Chapter Ninety-Seven: An Uninvited Guest

By the time Qin Xue’er came to her senses again, she and Xiao Ye were already standing in front of the villa they had purchased together. The manager was by their side, explaining all the rights and privileges that came with being the owners of the property.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there’s no need to renovate the house anew. All expenses will be covered by us. You and your wife have nothing to worry about,” the manager said with enthusiasm, his face beaming with excitement. After all, clients who made such grand purchases were rare.

Once the manager left, Xiao Ye and Qin Xue’er stepped inside the villa. Everything was exactly as the manager had described—the house was truly magnificent. With a usable area of three to four hundred square meters, it could easily accommodate not just the two of them and their child, but even all the operatives Xiao Ye had encountered in Jianghai City.

Looking around at the somewhat empty rooms, Qin Xue’er rubbed her face and turned to Xiao Ye. “Xiao Ye, am I dreaming right now?”

“Of course not. From now on, this is our home,” Xiao Ye whispered in her ear with a deeply affectionate tone.

Qin Xue’er’s heart swelled with emotion. Ever since that incident before, she had felt like none of this was real. But now, in this house with Xiao Ye, they were about to begin a perfect, fresh start.

“No time to waste. Let’s hurry up and start buying what we need!” Qin Xue’er said, counting off the items on her fingers. Even before they finished handling some matters, she was already planning out the use of each room.

Seeing Qin Xue’er so unusually restless, Xiao Ye smiled calmly beside her. He sensed that the long-standing gloom that had clouded her heart was finally beginning to lift.

“All right, no matter how excited you are, we can’t move in just yet. You go wait in the car; I need to make a call first,” Xiao Ye said, gently holding back the excited Qin Xue’er.

After a brief kiss, watching her leave the villa, Xiao Ye dialed Chi Long and gave her the villa’s exact location.

“I’m giving you an address. Arrange a team there to guard the place 24/7, install cameras at all blind spots around, and get started immediately,” he instructed.

After giving the orders to Chi Long, Xiao Ye took a quick look around the villa’s interior, satisfied, and then left.

They spent the whole day thoroughly visiting every furniture market around Jianghai City. Qin Xue’er was noticeably more cheerful than before. Though the scar on her face remained, it was clear that the mask no longer constrained her spirit.

“No need to rush. Some things must be done gradually. When you have some free time, I’ll accompany you to pick out more things,” Xiao Ye comforted her, gently patting her head.

Qin Xue’er naturally wanted to personally design this house, to see everything proceed according to her own plans in an orderly fashion.

Meanwhile, Chi Long was busily tidying up the villa, and her team didn’t leave until late into the night.

The next morning, Qin Xue’er and Xiao Ye returned to the villa, bringing their luggage and officially moving in. Some paperwork for the villa was still unfinished, so they parted ways midway—Xiao Ye went to handle the formalities while Qin Xue’er returned to the studio.

That evening, music filled the villa for the first time in a long while. Qin Xue’er even cooked a meal herself, an unprecedented occurrence. Xiao Ye brought in a bottle of fine wine more expensive than the one Ye Gang had given Qin Xue’er on that day.

Before arriving at the villa, Xiao Ye parked the car in the courtyard. The garage was still cluttered with trash, which he planned to have cleaned the next day—something to deal with later.

Looking at the warm glow of the lights inside, a gentle smile gradually spread across Xiao Ye’s face. He felt a relaxation he had never experienced before.

Hearing a sound at the door, Qin Xue’er came out. Xiao Ye wanted to be affectionate, but she approached him with a strange question.

“Xiao Ye, do you think someone entered our house yesterday?”

Xiao Ye furrowed his brow, puzzled. Qin Xue’er continued, “There are fresh footprints in the garage that don’t seem to be ours.”

She pointed toward the basement.

“Those must be from the previous occupants. I’ve been focused on the rooms and didn’t pay much attention. Where exactly? I’ll clean it up,” Xiao Ye said, assuming it was left by Chi Long’s team and didn’t think much of it.

But when he reached the garage door with a mop in hand, he suddenly froze.

There was a fresh mark on the door handle. Judging by the shape of the palm print, it was clear the person was a medium-built man. The footprints were distinctive, resembling boot prints.

What troubled Xiao Ye most was a sudden noise coming from the basement.

He glanced back at Qin Xue’er, who hadn’t noticed the sound. Without a word, he discreetly wiped away the footprints at the door, set down the mop, and opened the basement door.

“Xiao Xue, I’m going down to check,” he said.

“The food’s ready. After you eat, I’ll go with you,” Qin Xue’er quickly stopped him.

“I’ll take a look first. Depending on how long it takes to clean up, I’ll be back soon,” Xiao Ye smiled and turned toward the garage.

Inside the basement, he switched on the light, revealing the full view of the garage. It wasn’t too messy, just a bit dirty. Shelves were stacked in a corner, and cardboard littered the floor.

Seeing the scattered footprints, Xiao Ye was nearly certain someone was inside.

“Speak up. Who dares break into my home uninvited, and why?” His voice was cold, void of any warmth.

There was no answer after a long silence. Suddenly, a rustling came from behind a pile of cardboard. Xiao Ye moved swiftly and threw a punch, scattering the cardboard everywhere.

Someone was indeed there, just as he had suspected—a medium-built man.

The man, realizing he was discovered, instinctively tried to escape but found nowhere to run.

In desperation, he threw a punch, ready to fight.

His attack was easily blocked by Xiao Ye, who was growing annoyed. Were thieves so reckless nowadays? Not only were they inferior in skill and caught, but they even dared to fight back. Ridiculous.

Xiao Ye pinned the man down firmly. The man threw another punch, but just as the fist was about to land on the man’s face, Xiao Ye paused.

He recognized the clothing all too well.

But why would someone he knew break into his own house?

Xiao Ye looked at the man sitting there in a sorry state.

Beside him lay another man, barely clinging to life.