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Yan Heyu didn’t elaborate on what would happen between him and Wen Di.
He gave Kang Bo a few work instructions and then went upstairs.
Upon entering the private room, everyone stared at Yan Heyu.
Then, they all collectively shifted their gaze to Qin Xing, as if to say: “Didn’t you say Yan Heyu was dead drunk and hallucinating? Now that he’s here, how do you explain yourself?”
Qin Xing was also puzzled. He had called Yan Heyu to invite him to hang out, and Yan Heyu had indeed said he was going to cook for Wen Di.
For Yan Heyu to cook for someone was simply preposterous, which was why he thought Yan Heyu was drunk and talking nonsense.
He chuckled, “Brother Yan, we’ve been waiting for you.”
Yan Heyu took off his coat and casually draped it over the back of a chair. He stared at Qin Xing for a long time, saying, “Why are you always at the clubhouse instead of with your wife at home?”
Qin Xing blinked, “I’m a single dog, where would I get a wife?”
Yan Heyu dragged a chair over and sat down, “You just got married early last month, where did you get a wife?”
Qin Xing: “…The one who got married last month was Fu Yanzhou.”
Yan Heyu retorted, “Aren’t you Fu Yanzhou?”
Qin Xing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Brother, I’m Qin Xing.”
Yan Heyu didn’t even look at him, “Then why do you have Fu Yanzhou’s face?”
Qin Xing: “…”
He subconsciously touched his own face, “Is Brother Zhou as young as me?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Qin Xing then realized that he had laughed at Yan Heyu for hallucinating on the phone, and Yan Heyu was here specifically for revenge.
Just then, Fu Yanzhou himself spoke up, “You two have had enough. You’re getting addicted to making fun of me.”
Fu Yanzhou was shuffling cards, his hands moving so fast that it was impossible to tell if he swapped any cards in between.
Qin Xing rubbed his eyes, “Brother Zhou, slow down.” He almost blinded him.
A clubhouse staff member came over and asked Yan Heyu what he wanted to drink.
Yan Heyu asked for a glass of plain water.
Fu Yanzhou said, “I even specially prepared a good bottle of wine for you.”
Yan Heyu noticed that Fu Yanzhou wasn’t wearing a ring on his ring finger. Normally, he wouldn’t bother caring if someone wore a ring or not, but today he asked, “Not wearing a ring?”
Fu Yanzhou stacked the shuffled cards in the middle of the poker table and said indifferently, “Not used to it.”
Qin Xing interjected, “Brother Zhou at least wore a ring for a full month after getting married, unlike you.” Unlike Yan Heyu, who wasn’t even willing to wear a ring on his engagement day, not even bothering to placate Tian Qinglu.
When it came to being a scoundrel, Fu Yanzhou could only ever rank second. Surpassing Yan Heyu was difficult.
Fu Yanzhou changed the subject, pointing to a gift box on a cabinet nearby, and said to Yan Heyu, “See if you can win this tonight.”
The gift box contained a custom-made women’s bag, a wedding gift from the clubhouse to Yan Heyu. They all thought Yan Heyu had broken up with Wen Di, even Qin Xing and Fu Yanzhou thought so.
Yan Heyu had transferred his shares in Qin Xing’s company and Fu Yanzhou’s company to Wen Di, and Qin Xing and Fu Yanzhou had even signed their names on the shareholder resolution.
Yan Heyu just glanced at the gift box and said nothing.
The card game began. As he arranged his cards, he asked, “What’s Jiang Chengyu busy with? He didn’t come today?”
Qin Xing shrugged; he was too busy eating, drinking, and having fun to pay attention.
The others in the private room also didn’t know what Jiang Chengyu was busy with; they hadn’t seen him lately.
Fu Yanzhou knew roughly. He said, “He’s abroad. He previously secured an advertising endorsement for Shen Tang, and when they gave him the endorsement, he, in turn, connected them with other projects.”
In essence, it was a quid pro quo.
Yan Heyu nodded in understanding, picked up his phone, and typed a message to Wen Di to reassure her: [Jiang Chengyu secured an endorsement for Shen Tang and gifted it to her. He’s not in the country right now, but he’ll find a way to contact Shen Tang after his business trip. You don’t need to worry about them breaking up anymore.]
Amidst the chatter, one round of cards ended.
Unusually, Yan Heyu lost.
Qin Xing was delighted, finally getting a chance to gloat, having won a hand from Yan Heyu.
