Chapter 40: Deep-Rooted Reverence—The Wealth Beyond Measure

At Anran's question, Zhang Ning reluctantly recounted her ordeal.

As it turned out, Zhang Ning had been seized on her way back to the classroom, blindfolded, and locked in a storage room. She hadn't seen the faces of her captors, but she knew they were girls from the voices she'd heard discussing their plans outside the door. When she overheard their intention to lure Anran to the old dormitory, Zhang Ning panicked. Her hands were tied, and a cloth gag prevented her from calling for help. Desperate, she began banging against the door with her shoulders and arms. To her surprise, her struggles caught the attention of Ricardo Maurice.

"His Highness Maurice is such a good person," Zhang Ning said, her voice filled with admiration.

She vividly remembered how Ricardo's expression had darkened the moment she mentioned Anran being taken to the old dormitory. Zhang Ning had wanted to follow him, but Ricardo had dismissed her, citing her slow pace and timid nature. Instead, he instructed her to wait at the school gates. Sure enough, it wasn't long before Ricardo rescued Anran.

Anran rolled her eyes at Zhang Ning's admiration. How could she see him as a good person? To Anran, Ricardo was clearly a dangerous figure. Moreover, the reverence the townspeople had for the Maurice family struck her as odd. It wasn't the usual respect people had for wealthy families—it was something deeper, almost ingrained in their very bones.

"Zhang Ning, why is the Maurice family so revered in Rosewood Town?" Anran couldn't help but ask.

She recalled the deferential language Jason and others had used when addressing Ricardo, their expressions a mix of fear and respect. It was a stark contrast to how Jason had acted in the school cafeteria. The teachers' attitudes were equally puzzling.

Zhang Ning hesitated at Anran's question. No one had ever dared to ask such a thing before. In Rosewood Town, the Maurice family's status was something no one questioned.

Yes, why was the Maurice family so deeply respected? The thought now nagged at Zhang Ning.

"Zhang Ning, are you okay?" Anran asked, noticing her friend had stopped walking, her face blank with confusion.

"Oh, I'm fine," Zhang Ning said, snapping out of her thoughts. "I suppose… it's because the entire town of Rosewood belongs to the Maurice family. That's probably the reason."

"What?!" Anran's eyes widened in shock. "Did I hear that right? The entire town is theirs?"

"Of course. Didn't I tell you before? Even Saint Mary Academy is part of the Maurice family's estate. Not only that, but all the land in this town belongs to them. The only thing we own are the houses we live in," Zhang Ning explained.

A super tycoon! Without a doubt, the Maurice family was unfathomably wealthy!

Anran was stunned by this revelation. Rosewood Town, though small, covered a significant area, complete with mountains and rivers. And all of it belonged to the Maurice family. If the school was part of their estate, it explained the teachers' behavior in class. With such wealth and power, the Maurice family could practically do as they pleased in this town.

"Wait a minute," Anran said suddenly. "Zhang Ning, are you sure? Isn't all land owned by the state?"

She distinctly remembered that in their country, land was state-owned, and individuals only had the right to use it. How could Zhang Ning claim that Rosewood Town's land belonged to the Maurice family?