Chapter 25 The independent owner of the ancient house after the rain. ……

Mrs?

who?

Which lady?

Chen Cheng's gaze fell on Qiao Qiaoyu, the only other married person present besides her.

"This is my first time here and I don't know him." Qiao Qiaoyu almost raised her hands in surrender to prove her innocence.

"I heard that Mrs. Nie likes to eat lotus leaf chicken. We just picked some fresh leaves this morning. The kitchen has already cooked it. I hope you like it." Manager Ye smiled and said, "And the sour plum juice you like is also freshly brewed."

Manager Ye talked about everything Qiao Qiaoyu wanted to eat today, but she only thought about what to eat before leaving, and only told Chen Cheng, so no third person knew about it.

They had to get together to see one person, and the driver who picked them up heard it.

"Manager Ye, did you... recognize the wrong people? This is their first time here, they don't have a reservation or an invitation, and they've never even been through this door before." Fang Xiaomin took the initiative to step forward to help them out.

But the tone of voice sounds weird and makes people uncomfortable.

Qiao Qiaoyu, who originally wanted to deny it, got angry and thought about just admitting it first and slapping Fang Xiaomin in the face. She really couldn't stand her overly strong sense of superiority.

Manager Ye frowned, glanced at Chen Cheng and the others, and then noticed Qiao Qiaoyu's angry expression, and immediately said, "Ms. Fang's friends are still waiting, please go in first."

Qiao Qiaoyu couldn't hold back her laughter as she didn't expect Manager Ye to react so quickly.

Anyone with a bit of common sense could understand what Manager Ye meant by this.

"Why do you care whether I've entered the door or touched the door? Don't just come over here as if you're so great. I'm just average." Qiao Qiaoyu tends to turn good words into bad ones. She says bad things directly, which is really unpleasant to hear.

Fang Xiaomin's face turned black: "Madam, you and I have never met before. Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"You also know that I have never met you before? Are our Orange very familiar with you? I don't care who you are, I just say unpleasant things on purpose. Fortunately, you are not stupid and you heard it, so can you tactfully get out of the way?" Qiao Qiaoyu couldn't stand the factions of some celebrities in this circle who formed cliques and flattered the weak. If they wanted to fire at her treasure painter, they had to get past her first.

Manager Ye had seen many big scenes and was good at handling disputes. He stepped forward and changed the subject: "Madam, if you remember correctly, it seems that Mr. forgot to tell you. Before you came, Mr. had already called us and asked the kitchen to prepare your dinner in advance."

Manager Ye was looking at Chen Cheng when he spoke.

She pointed at herself.

Manager Ye smiled and nodded, then stepped aside to make room for her: "Madam, please."

Chen Cheng pulled Qiao Qiaoyu over and followed. Without saying a word to Fang Xiaomin, he walked past her and left as if she didn't exist.

Fang Xiaomin's face turned dry and she pursed her lips, feeling that Chen Cheng was deliberately embarrassing her.

"Ms. Chen, I know you care about the relationship between Ji Li and me, so you deliberately turned a blind eye to me." Fang Xiaomin stood in front of Chen Cheng, "You misunderstood, and there is no need to treat me as an enemy."

Qiao Qiaoyu next to her exploded at the slightest provocation, no longer caring about her image, and rolled up her sleeves to get into action.

Don't you understand what I'm saying? You have to post it here!

Chen Cheng grabbed Qiao Qiaoyu who was approaching and met Fang Xiaomin's gaze.

He took out his phone and typed slowly, without panicking or feeling like he was losing momentum because he couldn't speak.

A minute passed and Fang Xiaomin felt a little awkward standing there.

Chen Cheng typed on the note and put it in front of Fang Xiaomin.

A very short sentence.

Chen Cheng said, "Who are you to say this to me? You are not qualified to be considered an enemy by me."

Qiao Qiaoyu stepped forward to take a look.

