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Psst! We're moving!
The first car to pull in was Fu Jichen’s, with Ji Qingyuan bringing up the rear.
This order was arranged by Fu Jichen, who said it was based on age—the youngest had priority.
Once the cars were parked, the group got out but didn’t rush inside. Instead, they went to Yu Jingze’s trunk to retrieve the takeout boxes. They had packed up all the dishes from the meal they’d just had.
Inside the house, Yu Qing and Yu Jingxin exchanged enigmatic glances, scrutinizing their father with probing eyes.
Yu Shaohong placed a hand over his heart. “I swear, I didn’t collude with them. What I told you earlier came from the bottom of my heart.”
He sighed in frustration. “Who would’ve thought those brats would follow me back here?”
One moment he was exasperated; the next, his mind was flooded with joy.
Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a cardholder containing two shopping mall gift cards—one for each of them.
“You can buy whatever you want. If you run out, I’ll reload them.”
Thanks to the allure of the gift cards, the two decided to let their grievances against their father slide—for now.
The group entered the house in full force, each person carrying multiple takeout boxes.
Ji Qingyuan’s gaze immediately sought out Yu Jingxin, but before their eyes could meet, she turned her face away.
He awkwardly withdrew his gaze and headed toward the dining room.
Yu Jingxin, holding her gift card, excused herself to check if the baby was asleep and went upstairs.
Yu Shaohong watched her retreating figure. “What time is it, and the baby still isn’t asleep? Isn’t someone taking care of him?”
No matter what Yu Shaohong said, Yu Jingxin didn’t look back.
She lived on the third floor and took the indoor elevator directly.
Yu Shaohong sighed and complained to Yu Qing. “Tell me about your sister. Why is she more stubborn than Tianjin sesame twists?”
Yu Qing toyed with the gift card in her hand, already thinking about what to buy on Saturday. Absentmindedly, she replied, “Maybe she wants to compete with the twists.”
Yu Shaohong: “… “
Fu Jichen approached, and Yu Shaohong tactfully excused himself, heading to the dining room.
“Do you want a late-night snack? I had the chef prepare some of your favorite dishes,” Fu Jichen asked.
Yu Qing shook her head. She wasn’t hungry—right now, all she wanted was to retreat to her room and sleep.
She stretched lazily and got up.
“I’ll go up with you,” Fu Jichen said. “Let me see where I’ll be staying.”
When Yu Qing heard that he intended to go upstairs, she quickly sat back down.
Fu Jichen knew exactly what she was thinking and teased her. “Did your toes cramp up?”
Yu Qing adopted an agreeable demeanor. “If you say they cramped, then they cramped. I’ll do as President Fu says.”
Fu Jichen eyed her. “Well, I think you’re fine now. You can go upstairs on your own.”
Yu Qing: “… My central nervous system seems to be malfunctioning. Your words translate to the opposite meaning. So, are you saying you’ll carry me upstairs? Sure, why not?”
Fu Jichen chuckled softly. “How did a toe cramp mess up your brain too?”
He leaned close to her ear. “Give me one more reason to carry you upstairs.”
Yu Qing tapped his head lightly with the gift card. “I miss your embrace. I just want you to hold me. Are these two reasons good enough?”
Fu Jichen rolled up his sleeves, loosened his shirt from his belt, making it more relaxed, and bent down to scoop her up.
Yu Qing lived on the second floor, and Fu Jichen walked up the stairs with her.
Last night, he had arrived in a hurry, his thoughts entirely focused on her and the child, so he hadn’t paid attention to the layout of her bedroom.
The room had two terraces—one facing east and the other south.
The eastern terrace overlooked the lake, while the southern terrace offered a view of the garden in the yard.
Fu Jichen placed Yu Qing on the bed and gestured for her to prop her legs up. “You’ve been sitting all day. Let me give you a massage so you’ll sleep comfortably.”
As usual, Yu Qing rested her feet on his abdomen.
But today, she hadn’t sat at all—she had been standing by the window working.
With her hands behind her head, Yu Qing asked, “Fu Jichen, do you find being with me exhausting?”
Fu Jichen paused his massaging and glanced at her. “You’re like money. Earning it is tiring, but people still拼命 to earn it because they can’t live without it.”
