novelraw Chapter 17 So that's how rich they are
Chapter 17 So that's how rich they are
The villa's high-ceilinged hall is a carefully designed symbol of class oppression; every ray of light refracted by the crystal chandelier is calculated to reflect their inferiority complex.
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Finally, payday arrived. The smog concentration in Beijing was as high as 360, but Zeng Jia's heart was filled with joy. It was as if the city was decorated with festive red lanterns, and she couldn't wait to get married.
For the first time, she felt that the "ding-dong" sound of a bank deposit was better than any song. This was the first time in her life that she had earned more than 10,000 yuan a month. Her monthly salary was 13,000 yuan, plus 1,500 yuan overtime allowance. After deducting social insurance and housing fund contributions, she still had more than 10,000 yuan left. Wang Haowen earned no less than her.
"See that? That huge hole in our down payment is big enough to fill with half a brick!"
Zeng Jia's smile had just stretched to her ears when Wang Haowen called. His proud little voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement, accompanied by the rumbling of the subway tracks.
Zeng Jia's fingers flew across the calculator, the pent-up frustration and exhaustion of the past few days instantly dried up by the remaining balance. "Are you working overtime tonight? How about we get a hot pot of lamb spine? Let's celebrate that we weren't exploited by the capitalists for nothing!"
Before Wang Haowen could reply, Zhang Zhishan's WeChat message popped up like a death knell, coldly sending her his location and voice message: "Go to my house. There's a case of 05 Moutai in the cabinet on the left side of the study. Take it directly to Da Dong. I'm entertaining the Northeast Investment Promotion Office tonight. You come with me!"
Zeng Jia rolled her eyes dramatically at the phone screen.
Why can't the Maybach make a trip?
Was she instructed to kick around like that with her legs?
But as soon as he saw the numbers popping up on his bank card, the little bit of toughness he had been holding back immediately melted away like noodles.
"The lamb spine hotpot is ruined. I was suddenly given this lousy job, and I don't know when I'll be home tonight." The excitement vanished instantly, and he looked dejected.
Wang Haowen replied, "Okay, I'm in trouble too. If all else fails, we can spend the whole night on Guijie Street to make up for it."
After hanging up the phone, they each spun around like tops that had been whipped into a frenzy.
Zeng Jia rushed all the way to the detached villa area on the edge of the East Fourth Ring Road.
At the entrance to the villa area, the security guard questioned her like he was investigating her family history. After she took out her ID card, registered, and had her photo taken, and received "permission," the heavy, ornate iron gate reluctantly opened a crack for her with a loud bang.
As Zeng Jia stepped into the villa, she exclaimed inwardly, "Good heavens!" The entrance hall was so bright it could fit two of her rented apartments, each capable of somersaults. The crystal chandelier, like an inverted iceberg, hung straight down from the three-story ceiling, and the marble floor tiles were so smooth they could be used as mirrors. The mirrored surface clearly reflected the mud splatters on her shoes from yesterday; stepping on them felt like she was committing a sin.
How much does this brick cost? At least a year's income for her.
She'd known all along that the bosses were rich, but it had always been just wishful thinking, like an ancient poor person imagining that the emperor must eat meat every day. Now that those two words were truly before her eyes, their weight was so heavy that she didn't even have the energy to be jealous. She longed to live in such a luxurious place someday; she would definitely roll around on the ground like crazy, just like when she was a child, lying in a frozen snowdrift.
Following the nanny's instructions, Zeng Jia went directly to the second-floor study to find the wine. The walls and floors of the staircase were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, densely packed with hardcover volumes. She loved reading and longed to immerse herself in the bookshelves and carefully browse the catalog, but neither the time nor the energy allowed. She quickly found the second heavy solid wood cabinet on the left, carefully opened it, and from the rows of wooden crates labeled with their vintage, she took out the case of 05 Moutai.
The liquor itself wasn't very heavy, but the outer packaging of the box was incredibly heavy, making her thin arms ache. She struggled to carry the box down to the living room when a voice that sent chills down her spine rang out at the doorway: "Oh my god, what are you doing here?!"
