My older sister is a villainous rich girl

"If Chris and I were to separate one day, would you come with me?"

Touching its bald yet smooth head, I don't know why these words just slipped out.

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized that his tone sounded a bit like questioning the other person, such as "If two people fell into the water, who would you save first?" or "If your parents got divorced, who would you go with?"

"Uh, it's okay if you don't have to answer."

He changed the subject and continued with his plans for the night.

Let's talk about tomorrow's problems tomorrow.

……

At this very moment, in another corner of the town, there were also two people who had stayed up all night.

“Karl, are you really going to do this?” an old voice asked.

In the empty study, only a dark-colored metal candlestick stood in the center, illuminating a corner of the darkness.

"What else can I do? I've disposed of almost everything that could be sold, except for this house..."

The man sitting behind the table looked quite young, probably in his twenties or thirties.

"The rest of the family will not agree with your decision."

Opposite him, the old man reminded him in a calm tone.

“Ha, the family.” A bitter smile appeared on Karl’s lips. “Those people are nothing but greedy hyenas. They will swarm at the first smell of flesh and blood, and they are even more shameless than outsiders in their quest for wealth—oh, perhaps I was one of them originally.”

He paused here.

"However, none of that matters now. Even if I can't keep the title and the money in the end, I won't let them be satisfied."

Looking at his unwilling expression, the old man sighed.

"As you know, we are a branch of the Winchester family, a distinguished lineage."

"Ha, the Wincher family!" The man exclaimed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "That was so many years ago!"

"It's one thing to fool the uninformed fools, but do you really believe that the bigwigs in the capital would remember the old friendships from a hundred years ago? Although I don't know what wrong our ancestors did, sending them to this remote and desolate border region with a mere title is no different from exile."

This seemed to ignite his anger, and a series of complaints about the family situation followed.

"Damn it, I shouldn't have taken over this damn family head position! I thought it was a stroke of luck, but it turns out those people just wanted me to clean up their messes. They took the benefits, and I got all the blame. How wonderful! Now the debts are impossible to pay off, and I can't be blamed for selling off some assets. Anyone who dares to object, just hand over the money first."

The elderly man, whose hair was already gray, sighed heavily again.

“Perhaps we have one more chance,” he said. “One chance… a chance to either turn things around or to be doomed.”

Karl looked up at the mahogany desk that he had painstakingly crafted years ago.

Chapter 644 Adults and Children

Day two.

Although Homa did not leave any direct contact information, Wayne still managed to find out some information about him.

The timber merchant Bartók was one of those who had dealings with Khoma.

“Mr. Koma?” Upon hearing this name, Bartók’s expression turned rather unpleasant.

After all, if that person hadn't deliberately tempted him with suggestive words, blinding him with greed and making him lose his head, he wouldn't have suffered this undeserved disaster. And if it weren't for this wealthy scion who appeared out of nowhere taking over…

After some thought, Bartók decided not to hide the inside information he knew.

“That person… his official identity is that of a renowned materials appraiser, but he is actually a front man kept by the Vatican.” Bartók’s face was ashen. “Sometimes the Vatican needs materials that are not commonly found outside, and people like him with special channels will secretly spread the word and seek cooperation.”

“Originally, I was attracted by his connections and hoped that I might have a chance to get bigger orders in the future, so I hastily bought the land to show him that we had a stable supply capacity and were sincere in our efforts.” He shook his head. “Now it seems that the guy was just playing me.”

I'm afraid he's not playing you; he just wants to use you to test me.

Wien thought to himself.

Last night, through his "cooperation" with Xiaobai, Wayne discovered what he wanted to know.

Although the tombstone bears the names of two people, only an ordinary woman lies buried inside the grave; presumably, that was her biological mother.

Facing this grave, saying he was overwhelmed with emotions might be too heavy a word, but it certainly made Wayne feel inexplicably downcast and uneasy. However, he didn't say anything heartfelt or tearfully express how much he missed the grave. He simply silently offered sacrifices on behalf of the original owner of the body, following the customs of his previous life, and then sat quietly beside the solitary grave for a very long time.

Not for ghosts or gods, but for the human heart.

