Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Lin Yi spent exactly one hundred million to buy the mall.

The original owner was a CEO of a company that was desperately in need of cash flow. If he had waited any longer, his company would have gone bankrupt. Therefore, when he heard that Lin Yi was willing to buy the mall, he was immensely grateful and quickly completed all the necessary procedures.

The mall was not located in the city center; its location was somewhat remote.

As a result, the mall wasn't very bustling or prosperous earlier, with a low occupancy rate among merchants, making it appear somewhat desolate, as if it were about to go out of business at any moment.

However, after Lin Yi bought it, the situation took a complete 180-degree turn.

A heavily trafficked subway line was being extended, and it just happened to pass by the mall, with plans to set up an entrance nearby.

This made transportation much more convenient.

Several large companies moved into the office building across from the mall, and many residents also moved into the nearby residential buildings.

The foot traffic surged instantly.

With increased foot traffic, the mall became vibrant, and major merchants vied to move in, all hoping to get a piece of the pie.

In other words, within a short time after Lin Yi bought the mall, its value increased several times over.

After learning this, Lin Yi raised an eyebrow.

It seemed he had made the right bet!

Investing always carries some risk, but if someone has a high investment talent, they can significantly reduce that risk.

On that day, Lin Yi drove around for a bit, observing the area around the mall to see if it was worth investing in.

He ultimately decided to give it a try, and unexpectedly, it succeeded.

Lin Yi lounged on the sofa, thinking about how he would not only receive pocket money from Huo Jihan every month but also earn income from the mall. It was truly delightful to think about!

At that moment, Huo Jihan came down the stairs, dressed in a neat black suit, looking ready to leave.

Lin Yi turned his head and met Huo Jihan's gaze, asking casually, "Mr. Huo, are you going to work?"

Today is Saturday!

Huo Jihan nodded, "I have something to take care of."

After saying that, he noticed the smile in Lin Yi's eyes and asked, "Why?"

Lin Yi immediately shared the story about his mall.

Huo Jihan responded solemnly, "Congratulations."

Lin Yi smiled even brighter, "It's all thanks to the one hundred million you gave me."

His success in buying the mall relied on acting quickly.

If others had discovered the opportunity later, they might have missed it.

Lin Yi could act first because of the one hundred million Huo Jihan directly gave him.

Others might want to buy it, but they wouldn't be able to come up with that much cash all at once.

Thinking about this, Lin Yi thanked Huo Jihan again, "Thanks a lot."

Huo Jihan replied in a deep voice, "No need, it's your keen eye."

Lin Yi saw potential in a mall that looked like it was about to go bankrupt and boldly bought it. This was a rare investment talent.

Lin Yi usually remained calm when praised, but being praised by Huo Jihan, a big shot, was different.

He raised an eyebrow, "If you keep praising me like this, I might get carried away!"

Huo Jihan even managed a slight smile.

After cracking a joke, Lin Yi started thinking about another matter.

Although he had bought the mall, he didn't plan to manage it himself.

After all, he had decided to live a laid-back life this time around. If he had to do everything himself, what would be the difference from his previous life?

So he planned to find someone to manage the mall while he just collected the profits.

Lin Yi thought Huo Jihan must be better at this, so he sincerely asked, "By the way, where should I look for someone to help me manage the mall?"

Since he had transmigrated into this book, he didn't know many people and had no connections, leaving him without any good ideas.

At this moment, Huo Jihan directly offered, "I can assign someone from the group to help you manage it."

Is there such a good thing?

Lin Yi feared Huo Jihan might change his mind and snapped his fingers, "Deal!"

However, he soon thought of something else and looked uncertainly at Huo Jihan, "Wait! If your subordinate helps me manage it, how will we split the profits?"

Wouldn't he owe Huo Jihan a share?

When Lin Yi asked this, his eyes sparkled mischievously, like a cunning little fox.

Huo Jihan looked at Lin Yi for a moment before answering, "All of it goes to you."

Lin Yi was instantly overjoyed. "Mr. Huo is truly generous!"

He had been waiting for Huo Jihan to say those words!

