“Would she… do something drastic?” Wei Fang asked, her face etched with worry.
“I’ll go check on her!” Zhao Xueqing started to rise, but Jiang Tian gently stopped her with a wave of his hand. “It’s fine. Let her have some space.”
“What a mess this is!” Zhao Hucheng sighed heavily, slumping onto the sofa and lighting a cigarette in frustration.
Chu Yuwei, standing nearby, offered soft words of comfort.
Wei Fang’s anger had subsided, but unease now gnawed at her. “Jiang Tian, you were too rough today—hitting someone like that! They’ll never let this go. How can we, as businesspeople, afford to offend officials?”
Though her tone carried reproach, it was noticeably gentler. Even if Jiang Tian had acted recklessly, he’d done it to protect her daughter.
“No need to worry,” Jiang Tian replied with a faint smile. “The Lu family is nothing. A single word from me, and they’re finished.”
“Uncle, Aunt, rest assured—I’m not the same Jiang Tian from before. As long as Xueqing is my wife, I’ll ensure your safety. No one will dare trouble you.”
“Jiang Tian, stop with the empty boasts!” Zhao Hucheng let out a bitter laugh, unsure how to handle the inevitable retaliation. “Aren’t you old enough to know that patience avoids greater trouble? Even if Lu Changfeng is scum, we could’ve just refused the marriage. But you had to resort to violence! You’ve doomed us!”
“Yeah, you’ve really dragged Uncle and Aunt into disaster this time!” Chu Yuwei sneered, her disdain evident.
Jiang Tian could only shake his head with a wry smile. His transformation was too drastic—no wonder Zhao Hucheng and Wei Fang struggled to accept it.
“Didn’t you say Zheng Guangsha gave you King’s No. 1 Villa?” Zhao Hucheng’s anger flared as Jiang Tian remained silent. He glared at Jiang Tian as if he were a fraud.
“Yes,” Jiang Tian confirmed.
“King’s No. 1 Villa cost at least 30 million to build. With the recent surge in property prices, it’s worth 50 million, maybe even 100 million now!”
Chu Yuwei couldn’t hold back her scorn. “And that villa isn’t even for living in—it’s reserved for Zheng Guangsha’s business partners and government officials. How could it possibly end up in your hands?”
Jiang Tian stayed silent, resigned. Xueqing had already told them he’d slain a ghost king for Zheng Guangsha. If they refused to believe it, so be it.
Seeing Jiang Tian’s stubborn silence, Zhao Hucheng grew even angrier. He wanted to put Jiang Tian in his place. “Fine. Since it’s not far, let’s go take a look.”
“Oh, I can’t wait! The legendary King’s No. 1!” Chu Yuwei’s sweet smile dripped with mockery.
“Enough, enough. Jiang Tian only acted to protect Qianru today. Don’t embarrass him further,” Wei Fang interjected, her tone softening. She’d warmed slightly to Jiang Tian after today.
Chu Yuwei smirked, expecting Jiang Tian to back down. Instead, he replied calmly, “Sure.”
Everyone except Zhao Xueqing froze, staring at Jiang Tian as if he were a fool.
Zhao Hucheng wanted to slap himself. Why am I even engaging with this lunatic? This’ll just be a wasted trip.
Wei Fang grew concerned. His condition must’ve worsened. How can he still be delusional at a time like this?
“Let’s go, then! I can’t wait to see it!” Chu Yuwei’s eyes sparkled with glee. She’d always looked down on Jiang Tian and relished his impending humiliation.
She tugged Wei Fang and Zhao Xueqing toward the door, with Zhao Hucheng reluctantly following. As he passed Jiang Tian, he shook his head in disappointment.
…
The walk to King’s No. 1 Villa was short. Jiang Tian strolled leisurely along the tree-lined path through Wanghu Park, soon arriving at the villa’s grand entrance atop Lion Peak.
By then, Zhao Hucheng, Wei Fang, and Chu Yuwei were already on the lawn, admiring the sweeping views of Xiu Lake and Wanghu Park.
“This villa sits atop Lion Peak—the best location in the city. You can see all of Linzhou from here!” Zhao Hucheng mused, not even glancing at Jiang Tian.
“True. Money alone can’t buy this place. Living here isn’t just about wealth—it’s about status and prestige,” Wei Fang sighed. This single villa was worth more than her decades of hard work at Zhao Pharmaceuticals.
“Zheng Guangsha is truly Linzhou’s top tycoon. Just this luxury villa boosted prices in the surrounding complexes. The third phase of Lion Peak Residences now sells for 5,000 per square meter!” Chu Yuwei remarked. “This year, Zheng secured three more plots for over a billion. The land cost alone is 4,000 per square meter. The market’s about to skyrocket!”
Even a girl like Chu Yuwei has sharper insights than Jiang Tian. No—comparing her to this fool is an insult. Zhao Hucheng nodded bitterly, shooting Jiang Tian a disappointed look.
