Having left the slave labor camp and seen the light of day again, Li Juan, Wang Mei, and Sun Li all felt as if they had been transported to another world.
They greedily breathed in the free air outside, even though it was mixed with the smell of dust.
Zhao Laosi walked at the very front, his back ramrod straight.
The three women, like young wives in the old society, lowered their heads and followed closely behind him.
He didn't take them back to his dilapidated single dormitory first.
He hadn't forgotten that he still had the five thousand gold dollars bestowed upon him by the leader in his pocket!
A real man cannot be without power for a single day, much less without a house!
He led the three women straight to the "Property Transaction Management Office" in the center of the shelter.
This is the only legal real estate agency in the shelter area that handles buying, selling, and renting properties.
A huge blackboard hangs on the wall, displaying information on various types of apartments, from studios to family suites to detached houses, all with clearly marked prices and accepting only cash transactions.
Zhao Laosi's arrival attracted considerable attention.
The main problem was the three women following him; they were just too conspicuous.
Although they had tried their best to wipe themselves clean, the stale, musty smell of the slave labor camp and their faded prison uniforms clearly indicated their identities.
But no one dared to say anything. Because everyone could see the air of a "newly rich" emanating from Zhao Laosi.
"Comrade, I want to buy a house!" Zhao Laosi walked to the counter, puffed out his chest, and shouted in a strong voice.
Behind the counter was a young staff member wearing a uniform and wire-rimmed glasses.
He looked up at Zhao Laosi, then glanced at the three women behind him, a knowing glint in his eyes, but his face maintained a professional smile.
"Hello sir, do you have any specific requirements? For example, the size, layout, or location?"
"I want the big one! I want the best one!" Zhao Laosi said magnanimously. "I want the kind... the kind that's several stories high, with a yard! I'm not short of money!"
The staff member smiled and immediately flipped through the manual.
"Sir, based on your requirements, I have selected several of the most upscale villa properties for you."
This apartment, located in Residential Area 3, is our best available unit.
A three-story house, totaling 320 square meters, with a 50-square-meter private courtyard. Fully furnished and equipped with all necessary appliances; move-in ready. Price: 3,000 gold coins.
"This is it!" Zhao Laosi slapped his thigh without hesitation. "I'll take it! How do I pay?"
“Okay, sir.” The staff member’s smile became even more sincere, and he gestured for the transaction to proceed: “For such large transactions, we need to verify the transaction in person in the accounting office. Please follow me.”
Zhao Laosi turned around and gave the three women a reassuring look before following the staff into the inner room.
He placed an unusually heavy canvas bag he was carrying on the thick wooden table with a thud, untied the rope, and dumped out all the contents.
"Splash!"
The gleaming gold coins instantly piled up into a small mountain on the table, radiating a dazzling golden light under the room's illumination.
The staff called over the accountant. Although a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, they quickly regained their composure.
They began to skillfully stack and count the gold coins in piles of ten.
After a long while, the accountant finally looked up and nodded to the staff. "Mr. Zhao, three thousand gold coins, the amount is correct."
The staff member, his face beaming with smiles, took out a set of heavy brass keys from an exquisite wooden box, and then took out a document in a brown paper bag from a filing cabinet, handing it to Zhao Laosi with both hands.
"Payment successful. Congratulations, Mr. Zhao Laosi. From now on, Villa No. 17, Building A, Residential Area No. 3 belongs to you. Here are your keys and property deed. Please keep them safe."
Holding the heavy bunch of keys in one hand and the incredibly heavy house deed in the other, Zhao Laosi felt like he was dreaming.
Three thousand gold coins were gone just like that. But he didn't feel any pain at all. The remaining two thousand gold coins were enough for his family to live comfortably for a long time.
Moreover, he also has a job.
Li Juan, Wang Mei, and Sun Li behind him were completely stunned.
villa!
A three-story villa!
They never dared to dream of such luxury while they were in the mine. They originally thought that being able to live in an ordinary house with Zhao Laosi, with a place to shelter from the wind and rain, would be a blessing.
Unexpectedly, happiness came so suddenly and so intensely.
As they watched Zhao Laosi's retreating figure, their eyes held not only awe but also a deep sense of...admiration.
This seemingly unsophisticated man actually possesses such formidable strength!
"What are you waiting for? Let's go home!"
With a triumphant wave of his hand, Zhao Laosi led his three women toward their new home.
...
When the beautiful three-story off-white building finally appeared before their eyes, Li Juan and the other two were once again deeply shocked.
Old Zhao took out the string of brand-new brass keys from his pocket, picked out the largest one, and inserted it into the keyhole of the carved wrought iron gate in the yard. With a "click," the door opened. He then took a few steps forward and used another key to open the heavy solid wood door of the villa.
"Come in, all of you." He was like a king surveying his territory.
Three women, cautiously and with a sense of pilgrimage, stepped into this mansion they could never have dreamed of.
The soft carpet made no sound underfoot. The brand-new, gleaming furniture shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the glass windows. A lingering, pleasant scent of fresh wood, characteristic of a new home, even remained in the air.
"Oh my God..." Wang Mei couldn't help but let out a dreamlike exclamation.
Li Juan and Sun Li also greedily looked around, their eyes sparkling.
Zhao Laosi felt quite pleased with their pathetic appearance. He walked to the leather sofa in the center of the living room, sat down with an air of superiority, and then patted the spot next to him.
The three women immediately understood, obediently walked up to him, stood in a row, and lowered their heads like primary school students waiting to be scolded.
Zhao Laosi cleared his throat. He knew that from today onwards, he was the head of this family, and the rules of this family had to be set by him.
