When Charlie saw that Aivan seemed to be on the verge of death, he shook his head helplessly and said, “You were not convinced when I told you that you would encounter a bloody calamity. Now, you’ve ended up getting into this situation, and you’re still asking me to help you resolve this issue. Don’t you feel ashamed at all?”Aivan was dying, and he pleaded, “Mr. Wade, I... I know that I’m wrong... I only want to be able to keep my godd*mned life now... so that the Yaleman family will not end here...”Charlie said lightly, “Don’t worry. I will not let you die. Not for now, at least. After all, it’s Uncle Janus’s housewarming ceremony today, and it would be too unlucky if you were to die here.”Having said that, Charlie stepped forward, took out the packet of medicinal powder from Aivan’s pocket, and asked, “Is this the antidote?” “Yes...” Aivan nodded repeatedly. Charlie pinched Aivan’s mouth open and poured the whole packet of medicinal powder into Aivan’s mouth.Aivan said gr
Aivan panicked as he looked at Charlie and asked in disbelief, “My... My father... Is he really dead?!”Charlie nodded. “He was just like you, and he was raising these kinds of inferior mosquitoes. As for your master, Falco, he enjoyed raising Parasitic Worms that loved to eat human brains. So, I simply eliminated the evil for the people by sending them both to hell.”“What?! Master Xanthos is also...”Aivan was in despair at this time.He no longer doubted Charlie’s words because his intuition told him that Charlie was definitely not joking with him.However, he could no longer care about hating Charlie, and he could only plead with tears streaming down his face, “Mr. Wade... As long as you... can spare my life... I... I’ll never do anything wrong again...”Charlie laughed and said, “Aren’t you afraid of death? I can help to call an ambulance for you. The antidote that you took just now is working in your stomach, so it wouldn’t be a big problem for you for a while.”As Charlie
The ambulance sped off and took Aivan, who was already in a deep coma, away from the villa.Everyone else at the scene also had lingering fears, and they were suddenly at a loss for what to do.Shawn’s assistant, Marley, knew a little about Aivan, and he guessed that this guy must have raised something sinister for him to end up in the tragic and miserable situation that he was in currently.He was too lazy to be bothered about Aivan’s life and death. However, the auspicious time was coming soon, and Shawn and Janus’s family would also arrive at the villa at any moment. According to the procedure, the grand housewarming ceremony would have to be conducted after they arrived at the villa. Aside from the lion dance troupe, the most important thing was, in fact, the ritual which was supposed to have been officiated by Aivan.However, the Feng Shui master who was supposed to preside over the housewarming ceremony had just been taken away by an ambulance due to a strange serious injury
Charlie smiled faintly as he said, “My main purpose in coming to Hong Kong is to solve Uncle Janus’s matter for him. I will not be calculative as to whether Shawn will ultimately benefit from this or not.”Kathleen smiled and said, “I seem to have made a mistake just now. I think that Shawn should be at the losing end of this deal instead.”Charlie asked curiously, “Why did you change your opinion again?”Kathleen said seriously, “I didn’t take Marianne into account just now. She has already fallen in love with you now, so although Shawn has earned the endorsement of the Fox family, he has lost Marianne. So, ultimately, he is still at the losing end.”Charlie said a little embarrassedly, “You’re making it seem as though I’ve done something for Miss Marianne. I’ve only shown her a little more appreciation on the basis of ordinary friends. Besides that, I haven’t done anything to her, so how could it be considered as if Shawn has lost her to me, then?”Kathleen smiled slightly and s
By the time Charlie had walked to the terrace on the third floor of the villa alone, Shawn and Janus’s family’s convoy had already driven into the villa courtyard one after the other.The reporters flocked in after the convoy. The best lion dance troupe in Hong Kong then performed two life-like lion dances to perfection, and the scene was extraordinarily lively.Although Charlie had never liked lively scenes, he too felt extraordinarily relieved as he witnessed this scene. The thick smoke generated by the explosion of the firecrackers was accompanied by the strong and rich smell of gunpowder. This familiar yet unfamiliar smell suddenly gave Charlie a refreshing feeling.Growing up, he had always liked the smell of gunpowder smoke when the firecrackers burnt out. However, he hadn’t smelled this familiar smell for a long time since there was a ban on fireworks and firecrackers everywhere over the years.Perhaps it was also related to the Oskian people’s love of fireworks and firecr
Just as Charlie was sighing emotionally as he was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard a familiar voice next to him asking, “Mr. Wade, what are you thinking about that you seem to be so deep in your thoughts?”Charlie was slightly startled. He turned around and saw that Marianne had already arrived behind him at some point.He was surprised and also a little scared at the same time.He had not expected that he would be so numb and careless to the point that he had not even noticed it when an ordinary person like Marianne had approached him.He came back to his senses immediately, smiled slightly, and said to Marianne, “I was thinking about some things that happened in the past.”Having said that, Charlie asked her, “Miss Marianne, when did you come?” “I just arrived.” Marianne also smiled slightly and then walked over to Charlie’s side as she looked at the lively scene below and asked Charlie, “Were you thinking about your parents just now?”“Yes...” Charlie did not deny it,