When Jiang Tian approached, Chu Yuwei smirked. “Our big shot’s here! Open the door and give us the grand tour!”
Jiang Tian remained unruffled. He pulled out a key and walked to the entrance.
Hopeless. Even now, he won’t back down. He’s beyond treatment. Zhao Hucheng and Wei Fang exchanged resigned glances.
“Hmm… which key is it?” Jiang Tian fumbled with the lock, trying a few keys unsuccessfully.
Watching this, even Chu Yuwei felt a pang of pity. Am I really bullying a mentally ill man?
“Forget it, Jiang Tian. We were just joking. Let’s go back,” she said, waving a hand.
Just as Jiang Tian hesitated, the door swung open from inside.
A elderly man in traditional Tangzhuang stood there, his face alight with delight. “Mr. Jiang! You’ve finally arrived!”
“Oh, Steward Shen.” Jiang Tian nodded.
“Chairman Zheng instructed me to maintain the villa daily. He said to call him the moment you arrived—and here you are!” The steward eagerly pulled out his phone to dial Zheng Guangsha.
Everyone except Zhao Xueqing stood frozen in shock.
Chu Yuwei’s mouth hung open, wide enough to fit a loaf of bread.
Jiang Tian—now ‘Mr. Jiang’ in Zheng Guangsha’s eyes—was just gifted a villa worth tens, maybe hundreds of millions?!
Wei Fang caught the steward’s wording. “Chairman Zheng? You mean… Zheng Guangsha?”
The steward smiled politely. “Who else in Linzhou is called ‘Chairman Zheng’?”
Jiang Tian, unfazed, took Zhao Xueqing’s hand. “Let’s take a look. I’ve had the keys for a while but never visited. Uncle, Aunt, come along.”
The tour left them speechless. The villa’s opulence was staggering.
Chu Yuwei stood dumbfounded, her earlier taunts now slapping her in the face.
Zhao Hucheng and Wei Fang exchanged stunned glances. Since when did Jiang Tian have ties to someone like Zheng Guangsha?
“Why would Chairman Zheng give Jiang Tian such an extravagant villa?” Zhao Hucheng couldn’t help asking.
“That… I wouldn’t dare speculate,” the steward replied with a deferential bow.
Zhao Xueqing piped up, “I told you—Jiang Tian helped them exorcise a ghost. You didn’t believe me!”
On the way back, Zhao Hucheng whispered to Wei Fang, “Could Jiang Tian really have… recovered?”
“Even if he has, how did he suddenly gain such connections?” Wei Fang frowned. “Wait—didn’t he have a college classmate named Zheng Li? She’s Zheng Guangsha’s niece. Maybe that’s the link.”
“Regardless, Jiang Tian’s clearly not ordinary anymore. A 100-million-yuan villa? I wasn’t wrong about him.” Zhao Hucheng’s face softened with approval.
Back at their villa, Zhao Qianru was still missing. Worry gnawed at Zhao Hucheng and Wei Fang.
“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to her,” Jiang Tian said before heading out.
…
The setting sun cast long shadows.
Dressed in a white dress, Zhao Qianru sat on a park bench, her eyes red and distant as she stared at the vast Xiu Lake. Tears streaked her cheeks.
“Qianru.”
She turned at the voice, quickly wiping her face. “Brother-in-law…”
Jiang Tian sat beside her, lighting a cigarette. The smoke curled around his face, lending him an air of quiet melancholy.
After a pause, he spoke softly. “I ruined your engagement. You’re not angry with me, are you?”
“No! Of course not!” Qianru shook her head vehemently, her voice trembling. “I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t exposed that scum, my life would’ve been ruined.”
“You’ve grown up,” Jiang Tian murmured approvingly. He’d worried she might not understand.
“But… I can’t help feeling hurt.” Tears spilled over again. “He was so good to me—so devoted. And it was all a lie, just to get our family’s money.”
“Don’t dwell on it. There are plenty of good men out there. You’ll find someone who truly cherishes you,” Jiang Tian reassured her gently.
Qianru gazed at the lake, her voice dreamy. “I hope I meet someone as wonderful as you, Brother-in-law.”
Jiang Tian coughed awkwardly. “Me? I’m nothing special.”
“You gave Sister that jade bracelet even when you had no money. You even sold blood for her. When she misunderstood you and divorced you, you left her everything.” Qianru’s eyes shone with admiration.
“And now, with all those powerful people respecting you, you still come home every day to cook, do laundry, and keep her company. You’re the ultimate doting husband!”
If only you knew how much your sister sacrificed for me in our past life…
Jiang Tian sighed inwardly but only smiled. “I do it because she’s worth it. Your sister treats me well too.”
“Until I find a boyfriend… can you spare some of that love for me?” Qianru rested her head on his shoulder, her plea soft and pleading.
