Xiao Ran walked calmly into the I Love My Home store, with a determined look in his eyes. An middle-aged male real estate agent in a neatly pressed suit immediately approached him, his face beaming with a professional smile and a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Sir, are you interested in seeing some properties?" The male agent asked warmly.
Xiao Ran nodded and replied succinctly, "Buying a house."
Upon hearing those two words, the agent's eyes lit up, as if he had seen golden riches waving at him. He knew that these two simple words might signify a significant deal.
"Sir, do you have any specific requirements or preferences?" The agent hurriedly inquired, eager to further understand Xiao Ran's needs.
Without wasting any words, Xiao Ran pointed to a document in his hand and said, "I'm interested in Villa 8 in Jiufu Community. Please call the seller. If they are willing to sell, I can sign the contract today. I'm willing to pay the listed price, but I need the keys today to start renovations immediately."
Upon hearing this, the agent felt as if he had heard the sweetest melody. He couldn't believe his ears; such a good deal had fallen into his lap. Excitedly, he took out his phone and dialed the seller's number.
The seller's voice came through the phone, and the agent briefly explained the situation. Upon hearing that it was a full payment and the deal could be completed today, the seller immediately agreed. They set a time for the meeting, and the agent hung up the phone.
He turned to Xiao Ran, a bright smile on his face. "Sir, the seller has agreed. We can go and sign the contract now."
Xiao Ran nodded and followed the agent to the office. They quickly signed the contract, and Xiao Ran transferred 1 million yuan as a deposit to the agent's account. Once the agent prepared the contract, they could proceed to the real estate bureau for the transaction.
The landlord also arrived soon. Seeing that Xiao Ran had paid the deposit so smoothly, he was greatly delighted. He gladly handed over the keys to Xiao Ran, confident that since Xiao Ran had provided his identity documents and the deposit was 1 million yuan, there was no need to worry about any foul play.
The agent looked on joyfully. He knew that he had struck it rich this time, earning a commission of 60,000 yuan and gaining the client's trust and respect. His colleagues also cast羡慕 glances and expressed their desire to learn from him.
The deal quickly spread throughout the real estate agent community, becoming a much-talked-about success story. People praised the agent's luck and ability, while also admiring Xiao Ran's generosity and decisiveness. The news also reached Jiufu Community, and the gossipy aunties spread it like wildfire, making the entire community aware of Xiao Ran's intention to buy Villa 8.
Xiao Ran stepped into the entrance of his own villa, firmly grasping the key in his hand. As the owner of this villa, he naturally had the authority to enter and leave the community. In this era of highly developed technology, the security system of the community had been upgraded to facial recognition. All he needed to do was glance at the camera, and he could easily pass through without any trouble.
However, upon entering the villa, Xiao Ran didn't stop to rest. Instead, he immediately turned on his computer and began searching online. What was he looking for? The answer was home renovation.
Xiao Ran had special expectations and requirements for his villa. He wanted it to be not just a place to live, but also a sturdy fortress that could resist any external intrusions. Therefore, he carefully selected a reputable home renovation company based on reviews and reputation.
He dialed the company's phone number, and a gruff male voice came through the line. Xiao Ran got straight to the point and stated his needs: "I want to renovate a villa."
The other party seemed surprised by this direct request, but quickly regained their professional composure. "No problem, we can renovate according to your needs."
Xiao Ran began to elaborate on his requirements: "My request is simple, I want it to be sturdy. I hope that after the renovation, even if someone outside were to smash it with a hammer, they wouldn't be able to damage its structure. Windows, doors, and other areas should all be equipped with retractable steel plates to ensure safety."
The other party was clearly shocked by such a request. They had received countless orders from clients, but it was the first time they had encountered such extreme demands like Xiao Ran's. However, as professional renovators, they understood the importance of satisfying their clients.
"This is indeed a challenge," the other party said after a moment of contemplation. "But we can try. The construction period might be quite long, at least half a year."
However, Xiao Ran shook his head. "The construction period cannot exceed two months."
The other party was stunned again. Completing the renovation of an entire villa in just two months was almost an impossible task. But they also understood that since Xiao Ran had made such a request, there must be a reason behind it.
"This... will require an additional fee," the other party hesitated for a moment before deciding to take on this seemingly impossible task.
Xiao Ran smiled faintly. "No problem, as long as you can complete the renovation within the specified time and meet my requirements, the price is not an issue."
Upon hearing this, the other party immediately became more enthusiastic. They knew that this was a rare opportunity and a chance to showcase their capabilities. So they quickly asked, "Could you please tell us where your villa is located? We'll send someone over immediately to inspect it in person."
Xiao Ran provided the address and hung up the phone. He knew that this renovation company had exceptional capabilities and had completed many seemingly impossible tasks in the past. This time, he believed that they would be able to fulfill his request and transform his villa into an impregnable steel fortress.
Sitting on the sofa, Zheng Youjun still held his phone, the screen of the stock trading app flickering with various data. He had originally been waiting for Jia Yungui, the businessman who was about to renovate his house, but his mind was completely elsewhere at the moment. His brows were furrowed, filled with anger and confusion towards Xiao Ran.
