“Why should we believe you?” Guo Jian said coldly. He and Guo Yi were indeed independent cultivators. By now, they were both in their thirties. When they were in their teens, they had encountered a storm while herding cattle and took shelter in a mountain stream at the foot of the mountain. They unintentionally discovered a hidden cave, where they found a cultivation manual, thus, they began their journey on the path of cultivation.
Fortunately, their talents were decent, and in just over a decade, they reached the Middle stage of the Foundation Establishment stage. Due to their obsession with cultivation, they hadn’t even married. The fact that Huangfu Yuchen knew so much about them made them uneasy.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled faintly, “As you saw earlier, I can teleport. Only my partner and I know this secret. Do you think I would let you leave alive?”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi were taken aback. Huangfu Yuchen could kill them as easily as crushing ants.
After a moment, Guo Jian said, “We agree.”
“Big brother?” Guo Yi was surprised.
Guo Jian shook his head at him. In their current situation, they had no choice but to agree.
With a wave of his right hand, Huangfu Yuchen released them from the immobilization.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi exchanged glances, approached, and each picked up a cup of tea to take a sip.
Huangfu Yuchen raised his hand again, and the various items they had brought from the cave neatly appeared on the ground.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi were astonished once more. Although they were independent cultivators, they had interacted with other cultivators and had a decent knowledge of cultivation. They were aware that Huangfu Yuchen must possess a storage artifact. In the current cultivation world, ancient weapons were scarce, and storage artifacts were even rarer, only found in those well-established sects. However, they had never heard of Huangfu Yuchen’s name before. Who exactly was he?
Huangfu Yuchen dialed a number on his phone, “Xiao Ge, I’m back. Where are you?”
There was no reply, but the door opened.
Huangfu Yuchen looked up as Yan Ge entered, waving his phone. He looked at Huangfu Yuchen with a smile and then glanced at Guo Jian and Guo Yi.
“These are the people I’ve invited over for the second service office. The two brothers Guo Jian and Guo Yi,” Huangfu Yuchen walked over to Yan Ge and took the fruit basket in his hands that contained oranges and apples, each one full and ripe, and the apples a vibrant red.
“Hello, I’m Yan Ge. Try some of the fruits from the farm,” Yan Ge said as he casually grabbed two pieces of fruit from the basket and handed them to Guo Jian and Guo Yi.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi took the fruits in silence, but Yan Ge had an amiable appearance and a smile, it made it hard to feel any dislike towards him.
Yan Ge then took out two spirit stones from his spatial storage and handed them over, saying with a smile, “Here’s a little welcome gift. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future.” He knew that Huangfu Yuchen’s “invitation” certainly wasn’t a true invitation, but he wasn’t opposed to this manner of interaction. In the world of cultivation, strength was respected. Even if Guo Jian and Guo Yi were reluctant, they had no means to resist. Moreover, there was no ill intent towards them from him and Huangfu Yuchen. If they could peacefully coexist, that would be even better.
Before they even took the spirit stones, Guo Jian and Guo Yi sensed the surging spiritual energy.
Guo Yi looked at Ya Ge in astonishment, and asked uncertainly, “Could this be the legendary spirit stone?”
Yan Ge nodded, “But only for today.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi exchanged a glance. There was no harm in accepting benefits, especially since they had no hope of escaping. They could only take it step by step.
Huangfu Yuchen took a map from the coffee table and handed it to Guo Jian, “This is the map of the farm. You’ll be working in the second service office from now on. Your living quarters are behind it-it’s two rooms and a living room. My partner and I won’t interfere with your freedom, but there are two requirements: first, you can’t disclose anything about me and my partner; second, no matter how you arrange your schedules, at least one of you must be working. Working hours are from 7 AM to 10 PM. Sundays are off.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi accepted the map and nodded.
Yan Ge took out a duffel bag from his spatial storage and handed it to them, patting their shoulders with a smile, “The farm is quite interesting. You can leave your luggage in your lodging first and then explore around. Tomorrow, you’ll start working officially.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi put their simple belongings into the duffel bag, left the room, and glanced back. Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were sitting close together, chatting and laughing. For now, it seemed that the two of them didn’t have any ill intent. The two brothers hoped it would stay that way in the future.
“Baby, have you talked to He Xin?” Huangfu Yuchen peeled an apple and asked Yan Ge.
Yan Ge checked the time, turned on the TV, and replied, “Not yet. We’ve arranged to meet tomorrow night for drinks. Will you come?”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Sure.”
