Chen Yu

The next day.

Wang Yan returned from his run to find that Gu Jia had already prepared breakfast.

He woke Xu Ziyan, and the three of them ate breakfast together.

After sending the child to school, Wang Yan asked Gu Jia to bring all the necessary documents, and then they drove to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Gu Jia was quite surprised by Wang Yan's decisiveness. She hadn't expected him to take her to register their marriage the day after their divorce.

For her, a single mother, remarrying was difficult. Although with her looks and charm, finding an ordinary person would be easy, she didn't want to settle. But finding an elite with good conditions felt like a pipe dream.

To be honest, she had considered just staying with Wang Yan. She believed he would treat her and their child well. As for him messing around, after experiencing one betrayal, she figured he must have learned his lesson and gained some perspective.

If someone like Xu Huanshan could cheat, what about Wang Yan, who was miles ahead of Xu Huanshan? She knew she couldn't restrain him.

Although she knew that a marriage certificate was basically useless to Wang Yan, the legal confirmation of their relationship still made her incredibly happy.

Wang Yan's reason for registering with her was twofold: partly because he regretted not marrying Liu Sihui, and partly because he wanted to experience it. Even without registering, living with Gu Jia would be the same, and it wouldn't hinder anything he wanted to do, but the sense of ceremony was still quite important, at least to make it feel real.

The Civil Affairs Bureau was still crowded, but fortunately, they arrived early and finished the procedures before the lunch break.

Looking at the red booklet in his hand, Wang Yan felt nothing special.

He analyzed that it was probably because he was in a fictional world, and subjectively, he didn't accept it, hence the lack of responsibility? Or perhaps here he didn't have to bear moral constraints and could do whatever he wanted? Or maybe he didn't have to worry about food and drink, and there was no pressure?

In any case, he remained unfazed. It was just another thing.

"Let's go. Let's find a place to eat, and then go to my company."

"Okay."

After getting the marriage certificate, Gu Jia was overjoyed. As for a wedding? She didn't even mention it. What more could she ask for?

The two of them ate a casual meal, and in the afternoon, Wang Yan took Gu Jia to his company.

He clapped his hands to get the attention of his employees, asking them to be quiet for a moment. Then, Wang Yan introduced Gu Jia, letting them get to know her.

After the introduction, he ignored his subordinates' whispers and led Gu Jia to his office, telling her to sit on the sofa.

Wang Yan took out several contracts from the desk behind him and handed them to Gu Jia. "Take a look. If there are no problems, sign them."

Gu Jia flipped through the contracts in her hands. These were what Wang Yan had promised her, including the ownership of two properties, Junyue Mansion and Tianyue Mansion, as well as other cash and stock assets. The two houses alone were worth over 150 million, and with everything else, the total value was around 200 million.

She was stunned by Wang Yan's generosity.

"This is too much, I can't accept it."

"Take it. I promised you. Besides, are you going to leave me?"

Seeing her shake her head, Wang Yan continued, "Then it's settled. Isn't this more useful than a marriage certificate?"

"Also, both of these properties are mortgaged, so the actual value isn't as much as you think. But don't worry, they will be paid off as soon as possible."

"This is my guarantee to you. Take it with peace of mind and sign it."

Gu Jia had her flaws, but Wang Yan didn't really care. In the end, it all came down to money, and he had plenty of it. Money was just a number to Wang Yan; he didn't care how much he had. Impressing Gu Jia with his wealth was a good use of it.

She was skilled in domestic affairs, decent as a person, had her own ways, and was capable enough. Unlike Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin, she wasn't as troublesome. Wang Yan was quite satisfied with her.

As long as there was a little sincerity, other minor flaws were insignificant. After all, he would encounter countless women, and deeply interacting with women of different experiences and personalities was also a form of growth.

Seeing his resolute and firm attitude, Gu Jia didn't hesitate and picked up a pen to sign.

Wang Yan was different from Xu Huanshan. He was too dominant. It was with Wang Yan that Gu Jia truly felt cared for.

After she finished signing and put away the contracts, Wang Yan said, "Alright, that's it then."

"I have some things to take care of here, so I'll leave you to it. Here are the car keys. You can drive back."

"We still need a lot of daily necessities at home. Feel free to go shopping and pick some out."

