64: Chapter 64: Trading a bottle of medicine for a manor isn't too much to ask, is it?

Three days later, a Boeing 747 private jet painted with the royal emblem landed silently at the humble private airport in San Verde.

There was no red carpet, no honor guard.

Only an old butler, dressed in a crisp tailcoat and wearing white gloves, stood respectfully at the foot of the airstairs.

"Baron Chen Yuan, good day."

The old butler bowed slightly, his posture as elegant as a character stepping out of a medieval oil painting. "The Duchess has been waiting in Scotland for quite some time. The plane is ready for departure at any moment."

Baron.

Chen Yuan looked at the gold-stamped title document and the heavy, solid gold emblem handed to him, a playful curve tugging at the corner of his lips.

Once upon a time, he was nothing more than an illegitimate son kicked out by his family, a man who felt ashamed even of his own surname.

But now, he had transformed into a hereditary noble conferred by the British Empire.

Although this title was mostly honorary and carried no real political power, for those mingling in high society, this thing was more useful than a billion-dollar check.

"Let's go."

Chen Yuan flicked the document and tossed it to Alice behind him as if he were discarding a piece of scrap paper. He stepped onto the luxurious private jet without looking back.

The luxury inside the plane rivaled a mobile palace in the sky. Genuine leather sofas, a crystal wine cabinet, and even a small private cinema.

"Boss, are you just going to... leave the company behind like this?"

Victor followed behind, carrying two massive suitcases, panting. "Construction at 'Elysium Manor' has just begun, and those bastards at Pfizer are still pulling strings in the dark. You're going on vacation at a time like this..."

"Who said I was going on vacation?"

Chen Yuan leaned back into the soft sofa and stretched. Alice immediately walked forward with tacit understanding to massage his shoulders.

"I'm going to expand our European market."

Chen Yuan closed his eyes, enjoying the perfectly applied pressure. "And while I'm at it, I'll add a golden trim to our 'Umbrella'."

"Let them see that we don't just have guns, we also have... noble blood."

...

The Scottish Highlands, a misty morning.

The helicopter slowly landed on a huge, manicured lawn.

An ancient castle stood in the distance, its gray stone walls covered in ivy, with towering spires piercing the clouds. It loomed in and out of the morning mist like a dragon that had been sleeping for five hundred years.

The air was filled with the scent of grass, soil, and history.

An old woman, over seventy but still graceful and luxurious, waited at the helipad, surrounded by dozens of servants.

She was the Duchess.

Although her face was etched with the marks of time, her blue eyes remained clear, revealing an innate nobility.

"Welcome, young Baron."

The Duchess lifted her skirt and performed a standard curtsy, her posture impeccably elegant.

"It is my honor to meet you."

Chen Yuan stepped off the plane and returned the gesture with an equally standard gentleman's bow. He did not appear humble because of her status; instead, he possessed the composure of an equal.

The two did not exchange many pleasantries.

This was a transaction.

Chen Yuan handed over the crystal bottle containing "youth no. 1," and the Duchess handed him a thick, parchment-scented title deed and a scepter.

"From today on, this 'Thorn Castle' and the five hundred square kilometers of land surrounding it are all yours."

There was a hint of reluctance in the Duchess's voice, but it was outweighed by the fervor and anticipation she felt upon seeing that bottle of pink liquid.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Chen Yuan weighed the solid gold scepter, inlaid with a massive sapphire, and nodded in satisfaction.

The entire transaction was secretly photographed by Britain's largest tabloid, The Sun.

The next day, a single photo ignited the entire European high society.

In the photo, the mysterious Eastern tycoon stood on the balcony of the ancient castle, holding a glass of red wine, looking down at his vast territory. Beside him, the Duchess, who had previously been frail and aged, had miraculously appeared at least twenty years younger, looking at him with eyes full of adoration, like a young girl in love.

"Shocking! A Bottle of Medicine Traded for a Royal Castle! Just How Magical Is Umbrella Corporation's 'Water of God'?"

"From Border Drug Lord to British Noble: Revealing the Magical Life of Baron Chen Yuan!"

"The Ultimate Hard Currency of Vanity Fair: Youth Is No Longer a Dream!"

If Jessica's rejuvenation had only caused ripples in the entertainment and fashion circles before, this time, the British Royal Family's personal "endorsement" had completely ignited the frenzy of the global elite.

For a time, the official website server of Umbrella Corporation was overwhelmed.

Countless encrypted emails flew from all over the world to San Verde, with senders including oil princes from the Middle East, financial oligarchs from Wall Street, and even retired heads of state from several countries.

They had only one demand: the medicine.

At any cost, they wanted to obtain the medicine that could turn back time.

For the first time, the name of the "Umbrella" Corporation truly stood at the pinnacle of the world.

As the creator of all this, Chen Yuan was currently lying leisurely on the velvet bed in the castle, large enough to sleep ten people, enjoying a rare vacation.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was the endless drizzling rain and rolling green hills of Scotland.

The fire in the fireplace crackled, dispelling the chill of the ancient castle.

"Boss, here is today's afternoon tea."

Alice walked in pushing a dining cart, dressed in a British-style maid outfit. The black and white uniform accentuated her inhumanly perfect figure, making it even more breathtaking.

"Hmm."

Chen Yuan looked up from a stack of analysis reports on the European financial market and rubbed his temples.

He didn't like the weather here; it was too gloomy.

He liked the food here even less; it was too bland.

But this feeling of being away from the hustle and bustle, hiding behind the scenes and manipulating everything, was indeed quite good.

Just as he picked up his black tea, preparing to enjoy this moment of tranquility.

A sharp ringtone rang out, untimely.

It was not his satellite phone, but the phone from China that he had placed on the nightstand and had almost forgotten about.

The caller ID displayed a strange number from Jinghai.

Chen Yuan frowned.

He had already blocked countless numbers like this one. But the other party always seemed to have a way to call from a different number.

He had intended to hang up immediately.

But on a whim, he pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

His voice was cold, carrying a hint of annoyance at being disturbed.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds.

Immediately after, a voice came through that was both familiar and strange, filled with sobbing and extreme terror:

"Is... is that Xiao Yuan?"

It was his father, the man who had been a coward his whole life, the one who didn't even dare to look him in the eye.

"It's me." Chen Yuan's voice remained cold.

"Xiao Yuan... hurry... hurry back!"

The voice on the other end was full of despair and helplessness, like a drowning person grabbing onto the last straw. "Your grandfather... your grandfather is dying!"

"Your uncle Chen Tianba, he... he colluded with outsiders and hollowed out the company! Our family... our family is finished!"