"Why are you so happy?" Lu Yudong asked Jiang Ci on their way home that evening.

Jiang Ci's face was full of pride.

"It's the first time you've praised me, of course I'm happy," Jiang Ci said, unable to hide her joy.

"You're overthinking it," Lu Yudong said with a slight smirk.

"Why?"

"I'm afraid people will say I can't manage my wife," Lu Yudong replied indifferently.

Jiang Ci turned her head to look out the window, ignoring Lu Yudong. He always liked to dampen people's spirits.

"Where are you going on your business trip?" Jiang Ci asked Lu Yudong. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I'm going back to Qingcheng. Don't tell Grandpa."

"Aren't you going on a business trip? Why not tell him?" Jiang Ci turned her head to look at Lu Yudong, a bit surprised.

"Just don't tell him. Just say I'm on a business trip."

"Isn't it a business trip?"

Lu Yudong didn't answer, staring straight ahead, keeping his lips sealed.

Jiang Ci thought to herself in frustration: Fine, don't tell me!

Jiang Ci stayed at the Lu Family's house for another three weeks. To her surprise, Grandpa's health hadn't deteriorated; in fact, it seemed to be improving. He took walks every morning, occasionally went swimming, and was very careful with his diet. He had a strong will and determination to fight his illness.

Jiang Ci would sometimes accompany Grandpa on his walks and swims.

She once told Grandpa, "Grandpa, I really admire you. Fighting against the heavens is a joy, and so is fighting against illness."

Grandpa just smiled.

Jiang Ci thought maybe Grandpa was motivated because he hoped to see a great-grandchild.

What if one day Grandpa found out she wasn't actually pregnant? How disappointed would he be?

During these twenty-odd days, Jiang Ci even pretended to go for a check-up once.

Finally, Lu Yudong left on his business trip.

Unexpectedly, on the first day of his trip, Yin Xuemo invited Jiang Ci to dinner.

She called Jiang Ci.

Having been provoked by Yin Xuemo several times, Jiang Ci had no good impression of her and refused to go.

"Do you know why Yudong went on this trip?" Yin Xuemo said over the phone.

Jiang Ci was taken aback. She had asked Lu Yudong several times why he was going on the trip, but he wouldn't say.

It seemed Yin Xuemo knew, and Jiang Ci could even hear the smugness in her voice.

"Of course I know. Miss Yin, there's no need for you to say more," Jiang Ci replied coldly. Going to dinner might lead to Yin Xuemo setting her up, taking compromising photos, and making her a laughingstock in all of Jiangzhou.

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"Don't think so poorly of me, Miss Jiang. In a few days, it will be someone's death anniversary, and I wanted to talk to you about it."

Jiang Ci thought: It's not Grandpa or Grandma's anniversary. If it were Grandma's, Lu Yudong wouldn't hide it from Grandpa.

But who could it be?

Curiosity drove Jiang Ci, and she also wanted to see what Yin Xuemo was up to.

Yin Xuemo invited Jiang Ci to the most romantic rooftop garden restaurant in Jiangzhou.

When Jiang Ci arrived, Yin Xuemo was already there, dressed in white like a fairy.

Jiang Ci was puzzled. Yin Xuemo usually presented herself with a seductive image. Why was she wearing white today?

"Miss Jiang, you're here?" Yin Xuemo said.

Yin Xuemo always addressed Jiang Ci as "Miss Jiang."

"What do you want? I'm afraid being with Miss Yin might get me photographed by paparazzi," Jiang Ci glanced around.

Yin Xuemo chuckled lightly, "Miss Jiang, you're funny. This is a members-only place, with an annual membership fee of 200,000. Those paparazzi can't get in."

"What do you want?" Jiang Ci was on edge, eager to finish the conversation and leave.

"Do you know why I'm wearing white today?"

"No," Jiang Ci shook her head in confusion.

"Tomorrow is my father's death anniversary."

Jiang Ci's mind went blank for a long time. So that's why Yin Xuemo was wearing white.

And it was probably the reason for Lu Yudong's trip.

"Death anniversary? Your father passed away?" Jiang Ci asked.

"Yes. Every year on my father's death anniversary, Yudong goes back to accompany my mother. It's been like this every year, without fail. I'm afraid to go back, fearing I'll cry my heart out. My father saved Yudong's life, and Yudong even bought several houses for my mom in Qingcheng. He visits her every year. Yudong and I dated for a year, and we were inseparable back then. He worked hard to marry me, but I was upset at the time, feeling he didn't spend enough time with me, so I went abroad. He called me over ten times a day and even flew abroad to find me, but I never returned. Yudong got angry and told me if I didn't come back, he'd find someone else within a year. Now, I'm back, but the position of Mrs. Lu is already taken. A few days ago, he told me he would marry me soon."

