Chapter 64: Astonishing Wealth

Word on the street was that the Shen family possessed astonishing wealth, and this gossip struck terror into the hearts of the family members, as they feared it could lead to the clan’s extermination. Determined to protect their legacy, they resolved to transfer their riches to a secure location. 

The problem was, they couldn’t stop outsiders from sending spies into their household to try and find the legendary Shen family treasure. The unrelenting presence of spies and the necessity to constantly thwart their efforts wore down the Shen family, both mentally and physically.

When Shen Cunfeng took charge of the family, he cunningly and covertly relocated their wealth into a secret space, concealing the move from prying eyes. To further deflect suspicion, he feigned incompetence, mismanaging the family businesses until they drastically declined, all while welcoming the infiltrators and allowing them to scour the household in futile pursuit of the elusive riches.

As the years slipped by, the spies’ efforts proved fruitless, and even the Shen family members found themselves unable to locate the wealth that had once defined them. 

Gradually, the rumors about the Shens’ incredible wealth faded away. Shen Cunfeng’s masterful deception had successfully convinced everyone that the Shens were nothing more than a family of incompetent individuals who had squandered their fortune. Although the family faced hard times and had to embrace a simpler life, they found solace in the peace and quiet that came with their new status, even if it meant enduring the occasional mockery from others.

What no one knew was that the astonishing wealth was stashed away in the storage space, its inventory meticulously documented in the second half of Shen Cunfeng’s notebooks. 

Shen Cunfeng had designated the rings as the family heirloom, binding future generations to the oath of safeguarding and passing them down through the ages. However, fate proved fickle, the Shen family found themselves unable to unlock the secrets of the mystical space, their mastery over it fading into memory—until the emergence of Shen Yanming.

Shen Yanming’s fingers traced the worn cover of the notebook as he closed it. A glint of curiosity caught his eye, and he reached for a book on the shelf, the unfamiliar handwriting hinting at the wisdom of the previous masters. He made a mental note to delve into its secrets when time allowed.

A question burned in his mind, and he turned to Bi Qiao’an, his brow furrowed in contemplation. “How do you think the old ancestor became the master of both rings at the same time? If I hadn’t already bound myself to this ring, do you think you could have become the master of both your ring and mine?” 

Bi Qiao’an’s eyes narrowed as she pondered, then shook her head slowly, “It’s hard to say. This place is still a mystery to us. The rings vanished when we became the masters of the space, but we can’t be sure if the same thing happened when the old ancestor first bound himself to the ring. And the fact that he could pass them down… it raises even more questions.”

Her fingers danced along the spines of the ancient books. “Maybe the answers are hiding in these pages.”

Shen Yanming’s hand found hers, a smile playing on his lips. “Let’s not worry about that now. We’ve got plenty of time to figure it out later. Right now, there’s so much more for us to explore.”

Hand in hand, they walked back through the orchard, the sweet scent of ripe fruit filling their lungs. The medicinal herb field swayed in the breeze, a sea of green and delicate blooms. As they stepped onto the grassland, a flash of movement caught Bi Qiao’an’s eye. A small rabbit darted into the bushes and she gasped in surprise. She could’ve never imagined that there were actually creatures living in this mysterious place.

The sun was high in the sky when they finally emerged from the space, their minds buzzing with the wonders they had discovered. A quick breakfast and they collapsed into the bed.

While Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an slept peacefully, miles away, the Song family found themselves trapped in a detention center, their voices raised in constant bickering. After being cooped up all night, everyone was getting on each other’s nerves.

“Well, well, dear cousin,” one relative sneered, sarcasm dripping from every word. “I’ve gotta hand it to you. Thanks to your little stunt, our whole family ended up in this mess. Way to go!”

Another family member chimed in, “Qingqing, what were you thinking, moving into some guy’s house when you weren’t even dating? And then inviting all of us to crash there too? If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this disaster!”

More grumbles filled the air, “They’re right, Qingqing. This is all on you. You better find a way to fix this because we don’t have the money to pay for the damage.”

As the accusations and finger-pointing grew louder, Madam Song lost her cool. She snapped, “Oh, so you were all happy to stuff your faces and enjoy the cozy beds, but now you don’t want to pay up or take any responsibility? What kind of fantasy land are you living in?” 

Her eyes flashed with anger, “If my Qingqing hadn’t felt sorry for you lot, she never would’ve let you stay in the first place. Truly, no good deed goes unpunished. You bunch of ungrateful jerks!”

