freezing out here. I'm going back to bed too."
With that, the old man turned and ducked back into the house. Within two minutes, the lights inside went out.
"Phew..."
Chen Man patted her chest exaggeratedly. "That scared me to death. If your dad had seen us, our 'group of four' would have immediately become a 'group of five,' and the parental version at that."
"Stop joking around and open the door."
Jiang Chen urged in a low voice.
Although the girl on his back was light, he couldn't carry her forever. Moreover, he could feel Bailu shivering; the painkillers had likely worn off, or she was starting to suffer from hypothermia again.
Su Qingge stepped forward and skillfully entered the code, and the RV's side door slid open slowly.
A wave of warm, dry air hit them, mixed with a faint scent of leather and the lingering aroma of red wine. It was like the boundary between heaven and hell.
The group filed in one after another like refugees.
The moment the door closed, the sound of the wind and snow, which felt cold enough to freeze one to the bone, was instantly shut out. Inside, the temperature was a steady twenty-six degrees, and the floor heating was on full blast, making it so warm one wanted to collapse right onto the floor.
"Finally, I feel alive again."
Chen Man threw herself onto the leather sofa without a shred of decorum. Still in her red ski suit, she sank into the soft cushions and let out a satisfied sigh.
While Su Qingge wasn't as dramatic, she leaned against the bar counter, took off her fogged-up glasses, and rubbed the space between her eyebrows.
Only Lin Wan remained busy from the moment she entered, hurrying to boil water and bringing over a wool blanket.
Jiang Chen didn't rest either; carrying Bailu, he headed straight for the master bedroom at the rear of the vehicle.
"Sister Wan, bring the medical kit. Chen Man, turn up the heater. Qingge, you... go pour me a glass of water."
He assigned tasks methodically, his authority as the head of the household fully on display.
Bailu was gently placed onto the large double bed.
The sheets were Egyptian cotton, incredibly soft.
Bailu felt as if she were lying on a cloud. The moment her body touched the bed, her tightly strung nerves instantly relaxed.
"Don't move."
Seeing her reach for her injured leg, Jiang Chen pressed her hand down. "The ride was bumpy; it's definitely a bit out of place. Bear with it, let me check it again."
His palm rested on Bailu's calf. His movements were gentle, but his focused gaze made Bailu's heart start to race again.
"Tha... thank you," Bailu's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum. "I've caused you all so much trouble."
"It's good that you know."
Jiang Chen looked up at her, a mischievous smirk suddenly tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Since you know it's a hassle, you'll have to find a way to pay me back later. I don't do business at a loss."
There was a hidden meaning in his words.
Bailu's face flushed. Before she could process what he meant by "pay back," she saw the other three women walk in.
Though their expressions varied, all three pairs of eyes were fixed squarely on the bed—or more accurately, on her lying there and Jiang Chen standing beside it.
In their gazes, there was scrutiny, hostility, and a hint of... amusement, as if they were enjoying the show.
Especially Chen Man, who leaned against the doorframe holding a throw pillow, her eyes darting between Bailu and Jiang Chen. Her expression clearly said:
"Little thing, now that you've boarded this 'pirate ship,' do you think you can escape?"
The air in the RV was warm—so warm it was almost stifling.
The scent of high-end car aromatherapy mixed with the crisp, snowy air brought in from outside and the faint body fragrances of the women, fermenting into an extremely subtle atmosphere in this small space.
Lying on the bed, Bailu felt like a little lamb being watched by a pack of wolves.
After giving her a quick check-up and confirming there were no major issues, Jiang Chen stood up and began taking off his jacket.
"Zip—"
The sound of the windbreaker's zipper opening was exceptionally clear in the quiet cabin.
The tight-fitting quick-dry shirt underneath clung to his body, outlining the broad lines of his shoulders and back.
Because he had carried someone for so long, a patch of the shirt was soaked with sweat and stuck to his spine, revealing a powerful masculine tension with every movement.