Charlie did not refuse when he was faced with Marianne’s kindness and good intentions.Even though he was a billionaire now, he still held regrets for not having completed his higher education.In the past, it was not that he did not want to spend more time reading. It was just that there were many times when he did not have the time to do so. Over the few years when he had first married Claire, he was basically always wearing his apron aside from the time when he was sleeping. There was never anyone to encourage him or spur him on, so he really had not developed the habit of reading over the years. Since Marianne was willing to take on the role to urge and guide him, Charlie naturally agreed readily. Marianne was very happy. So, she said to Charlie, “We have reached a consensus, then. Remember to register an email when you have time. I will help to choose some books for you, and I will send you the electronic version of the books through email. That way, you can read it anytim
However, he was surrounded by countless reporters taking pictures at this time, and he could not see Kathleen anywhere. According to the original plan, Master Yale from Mystery Court was supposed to preside over the housewarming ceremony, but Shawn did not know why Aivan could not be found at the scene at all.To make matters worse, he suddenly discovered that the ritual altar that Aivan had spent a lot of effort to build had also disappeared without a trace.So, Shawn quickly pulled Marley aside and asked in a low voice, “Where is Master Yaleman?! Why is he missing?!”Marley explained in Shawn’s ear, “Mr. Long, something happened to Master Yaleman. It seems that he was bitten by something he had raised, and his injury looked very serious. He was just taken away in an ambulance...”“What?!” Shawn said in horror, “What the hell?! He was taken away in an ambulance?! Who is going to preside over the ceremony today, then?!”Marley hurriedly said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Long. Mr. Wade has a
Jacob certainly agreed with Mr. Bay. When going to a dinner where alcohol would be involved, having a designated driver would be most convenient.Still, Jacob had another plan in mind.Since he had a Cullinan and this was the perfect chance to show off, it would kill him not to drive."Actually, we should go on our own," Jacob told Mr. Bay right then. "We will take my car and get a designated driver to take us home. We can hang out in the backseat to chat—I mean, you'd be in a bad mood if you get a bad driver, bringing a car that stinks of tobacco. You know how bad it can get."Mr. Bay nodded cheerfully. "Alright! I'm counting on you!""Oh, it's only right!"Coming to an agreement, they hurried outside, with Jacob driving and Mr. Bay riding shotgun.They were having a pleasant conversation when Jacob suddenly got a call from Walker, who was his sub at Senior University.Answering with the in-car Bluetooth system, he said, "Hey, Walker. What's up?""Mr. Wilson! I'm done with cl
As such, Albert did not hesitate to say right then, "Don't worry, Mr. Wilson—since they are your friends, I will offer the half-price rebate as you've suggested! When the guests take their seats, I'll personally deliver a couple of nice bottles over as a token of my sincerity!"Oskia truly sets the bar when it comes to being humanistic.There were times when one must show due respect, but not too much either in case it changed the status quo.It was just like a couple eating out with a third-wheel.Even if the third-wheel was better off and happily took the check as the girl watched, there would inevitably be competitiveness. The generosity might even lead to the girl getting attracted to the third-wheel.As such, since Jacob was actually secondary in importance at the event, Albert would have to make sure not to rain on the host's parade while showing his respects to Jacob. Otherwise, the host may hold a grudge against Jacob even if everything was free of charge.And when it cam
Jacob put a hand on his chest. "Don't worry—everything is going to be fine when my son-in-law takes the stage."As soon as he finished speaking, an unknown number called his phone.He answered, hearing a familiar voice he couldn't quite place, "Good afternoon. Am I speaking to Mr. Jacob Wilson?""Yes. May I ask who I am speaking to?""Albert Rhodes, owner of Heaven Springs at your service. Would you happen to remember me?"Hearing that, Jacob turned on the speaker excitedly as he continued, "Oh, yes, Don Albert! Of course I remember!"Mr. Bay's eyes lit up when he heard Albert announce himself, and he mouthed, "Is that really Don Albert?!"Jacob nodded repeatedly, his vanity burgeoning.Mr. Bay was naturally thrilled too, and he leaned closer to listen just as Albert spoke humbly, "If it's alright with you, Mr. Wilson, please don't address me as Don Albert. It's just a title some brats came up with—you are Master Wade's father-in-law, which means you have seniority over me. So,