After reading it, she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Ms. Fang, you are too narcissistic. Do you think all the men in the world are around you? It doesn't mean that your second uncle is still obsessed with you. You see, it was your second uncle who made the reservation for Chen Cheng. There is no need to make a reservation a day in advance or queue up. Just one phone call will do it." Qiao Qiaoyu sarcastically replied without giving her face.

Chen Cheng didn't care about Fang Xiaomin's expression, he walked past her and went straight inside.

Stepping over the old gate, Chen Cheng's eyes fell on the screen wall blocking the center of the gate. It was built mainly to prevent outsiders from seeing into the courtyard at a glance, to block the unique scenery of the courtyard, and to maintain the privacy of the house.

On it, there is a carving of blooming water lilies.

Looking up, there are high hanging beams and green brick tiles.

An antique scent fills the air.

Perhaps it was the scent of agarwood from the old house that gradually eased Chen Cheng's restlessness.

Qiao Qiaoyu went forward and hugged Chen Cheng's arm, whispering to her closely: "Chengzi, you are amazing. I was so angry at Fang Xiaomin, but you slapped her in the face with just one sentence. Yes, why is she putting on so much airs? Is she worthy of it?"

Chen Cheng smiled.

It’s not that she is good, she learned it from Chen Aoshuang.

There are brothers in the family who are restless and have affairs with other women. There are also sisters-in-law who get angry because of provocations from outsiders and come to Chen Aoshuang to cry when they are wronged.

Chen Aoshuang did not comfort her, and said coldly, "You are my legally recognized wife, what are you afraid of? Who cares if they are women kept outside? As long as you have your status, it's good enough that you didn't give them a hard time."

I don’t know if my sisters-in-law heard it, but she did.

On the way to the private room, Manager Ye kept talking.

"We opened this place right after the renovation. I wanted to send you an invitation a long time ago. I feel much more relieved that you can come today."

Qiao Qiaoyu and Chen Cheng whispered to each other, "Chen Cheng, what great good thing did you do to have the manager of this tour introduce you personally and flatter you non-stop?"

How would Chen Cheng know?

Besides, is this house special?

Qiao Qiaoyu saw Chen Cheng's confusion.

She lowered her voice and said, "This house is an old house. It is not a later antique design, but an old house left by a big family. It has been renovated. It cannot be measured by money. It is a priceless monument."

"The owner behind the scenes is also very mysterious. It has never been on display to the public. I used to think it was occupied. Three years ago, he opened a private club with strict entry and exit requirements. He often accepts government banquets. It can be said that the people who come here are either rich or noble. The business is not so unreasonable. Only dignitaries are allowed to come. Others can come if they want. Just call and make an appointment one day in advance."

"In order to prevent others from reselling the reserved seats, they have very strict management. Once they find out, they will take it to court."

Chen Cheng also found it incredible.

After all, if you open a business, you should just take care of yourself. If you dare to bother with the scalpers who use the club's reputation to make money, it seems that you have a strong background.

The manager in front is introducing the fish pond in vivid detail.

There were several people fishing across the street, young and old, fully equipped, happily chatting about the weather in Jiangdu today.

Manager Ye appeared with them, they waved and greeted them, Manager Ye smiled and bowed slightly.

Chen Cheng asked curiously, "Do they have fishing entertainment activities?"

"Chengzi, don't underestimate this fish pond." Qiao Qiaoyu said with an exaggerated expression, "Here, if you want to meet a powerful boss, you may not meet him at the dinner table, but if you come to the fish pond, you are guaranteed to see him. If you have good fishing skills, then congratulations, you will soon get the opportunity you want."

Chen Cheng was surprised.

Fishing to get a chance? She had never heard of that.

"Most of these big guys are not ordinary big guys. They are probably the fathers of big guys who are influential in the business and political arenas now. They are the big guys among the big guys." Qiao Qiaoyu's tone was slightly excited.

Chen Cheng found it ridiculous and had more strange perceptions.

“…I don’t know why, but the big guys just love fishing. They took their stools and set them next to the pond, thinking they were nearby residents coming to add to their dinner.” Qiao Qiaoyu thought of the storage room at home that was full of fishing gear and sighed.

