Chapter 62: Purchasing the Villa

At this moment, Zhou Lide was shaking with rage. If it had been just ten minutes earlier, he would never have believed, not even if beaten to death, that Yan Yu could truly purchase the Cloud Mist Mountain Villa.

But now, not only had Yan Yu bought the villa, even Shen Yan's brother, Shen Sanjin, was bending over backwards to please him, trying every means to curry favor.

Deeply regretful, Zhou Lide wished he could slap himself twice on the spot. He could only blame his own failure to recognize Yan Yu for who he truly was—a prince among men.

Yet, things had reached a point of no return.

"Zhou Lide, if you don't call me grandfather right now, we won't sign this contract," Yan Yu said calmly.

"Yan Yu, don't push your luck!" Zhou Lide growled.

"How many times have you accused me of pushing my luck today?" Yan Yu sneered. "Who is the one overreaching here—you or me? Aunt Liu has sacrificed so much for you and for this family, and you've never cared. Now you want to abandon them and become a kept man in someone else's house. Aren't your actions far more shameless than anything I’ve done?"

"You…!"

Zhou Lide's face turned a shade of purple, unable to utter a single word.

Shen Sanjin, a man well versed in the ways of the world, immediately understood what had transpired. He shot Zhou Lide a cold glance; he could not approve of his sister's choice, but as Shen Yan’s brother, he could not openly object.

But the matter of the Cloud Mist Mountain Villa must not be ruined by Zhou Lide.

"Sister, if you want to know whether a man is reliable, you have to see if he keeps his word," Shen Sanjin said quietly.

Shen Yan and Zhou Lide both changed expression. Shen Yan snapped, "Brother, why are you taking an outsider’s side? If he doesn’t buy the villa, there are plenty of people who will. It’s not as if we have to sell to him!"

"It’s not about the villa, it’s about the Ouyang family. Don’t you understand yet?" Shen Sanjin barked. "We've been trying to break into Lucheng for ages, but couldn't find an opening. If this deal goes through, we’ll have a connection with the Ouyang Consortium. The benefits from that far exceed the value of one villa!"

Hearing this, both of them fell silent. After a moment’s thought, Shen Yan whispered, "Lide, maybe you should just…"

"Impossible!" Zhou Lide shook his head at once. "I will never call that brat grandfather. Absolutely not!"

Yan Yu said coolly, "It seems the villa will need a different owner, then."

"Zhou Lide!" Shen Sanjin roared. "If you still want to be part of our family, kneel now, or get lost immediately!"

Zhou Lide’s face was ashen, his eyes wide in anger and humiliation.

He was now truly experiencing the bitterness of living at the mercy of others.

Under Yan Yu's gaze, Zhou Lide clenched his teeth, walked over, and fell to his knees with a dull thud. Bowing his head, he called out, "Grandfather."

"Louder. Use the same force you use when scolding Aunt Liu and Xiaowan!"

"Grandfather!"

After shouting, Zhou Lide seemed completely drained, collapsing weakly to the floor.

A faint smile played across Yan Yu’s lips. He turned to Xia Liu. "Aunt Liu, let’s sign the contract."

"Alright..."

Xia Liu looked at Zhou Lide, shook her head, and sighed softly.

If only he had known, he wouldn’t have acted as he did.

But it was Zhou Lide who abandoned her and her daughter. Now, Xia Liu felt only a trace of disappointment—no sadness or sympathy.

She signed the contract, and Shen Sanjin, beaming, took it.

"Shen Yan, the keys," Yan Yu said.

Shen Yan’s face was frosty enough to grow icicles. She handed the keys to Xia Liu, let out a cold snort, and stormed out of the villa in her high heels.

Zhou Lide hurried after her.

Watching them go, Xia Liu smiled lightly. Since it was over, let it be over.

Shen Sanjin picked up his briefcase and said, "Young Master Yan, the Ouyang family has paid your property and utility fees a hundred years in advance. We’ve also arranged for two full-time security guards at the villa entrance. If you need anything else, you can contact me anytime—here’s my card."

Yan Yu took the business card without a glance. "You may go now."

"Of course, if Young Master Yan needs anything, just call me!" Shen Sanjin grabbed his briefcase and dashed away.

Now, in the vast villa, only Yan Yu, Xia Liu, and Zhou Xiaowan remained.

Xia Liu and Zhou Xiaowan still felt as if everything before their eyes was unreal. The keys in their hands weighed heavy.

"Aunt Liu, Xiaowan, if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with in this house, just let Shen Sanjin know and he’ll have it fixed," Yan Yu said with a smile, slipping the business card into Zhou Xiaowan’s hand.

Xia Liu asked, "Xiaoyu, this villa is worth eighty million—are you really giving it to Aunt Liu just like that?"

"No matter what it’s worth, what matters is not letting Shen Yan and Zhou Lide have their way," Yan Yu replied with a smile.

"But that’s eighty million..." Zhou Xiaowan said in disbelief. "And, Brother Yu, by buying the villa, aren’t you just letting the Shen Real Estate Company make money for nothing?"

Yan Yu sneered, "It’s not so easy to make money from my fifth mother. Don’t worry, the Shen family is bound to go bankrupt soon."

He had a good understanding of his fifth mother's methods. A woman who casually gifted him five hundred million in spending money would never allow Shen Yan to profit so easily—especially after hearing about Zhou Lide’s betrayal.

So the rest was up to his fifth mother and Ouyang Sheng, whom Yan Yu had never even met.

Now that things had calmed down, Xia Liu couldn’t help but say, "Xiaoyu, this house is simply too valuable… I really can’t accept it."

Yan Yu shook his head, "Aunt Liu, kindness is priceless."

Zhou Xiaowan laughed, "Mom, this is Brother Yu’s goodwill. Maybe eighty million is nothing to him!"

Hearing this, Yan Yu felt a pang. The money was all from his fifth mother; as for his own assets, he only had about forty thousand left from a profit that hadn’t even been split yet.

The eldest mother had stipulated that after entering the secular world, Yan Yu could rely on his mothers’ support, but not squander it recklessly. He could give the villa to Xia Liu and Zhou Xiaowan, but he himself was not allowed to live here.

"Good child… If Xinyi knew how successful you’ve become, she’d be so happy for you," Xia Liu said, her eyes reddening. "Xiaoyu, this house is so big—why don’t you stay here, too?"

"Aunt Liu, I already have a place to stay. Don’t worry about me."

After comforting Xia Liu, Yan Yu saw that it was getting late, so he prepared to return to Xinghua Community.

Xia Liu and Zhou Xiaowan walked him to the villa gates before reluctantly returning inside.

Yan Yu asked the security guard to call a taxi, then got in with his luggage. He didn’t have much—he’d already packed up when he came to Cloud Mist Mountain Villa earlier.

In his backpack, besides a few new clothes, there was only a compass about the size of a watch, a short peach-wood sword, a stack of talismans, and a Rebirth Scroll.