Mr. Bay was overjoyed, seeing how quickly Jacob agreed to it. "Thanks, Jacob! I owe you!" He exclaimed, but soon added, "It's past four now, and that bunch like to fraternize in the room before they eat. Could you get the room soon? I think they'll be arriving soon."Then, he moved closer to add quietly, "If you can get a Diamond Room like before, I will bring you along. I'm not going to lie, these are officials with decision-making authority. Being friends with them might propel us to new heights!"Jacob already knew that Mr. Bay was sucking up to his friend, otherwise, he wouldn't be so concerned when the dinner was organized by said friend. Understanding that the friend must be important too, Jacob was at once buoyed.After all, he had presumed that becoming vice president was the most he could achieve.Now, if he could attend that dinner with Mr. Bay and establish a good relationship with those bigwigs, he would have his turn when Mr. Bay got promoted too.With that in min
Reservations in Heaven Springs had always been unpredictable, and most rooms weren't open to the general public—even if said rooms were vacant for the night.It was not as if Albert Rhodes didn't want to make money when he built Heaven Springs. He simply didn't do it solely for profit, but only mostly for social events and posturing.Back when he was a humbler member of society, he realized that many bigwigs and even his fellows cared for pride a lot. Be it food, liquor, or even simply everyday consumption, they always strove for the best and the most expensive.That was why polite society valued their privacy and established their respective social circles, which was why Heaven Springs ensured that everything was first-rate: atmosphere, service, food, and clientele.Just like how bigwigs wouldn't dine at the same table as their goons, said goons wouldn't eat at the fancy places those bigwigs frequented even if they had money, as it may appear as if they were overstepping.That wa
As such, intent on keeping up his pretense, Jacob answered the phone, "Looking for me, Matilda?""Uh-huh," Matilda replied, and asked, "You didn't show up at Senior University, and your sub is saying you probably won't be coming for a while? Is that true?""Oh—right, that," Jacob quickly said. "Well, it's true—the gist of it is that the Association is getting busy with a project. As the vice president, I probably shouldn't be staying at Senior University all the time, right?""Heck, Mr. Bay called me last minute, telling me how busy we're going to be and that I was needed. That's why I had to go back, but I will head over to campus again when I have the time."Matilda knew right then that those were all excuses.However, she did not expose Jacob, instead asking, "Well, when are you free? So that I can send you my wedding invitation?""Oh, the invitation?" Jacob quickly chuckled. "You really didn't have to come to me—just pass it to Walker, my sub lecturer. He can pass it to me wh
The next afternoon, there was a sudden change of lecturers for the calligraphy class.Despite being the vice president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, Jacob never showed up, instead getting a substitute instructor to replace him.Matilda had come with the invitation Yolden had written for Jacob, but seeing that Jacob wasn't at the lecture hall, she waited until the class was over to ask the sub, "Excuse me, can I ask why Mr. Wilson wasn't teaching this class?""He's busy at the association," the sub replied. "So, I'm taking over his class."Curious, Matilda pressed, "Then, would you happen to know when he will be coming?""Probably not for a while," the sub replied. "He delegated other classes to me as well, telling me that I could just stick to the PowerPoint slides."Then, he asked, "Do you have business with Mr. Wilson?"Matilda nodded. "Yes, but I can call him myself. Thank you."Leaving the lecture hall, Matilda called Jacob, who was goofing off in his office
On the other end, Matilda was left staring at Jacob's reply in confusion.She had presumed that Jacob would understand when she mentioned inviting his whole family that he should be coming up with an excuse to skip attending her wedding.That was the most ideal solution.As such, she was shocked that instead of playing along, Jacob's reply was short and blunt.[No problem. The four of us will be there!]Perplexed, Matilda was left wondering what Jacob meant. Was he really going to attend her wedding with Elaine?The thought left Matilda frowning as she absolutely didn't want to see Elaine—especially not at her own wedding.Yolden was writing an invitation when he saw the somber look on her face, and he couldn't help asking, "Is there a problem?""Jacob replied," Matilda admitted. "And he's saying that he will bring his whole family.""Really?" Yolden was confused too, as he was hardly as eccentric as Jacob. "But he's afraid of his wife and shouldn't be telling her at all…
Charlie was driving Jacob to Thompson First when the latter received the text from Matilda.Seeing that they were reaching the front gates, Jacob promptly snapped at Charlie, "Charlie, stop the car now!"Charlie did so and asked in curiosity, "What's wrong?""Matilda just texted me," Jacob replied, showing the chat log between him and Matilda.Charlie was just glancing at it nonchalantly when he saw that Matilda's contact name was 'AAA July Florist'."Wait, why is that Aunt Matilda's contact name?" He exclaimed in surprise."I changed it."Jacob explained gingerly while reading through the text Matilda sent. "Her profile picture is an iris, so I changed her contact name to a florist since I'm mostly worried Elaine would peek into my phone.""Anyway, she's asking if I'm attending her wedding with Yolden. They would send us an invitation if I accept, extended to our whole family… what do you think I should say?"Charlie asked in return. "You're planning to skip it, aren't you? T