Zeng Jia was startled and turned around sharply. Wang Haowen was standing in the entryway, staring straight at her!
He was dressed in a Burberry shirt and trousers, looking quite respectable, and he was holding a brown paper bag in his hand. The shocked expression on his face was exactly the same as hers, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
"You really are a persistent ghost." Zeng Jia deliberately shouted, gesturing urgently with her chin toward the kitchen, her eyes twitching as if she were having a seizure, frantically signaling that the nanny was still in the kitchen and that he shouldn't give anything away!
Wang Haowen rubbed his nose guiltily, then frowned when he saw the heavy liquor case in her arms. "With your skinny arms and legs, aren't you afraid of getting ripped off? This bottle of liquor is ridiculously expensive!"
Zeng Jia sensed the underlying concern in his sarcastic tone, and deliberately pushed the box forward, saying, "Afraid of snow? If you're afraid of snow, then carry it!"
Wang Haowen actually took two steps forward, grabbed the heavy liquor case, and hugged it to his arms. "What are you looking at? Hurry up and call a Didi! You want to carry this around on a crowded bus?"
Zeng Jia glared at him, feeling a ticklish, warm sensation in her heart, like being gently brushed. This secretive, ambiguous feeling was actually quite exciting and alluring. But she knew business was more important, so she glanced towards the kitchen and quickly called a car.
The nanny came out of the kitchen carrying a fruit platter. "Madam just called and asked Assistant Wang to wait a moment. She has something to tell you. Secretary Zeng, if you're not in a rush, could you wait a little longer before leaving? Madam wants chicken soup tonight, so I need to hurry and buy a chicken to make it. If it's not cooked long enough, it won't taste good." The nanny untied her apron, her eyes sweeping over Wang Haowen, clearly worried about leaving him alone at home.
Zeng Jia glanced at the wine box and pretended to be very unhappy: "Then you have to go and come back quickly, I'm afraid there will be traffic on the way and you'll be late again."
The nanny responded and quickly left.
With a bang, the door slammed shut, leaving only the two of them in the huge villa.
Zeng Jia walked around the house for a long time, feeling that this empty, luxurious mansion was like a gilded cage that had suddenly opened its doors to them.
Wang Haowen let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumped, and he casually placed the wine case steadily on the expensive-looking tea table in the corner.
He shuffled along in his disposable slippers, making a screeching sound as he slid across the smooth floor. He walked to the huge French windows and looked out at the garden outside, where even in early winter, the grass was still lush and green, the fountain was bubbling and spouting water, and the colorful tulips looked like artificial flowers.
He poked at the cold, thick glass with his finger, his voice low: "Tell me, living in such a huge shell... don't you get lost when you get up at night? Do you have to use a walkie-talkie to even have a casual chat?"
He didn't say "No wonder their relationship is so bad," but Zeng Jia understood what he meant.
Zeng Jia didn't reply. She carefully touched the Italian leather sofa in the living room. She looked up at the crooked and messy color block painting on the wall. She couldn't understand what it was about at all, but the price tag must be terrifying. After all, the small medicine boxes casually placed on the table were all from Tiffany.
Zeng Jia suddenly remembered the cramped pigeon coop she shared with Wang Haowen, which cost 3,500 yuan a month. It was drafty in winter and stuffy in summer, and the toilet was so small that you couldn't even turn your back. An indescribable bitterness gripped her heart like vines.
She finally understood why Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li were fighting like antagonists. With such a gold mine, who wouldn't risk their life to protect it? If it were her and Wang Haowen, would they have fought like this?
Before Zeng Jia could figure it out, she heard Wang Haowen calling her. She turned around and saw Wang Haowen squatting there, staring at an inconspicuous network port in the corner, holding the host cable in his hand, doing something furtive!
A daring, almost insane thought shot into Zeng Jia's mind. Her eyes nearly went blind. Pointing at Wang Haowen, she lowered her voice but was filled with rage, "Wang Haowen! You actually unplugged the surveillance camera? Do you want to get caught red-handed and fired? This thing is definitely connected to their phones, you better put it back on right now!"
She was as nervous as a thief, looking around as if an alarm would blare at any moment.