Chen Yu

The next day.

Wang Yan came back from his run to find that Gu Jia had already made breakfast.

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

After dropping the boy off at school, Wang Yan told Gu Jia to bring all the necessary documents, then drove her to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

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

As a single mother, she'd have a hard time finding someone to marry. With her looks and charm, finding an ordinary guy would be easy enough, but she'd have to put in the effort. Finding a successful, well-off man, though, would be about as likely as winning the lottery.

To be honest, she'd even considered staying with Wang Yan without getting married. She believed he'd treat her and the boy well. And after being betrayed once, she'd learned her lesson; she'd be able to see the signs if it happened again.

Even Xu Huanshan had cheated on her, let alone someone like Wang Yan, who was leagues beyond him. There was no way she could tie Wang Yan down.

She knew a marriage certificate didn't mean much to Wang Yan. Even so, having their relationship recognized by law made her overjoyed.

Wang Yan had agreed to register their marriage partly because not having married Liu Sihui had left him with a regret, and partly because he wanted to experience it. Living together without registering would have been just as good and wouldn't have stopped him from doing anything, but a sense of occasion still mattered. At least it made things feel official.

The Civil Affairs Bureau was packed as always, but fortunately they'd arrived early and finished the paperwork before the lunch break.

Looking at the red marriage certificate in his hand, Wang Yan honestly didn't feel anything special.

He figured it was probably because he was in a fictional world and couldn't bring himself to take it seriously. Maybe that was why he felt no sense of responsibility. Or maybe it was because he wasn't bound by any moral constraints here and could do whatever he wanted. Or perhaps it was because he had no worries about food or money and felt no pressure.

In any case, he felt nothing. It was just a marriage certificate.

"Let's go. We'll grab a bite to eat, then head to my company."

"Okay."

Gu Jia was over the moon about getting their marriage certificate. As for a wedding? She didn't even bring it up. What more could she ask for?

After a quick meal, Wang Yan took Gu Jia to his company that afternoon.

He clapped his hands to get his employees' attention and quiet them down. Then he introduced Gu Jia so they'd know who she was.

After the introductions, he ignored the employees' whispered chatter and led her into his office, where he had her sit on the sofa.

Wang Yan picked up several contracts from the desk behind him and handed them to Gu Jia. "Have a look. Sign them if everything's in order."

Gu Jia leafed through the contracts. This was what Wang Yan had promised her: ownership of the two properties at Junyue Mansion and Tianyue Mansion, along with some other cash and stock assets. The two apartments alone were worth over a hundred and fifty million. All together, the assets were worth around two hundred million.

She was stunned by Wang Yan's generosity.

"This is too much. I can't take it."

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

She shook her head, and Wang Yan continued, "Then there's no problem. Isn't this more useful than a marriage certificate?"

"Besides, both apartments are mortgaged, so they're not worth as much as you think. Don't worry, though. I'll pay them off as soon as I can."

"This is my promise to you. Take it without worrying, and sign."

Gu Jia had plenty of flaws, but Wang Yan didn't particularly care. In the end, most of her problems came down to money, and he had more than enough of that. To him, money was just a number; he didn't care how much he spent. And overwhelming Gu Jia with it was the right move.

She was good at all the skills a homemaker needed, decent enough as a person, capable of handling herself, and more than adequate in bed. She wasn't as troublesome as Wang Manni or Zhong Xiaoqin. Overall, Wang Yan was quite pleased with her.

As long as there was some genuine affection, the rest of her little flaws didn't matter much. After all, he had countless women to meet and getting close to women with different experiences and personalities was its own kind of education.

Seeing how firm he was, Gu Jia didn't insist. She picked up the pen and started signing.

Unlike Xu Huanshan, Wang Yan was very strong-willed. With him, Gu Jia finally knew what it felt like to be cared for.

Once she'd signed and put the contracts away, Wang Yan said, "All right, that's settled."

"I've still got some things to take care of here, so I won't keep you. Here are the car keys. You can drive it home."

"We're still short of a lot of household supplies and things like that. Go shopping and pick out whatever you want."

