Chapter 36: The "High and Noble House" of the Wang Family

Wang Hao didn't hear a word Zhao Hui said; his eyes were fixed entirely on Zhao Xiangjun. She was not merely a beauty; she was a goddess. In ancient times, she would have been the type to topple kingdoms. He had never seen anyone so beautiful, not even on television. Beyond her perfect physique, there was an air of ethereal detachment about her—the perfect fusion of ice and fire—delivering a truly explosive impact. It was no wonder; even someone as picky as Chen Xiao could never bear to look away from her.

Seeing Wang Hao’s reaction, Zhao Hui was not annoyed. Instead, he cheerfully invited him to sit on the sofa, right next to Zhao Xiangjun. As Wang Hao walked over, heart brimming with excitement, Zhao Xiangjun stood up and addressed the room: "I’m heading back to the city; I have to work tomorrow."

"What?" Wang’s father looked displeased and said to Zhao Hui, "Hui, that’s not how things are done, is it?"

"Xiangjun, how can you be so rude?" Zhao Hui scolded her angrily.

Zhao Xiangjun replied calmly, "You are here to discuss matters, and as an irrelevant person, I have work to attend to. I won't disturb you all. Goodbye." With that, she grabbed her bag and walked out, leaving a room full of awkward silence.

"Ah, Mr. Wang, I’m so sorry. My sister has had a difficult temper since childhood. It’s my fault for not explaining things to her beforehand. I’ll work on her later and make sure she apologizes to you in person!"

Mr. Wang gave a cold snort. "An apology isn't necessary. As long as the young people get along, it doesn't matter to us old folks. But to be honest, the Wang family is of high standing. You can ask around for a few miles to see what our family is like."

"Yes, yes!" Zhao Hui nodded, offering apologies.

"This is brother Zhao, right? You don't mind if I call you 'brother' despite my seniority, do you?"

Zhao Xiangjun’s father shook his head and offered a forced smile. "Not at all, it’s an honor."

"You’re quite polite, I see," Mr. Wang said proudly. "We have three properties in Jiangzhou, all paid for in full. Each is about 120 square meters. My wife and I will keep one, and the other two are for my son and his future wife."

"We have a Mercedes E300, and after they marry, I can help them get a BMW X3. Additionally, we can provide a dowry of 660,000 yuan."

Good heavens—Zhao Hui’s eyes sparkled with greed. That was so much money!

"Of course, all of this depends on whether the two young ones are happy with each other and can get along."

"Dad, I’m happy!" Wang Hao blurted out.

*This useless brat,* his father thought, feeling a surge of irritation. But then he remembered Zhao Xiangjun’s heaven-defying beauty and sighed; it was only natural. If he were young again, he probably wouldn't be much better than his son.

"My sister won't have much of a problem either; I’ll work on her!"

Zhao’s parents frowned. They had no objections to the Wang family’s generous conditions, but they knew their daughter’s temperament. You couldn't force her; if she didn't want to do something, she wouldn't do it even if it killed her. Even if her parents threatened her with their own lives, it would be useless—she would rather die with them than compromise on this. Seeing Zhao Hui agree so readily, the two elders grew anxious.

"How about this: some other day, you and your wife take my brother and his wife to Jiangzhou to see our properties. Bring your sister, too. You should know that for many people in Jiangzhou, a house like this is something they couldn't struggle to afford in a lifetime."

"These are fully paid-off homes, and the neighborhood environment is much better than this resettlement community!"

"That sounds great, Mr. Wang! I believe my sister will have a change of heart once she sees them. You wouldn't believe the apartment she’s renting now—only a few dozen square meters, and it costs 2,000 yuan a month. The environment can’t compare to your neighborhood."

Wang’s father nodded and told Wang Hao, "Hao, when the time comes, take the family Mercedes and drive your Uncle Zhao and the others over to take a look and show them the place."

Wang Hao agreed repeatedly. The insecurity he had felt when first seeing Zhao Xiangjun vanished, replaced by a growing sense of superiority in front of these people.

"Oh, it's a pity the car can't fit that many people, or I would have loved to go with my sister and future brother-in-law to see Mr. Wang’s mansion!"

Haha! Wang’s father laughed proudly. "Brother-in-law, there will be plenty of chances. Once the families are united, we’ll be visiting often. When the time comes, I’ll buy them that BMW and have them take you to stay at the house for a few days!"

The uncle’s face beamed as he began to imagine the scene.

"And brother Zhao, you won't need to work in other cities anymore. I’ll find you and Chen Hui some easy jobs at my company. We’ll be family, so it’ll be convenient to look out for one another."

The uncle chimed in at the right moment: "In that case, please look after me too, Mr. Wang!"

Wang’s father felt a bit of disdain, but he replied, "Once we’re family, there’s no need to speak of us as two separate houses. It’s easily done!"

Zhao’s father offered a forced smile. He wanted this too—not entirely out of a desire for an easy life, but because he wanted his youngest daughter to settle down. Yet, he knew her personality; this was basically impossible.

It was 9 p.m. when Chen Xiao received the photo of the taxi license plate from Zhao Xiangjun. He had expected her to be back much later; he didn't know why she had returned so early today.

He waited in his apartment for nearly an hour. When he heard the door across the hall open, he pulled his own door wide, startling her.

"Chen Xiao, why aren't you resting yet?"

"I was waiting for you. How could I rest if you weren't back?"

He followed her into the apartment and, sensing her exhaustion, asked, "Why didn't you stay home a little longer?"

"I couldn't stay. There's no place for me there."

Thinking she meant the lack of space, Chen Xiao gestured to the bag he was carrying and said with the air of someone expecting praise, "Guess what this is?"

"What is it? Can't you just tell me? I don't want to guess, it's a headache."

She really wasn't playing along; she had no sense of romance.

"I used your identity today to handle something big."

"What big thing? Did you use my ID to get a phone card?"

"..." What kind of logic was that? Besides, would a phone card count as a big thing?

"Here, see for yourself!"

She took his ID and the brown paper bag suspiciously, pulled out the contents, and took a glance. A property purchase agreement? She looked at him, puzzled. What did this mean? Did you buy a house?

Chen Xiao gestured for her to keep looking. She flipped it open, and when she saw her own name on the signature line, she gasped, "Chen Xiao, have you lost your mind? What are you thinking?"

She hurriedly flipped further, and when she saw the total price of 9.3 million, she felt a wave of dizziness.

"Big brother, are you joking? I don't deserve this house. How am I supposed to pay back this mortgage?"

Chen Xiao said, "There's no mortgage. It’s paid in full. What are you paying back?"

"Chen Xiao, you must be crazy. What were you thinking? Hurry up and change the name tomorrow. I don't want it. Why are you buying me a house for no reason?"

Chen Xiao replied, "Change it? That doesn't seem right. The title deed is in your name; changing it would incur a huge amount of tax."

Zhao Xiangjun said anxiously, "Then what are we supposed to do? Why are you acting so crazy?"