Chen Man's eyes glazed over slightly, and her tongue unconsciously flicked across the corner of her mouth.
"Alright, let her rest for a bit."
Jiang Chen tossed his jacket onto the sofa and turned to look at the three women standing there like door gods. "Stop acting like supervisors. Go wash up; you're all covered in smells, aren't you afraid of suffocating her?"
"You think we smell?"
Chen Man was the first to object. She sauntered over, swaying her hips, and regardless of Bailu watching, she poked Jiang Chen's chest with a finger. "I wonder who it was out in the snow telling me he'd 'compensate' me tonight. Now that a newcomer's arrived, you're starting to complain about the old-timers smelling?"
These words were like throwing a spark into a powder keg.
Su Qingge gave a cold snort and walked to the bar to pour a glass of red wine. The goblet swayed in her hand, the red liquid reflecting her exquisite yet cold face.
"Chen Man, if you're in heat, go outside. Don't embarrass yourself here."
"What if I am?" Chen Man refused to back down, looking back at Su Qingge with a raised eyebrow. "It's better than some people who put on an act—dying for it on the inside but pretending to be all pure and noble on the outside."
"You..." Su Qingge's face darkened, just about to snap back.
"Alright, alright."
Lin Wan quickly stepped in to play peacemaker. Holding a warm towel, she walked over and handed it to Jiang Chen. "Everyone, let's say less. Xiao Lu is still here; aren't you afraid she'll laugh at us?"
151: Chapter 151 In the end, didn't the female CEO still obediently call him "Master"?
At the mention of Bai Lu, the others' gazes shifted back toward her in unison.
Bai Lu quickly squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the quilt up, covering half her face. Only her eyes remained darting around restlessly before she tightly closed them again as if startled, pretending to be in a state of 'I'm already asleep, please continue.'
But her trembling eyelashes betrayed the panic currently swirling in her heart.
This, this, this... Is this the legendary drama of wealthy families? Or is it some kind of scandalous ethical soap opera?
These sisters are all so beautiful; how can they argue like this over one man? The key point is that this man... seems to be quite enjoying it?
Jiang Chen looked at the 'little quail' on the bed pretending to sleep, and the playful smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
He didn't expose her. Instead, he took the hot towel Lin Wan handed him, wiped his face haphazardly, and then walked over to the sofa to sit down. From that position, he could see the situation in the bedroom while also keeping an eye on the three women outside.
"Everyone, sit down."
Jiang Chen patted the spot beside him, his tone brook no argument.
Although the three women each had their own little schemes, none of them dared to actually go against Jiang Chen at this moment.
Chen Man was the first to lean in, sitting directly next to Jiang Chen. She even pushed her luck by resting both her legs across Jiang Chen's thighs.
Those red tight-fitting pants outlined her perfect leg shape, and her toes gently rubbed against Jiang Chen's leg.
Su Qingge hesitated for a moment before sitting on the single sofa on the other side, holding a glass of red wine and maintaining her queen-like composure.
Lin Wan sat on Jiang Chen's other side, picking up the medical kit to start disinfecting a small cut on Jiang Chen's hand that had been scratched by a branch earlier.
"So, tell me, what are your thoughts?"
Jiang Chen leaned back against the sofa with his arms spread out. One hand rested on Chen Man's leg while the other was left to Lin Wan's ministrations. His posture was very much like an emperor inspecting his harem.
"What do you mean, what thoughts?" Su Qingge took a sip of wine, her eyes glancing toward the bedroom. "Are you talking about the one inside?"
"Who else?" Jiang Chen said calmly. "Since we've brought her back, we have to have a plan. In this desolate mountain wilderness, we can't exactly throw her out."
"Hmph, I think you've had this planned all along."
Chen Man spoke with a sarcastic tone, "A PhD student in geology who's supposed to find flowing gold mines for you. This isn't picking up a 'trouble'; it's clearly picking up a cash cow—and a pretty-looking one at that."
When she mentioned the word 'pretty,' Chen Man's fingers gave Jiang Chen's inner thigh a sharp pinch.
