"What?!" Xiang Ri's eyes widened in disbelief, as if they were about to pop out of his head. He stared at the so-called "aunt" before him in utter shock. The person he had scolded mercilessly at the luxury hotel just days ago turned out to be related to him. "You're saying that scumbag is my cousin?"
"Get it straight—he's not your cousin; he's your older cousin," Yi Xiaojun sternly corrected his mistake.
"Seriously?!" Xiang Ri cursed under his breath, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Older cousin, younger cousin—who cares? If he dares to mess with my woman, he deserves a lesson."
"Don't grin like that—it's disgusting," Yi Xiaojun scolded, visibly annoyed by his smug expression. "Still, you're relatives, so don't go overboard. That said, even I can't stand his behavior. He deserved what he got."
"Can't stand him, yet you tolerate him? I don't get it. You don't seem like the patient type—why haven't you dealt with him yourself?" Xiang Ri asked, suspecting she might be shielding her nephew out of favoritism.
Yi Xiaojun spread her hands helplessly. "What can I do? I have neither money nor power. On top of that, his father, the eldest in the family, controls 80% of the family's assets. If I were to lay a hand on him, I might lose my allowance the very next day."
"So, you're saying that scumbag's father is the kind who fiercely protects his own?"
"Not just fiercely—he's notoriously overprotective!" Yi Xiaojun emphasized gravely, though a sly glint flickered in her eyes.
"Then if I've already taught his precious son a lesson, will he come after me?" Xiang Ri asked cautiously, the question hitting a little too close to home for comfort.
Yi Xiaojun pondered for a moment before answering, "If you weren't the Iron Family's son-in-law or your mother weren't Yi Xiaohua, he'd likely make your life miserable."
Understanding her implication, Xiang Ri asked, "So, I'm safe for now?"
"More or less," Yi Xiaojun confirmed, but her tone suddenly shifted, and a hint of concern appeared on her face. "By the way, there's something I'd like your help with."
"Anything too troublesome, count me out," Xiang Ri immediately declined, tactfully yet firmly. After all, if she couldn't handle it herself, it was unlikely he could either. Besides, meddling in others' affairs wasn't his style.
"It's not troublesome—not in the slightest. You might even benefit from it," Yi Xiaojun replied with a sly smile. "Remember that girl by his side last time? The stunning one?"
"I think there was someone like that," Xiang Ri recalled the elegantly made-up woman beside that spoiled brat, her reluctant demeanor etched in his memory. "Why do you ask?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously, already wondering if this woman was planning to involve him in some shady business.
"Don't look at me like that! I mean you no harm!" Yi Xiaojun rolled her eyes. "It's simple, really. I just want you to help her out, maybe even get her away from that bastard if possible."
"Huh?" Xiang Ri looked at her skeptically, unable to discern her true motives. "Why me? And about those benefits you mentioned..."
"The benefits can wait!" Yi Xiaojun interrupted. "She's the daughter of a friend of mine. I can't stand by and watch her ruin her life with that scumbag."
"Why don't you help her yourself?"
"Didn't I just say—I have no money!" Yi Xiaojun exclaimed, exasperated.
"What does money have to do with this?" Xiang Ri remained unconvinced by her excuse, suspecting there was more to her plan. Although her face betrayed no ill intent, he couldn't shake the feeling she was setting a trap for him.
"It has everything to do with it. Fine, I'll be honest. Her company suffered massive losses and needed funding. She turned to me, but I couldn't help. That's when she went to that bastard, and he exploited the situation by demanding her daughter become his girlfriend. My friend was ready to declare bankruptcy, but..."
"But her daughter stepped up and willingly agreed to be with that scumbag?" Xiang Ri finished for her.
Yi Xiaojun nodded vehemently. "Exactly."
"So, what do you want me to do?" Xiang Ri asked, recalling the composed beauty who seemed resigned to her fate. Her self-sacrifice to save her mother's legacy stirred his sympathy—and perhaps something darker he dared not acknowledge.
"Lend her the money."
"How much?" Xiang Ri asked cautiously.
"Not much, just a billion or so," Yi Xiaojun said casually, as if mentioning loose change.
"What? Are you serious? Do you think I'm made of money?" Xiang Ri was already reevaluating whether to get involved.
Yi Xiaojun's tone turned sharp. "Oh, please! You're dating the daughter of the richest man in the country, and you're crying poor?"
"That's her wealth, not mine! Besides, I'm a man—I can't go around spending a woman's money," Xiang Ri shot back indignantly.
"Really?" Yi Xiaojun looked at him with open disbelief.
"Of course! Do I look like someone who lives off a woman?" Xiang Ri snapped, glaring daggers at her.
"Not really. Your father had the same stubborn streak," Yi Xiaojun conceded. "In that case, you'll just have to borrow it from your little girlfriend."
"Absolutely not!" Xiang Ri rejected her bluntly, then suddenly paused, narrowing his eyes at her. "Wait a minute... this was your plan all along, wasn't it?"
