The dinner that evening turned out to be surprisingly simple, a spread of home-cooked dishes accompanied by a steaming pot of seafood soup. While the food couldn't quite match what his girls prepared back home, it still surpassed what most professional chefs could manage. Victor found himself genuinely enjoying the meal.
What caught him off guard, however, was Kyoko's enthusiasm.
The moment she noticed which dishes Victor seemed to prefer, she moved the entire serving platter directly in front of him. She refilled his tea before he'd even finished his cup and attended to his needs with such dedication that anyone unfamiliar with the situation might mistake him for the man of the house.
By the time they'd finished eating, Victor was thoroughly confused.
He wasn't the only one. Even Asuna seemed baffled by her mother's uncharacteristic behavior. Since when did Mom fuss over guests like this? She'd never shown this level of enthusiasm toward anyone before.
Fortunately, the mystery didn't last long. After the meal, as they all sat in the living room, Kyoko finally revealed her intentions.
"Mr. Stone, what line of work are you in?"
Now that everyone was comfortable, she couldn't resist gathering more information.
Victor set down his cup, lips twitching slightly. "I'm not a businessman."
"Then someone in your family must be in politics? Holding a high position, perhaps?"
Victor frowned and shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. No one in my family holds political office."
"I see..." Kyoko's confusion was evident. "But you're neither in business nor politics, how did you accumulate such wealth?"
Casually dropping several hundred million on a manor wasn't something ordinary people could do. Even many successful businessmen lacked that kind of liquid capital. In her mind, if Victor wasn't a wealthy entrepreneur, then surely someone in his family must wield considerable political influence.
But Victor's answer thoroughly shattered her assumptions.
"Mom!" Asuna cut in, clearly uncomfortable. "It's rude to ask questions like that."
What had gotten into her mother today? She always taught Asuna to be polite and respectful, yet here she was interrogating their guest about his finances. Asking about the source of someone's wealth so directly was incredibly improper.
Kyoko ignored her daughter's objection, keeping her attention fixed on Victor.
Though Victor found the line of questioning somewhat offensive, he chose not to take offense for Asuna's sake. Besides, he'd more or less guessed what Kyoko was thinking.
"You could say I'm... new money."
New money?
The answer was both surprising and... disappointing.
After a moment of silence, Kyoko pressed on. "I wonder if you've ever considered entering the business world, Mr. Stone?"
Victor simply shook his head. "I appreciate the suggestion, but I'm not interested."
He had no shortage of funds. Even if he somehow ran out, he could always ask Stelle to send him a few more gold bricks. Running a business seemed like far too much trouble, time, effort, and energy he'd rather spend elsewhere. The whole thing held no appeal.
Kyoko refused to give up. "But if you really are just new money, eventually your funds will run out, won't they? Why not use what you have now to build something sustainable, something that generates wealth?"
Victor's response was matter-of-fact. "I'm not particularly ambitious, which makes me poorly suited for business. If the money runs out, it runs out. I'll figure something out when that happens."
Kyoko let out a helpless sigh, finally accepting defeat. She stood and began clearing the dishes from the table.
"Asuna, it's getting late. Please see your guest home."
"Oh... okay."
Disappointment flickered across Asuna's face. She'd hoped Victor might stay longer, but it seemed that chance had passed.
The two walked out of the house together, heading toward Victor's manor.
As they passed a convenience store, Asuna ducked inside and emerged with two popsicles. They walked slowly through the evening air, enjoying the frozen treats.
"I'm sorry about my mother," Asuna said quietly, her eyes fixed on the ground as she kicked at a small stone. "I don't know what got into her tonight. She asked some really inappropriate questions."
Victor shook his head. "Don't blame your mother. She's just trying to look out for you and your family."
"Look out for me? For my family?" Asuna looked up, confusion clear in her expression. "What do you mean?"
"Your family's situation is dire," Victor explained. "Without outside help, you're headed for a dead end. Your mother sees me as a potential way to break through that deadlock."
"She values my financial resources. She wanted to recruit me, to bring me in to help save your father's company and, by extension, your entire family."
"If I'm not mistaken, had I told her I was a wealthy businessman or the son of a high-ranking official, she would've done everything possible to bind me to your family. She might have even offered you in marriage to seal the connection completely."
Victor paused, then added, "Unfortunately for her plan, I'm neither of those things. I'm just someone with money and no ambition. So she gave up."
"Is that what she was doing?"
Asuna felt her cheeks warm, but beneath the embarrassment lay a deeper emotion, distress for her mother. To save their family, her mother was shouldering an impossible burden, worrying herself sick while having so few options available.
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
Eventually, they reached the large iron gates of Victor's manor.
"Would you like to come in for a bit?" Victor offered.
"Oh..."
Asuna considered the invitation, then nodded. "Sure."
They passed through the gates together.
Inside, the living room felt somewhat empty. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were still tidying up, while the other girls remained in their rooms, deep in cultivation practice.
"Where's Erina?" Asuna couldn't help but ask. She'd heard her best friend had already moved into the manor.
"She's probably resting in her room," Victor replied. "Should I call her out?"
Asuna quickly waved her hand. "No, no, let's not disturb her rest."
Just then, Zhu Zhuqing approached with freshly brewed tea.
Asuna found herself momentarily captivated. What a beautiful girl.
Though she'd noticed both maids before, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, this was her first time seeing either of them up close. Zhu Zhuqing's stunning beauty was even more striking at this distance.
Realizing she was staring, Asuna quickly averted her eyes. It was rude to stare at another girl like that.
She and Victor settled into comfortable conversation, chatting about nothing in particular. Time seemed to slip away unnoticed.
Before Asuna realized it, the clock had passed nine.
"How did it get so late?" She stood reluctantly. "I should probably head back."
Asuna had genuinely enjoyed talking with Victor. She hadn't noticed how quickly the evening had passed.
"Here, take this."
Victor suddenly produced a bank card from his pocket and held it out to her.
"What's this?" Asuna stared at the card, confused.
"You're Erina's friend, which makes you my friend. I can't just stand by while a friend is going through hard times."
"There's a billion dollars on this card. Use it. I hope it helps your family get through this crisis."
"I, I can't accept this!" Asuna's eyes widened in shock. "This is too much!"
One billion dollars!
With that much money, her family could definitely weather their current difficulties. But the amount was staggering, she couldn't possibly accept such a gift.
"Just take it," Victor insisted. "Think of it as a loan. When your family recovers financially, you can pay me back."
Money was just numbers to Victor. He had more than he'd ever need.
Besides, Asuna was Erina's best friend. He knew that if Erina learned about the Yuuki family's situation, she'd want to help. Victor was simply acting on her behalf, doing what she'd do if she knew.
"Thank you... thank you so much!"
Asuna's eyes filled with tears as she accepted the card. The weight of relief and gratitude was almost overwhelming.