C2 It Was Him!

So this was the esteemed guest his mother-in-law had been raving about!

Du Chen had spent the entire morning toiling away, whipping up a feast and scrubbing the house spotless—all to impress her ex-boyfriend!

No wonder the fast-food joint's owner had taunted him about being cuckolded. Everyone else was in on the ex's visit while he, the clueless fool, ran himself ragged, only to be shooed out for fast food!

Fists balled, Du Chen trembled with rage, his teeth grinding audibly, eyes bulging with bloodshot fury. His face twisted into a snarl.

"Zhou Yali! You're going to regret this!" he bellowed, poised to storm inside.

Just then, a 'ding-dong' from his phone pierced the air.

But he had definitely turned it off.

It was a WeChat notification on Lin Ying'er's phone.

"Lin Ying'er, your mom's shop is financially underwater. If you can't come up with three million in two days, you'll be drowning in debt. But, if you're willing to dress provocatively and join me for an 'office showdown,' I'll foot the bill. What do you say?"

Gripping the phone, Du Chen's realization hit hard. Zhou Yali was schmoozing Zhao Sheng because the shop was in dire straits.

The message was from Han Zhuang, the sleazy manager of the modeling agency where Lin Ying'er worked, known for his harassment. And now, he was kicking them while they were down with this indecent proposal!

Internally, Du Chen seethed at these two lecherous men, yet a wave of helplessness washed over him.

Both Zhao Sheng and Han Zhuang could easily cover the three million, unlike him, the legitimate husband, who was powerless.

That's why Lin Ying'er and Zhou Yali were driven to seek help from these ill-intentioned men.

It all came down to money!

Money, the divine communicator!

Du Chen stood defeated at the villa's gates, staring blankly. He was no billionaire, just a country boy with no means to conjure up such cash. Where on earth would he find the money?

Suddenly, an aged voice emerged from behind.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Du Chen?"

"Yes, I am. And you are...?" Du Chen turned, puzzled, to see an elderly man in a black suit, his silver hair meticulously combed, resembling a butler from a wealthy household.

"Hehe, I currently manage Bo Tong Agricultural and Food Processing Corporation and serve as your second uncle's butler." The old butler produced a laptop and initiated a video call.

Du Chen was bewildered. His second uncle was a mere farmer; how could he afford a butler?

Once the video connected, Du Chen was utterly astounded by his second uncle's revelations.

As it turned out, when Du Chen's parents moved to the provincial city, they had gifted their homestead and farmland to his impoverished second uncle. Eventually, the county selected their lands for expropriation, compensating them with over a hundred million yuan for the twenty acres. With that fortune, his second uncle founded an agricultural and food processing company.

By some stroke of luck, his second uncle's business flourished, exporting their farm products internationally and growing into a renowned corporation valued at over a hundred billion!

To honor Du Chen's parents' generosity and knowing that Du Chen was orphaned and alone, his second uncle divided the family assets, allowing Du Chen and his cousin to co-manage the business.

Whoever managed it better would take the helm of the company!

Du Chen felt as if he were in a dream. Half of the family fortune, nearly 80 billion in assets, and he had suddenly transformed into one of the country's elite tycoons?

The silver-haired butler watched Du Chen's dazed expression and offered a reassuring smile. "Mr. Du, as per the master's orders, I am now your butler. You'll need to sign a contract to claim your inheritance."

"Ah? Oh, right, right...” Du Chen stammered, "Where do I sign?"

"At the Golden Age Entertainment Center."

"What?!"

Du Chen's eyes bulged in disbelief.

The butler continued with a smile, "The master felt that focusing solely on agriculture was somewhat limiting and he tired of being mocked as a simple countryman, so he diversified into various side businesses. In time, you'll see that not only the Golden Age Entertainment Center but also many other major companies in the area are part of your estate!"

Du Chen was momentarily lost in thought again, and without really thinking, he blurted out, "Got it, shall we head out then?"