"Hiss—"
Jiang Chen sucked in a breath of cold air and slapped her on the buttocks. "If your hands don't behave, you're sleeping on the floor tonight."
Chen Man let out a soft moan from the hit, not daring to move again, though her gaze remained relentless.
"I also think this is a bit too coincidental."
Su Qingge set down her wine glass and pushed up her glasses, her rational business mind taking over. "If that mine is truly worth hundreds of billions like she said, then the water here is very deep. How could a student holding such core data just be here for a research project?"
"Are you saying she's lying?" Lin Wan stopped what she was doing and looked toward the bedroom with some concern.
"Not necessarily lying," Su Qingge shook her head. "But she's definitely hiding something. Or rather, her current situation is more dangerous than we imagine. With that guide running away and that bear trap... I'm afraid there's more than just wild donkeys in Wolf Fang Gully."
Although they weren't speaking loudly, their voices carried clearly into the bedroom in such an enclosed space.
Lying on the bed, Bai Lu truly couldn't sleep now.
Listening to those words outside, her heart pounded as if it were about to jump out of her throat. These people... not only is their relationship messy, but their brains are so sharp?
She indeed hadn't told the full truth. That notebook wasn't just exploration records; it was also...
"Alright, don't make people out to be so complicated."
Jiang Chen's voice interrupted Bai Lu's stray thoughts. "No matter what secrets she has, now that she's in our hands, she has to follow our rules. I want that mine. And I'm protecting her."
He spoke with such overbearing dominance that it was practically unreasonable.
"Oh, Boss Jiang is already playing the protector?" Chen Man started stirring up trouble again. "I don't think you're protecting her; you want to take both the person and the mine for yourself, don't you? Just like how you took the few of us back then."
The air suddenly went still for a second.
Then, Su Qingge actually nodded and said seriously, "Although that sounds unpleasant, from the perspective of maximizing profit... it's not a bad plan. After all, to swallow that mine, having one of our own who knows the trade is more reliable than an outsider."
"You guys..."
Lin Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "How can you think of her that way? The girl is still a student."
"What's wrong with being a student?" Chen Man toyed with Jiang Chen's fingers indifferently. "Wasn't President Su also a high-and-mighty female CEO back then? Didn't she end up obediently calling him Master?"
"Chen Man!" Su Qingge's face instantly flushed crimson, her cold persona nearly collapsing on the spot.
"Ahem."
Jiang Chen coughed twice, interrupting the impending cat-and-dog fight. "It's late. Everyone, go wash up and sleep. Sister Wan, you'll have a hard time tonight; go inside to stay with that girl and keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't develop a fever. As for you two..."
His gaze swept over Su Qingge and Chen Man, a dangerous spark flickering in his eyes.
"We still have accounts to settle."
Chen Man's eyes lit up, her previous jealousy vanishing instantly. She leaned into him as if she had no bones. "Then what are we waiting for, Master~? I've been ready for a long time."
Though Su Qingge still kept a stiff face, her ears were completely red. She stood up and pretended to casually tidy her hair. "I'm going to shower. Let's get one thing straight: I'm not doing it with this crazy woman."
"That's not up to you."
Jiang Chen grabbed Su Qingge's wrist and gave a slight pull, causing her to fall into his lap.
"Once you're inside this door, I make the rules."
In the bedroom, Bai Lu clutched the quilt tightly. Listening to the heart-pounding sounds from outside and the dialogue that was gradually becoming 'indescribable,' her entire body felt like it was on fire.
Is... is this the world of the rich?
This is too... too stimulating, isn't it?
She rolled over, trying to block out the sounds, but her mind couldn't help but picture the image of that man carrying her through the snow.
His broad back, his hot hands, and that domineering, unreasonable sense of security.
"I'm doomed."
Bai Lu buried her face in the pillow and wailed inwardly.
It seemed... she really had boarded a pirate ship. And what's more, she didn't want to get off anymore.