Finally, Xiang Ri understood why this woman had dragged him outside for a private conversation. On the surface, she seemed eager to protect the secret of his identity as the Tie family's "son-in-law," but her true aim was likely to extract a hefty sum of money from him.
"Clever of you to catch on!" Yi Xiaojun admitted without the slightest embarrassment, even brazenly adding a hint of menace. "Whether you lend me the money or not is up to you. But… it seems someone has forgotten a certain little secret. Let me think… who was it again? Ah, right! The son-in-law of the Tie family!" She shot him a sly, knowing glance as she spoke.
Xiang Ri had half a mind to strangle her, but ultimately, he clenched his teeth and relented. "Fine. I'll do it!"
"See? That wasn't so hard. Why make me waste so many brain cells?" Yi Xiaojun couldn't resist taking a jab at his hesitation. "Didn't you claim you wouldn't spend a woman's money? So what's this now?"
Although he knew she was deliberately provoking him, Xiang Ri couldn't help but respond. "It's *my* money!"
"Exactly," she quipped, her tone laden with insinuation. "Since she's already your girlfriend, her money is naturally yours too."
"I'm done arguing with you," Xiang Ri said, exasperated. "But have you ever considered—does the richest man alive look like someone who'd let his daughter live with a poor nobody? Even an idiot would know that's impossible."
"You've got a point," Yi Xiaojun mused, stroking her sharp chin thoughtfully. The divide between wealth and poverty had always been an unbridgeable chasm. She had learned that lesson long ago. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, her eyes lit up. Pointing a finger at Xiang Ri, she exclaimed, "Wait—you have money, don't you?"
"Bingo. To give you a little hint, the Xiangri Corporation is mine." Watching her face morph into unabashed greed, Xiang Ri found it oddly satisfying.
"What?! That company is yours?" Yi Xiaojun's expression was one of sheer disbelief. "You mean to tell me the company that scumbag tried to acquire recently is your Xiangri Corporation? And the massive influx of funds that saved it from being bought out—that was you?"
"Of course! It's my own money."
"I'm curious—how does someone like you have that much cash? As far as I know, that injection was fifty billion. Where'd it come from?"
"Trade secret," Xiang Ri replied mysteriously, unwilling to reveal his full hand.
"Suit yourself. I don't really care anyway," Yi Xiaojun scoffed, feigning indifference. But within seconds, her demeanor shifted again. Her eyes gleamed with the fervor of a gold digger, and her tone turned honeyed. "Since you're so well-off, how about sparing a little for your dear aunt? Look at this dress—it's practically a relic! I've been wearing it for a year now. And my makeup? It's nowhere near international standards. Just look at this eyeshadow, this lip gloss…"
"Alright, alright. How much do you need?" Xiang Ri sighed, already bracing himself for the worst.
Seeing the opportunity, Yi Xiaojun dropped the pretense. "Stop fussing and hand it over!"
"Fine, fill it in yourself—but don't go overboard," Xiang Ri said, handing her a blank check. Inspired by the casual way in which the Chu family patriarch had scribbled out massive sums, he'd recently adopted the practice himself. It was undoubtedly more convenient than carrying wads of cash.
"Don't mind if I do," Yi Xiaojun chirped gleefully, practically salivating as she took the check. With swift strokes, she jotted down a long string of numbers that made Xiang Ri's scalp tingle. The sheer number of zeros was enough to make anyone break into a cold sweat.
"How's this? Does it work?" she asked, holding it up triumphantly.
"A billion?!" Xiang Ri's mind buzzed as though a swarm of flies had taken up residence.
"Too little? Shall I write another—"
"No! Any more, and I'll be bankrupt!" Xiang Ri howled in protest. Despite his exaggerated outcry, he found solace in the thought that the expenditure was worth it—for her.
"Stingy!" Yi Xiaojun mock-complained, though she was inwardly ecstatic. She hadn't expected such a windfall. The paltry million promised by Lao San paled in comparison to her generous nephew.
Clutching the check like a treasure map, she muttered, half-delirious with excitement, "With this, I'll get new clothes, makeup, shoes… oh, and a Ferrari! That red one I saw last time—wonder if it's still there? Haha! I'm off!" Before Xiang Ri could respond, she bolted away.
"Hey! What's the rush? I've got a question for you," Xiang Ri called out. Though he deemed the expense worthwhile, watching her unrestrained glee left him feeling slightly bitter.
"Shoot!" In her euphoric state, Yi Xiaojun was uncharacteristically agreeable.
"You said that girl is your friend's daughter, right? She looks like she's in her twenties…" Xiang Ri trailed off, deliberately leaving the sentence unfinished.
"What are you getting at?" Yi Xiaojun, predictably, took the bait.
"Nothing, really. Just curious—how old are you, exactly, Auntie?" Without waiting for a reply, Xiang Ri spun around, stepped inside, and locked the door in one fluid motion. From outside, Yi Xiaojun's furious pounding filled the air.
In the living room, Chu Chu and Shi Qing exchanged puzzled glances. Xiang Ri tapped his temple and gestured toward the door. The two women, initially baffled, soon broke into knowing smiles.