The three walked towards villa number 42. Lin Jie didn't know much about the eccentric old man, only that his surname was Zhang and his given name was Zhang Zhiwen.
It was a very ordinary name, so ordinary that people would remember it on the spot and then forget it as soon as they turned away.
Chen Xiao rang the doorbell of the villa. To his surprise, the door was opened by a woman who looked to be in her fifties.
The woman was elegant and dignified, with an air of superiority. A hint of haughty arrogance was evident in her eyes.
The three exchanged glances. Hadn't that old man Zhang always been alone? How had a woman suddenly appeared in his home?
"Excuse me, is Mr. Zhang at home?"
Despite his slight suspicion, Chen Xiao politely inquired.
The noblewoman let out a contemptuous snort and asked in a pretentious tone, "You're here to buy the house, aren't you? We're not selling. Please leave!"
As she spoke, the noblewoman made to close the door.
Chen Xiao grabbed the door and said with a smile, "Madam, I sincerely wish to buy this house. Name your price, and I won't haggle! Besides, we're neighbors. Even if the sale doesn't go through, we can still be friends. Can't you let us in for a moment?"
"We don't have rude and overbearing neighbors like you. I've already said the house isn't for sale. It doesn't matter how much money you offer! And even if you're wealthy and powerful, it's no use. My old Zhang isn't someone who lacks money!"
The noblewoman said, rolling her eyes.
At this moment, Lin Jie stepped forward and said, "Auntie, may I ask what your relationship is with Uncle Zhang? Why do you keep saying 'we'?"
"Who are you calling Auntie? Am I that old? No, I should say, are you that young?"
The noblewoman's remark felt like a sword piercing Lin Jie's chest. It was incredibly hurtful.
Then the noblewoman revealed her identity, "Old Zhang and I are husband and wife. He is my beloved. If I don't say 'we,' what should I say?"
Lin Jie snorted coldly and demanded sternly, "But as far as I know, Uncle Zhang has been living here alone for over half a year. He has no beloved. Tell me honestly, who exactly are you?"
"How are you speaking? Are you interrogating a criminal here?"
Upon seeing Lin Jie's attitude, the noblewoman's eyes narrowed. "I've been in my hometown and only recently moved here. What's wrong with that? If I weren't Old Zhang's beloved, how would I know that you group of wicked neighbors want to force the sale of our house? I'm telling you, don't think you can bully our Old Zhang just because he's honest!"
The noblewoman rolled up her sleeves, looking every bit the shrew, a stark contrast to her previous haughty demeanor.
At this moment, Chen Xiao had a flash of inspiration and suddenly said, "That's right, that's right. I actually heard Uncle Zhang mention that he has a beloved in his hometown. Her surname seems to be Wu, and her name is Wu Meilan. You must be Aunt Wu, right?"
Lin Jie was bewildered. She wondered when Chen Xiao had met Uncle Zhang.
Gu Yutong, being intelligent, immediately guessed what her master was up to.
After hearing Chen Xiao's words, the noblewoman's eyes darted around for a few moments before she admitted, "That's right, I am Wu Meilan. What about it?"
Chen Xiao sneered, "Nothing. So, who are you really? The name Wu Meilan was just something I made up on the spot!"
The noblewoman then realized she had been tricked by Chen Xiao. However, she didn't care and instead became even more aggressive, throwing a tantrum.
"Good for you, you little brat! You look like a decent person, but you're trying to fool this old auntie, aren't you? You're truly heartless!"
Chen Xiao was speechless. Then his expression turned grim. "Since you won't listen when I speak nicely, don't blame me for being impolite."
He had at least a hundred ways to make this woman tell the truth, but he disdained to use them.
"Master, please let me handle this," Gu Yutong said, stepping forward. With a raise of her hand, the small black creature coiled around her wrist revealed its head from her sleeve.
"If you don't tell the truth, I'll have it bite you!" Gu Yutong said fiercely. The small black creature obligingly bared its fangs and hissed, flicking its tongue.
"Oh my god, I'm not doing this anymore! What kind of people are you all?" The noblewoman cried out in fear. "I'll talk, I'll talk, I'll tell you everything, I'll confess honestly!"
"I am indeed not Old Zhang's beloved. He hired me for a thousand yuan at the labor market just to deal with you guys..."
"Where is he? Why isn't he coming out to see us?" Lin Jie asked, frowning. This was the first time she had encountered such a detestable owner.
"Old Zhang isn't home. He left the place to me and went out to find some peace and quiet!" the noblewoman said.
"Do you think we'll believe you?" Lin Jie sneered. "Since he refuses to come out to see us, we'll go in and find him!"
Saying this, Lin Jie made to walk inside.
However, Chen Xiao said, "No need to go in. He's indeed not here."
"How do you know?" Lin Jie couldn't help but ask.
"Because I've already looked."
During this time, Chen Xiao's divine sense had already scanned the old man Zhang's villa. He had not only found no sign of the old man but also no aura of a cultivator or anything related to cultivation. He even suspected he might have been wrong, and that old man Zhang was perhaps just an eccentric ordinary person. As for Gu Yutong not sensing any aura from him, it might be due to other reasons.
"Looked? When did you look?" Lin Jie was completely confused, but seeing Chen Xiao and Gu Yutong turn to leave, she quickly followed.
"Chen Xiao, it seems this old man is really unyielding. What should we do now?" Lin Jie asked.
Chen Xiao smiled slightly and said, "I think Tongtong has already provided an answer. If that eccentric old man dares to come back, Tongtong will scare him with the snake. If he's not afraid of snakes, we'll think of other ways to scare him. If all else fails, we can ask your ex-husband to step in. I don't believe he won't be scared away."
"My ex-husband?" At first, Lin Jie didn't react. A few seconds later, she realized Chen Xiao was referring to the stone spirit, with whom they had been a couple for many years!
"Go, go, go, don't talk nonsense. Sister hasn't even gotten married yet, so where would I have an ex-husband!" Lin Jie playfully pushed Chen Xiao with a smile, making Gu Yutong grit her teeth. Hmph, shameless! Don't you know about the separation between men and women! If Lin Jie heard this, she'd probably be hurt again.
Back at Chen Xiao's doorstep, Lin Jie bid farewell. As a female entrepreneur worth tens of billions, she was busy with work. Although she enjoyed spending time with Chen Xiao, she couldn't spend all her time on it. Moreover, she could see that her feelings were unrequited, while Chen Xiao was indifferent... This relationship would ultimately have no outcome.
In reality, Chen Xiao had no idea that there was any romantic involvement in this matter. Just as Chen Xiao was about to go back and continue training Gu Yutong, Chu Luo called for help.
"Director Chen, there's a major case at the hospital. Please come over quickly!"