Once people become interested in fishing, they are destined to be addicted to it for the rest of their lives.

"Mrs. Nie knows the ropes," said Manager Ye with a smile. "We hired a professional fish pond owner to raise the fish. The fish are high quality and plump. After a few old gentlemen came to eat, they kept asking where the fish were raised. They wanted to invite friends to go fishing on the weekend. Later they found out that the fish were raised in our backyard pond. The next day they came to our house with their tools. Our husband only allowed us to do so once, but we couldn't resist the old gentlemen's pestering, so we simply opened the backyard fish pond to them and let them come anytime."

Chen Cheng also noticed the pavilion and private rooms next to it.

"Our husbands are not philanthropists. They can take away all the fish they catch. Fishing costs money, so we can invest more energy and money in their care." Manager Ye took them to the backyard. "Old gentlemen always go fishing in the wild, which is unsafe. The wives at home are also worried. So if there is a place for them to have fun, they are happy to pay for it."

Chen Cheng typed quietly and then showed it to Qiao Qiaoyu.

After reading it, Qiao Qiaoyu nodded and had the same feeling.

After passing through another round arch door, Qiao Qiaoyu spoke.

"Manager Ye, why do I hear that... I thought you were going to sell this house." Qiao Qiaoyu was not as forgiving as Chen Cheng. She had doubts in her heart and wanted to ask immediately.

"Ah?" Manager Ye smiled. "Mrs. Nie, you are too kind. This house belongs to our boss. We are selling it at the risk of our lives."

"Your introduction is too detailed." Qiao Qiaoyu laughed dryly.

The Nie family is rich, but if they really want to buy this mansion, even if they sell all their assets, they may only be able to buy a few of the courtyards.

Manager Ye suddenly realized: "Look at me, I forgot everything."

"I heard that you were coming over, so my husband called me in advance and asked me to show you around. The dishes in the kitchen are ready." Manager Ye raised his hand and glanced at his phone. "It's almost done. I'll take you two to the private room."

Qiao Qiaoyu covered her mouth and smiled: "I thought so, it turns out that it was Second Uncle who took care of it."

Chen Cheng was not overwhelmed by joy and typed, "How did Brother Ji Li get this spot? Didn't he say that he had to make a reservation a day in advance?"

"Stop, Chengzi." Qiao Qiaoyu patted Chen Cheng on the shoulder. "You are not thinking that the means by which Second Uncle got the quota were not legal, and there is a risk of being sued at any time."

Chen Cheng didn't respond, just look at his expression.

"Dizzy!" Qiao Qiaoyu held her forehead with her hand.

Chen Cheng still knows too little about Song Jili.

Qiao Qiaoyu said: "The Song family is a wealthy family in Jiangdu. They have lived in Jiangdu for generations. Before the opening up, they were wealthy businessmen. After the opening up, they responded to the policy and were the first to engage in foreign trade. They are involved in various industries, not to mention the wealth they have accumulated. With such a network of people, it is not difficult to get to know a few people. I guess the owner of this store is a friend of my second uncle."

Chen Cheng felt that she was still trapped in the information room.

Having lived in the house all his life, he thought that the Song family was as big as the house, and that Song Jili was just a tea merchant.

No wonder the Shen family was unwilling to miss the opportunity to marry into the Song family.

Even my second sister-in-law said that because of the good deeds done by our ancestors, my grandfather had the opportunity to become comrades-in-arms with the elders of the Song family and they had a life-long friendship.

If my niece was old enough, she might not be chosen for this marriage.

Follow Manager Ye to the small courtyard of the private room.

Qiao Qiaoyu covered her mouth in surprise, almost unable to control her voice: "Oh my God... Second Uncle and the boss must be close friends, they actually opened Youranyuan to entertain guests."

"Mrs. Nie even knows the name of the hospital, that's amazing." Manager Ye gave a thumbs up.

"Manager Ye has given me the award. It's all written here." Qiao Qiaoyu smiled awkwardly, "You shouldn't flatter me too much."

