This was an old residential complex on the outskirts of A-City, a block of staff apartments built in the late 1990s, located next to a large, abandoned chemical plant.
Back then, Victor Wei had worked at the plant and was assigned an apartment here.
Ten years ago, the chemical plant went bankrupt and was acquired by the Pei Corporation, but it had remained idle ever since, with no specific plans for redevelopment.
Once a plan was in place, all the nearby buildings would have to be demolished.
Capitalists are bloodsuckers, and a born opportunist like Hugh Pei was particularly skilled at calculation.
The demolition compensation he offered was always right at the minimum standard; he wouldn’t give a penny more.
But no one could have guessed that he would transform into a great philanthropist for Lila Wei.
Victor Wei, as the residents’ representative, had met with Hugh Pei, expecting a contentious negotiation.
To his surprise, Hugh Pei was incredibly polite and even revised the compensation standards.
Every household received far more than the standard amount.
That move left Lila Wei both furious and touched.
Furious because Hugh Pei had orchestrated the whole thing, but touched that he was willing to do so much for her.
I sat in my car, looking up at the scattered lights in the complex, my mind racing.
In my past life, when I discovered that Hugh Pei had changed the compensation plan, I had my father look into it.
I found out some of the details, but at the time, I had no idea he was doing it for a woman.
If I calculated correctly, that was around the time Hugh Pei had been pursuing Lila Wei for about six months.
Six months, and he was already this insane.
I didn’t know the Wei family’s exact building and apartment number, so I drove slowly around the small, unfenced complex.
With no security, it was easy for me to wander around.
Just as I completed a lap, I spotted a familiar Bugatti.
Hugh Pei, dressed all in black, was leaning against the front of the car.
His long legs were casually propped against the vehicle, his head slightly bowed as he lit a cigarette.
A luxury car, a handsome man, the night, and a cigarette—it was a scene straight out of a movie.
I tried to put myself in Lila Wei’s shoes.
A man this unattainable, this powerful, was madly pursuing me, throwing money at me, sweeping away all my obstacles like a knight, with eyes only for me.
And I, apart from being pretty, had no other outstanding qualities.
Suddenly, it all clicked.
If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t be able to resist either.
Lila Wei was naive, not stupid.
Following Hugh Pei’s gaze, I locked onto the window of Lila Wei’s apartment.
In that building, besides a light on the first floor, only one on the fifth floor was still on.
I dialed Hugh Pei’s number.
“What is it?” he answered, his voice as cold and indifferent as ever.
“Nothing. Just seeing if you’d pick up,” I said, watching the man not far away through my car window.
I was almost flattered.
He was standing under another woman’s window, staring up longingly, his mind completely consumed with how to win her over, yet he still managed to spare a sliver of attention to answer a call from his bitter wife?
After a moment of reflection, I drove away.
When I got home, the maids had just finished cleaning.
Eva Liu was the last to finish, seemingly waiting for me on purpose.
“Ma’am!” Eva Liu’s voice was hesitant when she saw me.
I set the containers of food on the table and asked gently, “What is it, Auntie Liu?”
Eva Liu looked at me nervously, her wrinkled face etched with difficulty.
“When I was cleaning your bedroom today, I accidentally broke one of your skincare bottles. Please tell me how much it costs, and I’ll pay you back.”
“Which one?” I asked.
She quickly pulled a tissue-wrapped bundle from her pocket.
Inside were the fragments of a bottle of Jenny Brown toner.
A single bottle cost nearly nine thousand.
Eva Liu’s entire monthly salary wouldn’t be enough to replace it.
Looking at her humble demeanor, I felt an indescribable emotion.
This ordinary woman would one day be Hugh Pei’s mother-in-law.
Now, she was working herself to the bone for a few thousand a month, but in the future, she would become part of the upper class, all because she had a beautiful daughter.
Meanwhile, my family had been in politics for three generations, and the Pei family in business for three generations.
Our current wealth and status were built up generation by generation.
“Forget it. I’d already used more than half of it anyway. Just be more careful next time,” I said, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion.
The image of Hugh Pei staring silently up at the Wei’s window made the world feel even more surreal.
Eva Liu thanked me repeatedly, a mixture of gratitude and guilt on her face.
I said nothing and went upstairs to rest.
After a shower, I lay on the bed with a face mask on, playing on my phone.
The bedroom door clicked open.
It was Hugh Pei.
“Your parents have already gone back. You don’t have to keep up the act,” I said in a muffled voice as he approached.
“I know.” Hugh Pei took his pajamas from the closet and left without a backward glance.
I really was getting ahead of myself.
With a low sigh, I peeled off the mask and prepared to sleep.
A call from Ella Li startled me awake.
I answered groggily, “Yoyo, what’s up?”
That’s when I remembered.
The sleepiness vanished.
“I’m in!”
I would have done it even without pay.
My goal wasn’t to make money, but to enrich myself and pursue the dream I once had.
Ella Li chuckled.
“Great! I’ll send you the time and address. Be there on time!”
“Okay,” I agreed instantly.
After hanging up, I quickly received a message from her.
The location was the concert hall at my alma mater, A-University.
The time was three days from now.
It was the first day of the new semester.
The gig was actually a project from the A-University Music Department, and only graduates of the department could take it.
It was meant to welcome the new freshmen, allowing them to experience the charm of music and begin their first university lesson under the guidance of their alumni.
I hadn’t been back to A-University since graduation.
I hadn’t participated in any homecomings or made any donations.
I was always just orbiting around Hugh Pei.
This was a new beginning, wasn’t it?
I was actually looking forward to it.
To avoid embarrassing my alma mater, I began three days of intense practice.
Since Hugh Pei wasn’t coming home at night anyway, I played from morning till night, practically taking root in the music room.
Immersed in the sound of the cello, these three days were incredibly fulfilling.
Playing various pieces, I constantly reflected on my past life, and it felt like the music itself took on a different flavor.
That evening, after a relaxing shower, I dialed Julian Qi’s number.
“Sis Zoe!” It was noisy on his end, like he was in a bar.
“Julian, where are you?” I asked, my tone like that of a caring older sister.
“School starts tomorrow. Why are you at a bar?”
Julian’s voice was muffled by the loud music.
“Sis Zoe, I’m at work! I can’t hear you, I’ll talk to you later!”
I hung up immediately and sent a text instead.
Me: *Still don’t have enough for tuition?
What about the medical compensation from the other day?
You didn’t use it?*
Julian’s reply was prompt: *My dad’s medical bills weren’t covered, so I transferred it to him.*
Without another word, I transferred twenty thousand to him.
I knew the playbook for pursuing a guy.
Besides, I’d had a master class from an expert like Hugh Pei himself.