"If you don't feel like going alone, Ziyan will be off school tomorrow. The three of us can go together."

Gu Jia nodded and said okay. She kissed Wang Yan, then left.

Outside, she got into Wang Yan's A8 and called Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin, inviting them to have coffee and chat.

After all those years of hard work, she hadn't achieved as much as Wang Yan had given her with a casual gesture. And she'd always had complicated, unspoken feelings for him. She needed to share her excitement with someone.

She wasn't trying to show off; she simply wanted to share. Keeping it bottled up would have made her miserable.

She'd been a housewife for years. She hadn't lost every friend and former coworker, but there weren't many left. That was why she'd called the two of them.

Even though Wang Yan had fallen out with Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin at her birthday party, Gu Jia saw that as a separate matter.

People mattered differently to her. Zhong Xiaoqin, of course, mattered more.

She and Zhong Xiaoqin had known each other for years and been through quite a lot together. Their friendship was genuine. Knowing Zhong Xiaoqin, Gu Jia was sure that once she heard about her and Wang Yan, she'd say her piece and leave it at that. Wang Yan and Zhong Xiaoqin had no history, so Gu Jia just wouldn't bring it up much. It might affect things, but not by much.

As for Wang Manni, Gu Jia didn't care much either way. She'd known from their last conflict that Wang Manni had probably been involved with Wang Yan. They weren't that close to begin with, just superficial friends who'd met along the way. If they could get along, fine; if not, they could go their separate ways. But from what Gu Jia knew of Wang Manni, she'd probably pretend nothing had happened.

Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin had no trouble sneaking out of work. One could say she was meeting a client, while the other could claim she was making a visit. They had plenty of excuses.

The three of them met at a coffee shop not far from Junyue Mansion, one they often went to.

They each ordered a drink. After the server left, Gu Jia spoke up. "I'm divorced."

"What?" they both exclaimed, stunned by Gu Jia's sudden announcement.

They'd seen her looking so affectionate with her husband at her thirtieth birthday party just a few days ago. And now she was divorced?

"What happened?" Zhong Xiaoqin blurted out.

Wang Manni beside her echoed the question. "Yeah, Gu Jia, there wasn't the slightest sign before. This is so sudden."

Gu Jia then told them what had happened, from beginning to end.

"How could Xu Huanshan do that? He's such a... scumbag." After hearing the whole story, Zhong Xiaoqin spoke up for Gu Jia. She'd known Xu Huanshan since Gu Jia started dating him, and after all these years, she'd never expected him to be that kind of person.

Wang Manni didn't know Xu Huanshan well, but after seeing how affectionate he'd seemed just days ago, then hearing that he'd cheated, she thought his behavior was despicable too. She joined Zhong Xiaoqin in tearing into him.

And so the three of them took turns condemning Xu Huanshan. Gu Jia recounted everything she'd felt from start to finish, while the other two took care of insulting him.

Women could be vicious when they got to cursing. Spit flew everywhere. Wang Manni and Zhong Xiaoqin nearly sent Xu Huanshan back into the womb before finally gulping down a glass of water to bring their tirade to an end.

Then they talked about dividing up the assets, and Gu Jia told them how they'd split everything.

"Gu Jia, what about Ziyan? What's going to happen to him?" Zhong Xiaoqin asked.

"He's staying with me."

Thinking of Gu Jia raising a child by herself, Zhong Xiaoqin's eyes filled with tears. "What are you going to do now, Gu Jia?"

Wang Manni looked at Gu Jia with sympathy too. They both knew how difficult it was to raise a child after a divorce.

Seeing their worried expressions, Gu Jia smiled. "You don't need to worry. My life's only going to get better."

The two of them were baffled. How could a single mother with a child have a better life? Had the divorce hit her so hard she'd lost her mind?

Gu Jia was uncomfortable with the way they were looking at her as if she were an idiot. She said helplessly, "Don't look at me like that. I'm perfectly sane. Remember Wang Yan?"

Wang Manni had no trouble remembering him. She looked at Gu Jia, somewhat taken aback.