Yan Ge leaned against his leg, found a comfortable position, and got ready to continue watching his favorite TV show.
The next day, the snow fell even more heavily, covering everything in a white blanket. When you step in it, the snow would reach halfway up the calves.
Difeng Road had also been thoroughly covered. Yan Ge arranged for the snow to be cleared, ensuring that it didn’t impede the public transportation.
Business at the farm was still thriving.
As evening approached, Yan and Huangfu Yuchen took the bus into the city. They were going to have a drink, so driving wasn’t an option.
Most of the frequent visitors to the farm had gotten to know the two proprietors quite well. Seeing the two handsome men board the bus one after the other and take seats in the back row, they found it quite pleasing to the eye. Some people still had reservations about same-sex couples, but both of these men were handsome and impeccable manners. Whether male or female, those who saw them couldn’t help but steal a few more glances, mostly out of curiosity.
This was Yan Ge’s first time taking a bus since returning to earth. He looked out of the window curiously, watching the snowflakes fall one by one.
Huangfu Yuchen brushed the snow off Yan Ge’s beanie and scarf. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes held a tender smile.
A few young girls who had been stealing glances blushed and their hearts raced.
They entered the city and then took a taxi to DREAM Bar. DREAM Bar was an elegant establishment, with soft music playing and low conversations among the patrons.
As soon as they walked in, they drew the attention of many people. They murmured with their friends, most of them praising Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen’s looks
He Xin had arrived earlier and waved when he saw them.
The three chatted briefly. After Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen ordered drinks, He Xin smiled and spoke up, “Is there a reason you two wanted to meet me alone?”
They were all friends, and there was no need to beat around the bush so Yan Ge spoke directly, “We want to offer you a high-paying position to help us manage the farm. Are you interested?”
He Xin was about to speak but was interrupted by Yan Ge. “Don’t rush to refuse. Listen to me first. We understand that even if you manage to take back the department store, it will still be quite a hassle. Who knows what kind of situation you and your in-laws will end up in, Miao Miao might be caught in the middle. In that case, why not start your own business independently?”
He Xin leaned back in his chair, took a sip of wine, and sighed, “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. It’s just…”
Huangfu Yuchen added, “It’s just that you don’t have the funds, and you’re unwilling to borrow from friends. Our idea is to hire you as the CEO of the farm and the two of us will step back from managing it directly. Your annual salary will certainly not be low. After a couple of years, the funds to start your own company will be mostly sufficient.”
“That’s one aspect. On the other hand—” Yan Ge took over, “as you can see, many of the people visiting the farm are important people. Once you become the CEO, you can quickly build a new network of connections. Coupled with your previous connections, do you think you’ll have trouble starting a company?”
He Xin looked at them for a moment, then laughed. “You two have successfully persuaded me.”
He raised his glass. “Thank you, my two brothers! I won’t say more unnecessary words.” He then downed his drink. How could he not know that Yan Ge was offering him a helping hand? He would remember this favor.
With the main topic discussed, the three relaxed and enjoyed their drinks, chatting casually about recent interesting events and gossip.
Not far behind them, there was a commotion. Yan Ge recognized the voice of one of the people and turned to look over. His eyebrows raised in surprise.
Yan Yan? And Xiao Shuai. Yan Yan was holding onto Xiao Shuai’s arm, saying something to him. Xiao Shuai seemed patient while listening, but a trace of impatience flashed in his eyes.
What was going on?
“Brother Xiao, I’m hungry. Let’s go have supper,” Yan Yan looked up and smiled at Xiao Shuai.
“No, I have something to do. It’s getting late, you should head home,” Xiao Shuai felt he was really naive. He didn’t know why, but this kid had latched onto him. Before he agreed to help Huangfu Yuchen bring down the Yan family business, he had only seen Yan Yan once. After agreeing to help Huangfu Yuchen, he thoroughly investigated the Yan family and found out that Yan Yan was Yan Jiaqiang’s younger son. To avoid further complications, he hadn’t intended to get too close to Yan Yan. But for some reason, Yan Yan suddenly started clinging to him, and whether he wanted it or not, Yan Yan would act spoiled towards him, sometimes even showing a coquettish side. It made him avoid him as much as possible. Unexpectedly, they met at the bar today, and he was once again accosted by him.
Seeing Yan Ge look back, Huangfu Yuchen followed his gaze and raised his eyebrows with interest.
