Golden Reverie Plaza was a sprawling, all-in-one complex—luxury boutiques from every major global brand, a high-end cinema, an arcade, a gourmet food court, even a department store. Everything about it screamed exclusivity, right down to the eye-watering prices. Its primary clientele? The residents of Tianlai Villa.

Which was exactly why Tang Xiaoman had deliberately avoided it when stockpiling supplies. Convenience meant nothing if the price was outrageous.

Greenfield Organic Farm, on the other hand, raised livestock and poultry, producing its own meat, eggs, and dairy—exclusively supplying Tianlai Villa.

Both enterprises were located within the villa grounds, and by sheer luck, neither had been touched by the floodwaters.

Once disaster struck, these two places became lifelines, providing the residents with the essentials they needed to survive.

In Tianlai Villa, nearly every household employed maids, bodyguards, private doctors, even tutors. The daily consumption of food and supplies was enormous.

Following the principle of “keep the wealth within the circle,” the residents had all invested in these two businesses to varying degrees.

They were both owners and customers—enjoying convenience, indulgence, and the added bonus of squeezing value out of luxury brands.

Greenfield Farm ensured a closed-loop supply of meat, eggs, and dairy—cutting out middlemen, guaranteeing quality, and catering perfectly to the refined self-interest of the wealthy.

Naturally, such a lucrative setup wasn’t monopolized by a single family. Most of the villa owners held shares in both enterprises.

Among them, the Huo and Gu families held the largest stakes.

When the storm first began, people still believed it would pass.

Their plan was simple: distribute the current supplies, wait for the rain to stop and the floodwaters to recede, then resume normal operations.

What they didn’t realize was that this disaster wouldn’t end anytime soon.

—

To the villa’s wealthy residents, their shares in Golden Reverie Plaza and Greenfield Farm were trivial—pocket change compared to their overall assets.

But under these circumstances, those “trifles” suddenly became very important.

The Huo family, however, hadn’t bothered to weigh in.

Gu Heng stepped up eagerly, volunteering himself—and easily gained everyone’s support. He announced he would send people overnight to inventory supplies and publish the accounts in the group chat by morning.

Both businesses would suspend their usual monetary transactions. Instead, supplies would be distributed daily based on household size.

Once everything returned to normal, they would settle the accounts—refunds or additional payments as needed.

Almost everyone believed the rain would stop eventually. It was just a matter of time.

For now, this was merely a temporary measure.

Three representatives were selected: the Gu family, the Su family, and the Qi family.

They would handle inventory and record-keeping.

Starting tomorrow, residents could collect meat, dairy, and daily necessities based on their household staff lists.

It was tedious work, thankless and prone to criticism—no one really wanted the responsibility. After all, they weren’t interested in such small gains. They preferred their effortless, luxurious routines.

With the Huo family silent and no objections from others, the Gu family stepping up seemed perfectly natural.

Gu Heng had just finalized it:

“That settles it. The three families will work through the night to complete the accounts. Tomorrow at 8 a.m., you can come collect your supplies.”

Gratitude poured in immediately.

“Thank you, Young Master Gu—you’re truly a good man.”

“Hold on.”

A new message appeared—from Villa No. 1.

Huo Kai had spoken.

“Was this discussed with me? Did I agree to it?”

Gu Heng replied, feigning surprise. “Surely Young Master Huo isn’t interested in scraps like this?”

“You care about it, so why shouldn’t I?” Huo Kai shot back bluntly. “Don’t forget—the Huo family holds the largest stake in both enterprises. I have the final say here.”

Only then did the others sense something was off.

Both the Huo and Gu families were fighting for control—clearly, there was more profit in this than it seemed.

So Gu Heng’s enthusiasm hadn’t come from goodwill after all.

The goodwill toward him quickly turned into suspicion.

Huo Kai dismissed Gu Heng’s authority outright. Without bothering with elections, he issued a new directive:

“Management will be reassigned based on shareholding. Every household must send at least two people to assist with inventory and distribution.”

It was fair. No one objected.

Just like that, Huo Kai reclaimed absolute control.

As for Tang Xiaoman…

He waived three months of her mortgage payments as compensation.

After all, she didn’t own shares in either business—letting her in on the profits wouldn’t be appropriate.

—

Tang Xiaoman hadn’t intended to muscle her way in anyway.

All she’d wanted was to make sure Gu Heng didn’t get the chance to line his pockets again.

Huo Kai’s “reward” was more than acceptable. She took it without hesitation.

With that settled, she headed downstairs.

Zhou Yichen stood with ten bodyguards. Lu Jingming and his daughter were there as well, along with Fubao. They sat in the dining room watching TV, waiting.

The moment Tang Xiaoman appeared, they all rose.

Zhou Yichen switched off the television. Silence fell as everyone turned to her.

She walked over, her gaze sweeping across the room before she spoke, her voice steady and grave.

“I’ve just received reliable intel from higher up. This flood is unprecedented. For the next six months—or longer—the entire city… possibly the entire country, even the world… may be submerged in relentless rain and flooding.”

The room froze.

Then whispers erupted.

They all knew their boss had connections—but this?

This was something else.

No wonder she’d suddenly gone upstairs earlier.

“If you have loved ones you can’t abandon, or unfinished business,” she continued, “you may resign. I’ll settle your wages and provide each of you with a kayak. You can leave.”

Her voice rang clear.

“Take tonight to think it over. Give me your answer by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

The murmuring grew louder. Some faces showed fear, others uncertainty.

“I heard the Blaze Shield headquarters is flooded too,” Number 10 said quietly. “They’ve relocated to the fifth floor and suspended all operations.”

She was one of the two female bodyguards who had passed the selection.

“Honestly, staying with Miss Tang isn’t bad at all,” Number 06 said, her voice filled with relief. “She’s generous, and the villa’s on high ground. We’re lucky.”

“Staying here is the smart move. Only an idiot would leave,” Number 09 declared, stepping forward first. “Miss Tang, I’ve got no family, no attachments. I’m staying.”

Once he spoke, the others rushed to follow—afraid of being left behind.

Outside, the storm raged like hell itself. Even with a kayak, leaving now could mean being overturned by the typhoon halfway through.

No one had a death wish.

One after another, they declared their choice.

They would stay.

All of them.

Tang Xiaoman tilted her head slightly, surprised. “You’re sure you don’t need the night to think it over?”

“No need!”

They answered in unison.

At a time like this, hesitation could cost them everything—including their place here.

Tang Xiaoman turned to Zhou Yichen and Lu Jingming.

“And you two?”

Lu Jingming spoke quietly, but firmly. “I have nowhere else to go. And even if I did—I wouldn’t leave.”

His apartment was on the fourth floor. At this rate, it would be underwater soon.

If Tang Xiaoman hadn’t taken him and his daughter in…

He didn’t dare imagine the outcome.

“And you?” she asked at last, her eyes settling on Zhou Yichen.

Her smile was gentle.

But beneath it lay a cold, unmistakable edge.

If he dared to say no…

Others had the right to leave.

But him?

That was never going to happen.