The Billionaire's Hidden Affection-Chapter 221: Not Pitying You, But Must Pity the Money4_1

Between the two of them, Yan Xixi was always the one who made the decisions. Consequently, Xu Xiaoya had come to depend on her; it had become second nature. But Yan Xixi was far more dependable than any man and would never betray her.

Yan Xixi sighed inwardly. Xu Xiaoya’s weakness is her kindness, which always attracts the wrong kind of men. If she doesn’t learn to slowly build up her self-confidence, she’s bound to repeat her past mistakes. Once a woman has a house and a car, she slowly grows more confident and independent. She’ll no longer feel the need to settle for less in relationships. Society is sick, remarkably so. Parents would rather push their daughters into any marriage, no matter how tragic, just to avoid the stigma of them being labeled "leftover women." It’s as if married women automatically possess some inherent superiority over single women. Based on what? Is it because many women actually live as unpaid, full-time nannies and caregivers with side hustles? Is there really any superiority in that?

On Monday afternoon, Xu Xiaoya finished all the procedures for buying her house. Actually, Yan Xixi had already checked the prices and had alerted the saleswoman to prepare the contract the night before. All Xu Xiaoya needed that day was her ID and the money; it was no hassle at all. When she returned, she saw Zhou Xiaoxuan loitering in the shop.

The moment Zhou Xiaoxuan saw her, she walked over, sizing Xu Xiaoya up from head to toe. Much to her surprise, Xu Xiaoya looked happy and energetic. She appeared ten years younger, radiating youthful energy.

Xu Xiaoya had always been a beautiful woman. It was merely that life’s pressures over the past few years had worn her down considerably.

"Xu Xiaoya, have you struck it rich?"

Xu Xiaoya handed her a coffee, smiling. "I bought a house."

"How big is it? And how many years is the mortgage?"

"It’s a fully-furnished small apartment. I paid for it all at once."

Zhou Xiaoxuan’s eyebrows shot up. "You really own a house and a car now?"

She had been so humiliated over the phone last night, completely shut down by Yan Xixi, that she’d almost lost a whole night’s sleep to her fury. How could she possibly let it go? She had deliberately come today to see where exactly this "house and car" of Xu Xiaoya’s were. But to her surprise, Xu Xiaoya really had bought a house.

She was shocked. "Where did you get the money?"

Seeing Zhou Xiaoxuan’s expression, Xu Xiaoya suddenly thought of Yan Xixi. Her back straightened, her confidence surged, and for the first time, she spoke with complete assurance, "I earned it with my own two hands! See? I’ve put so much effort into this store. In the first three months after opening, I hardly took a single day off. I was sourcing goods, dealing with customers, training staff... I treated every 24 hours as if it were 48. That’s how I’ve achieved what I have today."

If this had been in the past, Zhou Xiaoxuan would definitely have made some sarcastic remarks. But today, she couldn’t utter a single word.

After a moment, she pursed her lips and said, "Is it really worth it for a woman to wear herself out like this?"

Xu Xiaoya replied with a gentle smile, "You think I don’t want to rely on a man? But I can’t find one I can rely on. These days, men are more cunning than monkeys. They treat buying a house as the most important thing in the world. They meticulously plan to pay 30% as a down payment before marriage, with the remaining 70% mortgage to be paid after marriage. And what about the woman? She’s expected to bear most of the living expenses and family costs, yet the house isn’t in her name by even a penny. Forget it. I’m better off relying on myself."

"With an attitude like that, you’ll end up as an old leftover woman."

"That doesn’t scare me! With a house, a car, and money, I’m not afraid of not finding a man."

These words were incredibly jarring to Zhou Xiaoxuan. She retorted bitterly, "I see you’ve been completely poisoned by Yan Xixi! If she were really that capable, she wouldn’t be so quick to sponge off Huang Xiaojue. What’s so amazing about her? Isn’t she just shamelessly latching onto Huang Xiaojue again? It’s a wonder Huang Xiaojue doesn’t find her repulsive!"