"You seem to know quite a bit about Tu Mountain Manor," Ye Xiu remarked.
"I have friends who live here!" Ming Yue blurted out. In reality, she didn't know anyone who lived in such a high-end villa district. She was just making a veiled warning to Ye Xiu that the Ming Family's social circle was now beyond anything he could imagine.
"Which villa does your friend live in?" Ye Xiu asked playfully.
"The one on that island right up ahead," Ming Yue said, casually pointing to a small island.
Ye Xiu was rendered speechless. This girl could really bluff with a straight face.
So, he drove the car right onto the small island Ming Yue had pointed to.
"Why are you driving here?" Ming Yue asked.
Qin Qing was also curious, but she kept her question to herself.
"The villa up ahead is my home," Ye Xiu announced.
GASP!
Qin Qing and Ming Yue stared dumbfounded at the three-story villa, which was surrounded by a vast expanse of lawn, gardens, and swimming pools. They both inhaled sharply.
"Big Brother Ye, stop joking. That villa has to be worth at least several hundred million. There's no way you could afford such a luxurious place," Ming Yue challenged, clearly skeptical.
Qin Qing didn't believe it either. She quietly tugged at the corner of Ye Xiu's shirt and whispered, "Don't take your bragging too far!"
It was no wonder they were skeptical. Even the cheapest villas in Tu Mountain Manor cost over one hundred million. The mansion Ye Xiu pointed out, covering nearly five acres, was definitely worth over five hundred million.
Such a mansion was far out of reach for someone like Ye Xiu, who had spent the last ten years abroad in hiding. Forget Ye Xiu; even the Ming and Qin Families couldn't afford it.
Ming Corporation was a pharmaceutical company with assets worth over a billion, and its annual net profit was only in the tens of millions. While Qin Corporation's assets were several times larger than Ming Corporation's, it was a publicly traded company. The Qin Family were merely the major shareholders, and their annual dividends weren't much higher than what the Ming Family earned.
Perhaps with their many years of accumulation, both the Ming and Qin Families could have afforded such a mansion, but the problem was they would never be willing to spend the money.
"Come with me," Ye Xiu said, leading the way without further explanation.
Qin Qing and Ming Yue exchanged a glance and followed him hesitantly, feeling a bit nervous in such an aristocratic setting.
From a distance, they saw two rows of servants standing on either side of the villa's entrance. There were twenty in total, all beautiful women in their twenties with various complexions, each one breathtakingly gorgeous.
"Welcome home, Young Master and Young Madam."
Upon seeing Ye Xiu approach, the twenty servants bowed and greeted him respectfully in unison.
Qin Qing and Ming Yue were stunned by the scene before them.
Damn! So he wasn't bluffing; this mansion really is his. And he has twenty servants, all of them so young and beautiful! Such luxurious staffing is probably unrivaled in the entire Tu Mountain Manor, right?
"Ming Yue, you said your friend lives on this island. Which house is it?" Ye Xiu asked.
Ming Yue's mouth twitched. She steeled herself and said, "The one behind this one."
Ye Xiu couldn't help but laugh. "I'm getting embarrassed just listening to your tall tales."
"What do you mean?" Ming Yue snapped. "I'm telling the truth! The one in the back really is my friend's house."
"I bought the entire island. Are you telling me the house in the back belongs to your friend?" Ye Xiu asked teasingly.
SLAP!
Ming Yue felt as if she'd been slapped across the face. Talk about being called out on a bluff right on the spot!
"Heh, uh, maybe I remembered it wrong. My friend's house isn't on this island, heh, heh heh..." Ming Yue was so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
Qin Qing's mind was buzzing. She had assumed Ye Xiu had nowhere to live after returning to the country. And since she had been ousted from the Qin Family, she was planning to buy an apartment for them to use as their marital home. Ye Xiu had said he had a place, but she had never imagined it would be a mansion like this!
What an incredible surprise!
Qin Qing was suddenly very curious. What had Ye Xiu been doing abroad for the past ten years to earn so much money?
Before she could ask, Ming Yue beat her to it. "Big Brother Ye, what kind of work were you doing abroad these past ten years to make so much money?"
"A butcher," Ye Xiu replied.
Qin Qing and Ming Yue just chuckled skeptically. Who would believe that? Absolutely nobody!
Ye Xiu was speechless. He really was a butcher—the number one butcher in the world, in fact. Why does nobody believe me when I tell the truth?
But he didn't bother to explain. Instead, he said to the servants, "You're all dismissed. Go on with your duties."
"As you wish!" the twenty servants replied, retreating in an orderly fashion.
They also lived on the island, just not in the same villa as Ye Xiu and his wife-to-be.
"Isn't this too extravagant?" Qin Qing's tone held a hint of reproach. No matter how rich you are, you can't just spend money like this. It's too wasteful.
"I don't want to, either," Ye Xiu said with a sigh. "Our family is so poor all we have left is money. I'm about to go crazy trying to find new ways to spend it."
Qin Qing was speechless.
Ming Yue was speechless.
Heh. Now that's what I call a humblebrag!
The three of them stepped into the villa. As soon as they were inside, Qin Qing and Ming Yue were stunned by the luxurious interior design. It's so beautiful!
The design was impeccable, with a palette of colors that was both luxurious and fresh. The materials were exquisite, and every detail exuded a rich, romantic, and poetic quality. From every door and window to every table and chair, even down to each brick and carpet, the entire space seemed to be a testament to profound affection.
"How much did the renovations cost?" Qin Qing asked, astonished.
"Probably tens of millions, I'd guess," Ming Yue speculated.
"Over three hundred million," Ye Xiu said casually.
Qin Qing was speechless.
Ming Yue was speechless.
Ye Xiu explained, "I hired a team of the world's most renowned designers, and it took them three months just to finalize the plans. All the renovation materials are the best in the world. Every single decorative piece inside is a priceless treasure—even the trash cans are large porcelain vases. And all the furniture and appliances are fully automated..."
After listening to Ye Xiu's introduction, Qin Qing and Ming Yue didn't know what to say. This was the most extravagant and expensive decor they had ever seen in their lives, something they had never even heard of before.
Ming Yue was starting to panic. The value of this mansion alone is more than the Ming Family's total assets!
"Ming Yue, feel free to look around," Ye Xiu said, taking Qin Qing's hand and leading her to the second floor. "Qin Qing and I have something to take care of upstairs."
"What is it?" Qin Qing asked, her head still buzzing.
"Time for our wedding night," Ye Xiu said with a grin.
Qin Qing's face flushed. "Are you that eager?"
"Aren't you?" Ye Xiu countered.
Qin Qing's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Alright, then."
The two of them entered the bedroom. Qin Qing was flabbergasted all over again. Does a single bedroom really need to be over two hundred square meters?
She said, "You go take a shower first. I need a moment to let this all sink in."
"Okay!" Ye Xiu ran happily into the bathroom.
Qin Qing stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, staring outside in a daze.
After ten years of waiting, Ye Xiu hadn't disappointed her. Still, this luxurious lifestyle felt a little... excessive.
Five minutes later, Ye Xiu ran out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel. "Your turn."
Qin Qing was amused by Ye Xiu's impatience, but it also moved her deeply. His feelings for her were clearly just as strong as hers were for him.
Ye Xiu flopped onto the bed, a massive, giddy grin spreading across his face.
However...
Two minutes later, Qin Qing emerged from the bathroom, her face red with embarrassment.
"My period started."
Ye Xiu flew into a rage. "Tell it to get lost!"