"No," Lan Lan made small talk, "I haven't had breakfast at home in a long time." She was likely referring to weekdays. After a moment of thought, Liang Yufeng finally mustered the courage to ask her, "Do you want to move in?"
Liang Yufeng had been contemplating the idea of living together for a long time. He had brought it up before, and though he had been forceful then, he hadn't managed to get Lan Lan to agree. Later, they both tacitly agreed to spend weekends together, and Liang Yufeng hadn't mentioned it again. He had his own plans, but knowing that Lan Lan wouldn't agree so easily, he had always been hesitant.
Lan Lan hadn't expected Liang Yufeng to suddenly say that. She stopped eating her wontons but didn't give him an answer for a long time. Liang Yufeng's hopeful gaze gradually faded. At this point, Lan Lan asked him, "What are the benefits of me moving in?"
Liang Yufeng's heart skipped a beat. Did she mean she was considering it?
"I can make you breakfast," Liang Yufeng said. "It's not far from Xinhui either, so it's convenient for your commute."
"Oh, come on." Lan Lan laughed. "If you made me breakfast every day, I wouldn't be able to handle it. You should hurry up and reclaim your position. Otherwise, if there's nothing to threaten me with, I'll really run away."
She wasn't willing to move in. Liang Yufeng wasn't surprised by this answer. The topic eventually ended in silence.
After seeing Liang Yufeng, Lan Lan felt a little more at ease, but the company rumors persisted. It was rumored that Xu Zhouyue and Xu Zhengxi were already purging the senior management, a sign that Liang Yufeng's confidantes were being systematically removed. On Liang Yufeng's end, however, there seemed to be no action. Lan Lan didn't know what he was thinking. How could he tolerate being bullied like this?
Unfortunately, Lan Lan was too busy this week to go and talk to Liang Yufeng. She decided that after this Friday, she would urge him again. She couldn't stand seeing him bullied like this!
However, before Lan Lan could go talk to Liang Yufeng, Xu Zhengxi came looking for her.
On this Friday, as Lan Lan was leaving the company, she was intercepted by Xu Zhengxi's men in the parking lot. The driver told her, "Miss Lan, our Mr. Xu and Ms. Jiang would like to see you."
Ms. Jiang?
Lan Lan subconsciously asked, "Is that Liang Yufeng's mother?"
The driver replied, "Yes." "Miss Lan, please follow me."
If Xu Zhengxi were looking for her, Lan Lan certainly wouldn't have met him. She imagined Xu Zhengxi wouldn't have anything good to say.
But why would Jiang Wan be with Xu Zhengxi? Wasn't she supposed to be at the sanatorium in Runcheng? Did Xu Zhengxi bring her over?
Did Liang Yufeng know about this? With many questions, Lan Lan got into the car with the driver. After getting in, the driver told Lan Lan that due to Ms. Jiang's health, they would be meeting at the villa. Lan Lan found it troublesome and would absolutely not have gone if it weren't for Jiang Wan.
The villa was in the suburbs. Coincidentally, they ran into rush hour, and it took over an hour to arrive. The driver led Lan Lan into the villa, where she saw Xu Zhengxi sitting on the sofa.
Lan Lan looked around but didn't see Jiang Wan. Xu Zhengxi had already guessed who she was looking for. "Jiang Wan is resting upstairs. Please have a seat."
Lan Lan didn't stand on ceremony. After sitting down, she asked him, "What do you want?"
Recalling Xu Zhengxi's actions towards Liang Yufeng, Lan Lan couldn't be polite to him. Restraining herself from cursing was the most she could offer.
"You must know about Yu Feng leaving Hetao, right?" Xu Zhengxi asked.
"Oh, so what?" Lan Lan wanted to see what outrageous request this thick-skinned person would make.
"Did he tell you the reason?" Xu Zhengxi asked again.
This question was like walking into a trap. Lan Lan, never one to be easily subdued, couldn't help but become sarcastic despite telling herself to remain calm. "The reason? Don't you know it yourself? He's not the one who discards his tools after use. Why should he explain so much to me? He has a good temper, but that doesn't mean you can bully him like this!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhengxi knew that Liang Yufeng hadn't told Lan Lan the reason. This was much as he had expected. He figured Lan Lan was only with Liang Yufeng for power, and he likely feared losing face if he explained.
"Everything he has, I gave him. Now that he has no money or power, you won't get what you want by following him," Xu Zhengxi said condescendingly, adopting an air of superiority. "I advise you to break up with him as soon as possible."
Lan Lan had heard such remarks before, but when Xu Zhengxi had spoken to her about these matters last time, she hadn't been as angry as she was now. "Everything he has, you gave him? How dare you say that?"
Lan Lan remembered Liang Yufeng's childhood experiences. "You don't think he should be grateful just because you gave him money, do you? Do you know how many people pointed fingers at him from childhood? Your son is useless, so you use him to pave the way for your son. You call it giving him opportunities, but in reality, you're using his abilities to satisfy your own vanity. You're not even fit to be a father."
Xu Zhengxi had witnessed Lan Lan's sharp tongue before, but he was still rendered speechless by her words. After this encounter, he finally realized that Lan Lan had actually spared him some face last time.
Just then, there was movement from the stairs. Jiang Wan was coming downstairs.
Upon seeing Jiang Wan, Lan Lan's demeanor immediately changed. "Aunt Jiang, why are you here? Does Liang Yufeng know?"
Lan Lan walked towards Jiang Wan, her words filled with concern. However, Jiang Wan did not, as usual, hold her hand and talk to her. Instead, she dodged her.
Lan Lan sensed something was wrong and stopped. "Aunt Jiang?"
Jiang Wan looked at her and said, "You don't need to put on an act for me."
Lan Lan was bewildered. What act?
Jiang Wan appeared lucid and didn't seem to be having an episode.
In a flash, Jiang Wan walked over and sat down next to Xu Zhengxi. Xu Zhengxi said to Lan Lan, "There's no need to act. She already knows what's going on between you and Liang Yufeng."
Even for someone as calm as Lan Lan, her mind went blank for a moment upon hearing this.
Jiang Wan knew? Then she must have been greatly shocked...
"I thought you could give Fengfeng what he wanted," Jiang Wan said to Lan Lan. "I didn't expect you didn't like him at all."
Lan Lan didn't know how to explain to Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan's tone was so certain, indicating she had already made up her mind. At this point, even if she explained until she was blue in the face, Jiang Wan wouldn't listen.
Afterward, Jiang Wan took out a stack of photos for her. Lan Lan took them and opened them, seeing photos of her with various ex-boyfriends. Lan Lan looked at Xu Zhengxi. These things could only be his doing.
To make her break up with Liang Yufeng, Xu Zhengxi had clearly investigated her thoroughly.
"You're not worth him doing so much for," Jiang Wan said. "Do you know why he agreed to return to the Xu family back then?"
"He said he wanted to give you a better life. He said you liked ambitious men, so he was willing to try. That's why he went abroad alone. You don't know how much he suffered all these years. Every time I asked him, he always said he was fine as long as you were there."