152: Chapter 152 Chen Man strikes decisively, Jiang Chen carelessly loses his lollipop
The frosted glass door of the bathroom was tightly closed, but the heat—enough to steam someone alive—seeped through the cracks, making the ambiguous scent of shower gel in the air turn thick and heavy.
"There's no more room! There's really no more room!"
Chen Man's exaggerated shouting came from inside the bathroom, accompanied by the splashing sound of feet stepping on water. "President Su, move inward a bit. Don't stick your butt out; it's poking my waist."
"Chen Man, take your claws off." Su Qingge's voice sounded a bit shaky. Her usual coldness had been softened by seventy percent in the hot water, leaving the remaining thirty percent as stubborn defiance. "This is a bath loofah, not your toy."
"Oh, come on, we're all sisters. What's wrong with a little touch? I've seen Jiang Chen touch you plenty of times; what are you acting so reserved for now?" Chen Man giggled, followed immediately by a crisp "smack," like the sound of a palm hitting plump, soft flesh.
"You!" Su Qingge was exasperated.
"Alright, alright, that's enough from both of you." Lin Wan gently tried to play the peacemaker, but even that role was hard to maintain right now. "Manman, stop teasing Qingge and hurry up and wash. The water is getting cold. And... Jiang Chen, where are you putting your hand?"
Although the bathroom in this RV was a top-tier luxury model, it still couldn't handle four adults being stuffed inside at once.
It was like a pot of boiling dumplings.
Fair skin pressed against fair skin, breaths intertwining with breaths.
Jiang Chen leaned against the innermost tiled wall, letting the water from the showerhead flow down his chest muscles.
At this moment, he was like a decadent emperor, looking at these three femme fatales appearing and disappearing through the mist. Any "gentlemanly" bottom line he had had long since washed down the drain.
"Stop arguing." Jiang Chen wiped the water from his face. His voice echoed in the small space, sounding exceptionally magnetic. "To improve efficiency, we need some tactical coordination. Sister Wan, you're in charge of the back; Chen Man, you're in charge of the front; as for President Su..."
His gaze fell on Su Qingge, who was covering her chest with a defensive yet blushing face. The wicked smirk on his lips couldn't be hidden.
"President Su is responsible for receiving criticism and education."
"What?" Su Qingge was stunned. Droplets of water slid down the lenses of her gold-rimmed glasses, making her look both ascetic and disheveled. "What did I do wrong?"
"That sour jealousy you had outside earlier—haven't you had enough of it?" Jiang Chen took a step forward.
The space was already small; with his movement, the water level in the entire bathroom seemed to rise. That strong scent of pheromones instantly overwhelmed the lavender scent of the shower gel.
Su Qingge was forced back until she had nowhere to go. Her back hit the cold glass door, and she let out a short gasp.
"That... that was Chen Man's provocation first." Su Qingge tried to be reasonable, but in a situation where they were all exposed to each other, reason was more fragile than soap bubbles.
"I don't care who started it." Jiang Chen reached out and took off her glasses, which were already covered in fog, and placed them casually on the shelf.
Without the glasses as a shield, Su Qingge's eyes, which usually held a scrutinizing look, instantly became watery and out of focus, making her look very easy to bully.
"Once you enter this door, you follow my rules."
Jiang Chen's fingers slid along her jawline to her collarbone, and then further down...
"It's too crowded here; I can't even turn around." Chen Man, ever the troublemaker, squeezed over. She was like a slippery, beautiful snake, pressing directly against Jiang Chen's back. "Boss, how about we change positions? Like... a Human Pyramid?"
"Human Pyramid, my foot." Lin Wan knocked her on the head in annoyance. Holding a sponge soaked with water, she resignedly began to scrub Jiang Chen's arm. "Hurry up and finish so we can get out. Xiao Lu is still outside. If we make too much noise, what will she think?"
At the mention of Bai Lu, the air in the bathroom froze for a second.
But only for a second.
In the next moment, that sense of taboo acted like an accelerant, making the fire of this chaotic battle burn even brighter.
