When the Fun Was Over

A wild night.

The next day, after tidying up at Wang Manni's place, Wang Yan returned to his home at Junyue Mansion.

As for Manager Wan trying to grope Gu Jia, Wang Yan certainly wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Wang Yan wasn't the jealous type—and if he had been, he'd long since been cured of it. But the woman he had his eye on hadn't even been his yet, and that old bastard had already gone and pawed at her. Xu Huanshan was her lawful husband, so there wasn't much Wang Yan could do about him. But Manager Wan? He could deal with that old bastard just fine.

Wang Yan hadn't been idle these past few days. He'd hired people and spent money gathering a pile of dirt on Manager Wan. It had taken quite a bit of effort.

In modern society, the internet was undoubtedly the most convenient and efficient way to dig up dirt.

Even just paying a hacker had been a huge hassle. Money could make anything happen, but the process couldn't be avoided.

If he had to go all over the place looking for people every time he wanted to get something done in another world, it would be far too tedious. That was how Wang Yan came up with the idea of learning computer technology. After all, it was incredibly useful in modern society.

Wang Yan organized the information and planned to report Manager Wan anonymously, sending the bastard straight to prison.

After Wang Yan left, Wang Manni went to work full of confidence.

As soon as she arrived, she was called in by the company's investigators and people from the property management company. No matter what, they had to resolve the matter that day.

Wang Manni was confident. She explained Wang Yan's reasoning to them and asked to review the surveillance footage again.

The result was obvious: they caught Linda, the mastermind behind it all. After a heated argument, Linda left of her own accord.

After losing Manager Wan's business, Gu Jia mortgaged the apartment she'd just bought and took out a loan to keep her company afloat.

Two days later, Mrs. Wang called and asked Gu Jia to accompany her to a gathering of the wives' circle. At the gathering, Gu Jia met Mrs. Yu. When she learned that the other woman's husband ran an amusement park, it gave her an idea.

A group photo taken at the end of the gathering showed Gu Jia what it meant to be ignored: she'd been cropped out. She began doing everything she could to buy a suitable handbag and gain entry to the wives' circle.

Xu Huanshan couldn't understand Gu Jia's thinking. He couldn't see how a handbag could solve the company's crisis. But the authority Gu Jia had built up over the years quelled his objections, and in the end, he agreed.

They scraped together a sum of money to buy Gu Jia a handbag. But Xu Huanshan still didn't think much of it, and he'd been holding a grudge about Gu Jia's plans for quite some time.

That was why, after going around in circles, they ended up reaching out to Wang Manni through Zhong Xiaoqin.

Though Wang Yan had swooped in and stolen the chance to rescue Wang Manni, the two women had still gotten to know each other.

After years of selling luxury goods, Wang Manni had built up a few connections. She managed to get the handbag Gu Jia needed.

That allowed Gu Jia to appear in the wives' circle group photo at last, no longer the one who'd been cut out.

All this made Gu Jia like Wang Manni even more, and the trio of women from Nothing But Thirty was finally complete.

Meanwhile, Wang Manni got a notice from her landlord telling her to move out as soon as possible.

She was torn. Finding another place in such a good location would be difficult—almost impossible.

In fact, she didn't have much money. Maintaining her high-end lifestyle cost a lot. If she hadn't occasionally kept a couple of rich men on the hook, she'd probably have gone under ages ago, with loan sharks already at her door.

Feeling frustrated, she decided to take advantage of her promotion to supervisor, which came with a company-paid vacation. She wanted to use the opportunity to relax and clear her head.

During one of their gatherings, the three women talked about the difference between standard and executive cabins on a cruise. Gu Jia had probably forgotten what it was like to be broke when she was young, or perhaps she simply assumed Wang Manni could afford it. She recommended that Wang Manni upgrade, going on and on about it. Wang Manni couldn't resist. As Gu Jia spoke, she could picture it all, like a movie playing in her head. She took the idea to heart.

