"You were smart not to follow us down," Old Zhang said calmly.
"I said I came to drink with you," Gao Tiankai's drenched trousers fluttered as he spoke, his body bearing several wounds from the hurricane's onslaught, looking quite disheveled.
"Go back before the heavy rain completely overwhelms everything."
Old Zhang walked back into the lighthouse with his hands behind his back, leisurely.
"You're not going to kill me?" A flicker of confusion and mockery crossed Gao Tiankai's eyes. "Don't tell me it's out of old friendship. A reason that disgusting is worse than dying."
"You once said that when you married Xing'er, you would buy me two bottles of Wuliangye. Today's wine, I'll take as wedding wine."
"If you're treating me to wedding wine, why would I kill you?"
Old Zhang's voice was calm as he looked at him. "Besides, didn't you just want to imprison me with all your might? You didn't use any killing moves, wasn't that out of old friendship?"
"Hmph, you little brat, what do you think you're up to? I can't tell?"
Gao Tiankai was stunned. He opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't utter a word.
Old Zhang emerged from the lighthouse and tossed a bottle of Wuliangye to Gao Tiankai.
"I, Old Zhang, am a person who fiercely protects my own. I don't distinguish right from wrong, only good from bad relationships."
"As long as you don't cross the line, even if you tear down the heavens, I won't kill you. Only this gate is not something you can touch. If you are outside the chessboard, don't even think about entering the game. There are too many tricks in here, things you might not be able to touch even if you risked your life..."
"Little brat, that Wuliangye bottle can still sell for quite a bit. Cough, cough, cough, take it and buy yourself some new clothes. You're ragged, like a beggar, Xing'er will dislike you."
Bang.
The lighthouse door closed. Gao Tiankai stood in the rain, holding two empty wine bottles, his gaze dazed.
...
"Moshi moshi~ Brother Duan Chen, good morning, are you awake?"
Duan Chen opened his eyes from the soft, comfortable cotton quilt and stretched.
The heavy rain last night had made him sleep soundly.
"Kid, what's up?"
Miceer's proud, girlish voice came from the phone.
"Brother Duan Chen, hurry up! You promised to protect me until the college entrance examination ends. There's still a week left, you can't go on strike."
Duan Chen scratched his messy hair, calculating that she was an Awakener and had some self-preservation abilities. She wasn't the one who needed his protection. It was probably like Qin Ze, wanting him to guide her to become stronger.
He knew their little tricks very well.
"Alright, I'm coming."
Bringing one was bringing one, bringing two wouldn't hurt, they could keep each other company.
After a simple wash, Duan Chen arrived downstairs at the hotel. The service staff had already parked the Maserati MC12 at the entrance. Other luxury cars paled in comparison to its dazzling brilliance. Many pedestrians looked on, eager to see who the owner of this car was.
The service staff usually didn't look or ask too much, but today he couldn't help but glance at Duan Chen a few times. After all, he had been driving a Corolla a few days ago.
Duan Chen put on his sunglasses, and who cared about anyone else.
He got into the driver's seat amidst the admiring glances of the crowd and then drove off in style.
When Miceer walked out of the garden villa, Duan Chen smiled and waved at her. This made Miceer's heart flutter, and she quickly turned her head away proudly with a blush.
"Your new car is nice~"
"Kid, where are we going?" Duan Chen opened the car door for her like a gentleman and gestured for her to get in.
"To the western suburbs, hee hee, my mom has a surprise for you."
Miceer smiled mysteriously. "You saved me again this time. Mom racked her brains to give you a surprise, but Brother Duan Chen's principles are tricky, which made it difficult for my mom."
Duan Chen smiled slightly. Why were these young masters and ladies always vying to give him things? They were too (polite) (thoughtful).
The car drove towards the western suburbs under Miceer's direction. The further Duan Chen drove, the more familiar it felt...
This was the road to Wu Suowei's house.
The western suburbs were vast and sparsely populated. Some small Western-style buildings usually had independent courtyards, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, making them very livable.
When the car stopped in front of a small building next to Wu Suowei's house, Duan Chen was speechless.
Zhong Yu, who was unaware of any of this, stood at the door with a smile to greet them. Three real estate agents stood beside her, and two more bodyguards in black stood behind them.
"Little Duan, you're finally here."
Zhong Yu walked forward with a smile and directly handed the key in her hand to Duan Chen.
"This..."
"I know you don't have a fixed residence yet, and the apartment you used to live in was rented. Although five-star hotels are good, aren't people busy their whole lives just to have a warm and comfortable home? From now on, you'll live here, this is your home."
"But..."
"Shh! Little Duan, don't rush to refuse. Don't worry, this house is not being *given* to you, but *lent* to you.
All the procedures strictly follow the rules of the Spirit Hunter Guild. As long as you sign this contract, you will be the legal user of this villa, and there will be absolutely no *bribery or corruption*!"
Duan Chen paused for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled slightly.
Heh heh heh, as expected of a businessman, they've figured out a way.
"Take the keys. You saved Xue'er's life, no amount of money can express my gratitude."
Zhong Yu said sincerely, and Miceer nodded vigorously in agreement.
The previous night, Zhong Yu had a phone call with Qin Yuanlong. Upon learning that Qin Yuanlong had given her the permanent usage rights of a luxury car 4S store, she had a sudden epiphany.
Right! You can give *permissions*!
Since Qin Yuanlong had also made a move, she couldn't be worse than him.
So she contacted dozens of real estate companies in Suzhou overnight and had her three star assistants put aside all their work to select the most suitable villas in Suzhou.
Location, age, renovation, surrounding facilities... After layers of selection and comparison, they finally chose this villa that met the criteria.
Zhong Yu personally inspected the house and immediately fell in love with this small building.
The renovation was exquisite and grand, with three floors, spacious and clean rooms, and only an old antique building next door, making it quiet and secluded.
The first floor had a living room, kitchen, dining room, conference room, equipment area, and an arcade room, all fully equipped.
The second floor had a master bedroom of nearly a hundred square meters, a walk-in closet, a soundproof study, and a small single room in the corner for the nanny.
The third floor had four guest rooms evenly distributed, each with a different style and a private bathroom.
Outside there was a small garden of 10 square meters where one could plant flowers and plants. To the side was a garage that could park two small cars side by side.
The real estate agents introduced them diligently. The more Duan Chen looked, the more satisfied he became. This house was practically tailor-made for him.
Everything he thought of, and everything he didn't, was here.
Household items were also readily available, and he could move in directly.
Thinking that he indeed didn't have a fixed residence and living in a hotel every day was a considerable expense.
"If this house were rented, what would the monthly rent be?" Duan Chen asked the real estate agent.
"Calculated based on the selling price, it would be about 80,000 yuan per month."
Duan Chen quickly calculated in his mind. A suite in a five-star hotel was 2,000 yuan per night. He was a VIP, so he got a 20% discount, which would be 48,000 yuan per month.
Although the rent was almost double, this place felt like home after all.
"Okay, I'll rent this place," Duan Chen said, holding up the key and smiling slightly. "Starting from now."
Zhong Yu immediately became anxious upon hearing this, "Little Duan, you have to give me a chance..."