Yan Ge didn’t want to get involved with Yan Yan. He quickly looked away, feeling puzzled. Wasn’t Yan Yan heterosexual? But the way he looked at Xiao Shuo was very strange, did he think too much?
Huangfu Yuchen grabbed the back of his neck, secretly caressed it twice, and took the opportunity of speaking close to his ear to nibble on his earlobe. “Xiao Shuai is one hundred percent straight. Looks like there will be quite a show.”
Yan Ge’s mouth twitched. If Yan Yan really had feelings for Xiao Shuai, the Yan family was about to get lively again.
Both of them pretended not to notice Yan Yan and Xiao Shuai.
As they had their backs to Xiao Shuai’s direction, he didn’t notice them and left the bar. Yan Yan chased after him.
He Xin also noticed, clicked his tongue, and sighed. The current Yan family was pitiful (excluding Yan Ge who had already distanced himself), he felt really sympathetic for Yan Weifeng.
After sitting for a while, the three of them left. Whether they returned home early or late, it didn’t matter to Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen since their loved one was by their side. He Xin had a family waiting for him, so he headed home.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen left the bar and hailed a taxi by the roadside.
Suddenly, a black sedan skidded on the snowy ground and rushed toward Yan Ge.
Huangfu Yuchen acted quickly, he wrapped his arm around Yan Ge’s waist, and pulled him back a few steps, steadying them both.
The sedan came to a screeching halt about three meters away. A tall man stepped out from the driver’s seat and approached Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
“Sorry—Yan Ge?” The man started speaking and suddenly called out Yan Ge’s name.
Yan Ge felt a sense of familiarity upon hearing his voice. He looked closely, paused for a moment, then let out an “Ah,” his expression turning into an awkward “囧” face. He glanced at Huangfu Yuchen guiltily.
“So it’s President Lin, hehehe, it’s been a while.”
Huangfu Yuchen narrowed his eyes and pinched Yan Ge’s waist hard. What was going on?
Yan Ge forced a dry laugh. This Lin Haoxuan was the man he secretly liked a long time ago. If he hadn’t appeared, he probably wouldn’t have even remembered him. ‘Damn it…’
“Why should we believe you?” Guo Jian said coldly. He and Guo Yi were indeed independent cultivators. By now, they were both in their thirties. When they were in their teens, they had encountered a storm while herding cattle and took shelter in a mountain stream at the foot of the mountain. They unintentionally discovered a hidden cave, where they found a cultivation manual, thus, they began their journey on the path of cultivation.
Fortunately, their talents were decent, and in just over a decade, they reached the Middle stage of the Foundation Establishment stage. Due to their obsession with cultivation, they hadn’t even married. The fact that Huangfu Yuchen knew so much about them made them uneasy.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled faintly, “As you saw earlier, I can teleport. Only my partner and I know this secret. Do you think I would let you leave alive?”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi were taken aback. Huangfu Yuchen could kill them as easily as crushing ants.
After a moment, Guo Jian said, “We agree.”
“Big brother?” Guo Yi was surprised.
Guo Jian shook his head at him. In their current situation, they had no choice but to agree.
With a wave of his right hand, Huangfu Yuchen released them from the immobilization.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi exchanged glances, approached, and each picked up a cup of tea to take a sip.
Huangfu Yuchen raised his hand again, and the various items they had brought from the cave neatly appeared on the ground.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi were astonished once more. Although they were independent cultivators, they had interacted with other cultivators and had a decent knowledge of cultivation. They were aware that Huangfu Yuchen must possess a storage artifact. In the current cultivation world, ancient weapons were scarce, and storage artifacts were even rarer, only found in those well-established sects. However, they had never heard of Huangfu Yuchen’s name before. Who exactly was he?
Huangfu Yuchen dialed a number on his phone, “Xiao Ge, I’m back. Where are you?”
There was no reply, but the door opened.
Huangfu Yuchen looked up as Yan Ge entered, waving his phone. He looked at Huangfu Yuchen with a smile and then glanced at Guo Jian and Guo Yi.
“These are the people I’ve invited over for the second service office. The two brothers Guo Jian and Guo Yi,” Huangfu Yuchen walked over to Yan Ge and took the fruit basket in his hands that contained oranges and apples, each one full and ripe, and the apples a vibrant red.
“Hello, I’m Yan Ge. Try some of the fruits from the farm,” Yan Ge said as he casually grabbed two pieces of fruit from the basket and handed them to Guo Jian and Guo Yi.
