Xie Zhendong took out a bank card and a set of keys he had prepared from his desk drawer.
"This is what you deserve."
Sasha grabbed both the bank card and the keys, saying, "I still want to spend a few more days reunited with Jie Jie."
"After three days, pack up all your belongings and move out of the Xie family mansion to the house I'm giving you," Xie Zhendong said. "Someone will be sent to the Xie family to take care of Jie Jie then, and you won't have to worry about future matters."
"Three days?" Sasha felt the time was too short and wanted to bargain, "Can I stay with him for another week?"
"That's what the contract says, and we'll go by the contract. Besides, I won't interfere with your personal life anymore."
Sasha felt extremely uncomfortable hearing this, sensing that Xie Zhendong's words had a deeper meaning, as if he couldn't wait for her to find someone else immediately.
"Dad, I am Qi Ning's widow, and I haven't divorced him. Why are you being so harsh on me?"
Xie Zhendong sighed and said, "I'm not targeting you. You might think I'm cold, but Qi Ning is gone, and you're still so young. I can only give you freedom; I can't ask you to remain a widow for Qi Ning's sake for your entire life."
"I want to remain a widow for him for my entire life. You can demand that of me..."
"We discussed this issue last time, and it was made very clear. I don't want to talk about it anymore," Xie Zhendong said, sounding a bit tired. "If you go back on your word, I will take back everything I've given you. You'll have to fend for yourself."
Sasha knew that no amount of persuasion would change Xie Zhendong's mind. Unlike Xie Qi Ning, he was not someone easy to talk to or fool.
"Dad, I understand." She indicated she understood and left Xie Zhendong's office.
She took the elevator, not paying attention to the other people working outside.
As the elevator doors closed, she leaned against the wall, thinking that as long as Jie Jie obtained his inheritance, she would find a way to get rid of Xie Zhendong. Then, the child and the group would still be hers.
Zhan Jiayi watched from outside Xie Zhendong's office. Shortly after Sasha went in, the lawyer also entered. Then, not long after, Sasha came out looking unhappy and left.
However, the lawyer stayed in Xie Zhendong's office for a long time before emerging with a stack of documents. She really wanted to ask the lawyer, but she wasn't foolish enough to speak up and ask questions rashly given her current status.
She held back her frustration. When she returned home after work, she had been hoping Xie Zhendong would come to her place that night.
"Miss Zhan, the food is ready. Would you like to eat?" the housekeeper asked.
Zhan Jiayi stood by the window, looking at the streetlights outside, and said, "Wait a little longer."
The housekeeper knew she was waiting for Mr. Xie, but he hadn't visited her once since she returned from the hospital. She suspected he wouldn't come tonight either.
The housekeeper returned to the kitchen and sighed inwardly.
Zhan Jiayi thought about calling Xie Zhendong directly. Xie Zhendong hadn't left the group when she did, so perhaps he was still in his office.
Just as she was holding her phone, hesitating whether to call him, car headlights! There were car lights outside!
She eagerly and nervously tried to get a clear look at the car's model and license plate.
As the car got closer, she finally recognized it as Xie Zhendong's car. She hurried to the kitchen door and said, "Get Mr. Xie's bowls and chopsticks ready. You can start serving the dishes."
"Okay." The housekeeper asked again, "Mr. Xie is here?"
"Yes." Zhan Jiayi remembered something else and said, "Do we have any of his favorite dishes tonight?"
"We have one," the housekeeper replied, busying herself.
Zhan Jiayi returned to her room and checked her appearance in the mirror. Once she confirmed her grooming was in order, she felt relieved and walked out again.
She pretended not to know he was coming and sat down at the dining table. Just as she sat down, someone walked in through the main door.
The housekeeper greeted him, "Mr. Xie, you're here. Dinner is just ready."
Xie Zhendong handed her his coat and asked, "Where is Miss Zhan?"
"In the dining room," the housekeeper replied.
Hearing his voice, Zhan Jiayi calmly stood up, looked at him as he walked over, and smiled, "Why are you here? Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. I came straight from the group."
Zhan Jiayi instructed, "Add a pair of chopsticks and a bowl for Mr. Xie."
Xie Zhendong sat down beside her and motioned for her to sit as well, asking, "Are you adapting to your current work? Are you tired?"
"I'm not tired; it's quite relaxing," Zhan Jiayi said, serving him a dish he liked.
"That's good. You seem to be recovering well," Xie Zhendong said, smiling at her with his usual tenderness.
Zhan Jiayi smiled shyly. She really wanted to ask him what Sasha had come to see him about today, but she held back, intending to ask after dinner.
Xie Zhendong ate his meal in good spirits. While drinking soup, he told her, "I came today to share some happy news with you. You'll be moving into the Xie family mansion next week."
Zhan Jiayi asked with a bit of surprise, "What about you? Am I moving in alone?"
"Of course, I'll be living there with you."
Zhan Jiayi hesitated, "But you and your wife haven't officially divorced yet. Is it appropriate for me to move in there?"
Xie Zhendong thought for a moment and said, "You've reminded me. We'll move in another month then. I'll have someone renovate and redecorate the room. Also, Feng Rou's matter needs to be resolved."
"You, you really plan to divorce her?" Zhan Jiayi still asked incredulously, "But my child is gone. You don't need to give me and the child a status anymore. It's fine if I just stay here..."
"Am I that kind of person? What do you think of me? Do you love me only when I have children and abandon me when I don't?" Xie Zhendong felt an indescribable heartache for her. "Actually, it doesn't matter if you lost the child. I still want you to spend the rest of your life with me."
Zhan Jiayi stared at him blankly, tears welling up in her eyes again.
She thought, she thought he would leave her, abandon her... In fact, she had prepared herself and believed she would have enough resilience.
But the reality was different from what she expected, catching her off guard, filling her with both joy and emotion.
Xie Zhendong gently patted her head like an elder. "You are so sensible that it makes one's heart ache. Don't worry, I won't leave you for the rest of my days."
"What nonsense are you talking about? You'll live to be a hundred years old!" Zhan Jiayi wiped away her tears, pouted, and put on a spoiled expression.
"Yes, yes, I'll live to be a hundred," Xie Zhendong laughed heartily.
After dinner, Xie Zhendong called her into his study, as if he had something important to tell her.
She also wanted to ask about Sasha's matter, but she decided to wait for him to speak first.
Xie Zhendong held her hand and began, "After you move into the Xie family mansion, I'll have to trouble you to take care of Qi Ning's child, Jie Jie."
"Doesn't this child have a mother? Why should I take care of him? Is his mother not looking after him anymore?" Zhan Jiayi asked.
Xie Zhendong thought for a moment and decided to tell her the truth. "Jiayi, you must be mentally prepared. You might not be able to conceive a child in the future. That's why I asked Sasha to give up Jie Jie's custody..."