“Wow, Mummy, are we going to live here from now on? It’s so beautiful!” Lele exclaimed.
Xu Fei, Lin Qingxue, and their daughter were no strangers to impressive sights, so for all of them to be so awestruck and satisfied spoke volumes about the house’s quality.
Wang Qiang had described it as a standalone villa over the phone, but when Xu Fei arrived with his wife and daughter, they realised it was far more than that—it was a lavish manor.
They’d seen plenty of luxurious villas before, mostly Western-style ones. Those were undoubtedly expensive and opulent, but their uniform Western aesthetic often felt repetitive, leading to aesthetic fatigue.
What stood before them now, however, was a manor steeped in traditional Chinese charm. Pavilions, towers, and lush greenery dotted the landscape, giving the estate the serene air of a hidden paradise.
“What do you think, darling? Happy with it?” Xu Fei asked, glancing back at Lin Qingxue with a smile.
Lele, bouncing with excitement, chimed in, “Daddy, I want to go inside and see!”
Xu Fei chuckled, ruffling Lele’s hair. “No problem, Daddy will find the keys right now!”
The manor’s courtyard was divided into two layers: an outer, smaller public area and an inner one. In the public area’s lawn stood a small, freestanding safe.
According to Wang Qiang, the manor’s keys were stored inside. As the soon-to-be owner, Xu Fei had been given the safe’s code in the earlier email.
After entering the six-digit code, Xu Fei easily retrieved the keys and unlocked the manor’s main gate. Wang Qiang had mentioned that only the main gate used a mechanical key, while all other entrances had digital locks, ensuring high security.
Stepping inside, the experience was even more impressive than the view from outside. But just as Xu Fei, Lin Qingxue, and Lele were about to enter the main building, a man stormed out, glaring at them menacingly.
“What are you lot doing here? Don’t you know this is private property? Get lost, or I’ll call security right now!”
The man was Feng Weicai, who had been living in the villa for nearly three years. His presence was owed to his mother, who worked as the villa’s cleaner.
About three years ago, his mother, then a cleaner, was assigned the task of regularly maintaining this sprawling, luxurious villa. Though the large estate was demanding to clean, the generous pay convinced her to stay.
After a period of diligent work, her performance earned her a permanent position. On the surface, Feng Weicai’s mother appeared hardworking and honest, but in reality, she was cunning. She lingered in the cleaning industry because it gave her access to the lavish villas and estates of the wealthy.
Over time, through prolonged “work,” she pilfered items, selling them for profits that far exceeded her wages.
