Chapter 46 Meeting Zhao Qiankun

The talkative taxi driver chattered animatedly, regaling him with all sorts of gossip about Dragon Spring Villa.

Which tycoon was keeping minor celebrities as mistresses, which wealthy socialite had thrown a violent fit out of jealousy, which villa was haunted, which building had terrible feng shui...

Cheng Zhiqiu listened until he was on the verge of falling asleep.

These bits of gossip held zero appeal for him.

After all, in his past life, he had been a tomb robber; what kind of bizarre and extraordinary sights hadn't he seen?

Compared to these mundane and trivial domestic matters, he was far more concerned with the true nature of the counterfeit items in Zhao Qiankun's possession.

An hour later, the taxi pulled up outside the gates of Dragon Spring Villa.

Cheng Zhiqiu paid the fare, got out, and gazed at the magnificent and opulent gates before him, unable to suppress a sigh of admiration.

"They certainly live up to the reputation of having paved golden floors. I reckon these gates must be made of solid gold, right?"

The security guard at the entrance spotted Cheng Zhiqiu and looked him up and down, a trace of undisguised disdain in his eyes.

Today, Cheng Zhiqiu was dressed in casual attire. He looked utterly ordinary, not resembling a wealthy person in the slightest.

"Sir, who are you here to see?" the guard asked in a cold tone.

"I'm here to see Zhao Qiankun," Cheng Zhiqiu replied indifferently.

Upon hearing this, the disdain on the guard's face grew even thicker.

"Mr. Zhao is an esteemed guest of our villa estate; he's not someone just anyone can meet. Did you make an appointment in advance?"

Cheng Zhiqiu sneered inwardly. This guard judged people by their status and actually took him for some nobody off the street?

"An appointment? Do I need one?" Cheng Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow, a teasing note in his voice.

"Of course you do! Without an appointment, there is no way we are letting you in!" the guard stated firmly.

Cheng Zhiqiu retrieved a cigarette from his pocket and leisurely placed it between his lips.

Seeing this, the guard grew even more contemptuous.

"Do you know what kind of place this is? Dragon Spring Villa! Not just any stray cat or dog can waltz in here!"

With that, he reached out, attempting to snatch the cigarette from Cheng Zhiqiu's mouth.

"Smoking is prohibited here, understand?"

With lightning speed, Cheng Zhiqiu dodged the guard's hand, flicked his lighter to ignite the cigarette, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke right into the guard's face.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Choked by the smoke, the guard coughed violently and pointed at Cheng Zhiqiu, cursing, "You little punk, have a death wish or something? How dare you act wild here!"

Cheng Zhiqiu smiled disdainfully and flicked the ash off his cigarette.

"Whether I have a death wish or not, I don't know, but I do know that you're done for today."

Leisurely, Cheng Zhiqiu pulled out his phone and dialed Zhao Qiankun's number.

On the other end of the line, Zhao Qiankun's voice sounded so excited he might as well have jumped for joy.

"Master Cheng, you've arrived? Wonderful! Just come straight in, no need to register!"

Putting on a helpless facade, Cheng Zhiqiu sighed softly.

"Boss Zhao, your security guard won't let me in. He says I need an appointment."

As he spoke, he deliberately turned up the volume on his phone so the guard standing right next to him could hear every word clearly.

The guard curled his lips in contempt and muttered under his breath, "Some out-of-towner putting on airs, claiming he knows Mr. Zhao. Why doesn't he take a piss and look at his own reflection..."

Hearing this from the other end of the line, Zhao Qiankun instantly flew into a rage.

"What? He won't let you in? Hand the phone to that guard right now! I'd like to see who dares to block my, Zhao Qiankun's, guest!"

Suppressing a smile, Cheng Zhiqiu handed the phone over to the guard.

"Here, Boss Zhao wants to have a word with you."

With an expression of utter contempt, the guard took the phone and spoke in a sarcastic, mocking tone:

"Hello, who is this? If you're going to impersonate Mr. Zhao, at least find a convincing—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a roar thundered from the earpiece.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you good-for-nothing? I am Zhao Qiankun!"