He brazenly said, “Brother Yan, I’ll let you win next time.”
Yan Heyu glanced at him but didn’t say much.
The second round began, and an uninvited guest arrived in the private room.
Tian Qinglu came to mingle and find Qin Xing to play with. Qin Xing was the youngest in their circle, the most fun and most adaptable, able to get along with anyone.
She didn’t expect Yan Heyu to be there.
After greeting them, she sat down next to Qin Xing.
Qin Xing started to mediate, “Brother Yan, win that gift for Sister Qinglu.”
No matter what, the two of them were engaged and would be married soon. The die was cast, and he only hoped that Yan Heyu and Tian Qinglu could get along amicably.
After all, they had grown up together. If there wasn’t love, at least there was some other kind of affection.
As Qin Xing finished speaking, a few people at the table intentionally went easy on Yan Heyu, and Qin Xing even outright fed him cards.
Anyone with eyes could see they wanted Yan Heyu to win.
You can’t wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep, and you can’t save someone who wants to lose.
Yan Heyu lost all the way, not winning a single hand.
The custom-made bag eventually went to Qin Xing, who had won the most hands.
Tian Qinglu saw that Yan Heyu was deliberately losing and felt embarrassed. After staying for a while, she returned to her own private room.
With Tian Qinglu gone, Qin Xing could speak freely. He discussed with Yan Heyu, “Brother, this bag was originally meant for you to give to Sister Qinglu. What’s it doing with me now? Return it to its rightful owner; give it to Sister Qinglu.”
Yan Heyu said, “If you want me to deliver something for you, you can’t afford the delivery fee.”
He stood up, took his coat, “You all play. All consumption tonight is on my tab. Drink as much red wine as you want.”
Qin Xing wasn’t satisfied and still wanted to beat Yan Heyu, “Why are you leaving so early? Play two more rounds.”
Yan Heyu said, “Wen Di is alone at home.”
It wasn’t until Yan Heyu left that everyone in the private room suddenly understood: he came tonight to tell them that he wasn’t drunk at the engagement banquet and was genuinely cooking for Wen Di at home that evening.
He and Wen Di hadn’t broken up.
Qin Xing stared at the closed private room door, “No—Brother Yan, what... what’s going on?”
Fu Yanzhou slowly said, “He might be weighing whether to give Wen Di a future.”
“Holy crap, no way,” Qin Xing was dumbfounded.
Although Wen Di’s family was prominent in Jiangcheng, being the richest, they were too far removed from their circle, not even comparable.
Even he, a layabout, knew that being at the pinnacle of wealth wasn’t about satisfaction, but about wanting more. And wealth and status, like an empire, were easier to gain than to keep. Brother Yan was now stabilizing the existing interests of Jingyue Group and the Yan family, while also continuously expanding their territory.
Given the Yan family’s current status, Brother Yan didn’t need to sacrifice anything. But for someone who planned every step, even twenty years ahead, it was impossible for him not to consider Father Yan and the entire family.
So, how could he possibly give up the marriage alliance with the Tian family?
Qin Xing didn’t believe it and looked at Fu Yanzhou, “Even you got married for alliance, let alone Brother Yan.”
In Brother Yan’s eyes, what did love matter? You’d still break up. Otherwise, for so many years, he wouldn’t have consistently topped the scumbag rankings.
Fu Yanzhou had someone pour him a drink, and continuing their previous conversation, he said, “It’s just a possibility.” As for Yan Heyu’s final decision, whether he’d marry Tian Qinglu or cancel the engagement, it was hard to say right now.
Qin Xing sighed, “It’s already a big deal that he even has that thought.” Why did Sister Qinglu endure so much hardship and insist on marrying Brother Yan? It was simply enduring a moment for peace.
Because once Brother Yan decided to marry, he wouldn’t divorce.
He lost this round without realizing it.
It seemed he could only win against Yan Heyu.
________________________________________
Yan Heyu returned home around 1:30 AM.
Wen Di was still in the same posture as when he left, leaning on the sofa, engrossed in the novel in her hands.
When he left, she had only read a dozen pages of her novel; now, she was almost done with the whole book.
“Aren’t your eyes tired?”
“No, they’re not.” Wen Di was engrossed in the novel’s ending and didn’t even look up.
A moment later, she added, “Hubby, you’re back.”
Yan Heyu didn’t respond to her half-hearted reply.
