Chapter 158: Advising a Breakup Comes with Risks
Chu Feng chatted with Elder Zhuang for a while, then was called away by Zhuang Feixue. Once he left, the old man’s gaze turned to Illya. Illya swayed his head lazily, looking completely unbothered.
“You’re together with Chu Feng?” Elder Zhuang looked at Illya and asked.
Illya nodded seriously. “Yes.”
Elder Zhuang looked at him and pondered for a moment. “You two aren’t suitable to be together.”
Elder Zhuang had seen much in his life. In his circle, some of the younger generation had same-sex partners and even held wedding ceremonies — he had even attended some himself. But just because he was fine with other people’s children dating the same sex didn’t mean he wanted his own grandson to do the same.
“Then what?” Illya asked.
Elder Zhuang was caught off guard. “What do you mean, ‘then what’?”
Illya tilted his head in confusion. “When someone tries to convince someone to do something, aren’t they supposed to offer money? On TV, when people try to break couples up, they always pull out a checkbook.”
Zhuang Cheng, drinking juice off to the side, nearly spat it out. Illya really didn’t play by the rules.
Elder Zhuang looked at Illya. “A checkbook, huh? How much do you want?”
Illya looked him straight in the eye. “Chu Feng recently made 1 billion selling jade and elixirs. He said I can spend all of it if I want.”
Elder Zhuang: “…So, if I give you 1 billion, you’d leave him?”
Illya shook his head. “If you give me 1 billion, I wouldn’t earn anything. Why would I leave him?”
Elder Zhuang: “How much do you want then?”
Illya thought for a moment. “A fortune teller said Chu Feng’s luck has turned. His business will only get better, and within ten years, he’ll probably have 10 billion.”
Zhuang Cheng nearly choked. Ten billion? Did he think money was that easy to make? Then again, his brother really wasn’t ordinary…
Elder Zhuang: “So… you want 10 billion?”
Elder Zhuang had expected Illya to ask for a lot, but he had still underestimated his appetite.
Illya gave him a sidelong glance. “Do you even have that much money?”
Elder Zhuang scowled. “You think I don’t?”
Illya propped his chin with one hand. “Even if you do, it has nothing to do with me!”
Chu Feng said, not all rich people are generous like him. Most are stingy. The richer they are, the more tightfisted they become. Lots of big bosses pretend to be generous, but behind the scenes they’re like glass mice or porcelain cats — not willing to part with a single coin.
“What nonsense are you spewing?” Elder Zhuang said angrily.
Illya lit up. “So you’re giving me 10 billion?”
Elder Zhuang gritted his teeth. “You’re dreaming.”
Illya shook his head. “I knew it.”
Zhuang Cheng blinked at Illya and thought to himself: Where on earth did second brother find this boyfriend? His brain works in the weirdest way. Ten billion?!
That was no small sum. Even though the old man was rich, to come up with 10 billion he’d probably have to sell off companies and buildings.
Zhuang Cheng looked at the speechless old man and gulped down his juice.
Back in his heyday, the old man was a business shark — he must’ve been an eloquent speaker. To be left speechless like this was surely a rare occurrence.
“Grandpa, calm down. Getting angry is bad for your health,” Zhuang Cheng said cautiously.
The old man glared at him. Zhuang Cheng felt completely innocent — Grandpa couldn’t win an argument against Illya, so he took it out on him instead.
Illya looked at the old man, hesitating.
“You’ve got something to say? Spit it out. Don’t act all coy!” the old man snapped.
Illya blinked his eyes at him. “You took a health elixir, didn’t you?”
Zhuang Cheng felt like fireworks exploded in his head.
What is Illya saying? You can’t just say things like that!
The old man nearly leapt out of his chair. “What nonsense is this?!”
Illya rolled his eyes and said, “Oh right, sis changed the name to a ‘health tonic elixir.’ So, you took the health elixir, right?”
Zhuang Cheng looked at his grandfather, worried he might have a stroke and end up in the hospital.
Illya furrowed his brows. “No way. I can’t be wrong — you definitely took it. The ‘health elixir’ is actually pretty strong; it’s not really suitable for general health. Sis only renamed it to save some people’s pride. If you like it, I can ask if there’s a milder version.”
Zhuang Cheng looked at Illya’s serious expression and thought: Is he being genuine? Is this sarcasm? Must be sarcasm… right?
Elder Zhuang ground his teeth. “No need!”
Illya shrugged. “If you don’t want it, fine.”
The ritualist was quite busy. If this old man didn’t want the elixir, that actually saved the ritualist some effort.
Illya shook his head and sighed. “I really think health elixirs shouldn’t just be renamed like that. Chu Feng says most people know what they really are, but there are still a few clueless eggs out there.”
Zhuang Cheng: Illya is an expert at driving people up the wall. This guy can’t be messed with!
Zhuang Cheng secretly glanced at Grandpa and thought: Did he really take it? I might’ve accidentally stumbled upon a major secret.