"If you're bored, wait until Ziyan is on vacation tomorrow, and the three of us can go together."

Gu Jia nodded, said "Okay," kissed Wang Yan, and left.

After leaving, she drove Wang Yan's A8 and called Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin, asking to meet for coffee and a chat.

Years of hard work couldn't compare to what Wang Yan had casually given her. Moreover, her feelings for Wang Yan had always been ambiguous. She needed someone to share her excitement with.

It wasn't about showing off, but simply sharing. Otherwise, holding it in would be uncomfortable and could even lead to illness.

After being a housewife for so many years, most of her old friends and colleagues were gone. That's why she reached out to them.

Even though Wang Yan, Wang Manni, and Zhong Xiaoqin had had an unpleasant encounter on her birthday, Gu Jia saw it as two separate matters.

People held different weights in one's heart, and Zhong Xiaoqin was naturally more important to Gu Jia.

She and Zhong Xiaoqin had known each other for many years and had been through a lot together; their bond was genuine. Based on her understanding of Zhong Xiaoqin, if she heard about her and Wang Yan getting together, she would only say a few words and then move on. Wang Yan and Zhong Xiaoqin had no overlap, so as long as she mentioned it less, it would be fine. While there might be some impact, it wouldn't be significant.

As for Wang Manni, it was what it was. Gu Jia didn't care about her. After their last conflict, Gu Jia knew for sure that she and Wang Yan had had some sort of relationship. Besides, their friendship wasn't that deep; they were just superficial sisters. If they could get along, fine; if not, they could part ways. However, based on Gu Jia's understanding of Wang Manni, she would most likely pretend that nothing had happened.

It was convenient for Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin to sneak away from work. One could pretend to be meeting a client, and the other could be visiting someone, giving them plenty of excuses.

The three of them met at their usual coffee shop, not far from Junyue Mansion.

After ordering their drinks, the waiter left, and Gu Jia spoke, "I got divorced."

"Ah?" The two of them were startled by Gu Jia's sudden announcement.

Just a few days ago, it was their 30th birthday and they were so loving. Now, after only a few days, they're divorced?

"What's going on?" Zhong Xiaoqin blurted out.

Beside her, Wang Manni chimed in, "Yeah, Gu Jia, there wasn't any sign beforehand. This is too sudden."

Then Gu Jia explained the whole story to the two of them.

"How could Xu Huanshan do this? He's such a scumbag." After hearing Gu Jia's account, Zhong Xiaoqin felt indignant. She had known Xu Huanshan since Gu Jia started dating him, and after all these years, she never expected him to be this kind of person.

Wang Manni wasn't familiar with Xu Huanshan, but seeing how loving they were just the other day, she agreed that his immediate infidelity was shameful. Without a second thought, she joined Zhong Xiaoqin in criticizing him.

Thus, the three of them launched into a critique of Xu Huanshan, with Gu Jia recounting her emotional journey from beginning to end, while the other two focused on the condemnation.

When women curse, they are truly vicious, spitting venom everywhere. Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin nearly sent Xu Huanshan back to the womb before finally taking a big gulp of water to signal the end.

Next, they moved on to discussing the division of assets. Gu Jia recounted how it was split to them.

" Gu Jia, what about Ziyan? What will happen to Ziyan?" Zhong Xiaoqin asked.

"The child is with me."

Thinking of Gu Jia raising the child alone, Zhong Xiaoqin's eyes welled up with tears. "What will you do from now on, Gu Jia?"

Wang Manni also looked at Gu Jia with a hint of pity. They both knew how difficult life was for a divorced mother with a child.

Seeing their concerned gazes, Gu Jia smiled. "You don't need to worry. My life will only get better from here on out."

The two were a bit stunned by Gu Jia's words. A single mother with a child living better? Was the divorce too much of a shock? Had she gone mad?

Gu Jia felt uncomfortable under their bewildered stares and said helplessly, "Don't look at me like that. I'm perfectly normal. Do you remember Wang Yan?"

Wang Manni, needless to say, had a deep impression of him. She looked at Gu Jia with some surprise.

Hearing Wang Yan's name, Zhong Xiaoqin recalled a recent unpleasant encounter.

She frowned and asked, "The one at your birthday party? What happened with him?"

