105: Is she being kept by a sugar daddy?

Ye Huaqiang and Chen Jinhua looked at each other, their eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

The homestead land in the village that could be built upon had long since been divided up, except for the piece of wasteland outside the town belonging to Ye Chen's family, which measured a full three hundred square meters and had remained empty.

Back when the family property was split, the Old Master had looked down on that place for being too remote—even the grass didn't like to grow there—so he had casually assigned it to his honest and hardworking second son.

Who could have expected... that now, as fortune's wheel turned, that wasteland had actually become a "prime piece of real estate" in the future demolition and redevelopment plans?

Seeing that millions in compensation might slip through their fingers, Ye Huaqiang's family felt as if a hundred claws were scratching at their hearts.

But now their in-law, Town Mayor Liu Mang, actually said there was a way?

How... how could that not make their hearts race?

"What way?" Ye Huaqiang lowered his voice. "Could it be... by force?"

Liu Mang slowly picked up his teacup, blew on the foam, and then spoke startlingly: "That's right, by force."

The main hall fell silent instantly.

Ye Hao's eyes lit up at first, but then he hesitated.

"Dad, will this... will this work?"

"Everyone in the village knows that the land was given to Second Uncle's family by Grandpa and Grandma back then..."

"So what if they know?" Liu Mang smiled and put down his teacup. "Are you stupid? No matter who it was given to, there has to be evidence! Do they have a land deed? Do they have a written agreement for the family split in black and white? Do they have a certificate stamped by the village committee?"

Chen Jinhua slapped her thigh suddenly, her face lighting up.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"When the family split back then, the Old Master was lying in bed and just said it verbally! Our family got the factory and the jobs, while they got the old house and that piece of junk land. It was all decided by word of mouth!"

"Doesn't that settle it then?" Liu Mang leaned forward slightly. "Verbal words carry no weight! Legally speaking, without valid documentation, it's unclear who that land actually belongs to. It's quite normal for the village homestead registration archives to be old, blurry, or even lost."

The hesitation on Ye Hao's face was completely replaced by greed, and he rubbed his hands in excitement.

"You mean... we can tamper with the archives? Move that land under my family's name?"

Liu Mang gave a cryptic smile and didn't answer directly, only saying meaningfully.

"On the day you and my daughter get married, the house will be full of guests, and all the prominent people from the town and village will come for the wedding banquet."

"At that time, as the Town Mayor and the witness, I will 'casually' mention it—congratulating your family on adding a new asset and obtaining the legal right to use that land outside the town..."

"Under the watchful eyes of the public, no matter how thick-skinned your Second Uncle's family is, could they really flip the table on the spot?"

"Besides, getting a compliant document is an easy task for me."

"Brilliant!" Ye Hao almost jumped up. "On such a joyous wedding day, if they try to make a scene, they'll be seen as ungrateful and disruptive, offending all the guests... Even if they want to make trouble afterward, with no evidence, what could they possibly do?"

The flesh on Ye Huaqiang's face twitched a few times, greed and ruthlessness intertwining in his eyes.

He took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "Let's do it! We'll do exactly as my in-law says! Without evidence, it's unclaimed land. Whoever has the ability takes it!"

Chen Jinhua was even more overjoyed, as if she could already see those millions in compensation money entering her own pocket.

"Our in-law is truly impressive!"

"If this succeeds, our two families will be in the same boat. From now on, won't we be able to walk tall in this town?"

Liu Mang stroked his thinning hair with satisfaction, a glint of pride and calculation flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I will handle the matter of the archives properly."

"As for you, spend the next few days preparing for the wedding and sending out invitations. Especially for Ye Huasheng's family—you must invite them warmly and ensure their whole family attends."

He paused, his tone turning cold.

"By then, with the festive atmosphere and the deed done..."

"Even if that Ye Chen knows some rich woman in the city, once he returns to this little patch of turf in Shanyao Town..."

"Even if he's a dragon, he'll have to coil up for me!"

Upon hearing this, the family was ecstatic and began various preparations... Meanwhile, at Ye Chen's house.

The dining table was covered with a full spread of dishes.

Braised fish, old hen soup, cured meat fried with garlic sprouts, stir-fried seasonal vegetables... they were all authentic farmhouse flavors, smelling fragrant.

Zhuang Yufen kept piling food into Bing Lan's bowl until it looked like a small mountain.

"Miss Ice, try this. It's a chicken we raised ourselves, stewed for three hours!"

"This fish was also just bought, very fresh!"

"Don't be polite, treat this as your own home!"

Looking at the overflowing bowl in front of her, a rare look of helplessness appeared on Bing Lan's cold face.

What kind of grand scenes had she not seen?

But this kind of genuine, warm, and almost overflowing hospitality... it was truly a first.

After all.

Others always treated her with nothing but respect and deference.

She picked up her chopsticks, took a small bite, and nodded: "It's delicious. Thank you, Auntie."

Zhuang Yufen beamed with joy.

"If it's good, eat more! Look how thin you are..."

Ye Chen ate with his head down, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

To be able to make Bing Lan show such an expression, this trip back was worth it.

