Chapter 79 Residence

Chapter 79: The Residence

Just then, a tall man, appearing to be around thirty-five, ran along the path they had just taken. He called out to Huo Zongzhuo, who had just exited the car, "Mr. Huo."

Jiang Luo naturally looked over.

Huo Zongzhuo gestured towards Jiang Luo, saying, "This is Wang Junqing. Get acquainted." Then, turning to Wang Junqing, he simply stated, "Jiang Luo."

Wang Junqing stood beside Huo Zongzhuo, and from across the car, he nodded to Jiang Luo in greeting, "President Jiang."

Jiang Luo replied, "Hello."

"Let's go, have a look inside."

Huo Zongzhuo closed the car door and walked towards the building, signaling Jiang Luo to follow. Jiang Luo glanced up at the building once more before falling into step.

Wang Junqing went ahead, jogging up the steps to open the first-floor door and switch on the lights.

As the lights illuminated the space, Jiang Luo stepped inside to find an elegantly decorated hall in a traditional Chinese style.

Wang Junqing didn't linger; he quietly exited. Jiang Luo stood at the entrance, surveying the room. Seeing no one else, he turned to Huo Zongzhuo, puzzled, "Why did you bring me here?"

Huo Zongzhuo, however, simply said, "Take a look first."

Jiang Luo, being sharp, almost immediately caught on. As he walked further in, he mused, "This isn't your house, is it?"

"Or is it rented?"

Huo Zongzhuo didn't answer, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo's gaze swept the surroundings. He didn't need a close inspection to know the caliber of this house—this was Wukang Road, after all.

What house on Wukang Road wasn't exceptional?

This was a location where even wealth might not guarantee a purchase.

The hall they were in was so vast it felt like one could ride a horse through it—exceptionally spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows. The tables, chairs, sofas, and tea tables were all in a Chinese style, exuding quality. A floor-to-ceiling antique display shelf, adorned with porcelain cups, vases, and embroidery, gave the hall a fresh, refined look.

The staircase, too, was Chinese-style, with wood in an antique finish and intricately patterned railings winding upwards.

On the second floor, there was another large central hall, similarly furnished, featuring a white freestanding air conditioner.

A long corridor extended to both sides, with rooms on each end.

Jiang Luo entered to inspect the rooms; their style mirrored that of the hall. The beds and cabinets were all Chinese-style, very high-quality, complemented by Chinese screens and decorative headboards, creating an atmosphere of high-end elegance.

As Jiang Luo explored, the more he saw, the more it resonated with Huo Zongzhuo's aesthetic.

He became quite engrossed, his earlier fatigue forgotten. As they ascended to the third floor, he smiled at Huo Zongzhuo, "Whether bought or rented, a place like this isn't easy to acquire, is it?"

"It's really impressive."

"This building must have been renovated, right? The furniture doesn't look old."

Huo Zongzhuo smiled and asked, "Do you like it?"

"I do."

Jiang Luo continued, "But my liking it doesn't matter; you're the one who needs to like it."

"It's your house, where you'll live, not me."

As he spoke, Jiang Luo followed the staircase to the third floor. In one of the bedrooms, he spotted Huo Zongzhuo's calligraphy, framed and hanging on the wall. It read: "Daily Income."

Another piece of calligraphy declared: "Richest Man in Haicheng."

Jiang Luo paused, a sudden realization dawning on him, and he spun around to face Huo Zongzhuo.

These eight characters weren't typical of Mr. Huo's style; they were his own, reflecting his flamboyant and high-profile nature.

And these two pieces hanging here…

Jiang Luo quickly pieced it together. He raised a hand, pointing at the wall, and asked Huo Zongzhuo, astonished, "You don't mean for me to live here too, do you?"

Huo Zongzhuo stood at the doorway, his expression gentle, a smile playing on his lips: "Otherwise?"

"Would I write 'Daily Income' and 'Richest Man in Haicheng' for myself?"

Jiang Luo was even more surprised: "You want us to live together?"

Huo Zongzhuo chuckled, "I can't live in such a big house alone."

Jiang Luo retorted, "And the two of us can live in such a big house?"

