C1 Welcome to the Vip!

In the upscale Tonghua District of Boross City, amidst the row of luxurious mansions, a woman's voice thundered with fury.

"Du Chen! Are you a pig? Can't you handle even this simple task? I'd be better off raising a dog than keeping you around!"

"What are you staring at? Get moving and clean up!"

"You're utterly useless! Can't earn money, can't manage household chores, and if dinner isn't ready by 11 o'clock, just get out and never come back!"

Du Chen, amidst the verbal onslaught, didn't dare lift his head as he crouched on the ground, feverishly scrubbing the floor with a rag. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him; it had been a long day.

Since six in the morning, his mother-in-law had kicked him awake from the couch, demanding a feast for a VIP guest at noon, specifically requesting large crabs.

With no choice, Du Chen had endured an hour-long bus ride to the seafood wholesale market to procure seven or eight large crabs. He then spent the rest of the day in a flurry of activity—cooking, making soup, and cleaning the house until it was immaculate. As a downtrodden son-in-law, these were his expected duties.

"Mom, I've cleaned the floor and the meal is ready. Would you like to check?" Du Chen asked tentatively.

"Cut the chatter. Did you clean the upstairs bedroom?" Zhou Yali frowned, stepping away from Du Chen and pinching her nose.

"Yes, I've cleaned it. As you instructed, I've also made the bed. I'm sure Ying'er will be pleased," Du Chen replied, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. His sweat-soaked clothes were hardly pleasant, but he couldn't help feeling a surge of happiness. For the first time, his mother-in-law had allowed him into his wife's room to tidy the bed. Could this be a sign of her acceptance of him as a son-in-law? Might he finally share a bed with his wife tonight? The thought thrilled him.

"Here, take this 20 yuan," Zhou Yali said abruptly, handing him the money. "Go out and buy some fast food."

"What? But I've prepared so much food already, and it seems inappropriate to serve fast food to a VIP guest, doesn't it?" Du Chen questioned, perplexed.

Zhou Yali scoffed, "You surely don't think you're eating here, do you? If the VIP finds out about a worthless son-in-law like you, the shame would kill me. Just go and eat your fast food outside!"

Du Chen was taken aback and replied with a hint of frustration, "Mom, I've been working all morning..."

Zhou Yali's face darkened as she rebuked him sharply, "Did I somehow owe you recognition? You have the nerve to seek praise for a morning's work?"

"We've supported you for three years. Do you have any idea how much money we've spent, or the ridicule we've faced because of you?"

"And now you expect rewards? Get out! And don't come back before evening!"

"My store is on the brink of collapse, and today's guest came to invest. If you mess this up, I swear I'll make you pay!"

Du Chen let out a sigh, holding back any further words, and turned to leave.

From the moment he stepped through the door, his mother-in-law took a disliking to him.

Despite being consistently well-behaved and diligent, catering to his mother-in-law and wife by serving tea, washing their feet, and doing laundry, he was met with nothing but scolding and being sent to sleep in the park.

Yet, he harbored no resentment.

After all, his wife, Lin Ying'er, was the epitome of beauty in Boross City, the goddess every man dreamed of. Her exquisite features, her enviable S-curve, and particularly those long legs, set hearts racing.

Many envied Du Chen's incredible fortune.

But for three years, Du Chen hadn't laid a finger on Lin Ying'er, let alone shared her bed. His place was on the living room sofa.

Ultimately, Du Chen's tolerance was rooted in the kindness Lin Ying'er had shown him.

Initially, Lin Ying'er sought Du Chen as a boyfriend out of practicality, to avoid romantic distractions during her career peak and to fend off her mother's marriage pressures.

Du Chen had always believed their relationship was purely a partnership.

That was until his mother fell gravely ill and desperately needed funds. Lin Ying'er stepped in to cover the medical bills and, to honor his mother's last wish, married him, sweetly addressing his mother as 'Mom' by her bedside.

Though his mother eventually passed away, she did so with a smile, entrusting Lin Ying'er to his care. That act of kindness was something Du Chen would never forget, nor the way Lin Ying'er tenderly called his mother 'Mom'.

Du Chen was exhausted, his back sore from fatigue, and on top of that, he'd been berated by his mother-in-law, which nearly set him off. However, the mere thought of Lin Ying'er brought an involuntary smile to his face.