After they parted, Wang Manni lay in bed thinking about what she'd need to prepare for a European cruise. No matter how she looked at it, the answer came down to money.

She thought once again of Wang "Rich" "Playboy" Yan and wondered if she could come up with some new tricks to get money out of him. She'd already spent the fifty thousand he'd given her last time on handbags and makeup. She'd been the one to initiate their second round, and Wang Yan had forgotten to pay her. All in all, he'd gotten what he wanted, but she hadn't lost out either.

She immediately called Wang Yan.

This time, she was confident he wouldn't reject her call. She'd put on quite a show last time, and she believed he'd been satisfied.

Sure enough, Wang Yan picked up and agreed right away, telling her to get ready.

It wasn't really Wang Yan's fault. The woman looked remarkably like a famous actress from the real world, and paired with her personality in this world, she was more than he could resist.

After experiencing two worlds, Wang Yan had gained plenty of experience and reached a new level of understanding. But no one could resist that fresh, exciting feeling. Who wouldn't enjoy a no-strings-attached fling?

That evening, Wang Yan arrived. After the two of them had enjoyed themselves, he lit his usual post-coital cigarette while Wang Manni sprawled weakly against his chest.

She started rambling again, talking about a European cruise.

Wang Yan understood immediately. She wanted money.

He couldn't help thinking of Liang Zhengxian. The guy was far more handsome than him, and with all that sweet talk, he was definitely good at charming women. When it came to flirting, Wang Yan couldn't compete.

But he didn't need all that fancy talk. If a woman cared about material things, he could win her over with money. If she didn't, he could rely on his own charm and, given enough time, win her over. Hadn't even Gu Jia, so committed to her marriage, been unable to resist him?

He was just slower than Liang Zhengxian. That was what losing out in the looks department meant.

Wang Yan thought it over. Wang Manni's logic seemed sound.

When all was said and done, theirs was an exchange: Wang Yan paid for a good time, while Wang Manni traded her body for money. What she did with the money afterward was her business. Wang Yan had nothing to do with it; it had nothing to do with the two of them.

Once he'd figured that out, Wang Yan stopped messing around and transferred her a hundred thousand, including the money he'd forgotten to give her last time.

Wang Yan didn't want to keep this going with her. The initial novelty had worn off, and it wasn't interesting anymore. He'd had his fun.

She was simply a few notches above a three-hundred-yuan hookup. A little more upscale, that was all. It wasn't anything special.

He got up and dressed without lingering. "Let's leave it here," he said, then walked out.

Wang Manni watched Wang Yan get dressed and leave after saying it was over. She was completely bewildered and had no idea what was going on.

She'd seen this sort of thing many times. She knew that once they'd slept together so easily, there was no future for them. She'd expected it, but still felt a little regretful. After all, he was the only man in all these years who was both rich and good in bed.

Wang Yan had been generous, giving her one hundred and fifty thousand. Even if she'd actually gotten Liang Zhengxian, how much money had he given her in total?

He figured Wang Manni had been fooled and had developed real feelings. She'd genuinely wanted to marry him. Otherwise, why would she have made such a fuss and threatened to die over it?

Back home, Wang Yan washed up and went to bed.

Time passed, and Gu Jia managed to get closer to Mrs. Yu. They took their children to learn horseback riding together, and whenever Gu Jia had a chance, she'd chat with Mrs. Yu. Mrs. Yu had no children of her own and no experience raising them, while Gu Jia had plenty. She gave her some advice on how to get along with her stepson.

Over time, Mrs. Yu grew fonder of Gu Jia and finally introduced her to her amusement-park-magnate husband.

There was no denying it: when it came to sales and business, Gu Jia was more than capable. Much of the fireworks company's success was thanks to her.

Compared to her, Wang Manni—with eight years in sales under her belt—was far behind.

A wife's influence really did matter. Gu Jia and Xu Huanshan successfully landed the amusement park contract. During the process, though, Xu Huanshan found he couldn't talk naturally with truly wealthy people. He felt out of place, lost his temper, and held yet another grudge.