"Apologies, Mr. Du, since I've just arrived, I need to meet with some local dignitaries to lay the groundwork for your future. So, if you could please head over first, there's a secretary waiting to assist you. Here's the secretary's phone number; just give them a call when you get there," the old butler said with deference.

He was Du Chen's right-hand man, eager to see Du Chen ascend to the role of company CEO. That meant making connections with the wealthy elite to smooth the path for his future business endeavors!

Du Chen wasn't bothered by such trivialities. "Go ahead, it's only a couple of streets away. I can walk there by myself."

The butler bowed and departed.

Left alone, Du Chen stood in a daze for half an hour before snapping back to reality. Holding back his excitement, he glanced at the villa and muttered bitterly, "Zhou Yali, you think you're too good for me? But as the saying goes, 'A river flows east for thirty years, and west for thirty years.' Just wait until I have the three million you need. Then we'll see what you'll do!"

His next stop was the Golden Age Entertainment Center to claim his inheritance and secure the funds!

The Golden Age Entertainment Center, a recent addition to Boross City, had quickly become the premier venue for the affluent. It was the hotspot for business dealings and flaunting wealth.

With luxury cars perpetually lined up out front, it was a place that could intimidate the average person.

From a distance, Du Chen caught sight of the opulent building, his heart pounding with anticipation. He had longed to explore it but never had the chance, and his mother-in-law had even mocked him for this aspiration.

Now, to his astonishment, it was part of his inheritance!

Grinning with excitement, Du Chen strode towards the building, only to be noticed by the observant owner of a nearby fast-food joint.

"Hey, check out that deadbeat. Is he seriously trying to strut into the Golden Age?" she jeered with a laugh.

"Hahaha, as if he could afford it!" another chimed in.

"Exactly. It's beyond me how such a deadbeat, married into wealth for three years, has done nothing noteworthy. No wonder he's scorned!"

"Seriously, if I were him, I'd have given up on life a long time ago. What's the point of even being alive?"

A chorus of jeers erupted around him, prompting Du Chen to furrow his brow in annoyance.

He had aspirations to start his own business, but Zhou Yali barely let him step outside to buy groceries, let alone seek employment. She claimed she didn't want his identity to bring shame to the family.

With no money and no freedom, how was he supposed to pursue any business venture?

"If you don't understand someone's life, you shouldn't gossip behind their back. Otherwise, you're just making yourselves the butt of the joke!" Du Chen shot back, his tone icy.

"Oh, look at Mr. Loser getting bold, huh? You think you can stand up to us? Believe me, I'll smack you down!"

"Don't lay a finger on him. He's obviously broke and probably trying to scam us for medical bills. Don't even think about hitting him. Bet he'd play dead if you so much as touched him. You believe that?"

"Yeah, right. What wouldn't a loser like him do?"

The patrons continued their mocking.

In the past, such remarks would have set Du Chen's blood boiling, but now, he saw these people as nothing but pitiful. Perhaps their constant need to tear others down stemmed from their own inability to rise above the bottom rung of society.

There's a saying that rings true: Silence is the ultimate form of disdain.

With a look of sheer contempt, Du Chen cast a final glance at the crowd before heading towards Golden Age.

Fuming, they cursed loudly, pounded on the tables, and even shattered a couple of bowls in their rage.

The irate owner's wife, unable to contain her fury, took it out on Du Chen, ranting, "This fool is asking for it. I was nice enough to consider using the 'Death by Breath' app to give him a scare and let him off easy. And he dares to provoke me?"

"Does he really think I'm helpless? He must not realize that the head of security at Golden Age is my cousin. I'll get my cousin to give him a good thrashing, break a leg maybe, so he can't strut around anymore!"

The onlookers shivered, taken aback by the owner's wife's connections. It was no wonder she managed to run a fast-food joint right across from the Golden Age Entertainment Center and compete for business.

Now there was a spectacle in store. None of them were in any rush to leave, all eagerly anticipating the moment Du Chen would be thrown out.

Then, they'd have a field day taunting him!