Li Chonglou withdrew his hand with just a light grip.
A hint of satisfaction flashed in the white-haired old man's eyes. Or perhaps, to avoid any suspicion from the security, he spoke first, "Alright, let's go inside."
The group nodded and followed the white-haired old man into the basement without any hindrance.
Ah Dong and Ah Hai had wanted to ask Li Chonglou about the situation, but Yu Xianxian's position prevented them from finding an opportunity.
They could only obediently follow at the very end of the group, acting like bodyguards.
After passing through an iron door, they entered a long corridor.
Both sides were fitted with luxurious lighting, and the walls were covered with expensive ceramic tiles. A single piece would likely cost several thousand, but the carpet laid on the floor made it even more opulent.
With just a glance, Li Chonglou recognized the identity of this high-grade silk.
Indeed, there was no shortage of wealthy people in this world. Based on the decoration alone, he could tell that the owner of this place was worth no less than a hundred million!
The white-haired old man walking at the front suddenly turned his head and chuckled, "Everyone, please don't be restrained. This place is owned by my friend. Just follow me."
Li Chonglou smiled and replied, "Then thank you, senior."
"Grandpa Fu, is there really something I want here? Grandpa loves landscape paintings the most..."
Before Yu Xianxian could finish speaking, Grandpa Fu reached out and stroked her head, interrupting her, "Don't worry, even if it's not here, I can ask him to help get it."
"Grandpa Fu, there are people here."
While such actions were not improper in private, with outsiders present, Yu Xianxian's cheeks instantly flushed.
As Grandpa Fu spoke, his eyes kept drifting towards Li Chonglou, as if hinting at something.
And Li Chonglou responded with a smile every time.
He understood perfectly what the white-haired old man meant. While seemingly introducing, every word was a subtle warning to him.
Each sentence he spoke was a display of his own status, naturally with the beautiful young lady in front of him as the target.
Li Chonglou's reaction also put him at ease. He seemed like a smart person, and many things didn't need to be explicitly stated between smart people.
At the end of the corridor was a golden-rimmed circular door, with a man in a suit standing beside it.
"Welcome to Marvelous House. Are you here to browse for treasures or exchange treasures?"
The man was in his early twenties. At an age that should be filled with youthful exuberance, his face bore a mature, professional smile.
Grandpa Fu, however, frowned slightly, "Where's that kid Ah Gao? Are you new here?"
The man quickly nodded, "Apologies, senior. I have indeed just taken up my post. I hope you can forgive me if I didn't recognize you."
Grandpa Fu, who had been slightly annoyed, could only let it go upon seeing this. He waved his hand, "Inform Old Yu that Grandpa Fu is here."
Then, ignoring the man further, his gaze fell back on the circular wooden door in front of him.
"Seniors, please."
The man quickly bowed and pulled the door open, performing a standard ninety-degree gesture of etiquette.
Ah Dong and Ah Hai exchanged glances, thinking how professional the people here were. Even in Shangjing, employees like this were rarely seen.
Admittedly, even before entering, the attendant responsible for opening the door had already made a good impression of the place.
Moreover, everything displayed since their arrival was of high quality, a stark contrast to the initial impression of a basement they had seen from the outside.
As the door was pushed open, this feeling reached its peak.
Behind the circular door was a magnificent venue, comparable in size to a basketball court.
Crystal chandeliers nearly four meters high illuminated three walls, making them exceptionally striking.
Adorning the walls were exquisite scrolls, each with a string of glittering, faintly blue crystals hanging in the center.
Further down, a high-grade red carpet covered the entire area from all angles.
The first impression of the entire underground space was luxury!
It didn't feel like a basement at all, but more like a five-star hotel, or even grander!
"Holy crap, I feel like I'm back in Shangjing?"
"Even Shangjing rarely sees such a place. To have such a high-class venue in such a small town is truly astonishing."
Ah Dong and the other looked like country folk who had just entered the city, their eyes darting around as they spoke without reservation.
Yu Xianxian, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned her head, "What does 'astonishing' mean?"
"Cough cough!"
The two quickly looked away.
Yu Xianxian looked confused, glancing left and right, and finally looked at Grandpa Fu.
The latter glared at Ah Dong and Ah Hai, but feeling embarrassed to explain, he changed the subject, "Ignore their crude language. Come with me to see an old friend first."
Yu Xianxian nodded, turned to look at Li Chonglou, "Can you wait here for me? I'll be back soon."
"No rush, we'll have a look around."
Yu Xianxian smiled sweetly and nodded, then gracefully walked to Grandpa Fu's side, familiarly linking his arm.
"Brother Hua, who is she?"
"You're asking me? I was about to ask you."
Ah Dong looked surprised, "Don't joke. She's been so forward with you, and you're telling me you don't know her?"
Ah Hai teased from the side, "Brother Hua, we all understand the saying 'a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow.' You don't need to be afraid of the burrow."
Li Chonglou rolled his eyes, "If I knew her, would I have needed to introduce myself to her just now?"
The two were stunned.
They suddenly remembered that they had indeed introduced themselves earlier, and it seemed they really didn't know each other?
But that's not right, why didn't she come to greet me?
Their minds were a bit stuck. Li Chonglou countered, "That Grandpa Fu just now, you haven't heard of him either?"
The two shook their heads simultaneously.
"Who was that young kid just now?"
A stranger's voice suddenly sounded nearby. The three instinctively looked over and saw a greasy, plump man.
From head to toe, everything visible on his body was from well-known brands. He was adorned with gold and silver on his neck and wrists, looking every bit like a nouveau riche.
However, his age seemed similar to Yu Xianxian's, at most in his early twenties. This age combined with his attire made him undeniably a second-generation nouveau riche.
Behind the胖子 (pàngzi - fatty), there were four burly men in black, even more imposing than Ah Dong and Ah Hai, surrounding the胖子 in the center.
At this moment, the胖子 walked directly towards the three. His tone was not questioning, but accusatory.
It was as if his asking implied that others were obligated to answer.
Ah Dong couldn't stand such people. His eyes immediately turned sharp, and he stared coldly at the胖子.
He didn't speak because he still maintained his composure, knowing this was not Shangjing and not his territory. He understood that in an unknown situation, it was best to remain calm.
However, this reaction sent the opposite signal to the other party.
"Are you deaf or mute? Didn't you hear me speaking?"
The胖子 raised his voice slightly, immediately attracting the attention of many people.
Although the entire hall was large and there were dozens of people, they were gathered in small groups of two or three, so anything that happened would draw immediate notice.