Guo Jian and Guo Yi took the fruits in silence, but Yan Ge had an amiable appearance and a smile, it made it hard to feel any dislike towards him.
Yan Ge then took out two spirit stones from his spatial storage and handed them over, saying with a smile, “Here’s a little welcome gift. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future.” He knew that Huangfu Yuchen’s “invitation” certainly wasn’t a true invitation, but he wasn’t opposed to this manner of interaction. In the world of cultivation, strength was respected. Even if Guo Jian and Guo Yi were reluctant, they had no means to resist. Moreover, there was no ill intent towards them from him and Huangfu Yuchen. If they could peacefully coexist, that would be even better.
Before they even took the spirit stones, Guo Jian and Guo Yi sensed the surging spiritual energy.
Guo Yi looked at Ya Ge in astonishment, and asked uncertainly, “Could this be the legendary spirit stone?”
Yan Ge nodded, “But only for today.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi exchanged a glance. There was no harm in accepting benefits, especially since they had no hope of escaping. They could only take it step by step.
Huangfu Yuchen took a map from the coffee table and handed it to Guo Jian, “This is the map of the farm. You’ll be working in the second service office from now on. Your living quarters are behind it-it’s two rooms and a living room. My partner and I won’t interfere with your freedom, but there are two requirements: first, you can’t disclose anything about me and my partner; second, no matter how you arrange your schedules, at least one of you must be working. Working hours are from 7 AM to 10 PM. Sundays are off.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi accepted the map and nodded.
Yan Ge took out a duffel bag from his spatial storage and handed it to them, patting their shoulders with a smile, “The farm is quite interesting. You can leave your luggage in your lodging first and then explore around. Tomorrow, you’ll start working officially.”
Guo Jian and Guo Yi put their simple belongings into the duffel bag, left the room, and glanced back. Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were sitting close together, chatting and laughing. For now, it seemed that the two of them didn’t have any ill intent. The two brothers hoped it would stay that way in the future.
“Baby, have you talked to He Xin?” Huangfu Yuchen peeled an apple and asked Yan Ge.
Yan Ge checked the time, turned on the TV, and replied, “Not yet. We’ve arranged to meet tomorrow night for drinks. Will you come?”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Sure.”
Yan Ge leaned against his leg, found a comfortable position, and got ready to continue watching his favorite TV show.
The next day, the snow fell even more heavily, covering everything in a white blanket. When you step in it, the snow would reach halfway up the calves.
Difeng Road had also been thoroughly covered. Yan Ge arranged for the snow to be cleared, ensuring that it didn’t impede the public transportation.
Business at the farm was still thriving.
As evening approached, Yan and Huangfu Yuchen took the bus into the city. They were going to have a drink, so driving wasn’t an option.
Most of the frequent visitors to the farm had gotten to know the two proprietors quite well. Seeing the two handsome men board the bus one after the other and take seats in the back row, they found it quite pleasing to the eye. Some people still had reservations about same-sex couples, but both of these men were handsome and impeccable manners. Whether male or female, those who saw them couldn’t help but steal a few more glances, mostly out of curiosity.
This was Yan Ge’s first time taking a bus since returning to earth. He looked out of the window curiously, watching the snowflakes fall one by one.
Huangfu Yuchen brushed the snow off Yan Ge’s beanie and scarf. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes held a tender smile.
A few young girls who had been stealing glances blushed and their hearts raced.
They entered the city and then took a taxi to DREAM Bar. DREAM Bar was an elegant establishment, with soft music playing and low conversations among the patrons.
As soon as they walked in, they drew the attention of many people. They murmured with their friends, most of them praising Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen’s looks
He Xin had arrived earlier and waved when he saw them.
The three chatted briefly. After Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen ordered drinks, He Xin smiled and spoke up, “Is there a reason you two wanted to meet me alone?”
They were all friends, and there was no need to beat around the bush so Yan Ge spoke directly, “We want to offer you a high-paying position to help us manage the farm. Are you interested?”
He Xin was about to speak but was interrupted by Yan Ge. “Don’t rush to refuse. Listen to me first. We understand that even if you manage to take back the department store, it will still be quite a hassle. Who knows what kind of situation you and your in-laws will end up in, Miao Miao might be caught in the middle. In that case, why not start your own business independently?”