"So what if she hears?" Chen Man didn't care at all as she smeared foam onto Jiang Chen's chest in circles. "It's just giving her a biology lesson. Besides, if she wants to pretend to be asleep, that's her skill. If she hears..."
Chen Man leaned into Jiang Chen's ear, her wet, warm tongue lightly grazing his earlobe like some small animal.
"Then let her hear how strict our Jiang Family's house rules are."
Jiang Chen's eyes darkened, and he reached back to grab Chen Man's restless waist.
"Fine. Since you're so enlightened, you'll be the first to demonstrate for this lesson."
"A demonstration it is, then. Who's afraid of who?" Chen Man lifted her chin provocatively, but a hint of impending success and anticipation was hidden in her eyes. "But Boss, there's a reward for giving a demonstration. I want that thing from just now..."
Her gaze swept downward, pointing meaningfully.
Watching this, Su Qingge bit her lip. Finally, as if giving up resistance, she turned her face away, but the hand that had been protecting her chest quietly dropped and grabbed one of Jiang Chen's arms.
The sound of water splashed, but at this moment, no one was in the mood to care about whether they were getting clean.
The steam was so thick it was about to turn back into water.
The temperature in the bathroom had soared to a dizzying critical point.
Jiang Chen sat leaning against the edge of the bathtub, which was just large enough for two. Although it was a bit cramped, that crowding had become a form of ultimate enjoyment.
This vixen Chen Man never knew the meaning of being polite.
She wasn't standing anymore; she was kneeling on the non-slip mat. Her long, wavy hair had long been soaked, sticking to her back in strands. Her glowing white skin was flushed pink under the light.
"Mmh..."
Jiang Chen threw his head back. His hand, which had been resting on the edge of the tub, instantly tightened, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
"Chen Man, you..." Su Qingge stood nearby, watching the scene before her, completely stunned.
This woman was literally going to suck his soul out!
"Don't just watch, President Su." Jiang Chen's voice was incredibly raspy, as if it contained a handful of grit, yet it carried that kind of command that made one's legs go weak. "Don't you have to show some initiative too?"
Su Qingge's whole body trembled.
She looked at Jiang Chen's eyes, which were burning red with desire, and then at Chen Man, who was buried in her work.
"Jiang... Hubby..." Su Qingge's lips trembled as she called out.
"Stop."
Jiang Chen suddenly reached out and pinched Su Qingge's chin, forcing her to look up.
"We're changing the rules tonight."
He glanced at Chen Man, who was still working hard below, then at Lin Wan, who was blushing and massaging his shoulders, and finally locked his gaze on Su Qingge's face.
"From now on, until the sun comes up tomorrow, no one is allowed to call me 'Hubby'."
"Then... what should we call you?" Lin Wan asked softly, her hands not stopping but becoming even gentler.
The corners of Jiang Chen's mouth curled into an aggressive arc.
"Call me... Daddy."
153: Chapter 153 We'll leave the RV to the little lamb; we're heading back to the wolf's den.
The sound of water in the bathroom gradually ceased.
Regarding that shameful form of address, Su Qingge eventually cried out those two words with a sob in her voice.
Chen Man, on the other hand, said it quite smoothly, even with a hint of flirtatious sycophancy. As for Lin Wan, she had long since buried her face in Jiang Chen's neck, letting out a hum as soft as a mosquito's buzz as a sign of compromise.
In this 'battle to establish family status,' Jiang Chen had won a total victory.
When the four of them finally stepped out of the bathroom, which felt like a sauna, each of them carried a damp heat on their bodies.
Chen Man was draped in a bath towel, her wet hair clinging to the side of her face. Her peach-blossom eyes were filled with the lethargy that follows satisfaction; her walk was limp, and she looked as if she wanted nothing more than to hang off Jiang Chen's body.
Su Qingge kept her head down, the two patches of crimson on her face more intoxicating than the red wine she had drunk earlier. She wasn't wearing her glasses, and that hazy look in her eyes completely shattered her usual sharp aura.