Huo Zongzhuo smiled, "Then what should we do? It's already bought—should we not live in it?"

"I can't have you staying in a hotel forever. You need a place to settle down."

Huo Zongzhuo was practically saying outright that he bought it for Jiang Luo.

And Jiang Luo, being so astute, how could he not understand?

He knew perfectly well that Huo Zongzhuo wasn't from Haicheng; he had no relatives or roots here, no sense of belonging. He wouldn't easily spend a fortune to buy a house here, even if he had business and needed to stay in Haicheng long-term.

The reason Huo Zongzhuo bought it, plainly speaking, was because of him.

Jiang Luo looked at Huo Zongzhuo, his emotions complex and difficult to articulate. With a subdued expression and gaze, he murmured, "Mr. Huo, Wukang Road—this is Wukang Road."

Implying that houses here were exceedingly expensive.

Jiang Luo's tone was earnest: "Couldn't you have bought somewhere else? Did it have to be Wukang Road?"

"You could've just bought a place in Jing'an, like the Wang Chuangs' house. You'd have one room, I'd have another, and it wouldn't cost nearly as much."

Huo Zongzhuo adopted a "why not" expression, raising his eyebrows and shrugging. He stated bluntly, "It's not that I can't afford it, so why not buy it?"

The man looked at Jiang Luo, his voice gentle, his gaze soft: "Besides, if it's for you to live in, of course it should be nice."

Oh…

Jiang Luo sighed inwardly.

He truly felt that Huo Zongzhuo was exceptionally good to him.

Jiang Luo looked at Huo Zongzhuo, unsure what to say or what expression to wear.

He was a man of inherent pride and high self-esteem, yet at this moment, all he felt was profound gratitude and emotion.

Truly, Huo Zongzhuo was incredibly good to him.

"Dad~ Dad~"

Unable to express the myriad thoughts swirling within him, Jiang Luo finally opened his arms, walked towards the man, and embraced Huo Zongzhuo.

As they hugged, Jiang Luo closed his eyes and murmured, "How can you be so good to me?"

"Am I really your biological child?"

Huo Zongzhuo's soft laughter brushed against Jiang Luo's ear.

Jiang Luo sighed again, "This must have cost a fortune, right? Really expensive?"

More than that—this wasn't the kind of place money alone could buy.

If it could be bought, Jiang Luo could imagine the immense effort Huo Zongzhuo must have expended.

Jiang Luo sighed once more, "Occasionally, you should be a little harder on me."

"Otherwise, I'll start wondering if I really am your biological child."

"And then I'll think, since you're so good to me, maybe I'll end up having to repay you by marrying you and becoming Mrs. Huo."

Huo Zongzhuo was so amused that his chest visibly shook with laughter.

He also extended his arm, placing a hand on Jiang Luo's back in a gentle embrace, and said softly, "Now that you have your own place, check out of the hotel and move in."

"Don't always stay in hotels. Everyone needs a stable home."

"I know you don't care where you live, but I do."

"It worries me, you always staying in hotels."

Huo Zongzhuo added, "Wang Junqing, whom you just met, is my man. He's trustworthy and reliable. You can use him with confidence."

"Let him drive for you, run errands for you. When necessary, he can also protect you and handle things you find inconvenient."

Ah…

Jiang Luo sighed again, tightening his embrace as he said, "How can there be someone like you in this world?"

So good to him.

Huo Zongzhuo smiled, gently patting Jiang Luo's back, and said warmly, "We're close; we even celebrated New Year's together. Of course, I'll treat you well."

"From now on, you'll live here. Pick a room you like."

Jiang Luo: "This one works."

With "Overnight Fortune" and "Richest Man in Haicheng."

"You'll live next to me."

That settled it.

"Okay."

Huo Zongzhuo had no objections.

Jiang Luo closed his eyes again: "Thank you, truly, thank you so much."

Huo Zongzhuo curved his lips, lifted his hand from Jiang Luo's back, and gently ruffled his hair: "Between us, there's no need for such formalities."

Jiang Luo mumbled, "Yeah," adding, "I'm not being formal with you."