When the meal was halfway through and the atmosphere had become much more harmonious.

Ye Chen put down his chopsticks, took a bank card out of his pocket, and pushed it toward his parents.

"Dad, Mom, there's three million in this card. The password is Mom's birthday."

Ye Huasheng was just taking a sip from his wine cup when he suddenly choked upon hearing this.

"Cough! Cough, cough, cough..."

A bit of wine sprayed out from his nose. He scrambled to grab a tissue to wipe his mouth, his eyes wide as saucers: "How... how much?!"

"Three million," Ye Chen repeated.

The wine cup in Ye Huasheng's hand almost slipped.

Zhuang Yufen's chopsticks also froze in mid-air, and the smile on her face solidified.

The two of them looked at each other, both seeing the same shock and panic in the other's eyes.

Three million?

For ordinary farmers like them who spent their whole lives facing the soil with their backs to the sky and might not even save three hundred thousand in a lifetime, this was simply an astronomical figure!

After a brief, dead silence... Zhuang Yufen suddenly put down her chopsticks.

"Xiao Chen! You... where did you get so much money?"

"Weren't you in debt before? How long has it been? How could you..."

She suddenly thought of something, her face turning pale, and she instinctively glanced at Bing Lan, who was eating quietly.

"You... you didn't do something... illegal, did you?"

"Or is it Miss Ice..."

She didn't finish, but the meaning was obvious.

Could her son really have been taken in as a kept man?

But what would someone like Bing Lan see in him?

Did she like that he was older?

Did she like that he didn't bathe?

Cough... her thoughts were straying, but this was definitely not right!

Ye Huasheng also put down his wine cup, his expression frighteningly serious.

"Ye Chen, our family is poor, but we must not lack ambition!"

"You can't do anything that breaks the law, no matter how much money is offered!"

"If this money... came from an improper source, hurry up and return it!"

"No matter how hard things are for us, we can't take this kind of money!"

Seeing his parents looking as if they were facing a great enemy, both startled and afraid, Ye Chen felt both warm and helpless.

He rubbed the space between his eyebrows: "Dad, Mom, what are you thinking? This money was earned by me through honest means!"

"Earned through honest means?"

Zhuang Yufen didn't believe him. "How could I not know what you're like? How many years has it been since you started studying medicine? Last year you were still worrying about debts, and this year you can earn three million? Do you think money is blown in by the wind?"

Ye Huasheng also shook his head: "Exactly. Practicing medicine to save people is a way to earn merit, but how can money come that quickly? Unless..."

He glanced at Bing Lan and didn't continue.

Unless Bing Lan gave it to him.

But he couldn't bring himself to ask that.

Ye Chen sighed, knowing that without bringing out some evidence, he wouldn't get past his parents.

He turned to look at Bing Lan beside him, giving her a look for help.

Bing Lan put down her chopsticks, took a tissue to wipe the corners of her mouth, and then spoke calmly.

"Uncle, Auntie, Ye Chen didn't lie to you."

"Studying medicine can indeed earn a lot of money."

She paused and added.

"Especially for someone like A-Chen, whose medical skills are already... superb."

"He has cured many difficult and complicated diseases and saved many lives."

"Some people give very high consultation fees to thank him."

"This three million is only a part of it."

After a pause, she continued.

"Moreover, I used to have some old ailments that many famous doctors couldn't cure, and it was Ye Chen who cured me."

"His medical skills are worth this price."

Ye Huasheng: "???"

Zhuang Yufen: "???"

The two of them were completely stunned... They looked at the calm Bing Lan, then at the innocent-looking Ye Chen.

The CEO of Shuyue Group personally testified that their son's medical skills were superb and that he had earned three million?

And he even cured her illness?

This... was too much information; their simple minds were having a bit of trouble processing it.

Their son... really had such great ability now?

That son who had been a bit quiet since he was a child, who was okay at studying but hadn't seemed particularly outstanding?

That son who had emptied the family's savings and gone into debt for a marriage, making them worry until their hair turned white?

Now he had not only brought back a goddess-like CEO girlfriend but also casually produced... three million??

Zhuang Yufen's hands were shaking a bit as she slowly picked up the card; it felt light yet heavy.

Ye Huasheng picked up his wine cup and took a large gulp, the sting making him grimace, but it seemed to help him suppress the stormy waves in his heart.

After a long time... Zhuang Yufen finally let out a long breath, her eyes turning slightly red as she looked at A-Chen, her voice a bit choked.

"Ye Chen... you... you've really become successful?"

Ye Chen felt a pang in his heart and nodded heavily.

"Yes, Mom, Dad. Your son is truly successful now."

"In the future, I won't let you worry anymore, and I won't let others look down on you."

He smiled and pointed at the card.

"You can use this money without worry."

"Whether you want to renovate the house, buy new things, or simply buy a shop in town to start a small business, it's all fine."

"As for that piece of land, if you want to build a house there, you can. Our family doesn't lack that bit of money now."

Ye Huasheng and Zhuang Yufen looked at each other, both seeing the relief and gratification in the other's eyes, along with a hint of daze.

Their son... had really grown up!