"How dare you block my Master Cheng? I pay all that exorbitant property management fee every year, and this is how you treat my esteemed guests? Believe it or not, I'll have your property manager packing his bags and rolling out of here by tomorrow!"

Listening to that familiar roar, the guard was dumbfounded.

Trembling, he brought the phone before his eyes and verified the number once more.

It really was Zhao Qiankun!

Cold sweat began to bead on the guard's forehead, and his face turned completely pale as he stammered out an explanation:

"Mr. Zhao, I'm sorry, Mr. Zhao, I... I didn't know this gentleman was your honored guest..."

Zhao Qiankun's anger on the other end showed no signs of abating.

"Cut the crap! Apologize to Master Cheng immediately, and respectfully escort him inside! If I ever catch you judging people by their covers again, you can pack your bags and go home for good!"

The guard hung up the phone with trembling hands.

The look he cast at Cheng Zhiqiu had shifted entirely from disdain to desperate fawning.

"Master Cheng, I am so sorry. I was blind and failed to recognize a true expert. Please be the bigger person and don't hold my petty behavior against me..."

Cheng Zhiqiu looked at him with an inscrutable smile.

"Do you know who I am now?"

The guard nodded frantically.

"I know, I know! Master Cheng, please come right in, please come right in!"

With obsequious haste, he flung the gates wide open for Cheng Zhiqiu.

That utter display of servility made Cheng Zhiqiu shake his head in mild amusement.

Stepping into Dragon Spring Villa, Cheng Zhiqiu could not help but marvel.

This was no mere residential area; it was practically an imperial garden!

Pavilions and terraces, winding bridges and flowing streams, bizarre rockeries—everything one could possibly imagine was present here.

The entire estate was suffused with the subtle fragrance of grass and trees, instantly refreshing the mind and spirit.

Zhao Qiankun's villa was even more exceptionally grand.

Built in a European architectural style, it shone with dazzling splendor.

Several luxury cars were parked out front, clearly carrying exorbitant price tags.

Cheng Zhiqiu clicked his tongue inwardly.

This Zhao Qiankun was truly a nouveau riche through and through!

No wonder those scam artists targeted him; they always picked the softest persimmons to squeeze.

Had it been his past life, if he encountered a fat sheep like this and didn't fleece him down to the bare skin, Cheng Zhiqiu would have considered his time in the trade wasted!

Of course, in this lifetime he had washed his hands of such things. He needed to keep a low profile and act like a cultured gentleman.

In front of the villa's entrance, a middle-aged man wearing a Tang suit and sporting a prominent beer belly was pacing anxiously back and forth.

Catching sight of Cheng Zhiqiu, his eyes lit up, and he hurried forward to greet him.

"Master Cheng! You've finally arrived! Please, come right in, come right in!"

Keeping his composure, Cheng Zhiqiu shook hands with him.

For all his shrewdness on the surface, Zhao Qiankun was actually just a pathetic dupe blinded by a grand scam.

"You're too polite, Boss Zhao. Just call me Zhiqiu."

Hearing this, Zhao Qiankun became even more enthusiastic, grabbing Cheng Zhiqiu by the arm and leading him toward the villa.

"Brother Zhiqiu, please enter! I've been waiting for ages! I must properly host you today!"

Cheng Zhiqiu followed him into the villa.

The luxurious interior was even more extravagant than the exterior.

A crystal chandelier sparkled brilliantly, and Italian leather sofas offered luxurious comfort.

Cheng Zhiqiu smiled inwardly. This Zhao Qiankun was indeed the quintessential textbook example of an upstart.

Zhao Qiankun ushered Cheng Zhiqiu to the sofa and seated him, whereupon servants immediately served tea and refreshments.

"Master Cheng, please try this tea. It's authentic Wuyi Mountain Dahongpao, which I specially went through connections to acquire."

Cheng Zhiqiu picked up the teacup, took a gentle sip, and praised:

"Good tea. Rich and mellow on the palate, with a lingering aftertaste."

In truth, back in his tomb-robbing days, he had drunk millennia-old aged tea inside ancient tombs more times than he could count.

Any Dahongpao in his eyes was merely mediocre grade at best.

However, since Zhao Qiankun meant well, he naturally had to give him some face.