Chapter 68: Confession vs. Declaration of Love?

Chapter 068: Confession vs Declaration?

"Who are you?" The middle-aged woman frowned at Chu Fei.

"Chu Fei, why are you here?" Chen Xiaoman was delighted, and her tense mood eased immediately. She didn’t know why, but as soon as she saw Chu Fei, her anxiety vanished.

Chu Fei smiled at Chen Xiaoman, then turned to the middle-aged woman. "Chen Xiaoman won’t be your son’s girlfriend. You should leave."

"Who are you to interfere in Xiaoman’s affairs?" The woman’s expression darkened.

"I’m Chen Xiaoman’s new boyfriend. Is that alright?" Chu Fei raised an eyebrow, surprised by the scene before him.

"What?" The woman was stunned and instinctively glanced at Chen Xiaoman, who was blushing. She remembered the joy on Chen Xiaoman’s face when she saw this young man, and her heart was nearly convinced. With an awkward sigh, she said, "Oh, sorry, I didn’t know Xiaoman had a new boyfriend."

"Now you know. So, can you leave?" Chu Fei said indifferently. He had no fondness for this woman; matchmaking for her son was one thing, but using rent as leverage was despicable, a blatant exploitation of Chen Xiaoman. It angered him.

"Well, I won’t disturb you then. I’ll leave now." The woman, pragmatic and not unkind, relinquished her hopes after confirming Chen Xiaoman had a new boyfriend.

"Wait!" Chu Fei called out.

The woman stopped, looking back at Chu Fei with wary suspicion. Though he appeared harmless, his breath reeked of alcohol, making her uneasy. Was he about to confront her for pressuring Chen Xiaoman?

Her nerves tensed.

Chu Fei seemed not to notice her anxiety. "I overheard you talking about rent. How much does Chen Xiaoman owe you?"

The woman hesitated, but answered honestly, "Fifteen hundred a month. She owes two months, not counting this half month."

"Is that so?" Chu Fei looked at Chen Xiaoman.

"Yes." Chen Xiaoman nodded obediently, unsure what Chu Fei intended.

Chu Fei paused, then changed the subject, "How much would your house sell for?"

"What?" Both the woman and Chen Xiaoman were shocked, unsure why Chu Fei asked.

"I’m asking, how much would you sell your house for?" Chu Fei repeated.

"If I were to sell, I suppose at least one and a half million," the woman finally replied, after some hesitation. She eyed Chu Fei strangely—was he really intending to buy her house?

"One and a half million? Do you think I’m a child?" Chu Fei laughed, exasperated. The property prices in Kun City were high due to its proximity to Donghai, but not that exorbitant—especially these old houses. Chen Xiaoman’s tiny one-bedroom for that price? She must think he’s a fool.

"Brother, that’s not fair. I admit my place is old, but this area is slated for redevelopment. Once it’s torn down, it’ll be worth much more. One and a half million isn’t unreasonable..." the woman argued feebly.

"Then you should wait for demolition."

Chu Fei turned away, unwilling to engage with her greed—one and a half million for a rundown house, unless he’d lost his mind.

Seeing Chu Fei ignore her, the woman grew anxious, quickly approaching with a forced smile. "Brother, are you really serious about buying my house, or are you just joking?" As she spoke, she scrutinized Chu Fei, feeling a surge of excitement. Her talk of redevelopment was just an excuse; this old district had been rumored for demolition for over twenty years, but nothing ever happened. The surrounding areas had developed, but these houses remained, and hopes for a windfall had faded. The place was nearly deserted, turning into a ghost town. Hearing Chu Fei wanted to buy, she was instantly elated.

"I definitely won’t pay one and a half million. I’ll buy it for five hundred thousand. How about that?" Chu Fei said.

"What?" The woman nearly stumbled. Her price was a bluff, but this young man was ruthless.

She didn’t want to miss the opportunity. "Brother, five hundred thousand isn’t realistic. If you really want to buy, I won’t cheat you. Give me a fair price."

"How much do you want? Be honest—no exaggeration." Chu Fei smiled, his earlier offer only a casual remark.

"Eighty thousand. That’s the lowest. I can’t go any lower. If you want less, there’s nothing to discuss," she said after thinking carefully, afraid to mention a million lest she scare Chu Fei off. She knew her tiny, dilapidated house wouldn’t attract buyers.

"Alright, eighty thousand it is. Deal. Here’s my contact information. Tomorrow I’ll have a lawyer get in touch with you." Chu Fei handed her a business card.