Jiang Ci thought: Yin Xuemo is saying all this probably to make her abort the child.

Jiang Ci knew a bit about the past between Lu Yudong and Yin Xuemo. There were photos of Yin Xuemo in his house, and she had always been thinking about Lu Yudong, wanting Jiang Ci to divorce him.

Jiang Ci also knew a bit about Lu Yudong's plans to marry Yin Xuemo in the future.

After finalizing the deal, Jiang Ci was very happy and excited. It was her first time handling a transaction over a hundred thousand yuan, and she felt a bit anxious. Worried about encountering scammers or criminals, she asked Han Lan to accompany her.

Han Lan, no longer needing to keep a low profile, was quite pleased and readily agreed to Jiang Ci's request.

"For something like this, it's best to have a guy with us. If Mr. Lu goes with you, who would dare to cheat him? They wouldn't dare even with ten times the courage," Han Lan said while munching on snacks.

"It's not that easy. We're having a bit of a spat. Besides, this matter involves my ex-boyfriend. Would I be out of my mind to ask him to come along?" Jiang Ci replied.

"Why are you making such a fuss? You can see how just a casual nod from him changes everything for us. People can't wait to flatter him, and here you are, picking a fight," Han Lan said, a bit exasperated.

"Don't mention it. I've been flattering him all along." To this day, Jiang Ci still didn't understand why Lu Yudong suddenly asked her to move out.

How could she cater to his whims without knowing the reason?

"Why not try to appease him? Mr. Lu is into that," Han Lan suggested.

"How do you know? Have you tried it before?" Jiang Ci asked, her tone slightly jealous.

"No, no, I haven't even met Mr. Lu," Han Lan said, trying to act coy. "But seriously, my sister is bringing me some food this afternoon."

"Your sister? Isn't she about to give birth? How can you let her bring you food with that big belly?"

"She's not coming herself; she's sending her brother-in-law. I heard he's quite a catch," Han Lan said dreamily.

"You haven't met him?"

Han Lan rolled her eyes at Jiang Ci. "No, he didn't attend my sister's wedding; he was out of town."

"I'll check him out for you this afternoon."

At six in the evening, the dormitory doorbell rang, and Jiang Ci went to answer it. As soon as she opened the door, she widened her eyes in surprise and said, "Deng Yue?"

"Jiang Ci?"

"Who are you looking for? Me?"

Deng Yue raised the food container in his hand. "I'm delivering food for my sister-in-law to her sister. I didn't expect you two to be roommates. What a small world."

When Han Lan came out and saw that Deng Yue was quite handsome, her eyes sparkled.

"How about I treat you two lovely ladies to dinner tonight?" Deng Yue offered.

"What about the food my sister sent?" Jiang Ci asked with a slight frown.

But Han Lan was already tempted. After all, who wouldn't want to dine with a handsome guy?

"We can put it in the fridge and eat it later. It won't spoil. Let's go, I'll treat you to hot pot," Deng Yue said enthusiastically.

Recently, Jiang Ci and Han Lan had been under a lot of pressure, so they were eager for some relaxation and quickly agreed. Besides, Jiang Ci loved spicy food—the spicier, the better.

During dinner, Deng Yue asked Jiang Ci, "Since we added each other on WeChat, we haven't chatted. I didn't know you worked at New East Group. That's promising."

"I'm just a low-level employee; there's no future in that. Han Lan has more potential; she's the New East Star, a future executive," Jiang Ci said, not forgetting to praise Han Lan.

Jiang Ci could tell that Han Lan had a good impression of Deng Yue. Han Lan and Deng Yue also exchanged WeChat contacts.

"Oh, by the way, Jiang Ci is going to the suburbs on Sunday to inspect a computer factory. We've never been there and are afraid of encountering scammers, so we want a guy to come with us. Why don't you join us?" Han Lan invited Deng Yue. "My sister told me her brother-in-law runs a gaming company, so you're perfect for evaluating computers."

"Visiting a computer factory? No problem. I'll drive you two ladies there. Planning to buy computers? Why not just go to the electronics market instead of the source?"

"Two hundred units. We're donating them to children in the mountains. It's the same school we visited together," Jiang Ci explained easily, as she and Deng Yue had visited the charity school together before.

"Two hundred units, impressive. You must have some money."

"Not really. I sold my dad's house in the countryside," Jiang Ci deflected, fearing Deng Yue would ask about the money's origin, putting her in an awkward position.

She hadn't even mentioned her contractual marriage with Lu Yudong to Han Lan, nor did Han Lan know the source of the money.

Her father's old house was in the countryside, and Jiang Ci had never been there. Besides, you can't sell a homestead.

Fortunately, Deng Yue didn't press further.

What could Jiang Ci say? That she sold herself for it?

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