Struggle

Liang Zhengxian lay sprawled on Wang Manni's rented-apartment bed, looking utterly lost.

At least he was somewhat relieved that he had not gotten Zhao Jingyu to come over and drive Wang Manni away. Otherwise, he would have been sleeping on the streets. He had many friends, but he knew exactly what they were like. They stayed together mainly to exchange and share resources. To them, a friend in trouble was no friend at all.

He kept wishing Wang Yan well in his heart.

For now, Wang Yan had been reduced to dust in his mind at least three thousand times.

"Are you sick? I only said I was unhappy about your lack of upbringing, and you went mad like a rabid dog?" He felt so wronged.

After being thrown out, he had only a few tens of thousands in cash left. Compared with his former lifestyle, what could that little money possibly do?

Even that was because his father had shown some consideration for their father-son relationship. Otherwise, he would now be drowning in debt.

He had owed money before, but that had been nothing unusual—just normal operations.

But Zhao Jingyu had taken away most of his assets, leaving him insolvent.

The old man had helped him settle the matter. He was already struggling to protect himself, and that had been the last thing he could do for Liang Zhengxian. Of course, it was mainly because the money involved was insignificant compared with the Liang family's current situation. Otherwise, he might as well have let Liang Zhengxian die.

Liang Zhengxian had originally planned to find Wang Yan and kneel to beg for forgiveness. But yesterday, he had learned that his family had not only failed to plead for mercy but had instead made Wang Yan act even more harshly. Since Wang Yan had already made up his mind, why should he rush over to be humiliated?

The old man's "fend for yourself" had dismissed him.

Liang Zhengxian understood what that meant. He was never going back.

Without the Liang family, he was nothing. He had made money through connections and relationships. But now that the Liang family was about to disappear, who would acknowledge him?

Some people could rise from adversity like a phoenix. Others simply fell apart.

That was too absolute, but after so many years of smooth sailing, Liang Zhengxian had never suffered setbacks. He probably belonged to the latter group.

At this point, he might not be able to accept it, but he had to admit it. There was nowhere else to seek justice.

It would be a lie to say he had no desire for revenge. But the gap in strength was too great. Even his entire family had failed to defeat Wang Yan, so what else could he do? What if he truly angered Wang Yan and was killed outright? Things were fine like this. At least he could stay alive. Fortune turned in cycles, after all. Perhaps he would have another chance someday.

Wang Manni had been restless lately, constantly worrying about gains and losses. Her work performance was terrible, and her results were poor. Whenever she had the chance, Daisy, whom Wang Manni disliked, would criticize her.

Ever since she had requested a transfer to Hong Kong, Liang Zhengxian had not contacted her for some time.

She had some idea of what was happening, but she still refused to face reality. This was the closest she had ever come to wanting to be Liang Zhengxian's wife. She truly wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

When she opened the door and saw men's shoes outside, Wang Manni froze. Only she and Liang Zhengxian had keys. What other explanation could there be?

She quickly shut the door and hurried to the bedroom. Sure enough, the man she had dreamed of day and night was looking at her with a broad smile.

Wang Manni tossed her bag aside and flung herself onto Liang Zhengxian, bursting into tears.

She sobbed and repeatedly pounded his chest. "Where did you go? I thought you weren't coming back."

Liang Zhengxian caught her hands and said gently, "All right. Your makeup is ruined. I'm back now, aren't I?"

Looking at his face so close to hers, Wang Manni leaned over and began kissing him, demanding his affection.

There was no need to say much. The atmosphere was right, their emotions had reached the point, and when passion ran deep, certain things naturally followed.

But when Liang Zhengxian took off his clothes, the bruises covering his body frightened Wang Manni.

She gently touched them and asked, "Zhengxian, how did this happen? How did you get beaten so badly?"

Liang Zhengxian began making up a story about getting drunk on the street, being extorted and beaten by some hooligans, and never finding them afterward.

Wang Manni believed him without thinking too much. The story sounded plausible enough.

"All right, don't worry. I'm almost healed. It's nothing."

As he spoke, he moved her hand away from his wounds and continued kissing her. He had had no mind for this sort of thing lately and had been feeling rather pent-up.

After a while, Liang Zhengxian held Wang Manni against the headboard, one hand stroking her smooth back.

"Why didn't you come see me for so long?" After the passion of their reunion faded, Wang Manni asked weakly.

"Manni, I'm sorry. Something happened to my family's business, so I didn't have time to tell you that day. I've been working myself into the ground and truly had no time to contact you."

He knew exactly what Wang Manni was like. If he told her the truth, she would kick him away immediately. He might as well deceive her for as long as possible while he figured out what to do next.

Wang Manni wisely asked no more questions. Whatever the reason, he had come back, hadn't he?

"Oh, I see. How is your family's business? You rushed back and stayed busy for so long. Nothing happened, right?"

"Nothing serious. A few competitors played some tricks. I was caught off guard for a while, but it has been dealt with."

Wang Manni did not understand such matters, so she said nothing more.

She soon brought the conversation back to her transfer to Hong Kong.

"Zhengxian, I told you before that I wanted to transfer to Hong Kong, but you left without explaining anything. What do you really think?"

