Game Of Thrones : Merchant of Two Worlds

"Don't wake them; it's already so late," Jason Liu said gently, stopping his sister from calling her two young children. "I'll try to come back sometime this year if I can, and if not, I'll definitely be home for the New Year. I want to get toys for Stars and Little Mouse!"

"Alright, I'll let them know tomorrow," replied his sister, her face lighting up with pride. She was thrilled to see her younger brother achieving success; it meant that she'd have some real support in her parents' home. The idea of having a brother who was doing well gave her a sense of security and standing, something invaluable to a married daughter.

It's a universal truth—having a reliable, well-off family member brings respect, whether in cities or rural areas. Even in marriages, a daughter's status with her in-laws can be subtly influenced by the wealth and power of her own family. It's almost like people respected strength more than anything else, following the rule that the "strongest wind always prevails." This sort of influence was just a part of life.

After a bit more conversation, Jason said his goodbyes to both his sister and brother-in-law, hung up the phone, took a quick bath, and headed to bed. He had important business to take care of tomorrow.

The next morning, after breakfast, Liu Wan brought up the topic of the mortgage with her in-laws, the Xu parents. She told them she planned to pay off the remaining balance.

Mrs. Xu, who was spoon-feeding her three-year-old grandson some steamed eggs, looked up immediately when she heard her daughter-in-law's words. Her sharp gaze turned to her son, Lucas, who was busy eating. "Where would you get the money to do that?" she asked suspiciously. "Lucas's salary barely covers clothes for the kids, let alone a mortgage! Where did you find enough to pay it all off?"

Mr. Xu quickly added, "Yes, we already agreed when we covered the down payment that you wouldn't ask us for more. Don't even think about taking money out of our pockets now!"

Liu Wan remained calm. "Mom, Dad, no need to worry. This time, we're covering it ourselves." For the first time, she spoke with confidence in front of her in-laws, feeling a newfound pride in her brother's success.

Mrs. Xu looked at her with skepticism. "You're covering it? Where did you get this money?"

Mr. Xu gave his son a disapproving look, clearly thinking that his son hadn't done much to advance in his career. They'd worked so hard to get him into a civil servant position, yet he was still a low-level official with little progress to show. Sensing the tension, Lucas put his food down, gave a small laugh, and explained, "Last night, Liu Wan's brother Jason sent us 500,000 yuan to help us out. We figured we should put it toward the mortgage to ease our financial stress."

"Liu Wan's brother?" Mrs. Xu's doubt only grew. "Didn't you say he was just a regular employee at supermarket? How can he suddenly afford to send you that kind of money—500,000 yuan?"

"Did you make sure this money is from a legitimate source?" Mr. Xu added, his tone now even more suspicious.

Liu Wan felt uncomfortable. What did he mean, "a legitimate source"? Was he looking down on her brother? Holding back her frustration, she answered, "My brother left his old job. He's doing business with a friend now, and they've been successful. He even bought a sports car and a villa in Zheng City. He has money to spare, so he sent me 500,000 yuan for expenses. I thought we should use it to pay off the mortgage first."

Mr. and Mrs. Xu were stunned. They hadn't expected the shy young man who used to visit them to become so successful in such a short time after graduating. Owning a villa and a sports car in Zheng City wasn't something just anyone could afford; it spoke of wealth far beyond their circle.

Curious, Lucas took out his phone and showed his parents the photos Jason had sent of his car and villa. Mrs. Xu and Mr. Xu stared at the images, amazed to see Jason standing proudly in front of the sleek sports car and the luxurious villa.

As modest civil servants, the Xu parents had always felt a certain superiority over Liu Wan's rural family, viewing them as less educated and less affluent. But now, it was clear Jason had not only matched but far surpassed them, which left them feeling unsettled. It was a strange feeling for them, watching the tables turn in such an unexpected way.

"Wow, what a beautiful house!" cheered five-year-old Lila, looking at the photos. "That's my uncle! Uncle's in the picture!"

Three-year-old Noah paused from his breakfast to look over as well. "Uncle! I want to see Uncle too…" he called out.

Liu Wan held up her phone to show Noah the pictures. "Look, Noah, that's your uncle's house and car! Aren't they nice?"

With rosy cheeks and a sweet smile, little Noah giggled and nodded enthusiastically. Lila and his younger brother were fair-skinned, with delicate features, taking after their parents. If there was one thing that the Xu family loved, it was their adorable grandchildren.

But now, seeing the sudden rise in status of their daughter-in-law's family, the Xu parents felt their sense of superiority slipping away.

"Do whatever you like," Mr. Xu said curtly. He and his wife then took their grandchildren to kindergarten, feeling a strange discomfort.

Watching her in-laws leave, Liu Wan couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. For the first time in her six years with the Xu family, she felt a sense of pride in front of her in-laws.

She turned to her husband, who was still eating, and said, "Come on, hurry up! Let's go to the bank and pay off the mortgage today. You can take the day off, can't you?"

"Right," replied Lucas, feeling relieved. Without the mortgage, his monthly salary would comfortably cover their expenses. As for his parents, they had their own pensions, which were even higher than his salary, so they didn't need his financial support.

Meanwhile, over in Zheng City, Jason Liu skipped breakfast and drove his F8 sports car to the high-tech district. His plan was to register his new company, Yuansen Trading, and lease an office in the area.

As he was driving, his phone rang. He pulled over to the side of the road to answer it. The number was unfamiliar, but he picked up anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Senior?" a pleasant female voice asked from the other end.

Jason frowned slightly, trying to recall if he knew the caller. He couldn't think of anyone who would address him as "Senior."

"Who is this?" he asked, a bit puzzled.

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