After Huo Jihan left to handle some business, Lin Yi remained in the living room, reveling in his good fortune for quite a while.

When he thought about it carefully, this was an incredibly profitable deal for him!

Firstly, the money to buy the mall came from Huo Jihan, and secondly, the management staff was arranged by Huo Jihan as well. Throughout the entire process, he hadn't done much at all.

Oh, wait, that's not entirely true. If he had to say, he did contribute something—his keen eye for spotting a highly promising investment asset.

But still, it didn't take much effort on his part, so it was essentially free money!

Meanwhile, the Lin family had gathered to celebrate someone's birthday.

During the meal, someone mentioned Lin Yi buying the mall.

Immediately, everyone started chattering excitedly.

"I think Lin Yi is just rich and foolish, buying such a remote mall?"

"Exactly! If that money were mine, it would be put to better use. Lin Yi is wasting it."

"Lin Yi has become more and more heartless. He used to send money home and help relatives occasionally, but now he's completely ungrateful."

"Speaking of which, isn't Lin Yi losing a lot of money after buying that mall? He might be struggling to make ends meet."

"He probably is, maybe even crying somewhere in private."

"Hahaha, I really want to see Lin Yi cry pitifully. I should record it."

At this moment, a tech-savvy young person searched online and exclaimed in disbelief, "Lin Yi's mall is making a huge profit; a subway line is being built nearby, bringing in a lot of traffic..."

Everyone else was shocked. "What?!!!"

Once they confirmed this information, those who had predicted Lin Yi's loss were left speechless, as if their throats were suddenly constricted.

While harboring resentment towards Lin Yi, they also began to wonder if they should try to curry favor with him now, hoping to gain some benefits.

In the afternoon, with nothing to do, Lin Yi heard from the Steward that the swimming pool behind the villa was completed. So, he took Huo Mianmian to the pool.

Upon seeing it, he was very pleased.

The swimming pool was exactly as he had imagined it.

It was spacious and already filled with clear water. A gentle breeze blew, creating shimmering ripples, making it look beautiful.

Beside the pool, there were lounge chairs and umbrellas, along with a small table set with snacks and drinks.

Lin Yi grew increasingly delighted as he looked around.

This felt almost like a seaside vacation!

Feeling the urge to jump in, Lin Yi immediately wanted to take a swim.

He turned to Huo Mianmian and said, "Kid, let's change into our swimsuits and take a few laps, okay?"

Huo Mianmian, seeing the large pool for the first time, nodded eagerly.

Soon, father and son changed into their swimming gear and returned to the poolside.

Lin Yi wore a full set of dark blue swimwear.

He had bought it when construction began, and it fit perfectly. The top was short-sleeved, and the trunks reached just above his knees.

His naturally fair skin looked even paler against the dark blue, emphasizing his tall and straight figure.

Huo Mianmian wore a cute yellow bear-themed swimsuit, making him look even more fair and tender.

Lin Yi put a life ring on him and carried him to a separate small pool. "Kid, you can play here."

He then placed a few yellow plastic ducks in the water.

Huo Mianmian blinked and poked the ducks, watching them move in the water.

Finding it amusing, he smiled sweetly up at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi smiled back. "Play nicely here while I go for a swim."

After settling Huo Mianmian, Lin Yi went to the main pool.

With a splash, he dove in, feeling the cool water envelop him.

Swimming in the pool during summer was sheer bliss!

Lin Yi swam several laps enthusiastically.

By the time he got out, Huo Mianmian was sleepy and was taken by the servants to take a nap.

Since Lin Yi had slept well at night, he wasn't tired during the day. He lazily lounged on a chair by the pool, snacking on the treats beside him and sipping fresh juice whenever he felt thirsty.

The gentle breeze made him feel cool and comfortable.

As he ate and drank, Lin Yi sighed contentedly. This was the life!

At that moment, two people approached from a distance.

Lin Yi didn't pay any attention at first.

Not until he noticed the two men walking straight toward him.

Lin Yi finally mustered a bit of energy and glanced lightly at the two men.

From their attire and demeanor, it was clear they were from the upper echelons of society.