His heart told him that he still wanted to go to the Vatican.

Perhaps, the Vatican can find another answer regarding the "gods" of this world.

-

"Why are you suddenly inquiring about this person?" Bartók asked, puzzled, beside him.

"Just curious," Wayne replied casually. "Maybe I can ask him to handle some things in the future."

The two walked into the council chamber while talking.

The town hall of Perdonis is very simple. The mud bricks are stacked in layers without any beauty, the gray surface is uneven, the roof is haphazardly covered with some thatch, and the old and dilapidated furnishings inside reflect the straitened circumstances.

As Wayne sat down at the host's invitation, an embarrassing creaking sound came from under his bottom, making him wonder if his weight would cause it to suddenly fall apart.

Hearing that a valuable land transaction had been completed in a town that rarely interacted with the outside world and needed to be registered, the people in the firm cast curious glances at Wayne and his group.

Before long, the person in charge came running over.

"I'm sorry, the mayor is on sick leave and cannot appear in person. But I have already filed all the documents for you, and there are no issues with the procedures or processes."

With a substantial share of tax revenue, Deputy Mayor Sanchez wore a friendly smile.

Sanchez wasn't quite sure why the plot of land he'd just sold had changed hands so quickly, but it didn't matter. In a place where outsiders rarely bought property, the influx of new wealth was already a cause for celebration.

Although the gentleman looked very young, his attendants were all tall, strong, and imposing, suggesting that he was an important figure not to be trifled with, and the gentleman dared not be negligent in the slightest.

Wayne casually flipped through the materials he was handed over and then handed them to the butler, Joels, who was following behind him.

"Thank you for your help. I am new here and will need your assistance in the future. I wonder if there are any nobles here? I would like to pay them a visit," he asked rather reservedly.

For those who rule a region, controlling the nobles means controlling the people. This principle applies from the royal palace to the countryside.

However, Wayne didn't really want to cultivate the relationship; it was just a pretext to bring up the topic.

Under Wayne's subtle guidance, Sanchez had no doubts and enthusiastically gave a presentation.

"Really? It's actually related to the Duke of the capital?" He feigned surprise when the other party finally mentioned the Wenche family's division.

"Ha, that's just self-aggrandizement. I've never seen them have any connection with the capital—" Seemingly realizing his slip of the tongue, Sanchez quickly steered the conversation back on track. "Ahem... But Baron Karl is a nice man. If you'd like to visit him, I can introduce you."

Wayne nodded and looked at Bartók, who was traveling with him.

“Mr. Bartók, our transaction is complete. If you have any other matters to attend to, you may leave now.”

Bartók glanced at the obsequious Sanchez, then hesitated slightly. “I heard you need more people to rebuild, and luckily I have a few skilled carpenters among the men I brought. Perhaps they can help you out.”

After a moment's thought, Wayne realized that he was deliberately trying to curry favor.

But this is harmless.

He smiled and said, "Then let my entourage assist you; the cost is not a problem."

……

Two carriages moved slowly along the main road of the town, which was wide but useless.

As the car rounded a street corner, a small, seemingly neglected manor appeared at the end of the road.

The lush vegetation on the gate that surrounded the area as a mere screen first caught Wayne's eye, its branches wildly stretching out with vibrant green leaves, creating a truly verdant scene.

However, the lush greenery growing wildly in front of a nobleman's house often reflects the immediate dire situation of the owner, to the point that even the servants have no interest in tending to it.

Even in Wayne's past memories, this place was extremely unfamiliar, and he could no longer recognize its original appearance.

"We've arrived, this is the place."

Wayne avoided Sanchez's hand that was about to help him up, took off his black bowler hat and held it in his hand, and went straight down from the carriage.

Standing at the gate, he thoughtfully examined the mansion.

Back then, the original owner's biological parents lost their support within the family and were driven away by those who later gained control of the discourse. Later, her mother and father "died of illness" one after another, and she was taken back to the family by the adults and arranged to receive basic education along with the other children at the time.

While that's true in theory, in reality, he was simply fed and kept like a servant.

