8: The house was a gift.

Li Qing's compliments were like a ball of cotton stuffed into Luo Jinglan's ears.

She couldn't hear clearly, nor could she understand.

She was completely dazed and at a loss.

But she suddenly remembered Li Qing's identity.

Property Manager.

She snapped out of it a bit and looked at her son in confusion, asking, "Son, why are you here looking at houses?"

Chen Qiu stepped forward, took his mother's hand, and replied with a smile, "Mom, I'm not looking at houses."

Li Qing, standing nearby, added, "Ma'am, this house already belongs to Mr. Chen."

Li Qing's words shocked everyone.

Chen Qiu's house?

"Your house?!"

Chen Qiu nodded.

Luo Jinglan cried out in surprise, her voice changing pitch.

"Where did you get the money to buy a house?"

Her heart leaped into her throat.

She had heard clearly just now; Li Qing had mentioned that the houses here averaged thirteen thousand per square meter. For a place this big, wouldn't it cost over one or two million?

Hadn't her son just been laid off? Where did he get so much money?

"It wasn't bought."

Chen Qiu chuckled, his gaze fleetingly brushing past Lin Shanshan's face.

"Someone gave it to me!"

Chen Qiu's nonchalant words were like a massive boulder crashing into a calm lake.

Everyone present was dazed by the resulting splash.

Luo Jinglan, Huang Hui, and Chen Yujie all looked at him in shock, as if they were meeting him for the first time.

In Lin Shanshan's eyes, a look of "as I thought" flashed, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

After the initial shock, Luo Jinglan immediately became nervous again, her heart tightening.

"Who gave it to you?" Her voice was trembling.

This was a house worth one or two million! With her knowledge as a rural woman who had lived half her life, she had never seen such a "pie falling from the sky" stroke of luck.

When things are too good to be true, there's usually a catch.

Huang Hui, whose face was alternating between pale and flushed, finally found an opportunity to interject.

She stepped forward and said in a heavy, elder-caring-for-a-junior tone, "Chen Qiu, you have to think this through."

"There are scams everywhere in society these days; they're on the news every day. What kind of kind-hearted person would just give away a house for free?"

She changed her tone, implying something else.

"You mustn't be young and impulsive and do illegal things for money! You'll end up in prison!"

These words were both poisonous and cruel.

Before Chen Qiu could speak, Li Qing, standing nearby, couldn't listen anymore, his expression filled with indignation.

He could see that this Aunt of Mr. Chen didn't seem to be on very harmonious terms with Mr. Chen's family.

This was a perfect opportunity for him to show his loyalty.

"Ma'am, you shouldn't speak so carelessly." Li Qing's tone turned cold, and the respectful smile on his face vanished.

"Be careful, for trouble comes from the mouth."

He stepped half a pace forward, subtly shielding Luo Jinglan behind him.

"This property has always been held by our Group's CEO, President Wang. He doesn't let it out easily."

"He gave it to Mr. Chen this time because President Wang has a keen eye for talent and values Mr. Chen's potential. It's called an investment! Investing in a promising young man like Mr. Chen—do you understand?"

He stared at Huang Hui, his voice even colder.

"Are you saying our President Wang isn't a good person? Or are you saying President Wang is involved in illegal activities?"

Li Qing's icy words were like a bucket of freezing water poured over Huang Hui, chilling her to the bone.

She turned pale with fright.

Chen Yujie was even more terrified, his soul nearly leaping out of his body.

He hurriedly rushed forward and firmly held back his mother, who still wanted to argue.

Who was President Wang? He was a big shot in Gannan whose every move made the entire business world tremble! The projects their company was currently working on relied on President Wang's connections. That was also why he knew Li Qing.

If his mother's careless words offended President Wang today, forget about buying a house—he'd be fired and kicked out immediately!

Huang Hui was held back by her son, and looking at Li Qing's frost-covered face, she finally felt a hint of fear.

She didn't dare mention the house again, but she couldn't swallow her anger.

Her eyes darted around, and suddenly remembering something, she looked at Chen Qiu and spoke again.

"Chen Qiu, let's not talk about that. Your Aunt wants to ask, I heard you went on a blind date at noon—how come you left without even paying the bill? What happened?"

Her words sounded like casual concern.

But the tone of schadenfreude made Luo Jinglan's expression change instantly.

What kind of elder would bring up such an embarrassing matter for a junior in front of so many people?

Did her son not have any dignity?

Chen Qiu glanced at his Aunt and sighed inwardly.

Same old recipe, same old flavor—nothing had changed.

Still as petty as ever.

His face remained expressionless as he answered calmly.

"It's nothing. The girl just had high standards and didn't think much of me."

Huang Hui immediately adopted a lecturing posture.

"Oh, you can't say that. It's normal for girls to have high requirements these days; they just want some security, after all, it's for a lifetime..."

Before she could finish, she was actually interrupted by Lin Shanshan.

"Auntie, you don't understand this."

Lin Shanshan stepped forward to stand beside Chen Qiu, her face filled with righteous indignation.

"It must have been that girl's fault!"

"Brother Chen is young and successful, and his height and looks are great—how is he lacking? That woman must have made some outrageous demands, and that's why Brother Chen didn't want to deal with her!"

This sudden scene left everyone stunned.

Huang Hui's expression changed sharply as she looked at Lin Shanshan in disbelief.

She never expected that the future "daughter-in-law" she had carefully selected and tried so hard to please would actually contradict her in public for the sake of an outsider.

And she was clearly taking Chen Qiu's side?

Chen Qiu also looked at Lin Shanshan with some surprise.

He watched as she criticized her "good" best friend, with whom she had just been on a blind date lunch, without even blinking.

He sighed to himself.

Sigh, women!

He hadn't expected Gannan City to be so small. The best friend of his blind date from noon turned out to be his cousin's blind date.

And looking at Chen Yujie and the others' shocked reactions, it seemed they didn't know about this yet?

Chen Yujie also looked at the two of them in surprise and couldn't help but ask.

"Shanshan, you... the two of you know each other?"

A perfect smile appeared on Lin Shanshan's face as she turned to Chen Qiu and spoke affectionately.

"Yes, Brother Chen and I have had a meal together before."

Chen Qiu looked at her with a half-smile.

He thought to himself.

Did we really?