“N-nothing, just that the toilet’s broken, wanted to use the bathroom.” The man’s voice grew softer and softer.
Zhai Yu’s eyes were cold enough to freeze someone to death. “There’s a public restroom downstairs. If you really can’t hold it, find a bush. Who gave you the nerve to knock on her door?”
His gaze was sharp.
The man shivered. “Sorry to bother you.” And he scurried away.
Zhai Yu looked at Song Ruannin with a dark expression. “Song Ruannin, you’re living in a place like this with your daughter?”
It was a mixed bag of people, and that man just now clearly had ill intentions.
This time he was here, but what if he hadn’t come tonight? Would Song Ruannin have let that man in?
Song Ruannin: “It was fine before, I didn’t know the neighbors would be like this.”
When she rented the place, her budget was limited. Zhou Ying said it was cheap here, so she took it.
She looked up into Zhai Yu’s pitch-black eyes. “Thank you for today. I’ll move out as soon as possible.”
“Doesn’t Yunmeng even provide employee apartments for its staff?” Zhai Yu asked with a frown.
Ruan Ning helped Shen Yi explain: “Before you invested, Yunmeng was just a small company with limited funds. They helped big influencers rent places, but there were no employee apartments.”
Zhai Yu: “Starting tomorrow, there will be.”
He said coldly, “The Zhai Group isn’t so poor that employees of its subsidiaries don’t even have a place to live.”
“You’ll move into my company’s employee apartment tomorrow.” His tone brooked no argument.
Song Ruannin was taken aback. “Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t want to trouble you.”
Zhai Yu snorted. “I’m not being kind. I just don’t want employees getting into trouble right under my nose. The compensation the company would have to pay then would cost more than a house.”
“If you try to pin it on me again, wouldn’t I be at a loss?”
Song Ruannin bit her lip. So that’s how it was.
“But still—”
Before she could finish, Zhai Yu cut her off. “I’ll give you the contact for the person in charge of company housing.”
As he spoke, Zhai Yu took out his phone and held it horizontally in front of her. The screen showed their chat window, with several glaring red exclamation marks.
Zhai Yu: “First, take me out of your blacklist.”
Song Ruannin: “I…” He knew she had blocked him.
Zhai Yu: “What do you mean ‘I’? Hurry up.”
Song Ruannin said “Oh” and added Zhai Yu back.
Zhai Yu sent her a contact card. “He’ll contact you tomorrow. The moving company will come directly. You’ll pack up and move out of here with your daughter tomorrow.”
Song Ruannin: “So soon? How much is the rent? I’ll pay you first.”
Zhai Yu looked at Song Ruannin with an air of calm authority. “Let’s talk about it after you move in.”
With that, Zhai Yu walked to the door. He hesitated for a moment, then turned around. “Song Ruannin, I’m much richer now than you think.”
Song Ruannin: “Mm, I know.”
Zhai Yu let out a light snort. “Do you really know?”
As the heir to the Zhai family, Zhai Yu’s wealth was undoubtedly astronomical. Ruan Ning didn’t need to think to know that.
She didn’t respond, unsure how to.
Zhai Yu said coldly, “One of my watches could buy ten of the apartments you’re living in now. Any car in my garage would take you and your husband a lifetime of saving without eating or drinking to afford.”
“Song Ruannin.” He gripped Ruan Ning’s shoulders. “I’m no longer the Zhai Yu who had to work half a month just to buy you a cheap watch.”
Back when Zhai Yu was dating Song Ruannin, he once overheard her roommate showing off a bag her boyfriend had bought her.
“What’s the use of having a handsome boyfriend? Look at what my boyfriend bought me—it cost several thousand.”
“Money is what matters most. Ruannin, you have such good looks, and your father is a high-ranking official. Why not dump that poor guy Zhai Yu sooner rather than later and find someone rich?” her roommate advised.
Song Ruannin replied calmly, “I worked so hard to win him over. Why would I dump him? I like Zhai Yu. Whether he has money or not doesn’t matter—I have money. If it comes to it, I can support him.”
“So you’re treating Zhai Yu like a kept man?”
Song Ruannin smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “If he’s willing, I don’t mind supporting him for a lifetime.”
Zhai Yu overheard those words, and it was on that same day that he asked Song Ruannin if she wanted to move out and live with him.
Song Ruannin agreed, keeping it a secret from her family as they began living together.
During that time, aside from attending classes, Zhai Yu would work part-time jobs at night. After saving up for half a month, he bought her a watch worth 2,000 yuan.
Song Ruannin’s acting was clumsy; he could tell she didn’t like the watch.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her face blooming with a radiant smile. “What should I do? I love you so much. Then I’ll treat this as an engagement gift. Zhai Yu, you have to take responsibility for me. You have to marry me.”
All these years, Ruan Ning still remembered that watch.
It wasn’t particularly attractive, but it was the best gift she had received in her first 21 years of life—because it was from Zhai Yu.
Now, standing before her was a man dressed in a tailored suit, exuding an air of refined elegance and aloofness.
Of course, she knew he was no longer the same Zhai Yu from before, but she, too, was no longer the Song Ruannin from six years ago.
A mist of tears clouded Song Ruannin’s eyes. “I know. So isn’t this exactly you using money to humiliate me?”
Zhai Yu paused, releasing her shoulders, his brow slightly furrowed.
Ruan Ning continued, “How could I not know that Young Master Zhai is wealthy? After all, when your sister slapped me, didn’t Young Master Zhai give me 10 million? I remember it well.”
“Song Ruannin.” Zhai Yu took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse. “You’re still as incapable of understanding what I say as you were before. Think carefully about what I mean.”
“A man who can’t even afford a decent princess dress for his daughter won’t be able to give you or your daughter a promising future.” With that, the man walked away.
Song Ruannin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
So, back at Zhai Lingyin’s house, had Zhai Yu noticed it too?
Noticed that Song Ziyan’s clothes were duller and less impressive compared to the other children’s?
Ruan Ning’s heart tightened. She rushed to her room and pulled open the bottom drawer.
Inside a knitted pouch lay a gold-pink ladies’ wristwatch.
The hands had stopped moving, but the watch face had been well cared for over the years. Ruan Ning gently stroked the dial before placing it back.
The next day, after dropping Song Ziyan off at school and arriving at her office building, Ruan Ning saw a spirited young man step out of a black van.
“Miss Song, I presume? Mr. Zhai sent me. Allow me to introduce myself—I’m Chen Feng, Mr. Zhai’s assistant. He asked me to take you to see a property,” Chen Feng said.
“No need for the trouble. Just give me the address, and I’ll go myself later,” Ruan Ning declined.
Chen Feng looked troubled. “Miss Song, this was arranged by Mr. Zhai. If I don’t complete the task, he’ll deduct my salary.”
Song Ruannin didn’t want to make things difficult for this working man, so she followed him.
Chen Feng took her to Qionghua Residence.
This place was all too familiar to Ruan Ning.
Before her father’s accident, this was where their family had lived.
A renowned high-end residential complex in Yancheng, its residents were either wealthy or distinguished.
“Is this your company’s employee apartment?” Ruan Ning asked Chen Feng.
Chen Feng merely smiled. “Miss Song, please follow me.”
She was led upstairs, where Chen Feng opened the door to reveal a spacious single-floor apartment with two units per floor.
The decor was minimalist, the appliances complete—clearly, thought had been put into it.
“Miss Song, if there’s anything you need, please contact me,” Chen Feng said. “Please give me the keys to your previous residence so I can arrange the move.”
Song Ruannin took a deep breath. “Where is Zhai Yu? I need to see him.”