At this moment, one of them, quite enthusiastically, said to him, "You must be Lin Yi? Sister-in-law, hello!"

After saying that, his eyes fixed on Lin Yi with an especially gossipy look.

The other one remained silent but nodded at him and then subtly sized him up.

Lin Yi sat up straight from the lounge chair and raised an eyebrow, asking, "May I ask who you are?"

The enthusiastic one promptly introduced himself, "I'm Ji Yunchuan, and he's Qin Ling. We're both Big Brother Huo's good buddies."

Lin Yi recalled the names and the plot in the book, and it all came back to him.

Indeed, Ji Yunchuan and Qin Ling were Huo Jihan's long-time friends, and they had a good relationship.

Ji Yunchuan was the third son of the Ji family, with an older brother and sister above him. With his siblings taking care of everything, he lived without pressure, indulging in luxury every day, particularly carefree.

As for Qin Ling, his background was more complex; there were rumors about him being a bastard child of the Qin family.

Regardless of whether these rumors were true, Qin Ling was indeed more reserved and thoughtful. Even when he smiled, it wasn't entirely genuine.

He preferred not to take the lead, often observing quietly from the sidelines.

However, Lin Yi wasn't familiar with these two, so he waited for them to explain their purpose.

True to form, Ji Yunchuan couldn't hold back his words. His eyes gleaming with gossip, he stared at Lin Yi and said, "Sister-in-law, I've heard your name for a long time. Finally, I get to meet you in person!"

That night, after seeing Xu Zheng's message in the group chat, his curiosity flared up, and he dragged Qin Ling along to Huo's residence just to see the legendary sister-in-law.

Lin Yi chuckled, "You guys are all so curious about me?"

Even the doctor who came that night seemed eager to pry some gossip out of him.

Ji Yunchuan didn't hide his curiosity and nodded eagerly, "Of course we are! My Big Brother Huo is a workaholic, always buried in work, seemingly indifferent to love. Who knew he'd suddenly announce his marriage? It was like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone in our circle!"

Lin Yi: "..."

He now understood how significant Huo Jihan's marriage was—it had shaken the entire upper social circle.

At this moment, Ji Yunchuan continued, "So we all guessed that Big Brother Huo must be head over heels in love with you, which is why he decided to marry you!"

Lin Yi: "..."

No, Big Brother Huo only married him for convenience, a contract marriage with no strings attached.

Ji Yunchuan finished speaking and looked at Lin Yi with puppy-dog eyes, "So, sister-in-law, aren't you going to tell us your love story with Big Brother Huo?"

Lin Yi replied lightly, "Not planning to."

Ji Yunchuan was shocked, "Why not?"

Lin Yi answered slowly, "Because I don't want to scare you to death."

Their contract marriage was known only to three people: him, Huo Jihan, and Li Feng, Huo Jihan's confidant.

After all, fewer people knowing about it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Ji Yunchuan pleaded with his sincere eyes, "Look at my sincere gaze. Can you really refuse me?"

To be honest, Ji Yunchuan had a certain charm in his appearance.

His personality allowed him to act cute and beg, coupled with a harmless face, making it hard to refuse him when he stared like that.

Unfortunately, Lin Yi was merciless, "Of course I can."

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

He wouldn't give up; he had to get something out of Lin Yi today!

With that thought, Ji Yunchuan decisively said to Lin Yi, "Sister-in-law, since you have nothing to do, why don't you join us for a drink? I have a bottle of 1982 red wine."

This bottle of red wine was stolen by Ji Yunchuan from his home.

Someone had given his father two bottles of fine red wine, and he stole one, saving it for today.

He would definitely get Lin Yi drunk and pry some information out of him!

A bottle of 1982 red wine?

Lin Yi, who had been indifferent, finally showed some interest, "Sure, let's go."

Soon, Lin Yi returned to the villa and changed into a new outfit.

When he walked out, Ji Yunchuan eagerly opened the car door for him, "Sister-in-law, please!"

Lin Yi got into the car.

Soon, the car headed toward a bar in the city center.