Lin Wan walked last, still tidying up the wet clothes everyone had changed out of, looking very much like a virtuous wife and mother. However, her earlobes, which were red enough to drip blood, betrayed the inner turmoil she was feeling.
Jiang Chen felt refreshed. Water droplets still clung to his muscular frame as he casually dried his hair with a towel.
He swept his gaze toward the large bed, the corners of his mouth curling into a playful arc.
At this moment, Bai Lu was curled up entirely under the covers, not even daring to show her head. The blanket rose and fell gently with her breathing, though the frequency was clearly unnaturally fast.
Although the bathroom's soundproofing was decent, it couldn't withstand the intensity of the battle inside. Coupled with Chen Man's loud voice occasionally shouting suggestive phrases, Bai Lu felt like she was being roasted over a fire.
Her mind was filled with those blurry sounds from just now—phrases like 'be gentler,' 'I can't anymore,' and 'I won't call you that.' Every word seemed to be assaulting the pure worldview she had built over twenty-odd years.
“Oh, it seems our Dr. Bai is sleeping quite soundly,” Chen Man said as she dried her hair, intentionally walking to the bedside. Her eyes were as mischievous as a little fox's about to play a prank. “She didn't wake up despite such a big commotion. I'm truly impressed by this sleep quality.”
As she spoke, she extended a finger with a fresh manicure and poked Bai Lu in the waist through the blanket.
The person under the covers clearly shuddered, but she gritted her teeth and refused to budge, continuing to play dead.
“Alright, stop teasing her.” Jiang Chen walked over, grabbed Chen Man’s restless waist, and pulled her away from the bed. “She's an injured patient; she can't handle your scaring. Besides, wasn't that enough tossing around inside? It seems you aren't tired at all.”
Chen Man leaned into Jiang Chen's embrace, drawing circles on his chest with her finger, her voice soft and seductive: “I'm a little tired, but I still have some energy left. It's just that here... I always feel like I can't let go, having to worry about someone eavesdropping nearby.”
She intentionally emphasized the word 'eavesdropping.'
The lump under the covers on the bed shuddered again.
Su Qingge had also recovered by now. She quickly found a set of silk pajamas to change into, attempting to reclaim the dignity she had lost.
She glanced coldly at Chen Man, who was still clinging to Jiang Chen, and said while buttoning her top, “It really is inconvenient here. Since Bai Lu is here, let's leave the space to her. Although this RV has good soundproofing, it's not meant for... that.”
“President Su is right.” Lin Wan had also changed into her pajamas—a conservative long-sleeved cotton nightgown that nonetheless failed to hide her curvaceous figure. “Xiao Lu has a leg injury. If we all squeeze in here tonight, it would be bad if we accidentally bumped her wound. And... it's just too crowded.”
Thinking back to the scene of the four of them squeezed into the bathroom, Lin Wan felt her face flush even now.
Jiang Chen nodded, tacitly agreeing to the suggestion.
He glanced at Bai Lu, who was still wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon, and didn't expose her clumsy acting.
“Since everyone's changed, let's head out.” Jiang Chen pulled on a large T-shirt and a pair of loose pajama pants. “Let's leave Dr. Bai some peace and quiet. We'll head back to the house; that heated brick bed is large, and it's easier to roll around on.”
At the mention of 'rolling around,' one of the buttons Su Qingge had just fastened almost popped off again. She glared fiercely at Jiang Chen but didn't dare to talk back.
After all, the current Jiang Chen truly meant what he said. If anyone dared to talk back, they would be 'handled' later.
They tidied up briefly, set the RV's climate control to a comfortable level, and left a dim bedside lamp on.
Before leaving, Jiang Chen stood at the door and said calmly to the lump under the covers, “There's water and painkillers on the table, and food in the fridge if you're hungry. If it hurts too much tonight, press the call button by the bed; it's linked to my phone. Get some sleep and stop thinking about nonsense.”