The analogy was fitting.
After pondering for a moment, Yu Qing responded, “You’re like a body of water I’ve never set foot in. It might be murky, and I could drown, but I’m still diving in without hesitation.”
“Come on, then. The water quality is pretty good.”
“How do you know the water quality is good? Has any other fish been to your part of the water?”
“No. And only you’re allowed.”
Fu Jichen leaned down, propped her legs on his shoulders, and kissed her twice through her clothes.
Yu Qing shivered all over. If she didn’t practice self-restraint, she would soon be unable to resist him.
Fu Jichen restrained his desire for her. He had read up on it—during the first three months of pregnancy, intimacy was risky. He composed himself and continued massaging her calves.
“By the middle or later stages of pregnancy, you might experience leg cramps.”
“How do you know?” Yu Qing stared at his face, gazing at him as though watching money flow into an account—never tiring of the sight.
“I looked it up. I spent half the day reading about it today.” He even planned to borrow books from Ji Qingyuan later.
Yu Qing glanced at her watch—he had been upstairs for a while. “You should go downstairs and eat.”
Fu Jichen wasn’t in a hurry. He asked her, “Can I take a look at your walk-in closet?”
“Sure.” Yu Qing casually asked, “Are men interested in walk-in closets too?”
“No, I’m not interested,” Fu Jichen explained. “I want to design our future home based on your preferences.”
Yu Qing, trying to be helpful, advised, “I suggest you don’t look. After seeing it, you might not even want to renovate.”
“I’ll give you half a minute to reconsider.”
“No need.”
“Then wait a moment. I’ll turn on the lights in the walk-in closet.” Yu Qing picked up her phone, logged into the smart system, and adjusted the lighting.
Curiosity piqued, Fu Jichen opened the door to the walk-in closet and froze at the sight before him—it looked like the flagship store of a luxury shoe brand.
Rows upon rows of high heels dazzled the eyes.
And all of them were new.
Yet the impression she gave was that she only owned one pair of black flats, worn every day until the soles were nearly worn through.
A sensor-operated door separated the shoe section from another area.
Fu Jichen walked over—it was the handbag section. Shelves were stacked high with bags of various colors, almost overwhelming to the eye.
There were at least five or six hundred of them.
The third section housed perfumes, jewelry, and watches.
Fu Jichen felt like he had wandered into an exhibition hall filled with luxury items.
In the jewelry display case, her collection of colored diamonds included every hue imaginable.
The innermost section appeared to be clothing, but he didn’t venture in.
This so-called walk-in closet spanned the entire second-floor row of rooms, designed with meticulous flow planning—a true walk-in space. No wonder Yu Qing had advised him against visiting. It was so extravagant that it could easily make one question life itself and retreat into solitude.
Soon after, Fu Jichen emerged.
Yu Qing teased him. “President Fu, are you still planning to renovate based on this layout? To replicate this, you’ll have to buy me all those things to fill it.”
Fu Jichen turned off the lights. “Let’s sleep. No talking in bed.”
“Haha.”
“Goodnight, my President Fu.”
“Mm. I’ll come keep you company after I eat. Sleep well.” Fu Jichen closed the door and went downstairs.
In the living room, only Yu Shaohong and Yu Jingze remained, leisurely drinking. Ji Qingyuan was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is he? Did he go home to pack?” Fu Jichen asked.
Yu Jingze pointed upstairs. “He’s been up there for a while.”
The third floor also had a living room, though much smaller than the one on the ground floor.
Ji Qingyuan sat on the sofa, the lights off.
Yu Jingxin’s bedroom door was locked. Earlier, the housekeeper had informed him that the room next to the baby’s had been prepared for him.
He had knocked, but no one answered.
Worried about disturbing the baby’s sleep, he didn’t dare knock again.
After sitting for a while longer, Ji Qingyuan sent Yu Jingxin a message: [I’m outside. Can you come out and talk for a bit?]
Yu Jingxin replied: [There’s really nothing left to say between us. Allowing you to stay here is just a way to make everyone in the family give up. That way, even if I insist on the divorce, they won’t oppose it anymore.]
[This life—I don’t want to continue living like this.]