He Xin leaned back in his chair, took a sip of wine, and sighed, “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. It’s just…”
Huangfu Yuchen added, “It’s just that you don’t have the funds, and you’re unwilling to borrow from friends. Our idea is to hire you as the CEO of the farm and the two of us will step back from managing it directly. Your annual salary will certainly not be low. After a couple of years, the funds to start your own company will be mostly sufficient.”
“That’s one aspect. On the other hand—” Yan Ge took over, “as you can see, many of the people visiting the farm are important people. Once you become the CEO, you can quickly build a new network of connections. Coupled with your previous connections, do you think you’ll have trouble starting a company?”
He Xin looked at them for a moment, then laughed. “You two have successfully persuaded me.”
He raised his glass. “Thank you, my two brothers! I won’t say more unnecessary words.” He then downed his drink. How could he not know that Yan Ge was offering him a helping hand? He would remember this favor.
With the main topic discussed, the three relaxed and enjoyed their drinks, chatting casually about recent interesting events and gossip.
Not far behind them, there was a commotion. Yan Ge recognized the voice of one of the people and turned to look over. His eyebrows raised in surprise.
Yan Yan? And Xiao Shuai. Yan Yan was holding onto Xiao Shuai’s arm, saying something to him. Xiao Shuai seemed patient while listening, but a trace of impatience flashed in his eyes.
What was going on?
“Brother Xiao, I’m hungry. Let’s go have supper,” Yan Yan looked up and smiled at Xiao Shuai.
“No, I have something to do. It’s getting late, you should head home,” Xiao Shuai felt he was really naive. He didn’t know why, but this kid had latched onto him. Before he agreed to help Huangfu Yuchen bring down the Yan family business, he had only seen Yan Yan once. After agreeing to help Huangfu Yuchen, he thoroughly investigated the Yan family and found out that Yan Yan was Yan Jiaqiang’s younger son. To avoid further complications, he hadn’t intended to get too close to Yan Yan. But for some reason, Yan Yan suddenly started clinging to him, and whether he wanted it or not, Yan Yan would act spoiled towards him, sometimes even showing a coquettish side. It made him avoid him as much as possible. Unexpectedly, they met at the bar today, and he was once again accosted by him.
Seeing Yan Ge look back, Huangfu Yuchen followed his gaze and raised his eyebrows with interest.
Yan Ge didn’t want to get involved with Yan Yan. He quickly looked away, feeling puzzled. Wasn’t Yan Yan heterosexual? But the way he looked at Xiao Shuo was very strange, did he think too much?
Huangfu Yuchen grabbed the back of his neck, secretly caressed it twice, and took the opportunity of speaking close to his ear to nibble on his earlobe. “Xiao Shuai is one hundred percent straight. Looks like there will be quite a show.”
Yan Ge’s mouth twitched. If Yan Yan really had feelings for Xiao Shuai, the Yan family was about to get lively again.
Both of them pretended not to notice Yan Yan and Xiao Shuai.
As they had their backs to Xiao Shuai’s direction, he didn’t notice them and left the bar. Yan Yan chased after him.
He Xin also noticed, clicked his tongue, and sighed. The current Yan family was pitiful (excluding Yan Ge who had already distanced himself), he felt really sympathetic for Yan Weifeng.
After sitting for a while, the three of them left. Whether they returned home early or late, it didn’t matter to Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen since their loved one was by their side. He Xin had a family waiting for him, so he headed home.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen left the bar and hailed a taxi by the roadside.
Suddenly, a black sedan skidded on the snowy ground and rushed toward Yan Ge.
Huangfu Yuchen acted quickly, he wrapped his arm around Yan Ge’s waist, and pulled him back a few steps, steadying them both.
The sedan came to a screeching halt about three meters away. A tall man stepped out from the driver’s seat and approached Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
“Sorry—Yan Ge?” The man started speaking and suddenly called out Yan Ge’s name.
Yan Ge felt a sense of familiarity upon hearing his voice. He looked closely, paused for a moment, then let out an “Ah,” his expression turning into an awkward “囧” face. He glanced at Huangfu Yuchen guiltily.
“So it’s President Lin, hehehe, it’s been a while.”
Huangfu Yuchen narrowed his eyes and pinched Yan Ge’s waist hard. What was going on?
Yan Ge forced a dry laugh. This Lin Haoxuan was the man he secretly liked a long time ago. If he hadn’t appeared, he probably wouldn’t have even remembered him. ‘Damn it…’
