Yusuf Zuck’s dinner was at Ember Vance’s home. Actually, after dropping Anna Cooke back at school, he didn’t go to Garden Road but to a nearby vegetable market to buy some groceries, then headed to Ember Vance’s place.
Although he didn’t have a key, entering Ember Vance’s home wasn’t a problem for him.
By the time Ember Vance got off work and returned home, Yusuf had already prepared four dishes and a soup.
Ember didn’t say it, but she had braved dangers for him several times, so Yusuf felt very grateful to her in his heart.
Ember was very happy, filled with a sense of happiness, looking at Yusuf busying himself serving her food and pouring her soup, she suddenly felt that everything she had done for this bad guy was worth it.
After dinner, the two leaned on the sofa to watch some TV, and also chatted about the experiences they had when they first met, laughing merrily together.
Beyond caressing her or giving her a kiss, Yusuf didn’t cross any boundaries, and didn’t even put his hands under her clothes like before.
When he used to annoy her, he could be frivolous and tease her, but now, doing so would be disrespectful to her.
At eleven o’clock at night, Yusuf drove back to his new villa in Haidian. He hadn’t lived in this new villa since he bought it. Instead, Miles O’Brien had been residing there. She now had a house and a car, and some of Yusuf’s money was with her, so she was very content.
There were two villas, the larger one belonged to Sara Zuck, and the smaller one was hers; Yusuf drove straight into her yard.
Miles O’Brien, wearing pajamas, ran out, her face beaming with joy.
Miles didn’t have to say anything; just Yusuf’s visit seemed to be her greatest happiness. Overnight, she made a pot of soup, mutton and gut soup, to warm the body and strengthen health.
While making the soup, she also prepared a basin of hot water for Yusuf to soak his feet in, and Yusuf just watched her busily running back and forth.
In that moment, she was like a little wife, joyfully waiting for her loved one to come home.
Yusuf had complex feelings. There were some things he didn’t need to say out loud; Miles could guess them, yet she asked nothing. She didn’t care about his daily whereabouts or where he stayed, except for matters related to the shop.
And it was this lack of questioning that filled Yusuf with immense guilt.
After soaking his feet and having soup, Miles was about to wash the soup bowls clean late at night, but Yusuf didn’t wait for her to turn around, he just lifted her by the waist and carried her off to the bedroom. Follow current novels on novel·fire.net
"Sleep with me, and let’s talk about life!" Yusuf tossed her onto the bed, then turned off the lights, and then Miles O’Brien’s happy giggles rang out.
After their passionate encounter, neither could sleep, and they lay in bed talking about the future, of course, regarding business, not the future of their relationship.
Both deliberately avoided the topic of their relationship.
"How much money do you still have?" Yusuf asked.
"Around ten million?" Miles thought for a moment, "Less than sixteen million now. After you sold those Jade Artifacts last time, the money has been with me. Then, I spent some on decorating the new shop, paying rent, and such. I also replaced some things in both villas, which cost a bit, so yeah, a little over fifteen million."
"Just keep it then. That money is for business expenses, like Anna Cooke’s salary, and the working capital for purchasing antiques on a day-to-day basis!"
"Mmm," Miles O’Brien nodded.
"I still have over fifty million left, but it’s not enough. Winter is coming, and after winter, we’ll need money for next spring, so I’ll have to make a trip abroad soon," Yusuf Zuck calculated his remaining funds.
He had bought houses, villas, cars, and even sent ten million to old Xu. Therefore, from nearly a hundred million in funds, he had already spent close to fifty million like water. Most importantly, he still owed sixty million in outside debts. Although both Mia and Ruth Wilcox hadn’t pressed him to repay, he knew he would have to pay it back sooner or later.
"What are you going abroad for?" Miles O’Brien somewhat knew about Yusuf Zuck’s former boss and that the boss had gone to the United States, so she assumed Yusuf Zuck was going to the United States to find his former boss.
"To make money, of course. My passport will be ready in a few more days, and by then I’ll go abroad to seek a fortune. I aim to have enough capital to invest in the jade stone gambling market before next year’s event. If I’m going to earn, I’m going to win it big!" Yusuf Zuck was resolute; he wanted to make more money so one day he could outdo the wealth of the Nash family!
"Actually, we have enough money," Miles O’Brien whispered as she laid on Yusuf Zuck’s chest. "So many people struggle their whole lives just to earn enough for one house. But look at you, in just a short time, you’ve already bought four properties in the capital, right? Plus a shop and so much in savings. I really don’t want you going overseas!" Miles O’Brien snuggled up to him, coaxing playfully.
"Hehe, you don’t understand," Yusuf Zuck gently caressed Miles O’Brien. "Before me, there are several big mountains, and not only do they block my way, but one day rocks might fall from these mountains and crush me to death. So, I need to work hard now to build my own big mountain as soon as possible. When my mountain is taller than the others, they won’t be able to crush me anymore!"
"I don’t understand. What...what do these mountains represent?" Miles O’Brien asked, puzzled.
"You don’t need to ask about this. I have enemies, all from old grudges. They’re very powerful. If the old me had achieved what I have now, I would have been content with moderate wealth. But the current me wants to play a bigger game because I now have the capital and the strength," Yusuf Zuck straightened his back and said.
"You’re so bad. If you have strength, you have strength. Why..."
"Haha, this is to prove to you that old man has solid strength," Yusuf Zuck laughed heartily, then turned over and sang his song of triumph once more.
On November 12, Felix Zuck was discharged from the hospital. On the day of his discharge, together with Sara Zuck, the whole family bustled about and warmly welcomed the old man to the villa in Haidian District.
Although the villa was under Sara Zuck’s name, it was also her first time there, and she was absolutely astounded. She couldn’t imagine how her brother had made his fortune, and how he managed to buy such a grand house in the capital, with three floors, a basement, and even an outdoor swimming pool.
Felix Zuck was very satisfied. He could walk and move around, and he occasionally strolled through the courtyard. Yusuf Zuck also suggested Sara Zuck move back in, as the university wasn’t strictly managing boarding affairs, with many female students living off-campus with roommates, and local students in Beijing typically living at home.
Sara Zuck didn’t refuse because she also wanted to stay at home and accompany her father.
Of course, Yusuf Zuck’s reason for having Sara Zuck move back was that this way, Samuel Ross and the others wouldn’t have to keep a nightly vigil anymore. With winter approaching and having to trouble them every midnight, Yusuf Zuck couldn’t bear it anymore.
The day Felix Zuck moved back, Samuel Ross and the others also moved in with their luggage. Yusuf Zuck was also coming back to live there. With three floors and over a dozen rooms, there was more than enough space for everyone, and the old man preferred a lively atmosphere.
The family moved to a new residence and joyously welcomed the old man’s discharge from the hospital. Miles O’Brien and the nurse, Paisley Kirk, were in charge of cooking, with Sara Zuck assisting. The three women prepared a large table of dishes in the kitchen.
That evening, just as everyone was ready to dine and had already taken their seats, Yusuf Zuck’s phone rang. The caller ID showed it was a call from Ruth Wilcox from the United States.
Yusuf Zuck picked up the phone and answered the call as he went upstairs.
"Yusuf Zuck, something’s happened, Mia has disappeared!" Ruth Wilcox cried on the phone.