Beside them, Zhuang Zhenyang glanced at Illya with lingering fear. At a banquet before, Illya had spotted right away that he had taken a elixir — he was completely humiliated. Knowing Illya was coming this time, he hadn’t taken any medicine lately.
Watching the old man’s tragic state, Zhuang Zhenyang silently sighed in relief. Thank goodness. I had the foresight to stop.
Zhuang Zhenyang even snuck a look at the old man, surprised. He had long known that Big Brother’s family was buying elixirs, but he hadn’t expected the old man to be secretly involved too. Feixue probably didn’t even know.
Back then, when Illya tried to sell those sketchy elixirs during dinner, everyone treated it like a joke. But look at them now — the whole family’s sneaking around buying them.
The old man seemed to notice that everyone’s eyes were on him. His face turned red with embarrassment—he felt utterly humiliated.
Illya turned to Zhuang Zhenyang. “President Zhuang, you haven’t been taking your elixirs lately, have you?”
Hearing Illya address him as “President Zhuang” made Zhuang Zhenyang feel a bit uncomfortable. “Out of money?” Illya whispered.
Zhuang Zhenyang turned his face away, feeling deeply ashamed.
Illya tilted her head and said, “If you’re short on money, I can ask Chu Feng to give you a discount.”
Zhuang Zhenyang replied, “No… no need.” Although the elixirs were expensive, he could still afford them.
Zhuang Cheng looked at Illya and said helplessly, “My dad is the boss.” What did Illya think his dad was? As if he’d be short of a few million?
Illya nodded and said, “I know. But Chu Feng told me that a lot of bosses are just figureheads—on the surface they have tons of assets, but in reality, they owe a lot to the bank and have very little cash flow.”
Zhuang Cheng grimaced. “My dad’s not that kind of boss.”
Illya nodded and gave an “Oh,” though it was unclear whether she believed it or not.
Zhuang Cheng thought to himself: Our Zhuang family is wealthy and powerful, so why does Illya act like she looks down on us?
Chu Feng came out and saw the atmosphere was a bit tense.
He looked at Illya and asked, “What are you talking about?”
The old man wanted me to break up with you, but he couldn’t afford the breakup fee.
Zhuang Cheng: Wait, is that what they were talking about?
A hundred-million breakup fee—that is kind of steep.
The old man angrily tapped his cane on the floor. “Absurd!”
Illya looked at the old man. “Okay, you can afford it—you’re just stingy. Don’t get so worked up, old man! What if you pass out?”
Zhuang Cheng thought: This Illya really dares to say anything…
Chu Feng sat down next to Illya, grinning. “Better to tear down ten temples than ruin one marriage. Old man, you really don’t need to waste your energy. You’ve got plenty of younger relatives—go worry about someone else. As for me, I’m a lost cause.”
The old man turned away from Chu Feng, not wanting to say a word to Illya after she exposed his elixir usage. He felt utterly humiliated.
Zhuang Cheng looked at Illya with admiration, thinking: The highest form of provoking someone is probably this—your opponent is nearly having a heart attack, and you’re still completely oblivious.
Illya glanced at the old man. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Zhuang Cheng lowered his head, thinking: Talking to Illya always backfires. Grandpa really suffered this time…
The old man glared at Illya and snapped, “There’s nothing to say.”
Illya nodded. “Oh, then let’s not say anything.”
Looking around, she asked, “Is it time to eat?”
“Let’s eat.”
Isn’t it a bit early for dinner? But since the conversation was going nowhere, an early meal sounded just fine.
The old man looked at Illya and muttered under his breath, “No manners.”
Illya puffed her cheeks. “Let’s eat! What are we eating? I don’t want bugs.”
Zhuang Cheng rolled his eyes. He knew Illya was talking about that baked snail dish from last time. But escargot isn’t a bug—it’s an Italian delicacy.
The old man grumbled, “That dish isn’t on the menu this time.”
Zhuang Cheng nodded. “Good. That duck from last time was great. I want that.”
Zhuang Hecheng: Is Illya placing an order now?
The old man gritted his teeth. “We don’t have that either!”
Illya looked a bit unhappy. “Don’t be so stingy. I can give you some elixirs! If you don’t need them, give them to your son or grandson—someone’s bound to find them useful.”
The old man trembled with rage, his mustache twitching. He hadn’t felt this humiliated in decades.
Zhuang Cheng turned away and said helplessly, “Second brother-in-law, maybe say a little less?” Grandpa is going to blow a fuse…
The old man shot Zhuang Cheng a fierce glare. Second brother-in-law? What the heck is this kid calling Illya now?!
Illya looked at the agitated old man and sighed. “Fine, if you don’t want the elixirs, I’ll just keep them and sell them. One million is enough to buy tens of thousands of ducks anyway.” If the old man really wanted them, she’d be reluctant to give them up—those elixirs are valuable!
Zhuang Cheng: …
The old man looked at Illya and said through clenched teeth, “I’ll have the kitchen make it for you.”
Illya nodded. “Great, thank you!”
Zhuang Cheng: …
Zhuang Zhenyang originally wanted to talk with Illya more, but after witnessing the old man’s fate, he decided not to risk it.