Huo Zongzhuo: "I know."

He couldn't help but add patiently in a gentle voice: "If the commute gets tiring or takes too long, just let Wang Junqing drive you."

"He lives nearby too, so it's convenient. He's available whenever you need him."

"If you don't like the furnishings here, choose ones you prefer and replace them."

"You don't have to clean either. We've hired an auntie who will take care of all that. You just focus on the factory and your business."

Jiang Luo, whether he heard or not, muttered into Huo Zongzhuo's shoulder, "Maybe I should just change my name and take your surname, Huo. How about it, Dad?"

Huo Zongzhuo chuckled softly, again ruffling the back of Jiang Luo's head with his palm.

And so, Jiang Luo moved out of the Hilton. The next day, he relocated to Wukang Road.

He also stopped driving himself, handing over his car keys to Wang Junqing and letting him drive.

He had previously inquired with Huo Zongzhuo about Wang Junqing's background and origins. Huo Zongzhuo didn't elaborate much, simply stating, "He used to own mines in Jiangxi. There was an accident at the mine, a few people died, and he was arrested and served several years in prison."

"When he got out, his wife had remarried, and his mother and daughter had passed away. So he started working for me."

"He's trained in Sanda and is in good physical condition. Having him by your side makes me feel a bit more at ease."

So that's how it was.

Jiang Luo also understood that Huo Zongzhuo had arranged for someone trustworthy to protect him because of the previous incident with Guo Ronghai, fearing he might encounter further trouble.

"President Jiang."

Wang Junqing was a man of few words. He took the keys and drove without uttering a single unnecessary word.

As the car headed toward Juxiang Town, Jiang Luo sat in the back and said to him, "I don't care what Mr. Huo is paying you. Since you're with me now, I'll put you on the factory's payroll and formally give you a salary."

"Thank you, President Jiang."

Wang Junqing was steady, both in demeanor and driving.

But when they arrived at the factory, Wang Chuang, seeing this new person, Wang Junqing, with Jiang Luo, felt both curious and somewhat annoyed.

Wang Chuang glanced at the man sitting idly in a corner of the office and muttered to Jiang Luo, "Haven't I been driving you lately? Why is there another driver now?"

"What does he even do?"

He's tall and sturdy—doesn't look like a driver.

Jiang Luo, sitting behind his desk, looked up and glanced at Wang Chuang: "Were you really driving me?"

"You just learned to drive and were using my car to practice. I just happened to be sitting next to you."

"Don't worry about what others do. Focus on your own work."

Wang Chuang probed further: "How do you know this guy? I had no idea you knew someone like him…"

Jiang Luo had no time for such snide comments and barked, "A Qing, get him out of here for me."

Wang Junqing was expressionless. He rose from the sofa, walked over, grabbed Wang Chuang by the collar like a chick, and "escorted" him out.

"Hey, hey, hey! Get your head straight—I'm the deputy factory manager! Hey! Hey!"

Wang Junqing, towering and imposing, didn't need much effort to haul him away.

Jiang Luo smirked, thinking it was good—this guy was indeed handy.

Another person who was petrified by this was Xiao Lu, who now served as Jiang Luo's secretary.

Xiao Lu saw Wang Junqing—over six feet tall, with a robust build, looming like a mountain—standing before him, his shadow completely enveloping him. Expressionless, silent, with deep, intense eyes, he seemed like a murderer-in-waiting in Xiao Lu's view.

Xiao Lu was clearly afraid. Facing Wang Junqing, his smile was strained, and he stammered, "Um, I was wondering, how much do you eat in one meal? Is a pound of rice enough?"

"That way, when I help President Jiang get his meal, I can bring you one too."

Wang Junqing glanced down at him, the height difference making it seem like he was looking at a little chick.

He said to the "chick," "I don't eat that much—a pound is excessive. I'm not a bottomless pit."

"Ah… ha, haha, really? Haha, my mistake."

Xiao Lu thought to himself: Does President Jiang really have to hire someone like this as a driver?

So intimidating—he doesn't look like a driver, more like a killer… no, hired muscle, like hired muscle.

He won't hit me, will he? QAQ