Chapter 260: Chapter 259: What do you want to do
When Zhang Xin placed the platinum card in front of Qu Chaozong that morning, Qu Chaozong’s expression fully illustrated what it means to be "stunned".
That day, Zhang Xin returned home from the provincial city and, after only one night’s consideration, made up her mind to sell the house her mother left behind. She handled it herself without involving her family.
The house was located in the villa area of the old Golden Harbor community. Her mother’s house was the best positioned and largest standalone two-story building in the neighborhood, with front and back yards, lawns, and flower beds, which her father always hired someone to maintain.
To sell the house, Zhang Xin first had to let go of the housekeeper and find an agency to assist with the sale. After all, in that area, even if the house was old and decrepit, the land alone could fetch a high price.
Zhang Xin contacted a former boyfriend, Teng Jiye.
Teng Jiye, now in his early thirties, had just graduated from university when he met Zhang Xin. He courted her for two years before being accepted. However, they were together for less than a month before Zhang Xin got bored and decisively broke up with him, moving on to seek new thrills.
Teng Jiye was the only one among Zhang Xin’s many boyfriends who, even after breaking up, did not become hostile and remained friends with her.
Deeply infatuated with Zhang Xin, Teng Jiye quietly stayed by her side for all these years, never acting like a backup or trying to replace anyone. He treated her like an old friend, accompanying her, and buried his heavy feelings deep in his heart. He strove to appear as a lover who was only happy when she was happy and tried, little by little, to win her over.
Teng Jiye resembled a patient hunter, silently crouching in the grass, focused and determined, gripping his gun, waiting for his prey to tire and make a move.
Teng Jiye owned a real estate agency that had been thriving in recent years and had opened three branches.
Once Zhang Xin made up her mind, she directly called Teng Jiye, clarified all the procedures needed, and handed the house sale over to him. She also gave Teng Jiye a tough challenge: the sale must not alarm her father’s business associates, yet it had to fetch a high price quickly.
This worried Teng Jiye. In the city, people who could spend lavishly on buying a house had almost all dealt with Zhang Xin’s father. Even without seeing Zhang Xin in person, the surname alone would easily reveal the seller. This was practically impossible to conceal, and wanting both to hide it from her father and to sell it at a high price quickly was a massive challenge for Teng Jiye.
In just a few days, every time Zhang Xin called to ask, Teng Jiye felt as if he lost handfuls of hair. But just then, fate handed him an opportunity.
A small loan company owner contacted the agency intending to sell two properties. The owner was generous with the agency fee, and Teng Jiye wanted to make connections, so he personally assisted during the sale. After several interactions, they became friends.
Once, while dining together, the owner casually mentioned wanting to buy some land to build a standalone villa to live with his parents.
Zhang Xin constantly pressured Teng Jiye to hurry with the house sale. The immense pressure and the desire not to disappoint the person he cherished nearly drove Teng Jiye into a nervous breakdown. He was already obsessed with selling the house, and upon hearing this, he immediately perked up and drove straight to Zhang Xin’s mother’s villa with the person that same day.
The small loan company owner truly wasn’t short of money. Especially, when his elderly family member entered the yard, they were instantly captivated by the meticulously maintained independent flower greenhouse.
His family liked it, and the house was indeed nice. But what truly swayed the buyer was the property’s location. This villa area sat at the city’s well-connected central hub, with efficient management and extensive grounds. The distance between the yards provided ample space for privacy and personal life.
The deal was almost instantaneously agreed upon, the price was reasonable, and everything from signing the agreement and processing the transfer to clearing the payment was completed in two days, thanks to Teng Jiye’s help.
To thank him, Zhang Xin treated Teng Jiye to a meal. Though Teng Jiye cooked at home, Zhang Xin said she treated him by bringing over two bottles of red wine.
Teng Jiye was an excellent cook, especially good at making soups. Zhang Xin took a couple of sips and praised, "Your soup-making skills are impeccable, it’s so delicious."
Teng Jiye smiled, half-seriously, half-jokingly, and said, "Then I’ll make soup for you every day from now on?"
Zhang Xin threw him a teasing glance, her eyes alluring and provocative, "If it were the past, I might have considered it, but not anymore."
"Not anymore?" Teng Jiye paused his action of picking up food and looked up at Zhang Xin with a probing gaze, "Why?"
Zhang Xin’s lips curled with warmth, "I’ve met someone."
Teng Jiye raised an unconcerned eyebrow and said, "A man better than me? That’s impossible for you to find."
Zhang Xin wiped her mouth, her eyes filled with smugness, "I really have."
Zhang Xin kept a small portion of the house sale money in her own account and transferred the rest to the platinum card she normally used for expenses.
Qu Chaozong was surprised Zhang Xin had so much money, and even more surprised she would give it to him.
Qu Chaozong refused without hesitation. Holding the bank card sparked an extremely complex mix of emotions in his chest, touched by Zhang Xin’s trust yet frustrated by his own inadequacy.
Qu Chaozong’s face turned pale, "What are you doing?"
Zhang Xin said earnestly, "You are my man. When you encounter difficulties, I am willing to help you."
Qu Chaozong wiped his face, "There’s no need."
Zhang Xin urged, "You’re having trouble managing funds, and I can’t help with anything other than money, so just take it for now."
Suddenly, Qu Chaozong got angry, his eyes reddening, and his well-defined face showing irritation and fierceness, "I never spend a woman’s money! If the company encounters trouble, we’ll find our own way to solve it. We don’t need your help."
Zhang Xin rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Am I some other woman? I’m your girlfriend. When you face difficulties, I should help you share the burden and relieve your worries. If I truly didn’t have money, that’d be one thing, but this money means nothing to me."
Qu Chaozong, exasperated, yelled, "I said no, so no! I didn’t get with you or do those things with you for your money!"