Thirty minutes later, Lin Yi and the others arrived at the bar.

This bar was very high-end and operated on a membership basis, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter.

Correspondingly, the interior decoration of the bar was particularly upscale, far surpassing those outside.

It was still early, and there weren't many customers in the bar, making it rather quiet.

Ji Yunchuan called over the bar manager and asked him to bring out the bottle of red wine he had stored there.

Soon, the manager respectfully brought the wine and also had the waiters serve them some complimentary fruit platters and skewers.

After all, while he didn’t know Lin Yi, he was very familiar with Ji Yunchuan and Qin Ling, both regulars. These were young masters they couldn't afford to offend.

The three sat in a spacious booth.

After getting the red wine, Ji Yunchuan eagerly said to Lin Yi, "Come, come, Sister-in-Law, let me pour you a glass!"

He had his own ulterior motives and deliberately poured more than necessary when serving Lin Yi.

Lin Yi, of course, knew Ji Yunchuan's intentions. After all, this person’s thoughts were too easy to read, written all over his face.

He didn't mind and instead picked up the wine glass, gently swirled it, and then brought it close to take a whiff.

Indeed, as expected from an aged red wine, its aroma was rich and long-lasting, stimulating the senses.

Lin Yi tilted his head back and slowly savored a sip.

Not bad, the taste was excellent.

In his previous life, he had tasted some red wines, but this was his first time experiencing one of this caliber, naturally feeling different.

Seeing Lin Yi drink, Ji Yunchuan kept urging, "Drink more, drink more!"

Qin Ling remained silent on the side.

This guy is really not trying to hide his intentions, is he?

The three slowly sipped their wine, occasionally exchanging a few words.

Of course, their common topic at the moment was Huo Jihan.

Ji Yunchuan was practically a die-hard fan of Huo Jihan, recounting his Big Brother Huo's merits like a list.

How his intelligence surpassed his peers from a young age, how he skipped grades through school, how he closed deals worth billions...

In short, Huo Jihan was a god in his eyes; after all, who could be so extraordinary?

Lin Yi agreed with this sentiment.

He also felt that Huo Jihan was not a normal human being, completely out of their league.

As they talked, they occasionally took sips of wine.

Ji Yunchuan got carried away with his storytelling and drank quite a bit, becoming slightly tipsy.

He quickly patted his head twice, trying to stay sober.

Then he noticed that Lin Yi showed no signs of intoxication at all?

Ji Yunchuan widened his eyes, "Sister-in-Law, you've had all this wine and feel nothing?"

If Lin Yi didn't get drunk, how would he pry information out?

Lin Yi truthfully replied, "I'm fine, don't feel drunk."

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

No!!!!!

How could this be?!

Ji Yunchuan decisively changed tactics, "Sister-in-Law, drinking alone isn't fun. How about we play dice? Let's keep it simple—three dice, whoever rolls all the same number wins. What do you say?"

He frequented bars and believed dice rolling was his forte.

On the other hand, Lin Yi didn't look like someone who often visited bars.

Lin Yi never shied away from challenges and calmly said, "Let's go."

Quickly, Ji Yunchuan got the staff to bring the dice set.

Feeling confident, he handed the dice cup to Lin Yi first for courtesy, "Sister-in-Law, you go first."

Lin Yi took the dice cup, which contained three dice.

He appeared exceptionally calm, placing the cup on the table and began shaking it.

His fingers were slender and fair, the joints evenly spaced, and as he shook the black dice cup, it was almost mesmerizing to watch.

Most importantly, his demeanor was composed, sitting there casually with his almond-shaped eyes exuding confidence in control.

It was a unique feeling, making people believe he could accomplish anything.

Such a person had immense charisma.

Soon, Lin Yi stopped shaking the cup and lifted it with a swift motion.

Ji Yunchuan, who had been captivated by Lin Yi's dice-shaking, finally snapped back to reality and leaned in to see.

Even Qin Ling, who hadn't spoken much, looked over.

All three dice on the table showed sixes.

How could Lin Yi actually roll three sixes in one go?!!!

Ji Yunchuan's eyes widened in disbelief.

