C18 18 Ten Thousand Rmb

Outside the office, Xiao Tian frowned. He could have taken down Lin Chen earlier. However, the Tianhong Group had been under the Dugu family's control for so many years that the company's top executives were all their people. Unless he replaced everyone, it wouldn't make a difference. This couldn't be rushed; he needed to start cleaning up from Cloud City and gradually infiltrate the headquarters in the capital.

Checking the time, he realized Mengyao should be getting off work soon, so he took a cab to Fuhua Real Estate. Just as he got out, Mengyao walked out of the building.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Mengyao asked with a delighted expression as she approached. "Were you waiting for me to get off work?"

Seeing Mengyao lifted Xiao Tian's spirits instantly. "No, I just got here," he replied, casually slinging her bag over his shoulder.

"Flirting in public, have some shame!" someone remarked.

"Yeah, right at the office entrance, no less. No sense of decorum," another added.

Mengyao's face flushed at the teasing. "Let's go home," she suggested.

Xiao Tian gently held her hand, unfazed by the comments. "They're just jealous, can't stand seeing others happy," he said.

Hearing this, Mengyao felt even more embarrassed. She tried to pull her hand away but found it firmly held by Xiao Tian, unable to break free.

With no other choice, she let him lead her. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

Northside of Cloud City, the slums. Ever since Chen Yong took charge, their family had moved here, and it had been over ten years now.

At this moment, Qin Yulian and Chen Qiang were picking vegetables at their doorstep. Neither of them spoke; this was their usual way of interacting.

“Yulian, washing vegetables?”

Their neighbor from across the street called out to Qin Yulian, “I heard you’ve got a live-in son-in-law now, and he’s staying at your place. Is that true?”

Her tone was sarcastic, with a hint of mockery. Having a live-in son-in-law wasn’t something to brag about. In this small slum, any little stir in a household became the talk of the town by the next day. Especially among the housewives, who had nothing better to do than gossip behind people’s backs, which was incredibly annoying.

“The vegetables are washed. Let’s go back and cook,” Chen Qiang said, standing up.

“Oh my, look at you. You didn’t even wash the dirt off properly. Men are always so careless,” the neighbor said as she walked over in her apron, snatching the basket of vegetables from Chen Qiang and re-washing them.

While washing, she continued to chatter, “Yulian, I’m not saying this to criticize you, but we’ve been neighbors for ten years. Such a big event, and you didn’t even give me a heads-up. I could’ve come over for a drink and shared in the joy.”

"By the way, Yulian, what does your son-in-law do for a living? How old is he this year?"

Qin Yulian's face fell immediately. "Why do you need to know all that?"

The neighbor lady's expression softened. "Why can't I ask? Having a son-in-law move in isn't unusual, right? Is there any need to get upset?"

As she said this, she chuckled to herself. Everyone knew the Chen family had taken in a live-in son-in-law. Chen Mengyao was not only beautiful but also a talented graduate from a prestigious university, yet she married a man over ten years her senior. Standing together, they looked more like father and daughter than husband and wife. What was the Chen family thinking, choosing someone like that as a son-in-law? He could practically be Chen Qiang's buddy.

"Why does it matter to you?" Qin Yulian snapped.

"Now, don't be like that. You know the saying, 'A close neighbor is better than a distant relative.' I've watched Yao grow up. Aren't you just pushing her into a pit of fire?"

"Marriage is a lifelong matter for a woman. If you had listened to me earlier and married Yao to my nephew, she'd be living in a big house by now."

Her nephew worked at a state-owned company, with a nine-to-five job and great benefits. He might not be much to look at, but he was college-educated. Most importantly, he promised that if she found him a pretty wife, he'd give her a hundred bucks as a matchmaker's fee.

Last time, when the match was proposed, Qin Yulian turned it down, costing her a thousand bucks, and she hasn't forgotten it. She came specifically to mock Qin Yulian for that.

Qin Yulian was trembling with anger, and Chen Qiang, standing beside her, didn't look too pleased either. For once, he stood his ground and snatched the vegetables from the neighbor lady's hands. "That's enough. You don't need to wash them."

The neighbor lady wasn't upset. She smiled and said, "Yulian, take some advice from me. A son-in-law who moves in is like a wolf in sheep's clothing. You can never really trust them. Better to have Yao get a divorce sooner rather than later, and I'll help find her a new boyfriend."

She wore a smug smile, clearly enjoying the situation.

Just then, Xiao Tian rode up with Chen Mengyao on an electric scooter, stopping right in front of the neighbor lady.

"Oh, Yao, you're back?" The neighbor lady grinned, grabbing Chen Mengyao's hand. "Is this your husband? He's quite the catch."

Chen Mengyao blushed at the compliment. Her husband wasn't unattractive, but calling him a catch was a stretch.

"So, Yao, what does your husband do?" The neighbor lady gave Xiao Tian a once-over, smirking internally. With his scruffy appearance, she wondered if he worked construction.

"He, he is..."

"I'm the driver, I drive for the boss!"

Xiao Tian smiled and walked over to Yulian, saying, "Mom, I just got paid this month, so I'll give it all to you."

With that, he pulled out ten thousand dollars he had withdrawn from the bank and handed it to his mother-in-law.

Yulian and Qiang were stunned, staring at the hefty stack of bills in their hands. Even Mengyao was slightly taken aback.

The neighbor lady's face turned a bit pale. How could a live-in son-in-law have so much money?

Receiving the money as if in a dream, Yulian felt its weight in her hands.

"Does being a driver pay that well?" the neighbor lady asked incredulously.

Xiao Tian glanced at her and replied, "Our boss is quite wealthy and generous with us."

Hearing this, the neighbor lady couldn't stay any longer. She had initially planned to mock Yulian's family a bit for refusing her nephew, which cost her a thousand dollars. But now, how could she dare?

Her nephew, though employed at a state-owned enterprise with good benefits, only earned three to four thousand a month. This live-in son-in-law made over ten thousand a month, two to three times more!

In a year, he earned as much as her nephew would in three years. How could they compare?

With this realization, she plastered a smile on her face, walked over to Yulian, and said obsequiously, "Yulian, I was wrong earlier. I misspoke. Please don't take it to heart."

"Look, my son is at home without a job. Do you think your son-in-law could help him out and let him drive too?"

Qin Yulian stood there, stunned, and Chen Qiang was equally speechless.

They couldn't believe it.

Just yesterday, Xiao Tian couldn't even come up with four hundred dollars, and now, out of nowhere, he pulls out a wad of cash.

Qin Yulian took a deep breath, feeling uneasy about the source of the money.

Seeing her silence, the neighbor lady stomped her foot and muttered, "If he can't help, he can't help. What's the big deal? No matter how high the salary, he's still just a driver."

With that, she left in a huff.

Beside them, Chen Mengyao was still confused, having no idea what had just happened.

"You two, come inside with me!"

Qin Yulian called to Xiao Tian and Chen Mengyao, her face stern as she walked inside.

"Explain this money!"

Qin Yulian slammed the cash on the table and said, "You're a deserter with no diploma and no skills. Even if you found a job, it would take at least a month to get paid, right?"

"Mom, this money is mine..."

"Don't lie to me. I know how much you make in a month," Qin Yulian said, banging the table and pointing at Xiao Tian. "Be honest, did you steal this money?"

Just then, the sound of police sirens blared, and Qin Yulian was instantly terrified. She thought the police were coming for Xiao Tian, so she quickly shoved the money into his hands and urged him out the door. "Go, you thief, go! Don't bring trouble to our family!"