Without a word, Gu Jia took out the marriage certificate she had just obtained that morning from her bag and placed it in front of them.

Seeing the photo on the marriage certificate, with Gu Jia and Wang Yan smiling brightly against a red background, their reactions varied.

How could they have imagined that Gu Jia would get married the day after her divorce, and to Wang Yan of all people?

Upon seeing it, Wang Manni's body visibly stiffened. She was filled with regret. He was so wealthy, and Gu Jia, even with a child, didn't mind him. What was wrong with her? It was just that Wang Yan's appearance was ordinary, and although he was rich, he didn't fit her ideal partner criteria. She truly regretted judging him by his looks and regretted so casually getting intimate with Wang Yan.

Gu Jia took in Wang Manni's reaction but said nothing. At the birthday banquet, Wang Yan had clearly not been interested in Wang Manni, so why bother with useless efforts? Besides, even if she had tried, Wang Yan wouldn't have been stopped if he truly desired it.

Zhong Xiaoqin's reaction was much simpler. "Why did you register your marriage with him?"

She spoke without thinking, and only after saying it did she realize her words might have been too harsh. Gu Jia could marry whomever she pleased; it was Gu Jia who would be living with him, not Zhong Xiaoqin.

She quickly waved her hands, her face full of apology. "I'm sorry, Gu Jia, I didn't mean it like that, I..."

Gu Jia knew she meant no harm and didn't let her continue. "It's okay, I know what you mean. But he treats me and Ziyan very well, and Ziyan especially likes him."

She took out the gift agreement she had just signed from her bag and placed it on the table. "You don't need to worry about anything else. Look at this."

The two of them looked through the contract again.

After reading it, they fell silent.

Wang Manni looked at Gu Jia with a face full of envy, jealousy, and hatred. She was so full of regret that she wanted to slap herself twice and then jump into the Huangpu River.

Zhong Xiaoqin also stopped her chatter. Was there anything more moving than two hundred million? Why say so many useless things?

Seeing their reactions, Gu Jia was satisfied. She had held back for so long, and now she felt truly relieved.

She didn't interrupt them and leisurely sipped her coffee.

Mmm, the coffee today was especially sweet. Blissful.

Meanwhile, Wang Yan, after Gu Jia left, handled some company matters and finalized several transactions.

Afterward, he sat in his chair contemplating his next steps.

Xu Huanshan and Gu Jia were divorced, but he and Lin Youyou weren't married yet, so they weren't truly together.

This was actually easy to handle. One day, when Xu Huanshan found out that Gu Jia and Wang Yan had registered their marriage, he would probably marry Lin Youyou without a second thought. Or, depending on Lin Youyou's performance, she might be able to trick Xu Huanshan into agreeing to marry her.

He figured it would be completed in a while.

What he needed to consider was how to deal with those four uncultured brats who had insulted him.

He, Old Wang, was so wronged. He didn't even want to restrain them, but they came forward to step on him.

It wasn't him pretending; wasn't it right for him not to give them a good face? Who did they think they were? He wasn't their father, so why indulge their bad habits?

When their actions were exposed, they got angry and called him uncultured, with all four of them confirming it.

Then they couldn't blame him, Wang, for not making them feel uncomfortable. He'd write his name backward.

Chen Yu was a frontline reporter who also loved photography. After some thought, he came up with an idea.

He called his two subordinates and told them to find Chen Yu's contact information, and also gave them some instructions.

Then he summoned his subordinates and told them to acquire a company that specialized in new media, with all the necessary paperwork and a well-established structure. Building a team from scratch would take a long time, so acquiring one would be more cost-effective.

A short while later, Wang Yan received a message on his phone containing Chen Yu's contact information.

He just made a call and pulled him in.

Chen Yu has been unlucky lately. His work is unsatisfactory, his marriage is not going smoothly, and he seems to be failing at everything he does.

His phone vibrated, catching his attention while he was working diligently. Seeing an unknown number, he ignored it and hung up. To his surprise, the call came again immediately, from the same number.

Feeling restless and impatient, he answered, "Hello, who is this?"

Wang Yan didn't pay him any mind. He'd been cursed at before for selling houses over the phone, so this was nothing. "Hello, is this Chen Yu?"

