When Shi Wen brought Ning Ruohuan there, she felt guilty. “Boss, I didn’t have time to make better arrangements. Please make do for now. Tomorrow, several bedrooms on the third floor will be finished.”
Ning Ruohuan looked around. There were a few oil paintings on the white walls, likely hung recently, giving the place a lived-in feel. She smiled. “Thank you, Shi Wen.”
Shi Wen said, “Boss, there’s no need to be polite with me.”
Ning Ruohuan smiled. “Okay.”
Shi Wen pointed out the layout of the bedroom, introducing everything to Ning Ruohuan. She patiently tried to use this method to distract her so she could briefly forget about Luo Yanzhi.
A thorn must be pulled out slowly.
Ning Ruohuan saw her good intentions and listened carefully, occasionally asking about the kitchen and study.
She didn’t come here often, and every time she did, it was to test her ability level, so she wasn’t very familiar with the layout.
“Okay, I’ve got it,” Ning Ruohuan said with a smile. “I’d like to take a shower first.”
Shi Wen said, “Boss, how about I cook some noodles for you?”
Mentioning it made Ning Ruohuan realize she hadn’t eaten yet.
But she truly had no appetite. Not wanting to reject Shi Wen’s kindness, she thought for a moment. “Just boil an egg for me.”
Shi Wen responded quickly. “Okay.”
Warm water cascaded from the showerhead. Ning Ruohuan tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting the water soak her face. The water slid down her jaw, wound down her neck, and eventually hit the cold tiles.
Alone in the space, all her senses were heightened. Ning Ruohuan felt a bitter ache. She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it back.
Yan-yan. Luo Yanzhi.
Ning Ruohuan murmured the name in her heart. The churning backflow made her throat dry and itchy.
Shi Wen boiled a few extra eggs. Her own requirements for life weren’t high, and her cooking was just passable—enough to be edible. Faced with the boiled eggs, she hesitated.
She tentatively picked one up and peeled it. Seeing the milky white egg white, she took a bite and felt slightly relieved.
Fortunately, it’s cooked and tastes normal.
She placed the eggs on the dining table.
Realizing Ning Ruohuan had been in the shower for a long time, she hurried to the bedroom door. Just as she was about to knock, the door opened.
Ning Ruohuan stood in the doorway, her features softened by the warm water and her skin slightly flushed. She was drying her head with a white towel, water droplets clinging to the ends of her hair.
Finally, a droplet fell.
Ning Ruohuan was surprised to see her and continued drying her hair with both hands.
Shi Wen held her breath. “Boss, the eggs are ready.”
“Okay.” Ning Ruohuan rubbed her hair a bit more. “I’ll be down in a moment.”
Five minutes later, they were sitting at the table. Ning Ruohuan teased her, “In all the years I’ve known you, this is the first time I’ve eaten something you made.”
Shi Wen rubbed her nose. “If you want to eat, Boss, I can make things for you often.”
Ning Ruohuan waved her hand. “You’re quite busy now. I should be the one doing this.”
Sometimes Ning Ruohuan wondered why some people loved work so much, putting their whole hearts and souls into it without complaint.
“Boss, I have something to tell you,” Shi Wen suddenly became serious.
Ning Ruohuan skillfully peeled an eggshell. “What is it?”
Shi Wen said, “I want to return all the positions in the group to you.”
Ning Ruohuan’s hand stopped. She looked up. “You built this yourself.”
Shi Wen said, “I merely followed the path you walked before. This originally belonged to you.”
Ning Ruohuan took a bite of the egg white. “This is your achievement. Besides, I’ve gotten used to this free and easy life. That kind of life doesn’t suit me anymore.”
Shi Wen pursed her lips.
The butler nervously directed the servants to prepare a meal.
Ever since Ning Ruohuan was taken away by Shi Wen, the pressure radiating from Luo Yanzhi was terrifyingly low, her face tight.
Her features were naturally cool, but usually, her casual and lazy air tempered that coldness.
“Whoa, what’s going on? Such a long face,” Wan Yunxin said, leaning over the back of the sofa where Luo Yanzhi was sitting. “Did your lady friend find out about the marriage and throw a tantrum?”
Bu Ruoyan patted Wan Yunxin’s arm, reminding her to watch her words. “Yanzhi.”
Luo Yanzhi gave a tired response. “Why are you two here?”
Bu Ruoyan sat across from her.
Wan Yunxin leaned lazily against the sofa back. “To watch the drama, of course.”
Bu Ruoyan: “…”
Bu Ruoyan shot several looks at Wan Yunxin, but Wan Yunxin didn’t notice any of them. She continued on her own, “How do you plan to handle this? Is Ning Ruohuan staying or leaving?”
The butler stood nearby, sweat almost dripping. Why was Wan Yunxin hitting every one of President Luo’s sore spots?
Luo Yanzhi said coldly, “She’s gone.”
Wan Yunxin gasped. “As expected of you—making a choice so quickly. If I were you, I’d keep her here. After all, a political marriage is just for show. You can both do your own thing after the wedding and just act the part in public. I didn’t expect you to just let her go.” She clicked her tongue, her eyes sparkling. “Do you know where she went?”
The last time she was alone in a car with Ning Ruohuan, she had asked the woman to help blow something out of her eye. Thinking back, it was a bit intimate. But more than that, she wanted to know how Ning Ruohuan’s calm expression had crumbled when she found out.
Luo Yanzhi wasn’t in the mood for these questions. “I don’t know.”