But that's not a big deal. In this world, some people are born into good families and some are born into bad ones. At that time, Wayne was just unlucky. He wouldn't take such things to heart.

But the adults' contempt for his family was also passed on to the children, and the children's malice was always straightforward, naked, and unreasonable.

Chapter 645 Greed is the ladder to progress

At that time.

Wayne couldn't remember how long this went on, until one afternoon, those nominal cousins, with their naivety and ignorance, caused all the pent-up emotions to erupt uncontrollably in an instant.

Anger suddenly took form, and violent magic raged. The ground beneath their feet instantly transformed into a forest of knives that shot into the sky, severely injuring several people who collapsed on the spot. Blood gushing from their horrific wounds stained a large patch of soil red.

After that, Wayne was locked in the basement and never heard from those people again until he was taken away by Elliott.

I wonder how those who were seriously injured are doing now, and whether they have been left with lifelong disabilities...

As for whether the original owner felt any remorse towards those people back then, Wayne thought he probably did. At that time, he was completely clueless and actually believed the outside world's explanations, thinking he was some kind of inhuman monster.

However... to be honest, Wayne hadn't thought about this at all since he transmigrated.

It took him a while to accept that he would be Chris's family from then on, and he kept that in mind. But everything before that was just background setting, a necessary prelude to his meeting with Chris.

Since it wasn't an experience he had personally gone through, he didn't care what these people thought of him, nor did he want to care about how they were doing.

It wasn't until he stood before that gate again that he began to truly grasp the nature of these distant and elusive relationships.

Now, should I feel guilty, hate, or simply forgive and forget about those people?

No matter what posture you adopt, it seems inappropriate.

Before Wayne could calm his wandering thoughts, a loud exclamation interrupted his reflection.

"You...you are!"

Perhaps because it was so unexpected, the high-pitched ending sounded like a rooster crowing.

Wayne looked closely and saw a tall man with a simple slicked-back hairstyle and a somewhat wrinkled, inexpensive suit standing in the doorway, seemingly about to leave. Behind him followed an elderly servant with completely white hair and beard, a slightly hunched posture, and deep marks of time and toil etched between his brows.

With just a glance, Wayne guessed that this must be Karl, the current head of the remote branch family.

But he didn't say anything.

The two groups were strangely silent for a moment, and finally Deputy Mayor Sanchez was the first to react, introducing them to each other with a very warm smile.

Of course, Wayne did not reveal his true identity, so Sanchez simply addressed him as "sir" using the most common form of address used by nobles.

Carl cleared his throat twice to cover up his lapse in composure, said some polite words, and then led Wayne and his group inside.

In the somewhat overly spacious reception room, the two parties took their seats.

Carl was extremely nervous at that moment.

Even though the person opposite him didn't reveal their identity, he had already guessed who it was.

Yes, there was no mistake. From the well-trained knights and squires around him, from the impeccable manners he displayed in every gesture, every detail suggested that the only noble scion who could find his way to this place could be Wayne Wincher, the very man he had just decided to approach to seek help and build connections!

Thinking of this, Karl couldn't help but swallow hard.

He felt guilty.

Based on what he knew about the past, this person was 100% here for revenge!

How can I clearly but subtly show him that I am just a stranger in an unfamiliar place who has taken over a bad relationship, and that past grievances have nothing to do with me?

With two soft tapping sounds, Karl saw the young nobleman opposite him rhythmically tapping the table.

"I heard that Mr. Carl hasn't been back with the family for very long?"

Carl was overjoyed to hear that he had offered a way out.

“That’s true. To be honest, I still haven’t figured out the complicated interpersonal relationships in the family, and many of my former relatives and in-laws are cold to me.” Karl revealed a hint of sadness at just the right moment. “As a marginal member of the family, I was ignored and received a lot of cold looks in the past.”

"Therefore, I went out to work hard when I was young, and after many hardships, I accumulated a small fortune. Until one day, someone from my family came and invited me back to inherit the title, along with a huge debt that was too high for me to bear..."

Carl looked pained and frustrated.

"At that time, I did not expect that the title that everyone wanted was just a tempting bait on the surface, and that debt was the hook hidden inside."