"Beep!"

Qi Dengxian swiped open the villa gate at the peak of Yunding Mountain. This villa, known as the "Yunding Palace," was a true masterpiece.

"This kid really knows how to enjoy life. Since he gave me this villa, I'll go easy on him a few times," Qi Dengxian said with a satisfied smile.

The "Eternal Night King," Chu Wudao, was one of the most respected figures in Hua Country's underworld. He had served in the military and, after retiring, built a formidable team to silently protect the nation.

However, after an accident, Chu Wudao went mad, slaughtering all his enemies and even turning his blade on his former comrades. Eventually, a top war god from Hua Country subdued the crazed Chu Wudao and sent him to Youdu Prison.

Chu Wudao was a legend, a myth, revered by many and pitied by others.

Qi Dengxian had become the new owner of this mysterious and invaluable villa worth two billion.

"Dengxian, Qiumeng was really inconsiderate, leaving you alone at the civil affairs bureau and coming back!"

"Don't worry, I've already scolded her. Dinner's almost ready, come back quickly. Tell me your address, and I'll send a driver to pick you up."

Before he could finish exploring the villa, Qi Dengxian received a call from Qiao Guotao, which warmed his heart.

He faintly heard a cold snort from Qiao Qiumeng in the background.

Qi Dengxian declined Qiao Guotao's offer to send a driver. He chose the most inconspicuous Phaeton from the villa's garage and drove to the Qiao Family.

The Phaeton was indeed low-profile; anyone not familiar with cars would mistake it for a ten-thousand-dollar Passat.

Just as he reached Yunding Villa, Yu Xiaolong, who had parked her car at the villa entrance, saw a Phaeton speeding down from the peak of Yunding Mountain.

"Hmm? Is that him?" Yu Xiaolong was taken aback, surprised beyond belief.

"Who is it, miss?" Long Yanan asked curiously.

Yu Xiaolong hesitated, "I think I saw Qi Dengxian coming down from the villa at the top of Yunding Mountain..."

Long Yanan chuckled, shaking her head, "Miss, capturing the Terror King really took a toll on you. Even you have moments of seeing things!"

"How could a lowly prison guard like Qi Dengxian afford to live in Yunding Palace?"

"You couldn't even buy that villa despite pulling strings with your lieutenant general status! I think you're just overworked and feeling guilty about breaking off the engagement, which is why you imagined it."

Yu Xiaolong laughed and nodded, agreeing with the reasoning. How could a mere second-level prison guard like Qi Dengxian live in a place like Yunding Palace?

She couldn't even secure the villa despite leveraging her rank as a lieutenant general!

As Qi Dengxian sat at the Qiao family's dining table, he noticed a dish of drunken shrimp. The aroma of the liquor was fragrant, and the wine soaking the shrimp was a pale yellow.

Qi Dengxian was momentarily stunned, wondering if the two bottles of fifty-year-old Maotai he brought had been used to make the drunken shrimp.

"Look at this wine, it's yellowish when poured out, clearly a counterfeit! I guess this dish of drunken shrimp is inedible," Pang Xiuyun said displeasedly. "Your choice of son-in-law is really something, trying to fool you with fake wine on his first visit."

Qiao Qiumeng also looked disdainful, "Just throw it out, lest it makes us sick."

Qiao Guotao felt a bit embarrassed and said sternly, "Dengxian wouldn't do such a thing. Maybe he was deceived. Leave the dish; if you don't eat it, I will!"

Pang Xiuyun frowned, "Old Guan will be here soon. Do you think it's appropriate to serve this dish to him?"

Before she could finish, a hearty laugh echoed, and a man of similar age to Qiao Guotao walked in.

"Dengxian, this is my old friend. Just call him Uncle Guan! If he's in a good mood, he might gift you some calligraphy or paintings, which would be quite a fortune," Qiao Guotao said to Qi Dengxian with a smile.

Old Guan was a master of national stature, a veteran artist renowned throughout Hua Country.

Qi Dengxian greeted him politely. As soon as Old Guan sat down, Pang Xiuyun was about to remove the dish of drunken shrimp.

But Old Guan said, "Wait a minute! Isn't drunken shrimp one of your specialties, Xiuyun? Are you trying to avoid me?"

Pang Xiuyun quickly laughed, "What are you saying, Old Guan! The wine used for this drunken shrimp isn't right today. It's fake wine brought by Lao Qiao's new son-in-law, and I'm worried it might upset our stomachs..."

Old Guan sniffed, his expression suddenly changing. He hurriedly pressed the dish back onto the table.

"Wait, you said this is fake wine?" Old Guan was shocked, disregarding etiquette, and picked up a shrimp with his chopsticks to taste it.

Pang Xiuyun exclaimed, "Old Guan, spit it out quickly... What if it makes you sick? If you like, I'll make you a new dish!"

Old Guan was utterly captivated, savoring the taste, and said slowly, "Rich and smooth, with a lingering aftertaste... This is an exceptional wine, probably only fifty-year-old Maotai could have such a flavor!"

At these words, the three members of the Qiao family were stunned on the spot.

"What a waste, what a waste! Lao Qiao, does your family have a mine or something? Weren't you just struggling with a twenty-million debt from the Heilong Chamber of Commerce? How can you waste fifty-year-old Maotai like this?" Old Guan stomped his foot in frustration, his beard trembling.

Pang Xiuyun was shocked, "Fifty-year-old Maotai, Old Guan, are you sure?"

"Are you kidding! How could I be wrong? The last time I tasted such wine was three years ago at an official cultural exchange event in the Imperial Capital. That taste was unforgettable!"

"I can't believe you're wasting this top-tier fifty-year-old Maotai like this... Oh, it breaks my heart!"

"If you're not going to drink it, you could have given it to me!"

Old Guan was so angry he was practically fuming. Using fifty-year-old Maotai to make drunken shrimp was truly a waste. Even if you have a mine, you can't play like this!

Pang Xiuyun and Qiao Qiumeng both wore awkward smiles, not knowing what to say.

"How could a mere prison guard get his hands on something so precious? He must have secretly taken it from the Qi family when he was kicked out... Hmph!" Qiao Qiumeng thought disdainfully, though she also felt it was a waste.

Qiao Guotao laughed heartily, "I told you not to judge Dengxian with suspicion. How could he bring fake wine to fool me!"

Old Guan shook his head helplessly, "What a pity, what a pity..."

After a few rounds of drinks, Qiao Guotao invited Qi Dengxian to work at the Qiao Group.

Qi Dengxian politely declined with a smile.

We are "pawread.com", find us on google.

Qiao Qiumeng watched, her heart filled with cold laughter. He had already lowered himself to be a live-in son-in-law, yet he still pretended to uphold his worthless pride? How ridiculous!

Later that evening, Qiao Qiumeng had a long video chat with her bestie, Li Yunwan, complaining about the day's events.

Li Yunwan was also annoyed, "What a toad lusting after a swan! How could a mere prison guard be worthy of you? Young Master Zhang has been pursuing you all this time!"

"Don't worry, Mengmeng. Tomorrow, I'll find a way to embarrass him so badly that he won't dare show his face again, and he won't dare to bother you anymore."