At dusk, Xiang Ri, dressed in designer clothes, appeared at the grand entrance of Mansion No. 88 in the Zhenlong Villa District, with the equally elegantly dressed Chuchu in his arms.
"Is this your home? It feels like a palace! Looks like your old man has made quite a fortune," Xiang Ri couldn't help but marvel.
"Shut up! What old man… Watch your words! Don't you dare embarrass me in front of my father later," Chuchu scolded, worried that this rascal might say something foolish in front of her family.
"Embarrass you? Come on, I'm a handsome, charming young man! Your father will be delighted to meet me, he wouldn't dare find fault with me," Xiang Ri smirked dismissively.
"Handsome? More like a narcissist! But I must admit, you do look more presentable today than usual," Chuchu reluctantly conceded. She realized he did clean up rather nicely, though his glasses were still outdated—why didn't she think of getting him a new pair yesterday?
"If you're falling for me, just say so! No need to beat around the bush with your compliments. Tell me, do you have ulterior motives for me?" Xiang Ri grinned mischievously at her.
"As if! Who would have any designs on you?" Chuchu rolled her eyes, but then suddenly yelped, "Hey, what are you doing? Get your hand off!" Apparently, without her noticing, Xiang Ri's mischievous hand had wandered to a sensitive area.
"Shh, stop yelling. Someone's coming!" Xiang Ri gave her a teasing pinch before withdrawing his hand.
"Unbelievable!" Chuchu was nearly grinding her teeth in frustration.
"Miss, you've returned!" A stunning woman in her thirties approached them.
"Yes, Sister Bing, is my father home?" Chuchu glanced at her shyly, realizing she was still nestled in a man's arms.
"The master is in the living room… and this must be the young master, correct?" The beautiful woman smiled as she appraised Xiang Ri.
"Hi there! Sister Bing, right? Nice to meet you. I hope you'll look after me!" Xiang Ri replied, equally observant. The woman's tailored black suit perfectly accentuated her figure, with her long legs and slender waist drawing the attention of any man.
"You're Miss's boyfriend, no need to talk about looking after you. But if you run into any trouble, feel free to come to me," Sister Bing chuckled warmly.
"Of course, of course, I'll definitely keep that in mind," Xiang Ri's eyes narrowed slightly. He noticed calluses on her right index and middle fingers—likely from handling some kind of weapon. So, she was skilled with firearms too.
"Miss, the master has been waiting for you both. Let me take you inside," Sister Bing, aware of Xiang Ri's scrutinizing gaze, subtly turned her palm downwards.
"Thank you, Sister Bing!" Chuchu responded sweetly.
Xiang Ri made another observation: despite being the host, Chuchu showed considerable respect to this woman, who acted as a servant. Clearly, this wasn't a simple household—someone who could easily keep a strong-willed girl like Chuchu in check was no ordinary person.
"Why are you grinning like that, so disgusting! Are you plotting something again? I'm warning you, don't cause any trouble, or you'll regret it!" Chuchu waved a small fist at him.
"Chuchu, you look stunning today!" Xiang Ri said earnestly.
"Ugh, you're just good at flattery," Chuchu muttered, but the smile on her face betrayed her.
"How about we sleep together tonight?" Xiang Ri whispered seductively in her ear.
"Idiot! Sister Bing is still here!" Chuchu's face flushed as she cursed at him.
"So what? She's far enough away; she can't hear us. Well, what do you say? You know, it's not good for a man to hold it in for too long—it can lead to nervous breakdowns, weaken the immune system, and, more importantly, affect future fertility."
"You're lying to me again! Always trying to take advantage of me," Chuchu stared intently at his face, hoping to catch any sign of deceit. But soon she was disappointed, as the man's expression was nothing but sincere.
"Chuchu, are you really that heartless? Can you truly bear to watch a promising young man wither away into despair?" Xiang Ri wore the look of someone accusing her of being the most merciless person on earth if she did.
"Fine, seeing how pitiful you are, I'll reluctantly agree. But you must follow my rules. First, we must keep a distance of at least 50 centimeters. Second, we'll sleep separately. Third… I haven't thought of that yet, but I'll add more as I see fit."
"No problem. I'll reluctantly agree too. But what exactly do you mean by sleeping separately?" As long as we're on the same bed, how could you possibly escape my grasp? Xiang Ri chuckled slyly to himself.
"I mean, I'll sleep at the head of the bed, and you'll sleep at the foot," Chuchu explained irritably.
So that's how it is, Xiang Ri sighed in defeat.
"Chuchu!" A stern voice suddenly called out.
Chuchu flinched, realizing they had already walked into the living room while she was engrossed in conversation with the man.
"Xiaobing, you've had a long day, go and rest now," Mr. Chu addressed the beautiful woman standing nearby.
"Yes, sir!" Sister Bing bowed and turned to head upstairs.
"Sit," Mr. Chu ordered, his face expressionless as he glanced at the young man holding his beloved daughter.
"Thank you," Xiang Ri, despite agreeing with Chuchu, endured the unpleasant look on her father's face and restrained himself.
"Chuchu, come over here," Mr. Chu ordered, clearly displeased with the sight of his daughter so closely entwined with someone else.
"No!" Chuchu gripped the man's hand even tighter.
"Hmph!" Mr. Chu snorted coldly before turning to the young man. "You must be Xiang Kui?"
"That's me, alright," Xiang Ri glanced at him with mild disdain. This is ridiculous. You expect me to believe you haven't already investigated me thoroughly? You probably know the details of my ancestors back to eighteen generations.
"Leave my daughter, and I'll give you a million," Mr. Chu pulled out a checkbook and swiftly filled in the amount.
Chuchu, visibly anxious, tightened her grip on the man's hand even more.
"A million?" Xiang Ri's eyes brimmed with sarcasm. Honestly, he had a certain respect for this man, who had started from scavenging at fifteen and risen to become the chairman of a massive conglomerate, worth nearly ten billion. But offering only a million? That's like pulling a hair from your head.
"Ten million!" Mr. Chu tore up the one-million check and wrote another.
Chuchu's expression became more complex as she looked at Xiang Ri—there was anxiety, fear, and a faint hope.
"Ten million, huh?" Xiang Ri picked up the check from the coffee table, clicking his tongue. "I could start a major company with this."
Chuchu's body trembled slightly as she carefully watched Xiang Ri's reaction, while also casting a resentful glance at her father.
Mr. Chu appeared satisfied. As expected, everything had a price. The only reason he hadn't agreed yet was because the bid wasn't high enough.
"What a pity," Xiang Ri sighed, placing the check down, "I'm not interested."
Chuchu let out a deep breath of relief, while Mr. Chu's face darkened, thinking he was still unsatisfied. "Young man, are you being greedy?"
"My appetite is quite modest—I only eat two bowls of rice per meal," Xiang Ri replied indifferently.
"Xiang Kui, we're leaving!" Chuchu pulled on his hand, eager to leave before her father made a more tempting offer.
"Why are we leaving? Your business hasn't been resolved yet," Xiang Ri remained seated on the sofa, unmoved.
"Alright! Young man, you just want to squeeze more money out of me, I get it. You've won! I'll give you twenty million now. Just leave Chuchu, and remember, this is my final offer. If you refuse again, not only will you get nothing, but I'll send Chuchu abroad."
"Mr. Chu, do you know what kind of person I hate the most?" Xiang Ri asked slowly.
"Don't tell me you despise nouveau riche who flaunt their wealth and ruin others' happiness?" Mr. Chu sneered.
"Wrong. I hate people who are more arrogant than I am."