Wen Di finished the last line of the novel and grabbed a pillow to comfort herself from the sad ending. This was her second time reading the novel, and the ending still affected her.
“What time is it?” she asked Yan Heyu.
Yan Heyu was drinking water. He looked at his watch: “One thirty-five.”
Wen Di still wasn’t sleepy. She put down the pillow and reached out to him, “Give me a hug.”
Yan Heyu put down his water glass and went to hug her.
Wen Di stared at his belt, noticing he had changed into another one.
“What are you looking at?”
“Your belt.”
Wen Di no longer wanted a hug and instead grabbed his belt, studying it.
She looked up and asked, “Did I buy this one too?”
Yan Heyu: “Who else?”
He leaned over, resting both hands on the sofa back behind her, letting her examine the belt buckle. “What’s this bad habit of yours?”
Wen Di smiled, “My bad habit is that I like to examine the belts I bought.”
It was too late, and Yan Heyu ordered her to go to bed.
During her period, the two couldn’t roughhouse. After washing up, Wen Di leaned in his arms.
Yan Heyu patted her shoulder, telling her to turn over and sleep.
He offered his arm for her to use as a pillow.
Wen Di lay with her back pressed against him. Her lower abdomen felt cold, so he covered it with his hand.
As Wen Di was drifting off to sleep, she remembered, “My mom and dad are both coming tomorrow. I’m having dinner with them tonight.”
Wen Changyun and Zhao Yue Ling were busy with various social engagements during the New Year holiday. Their daughter was home for so many days, but they only had one New Year’s Eve dinner with her. Now that they were mostly done with their commitments, they were coming to spend more time with their daughter.
________________________________________
The next day, the last day of the Chinese New Year holiday.
Yan Heyu was rarely unbusy. He spent the morning watching a TV series with her at home. She was the screenwriter for this drama, and Shen Tang was one of the lead actors.
In the drama, Shen Tang breaks up with the male lead, and they go their separate ways.
Yan Heyu heard the familiar dialogue and said, “I’ve heard this episode three times.”
Wen Di was puzzled and tilted her head to look at him.
Yan Heyu explained, “During the New Year, at Jiang Chengyu’s house, while playing mahjong, he kept replaying this episode.”
Because they had to focus on the cards, they didn’t have time to watch the TV screen, but everyone heard the dialogue clearly.
After hearing it many times, they naturally remembered the lines.
Wen Di found it interesting, “This episode is the most heartbreaking. Does Jiang Chengyu like to watch heartbreaking dramas?”
Yan Heyu said, “Shen Tang breaks up in this episode, so she won’t have to be in romantic or intimate scenes with the male lead anymore. Jiang Chengyu is happy.”
Wen Di: “...”
She chuckled to herself.
Jiang Chengyu’s jealousy was undisguised, and he even painstakingly secured an advertising endorsement for Shen Tang. Now, she no longer had to worry about the cold war between Shen Tang and Jiang Chengyu.
Jiang Chengyu’s old family home and Yan Heyu’s old family home were in the same large compound. Every New Year, Yan Heyu and his childhood friends would basically spend it at Jiang Chengyu’s house.
Sometimes, when she had nothing to do, she would think: if Shen Tang and Jiang Chengyu got married, and she and Yan Heyu got married, then every New Year, she could count down the New Year with Shen Tang. Even if Grandpa Shen passed away, she would still be there to celebrate New Year with Shen Tang.
Yan Heyu handed her a snack, “Why are you spaced out?”
Wen Di came back to her senses, smiling, “Nothing.”
She sat on Yan Heyu’s lap, letting him hold the snack bag, and ate snacks with him, watching the breakup scene from that episode again.
Wen Di had arranged to meet her parents at the restaurant at six in the evening. She changed her clothes at five and prepared to leave.
Her own car was subject to traffic restrictions today. “Hubby, find me a car.”
Yan Heyu handed her the key to a sports car. Wen Di saw the car emblem on the key. “If this car gets scratched on the road, it’ll cost at least seven figures to repair. Let’s switch to another one.”
“This is the only car at home that isn’t restricted today. Just make do with it. You don’t have to pay for the repairs if it gets scratched.”
“Your money is also my money. I’m allowed to feel bad about it, aren’t I?” Wen Di was in a hurry to get to the restaurant, so she had no choice but to drive this car.