Hearing Wang Yan's name reminded Zhong Xiaoqin of the unpleasantness from a few days earlier.

Frowning, she asked, "The guy at your birthday party? What about him?"

Instead of answering, Gu Jia took the marriage certificate she'd gotten that morning from her bag and set it down in front of them.

When they saw the red-background photo of Gu Jia and Wang Yan smiling on the certificate, they both reacted differently.

They'd never have guessed that Gu Jia would get divorced yesterday and married today, much less that Wang Yan would be the one she married.

Wang Manni's body stiffened, her discomfort plain to see. She truly regretted it. Wang Yan was so rich, and he didn't even mind that Gu Jia had a child. What was wrong with her? She'd looked down on his ordinary appearance and decided he didn't meet her standards for a partner. She regretted judging him by his looks, and regretted sleeping with him so casually.

Gu Jia took in Wang Manni's reaction but said nothing. At the birthday party, Wang Yan had made it obvious that he looked down on Wang Manni. What was the point of making a fuss? Besides, even if Gu Jia did make an issue of it, she couldn't stop Wang Yan if he really wanted to be with her.

Zhong Xiaoqin, on the other hand, was more straightforward. "Why did you register your marriage with him?"

She spoke without thinking, and only after the words were out did she realize she'd gone too far. Gu Jia could marry whoever she wanted. She was the one who'd be living with him, not Zhong Xiaoqin.

She quickly waved her hands and apologized, looking mortified. "I'm sorry, Gu Jia. I didn't mean it like that. I..."

Gu Jia knew she hadn't meant anything by it and didn't let her continue. "It's okay. I know what you mean. But he's been really good to me and Ziyan, and Ziyan likes him a lot."

She took out the gift agreement she'd just signed and set it on the table. "There's even less reason to worry about anything else. Take a look at this."

The two of them examined the contracts again.

After looking them over, they fell silent.

Wang Manni looked at Gu Jia with pure envy and jealousy. She regretted it so much she wanted to slap herself twice, walk out, turn right, keep going, and dive into the Huangpu River.

Zhong Xiaoqin stopped chattering too. Was there anything more compelling than two hundred million? What was the point of saying anything else?

Seeing their reactions, Gu Jia was satisfied. She'd been holding it in for so long, and now she finally felt relieved.

She didn't interrupt them, just leisurely sipped her coffee.

Mm, the coffee tasted especially sweet today. Life was good.

After Gu Jia left, Wang Yan took care of some business at the company and arranged a few transactions.

When he was done, he sat in his chair and thought about what to do next.

Xu Huanshan and Gu Jia were already divorced, but he and Lin Youyou hadn't gotten married yet. They weren't really together.

That would be easy enough to handle. Once Xu Huanshan found out that Gu Jia had registered her marriage with Wang Yan, he'd probably marry Lin Youyou without a second thought. Or Lin Youyou might use her wiles to confuse him into agreeing to marry her.

It would probably be settled before long.

What he needed to consider was how to deal with those four bastards who'd called him ill-mannered.

Poor old Wang. He hadn't even wanted to mess with them, and they'd come right up to him looking for trouble.

It wasn't like he was putting on airs. Wasn't he entitled to be rude? Who even were those two to him? He wasn't their father. Why should he indulge them?

When they'd been exposed, they'd gotten mad and called him ill-mannered, then all four of them had backed each other up.

Well, they'd brought it on themselves. If he didn't make them regret it, he'd write his name Wang upside down.

Chen Yu was a frontline reporter who also loved photography. Wang Yan thought it over and came up with a plan.

He called the two underlings, told them to find Chen Yu's contact information, and gave them a few other things to take care of.

Afterward, he called in his staff and told them to acquire a new media company with all its paperwork in order and a complete organizational structure. Building up a team from scratch would take a long time, so buying an existing company made more sense.

Before long, a message came through on Wang Yan's phone with Chen Yu's contact information.

He immediately called him.

Chen Yu had been having a run of bad luck lately. Work was going badly, his marriage was going badly—everything he touched seemed to go wrong.