Qin Ling's expression also changed slightly.

He had a hunch that the outcome of today's game was already decided.

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow nonchalantly and then said to Ji Yunchuan, "Drink up."

Their rule was that if someone rolled three identical numbers, the other person had to drink.

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

Oh no!

Did he underestimate his opponent?!

Or was it just a coincidence?

Ji Yunchuan couldn't figure it out, but he still followed the rules and drank a cup of alcohol.

Then it was Ji Yunchuan's turn to roll the dice.

He looked much more serious than when Lin Yi had rolled, his face tense as he picked up the dice and began shaking them.

After all, Lin Yi had put him under a lot of pressure.

For a moment, the only sound was the intense clattering of the dice cup and the dice.

At one point, Ji Yunchuan paused, swallowed nervously, and then revealed the dice.

But after all that effort, he rolled three different numbers.

Ji Yunchuan: "..."

What could he say?

He felt a chill in his heart.

Why was Lin Yi so good at rolling dice?!!!

There was nothing he could do, so Ji Yunchuan had to drink another cup.

Lin Yi and Ji Yunchuan played a few more rounds.

And each time, Lin Yi won.

By now, Ji Yunchuan's gaze toward Lin Yi had changed, filled with admiration for a superior player: "Brother-in-law, what kind of amazing skill is this? Can you teach me?"

Lin Yi replied helplessly, "It's a secret technique, not for sharing."

In reality, it was simply a matter of practice making perfect.

In his previous life, working in investment banking, he often had to entertain clients, and rolling dice frequently gave him a feel for it.

Ji Yunchuan poured himself another drink, his words slurring from the alcohol.

Now thoroughly drunk, he didn't forget his mission and asked Lin Yi, "Brother-in-law, what's going on between you and my brother?"

Lin Yi: "..."

This guy would make a great gossip reporter.

Lin Yi countered, "What about you? Do you have any love stories to share?"

Lin Yi had just asked casually, but the drunk Ji Yunchuan started talking.

He leaned on the table, laughing drunkenly, "Me? Of course I do. She's a beautiful older sister, but she's too cold, a high-cold dominatrix."

Lin Yi saw an opportunity and continued, "Really? How's your relationship with her progressing?"

Ji Yunchuan pouted, "S-She thinks I'm too young. When I pursued her, she didn't agree..."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?"

Ji Yunchuan felt wronged and muttered, "Exactly, I was devastated after being rejected."

Leaning back in his chair, Lin Yi said leisurely, "Now I've got something on you."

Ji Yunchuan looked up at Lin Yi, his eyes glazed over, "W-What do you mean?"

Lin Yi replied slowly, "Something to use against you later."

To see if this guy would still chase him with gossip.

Ji Yunchuan, thoroughly drunk, couldn't process what Lin Yi said.

Qin Ling shook his head, unable to watch.

This guy wanted to get information from others but ended up revealing his own secrets.

Finally, Lin Yi left first.

Ji Yunchuan watched his back, feeling like he had forgotten something.

It took him a while to remember—he hadn't found out about his brother-in-law and Big Brother Huo's history!

He grabbed his head in frustration.

Ah! Ah! Ah!!

He was not willing to give up, not willing at all!!

But later on, he was so drunk that he passed out.

When Lin Yi returned to the villa, it was already past seven in the evening.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw Huo Mianmian sitting in the living room.

At that moment, Huo Mianmian was sitting obediently on the sofa, eating a plate of mulberries with his head lowered.

He ate slowly, picking up one mulberry at a time and putting it into his mouth. When he was happy, he would even wiggle his legs a little.

Lin Yi watched this adorable scene for a while before walking over to Huo Mianmian: "Mianmian, I'm back."

Hearing Lin Yi's voice, Huo Mianmian immediately looked up, his eyes shining like stars.

However...

Looking at his little mouth, Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh: "Hahaha!"

Because Huo Mianmian had just eaten a lot of mulberries, the area around his lips was stained purple.

Usually, his lips were red and his teeth white, but now they were purplish-red, making him look particularly cute and amusing.

