Chapter 67: Stop Pretending

The waitress explained, “Miss, we really haven’t deceived you. If you don’t believe us, you can take these fragments to any relevant agency for verification. This is Tenglong Villa; we would never do anything fraudulent.”

As she spoke, the waitress straightened her back. Tenglong Villa’s reputation in Qingshan City was unmatched. Even their wages were several times higher than those of waitstaff elsewhere; even office workers didn’t earn as much as they did. The villa also provided them with full social insurance and benefits.

“Stop acting. I wasn’t born yesterday,” Bai Lu shouted angrily. “Get your boss to come and explain, or I’ll call the police right now.”

He Haoxuan couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Wasn’t the owner of Tenglong Villa your best friend, Li Qingying? She’s standing right next to you. Are you going to call the police and have her arrested?

The waitress nervously glanced at Li Qingying, then looked to He Haoxuan for guidance on what to do.

Li Qingying, clueless about the situation, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She had brought Bai Lu here to have fun, but now it had all gone awry. This was a vase worth several million—how could Bai Lu possibly afford to compensate for it?

Thinking of this, Li Qingying looked anxiously at He Haoxuan. She didn’t know why, but despite always considering him useless, whenever something really happened, she hoped he would stand up for her. Especially the last few times—whenever she had difficulties, he always managed to settle things.

Seeing Li Qingying so worried, He Haoxuan smiled and said, “Qingying, don’t worry, it’s fine.”

Just as Li Qingying was about to speak, the manager came running over, out of breath. “Mr. He, Miss Li, I’m very sorry.”

Bai Lu, seeing the manager arrive, immediately asked, “Are you the owner here? Tell me, how much is that vase worth? I’m telling you, I studied law. Don’t try to play games with me, or Tenglong Villa will be in serious trouble.”

“Miss, I’m not the owner, I’m the manager here.” The manager looked at the fragments of the vase worth three million on the floor, heartbroken.

If it had been someone else, he would have called security to handle the matter long ago. But since it was Mr. He’s friend who broke it, he had to see what Mr. He intended to do.

“Manager, let’s just forget about this,” He Haoxuan waved dismissively.

The manager, seeing He Haoxuan’s attitude, nodded immediately. “Very well, everyone, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t disturb you further.”

After all, the vase belonged to He Haoxuan and his group. If they didn’t want to pursue compensation, so be it.

The manager left, and the waitress quickly and carefully gathered the fragments, hoping to take them back for the manager to see if someone could repair them.

Bai Lu, seeing the manager leave in such a hurry, laughed triumphantly. “Ha ha ha, Qingying, I’m really something, aren’t I? They tried to trick me, but I scared them off.”

Li Qingying recalled the waitress’s demeanor—it didn’t seem like an act. She was quietly puzzled. The manager also seemed afraid of He Haoxuan; whatever he said, the manager agreed without hesitation. This whole situation was odd.

Bai Lu went outside to admire the night view. Li Qingying walked over to He Haoxuan and asked, “Tell me honestly, why was that manager so easy to deal with?”

“Of course, because Tenglong Villa belongs to you. We can do whatever we like. Right now, even if you wanted to set the place on fire, there’d be no problem,” He Haoxuan replied with a smile.

Li Qingying rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. “I’m asking you seriously, why are you talking nonsense?”

“Honey, I’m not joking. Tenglong Villa really is yours. And as I told you before, I’m building a courtyard for you here—it’s already under construction,” He Haoxuan said earnestly.

“I’m not going to argue with you anymore,” Li Qingying said, feeling He Haoxuan was increasingly ridiculous, and walked away angrily to find Bai Lu.

As Li Qingying stepped outside, she noticed several staff members bowing respectfully to her. Yet she didn’t find it strange, thinking it must be Tenglong Villa’s standard courtesy, shown to everyone.

Li Qingying and Bai Lu sat on a small wooden bench by the lake, chatting while gazing at the stars above.

“Qingying, I’ve made up my mind. In the future, I want to find a wealthy man and live in a poetic villa like this,” Bai Lu declared loudly.

“Hehehe, keep dreaming,” Li Qingying teased.

Bai Lu glared at Li Qingying, annoyed. “I can still dream, but you don’t even have the opportunity anymore.”

“What do you mean by that?” Li Qingying put her hands on her hips, her beautiful silhouette making even Bai Lu’s heart flutter.

“You’re married, and you’ve got a useless husband. Tell me, can you still dream?” Bai Lu demanded.

Li Qingying shook her head, her gaze a little lost. “He’s not useless. His cooking is amazing. If he became a chef, he’d definitely be head chef.”

She’d heard others say that head chefs at five-star hotels could make tens of thousands a month.

“Hmph, even if he’s a head chef, you’re a rich and beautiful woman. Is it really worth marrying someone like him?” Bai Lu said, angry.

“I... I don’t know,” Li Qingying was once again confused.

“And don’t let him fool you. I’m good at judging people. One look at He Haoxuan and I know he’s not as honest as he seems—he’s crafty. You should divorce him soon and find yourself someone handsome and wealthy. If you can’t find one, I’ll help you. Don’t let him trick you with his cooking. He probably just tipped the waitress to play along, making you think those dishes were his. And that manager earlier probably wasn’t even the real manager—He Haoxuan must have called him over to act. Who wouldn’t demand compensation for a vase worth over three million? He must know the staff, and they’re all in on it, putting on a show to make him look impressive. Yes, that must be it.”

Li Qingying shook her head. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Come on, let’s go to the bar for some drinks and music,” Bai Lu said, pulling Li Qingying along.

Tenglong Villa had a bar too, offering guests free food, drinks, and entertainment.

When Li Qingying and Bai Lu arrived, they immediately drew attention. Their beauty, combined with the absence of men at their side, stirred the imagination of many.

“Bai Lu, maybe we should go back,” Li Qingying said, uneasy about the way some men were looking at them.

“What are you afraid of? Didn’t the staff say earlier that this place is safe? Nothing will happen. Let’s sit down, order a cocktail. After all, we paid—might as well enjoy ourselves,” Bai Lu insisted, not letting Li Qingying leave.