Seeing the sales assistant stammering, Liang Kai grew impatient. "Damn it, why are you dragging your feet over a card swipe? I’ll pay more! How much is this ring?"
"One million nine hundred and ninety thousand," the assistant replied.
"O-one million nine hundred and ninety thousand?!" Liang Kai was stunned; he hadn't realized the ring he was about to buy was so expensive.
"Honey~ just buy it for me!" the woman cooed, rubbing her softest parts against his arm.
But one million nine hundred and ninety thousand was far too much. While Liang Kai was indeed a second-generation rich kid, the money wasn't his own. Spending nearly two million on a ring in one go made his heart ache. If he had known the price beforehand, he would have asked before agreeing, and he wouldn't be in this predicament now. If he bought it, he’d suffer a massive financial blow; if he didn't, his word would be like spilled water—impossible to take back.
Liang Kai cared deeply about his pride. As he hesitated, the woman breathed hot air into his ear. "Honey, I’ve learned some new tricks lately. If you buy it for me, tonight I’ll..."
The puff of hot air sent a thrill through Liang Kai, making him want to find a hotel room immediately and "punish" the enchantress right there. "I’ll take it!" he declared, his head spinning as he tossed his money around with a grand gesture.
The assistant looked troubled. "But this gentleman was already planning to buy it. Young Master Liang, why don't you look at some other styles?"
*Slap!*
Liang Kai slammed his hand on the counter and glared. "I said I want it, so I want it! Why so much chatter?"
The assistant jumped, stammering, "But..."
"This ring is one million nine hundred and ninety thousand, right? I'll up the price—two million! It’s mine!" Liang Kai waved his hand, ordering the assistant to swipe his card.
Xiao Yang let out a scoff of laughter.
Liang Kai felt humiliated and turned, his voice dropping. "What’s so funny?"
Xiao Yang shook his head with a mocking smile. "If you don't have the money, don't pretend to be wealthy. An extra ten thousand? I can't believe you’d even say that out loud."
A flash of shame crossed Liang Kai’s face, though it vanished quickly. He sneered, "If you're so capable, you add to the bid. If you can't afford it, stop chirping."
Xiao Yang was never a modest man; deep down, he possessed a haughty arrogance that looked down upon the crowd. "Two and a half million."
"Do you even have that much money?" Liang Kai retorted.
"He doesn't have it, but I do!" Lin Yufei interjected.
"Yufei, you?!" Liang Kai froze. Then, seeing Lin Yufei take the initiative to hook her arm through Xiao Yang’s, his jaw dropped in shock.
"I have a few million to spare," Xiao Yang said to Lin Yufei, then turned to Liang Kai. "Your turn to bid."
What should have been a simple purchase had turned into an auction. Liang Kai had a few million, but whether he was willing to spend it was another matter.
"Honey~" the woman whined again.
Liang Kai didn't want to lose face in front of her. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Two million six hundred thousand!"
Xiao Yang’s lips curled upward. "Three million."
"Honey~"
With Xiao Yang pushing him step by step and the woman pestering him, Liang Kai—who was obsessed with his public image—croaked, "Three million one hundred thousand!"
"Good!" Xiao Yang clapped his hands, though no one knew what he was plotting. He continued, "Beauty, please go ahead and swipe his card. Three million one hundred thousand."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Liang Kai paused, then immediately realized he’d been played. A one-million-nine-hundred-and-ninety-thousand-yuan ring had been driven up to three million one hundred thousand, and he was the one who had bought it. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a total sucker.
"Nothing special. I just don't want it anymore. It's too expensive," Xiao Yang said with a smile.
His smile looked particularly grating to Liang Kai, who wanted nothing more than to punch him in the mouth and knock out a few teeth.
"Let's go!" Giving up on the struggle, Liang Kai grabbed his bank card and left in a fury. The woman had no choice but to follow, though she shot Xiao Yang a fierce glare before walking away.
With his competitor gone, the ring naturally fell into Xiao Yang’s hands.
"Put it on for me!" Lin Yufei extended her hand, a sweet smile on her face.
Xiao Yang didn't refuse and slid the ring onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit.
*Click!*
Outside, Liang Kai snapped a photo of Xiao Yang putting the ring on Lin Yufei.
"Good kid, daring to snatch a woman from Young Master Ye. I can't wait to see how you die!" Liang Kai sneered. His life had always been smooth sailing; he had never suffered such a humiliation. He had to make Xiao Yang pay it back with interest.
He sent the photo to Young Master Ye and quickly received a voice message in return.
The sound of Young Master Ye’s teeth grinding in the message made Liang Kai secretly pleased. "Who is that man!"
"I don't know. I just ran into them," he replied.
Young Master Ye didn't reply again, presumably off to dig up information on Xiao Yang.
...
Back home, Lin Zhengrong was busy in the kitchen, with Qing Xiuxin helping out, bustling back and forth. Hearing the door open, Lin Zhengrong poked his head out and smiled. "You're back! Sit for a moment, dinner will be ready soon."
Five dishes were already on the table. Judging by the color and aroma, the food would surely be excellent.
Lin Yufei smiled. "My dad’s cooking is quite good. Xiao Yang, make sure you eat a lot later."
"I will," Xiao Yang nodded slightly.
Before long, as the kitchen stove was turned off, the final dish was brought out. Lin Zhengrong untied his apron, went to the liquor cabinet, and took out a long-treasured bottle of Moutai. "Good son-in-law, today we two men will have a proper drink. Come, let me pour you a glass."
Xiao Yang wasn't someone who didn't understand social etiquette, and he tried to refuse letting his father-in-law pour his drink, but Lin Zhengrong insisted. Later, Qing Xiuxin took the cup from him, so he could only watch as his father-in-law filled it.
He couldn't quite understand why, despite it being his first visit, the family of three was so warm toward him, with no sense of awkwardness at all.
Lin Zhengrong seemed to read his thoughts and smiled. "Ever since the Old Immortal said you would come to marry Yufei, our family has been mentally preparing for your arrival."
"People say wealthy families fear outsiders entering their homes to seize assets, but my philosophy is that the amount of money doesn't matter. As long as the family is happy and healthy, that is the greatest wealth in the world."
"Besides, the Old Immortal has supernatural means. The strange illnesses that Xiuxin and Yufei had couldn't be cured even after traveling half the world, yet the Old Immortal fixed them with a single bowl of medicinal soup. If he really wanted you to come and seize my wealth, I wouldn't have the capacity to resist anyway."
There was truth in that. Even without mentioning Daoist Jiu, if Xiao Yang wanted to take things by force, it would be as easy as flipping his hand. He wouldn't need to resort to schemes.
Qing Xiuxin smiled softly. "We have been waiting for this day for a year, so please, son-in-law, don't be formal."
Looking at the sincerity in their eyes, Xiao Yang felt his heartstrings stirred. He said firmly, "There are some things I cannot easily speak of, because I haven't even confirmed them myself, but I promise that as long as I am here, I will not let you be bullied!"
With that, he downed the glass of liquor in one go.
"Good!" Lin Zhengrong laughed heartily and drained his own glass.
Qing Xiuxin and Lin Yufei couldn't drink alcohol, so they settled for fruit juice. The family of three tacitly agreed not to press him on the first part of his statement, keeping only the latter part to heart.