With that, he turned off the light and led the three charming women out of the RV.
With the 'beep' of the electronic lock engaging, silence returned to the RV.
After a full five minutes, once she was sure there was no movement outside, the lump under the covers slowly wriggled.
First, a strand of long black hair peeked out, followed by a pair of eyes like a startled deer, and finally, a face as red as a boiled shrimp.
Bai Lu gasped for air, feeling as if she had almost suffocated inside.
She looked around the empty yet luxurious RV. The air still held the lingering scent of ambiguous shower gel and hormones.
She reached out to touch her burning cheeks. Her mind was filled with Jiang Chen's deep, magnetic voice and that heart-pounding 'punishment.'
“What kind of people are they...” Bai Lu grabbed a nearby pillow to cover her face and rolled silently on the bed. “So... so shameless! But... it also seems a bit...”
She didn't dare finish that thought.
But her heart, which had been immersed in geological strata and data models for years, had completely lost its rhythm tonight.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen was leading his 'harem' through the wind and snow toward the west wing of the old house.
The snow outside had picked up again, with flakes like goose feathers dancing under the streetlights.
The cold wind blew, instantly suppressing much of the heat on their bodies, but it also made the instinct to huddle together for warmth even stronger.
“Cold, cold, cold! I'm freezing to death!” Chen Man was wearing thin pajamas; although she had a down jacket wrapped over them, she was still shivering.
She hung onto Jiang Chen's arm like a koala, practically shrinking into his embrace. “Hubby... wait, no, Daddy, hold me quickly!”
“What are you shouting?” Jiang Chen gave her a smack on the bottom. “We're in the courtyard right now; what would people think if they heard you?”
“It's just us few, what's there to fear?” Chen Man was relentless, desperately burrowing into his arms. “Besides, you didn't say that inside just now. Weren't you enjoying it quite a bit then?”
Su Qingge walked on the other side. Although she wasn't as shameless as Chen Man, she also stayed close to Jiang Chen.
Her high-end silk pajamas were expensive, but their warmth was essentially zero.
Feeling the heat radiating from Jiang Chen, she unconsciously slipped her hand into his coat pocket, catching his hand inside.
In that instant, as the warmth of their palms merged, the awkwardness in Su Qingge's heart suddenly dissipated.
“It's just a few more steps, hang in there.” Jiang Chen squeezed Su Qingge's cold hand and glanced at Lin Wan, who was struggling to keep up behind them. He stopped and extended his other arm. “Sister Wan, take my arm.”
Lin Wan was startled for a moment, then smiled tenderly and stepped forward to take Jiang Chen's arm.
Thus, like a wealthy landlord, Jiang Chen led his three beautiful wives through the wind and snow, tramping back to the old house filled with the atmosphere of daily life.
As soon as they entered the west wing, a wave of heat hit them.
It was the heat unique to large rural heated brick beds, mixed with a faint scent of pine and the characteristic aged smell of an old house.
“This is much more comfortable.” Chen Man took off her down jacket and lunged directly onto the large kang bed covered with thick mattresses. “That RV is nice, but the bed is too soft. It's not as satisfying as this kang. You can toss around on this without it making a sound.”
“Is there nothing in your head besides tossing around?” Su Qingge took off her coat, revealing the pajamas that traced her perfect curves. She looked at Chen Man's unrefined sleeping posture with disdain, yet she honestly climbed onto the kang as well.
The kang was indeed heated thoroughly; sitting on it felt warm beneath her. That heat climbed up her tailbone, making her whole body feel soft and relaxed.
“Alright, stop the bickering.” Jiang Chen locked the door and pulled the curtains tight, leaving only a desk lamp on. In the dim yellow light, the west wing seemed to become a small world isolated from the rest of the earth.
154: Chapter 154 Another Battle on the Bed
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155: Chapter 155 Setting Sights on the Mineral Vein
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156: Chapter 156 Calling Jiang Chen by That Name in Front of His Parents
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157: Chapter 157 There's more than just gold buried beneath this mine.
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