Wang Yan left everything to his subordinates. He didn't have much work to do, so he practiced calligraphy and studied computers at home.

Computers were mainly a matter of logic, and Wang Yan's logic, thinking, and learning abilities were all up to the task. He didn't even need a teacher to learn this stuff; he could figure it out on his own in his spare time.

He planned to learn to build systems first, then learn how to break them. He started with assembly language at the lowest level, then moved on to C and other languages like Java and Python. Wang Yan was a quick learner and made impressive progress. In just a few days, his computer skills had reached LV1: Beginner.

One afternoon, while Wang Yan was practicing calligraphy at home, he got a message from Gu Jia saying Xu Ziyan wanted to come play with him for a while.

Wang Yan thought, So Xu Ziyan's finally proving useful. He called the property management office and asked them to issue Gu Jia a card for the eighteenth floor, saying it would make it easier for the child to visit and play. It was only an elevator card, and after thinking it over, Gu Jia didn't refuse.

By the time they reached his floor, Wang Yan was already waiting at the door.

As soon as Xu Ziyan saw him, he ran over, wrapped his arms around Wang Yan's leg, and happily called him "Uncle Wang" again and again.

Gu Jia gave Wang Yan an embarrassed smile. He said nothing, only gestured that it was fine.

Picking Xu Ziyan up, Wang Yan headed inside. "I heard you missed Uncle Wang. Tell me, how much did you miss me?"

Xu Ziyan answered in a childlike voice, "Every bit of me missed you."

Wang Yan laughed. "Ha ha, you little smooth talker."

Then he asked Gu Jia, "Where's Old Xu? What's going on with him? I always see you looking after the kid by yourself."

Gu Jia explained helplessly, "I'm a full-time mom, a housewife, so of course I'm the one looking after him."

"Huanshan has to support the family. The company just landed a big contract, so he's very busy."

Wang Yan nodded and said no more. He couldn't keep dropping hints all the time. A word or two now and then was enough.

Once inside, Xu Ziyan found everything fascinating and dragged Wang Yan around the whole place. He'd fallen asleep the last time he'd visited, so he hadn't seen anything.

Gu Jia chided Xu Ziyan, telling him to behave.

Wang Yan couldn't just stand by and watch. To be honest, after all he'd been through, he still thought Gu Jia's brand of elite parenting had its problems.

Maybe that was because he wasn't an elite himself? Maybe, deep down, he still had the mindset of an ordinary nobody?

"It's fine, Gu Jia. The kid's happy, and he wants to look around. Let him. There's nothing he shouldn't see."

Then he turned to Xu Ziyan. "Let's ignore Mom, okay? We'll play on our own."

Xu Ziyan was delighted, of course. Gu Jia had been driving him hard lately, with one class after another. That was why he'd insisted on coming to see Wang Yan. He just wanted to get out and play happily for a while.

Children had short memories. Gu Jia never mentioned Wang Yan at home because she felt guilty. Xu Huanshan, on the other hand, often brought him up. Wang Yan had made such a good impression on him that he considered him a kindred spirit. He found talking with him incredibly comfortable.

That was why Xu Ziyan remembered Wang Yan and kept saying he wanted to visit him. That day, he finally lost it. He cried and fussed, and nothing would calm him down. He was determined to see his Uncle Wang.

Xu Ziyan made a face at Gu Jia, then tugged at Wang Yan and asked him question after question. Everything in the apartment was interesting, and even the decorations carried some meaning. Wang Yan patiently explained things to him and taught him a little along the way, broadening the child's horizons.

Watching Wang Yan and Xu Ziyan laughing and chatting, Gu Jia felt happy too. She could tell that Wang Yan genuinely liked Xu Ziyan. At that moment, she remembered a time when her family of three had been happy just like this. But it had been a long time since her family had shared such a moment.

Sunlight streamed through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows and fell inside. It was so warm and comfortable that it made you want to sleep.