At that moment, there came a rapid knock on the door, as if something urgent had happened. Zheng Youjun put down his phone, his brows tightening even more. He stood up and walked towards the door, muttering, "Who is it? So urgent?"
When he opened the door, he saw Mrs. Liu from Building 7, a neighbor known for her gossipy nature. As soon as she saw Zheng Youjun, Mrs. Liu blurted out, "Mr. Zheng, you guys sure keep things hidden well!"
Zheng Youjun was taken aback by her words, wondering, "Hidden well? What does she mean?" Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind: Could it be that his daughter's divorce had already spread? It couldn't be, who would talk about such a disgraceful matter at home?
However, when he saw the half-smiling, half-mocking expression on Mrs. Liu's face, he suddenly understood. It turns out that Mrs. Liu wasn't referring to his daughter's divorce, but something else. His heart tightened, wondering if there was something else that had been spread around.
"Mr. Zheng, you guys really make me look at you in a new light," Mrs. Liu continued. "I didn't expect that your daughter and son-in-law would divorce, yet you can still be so calm about it."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Youjun was furious. He shouted angrily, "What? Who divorced? My daughter and son-in-law are fine, how could they divorce?"
Mrs. Liu was taken aback by his angry outburst. She didn't expect Zheng Youjun to react so strongly, and quickly explained, "Oh, Mr. Zheng, don't get angry. I heard from someone else that your daughter and son-in-law divorced."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Youjun was even more enraged. He shouted angrily, "Who said that? Which damn liar is spreading rumors? How could our family matters spread outside?"
Seeing his anger, Mrs. Liu didn't dare say anything more. She thought to herself, "Mr. Zheng is usually a very kind person, but why is he so angry today? Could it be that his daughter and son-in-law really divorced?"
After closing the door, Zheng Youjun was panting angrily. He sat on the sofa, thinking about what had just happened. Suddenly, he thought of Xiao Ran, the bastard who had beaten him up yesterday. It must be him! He must be spreading rumors about the divorce everywhere! This ingrate! Truly a白眼狼 (a traitor or ungrateful person)!
As he thought about it more and more, he picked up his phone and called Xiao Ran. However, the phone only rang with the prompt, "The number you dialed is not available." He was so angry that he slammed the phone down on the sofa. This bastard! He even daren't answer the phone!
"Old Zheng, have you heard? Your son-in-law, Xiao Ran, really made a big splash! He bought that villa in our neighborhood, you know how much it cost? 12 million yuan, and he didn't even blink!" Aunt Liu said excitedly, shaking her fan in her hand. Her face was filled with anticipation, as if she had already foreseen a big family drama about to unfold.
Zheng Youjun was stunned, his eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you say? Xiao Ran? Buying a house? A villa? How could that be possible!" His voice trembled, clearly shocked to the extreme. He clearly remembered that Xiao Ran only made a little over 10,000 yuan a month, and gave it all to his daughter. They had divorced only yesterday, and Xiao Ran had left with nothing. How could he possibly afford a villa worth 12 million yuan?
"Ah, Zheng, you can't doubt it. I saw it myself. The contract clearly stated it, Xiao Ran's name was right there." Aunt Liu insisted when seeing Zheng Youjun's disbelief. Though she was often gossipy, she wouldn't make up such a story.
Zheng Youjun's body started to sway, and he felt a wave of dizziness. The news was too sudden and shocking for him. He tried to steady himself and calm down. But Aunt Liu's words hit him like a heavy hammer.
Just then, Aunt Zhao rushed down from upstairs. She looked at Zheng Youjun with envy, as if she had seen something remarkable. "Zheng, your family is really making it big! Buying a villa! It's the best house in our neighborhood!" Her voice was filled with envy and jealousy.
Zheng Youjun swayed again, feeling his blood pressure rising. It might be a mistake for one person, but two people were saying it so confidently. Could it really be true? He couldn't accept it. He couldn't believe that Xiao Ran suddenly became so wealthy after their divorce.
Seeing Zheng Youjun's reaction, Aunt Liu became even more excited. She looked at him with schadenfreude and continued, "Aunt Zhao, you don't know yet? Zheng's daughter and son-in-law have divorced! That villa, it was bought by Xiao Ran after the divorce."
"What? Divorced?" Aunt Zhao looked at Zheng Youjun in shock. "Zheng, is that true? How could you let go of such a wealthy son-in-law? Then I won't be polite. My daughter Jia Jia is not young anymore, and she should find a boyfriend to get married."
Aunt Zhao's words made Zheng Youjun feel even worse. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by something, painful to the point of suffocation. He knew that Aunt Liu and Aunt Zhao's gossip had spread throughout the neighborhood. His daughter's divorce from Xiao Ran and Xiao Ran's purchase of the villa had become a hot topic in the community. This made him feel extremely ashamed and angry.
However, what he couldn't accept even more was that Aunt Zhao actually had designs on Xiao Ran. She even started to fantasize about her daughter being able to be with Xiao Ran and thus become the owner of that 12 million yuan villa. This thought made Zheng Youjun feel extremely disgusted and angry. He knew that he had to find Xiao Ran as soon as possible and find out what had really happened.