Ji Qingyuan: [There’s always a reason.]
Yu Jingxin: [I don’t want to see you anymore.]
Ji Qingyuan didn’t reply immediately.
Five or six minutes passed.
Finally, he sent a message to Yu Jingxin: [I’m leaving. The access card for the villa and our marriage certificate are on the coffee table in the living room. Remember to take them. Contact me when we file for divorce.]
Yu Jingxin was standing on the terrace, lost in thought as she gazed out the window. After reading the message, she glanced at the cars in the yard. Sure enough, Ji Qingyuan’s car started up and soon drove out of the courtyard.
But she hadn’t seen him leave the house.
She replied: [Where are you? Why haven’t you left the villa yet? Your car is gone—didn’t you tell your driver to wait for you?]
Three consecutive rhetorical questions.
Ji Qingyuan: “… “
Caught in a lie.
[Jingxin, open the door. Let’s talk for a bit. Then I’ll go downstairs to eat. They’re waiting for me.]
After a moment, the door opened, and a sliver of light spilled out from the crack.
Ji Qingyuan pushed the door open slightly but didn’t insist on entering. He stood by the doorframe.
Yu Jingxin crossed her arms, standing inside the doorway. Her gaze shifted past him toward the darkened living room, where nothing was visible.
Ji Qingyuan suddenly didn’t know what to say. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Jingxin, what’s wrong?”
Yu Jingxin spoke calmly. “Nothing much. I just suddenly feel tired of it all.”
It was the first time she had confided in him. “I’ve cared too much about appearances—it’s been dragging me down. Seeing how carefree Yu Qing is, I feel like I’ve wasted all these years.”
“I’m not divorcing you because I want to be with someone else. I just want to divorce you and live alone.”
Ji Qingyuan gently stroked her chin with his thumb. “These four years have been exhausting for me too. You didn’t want to talk, and I didn’t know what to say to you. Even though our life felt like stagnant water, I still wanted to hold on. I’ve never thought about replacing you or changing the way we live.”
“I’m learning from Fu Jichen now. Give me some time. My ability to imitate isn’t bad.”
Yu Jingxin: “… “
Ji Qingyuan released her. “You sleep. I’ll head downstairs—they can’t wait too long.”
In the dining room downstairs, the three men’s wine glasses were nearly empty.
Yu Shaohong had been waiting for Ji Qingyuan to come over and say a few words. It was late, and he didn’t plan to eat. Perhaps in a good mood, he didn’t feel hungry either.
Ji Qingyuan raised his glass to toast his father-in-law, thanking him for his hospitality.
Yu Shaohong: “No, no—it’s I who should learn from both of you. It’s late tonight, so rest early. Once you’re settled tomorrow night, I’ll share my marriage experiences with you two.”
Fu Jichen and Ji Qingyuan chimed in unison: “Thank you, Dad.”
“One family—no need to be formal.” Yu Shaohong drained his second glass of wine. “Don’t stay up too late.” With that, he returned to his room.
After Yu Shaohong left, Yu Jingze reminded the two of them, “You both know how short-lived my dad’s two marriages were. Are you sure his marriage advice won’t accelerate the breakdown of your relationship?”
Fu Jichen: “… “
Ji Qingyuan: “… “
Suddenly, the dining room fell into an awkward silence.
________________________________________
The next day, Friday.
Qiao Yang felt more relaxed. She had planned a two-day short trip since she didn’t have to work overtime this weekend. However, her plans were disrupted by an unexpected phone call.
The caller was Leng Wenning.
Unexpected, yet somehow predictable.
Yesterday, Qiao Yang had notified the heads of three subsidiaries that they would switch planning companies after their contracts expired.
Leng Wenning maintained her usual condescending attitude. “Manager Qiao, are you free tomorrow afternoon? Let’s meet for coffee.”
Qiao Yang didn’t answer directly. Politely, she said, “What a pity—I have a meeting tomorrow. Let me check if I can arrange for someone else to attend. I’ll call you back in ten minutes.”
“Alright, I’ll wait for your call.” Leng Wenning ended the conversation abruptly.
Qiao Yang didn’t have a meeting. Unsure whether to accept the invitation, she reported to Fu Jichen, repeating every word Leng Wenning had said.