The key was that Huo Mianmian didn't know why Lin Yi was laughing, and he stared at him with innocent, wide eyes.

This made it even more entertaining.

Lin Yi laughed for a long time before finally stopping and saying to Huo Mianmian: "Kid, try looking in the coffee table mirror."

Not knowing what had happened, Huo Mianmian still listened to Lin Yi and slid off the sofa to look in the mirror.

In the next second, he also had a stunned expression.

Why did his mouth look like this?

Lin Yi watched Huo Mianmian's reaction and laughed for a while longer before finally saying: "It's okay, you still look cute."

Huo Mianmian: "..."

R-really?

Seeing Huo Mianmian's doubtful expression, Lin Yi said: "Really, otherwise let me eat a few mulberries too and show you."

After saying this, he also picked up a few mulberries and ate them.

Soon, Lin Yi's lips also changed color.

He smiled at Huo Mianmian and said: "How about it? Isn't it fun?"

Huo Mianmian nodded vigorously twice.

In his eyes, Dad seemed a bit different, but no matter how Dad looked, he liked him.

At this moment, Lin Yi suddenly had an idea and said to Huo Mianmian: "Why don't we take advantage of this and dress up as ghosts to scare someone?"

Huo Mianmian, who always listened to Lin Yi, nodded immediately: "Okay."

Lin Yi told him: "Go get your watercolor pens."

Soon, Huo Mianmian brought his watercolor pens.

Then Lin Yi started drawing on both his and Huo Mianmian's faces.

He didn't draw excessively; he simply darkened the areas around their eyes and made their skin appear whiter, along with their mulberry-stained lips, creating a perfect effect.

After all, the watercolor pens Huo Mianmian used were high-end and food-grade, making them easy to wash off later.

After finishing the face painting, Lin Yi found two pieces of white cloth and draped them over himself and Huo Mianmian as capes, completing their look.

Just as they were getting ready, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Lin Yi quickly said to Huo Mianmian: "Kid, your dad must be back. Let's go scare him right away!!"

Huo Mianmian nodded nervously and excitedly.

Today, Huo Jihan drove back by himself.

He got out of the car and walked towards the villa.

After taking a few steps, he noticed something strange.

The lights in the villa's living room were off.

Only moonlight filtered in, dimly illuminating some areas.

Huo Jihan's expression remained unchanged as he stepped into the villa.

When he reached the center of the living room, two figures suddenly rushed out from the side.

One figure was tall, the other short. Under the moonlight, it was not difficult to see their faces.

These two figures were painted with cute, non-scary ghost makeup and had white cloths draped over their backs.

They ran up to him, pretending to be ghosts, baring their teeth and waving their arms, making "aowu" sounds.

After scaring him for a while, the two cute ghosts prepared to run away.

But perhaps because the living room was too dark, they actually got lost and dashed towards the villa's entrance.

When they reached the villa's entrance, they paused, seemingly realizing they had gotten lost.

Those two figures revealed a faint sense of embarrassment.

How could ghosts scare someone and then get lost themselves?!

Huo Jihan's voice showed no emotion as he reminded them, "The stairs are in the opposite direction."

A few seconds later, the bigger ghost held the smaller ghost's hand and decisively turned around, heading towards the stairs.

This time, they were finally going the right way.

Huo Jihan: "…"

Well, that’s a noticeable improvement.

Upstairs.

Lin Yi held Huo Mianmian's hand and ran all the way to the bedroom, then sat on the bed to catch his breath.

Tsk tsk, what a bad start!

Everything was planned so well, yet they ended up running in the wrong direction. How embarrassing!

Just then, Huo Mianmian lifted his little head and asked Lin Yi, "Dad, did we scare Papa just now?"

Lin Yi: "…"

What a great question.

Seeing Lin Yi silent, Huo Mianmian looked at him with his big, round eyes.

After a moment, Lin Yi decisively told Huo Mianmian, "Of course we scared him. Didn't you see how your dad froze in place?"

Hearing this, Huo Mianmian immediately became happy.

Wow, they were amazing! They actually scared Papa!

And even made Papa freeze in fear!