Although Li Xingye couldn't see Chi Wan's expression, he could tell from her happy tone just how pleased she was with the treehouse.
He chuckled. "I'm glad you like it. I wove some insect-repelling herbs into the vines, so you won't have to worry about bugs."
'Oh my god, he's so thoughtful!'
Chi Wan was screaming internally, but she put on her best behavior and showered him with compliments. "Thank you, Brother Xingye~ You're the most, most, most amazing master I've ever met! Bar none!"
Li Xingye remained perfectly calm. "I'm also the only superpower user you've ever met."
That may have been what he said, but his lips betrayed him, curving into an honest smile.
Hearing this, Chi Wan replied with a completely straight face, "So what? To me, even if you bundled up all the superpower users in the world, they wouldn't be worth a single strand of Brother Xingye's hair~"
The sheer force of her flattery made it impossible for Li Xingye to keep his grin in check.
He gave a slight, concealing cough. "I'll go take care of the stove for you."
With that, he logged off without looking back.
Chi Wan blinked, wondering, 'Is it just my imagination, or does the air fill with a sense of panicked retreat every time I praise Li Xingye?'
'It can't be... that the master is shy, can it?'
Chi Wan was amused by her own theory, but then she remembered how flustered Li Xingye had been about holding hands and thought that maybe, just maybe, her feeling was right.
For a moment, she found herself wondering what the real Li Xingye was actually like.
*
"Mom, Dad, what are you spacing out for? Go on, take a look inside."
Chi Wan's urging finally snapped Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe out of their shock.
"This... that young man made this, too?"
When Chi Wan nodded, Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe exchanged a look, both feeling that their initial impression of Li Xingye might need another revision.
But they were naturally thrilled to have a proper place to live; after all, it solved their most pressing problem.
Only after they went inside and looked around did they discover that the house was even more well-equipped than they had imagined.
Upstairs were two spacious bedrooms, while downstairs held a living room and two smaller, empty rooms.
The living room was fully furnished with a sofa, table, and chairs. Although they were all woven from vines, they looked sturdy and chic.
The vine ladder outside was purely for Chi Wan to play with; the house had a normal staircase inside.
Li Xingye had even thoughtfully left space for a toilet and bathroom, and had run a drainage system using underground vines.
Aside from the fact that it wasn't suited for open flames, meaning there was no stove for now, it was a residence comparable to a vacation home once the appliances were installed. Chi Yuanshan couldn't stop praising it.
Chi Wan added proudly, "Brother Xingye said he laid electrical wiring underground for the other small house, so all we need to do is buy the materials and have someone connect it. Oh, right, he also said he'd take care of the stove. So, how about that? I picked a great helper, didn't I~"
This time, not even Chi Yuanshan, a protective father who was wary of any male who came near Chi Wan, could find a single bad thing to say about Li Xingye.
The other small house also only had a bathroom and no kitchen, but thankfully, Chi Wan's space was fully stocked with food and water. So the family decided to have their "housewarming dinner" in the small yard of the treehouse.
After dinner, Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe went for a patrol around the orchard, while Chi Wan leaned back lazily on the swing, stargazing and thinking about her future plans.
The orchard problem was basically solved. With the thickets of thorns Li Xingye had set up, it would be very difficult for the villagers to cause any more trouble in secret.
As for Liu Dali and his crew, they couldn't stir up any trouble before they were released from prison. And by the time they got out, Chi Wan was confident her family's situation would be completely different.
Therefore, Chi Wan didn't pay them much mind—after all, having witnessed Li Xingye's ability to build a villa with his bare hands, her sense of security was through the roof.
Once this batch of fruit ripened and was sold successfully, she might even be able to covertly cash in some of her "spatial assets."
Even if she couldn't sell them... couldn't she just "sell" them to Li Xingye? After all, he'd already paid for the goods in advance.
Chi Wan couldn't help but think of the new, large storage container she had seen in her space when she was getting dinner.
The jewels inside were the kind that could make you dizzy for half an hour just by looking at them.
On one hand, she felt it was an insult to their value that these pieces, each easily worth eight or nine figures, were unceremoniously piled into a storage container like cheap trinkets.
On the other hand, she felt that if she ever voiced such thoughts, she'd probably be chased down and beaten for ten straight blocks.
'Ah, what a sweet problem to have.'
"How can I safely turn you all into the balance in my bank account..." Chi Wan murmured, stroking the brilliant, shimmering gemstones one by one.
At that moment, Chi Wan had no idea that the opportunity to cash in that she was so eagerly awaiting would soon appear, all thanks to an accident.
*
After the best night's sleep she'd had since returning to the village, Chi Wan woke up to a view full of lush green, feeling completely rejuvenated.
When she went downstairs, Chi Yuanshan and Song Yinghe had just returned from outside, apparently from another patrol of the orchard. Both seemed to be in high spirits.
Seeing that Chi Wan was awake, Song Yinghe started talking about the fruit trees and the bountiful fruit hanging from their branches, unable to stop smiling. "Wanwan, you have no idea. I've never seen such easy-to-manage fruit trees. Forget bugs, there aren't even any weeds, and the fruit growing on them is such a joyous sight!"
Chi Yuanshan nodded in agreement. "Yes, it really fills you with hope."
Chi Wan handed each of them a carton of milk and took out a bag of toast. "Hurry and eat," she said with a grin. "After we're done, we'll go hire someone to install the electricity and water, and then we'll get the internet set up right away~"
Chi Yuanshan, no longer downcast as before, responded with a voice full of renewed vigor.
After their meal, the three of them drove into the city.
If you had to name one good thing Liu Dali ever did, it was building a road that led directly from the orchard to the village entrance.
The family chatted and laughed on their way to the city, planning to buy all the necessary appliances at once.
Guessing that her parents were probably short on cash, Chi Wan transferred all her remaining money to Song Yinghe in one go.
Song Yinghe didn't want to accept it at first, but Chi Wan stopped her with a single sentence: "Mom, I heard what you two were talking about yesterday."
"Don't worry, Mom," Chi Wan said with a smile. "Even though I can't exchange the high-value funds, I still have plenty of smaller items. Cashing them in little by little will give us a substantial income, more than enough for our current expenses. Once we get through this period, we can get rich from our family's orchard~"
Song Yinghe had no choice but to accept it.
After they divided up the shopping list, Chi Wan once again headed straight for that familiar pawn shop.
Although the owner had casually tried to probe into her situation last time, he did offer a fair price. Besides, Chi Wan hadn't sensed any ill intent from him.
But this time, the moment she stepped into the shop, she saw someone completely unexpected.