"Deal—deal?" The woman stared at the card, dumbfounded by Chu Fei’s relaxed demeanor and suddenly regretted her bargain.

"Brother, are you joking? Are you really buying my house?" Despite her regret, it felt like a dream.

"Do you think I’d joke about this?" Chu Fei understood her concerns, pulling a bank card from his pocket. "There’s fifty thousand in here as a deposit. Now you can believe me, right?"

"I believe you, I believe you! Brother, you look like a man of your word. I won’t disturb you further—let’s talk tomorrow." She smiled, then quickly left.

Chu Fei finally turned his gaze back, only to see Chen Xiaoman glaring at him, her expression both annoyed and embarrassed, as if she was looking at a strange creature.

"What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Chu Fei laughed.

"Chu Fei, why were you so impulsive—handing over a deposit just like that?" Chen Xiaoman asked, frustrated.

"Well, the deposit won’t disappear," Chu Fei replied nonchalantly.

"You—you’re not really going to buy Aunt Li’s house, are you?" Chen Xiaoman protested. She thought Chu Fei was too reckless, deciding something as big as buying a house in just a few words and handing over a deposit.

"Of course I am," Chu Fei smiled.

"You..." Chen Xiaoman was at a loss, staring at Chu Fei for a long while before saying, "You’re making a huge mistake. The house isn’t worth that much. Eighty thousand is too much—sixty thousand at most. I’ve lived here two years and know the market well. Because it’s so dilapidated, nobody wants to buy. Why didn’t you ask me first?"

"It wasn’t worth much before, but soon it will be," Chu Fei chuckled. He’d already decided to use Shenghe’s resources to develop the area, though it was just an idea for now.

Chen Xiaoman blinked, puzzled.

"Haha, let’s not talk about it. I just helped you out—aren’t you going to invite me up?" Chu Fei smiled again.

"Oh, yes, of course." Chen Xiaoman glanced at him, wisely choosing not to press the matter further, then turned and entered the stairwell.

Returning to Chen Xiaoman’s humble home, Chu Fei was again impressed by the girl’s thrift and diligence. Chen Xiaoman quickly poured him a glass of water, plain as always, but this time in a brand-new cup—clearly bought after the previous awkward incident.

"Chu Fei, thank you so much for earlier. Without you, I wouldn’t have known what to do," Chen Xiaoman said gratefully, standing before him.

"You could’ve just refused her outright," Chu Fei replied with a laugh. Chen Xiaoman was too kind, so much so that she didn’t know how to say no—a result of her upbringing, but not a good trait.

"Heh..." Chen Xiaoman laughed awkwardly, saying nothing.

"Xiaoman, prepare your personal information later. Once I buy the house tomorrow, it’ll be under your name," Chu Fei said suddenly.

"What?" Chen Xiaoman’s eyes widened, then she realized what he meant and shook her head vigorously. "No, no, absolutely not! You can’t do that—"

"Look at you, are you afraid I’m a bad person?" Chu Fei smiled wryly.

"I—I don’t mean that. It’s just... Chu Fei, we’ve only met a few times. We’re not close. I can’t accept such a valuable gift. No, really, I can’t..." Chen Xiaoman waved her hands desperately, nearly in tears, clearly frightened by his words.

Chu Fei felt helpless; he’d expected this. Chen Xiaoman was too gentle, too fragile. He couldn’t fathom how Er Gou, so wild and fierce, could have such a delicate sister.

With a sigh, Chu Fei stood, his gaze complicated as he looked at her. "Xiaoman, there’s something I want to tell you. I just haven’t found the right moment."

"What is it?" Chen Xiaoman was startled, her cheeks flushing as she looked at his handsome face up close. Her heart raced uncontrollably, trembling inside. Was Chu Fei about to confess?

If he did, what would she do?

They’d only met a few times, but Chen Xiaoman admitted she didn’t dislike him—in fact, she found him very endearing. Her instincts told her Chu Fei’s concern was genuine.

What should she do?

Chen Xiaoman’s mind was in chaos, her head bowed, unable to meet his eyes.

Chu Fei, absorbed in his own inner turmoil, finally made up his mind. "Xiaoman, I actually came today to tell you something. I..."

"It’s coming, finally coming!" Chen Xiaoman’s heart wailed, her whole body trembling with nerves.

But Chu Fei’s next words left her utterly bewildered.

"Xiaoman, I’m actually your brother’s comrade," Chu Fei said, his tone serious and heavy.

"What?" Chen Xiaoman looked up in shock, unable to believe what she’d heard...

ps: Xing’er wishes all brothers and sisters a happy Lantern Festival!