Chapter 44 Cleaning the Villa

The villas here were generally no more than five stories high, boasting an expansive and lush expanse of greenery and vegetation. Wandering along the winding paths within the villa district, one could even spot numerous ancient trees that must have stood for at least a century.

Pulling out a small card, Lin Ye watched as the entrance sensor changed from red to green, and the grand gates slowly parted to both sides.

"Number 605, Number 606..."

Without much effort, Lin Ye located villa number 606. He had to admit that this place simply felt different; the sheer grandeur was far beyond the reach of ordinary residential compounds that merely boasted high-end labels.

Ah, truly magnificent. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance in this lifetime to earn enough money to buy a villa like this, Lin Ye thought, shaking his head as he gazed at the structure before him. He concluded that it was always better to keep one's feet firmly on the ground.

Earning enough to buy a villa was likely out of the question, but making enough to build a cozy little villa back in his hometown might still be somewhat achievable within his lifetime.

Bearing in mind that President Su had requested him to drive her car out of the garage and take it for servicing, Lin Ye parked his Tank 700 right beside the garage entrance.

The villa's front gate seemingly featured smart recognition, though the exact method—whether fingerprint or facial—remained a mystery. Surely not iris scanning... that would be far too extravagant.

Amidst his swirling thoughts, Lin Ye took out the key and unlocked the front door. A faint smell of mildew mixed with the scent of passing time immediately greeted him.

Sunlight streamed through the living room windows, casting beams upon the dust-laden floor where visible rays formed a distinct Tyndall effect. Even time itself seemed to have halted its footsteps here.

The furniture and decorations inside the villa possessed a strong sense of texture. A classical-style sofa set stood in the living room; although the fabric had faded slightly, one could still discern the exquisite care taken in selecting the materials originally.

Bookshelves in the study were piled high with volumes, their covers blanketed in thick layers of dust, as if every single book was whispering an unfinished story.

The kitchen was fully equipped with pots, pans, and utensils, save for the thick layer of grime coating the stovetop, which vividly conjured up images of the fragrant meals once prepared here.

The top priority was to send the car to the 4S dealership for servicing first, return to clean the place, and then go pick the vehicle back up afterward.

No sooner said than done. Stepping into the side garage, he was met with the sight of a stunning white Aston Martin DB11. Lin Ye pulled out the car key, finally understanding why he hadn't been able to recognize what brand of car it belonged to at first glance.

This venture certainly strayed into his realm of unfamiliar knowledge.

Pulling the door open gently, he found the burgundy interior exuding an immense sense of luxury. Sinking into the driver's seat, he discovered the ultra-low driving posture of a sports car. For someone of his height, getting in using standard movements proved slightly awkward.

As the door was casually pulled shut, a large cloud of settled dust was stirred up from its surface.

With the insertion and turning of the ignition key, the V8 engine—dormant for who knows how many days—stretched like a waking giant, emitting a roar uniquely its own.

Using his phone's navigation to find the nearest Aston Martin 4S dealership, Lin Ye handed the vehicle over. To his surprise, the dealership offered a shuttle service; the staff not only thoughtfully drove him back, but also promised that someone would personally deliver the car once the maintenance was complete.

Rolling up his sleeves, Lin Ye retrieved cleaning tools from the bathroom and storage room. The water initially running from the kitchen faucet carried a slight rust stain.

A strategic plan had already formed in Lin Ye's mind. Having already scouted this three-story villa, he had previously spotted an automated robotic vacuum and mop on the second-floor balcony, which appeared to be out of power.

Fortunately, Lin Ye had already turned on the main circuit breaker, meaning the cleaning robot would likely become a major asset to him before long. Logically speaking, the first and third floors should have their own cleaning robots as well.

His guess proved correct: every floor's balcony housed a cleaning robot, complete with a water tank that undoubtedly provided a mopping function, saving Lin Ye a tremendous amount of effort.

After spending roughly three hours wiping down the furniture across all three floors over and over again, he left the floors themselves entirely in the care of the robots.

Only someone young and physically fit like Lin Ye could pull this off; otherwise, anyone else attempting this task would have their lower back aching within a single hour, let alone three.

The robot vacuum and mop combo performed admirably, polishing the floor until it shone like a mirror, reflecting a blurred silhouette of Lin Ye upon its surface.

With the interior tasks completed, only the small courtyard behind the villa remained. The garden was in quite good condition, with shrubs and flowers thriving luxuriantly, likely thanks to the fully automated irrigation system still running in the background.

Once a person became engrossed in work, all distracting thoughts vanished. It wasn't until Lin Ye had nearly finished cleaning the villa and was refilling the robot vacuum's water tank with fresh water that something caught his eye.

A small corner peeking out from behind an unfamiliar brand of cosmetics on the bathroom vanity counter suddenly grabbed his attention.

Pausing in his tracks and turning around, Lin Ye hesitated for a moment before reaching out to retrieve the object hidden behind the cosmetics.

It was a small rabbit hairclip—exquisite and strangely familiar. If he had to describe it, this hairclip bore an uncanny resemblance to the one he had previously removed from Su Qing's hair.

It was as if... they belonged to the exact same series?

Reaching into his pocket, Lin Ye pulled out the rabbit hairclip he had kept and placed the two side by side for comparison. Indeed, they looked very similar, yet had subtle differences.

A few seconds later, Lin Ye let out a long sigh.

What on earth are you imagining, Lin Ye? Isn't it completely normal for rabbit hairclips to look somewhat alike? Always letting your mind wander into all sorts of wild directions.

Shaking his head to rid himself of that absurd conjecture, he returned the hairclip to its original spot and cast one final glance at the immaculate villa, which now looked utterly transformed from when he first arrived.

Nodding in satisfaction, Lin Ye closed the front door of the villa. The Aston Martin had been returned by the 4S dealership staff ten minutes earlier and parked neatly back in the garage.

Sending the video footage of the newly cleaned villa to President Su, Lin Ye stretched lazily and climbed back into his own vehicle.

Glancing at the time, he saw it was already nearing four o'clock in the afternoon. He hadn't even eaten lunch yet, and only three hours remained before the high-speed train carrying his younger sister arrived at Luzhou East Railway Station.

The most urgent task was to grab a quick bite, then visit the real estate agency he had consulted the previous evening to rent the apartment he had set his sights on. If his sister arrived and had nowhere to stay, the situation would be catastrophic.

Before driving away, Lin Ye took one last look through the rearview mirror at the villa receding into the distance, a quiet wish blooming in his heart: if only he could one day bring his sister to live in a place like this...