The vibration of his phone distracted him from his work. He saw an unfamiliar number and ignored it, hanging up. But just after he did, another call came in from the same number.

Already irritable, he answered impatiently. "Hello? Who is this?"

Wang Yan didn't mind. He'd been cussed out plenty when calling people to sell them homes, so this was nothing. "Hello. Is this Chen Yu?"

"It's me. Who are you? What do you want? If it's nothing, I'm hanging up."

The rapid-fire questions showed just how foul his mood was. Wang Yan said, "I work in finance, and I'm thinking about getting into self-media. I saw your report about the mother and her two children, and I'm very interested in your work. I'd like to talk with you."

"I was wondering if you'd be free."

Chen Yu thought it over. There was nothing to lose by talking, and it could even be an opportunity.

"Sure, we can talk. Seven tonight, at the Eternity Cafe."

"Great. I'll see you there." Wang Yan hung up.

Wang Yan's plan was simple: he'd cut off Zhong Xiaoqin's escape route first. If Zhong Xiaoyang and his family were upstanding citizens who obeyed the law, then he'd let it go. Otherwise, he'd take down him and the connections he relied on. As for Zhong Xiaoqin, he'd leave her to fend for herself and see how tough she really was.

Wang Yan hadn't met Chen Yu, but he'd learned a bit about him from watching the TV series.

It wasn't that Chen Yu didn't want to change. He just had too much weighing on him: his elderly mother, an irresponsible younger brother, an immature wife, and the mortgage and car payments.

His father had abandoned his wife and children when he was young, leaving the three of them to depend on one another. It was easy to imagine how difficult that must have been. Of course, Wang Yan wasn't sympathizing with him. There were plenty of people who deserved sympathy, and there was always someone worse off.

Chen Yu just wanted a stable life. He worked hard at studying, working, and getting by. All he wanted was stability. He didn't dare yell at his boss, risk losing his job, try anything new, or pursue his dreams. That was understandable.

Going by common sense, Chen Yu was in his thirties, divorced, unmotivated, unambitious, lacking in confidence, and without prospects or money. He'd have a hell of a time finding a girlfriend.

What Wang Yan wanted to do was give him the courage to change all that, give him a hand, stir up his hidden desires, and let him experience the bustling world. Once he did, he'd be dazzled by the endless temptations. Zhong Xiaoqin? She could get lost.

Wang Yan spent the afternoon at the company taking care of some business. When he checked the time, it was almost time to go. He messaged Gu Jia to let her know he'd be home late. After all, it was only their first day as a married couple; he should at least make an effort.

Wang Yan went outside, hailed a cab, and headed to their meeting place.

When he arrived, Chen Yu, who lived nearby, had already been waiting for a while.

Wang Yan sat down across from Chen Yu and held out 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 formalities and get to the point."

Chen Yu gestured for him to continue.

"I looked into your background. You seem like a decent person. You have a sense of responsibility and a conscience. Those things matter, and that's why I wanted to meet you."

"But you're not very good at dealing with people. You've probably been pushed around a lot, haven't you?"

Chen Yu didn't answer. It was true.

"I don't deal in empty talk. Just do your work properly, and don't bother with pointless things."

Chen Yu wasn't sure what to make of that, even though it sounded as if Wang Yan already had him figured out.

"Another thing: about that news report, I think we should stick to the facts and not chase views at any cost."

"We should pay more attention to the ordinary acts of kindness that go unnoticed. There are always people who quietly devote themselves to helping others. We should find them, celebrate them, and praise them."

"At the same time, plenty of people suffer misfortune around us, like the mother and her two children I mentioned on the phone. We should do our part and bring together more kindhearted people to help them."

"I want to spread kindness and compassion."

"What do you think, Chen Yu?"

Those were exactly the kinds of things Chen Yu believed in. Wang Yan needed to win him over.

Chen Yu was so moved that the words went straight to his heart. He had his own ideas, but he had little standing, so his opinions were basically worthless.

"I think the same way..." The floodgates opened, and he talked nonstop about examples from his everyday work, railing against the way his colleagues handled things.

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