Perhaps it was her jinx, but halfway there, the car was indeed hit. Another car rear-ended her while changing lanes.
Wen Di opened the door and got out to check the damage.
The person who rear-ended her also got out, a beautiful woman with a refined demeanor.
The two made eye contact. Jiang Yunxing recognized Wen Di and was slightly stunned; she had actually hit Wen Di’s car.
Before she could think further, Jiang Yunxing looked at Wen Di’s car’s license plate and noticed that the sports car she had rear-ended was one of Yan Heyu’s many cars.
What kind of luck was this? Yesterday, she met him at Yan Heyu’s engagement hotel, and today she rear-ended his car. The key was that Wen Di was driving it. Anyone who didn’t know would surely think she had deliberately crashed into it.
Wen Di didn’t recognize Jiang Yunxing. Jiang Yunxing apologized to her, and Wen Di smiled, saying nothing more.
After calling the police, she called Yan Heyu and told him where the collision happened.
Yan Heyu told her to wait there and that he would come to handle it.
Before long, Yan Heyu and the housekeeper arrived. The housekeeper drove his own car.
Yan Heyu rolled down the car window, about to call Wen Di over, but then he saw Jiang Yunxing standing by the roadside. He hadn’t expected it to be her who rear-ended the car.
Jiang Yunxing also saw him in the car and nodded slightly.
Yan Heyu told the housekeeper, “I’ll drive Wen Di; you stay and handle this.”
The housekeeper also recognized Jiang Yunxing. He knew Jiang Yunxing was different in Yan Heyu’s heart, and it truly wasn’t appropriate for Yan Heyu to stay.
He worried, “You might not be used to driving my car.” It was an ordinary commuter car, without seat memory, and the driver’s seat had to be manually adjusted.
Yan Heyu didn’t care, “I’ll drive it all the same, there’s nothing to get used to or not.” He got out of the back seat.
At this moment, Wen Di walked over a few steps and said to him, “The car is badly scraped.”
Yan Heyu didn’t go over to check the damage, only saying, “It’s fine.” He looked Wen Di up and down, “Did you get hurt anywhere?”
Wen Di shook her head, “The car speed can’t get fast on this section of the road.”
Yan Heyu glanced in Jiang Yunxing’s direction again. She was standing by the roadside, making a phone call, appearing to be mostly fine.
He subtly retracted his gaze, opened the passenger door, and motioned for Wen Di to get in. “I’ll drive you.”
Originally, the housekeeper was supposed to drive Wen Di to the restaurant, and Yan Heyu would stay to complete the claims process and then drive the car back. The moment he saw Jiang Yunxing, he changed his mind.
If someone he knew saw him and Jiang Yunxing standing together, with two cars rear-ended, who knew what kind of drama they would imagine? To avoid her being misunderstood, he decided to drive Wen Di to the restaurant.
The restaurant wasn’t far from where the rear-ending happened, about a twenty-minute drive.
Yan Heyu drove the car into the hotel’s underground parking lot and instructed Wen Di, “You don’t need your parents to send you off after dinner; I’ll wait for you here.”
Wen Di turned to confirm with him, “You’re going to wait to pick me up?”
“Mm.” Yan Heyu turned off the car, looked at her, and said, “I didn’t just drive you here; I’m waiting specifically to pick you up.”
Wen Di didn’t overthink it. The phrase “I didn’t just drive you here” had another meaning, but in her opinion, even though it was because of the car accident that Yan Heyu drove her, it still counted as driving her specifically.
Wen Di kissed him on the lips, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out of the car.
Yan Heyu followed, carrying her coat. He walked around the front of the car to her side and handed her the coat.
Wen Di smiled as she put on her coat, “Should I invite you up, or not?”
It was impossible for Yan Heyu to meet her parents today; the time and his current status were not suitable.
He politely declined, “We’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. Next year, when they come to Beijing again, I’ll treat them to dinner, or I’ll go to Jiangcheng if I have time next year.”
Wen Di didn’t expect him to proactively suggest meeting her parents next year. For a man like him to consider marriage before thirty was highly unrealistic.
She used to be the same; before meeting him, she didn’t want to get married so early at all.
Actually, he didn’t need to make that last promise to her.
She joked, “You don’t have to be so detailed with your casual politeness. What if I take you seriously? What would happen then?”
Yan Heyu straightened the collar of her coat and said, “Haven’t I done everything I’ve said to you these past few years, even casually?”