Jiang Ci returned to the office with a grim face, not saying a word.

It wasn't until six in the evening that she went back to the dorm alone.

Coincidentally, Deng Yue was in the dorm. Seeing Jiang Ci, he said, "You're back, Jiang Ci?"

Han Lan shot Deng Yue a glare.

Han Lan had already told Deng Yue about Jiang Ci's marriage to Lu Yudong, not in detail, just that Jiang Ci was married and her husband was Lu Yudong.

Because Han Lan noticed that Deng Yue had a bit of interest in Jiang Ci, she wanted him to give up on that idea quickly.

Han Lan asked her, "Why are you back?"

"Don't even mention it, I'm furious. Never trust anyone!" Jiang Ci tossed her bag onto the bed.

"What happened?" Han Lan asked, "If you're in a bad mood, let's go out for hot pot. Deng Yue is treating us to hot pot. If I had known you were coming back tonight, I would have called you from the office."

"Let's go, a hot pot meal will do us good. It's Friday anyway, no work tomorrow," Deng Yue chimed in, trying to lighten the mood, not expecting to run into Jiang Ci today.

Jiang Ci thought: She hadn't done anything wrong. She told her brother she was pregnant to prevent him from extorting her. She had explained it to Lu Yudong, but why did he believe she was pregnant? He even thought she had an abortion while he was away. What was he thinking?

"Let's go," Jiang Ci said in a huff.

The three of them left the dorm together. With Deng Yue there, Han Lan refrained from asking Jiang Ci for more details. She knew Jiang Ci and Lu Yudong had a falling out, likely because the miscarriage issue had angered Lu Yudong. But the pregnancy was fake to begin with, and the test result was something she had obtained. Didn't Lu Yudong know?

Luckily, Jiang Ci's dorm was still available.

Lu Yudong drove out of the underground garage and saw the three of them chatting and laughing at the dorm entrance. He frowned tightly: Was she really that carefree, or did she just not care?

His car sped away.

Back home, Grandpa asked, "Where's Little Ci? Why didn't she come back?"

Lu Yudong sank deep into the sofa, rubbing his forehead, "She went to stay at the dorm."

"Why did she go back to the dorm?"

Lu Yudong was silent for a moment and then said, "Grandpa."

"What?"

"The child might be gone. She was careless." Lu Yudong felt deeply guilty towards Grandpa, very pained.

Unexpectedly, Grandpa was very open-minded, "It's okay, it's okay. You don't need to feel guilty, and Little Ci doesn't need to move to the dorm because of this. If the child is gone, it just means this child wasn't meant to be with you. Sooner or later, you'll have another one, don't you think, Yudong?"

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Grandpa looked at Lu Yudong with expectant eyes, hoping for his affirmation.

But Lu Yudong wasn't sure if that day would come.

"It will," Lu Yudong replied perfunctorily.

"Then bring Little Ci back," Grandpa said earnestly, sitting across from Lu Yudong.

Lu Yudong recalled Jiang Ci's cheerful demeanor when she went out with others, finding it ironic.

"Another day," he said.

"When is another day? No later than tomorrow!"

Lu Yudong hesitated, "Alright."

Grandpa sent Jiang Ci a WeChat message: [Little Ci, why did he kick you out again?]

Jiang Ci was eating hot pot, looking lively. Rather than saying she was happy, it was more like she was using happiness to dispel her grievances and sadness.

Grandpa's WeChat message warmed her heart. She had felt quite wronged, but now she didn't feel it as much.

She sniffled and replied to Grandpa: [Am I just not good enough?]

[Once you feel better, come back. He's just like that, be more understanding.]

Jiang Ci replied: [Grandpa, it's Friday. I want to go shopping with my roommates tomorrow. Is that okay?]

[Then come back soon. Grandpa worries when Little Ci is out.]

Jiang Ci read this message over and over. It had been many years since anyone cared for her like this.

Her eyes grew moist, and she missed Grandpa too.

But even if she wanted to go back, she needed Lu Yudong's consent. Besides, she didn't want to go back at all.

In Lu Yudong's eyes, only Yin Xuemo's words seemed credible.

The more Jiang Ci thought about it, the more frustrated she became. On the way back, she blocked Lu Yudong's WeChat and phone number.

He wouldn't be able to find her.

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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