chapter 9 Are you qualified ===

"No, no more, you go to sleep. I'll sleep on this side." Thorpe Chen quickly helped her lay down, then turned off the light, and slept on the accompanying bed. In the darkness, Gloria Ye gave a faint smile, a look of happiness as she closed her eyes. After staying in the hospital for two days, Gloria Ye insisted on being discharged, feeling that continuing to stay would mean owing others favours. Thorpe Chen couldn't persuade her, and after her recuperation for two days, she felt much better, so they left the hospital. "Honey, where are we going? This isn't the way home." In the taxi, Gloria Ye asked in surprise. "We're moving to a new place. The old place was too small, and the environment wasn't good, I'm afraid it might affect our baby." Thorpe Chen replied. Indeed, the old rented house from Bess Liu was a dilapidated building from the 1970s, damp and dark. Most of its neighbours were migrant workers, and there was a high turnover. Since Adolf Lin had given a house, it made sense to move there. Biyue Lake Villa District was among the top ten wealthy areas in Fengling City, half of it adjacent to Biyue Lake and surrounded by water on three sides. Moreover, the area around it was a business and administrative centre, making it the best place in the new district. Although Fengling didn't compare to the major first-tier cities in the country, its economic strength closely followed. The villa prices in the central area were impressive. When Gloria Ye got out of the car and saw the standalone villa in front of her, she was stunned. It had three levels with over 600 square meters of usable area, front and back yards, a private swimming pool, a garden, and 24-hour butler service. It was truly the standard of the rich. "Honey, why are we here?" Gloria Ye asked urgently. "This is our home. We'll live here from now on." Thorpe Chen laughed. "Stop joking. This is Fengling's most upscale rich area. We can't even afford the property fees." Gloria Ye exclaimed. "I'm serious, this is our home." Thorpe Chen replied earnestly. "Tell me what's going on." Gloria Ye, feeling bewildered, said. A few days ago, she was borrowing money everywhere for Thorpe Chen's gambling debts, and they were squeezed into a shabby rented room of just over 20 square meters. How did they suddenly move to an upscale villa district? "I did a favour for someone. They knew where I lived wasn't great, and they happened to have a vacant villa, so they let me live there for now." Thorpe Chen didn't tell her the whole truth, fearing she wouldn't accept it. "How can we live in someone else's house?" Gloria Ye took Thorpe Chen's hand and began to leave. "It's okay if we're poor, but we can't keep owing favours to others." "Honey, I'm not living here for free. They also have something they need my help with." Thorpe Chen pulled her back, smiling. "I told you I'd make you happy in the future. I wasn't just saying it." "Honey..." Gloria Ye's voice quivered, almost in tears. "Let's go home," Thorpe Chen smiled. Gloria Ye nodded and, hand in hand with Thorpe Chen, turned to walk towards the villa. Just then, a surprised voice rang out, "Gloria Ye, what are you doing here?" They both turned around and saw a tall woman in a property management uniform standing behind them. It was Chris Li, Gloria Ye's former colleague who had resigned not long ago. "Chris Li, it's you!" Gloria Ye exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" "I thought sales couldn’t provide me with a bright future, so I applied for a job at Biyue Lake property management. I was a good fit, so I was assigned here as a housekeeper. I serve very important and influential people here." "What are you two doing here?" Chris Li suddenly adopted a superior attitude as if she was something special. "We live here," Gloria Ye said, taking Chris Li's hand with a smile. "Chris Li, we'll be seeing each other a lot now." "You live here? Did you divorce and then marry a wealthy boss?" Chris Li looked disdainful. "I'm not saying this to hurt you, but you should've found a rich man a long time ago. You're so pretty. What good is it to be with that gambler Thorpe Chen?" "Ahem..." Thorpe Chen behind them coughed awkwardly. "Gloria, let's go home." "Thorpe Chen, you're here too? You didn't get a divorce?" Chris Li was taken aback. "What are you talking about, Chris Li? Why would we divorce?" Gloria Ye said, "This house is from my husband's friend..." "Ha, Gloria Ye, you're not going to say this house belongs to Thorpe Chen, are you?" Chris Li interrupted her with a mocking face. "If he worked a legitimate job for a hundred years, he couldn't even buy a swimming pool here." "Is there a problem with the house being mine?" Thorpe Chen frowned slightly in displeasure. "Haha, that's hilarious. Thorpe Chen, when you brag, could you at least choose something we might believe?" Chris Li laughed heartily. "Do you know how much this house costs?" "I don't. How much?" Thorpe Chen asked. "This is the new administrative and commercial center of Fengling City. The housing price is 50,000 per square meter. The smallest apartment here costs at least 20 million. Are you saying you have a house here?" Chris Li said with a mocking smile. "That expensive? I really didn't know," Thorpe Chen laughed. "Thorpe Chen, I don't mean to look down on you, but even if someone gave you a house here for free, you couldn't afford to live in it. Do you know the kind of people who live here, considering the paltry salary your wife makes? She wouldn't even be able to afford the maintenance fees," Chris Li sneered. "I really don't know, it's my first time here. Who lives here?" Thorpe Chen inquired. "All the residents here are major business tycoons, with a net worth starting in the hundreds of millions. The cheapest car here worth at least two million. Thorpe Chen, I know you're trying to impress your wife, but I'd advise you to leave. This isn't the place for your tall tales," Chris Li said, feigning concern. "Chris Li, Thorpe Chen is not the same man he used to be. Please stop looking at him through your old perspective," Gloria Ye said angrily. "Gloria Ye, only a fool like you would still have hope in him. I can't fathom why, given your good situation, you work yourself to the bone to support him, and then let him abuse you day in and day out. You must truly be masochistic," Chris Li said disdainfully. "Chris Li, try saying that again," Thorpe Chen's face darkened instantly. Criticizing him was one thing, but insulting his wife was crossing the line. "What? Am I wrong? Do you want to get physical? Believe me, with one phone call, I can have both of you thrown out. This is a wealthy area, not for people like you to just waltz in," Chris Li said, looking arrogant. "Heh, you, a mere servant, feel superior?" Thorpe Chen scoffed. "I call it providing service, something a bumpkin like you will never understand," Chris Li replied smugly. "Did your 'service' take you to someone else's bed?" Thorpe Chen glanced at her and continued, "Came to this rich area, flaunting yourself, hoping to snag a rich man and marry him? Chris Li, no offense, but with your level, you don't even qualify to be someone's mistress."