Chapter 32: The Haunted Villa

Jiang Hao halted at the sound. From Zhao Ziyun’s words, was there some hidden secret about that villa? Turning back and sitting down, Jiang Hao spoke earnestly, “Please, go on. I’m all ears.”

Zhao Ziyun nodded, then began to recount the story, while Jiang Hao listened with a furrowed brow.

The villa belonged to Zhao Ziyun’s father, Zhao Shibo, who was the head of the Zhao family and chairman of the Zhao Real Estate Group. Zhao Shibo himself did not live in the villa; he kept it to house a mistress, his paramour.

Unexpectedly, the mistress only resided in the villa for three months before falling gravely ill, hospitalized, and ultimately dying in the hospital.

“What did she die of?” Jiang Hao asked.

Zhao Ziyun’s expression turned slightly embarrassed. After a moment’s hesitation, he replied, “Her illness was strange. First, she suffered total paralysis, then gradually lost consciousness and slipped into a coma, eventually dying. The hospital ran numerous tests but could not determine the cause of her illness.”

“What does that have to do with the villa?” Jiang Hao pressed.

Zhao Ziyun continued, “At first, my father didn’t think there was anything wrong with the villa. After his mistress’s death, out of longing, he often went to the villa himself for a few days at a time. Unexpectedly, within half a year, he started showing the same symptoms and is now bedridden, paralyzed.”

At this point, Jiang Hao felt his composure begin to crack.

He had spent thirty million on a villa where someone had died?

Though not a superstitious man, anyone would feel uneasy upon hearing such a thing.

Zhao Ziyun went on, “After my father became paralyzed, he claimed the villa was haunted. So I hired professionals to investigate, but they found nothing amiss. Later, I invited renowned Taoist priests and Buddhist monks to perform rituals for my father and exorcise the villa.”

“And then?” Jiang Hao’s curiosity was piqued, urging him to continue.

Zhao Ziyun gave a bitter smile before saying, “But it was all useless. My father’s condition didn’t improve at all—on the contrary, it worsened over time. Now he’s not just paralyzed; half a month ago, he slipped into a deep coma, practically a vegetative state.”

“No one dares to live in that villa now, so I listed it at the sales center under my father’s name, hoping to sell it.”

“But anyone wealthy enough to buy such a villa has the means to learn about our family’s troubles, so no one dares to buy it. Those without the resources to dig into these matters don’t have the money. So the villa sat unsold for so long, until today, when you finally purchased it.”

Having finished his tale, Zhao Ziyun raised the now-cool tea before him and drank it all.

Jiang Hao frowned, “You waited until after I paid to tell me this? Why not before?”

“Of course! If I’d told you beforehand, would you still have bought it? Besides, you and Pan Yixuan have a wager. Even if I’d told you all this, you would’ve bought it anyway. So what difference does it make whether I warned you or not?” Zhao Ziyun’s face bore a sly, triumphant smile.

Was Jiang Hao afraid?

Despite the story, he felt no fear, only a desire to visit the villa at once.

He suspected it wasn’t haunted, but perhaps there was something toxic or harmful inside that had caused the strange illnesses.

“That villa was originally worth seventy million. Because of all this, the price dropped to thirty million. You bought a seventy-million villa for thirty million—you’re the one who profited!” Zhao Ziyun added.

“So I should thank you, then?” Jiang Hao had no patience left for Zhao Ziyun.

He’d once thought this Zhao scion was an upright gentleman, but now it seemed he was no different from Pan Yixuan—except he wasn’t actively antagonistic toward Jiang Hao.

“If you decide not to buy and want a refund, I can return half your money and take the villa back,” Zhao Ziyun offered after some thought.

Jiang Hao waved him off. “No, I’m not asking for a refund.”

“Are you planning to move in, then?” Zhao Ziyun asked.

“I’ll take a look first. To be honest, I happen to have some rather special skills,” Jiang Hao said confidently.

At this, Zhao Ziyun’s gaze toward Jiang Hao shifted. He rose and said, “Since that’s the case, Mr. Jiang, I’ll go with you to the villa. I’d like to see these special skills you claim to have.”

Jiang Hao didn’t refuse, and together they went downstairs.

As soon as they entered the lobby, the beautiful secretary—striking in both looks and figure—approached.

“General Manager, are you planning…”

“I’m going to the villa with Mr. Jiang. Wait for me here,” Zhao Ziyun replied coolly.

He hadn’t expected his words to provoke an immediate reaction. The secretary’s face changed, and she anxiously tried to stop him: “No! General Manager, that villa truly is haunted. Your father already… If anything happens to you, what then? You’re the only heir of the Zhao family. If anything happens, the Zhao family would collapse!”

“I’m only going for a look, not to stay long-term,” Zhao Ziyun said. Seeing his secretary about to protest further, he cut her off. “Enough, just wait for me here. I promise to be back within two hours.”

“Alright…” The secretary nodded, then turned and glared at Jiang Hao with displeasure.

Jiang Hao was baffled. He hadn’t offended this woman, so why was she looking at him like that?

“If anything happens to my young master, I won’t let you off!” she threatened Jiang Hao fiercely.

Jiang Hao wasn’t intimidated. He replied coolly, “If your young master dies in the villa today, it has nothing to do with me. And what could you possibly do to me?”

“You—” The secretary’s willow brows arched in anger, but before she could retort, Jiang Hao was already striding toward the sales center’s entrance.

“Enough, don’t say any more. This Mr. Jiang is no ordinary man—you can’t scare him,” Zhao Ziyun said, patting her shoulder before hastening to keep up with Jiang Hao.

Outside, catching sight of the Bugatti Veyron, Zhao Ziyun exclaimed, “Your car is even more luxurious than mine! Are you really the Su family’s son-in-law? Even the old lady’s car isn’t as nice as yours!”

“Spare me the chatter,” Jiang Hao said, opening the door and sliding into the driver’s seat, starting the engine.

Had Zhao Ziyun not been quick and slipped into the passenger seat, Jiang Hao would’ve left him behind without a second thought.