“From today onwards, this is our home.” He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but full of undeniable authority. “I won’t waste any more words with you. Let me make this clear from the start.”
He held up one finger.
"First, in this house, what I'm talking about are the rules. If I tell you to go east, you can't go west. If I tell you to stand, you can't sit. Whatever I tell you to do, you have to do it without a single complaint. Do you understand?"
"Understood," the three women replied in unison, their voices barely audible.
"Speak louder! Haven't you eaten yet?!" Zhao Laosi glared at him.
"Understood!" The three of them jumped in fright and immediately raised their voices.
"Hmm." Old Zhao nodded in satisfaction and then extended his second finger.
"Secondly, all your previous identities and all those messy ideas are to be completely forgotten from today onwards! You now have only one identity, and that is, you are my women, Zhao Laosi's women!"
"Your task is to serve me well, and then have my babies! To carry on the family line! This is your duty, and the only guarantee that you can live a good life."
“Third,” his tone became exceptionally stern, “and most importantly, remember the guard’s words. Keep anything you shouldn’t say to yourself; don’t utter a single word!”
“If I find out any of you are gossiping outside, causing me trouble, or dragging me down with you… Hmph,” he sneered, a hint of violence flashing in his eyes, “I’ll break your legs first, then personally send you back to the mine! I mean what I say!”
The three women turned pale with fright, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. They had no doubt that the man before them was absolutely capable of such a thing.
"Did you hear that clearly?" Zhao Laosi asked.
"Understood...we've got it." Li Juan was the first to respond, her head bowed and her voice incredibly submissive.
Wang Mei and Sun Li nodded quickly.
Seeing how completely stunned they were, Zhao Laosi felt a surge of immense satisfaction. He stood up, walked over to them, grabbed Wang Mei's chin, and forced her to raise her head.
Wang Mei's eyes were filled with fear, but she dared not resist in the slightest.
"Don't worry," Zhao Laosi's tone softened, even becoming warmer, "As long as you behave well and serve me properly, I will definitely not mistreat you. If I have a bite of meat to eat, you will have a bite of soup to drink. In this shelter, I guarantee you will eat well and drink well, living a more comfortable life than anyone else."
He let go of her hand, patted Wang Mei's cheek, and said, "Alright, stop standing there like idiots. There are several rooms upstairs, go and choose one yourselves. Take off these tattered clothes first and take a good shower. There's food in the kitchen, and everything's in the fridge. Fill your stomachs first. Tonight, we'll... hehe."
He let out a meaningful laugh.
The three women, as if granted a pardon, ran upstairs as if fleeing.
They rushed into their chosen bedrooms and into the clean, bright bathrooms.
As the warm water gushed from the showerhead, washing away the thick grime and exhaustion from their bodies, they finally couldn't hold back and burst into tears.
It was a cry of farewell to hell, a cry of rebirth, and also... a cry of burying the past completely.
They knew that from this day forward, the proud, boxing version of themselves was dead.
Only Zhao Laosi's woman survived.
That evening, Zhao Laosi bought the fattest roasted black giant mutton, vegetables, and several bottles of precious Golden Wheat beer from the supply and marketing cooperative.
The dining table was laden with a sumptuous feast.
The three women had already changed into clean, soft cotton pajamas that had been prepared in the villa's wardrobe.
They washed and refreshed themselves, revealing their original appearance.
Li Juan is of average appearance, but she is good at reading people; Wang Mei is young and beautiful, and pitiful; Sun Li appears honest and kind.
Zhao Laosi sat in the main seat, eating meat heartily and drinking wine from large bowls, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Looking at the three docile women who belonged to him, and at the luxurious villa that belonged to him, he felt that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.
On Earth, he was nothing more than an old bachelor whom everyone in the village looked down upon.
Upon arriving on this alien planet, he performed extraordinary feats simply because he carried a large number of seeds on his body.
This kind of life is something he never dared to dream of in his entire life.
After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao Laosi's face was flushed.
He put down his wine glass, let out a loud burp, and looked at the three women sitting upright in front of him, not daring to touch their chopsticks. Suddenly, a new idea popped into his head.
He wanted to give them a goal, a direction to compete in. That way, they would work harder to please him, and the family would be more stable.
“The three of you,” he began, “are all my women from today onwards. But, in all things, there must be an order of arrival and a hierarchy.”
The three women immediately perked up their ears and watched him nervously.
Old Zhao grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, and announced his final verdict on their future fate.
"I've made up my mind! Of the three of you, whoever can give me a son first will be the first wife in this family! From now on, she will be in charge of this household! Everyone else will have to listen to her!"
Upon hearing this, an unusual light flashed in the eyes of Li Juan, Wang Mei, and Sun Li.
First wife!
housekeeper!
The temptation is too great!
This means not only having enough to eat and wear, but also having power, a status that is above the other two!
The three exchanged glances, and an invisible flame of competition ignited in their eyes.
Once, the "sisters" who supported each other online for vague "ideologies" and "rights" are now about to engage in the most primal and fierce palace intrigue in order to win a man's favor and become the "first wife".
Looking at the undisguised ambition in their eyes, Zhao Laosi smiled with satisfaction.
That's right.
This is exactly the effect he wanted.
He stood up, stretched, and waved his hand at the three women.
"Let's start with you tonight." He pointed his finger at Wang Mei, the youngest and most beautiful woman.
Wang Mei's face flushed red instantly, but her eyes gleamed with a hint of smugness and a sense of certainty. She stood up, obediently walked to Zhao Laosi's side, and helped him up.
Li Juan and Sun Li, standing to the side, cast envious and annoyed glances their way.
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