Before she knew it, Gu Jia had fallen asleep in the lounge chair on the balcony.

The atmosphere was harmonious and cozy. It was a peaceful, idyllic moment.

Time passed amid Wang Yan and Xu Ziyan's laughter and play, and before long, evening arrived.

Wang Yan said, "Ziyan, Uncle's hungry. Are you hungry too?"

Xu Ziyan nodded and tugged at Wang Yan. "Uncle Wang, I've been hungry for ages. Let's go eat together."

"Sure. Let's have dinner together tonight."

He turned to Gu Jia, who had woken up from her nap and was now reading. "Gu Jia, get in touch with Old Xu."

"He's got so much work he'll never finish it all. Tell him to come home early, and we'll all go out for dinner together. We can have a few drinks too. I didn't get enough last time."

As soon as Wang Yan mentioned drinking, Gu Jia remembered what had happened after they'd gotten drunk last time. Her face flushed.

She quickly turned away and pretended to look for her phone. "All right, I'll call him and tell him to head straight there."

Wang Yan started looking for a restaurant. In the past, when he'd been broke, he'd had to make do. Now that he had money, he wasn't going to deprive himself.

He found a restaurant of suitable caliber and called to book a table. It was dinnertime, so plenty of people would be eating out. Fortunately, with a beautiful woman by his side, he had luck on his side and managed to reserve a table without a hitch.

He didn't make Gu Jia drive again. They went together in his A8.

Xu Huanshan arrived not long after they did.

When Gu Jia told him she'd be drinking with Wang Yan, he remembered how unpleasant it was to get drunk, but how enjoyable the evening itself had been.

Now he wanted to confide in his kindred spirit, Wang Yan, and talk about everything that had been bothering him lately.

Soon, the food and drinks were served. They'd eaten together before, so there was no need to stand on ceremony.

Wang Yan and Xu Huanshan started with a drink each, downing nearly two hundred milliliters. Gu Jia wanted to join them, but after what had happened last time, she knew it wouldn't go well if she got drunk again. Neither man let her drink.

After a few more drinks, the alcohol began to take effect, and Xu Huanshan opened up.

He first apologized for his son bothering Wang Yan. After all, he was the boy's father, and it was only right for him to apologize on his son's behalf.

Wang Yan said he liked Xu Ziyan and that they'd had a great time chatting. Then he took the opportunity to say he'd accept the boy as his godson, bringing them even closer.

After that, Xu Huanshan let it all out, talking about Manager Wan and his recent round of golf with Mrs. Yu's husband.

As for Manager Wan, he'd been taken in for investigation a couple of days earlier. From what Gu Jia had heard, there was no chance he'd get out. At the time, Gu Jia had been overjoyed, though it hadn't occurred to her that Wang Yan might be involved. She hadn't told anyone about it, so how could anyone else have known? In the end, she could only put it down to the Way of Heaven's cycle and the retribution for one's actions.

Wang Yan sat beside him and offered words of comfort, sharing some of his own experiences.

There was a saying that if you found yourself having a great, lively conversation with someone, perhaps they were simply humoring you. Was that how it went?

That was exactly the situation now. Wang Yan's cultural refinement, personal bearing, and level of insight were all far beyond Xu Huanshan's, and his experiences were so much richer that he left him in the dust.

Xu Huanshan practically treated Wang Yan as a life mentor, a guiding light.

The two men grew more animated as they talked and drank, and before they knew it, they'd had a bit too much.

Gu Jia had been keeping a close eye on them and heard every word they said. She was happy, because there were many things she couldn't bring herself to tell Xu Huanshan. After all, he'd said more than once that Xu Ziyan was his younger son and he was the eldest.

Wang Yan was different. Xu Huanshan respected him more, so he was more likely to listen to what Wang Yan said.

She didn't need much. She only hoped Xu Huanshan would stop being so resistant to social niceties.

Everyone, remember to cast a vote or two and show your support.