After all this time, she actually didn’t know when Ning Ruohuan had connected with a big shot like Shi Wen. She narrowed her eyes, showing a trace of sourness she hadn’t noticed herself.
Was it because of Shi Wen that Ning Ruohuan left so without hesitation? Otherwise, she had done so many worse things in the past, and Ning Ruohuan had always forgiven her. Why make such a fuss about leaving over something so “insignificant”?
She couldn’t understand.
It’s just a marriage certificate. Is it really that important?
Bu Ruoyan noticed Luo Yanzhi’s wandering thoughts and tilted her head toward Wan Yunxin. Wan Yunxin tilted her head back in confusion, mouthing, “What?”
Bu Ruoyan had a headache and just messaged her: Stop talking.
Wan Yunxin: Oh. Did I say something wrong?
Bu Ruoyan: Not saying anything is the right thing.
Wan Yunxin: Fine, I get it.
Luo Yanzhi didn’t notice their exchange. Her mind was filled with Ning Ruohuan’s finality and her eyes, which were as still as an ancient well.
Those beautiful eyes, when they looked at her, no longer held the love she used to see.
Her heart panicked for a moment.
In this world, she was the only one who loved Ning Ruohuan, and Ning Ruohuan could only be by her side.
Her emotions intertwined, and Luo Yanzhi suddenly looked up.
Wan Yunxin, leaning over the sofa back, was startled and jumped.
She was about to ask what Luo Yanzhi was doing, but remembered Bu Ruoyan’s warning to stay quiet.
She had to hold it in.
Luo Yanzhi grit her teeth, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes on her face. “I’m going to go get her back.”
Bu Ruoyan and Wan Yunxin looked at each other, both failing to understand. Bu Ruoyan asked tentatively, “Didn’t you let her leave?”
Luo Yanzhi smiled mockingly. “She was forcibly taken from me.”
After hearing the whole story, BuRuoyan and Wan Yunxin fell silent. They knew Luo Yanzhi was always reckless and inconsiderate in front of Ning Ruohuan, but even as outsiders, those hurtful words were shocking, let alone for the person involved.
Wan Yunxin swallowed. “You really said that?”
Luo Yanzhi’s expression was frozen. “Is there a problem? I already said that the marriage partner will have nothing except the certificate. Everything I have belongs to her.”
Shi Wen was wiping the table when her phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw a familiar number, so she clicked on it.
The message was revealed.
President Shi, I want to see Ning Ruohuan. — Luo Yanzhi
Shi Wen deleted the message without changing her expression and took the rag back to the kitchen.
Ning Ruohuan was washing her hands. When she saw Shi Wen coming, she reached for the rag, but Shi Wen quickly pulled it away.
She knew Ning Ruohuan had a bit of a germaphobia. “Boss, I’ll do it.”
Ning Ruohuan didn’t argue.
Two days had passed since she was picked up by Shi Wen. In those two days, Luo Yanzhi had sent her three messages.
They were simply “Good morning,” “Good night,” and “Have you eaten?”
Undeniably, seeing the messages still affected Ning Ruohuan and made her heart soften.
But so what? There was no longer any possibility between her and Luo Yanzhi.
Ding.
A notification sounded. Ning Ruohuan’s phone on the counter lit up, showing Luo Yanzhi’s name.
Shi Wen caught a glimpse of it while washing the rag.
She watched Ning Ruohuan use her half-dry hand to tap the screen.
Two seconds later, she heard Ning Ruohuan say, “Shi Wen, let her in later.”
“The item.” Ning Ruohuan spoke concisely, her gaze fixed elsewhere as she held out a hand.
Luo Yanzhi’s message had said: Sister’s camera is still here. I’ve brought it personally and want to hand it to you. If you don’t want it, I’ll just throw it away.
Over the past two days, although Ning Ruohuan seemed fine on the surface, her mind was actually in a daze.
With Luo Yanzhi’s reminder, she remembered that in her grief, she hadn’t thought to bring anything with her.
Cameras were updated quickly, but Ning Ruohuan was a sentimental person. Since Luo Yanzhi had brought it over, she wasn’t going to refuse.
Luo Yanzhi held a box that looked like a briefcase. She looked down at the outstretched hand, then saw Ning Ruohuan’s refusal to look at her, as if she were throwing a tantrum.
When had she ever seen this side of Ning Ruohuan? In just a few days, she had seen several unfamiliar sides of her, each one making her fantasize.
She steadied herself and said to the person at the door, “Aren’t you going to invite me in, Sister?”
Ning Ruohuan: “It’s not convenient.”
Luo Yanzhi’s expression stiffened. She tried to stay patient. “Come back with me, Sister.”
Ning Ruohuan was shocked by her matter-of-fact words, but her good upbringing kept her tone polite. “Luo Yanzhi, I am a person. My feelings can also be worn away.”
She had compromised enough in this relationship; she didn’t want to compromise anymore. “I no longer have any illusions about the current you.”
“So you absolutely must get married, is that it?” Luo Yanzhi suddenly let out a mocking laugh. She stood tall, her arrogant eyes filled with unspoken disdain. “It was just a fling. You didn’t take it seriously, did you? Who gave you the idea that I would actually marry a useless person with no special abilities?”
She had taken the initiative to come here—it was already an act of submission. Yet Ning Ruohuan repeatedly put on airs. Her patience was gone, her pride wounded, and her natural arrogance spilled out. The words came out before she could think.
In an instant, Ning Ruohuan’s pupils shrank, the color drained completely from her face, and her final trace of hope shattered.