Chen Cheng was curious and blinked at Qiao Qiaoyu.

Qiao Qiaoyu received a message from Curious Baby and said, "This is the yard of the owner of the house. No matter how rich you are or how much money you offer, you may not be able to get a date. The yard is very large and fully equipped. The owner occasionally comes to stay and also hosts banquets for friends."

Chen Cheng gained a new understanding of Song Jili's connections in Jiangdu.

After entering the house, Manager Ye asked the kitchen to serve the dishes and stood by to explain the ingredients and recommended ways of eating them.

Chen Cheng recalled the time in Jingbei when Song Jili introduced her in the same way.

I feel that the people in Jiangdu are very different.

If it were other people, they would keep bragging about the preciousness of the ingredients, saying this is a precious ingredient from which country, and that is a rare seasoning from which country.

When Jiangdu people introduce food, the ingredients are mostly natural ingredients grown at home, and they mainly focus on the authentic taste and the chef's craftsmanship.

"Second uncle really loves you." Qiao Qiaoyu sighed, "I am so lucky. I got a good meal. It is enough for me and those bored wives to brag for a whole year."

Chen Cheng didn't know what the feud between those ladies and Qiao Qiaoyu was, but she treated Qiao Qiaoyu as a friend, so of course she would help her. She immediately said, "Then eat more. There are dishes you like."

Qiao Qiaoyu was also hungry. Although she usually had a small appetite, the food on this table was really delicious. She finished two bowls of rice.

After the meal, I heard that Qiao Qiaoyu wanted to visit the house, so Manager Ye personally led the way.

Qiao Qiaoyu felt embarrassed and asked Manager Ye to go ahead and do his work first.

Qiao Qiaoyu took a bag of fish food, sat on the eaves, leaned on the stone bench, and threw the fish food down in a lazy manner, talking about the next work plan.

"I have already selected the paintings two days ago. My assistant and I will go pick them up in a few days when we are free. You don't need to go there in person." Qiao Qiaoyu said, "The decoration should be completed within half a month. I plan to hold an exhibition before the New Year. I will send you a message in advance."

Chen Cheng is fine with it. When she picked up the paintbrush, she never thought that one day in the future, she would be able to hold a solo exhibition just for her.

There were noises of laughter in the distance, and they both looked over.

Fang Xiaomin and a few friends sat down in the pavilion. The waiter served tea and pastries. It should be afternoon tea.

"Chengzi, please keep your mouth shut. Pay attention to Fang Xiaomin. She is not an ordinary person." Qiao Qiaoyu threw the fish food more frequently, and it was obvious how impatient she was when she said this.

Chen Cheng was puzzled and asked her, "Why?"

She didn't know Fang Xiaomin as a person, nor was she interested in understanding him.

Her previous living environment taught her to ask less, or better yet, not ask at all, about things that were not related to her.

To her, Fang Xiaomin was just her husband's childhood playmate. They didn't interact much now and she couldn't be considered a friend.

"Didn't you hear her gossiping at the door just now? She was implying that we were ignorant and didn't even make an appointment in advance for such a high-end occasion. She even pretended to be kind and asked Manager Ye to get us an invitation letter and take us in. I was speechless. She also came in with an invitation letter from a good friend. I don't know what she was showing off about." Qiao Qiaoyu almost rolled her eyes to the sky.

"Manager Ye came out and slapped her hard in the face, then personally brought us in. It was so cool! This is my coolest article of the year!" Qiao Qiaoyu threw a handful of fish food, clapped her hands, and hummed a few times proudly.

Chen Cheng paused for a few seconds and asked Qiao Qiaoyu: "Did she have a good relationship with Brother Ji Li in the past?"

Qiao Qiaoyu's smile faded in a second: "Chengzi, you're asking me this... Aren't you embarrassing me?"

Chen Cheng: "There is nothing that cannot be said. I don't mind."

By the way, this meal was hosted by Song Ji.

As the saying goes, a person who eats a lot of food will be soft-hearted. It is not a good idea to reveal his past to Chen Cheng just after he has eaten his fill...

