VIP Volume Chapter 069: I Must Have It

Coming out of the alley, Ye Xiaoxuan was about to take out his keys when his hand brushed against something in his pocket. His heart skipped a beat. After such an intense fight, it was a miracle his precious Water-Avoiding Pearl hadn’t been smashed!

He walked over to Wen Xiaoyu, took out the object, and placed it in her palm, smiling as he reminded her, “Keep it safe!”

Wen Xiaoyu gazed at the faintly glowing pearl in her hand, her eyes lighting up with surprise. “What is this?” she asked.

Ye Xiaoxuan leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Poison!”

It was already deep into the night. Every household had extinguished their lights and gone to sleep. Yet, the porch lamp at Uncle Ye’s house was still glowing. Hearing the sputter of a motorbike, Jianran stepped out, following them into Ye Xiaoxuan’s home. She breathed a long sigh of relief and smiled at the three of them. “You’re finally back!”

Ye Xiaoxuan was moved. He took Jianran’s hand. “Jianran, I made you worry!” Jianran glanced at Wen Xiaoyu behind him, withdrew her hand without betraying any emotion, and smiled. “As long as you’re all safe, that’s what matters. Now go get some rest. Yu’er, are you coming with me or staying here?”

Wen Xiaoyu’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Of course I’m sleeping with you, sister!” Ye Xiaoxuan had no objection. He turned to Ye Dajun, “Leave the bag with Jianran when you get back. We might need it tomorrow.”

Jianran eyed the combination case, frowning. “What’s inside?” Wen Xiaoyu leaned in and whispered something mysterious in her ear. Jianran’s expression changed instantly, shock flashing across her face. “That much? And you expect me to sleep with it in my room?” Ye Dajun said gruffly, “Then leave it in my room!”

No wonder—six hundred thousand was a fortune to any villager. Perhaps some farmers now had more money than city folk, but there were still few who walked around carrying that much cash!

Ye Xiaoxuan smiled slightly at Jianran. “It’s only a little for now. One day, I’ll make you realize that money is nothing but a string of numbers to you!”

Wen Xiaoyu giggled, covering her mouth and making a face at Ye Xiaoxuan. “All talk!” Jianran shook her head. “He’s not bragging. I believe that whatever Little Third says, he’ll do. Yu’er, you should believe it too.”

Wen Xiaoyu bit her lip, gazing at Jianran in a daze. After a moment, she sighed softly. “Sister, there’s so much I need to learn from you!”

At last, lying in bed, Ye Xiaoxuan stretched wearily. He considered that he was now worth nearly a million, yet he hardly felt excited. Did he truly have the potential to be wealthy beyond measure?

He hadn’t had a good rest in days. Soon after lying down, sleep crept over him, and he drifted off in a haze.

He didn’t know how long he’d slept before he woke, groggy and unfocused. The sky was still dark. He turned over, intent on sleeping again, but suddenly felt something was wrong—there was someone else in the room!

His mind was foggy, not quite awake but not fully asleep. He was aware of his surroundings, but he couldn’t move, as if all strength had left his body—even his eyelids felt too heavy to lift.

He could only dimly make out a shadow moving about the room, rummaging through every drawer, even crawling under the bed to search for a while, before leaving in disappointment.

At dawn, there was a loud banging at the door. Ye Xiaoxuan’s mother, Jiang Guihua, hurried out to open it. Old Cucumber strode in, calling, “Where’s my boss?”

Since Ye Xiaoxuan had taken him in, Old Cucumber had been utterly devoted to him, often bringing fresh vegetables and refusing any payment. As such, Jiang Guihua treated him as family, simply pointing to Ye Xiaoxuan’s room.

Old Cucumber rushed in, seized Ye Xiaoxuan’s arm, and shouted, “Boss, hurry! If we’re late, it’ll be too late!”

Ye Xiaoxuan rubbed his eyes, annoyed. “What time is it? Where are we off to so early?” Old Cucumber replied, “Today’s the day they divide up the orchard! The village chief, Chen Jiatang, and a few other representatives are all gathered on the west side of the village. I’ve put your name down too!”

Hearing this, Ye Xiaoxuan realized it was important. He sat up at once. “Alright, go save me a spot. I’ll be right there! But at least let me wash up first—can’t go out with sleep still in my eyes!”

He quickly washed his face, then ran next door to call Jianran, only to find she’d already gone to school. Little Fish was still sleeping sweetly. When her boyfriend came in, she clung to him playfully, insisting on going with him.

The orchard covered fifty acres and held eight hundred apple trees. The saplings had been planted by the village, and the previous contractor was Chen Jiatang’s younger brother, Chen Jiaxing—father of Chen Tianfeng.

After a three-year contract, which had neither profited nor lost, Chen Jiaxing’s family—never known for hard work—had let the trees wither and declined to renew the lease.

Actually, Old Cucumber had already seen the potential. With careful management, the orchard could be a goldmine. He wasn’t the only one with such vision—at least seven or eight villagers were eyeing it. Fortunately, his “good relations” with Zhang Cuizhi had secured him a spot in the internal bidding!

When Ye Xiaoxuan arrived, Chen Jiatang looked uncomfortable. After all, the dispute between their families had been a big scandal, and he had lost face before the whole village. He was known for holding grudges, but now, uncertain of Ye Xiaoxuan’s capabilities, he didn’t dare seek revenge lightly.

Ye Xiaoxuan had become a local celebrity—not just because he’d made the party secretary kneel, but because he, once the village’s famous good-for-nothing, had managed to win such a beautiful city girl as his girlfriend. That was enviable indeed!

Now, with his lovely girlfriend beside him, the men’s eyes were glued to them. They’d only glimpsed her from afar before; seeing her up close, they realized she was otherworldly—more like a fairy than a mortal woman. Their attitude toward Ye Xiaoxuan grew far more courteous.

The meeting was held outside the orchard’s watchman’s hut, each person on a small stool. The village chief, Yuan Desheng, tapped out his pipe on his shoe and addressed the group, “Now that everyone’s here, let’s get to the point. The village is asking for two thousand a year for this orchard. There are eight of you. Will you pool together or is one person taking it?”

Ye Xiaoxuan smiled and said to Yuan Desheng, “Chief, Secretary, fellow villagers, there’s no need to argue. I’m taking the orchard.

I’ll lay my cards on the table to save everyone’s time—no need for tedious bidding. I’ll offer three thousand a year for five years. That’s the rate for the first three years; for the last two years, I’ll pay five thousand per year!”

A strange silence fell over the orchard. Yuan Desheng, left hand holding tobacco, right hand clutching his pipe, stared at Ye Xiaoxuan as if stunned into stillness.

Chen Jiatang’s eyes grew wide; he didn’t even notice the cigarette burning down to his fingers, his mouth hanging open.

The others were equally dumbstruck. Aside from blinking, they seemed completely frozen.