As Du Chen approached the doorway, he happened to catch Lin Ying'er just as she was returning home.

"What have you been up to?" Lin Ying'er asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

"He's off to grab some fast food!" interjected Zhou Yali, striding over to join the conversation and shooting Du Chen a fierce glare.

With no other choice, Du Chen nodded in resignation. "Yes."

A look of profound disappointment crossed Lin Ying'er's face, mixed with a biting frustration. "You spineless wimp," she hissed. "You might as well not come back tonight. Make room for someone else!"

Misunderstanding her, Du Chen thought Lin Ying'er was asking him to vacate the place for an important guest. He mumbled an agreement, head bowed, and walked away.

"You worthless coward!" Lin Ying'er hurled her phone at the back of Du Chen's head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Thud!

The door slammed shut.

Holding Lin Ying'er's phone, Du Chen hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to stir the pot further. He could always return it later.

His stomach growled with hunger after a busy morning, so he made a beeline for food.

Just two blocks away was a fast food joint.

The proprietress, her face stern, recognized him immediately. "Well, if it isn't the infamous Du Chen," she sneered. "Kicked out by your mother-in-law again, huh?"

"Just give me a box of rice and some veggies," Du Chen said, taking a seat despite the familiarity of the locals. The eatery was close to the villa, and he was a known figure here.

He didn't venture far, though, worried that Lin Ying'er might urgently need her phone. If she did, Du Chen was ready to dash back at a moment's notice.

The proprietress brought over his rice and greens, remarking for the first time, "Load up on the veggies—green on green is the way to go."

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Du Chen caught the jab—she was insinuating that he was being cuckolded. Anger flared within him as he retorted, "Lady Boss, my wife has done nothing to you. Why do you insist on maligning her?"

Caught off guard by his defiance, the proprietress stood hands on hips, her eyes blazing. "You've grown bold, haven't you, you little twerp? Aren't you just a freeloader, a complete waste of space? What's with the attitude? Believe me, I could have someone take care of you for good!"

Du Chen clenched his jaw and spat out, "I became a live-in son-in-law out of love for my wife, while you serve up garbage dishes using gutter oil every day. It would take me just one sentence to shut your place down!"

The Lady Boss cackled with laughter, "Oh, look at you, thinking you're some hotshot boss. Have you seen the Golden Age Entertainment Center across the street? You'd need to be the big boss over there to even dream of closing me down. But someone like you, a total washout, will never have that chance in your life!"

Mid-laugh, the Lady Boss shockingly grabbed a bowl of soup and doused Du Chen with it.

The onlookers roared with laughter.

Fuming, Du Chen stormed out of the restaurant and dialed the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to report the fast food joint for using gutter oil.

He had said he'd solve it with a single sentence, and he intended to do just that.

But to his surprise, the person on the phone responded with a dismissive promise to investigate before abruptly hanging up.

It dawned on Du Chen that the fast food restaurant had connections in high places.

And it didn't stop there. Less than five minutes after his report, the fast food shop's Lady Boss called his cell phone, unleashing a tirade: "You little snitch, you dare to report me? I've got powerful friends, just you wait and see how I deal with you! I'll have your phone ringing off the hook!"

Du Chen hung up with a wry smile, refusing to endure any more abuse. He realized that with enough power and money, some people really can do as they please.

Soon after, his phone was bombarded with non-stop calls from a 'call bombing' app, each one ringing only to be cut off, driving him to the brink of madness.

Frustrated yet helpless, Du Chen decided it was time to retire his outdated phone. He switched it off and hurried back to his neighborhood, planning to return Lin Ying'er's phone and to ask if she could lend him the money for a new one.

But as he approached his villa, he was greeted by the sight of a Maserati in the driveway and a man in a suit standing at the doorstep, clutching a bouquet of roses.

Lin Ying'er herself opened the door, dressed to kill in a sexy, stunning outfit. As soon as she saw the man, she was swept into an eager embrace.

As the man discarded the large bouquet of roses he was holding, Du Chen got a clear view of his face.

It was none other than Lin Ying'er's ex-boyfriend, Zhao Sheng!

Watching Lin Ying'er awkwardly usher Zhao Sheng into the house, Du Chen's mind reeled with shock.

Could it be... the esteemed guest his mother-in-law had referred to was this very man?