"That's it..." Qiao Qiaoyu struggled for a moment and chose to stand on the side of her friend.

"They are childhood sweethearts. They went to the same school since elementary school and have been in close contact. Whenever Song Jili attends a banquet, his female companion is always Fang Xiaomin. Almost everyone thinks they will get married after graduation, but Fang Xiaomin went abroad to study." Qiao Qiaoyu said, "That's all I know. If you want to know the inside story, it's best to ask the person involved."

Chen Cheng listened to it without any change in his expression.

An old friend, then?

While I was in a daze, a strong arm suddenly rested on my shoulder.

Chen Cheng tilted his head and raised his chin, just in time to meet the smiling Song Jili's eyes.

Chen Cheng complained: You walk silently.

Song Jili rubbed her head and said with a smile, "Are you full?"

Chen Cheng: I held on.

"Is it delicious?" Song Jili asked.

Chen Cheng nodded: These are all dishes that Xiaoyu likes to eat.

Song Jili looked at Qiao Qiaoyu.

Qiao Qiaoyu, who was very perceptive, praised him: "Second Uncle, thank you for the feast. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to eat such a plump and tender fish. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even be able to get in today."

Song Jili raised his eyebrows slightly: "Can't come in?"

"Yes, we didn't make a reservation." Qiao Qiaoyu pouted, "We met Miss Fang at the door. Seeing that we had returned disappointed, she generously called Manager Ye to get us an invitation letter and invited us to sit at the same table with them. After Manager Ye came, he took us in directly, and then I knew that you had helped to make a reservation."

Even though Chen Cheng was slow to respond, he could tell that in the first half of Qiao Qiaoyu's speech, she seemed to be thanking Fang Xiaomin, but in fact she was complaining about him.

She couldn't do this kind of rhetoric.

After Qiao Qiaoyu finished speaking, she winked at Chen Cheng, as if asking for compliments.

"Invitation letter?" Song Jili sneered, "Why do you need an invitation letter to enter your own home?"

Chen Cheng and Qiao Qiaoyu looked at Song Jili at the same time, stunned, not understanding what he meant for a moment.

Song Jili said with a smile: "It seems that Old Ye is not doing his job efficiently. You have been in Jiangdu for almost two months, and they don't even know who the owner is."

"Ah? Master?" Qiao Qiaoyu pointed at Chen Cheng.

Suddenly, he stood up with a scream and leaned against the pillar.

The noise was so loud that it attracted the attention of everyone nearby, including Fang Xiaomin who was having afternoon tea with friends.

Qiao Qiaoyu looked incredulous, forgot to lower her voice, and shouted, "Chen Cheng, are you the owner of this house?"

Now it was everyone's turn to be horrified and silent.

After Qiao Qiaoyu and Manager Ye's introduction, Chen Cheng had a clear understanding of this house. He gestured bluntly to Song Jili, "You must be kidding."

Song Jili curled his lips and smiled, saying, "My grandmother gave it to my mother. My mother gave it to me when I came of age. When we got married, didn't you ask me to provide a property statement? I only keep the two houses we live in under my name, and the others are transferred to you."

There were sounds of people sucking in gasps of cool air all around.

Just kidding, Song Jili is too generous to Chen Cheng to give away this priceless old house.

As if the person who owned the old house was Qiao Qiaoyu, she burst into laughter and said, "What a big mistake! It turns out that we Oranges don't need an invitation letter. We are the ones who issue the invitation letter."

"Oh, I was asked at the door just now if I wanted to be let in. The guy who wanted to show off must have fainted."

Qiao Qiaoyu's words can easily make a person mad, yet she still wags her tail and shows off.

Qiao Qiaoyu is really good at taking advantage of the power of others and she feels really happy about it.

The second uncle was talking about was either the hostess or the master.

This shows that Chen Cheng is the independent owner of this ancient house.

This is really cool no matter how you listen to it.

Fang Xiaomin, who was implicated, looked unhappy and stopped listening. He stood up with a sullen face and trotted away.