“Watch it, sister!” Madam Song’s younger sister fired back, shooting daggers with her eyes, “Yeah, okay, we admit that life in the village was tough, but let’s not forget that you were the one who invited us. You couldn’t stop bragging about your daughter’s big shot boyfriend and his fancy house, but it looks like the only one living in a fantasy world was you!”

Madam Song’s face burned with shame, her eyes darting to her daughter, desperation etched into every line of her face. “Qingqing, honey, what’s going on with you two? Didn’t you tell me that things were going great with you and Zhang Heping?”

Song Qingqing frowned, frustration evident on her face. “I was living in his house for so long, I thought he had accepted me. Last time when his friend saw us together, I assumed he’d definitely tell Zhang Heping. But then you and Dad stayed for over half a month, and Zhang Heping didn’t say a word. So I assumed he agreed.” 

She whirled on her mother, her eyes flashing with accusation. “What did Auntie mean just now about you inviting them? When you and Dad moved in, didn’t I already say it was Zhang Heping’s house?”

Before Madam Song could get a word in, Song Qingqing’s aunt jumped in, “Your mom was always going on and on to her friends about how amazing you were and how generous your boyfriend was. We couldn’t take living in the village anymore, so when your mom said the house was huge and had great perks, we decided to see for ourselves.”

Song Qingqing’s other aunt nodded in agreement. Madam Song’s face flushed with shame as she stammered, struggling to find the right words to justify her actions. “Qingqing, I never intended for this to happen. I was just so thrilled to be living in such a nice place all of a sudden, and I wanted to brag a little. I thought I was just making small talk with them. How was I supposed to know they’d take it seriously and show up out of nowhere with their suitcases?”

Song Qingqing’s anger boiled over, her voice rising to a shout. “This is all your fault, Mom! You’ve made a huge mess for me. Didn’t I tell you to keep a low profile? How am I supposed to show my face after this?”

“That’s enough!” Song Qingqing’s father’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and unyielding. “Even if your mother had kept quiet, we still would’ve invited your aunt and uncle to stay with us. We’re living it up in the city, so how could we just leave them to fend for themselves in the village? The real problem is that you didn’t tell the truth.”

Her father’s sharp rebuke hit Song Qingqing like a physical blow. Tears streamed down her face as she fled to the corner of the room, her body wracked with sobs. “What’s done is done,” she managed to say between sobs, “Let’s just focus on what we’re going to do when we get out of here.”

“Get out? When’s that gonna happen?”

“Isn’t Zhang Heping’s aunt supposed to bail us out?”

“Bail us out? That’s gonna cost a fortune! Why would she pay for us?”

“If she hadn’t set our daughter up with such a loser, we wouldn’t be in this situation! If she doesn’t get us out of here, I swear I’ll raise hell at their place and make their lives miserable!”

“Let’s just hope she gets us out of here fast!”

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In a conference room situated in the bustling center of the capital city, the Qinghe Alliance leaders took their seats, an electric current of anticipation running through the air. 

Chief Alliance Officer Li Cheng, seated at the head of the table, carefully studied the expressions of the thirteen department heads before him, gauging their readiness for the discussion ahead.

“I have good news,” he said, his voice steady. “Our supply teams have returned unscathed, and I can confirm that all procured resources have been thoroughly inventoried and accounted for.”

A woman with a tight bun nodded, her expression serious. “While other countries harbor suspicions about our activities, they lack concrete evidence to support their claims. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, they have all implemented export bans on critical supplies.”

“Our efforts on the domestic front have paid off,” the gray-haired man stated, his fingers drumming on the stack of papers before him. “We now hold the reins of the nation’s key resources—supermarkets, clothing and food factories, and farms alike. The stage is set for us to enact our new policies without any obstacles.”

Another voice, brimming with enthusiasm, added, “The research institute is achieving remarkable results. Evidence has demonstrated a significant improvement in the physical fitness of our five hundred volunteers.”

The youngest department head, a sharp-eyed woman, leaned forward, her words crisp and confident. “The propaganda department has developed a comprehensive lineup of TV shows. They’re ready to go as soon as you give the green light.”

Leaning back in his chair, Li Cheng allowed a stern smile to briefly cross his lips. “Excellent work, everyone. It appears that we will be well-prepared for any challenges that may arise.”