When Zheng Yousai came in with his people, he was completely stunned.
He had originally planned to provoke Ruan Shujin on purpose and had even hired a few thugs to stage a little show. But looking at the state of the house now—
His jaw nearly hit the floor.
Aside from spotless walls and floors, there was nothing left in the house.
Before Zheng Yousai could say anything, the hooligans he had hired shot him a sideways glance, cursed under their breath, and left.
The whole family searched the entire house and finally confirmed that whoever the thief was, they had cleaned the place out even more thoroughly than washing a face—absolutely spotless.
Ruan Shujin was jolted awake by a basin of cold water, exactly as she had anticipated.
Zheng Yousai wanted to ask something, but all he saw was his eldest daughter charging around like a crippled beggar from the streets, shouting nonsense at random—annoying beyond belief.
Disgusted, Zheng Yousai turned away and waved his hand. Several women immediately surrounded Ruan Shujin.
Zheng Yousai had no patience.
“Ruan Shujin, what exactly happened? I was gone for just one night—how did the house end up like this?”
“Who broke in?”
Ruan Shujin stared blankly at him.
“I don’t know. They all covered their faces with black cloth. I tried to call for help, but they tied me up. How about we call the police or some other officials?”
“No!”
Zheng Yousai steadied himself.
“What’s gone is gone. It’s not just our family that got robbed. Things have been unstable lately, and the thieves have grown bolder. Losing these things isn’t a big deal.”
“If the guards come and search and find anything, our entire family is finished. Compared to our lives, this stuff isn’t worth mentioning.”
Zheng Yousai wasn’t talking nonsense. Otherwise, so many people wouldn’t be selling off assets or outright emptying their homes and fleeing toward Hong Kong.
Besides, most of the valuables in the Ruan ancestral home had already been transferred away by Zheng Yousai. What remained on the surface had only been a small portion.
Thinking of the Cui family’s instructions, Zheng Yousai put on a kind, gentle smile and approached Ruan Shujin.
“You pack up. Today, go meet your childhood-betrothed. Settle the marriage as soon as possible. Then tell us where the things your grandfather left you are. Remember, we’re family. Once this storm passes, we’ll come and bring you back.”
“Alright.”
Ruan Shujin, playing her role perfectly, didn’t feel like wasting words on these people.
Zheng Yousai even generously handed over the money meant for her dowry. After all, you had to spend money to catch a wolf—one thousand yuan was something he was willing to give.
Ruan Shujin looked at the money and sneered inwardly.
After embezzling so much, he was only willing to give a thousand yuan. He really thought she was an idiot.
Keeping “the bigger picture” in mind, Zheng Yousai even had the household dress Ruan Shujin up properly before taking her to meet the Cui family.
Zheng Shuya’s childhood engagement was a complicated matter. Years ago, the Cui family had saved a child. When the child’s family later came looking, they discovered the two families were old acquaintances. With one son and one daughter, the marriage was settled.
Originally, it had nothing to do with Cui Ruping or her daughter Zheng Shuya. But after learning that the other family had fallen on hard times, the Cui family sisters-in-law discussed it and all pushed their own daughters forward—eventually, the match landed on this branch that had married out.
Even so, Zheng Yousai was reluctant to let Zheng Shuya marry so casually. She still had her uses.
After much thought, his gaze landed on the daughter he shared with Ruan Humei.
Every time he looked at Ruan Shujin, Zheng Yousai was reminded of those humiliating years when he had been a live-in son-in-law. Coupled with Ruan Shujin’s spoiled and willful temperament, raised under Old Master Ruan’s watchful eye, she always made him deeply unhappy.
In contrast, Cui Ruping had been his first love—sweet-tongued and attentive—and by extension, even her daughter looked pleasing to the eye.
When Zheng Yousai snapped back to his senses and looked up, his gaze collided directly with Ruan Shujin’s.
Seeing him quickly avert his eyes, Ruan Shujin knew at once that whatever he’d just been thinking about was nothing good.
The Cui family had once been a famous wealthy household in Shanghai. Unfortunately, their descendants were both untalented and extravagantly wasteful, dragging the family into notoriety.
Ruan Shujin glanced at the two women beside Zheng Yousai.
She truly couldn’t understand how her mother could get along so harmoniously with the woman who had destroyed her marriage.
In Ruan Shujin’s eyes, what Cui Ruping had done back then was utterly nauseating.
Thinking of how, in her previous life, she had clearly arranged everything—only for Cui Ruping and Zheng Yousai to hand over most of the family assets to the Cui family, even deducting what should have belonged to her—Ruan Shujin felt anger rise in her chest.
Old Master Cui was nearly eighty, yet still full of vigor. The way he looked at people was as if he could see straight through them.
After greeting him, Ruan Shujin sat upright, appearing obedient and well-behaved.
They waited for a long time.
The Cui family members grew restless, chattering noisily.
“What’s going on with him? What time is it already!”
“This is clearly toying with us!”
“Dad, if they don’t show up today, let’s just cancel this marriage unilaterally.”
Old Master Cui’s voice rang out loudly. With a single “Enough,” the previously noisy living room fell silent.
Ruan Shujin wasn’t in a hurry. Whether she met him or not didn’t matter—given the Cui family’s nature, they would absolutely make her marry.
After all, with the current situation, sacrifices had to be made for the sake of the family. More chess pieces always needed to be arranged.
Lost in thought, Ruan Shujin was calculating how to reclaim the assets Zheng Yousai had stolen from her.
Ruan Humei nudged her with an elbow. When Ruan Shujin looked up, she saw the childhood-betrothed fiancé.
Plain gray clothes, cold eyes, sharp features.
For some reason, Ruan Shujin felt that this man was far from simple.
“Uncle Cui, I’m Xie Zheng. I had something urgent to deal with today, so I arrived late.”
Old Master Cui merely nodded, then looked at Ruan Shujin and back at Xie Zheng.
“This is my granddaughter. You two aren’t young anymore—it’s time to settle things quickly.”
Xie Zheng looked at the girl sitting across from him. Fair-skinned, wearing a floral dress, she looked every bit like a delicate capitalist young lady. If his family hadn’t pressed him so hard, he would never have come to propose.
After all, he had absolutely no thoughts about marriage at the moment.
But his grandmother was old, and he truly couldn’t disobey her.
Ruan Shujin quietly observed the man who had now become her fiancé.
When their gazes met, there was no sweetness or affection—only naked scrutiny.
Ruan Shujin smiled.
So, she’d met a worthy opponent. Who would win or lose was still uncertain.
And so, she asked bluntly—
“Then, Brother Xie Zheng, when are we getting the marriage certificate?”