Xiao Li nodded vigorously, already adding Jiang Wenxi to his “absolutely must not offend” list.
Inside the car, Jiang Wenxi leaned back in her seat, gazing at the scenery outside the window.
The roads inside the Tan Palace were extremely wide, lined with precious trees and shrubs, and every now and then, several gardeners in uniform could be seen pruning the branches.
There were almost no other vehicles on the road; occasionally, a few electric scooters would pass by, which were staff members of the villa patrolling.
“This road is quite long,” Jiang Wenxi muttered to herself, a knowing glint in her eyes. “Without a car, it would be difficult to move an inch.”
[Host, the Tan Palace covers a total area of 47,384.6 square meters and has only 18 villas.] The system’s voice rang out at the opportune moment, carrying a hint of popular science: “Moreover, each of these 18 villas was designed by top designers, showcasing 18 completely different architectural styles, making them veritable works of art in the architectural world. Most importantly, the people who live here aren’t just those who are rich.”
Jiang Wenxi’s heart skipped a beat.
She only knew that Tan Palace was a top-tier luxury residence in Shanghai, but she had no idea there were so many intricacies involved.
Being rich wasn’t enough?
That implied that the residents here were all extremely wealthy and powerful—either business tycoons, prominent families, or even some hidden bigwigs.
In that case, she, the owner of Villa No. 1 who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, would likely soon attract attention.
Jiang Wenxi’s guess was correct.
Just as her car slowly drove along the tree-lined avenue towards Villa No. 1, the news that “Villa No. 1 of Tan Palace welcomes a new owner” had already spread silently to the other 17 villas as if it had grown wings.
Inside a Chinese-style villa, a lady in a cheongsam was enjoying tea in the tea room. Hearing her maid’s report, she paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: “The new owner of Villa No. 1? Whose daughter is she?”
The maid respectfully replied, “I heard from security that she’s a young woman surnamed Jiang, accompanied by a very imposing old butler in a Rolls-Royce Phantom.”
The lady raised an eyebrow, put down her teacup, and a meaningful smile played on her lips: “Surname Jiang? I don’t think there’s anyone with that surname in the prestigious families of Shanghai, is there? Interesting. I’ll have to see where this little girl came from.”
In another French-style villa, a young man in a casual suit was playing golf. Hearing his assistant’s report, his swing paused, and the golf ball tumbled into the hole.
“Miss Jiang?” The man chuckled, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. “Villa No. 1 has been vacant for so long, it finally has an owner. Investigate her background; I’d like to know what kind of person could acquire such a prime piece of land.”
For a moment, an invisible cloud seemed to rise above the Tan Palace.
Everyone was curious about the background of this suddenly appearing Miss Jiang.
Inside Villa No. 3, the Chinese-style living room was antique and elegant, the rosewood tables and chairs gleaming with a warm luster, and a traditional Chinese landscape painting hanging on the wall, its artistic conception profound.
Fu Mingxuan sat in a rosewood chair, leaning slightly forward, his tone carrying an undisguised curiosity:
“Dad, I heard that this Villa No. 1 in Tan Palace has remained unsold for so many years. It’s not just because it’s the largest and best-located of the 18 villas, but also because of the number ‘No. 1,’ which means no one in Shanghai’s social circles dared to claim it easily. Now that it’s suddenly been acquired, do you know who it is?”
Old Master Fu was slowly sipping his tea, his white eyebrows slightly raised, and when he put down his teacup, the bottom of the cup clinked against the tea bowl with a crisp sound. He stroked his goatee, a deep look flashing in his aged eyes, and slowly shook his head: “I don’t know.
This No. 1 Tan Palace has been empty since it was built. Everyone knows what this house means—it’s a symbol of standing at the pinnacle of Shanghai, something that money alone can’t control. In all these years, I’ve never seen anyone in the villa.”
He paused, looking out the window, his gaze falling on the direction of the faintly visible No. 1 villa in the distance, his tone tinged with emotion: “Today, however, is the first time I’ve seen the new owner show up.”
Fu Mingxuan rubbed his fingers, pondering, “Then what do you think, should we prepare some gifts and go visit them? After all, we’re neighbors, we see each other all the time, it’s always good to build a good relationship first.”
But Old Master Fu waved his hand, rejecting the suggestion. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his tone steady, carrying the wisdom of someone who had seen it all:
“No, the owner of Villa No. 1 has been hiding for so many years before suddenly appearing. He’s probably just returned from a long journey and is probably exhausted, needing a good rest. If we suddenly show up, it will seem deliberate and annoy them.”
A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he changed the subject: “Isn’t it my 80th birthday in a couple of days? Have the butler prepare the most respectable invitation and send it to Villa No. 1. We’ll know whether they’re a dragon or a phoenix when we see them.”
“Also,” Old Master Fu’s tone suddenly became serious, and he looked up at Fu Mingxuan, “go and tell the younger generation in the family, and the people in the company, to behave yourselves during this time. The owner of Villa No. 1 is of unknown origin, so don’t cause any trouble at this critical juncture, lest it bring disaster upon the family.”
“Okay, I understand,” Fu Mingxuan quickly replied, his heart also becoming heavy. The fact that the old man was taking this so seriously showed that this new neighbor was definitely not someone to be underestimated.
Meanwhile, similar conversations were unfolding in several other villas in the Tan Palace.
Some were instructing the butler to investigate Miss Jiang’s background; others sat on sofas, fiddling with prayer beads, speculating about the power behind her; still others were preparing invitations for birthday banquets and parties, hoping to find a pretext to meet the mysterious owner of Villa No. 1.
Suddenly, a subtle undercurrent was stirring throughout the entire Tan Palace because of this newly appeared owner.
At this moment, Jiang Wenxi, the subject of everyone’s discussion, stood before the gates of Villa No. 1 in the Tan Palace, her heart skipping a beat at the sight before her.
The majestic European-style villa stood like a castle, its off-white marble walls gleaming in the sunlight. In front of the gate was a meticulously manicured garden, with roses in full bloom.
Two rows of servants in matching black uniforms stood tall on either side of the gate, from butlers and cooks to cleaners and security guards—everyone was present.
As Jiang Wenxi’s car stopped, everyone bowed in unison, their voices echoing in the quiet courtyard: “Welcome home, Miss!”
Jiang Wenxi maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, even with a faint smile on her lips, but inside she was in a complete panic.