Xie Jiayi parked his car in the garage. Outside the black wrought-iron gate, someone was waiting for him. Looking up, he saw a Japanese-style house built on a slope about twenty meters high. At the entrance, various oddly shaped rocks were scattered, and a small fountain on an artificial hill trickled water. He ascended a spiral staircase made of bluestone, with unknown evergreen trees planted along the sides. Stepping onto the stone path of the courtyard, he suddenly felt a sense of timidity. To the left was a small artificial lake, its surface shimmering with colorful reflections from the lights on the shore. The classical Japanese house was built beside the lake, surrounded by green bamboo fences and extending pine trees. To the right of the courtyard were cherry trees, under which large swathes of purple irises grew. The entire place was a work of artificial landscaping, yet it blended seamlessly with nature, creating a tranquil and secluded atmosphere that made one feel as if they were in another world, transcending the mundane.
Zhou Yuqian’s wealth was truly impressive, and his taste was extraordinary. Xie Jiayi had thought that the South Ridge villa was the epitome of luxury, but compared to this place, it was nothing more than a mud hut next to a grand mansion, not even worth a second glance. Thinking of his own luxurious apartment in the city, Jiayi felt it was rather shabby. He realized that Zhou Yuqian chose this location perhaps to make him give up voluntarily, which slightly irritated him.
After crossing the inner courtyard, a bodyguard led him to a hall. After knocking three times, when a voice inside responded with “Please come in!” the door was opened, allowing Jiayi to enter. The room was spacious, with lights along the walls, and the door facing the lake was wide open, the bamboo curtains rolled up, bringing the lake water almost within reach. The breeze from the lake swept into the room, refreshing. By the door was a low table where Zhou Yuqian, putting down his teacup, said with a faint smile, “Please sit!”
“The environment here is very nice!” Jiayi sat down opposite him and praised.
Soon after, there was another knock, and a young man in his twenties entered with fruits and tea snacks, handing a hot towel to Jiayi for cleaning his hands before politely withdrawing.
“You are the first to say that!” Zhou Yuqian poured him a cup of tea.
“And the first, aside from the workers, to come here!”
“Was this place just completed?” Jiayi sniffed carefully, detecting no new paint smell.
“No, it was completed two years ago, but no one has come here until now — this was a labor of love, you know, my sense of exclusivity is strong; I didn’t want others to peek, so no one has been here until now!” Zhou Yuqian said with an implied meaning.
Jiayi smiled slightly and said, “So you can invite me with peace of mind; what I’m after isn’t what you treasure most!”
“How do you know what you’re after isn’t what I treasure most, maybe it is?” Zhou Yuqian countered.
“If it were, you wouldn’t have invited me here!” Jiayi said confidently, though he couldn’t fathom his true intentions, he could only respond accordingly.
“You’re wrong. I invited you here because I trust you. Whether she’s the most precious or not, she won’t become yours, at least not now!” Zhou Yuqian said, looking up at his slightly angered face, his black eyes as calm as a still well.
“Now you’re not my business partner, just a private relationship. So, let’s lay out the purpose of your visit. I don’t like bringing the hypocrisy of business into this!” Jiayi suppressed his irritation, scolding himself for his impatience, and steadied himself before saying, “I want her back!”
“Oh, how much?” Zhou Yuqian’s eyes narrowed slightly, turning his gaze towards the window where the lake was calm, the maple leaves by the shore glowing red under the streetlights — it was truly autumn in the suburbs!
“Twenty million!” Jiayi sipped his tea and added, “Or you can name your price, but I must have her back!”
“Your price is too low!” Zhou Yuqian said expressionlessly, though he felt like laughing inside. The person at South Ridge was probably having a good chat with Xu Nuo, and if she knew she was being bargained over, he wondered what she would think. Suddenly, he felt mischievous; if he recorded this conversation, she would be angry but wouldn’t dare show it, only sulking silently.
Jiayi forced down his anger and asked, “Then what do you want? I’m not like you; even selling everything I have might not buy this house!”
Zhou Yuqian turned around, suddenly smiling. Seeing Jiayi’s face turn red with anger, he suppressed his smile and said, “Don’t mind me! I was just thinking — if Lai Hui knew her value was comparable to this house, what would she think!”
Jiayi was stunned, not understanding why he brought this up.
“Don’t play with people like toys!” Zhou Yuqian shook his head, then seriously said, “Four years ago, I bought her with money, and you scolded me for thinking money could buy someone’s love. Four years later, you’re doing the same thing. It seems, Mr. Xie, you’re not much better than me!”
Hearing his sarcasm, Jiayi’s face turned crimson, unable to say a word. The room fell silent, a cool breeze blowing, and the sound of pine trees rustling outside. Slowly, Jiayi’s face showed guilt, and he pressed his lips together, not speaking.
“Do you know why I built this courtyard?” Zhou Yuqian continued. Jiayi, now accustomed to his digressions, answered absentmindedly, “I don’t know!”
“Two years ago, when I was only focused on expanding my business, I fell ill for over a month before recovering. Someone told me, ‘With all this money, why don’t you live more comfortably?’ I asked what would make me comfortable, and she said, having a home nestled by mountains and water, where you can meditate and find some romance — with cherry blossoms flying in the sky, irises fluttering like butterflies, that’s romance. If romance tires you, there’s the sound of pine trees and bamboo, the gentle breeze wrinkling the lake’s surface, helping you meditate and find peace. After work, having such a place, isn’t that comfort?”
Jiayi then remembered the stark contrast in the courtyard’s design, and realized, “It was Lai Hui’s suggestion!”
Zhou Yuqian nodded. “It seems you know her well. She’s a person who understands life, calm and serene. Being with her, I always find myself relaxing, which comforts me greatly —” He paused, then added, “Though I bought her a few years ago, now she’s no longer something I can control at my fingertips, nor something that can be traded away!” His final words were quite harsh, making Xie Jiayi feel especially uncomfortable, as he thought the criticism was somewhat excessive. He defended himself, saying, “It’s not about reselling; I just want her back!” “Then don’t come to me for help! If you want her back, do it with your own abilities!” Zhou Yuqian lowered his eyelashes, casting a shadow over his eyes, and slowly said, “Even I can only keep her by my side with a contract!” He was well aware that once the contract ended, Lai Hui would take the money and leave him without hesitation. Xie Jiayi coming to him for help was truly embarrassing. If not for the contract, Xie Jiayi wouldn’t have sought help from his old enemy, or perhaps, he wouldn’t even consider him at all. In Lai Hui’s heart, compared to Xie Jiayi, he might not weigh as much. “So, for the next six months, I won’t sell her out. After six months, whether she will reconcile with you or not is out of my control!” Zhou Yuqian looked at the slightly wrinkled surface of the lake, ignoring a tinge of reluctance in his heart.