“President Fu, should I go?”
Fu Jichen: “No need.”
“Got it. I’ll reply to her now.”
Within ten minutes, Leng Wenning received Qiao Yang’s call. As expected, the response was that she couldn’t make it due to the urgent meeting requiring her personal presence.
Leng Wenning, unusually patient, asked, “What about tomorrow evening?”
Qiao Yang: “That’s hard to say. We’re just employees—our leaders might assign us tasks at any time.”
Leng Wenning pursed her lips. If she still couldn’t figure out where Qiao Yang’s confidence came from—or who authorized her—she’d truly be foolish.
This was the first time she had extended an invitation only to be rejected.
Time was getting late, so she set off to the airport to pick someone up.
On the way, Leng Wenning was preoccupied with trivial matters when her close friend sent her a voice message: [Did you hear? Ji Qingyuan and Yu Jingxin are close to divorce. Yu Jingxin has moved back to her parents’ house.]
Leng Wenning: [It wasn’t hers to begin with, yet she insisted on coveting it. Did she think having a child would secure him? How amusing. Living through such a shattered marriage—how could she endure it?]
Friend: [Have you considered reconciling with Ji Qingyuan?]
A few seconds of silence.
Leng Wenning: [Only if he comes to me and apologizes.]
Friend: [… Wenning, forgive me for saying this, but why must you be so stubborn? A perfectly good relationship ruined by your antics. Do you really not understand Ji Qingyuan’s personality? Would he ever apologize or seek reconciliation? Back when you argued, he wouldn’t even budge, let alone…]
Some words lingered on the tip of her tongue, but sensing their sting, her friend swallowed them back.
[When it’s time to step back, do so.]
Leng Wenning found the conversation disappointing. [Enough. I’ve arrived at the airport.]
Little did she expect an even greater disappointment awaiting her. In the arrivals hall, she spotted Yu Qing, less than five meters away.
This was their first face-to-face encounter. Her gaze was cold, and Yu Qing’s was even colder.
Leng Wenning instructed her secretary briefly before walking over. Before Pang Linbin appeared, there was still room for reconciliation. She didn’t want things to escalate uncontrollably.
“Yu Qing, how old are you this year?”
Her tone eerily resembled Zhou Yunli’s—the former legal affairs manager who used to speak to her in such a manner. It implied naivety, untouched by life’s harsh realities.
Yu Qing wore sunglasses, her lips curling into a mocking smile. “I’m a few years younger than you. What, are you trying to set me up with someone?”
Leng Wenning: “… “
Utter disdain.
“You have time to waste on petty banter, yet you neglect your own backyard. Qiao Yang is now far more than just the second-in-command of Fu Corporation’s finance department.”
Yu Qing: “You may resemble the ocean in scope, but you lack its depth. Broad-mindedness eludes you.”
Leng Wenning chuckled. “You and Yu Jingxin share one trait—you both deceive yourselves.”
Yu Qing: “Do you know what sets me apart from my sister?”
Leng Wenning ignored her.
Yu Qing: “I teach people lessons face-to-face.”
Just then, Pang Linbin’s group emerged.
He led the way, followed by four others.
Leng Wenning composed herself and quickly approached. “Uncle Pang, hello.”
Yu Qing took her time, waiting until their pleasantries were over before stepping beside Pang Linbin.
Pang Linbin glanced at her. “I’m almost done speaking. Once I’m finished, we’ll leave. Why are you still so impatient, just like when you were little?”
Leng Wenning blinked, sensing something amiss.
From his assistant, Pang Linbin retrieved a gift box containing imported coffee. He handed it to Leng Wenning. “Your uncle loves this brand. I had to pull strings to get it.”
Leng Wenning expressed gratitude: “Thank you, Uncle Pang. You’ve gone out of your way.”
“No need to be polite.” Pang Linbin smiled faintly. “Please convey my regards to your uncle. This trip was rushed, but I’ll visit next time if given the chance.”
He gestured toward Yu Qing, his tone exasperated: “I bought her perfume, and she’s already eager to see it. Excuse me.”
The group passed by her.
Leng Wenning’s expression froze.
She had come to pick someone up, only to leave with a bag of coffee?
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