"It's me. Who are you? Do you have something to say? If not, I'm hanging up."

His rapid-fire questions showed how bad his mood was. Wang Yan said, "I'm in finance and recently want to get into self-media. I saw the news you posted about the mother and her three children. I'm very interested in you and want to chat."

"Do you have time?"

Chen Yu thought about it. There was no harm in chatting, and it might even be an opportunity.

"We can chat. Tonight at seven, at Eternity Cafe."

"Okay, I'll see you then." Wang Yan hung up.

Wang Yan's plan was simple: cut off Zhong Xiaoqin's escape route first. If Zhong Xiaoyang and his family were clean, law-abiding citizens, then so be it. If not, he would bring him and his backing down. As for Zhong Xiaoqin, he would let her fend for herself and see if she was tough enough.

Chen Yu had no prior contact with Wang Yan, but he had some understanding from watching TV dramas before.

It wasn't that Chen Yu didn't want to change; it was that he carried too much baggage. His elderly mother at home, his immature younger brother, his unsophisticated wife, and the mortgages and car loans – all these things and people weighed him down heavily.

His father had abandoned his wife and children when he was young, and they had relied on each other. One could imagine how difficult it was. Of course, he wasn't seeking pity; there were plenty of people who needed it. No one was the absolute worst off; there was always someone worse.

He just wanted stability. He worked hard, studied hard, and lived his life diligently, all for stability. He didn't dare to slam his desk and curse at his boss, he didn't dare to lose his job easily, he didn't dare to try new things lightly, and he didn't dare to pursue his dreams. This was understandable.

Logically speaking, Chen Yu, in his thirties, divorced, unmotivated, unenterprising, lacking confidence, with no future and no money, would have a very hard time finding a partner.

What Wang Yan intended to do was to give him the courage to change all of this, to lift him up, to ignite his latent desires, and to let him experience the bustling world. He believed that then, the dazzling array of temptations would blind him. As for Zhong Xiaoqin? Get lost.

He sat in the office for the entire afternoon, handling some matters. Seeing that it was almost time, he sent a message to Gu Jia, telling her he would be back late. After all, it was their first day as a married couple, so it felt a bit wrong to be out.

Wang Yan took a taxi and headed to the meeting place.

When he arrived, Chen Yu, who lived closer, was already waiting.

Sitting down opposite Chen Yu, Wang Yan extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Wang Yan. I'm the one who called you."

"Hello. What would you like to drink?" Chen Yu shook his hand.

"No need. Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to business."

Chen Yu gestured for him to continue, ready to listen.

"I've looked into your situation. You're a good person. You have a sense of responsibility and conscience, which is very important. That's why I sought you out."

"However, your interpersonal skills are lacking. You've probably been ostracized quite a bit, haven't you?"

Chen Yu remained silent. It was the truth.

"I don't deal in empty talk here. Just focus on your work and don't waste your energy on pointless things."

Chen Yu remained noncommittal about this statement, which he largely believed.

"Another thing is this news. I personally believe we should stick to the facts and not chase after hype excessively."

"We should pay more attention to the genuine human emotions that are often overlooked. In reality, there are always many unsung heroes silently making selfless contributions. We should discover, promote, and praise them."

"At the same time, there are many misfortunes happening around us, like the mother and her three children from the previous call. We should also take responsibility and gather more compassionate people to help them."

"Spreading truth, goodness, and beauty is what I want to do."

"What do you think, Chen Yu?"

He said all this according to Chen Yu's thoughts, hoping to win him over.

Chen Yu was too excited. These words struck a chord deep within him. He had ideas, but his position was too low, and his words were essentially meaningless.

"I think the same way..." His floodgates opened, and he began to speak incessantly, sharing examples from his daily work and complaining about their practices.

Thank you (Wordless Rebuttal) for the 500 coin tip.

Thank you to the seven brothers (bjli), (Locked Heart), (Curie), (Book Friend 090630181920210), (jgjtgjg), (Arrogant Dragon), and (Golden Palace Supreme Wonderful True Jade Emperor) for your monthly ticket support.

And thank you to (oo Brother Dao oo) for your repeated support.

Daily thanks to all the good brothers who gave recommendation votes.

Thanks to all the brothers who read without commenting.

And again, thank you all.