"You want to go to Hong Kong because you want to be closer to me. I know your feelings. I know them all. I've thought about it too. Wouldn't it be good for me to develop my business here on the mainland instead? What do you think, Manni?"

Wang Manni's face lit up with joy. Why had she done all this? Wasn't it to enter Liang Zhengxian's life and make him grow accustomed to her presence?

But when she remembered that Liang Zhengxian did not want marriage, she felt somewhat disappointed.

Still unwilling to give up, she cautiously tested the waters. "Zhengxian, if that's the case, then it wouldn't be much different from getting married, would it?"

She stopped there and watched his reaction.

Liang Zhengxian fell silent for a while, struggling inwardly. He was somewhat tempted. After all, aside from his polished appearance, he had almost nothing left. Taking advantage of the situation might be an option.

He knew exactly what Wang Manni was like. She was with him entirely for his money.

Although he played with women everywhere and left once he was satisfied, he had never forced anyone. In the end, they had both been willing at the start. One hand could not clap by itself.

He knew how to toy with human nature, but he should not toy with someone else's life. He did not think he had sunk that low.

If he married her, he would truly ruin Wang Manni. The harm would be far more than ordinary heartbreak.

He knew that once they married, Wang Manni would certainly divorce him after discovering that he had no money, had gone bankrupt, and had been expelled from his family. That would benefit neither of them. He might not care, but the damage to Wang Manni would be enormous.

He was hardly a good person, and he had fallen into this state, but he still had some pride. Sighing, he said, "Manni, I don't want to discuss this right now. Give me some time, all right?"

Although she knew the answer, Wang Manni could not help feeling disappointed and listless.

Liang Zhengxian was still incorrigible, but after a string of sweet words, he coaxed a smile back onto Wang Manni's face.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll make you something. What do you want?"

"As long as you make it, I'll love it."

Wang Manni flirted with him a little more, then happily went to cook.

Ever since he had brought Gu Jinghong over last time, Wang Yan had become idle again.

Gu Jia was even busier than before, working from dawn until dusk at the company every day and having no time to look after the three men in the family.

The tea from the tea factory had arrived, and all that remained was for Gu Jia to open up sales channels. She had begun preparing for it as soon as she returned.

The socialites had already purchased one batch, but compared with the tea from several mountains, that was practically nothing.

In the end, they still had to rely on consumers at large and return to the product itself. Gu Jia was confident in it because she had participated personally in its production. Everything was handmade.

At Henglu Village, men and women, old and young, were working frantically. Even the children had joined in. Gu Jia naturally could not let down the villagers' hopes, so she was working herself to the bone.

Online, she contacted various influencer agencies and had them promote the tea.

They had to be reliable agencies. She positioned the product in the mid-range and could not let influencers turn it into street-stall merchandise.

Many companies also demanded excessive commissions, which she could not accept. Her intention was to return more profits to the people of Henglu Village, repair roads and schools, and lead them toward a better life. She could not let everything be taken away.

Thus, every day was spent negotiating and searching for reliable companies and agencies.

The offline side did not require her attention. Seeing how exhausted she was, Wang Yan introduced her to several sales channels and also called in favors from the socialites.

They placed the tea in many shopping malls, supermarkets, and similar locations.

There was only so much tea. Once it sold out, they would have to wait for the next harvest.

The launch was a resounding success, pleasing everyone. Apart from a few exceptions, consumers responded positively overall.

Once the initial publicity had established their reputation, future sales became easy. As long as the tea remained the same, there would be no major problems.

During this period, Wang Yan had fulfilled all the duties and responsibilities expected of a husband.

Now the situation had reversed, and he was practically a househusband.

He did not like making breakfast, so he bought it on his way back from his morning run.

Since Gu Jinghong lived at Junyue Mansion, not far away, everyone ate dinner together every night.

No one was cooking anymore. They were not short of money, but they could not eat out every single day.

Wang Yan simply practiced his cooking while he was at it, but his ability was truly inadequate. His hands and feet were nimble, yet after working for a while, he still had to check the recipes. He was somewhat clumsy, and his speed was certainly lacking.

Watching Wang Yan clumsily clatter around the kitchen gave Gu Jinghong a headache, so he simply joined in.

As people said, experience in life mattered. Though his cooking was not as good as Gu Jia's, it was miles better than Wang's.

As they continued cooking, the awkwardness gradually faded. Wang Yan and his father-in-law, Gu Jinghong, got along remarkably well.

When there was nothing else to do, Wang Yan spent his days reading, practicing calligraphy, and writing code.

Sometimes he drank tea with Gu Jinghong, which also put Gu Jia at ease.

Whenever Xu Ziyan was on vacation, he took him around to look at various places and stroll about.

Gu Jia saw all this and felt delighted. What could make someone happier than a harmonious family and a smooth career?

That evening, after dinner, they coaxed Xu Ziyan to sleep.

The two embraced on the top-floor terrace, watching the Huangpu River flow eastward and the bustling world below.

"You've really worked hard lately," Gu Jia said softly from within Wang Yan's arms.

"You keep saying such formal things. My ears are practically calloused."

As he spoke, Wang Yan exaggeratedly rubbed his ears.

The gesture itself was not particularly funny, but there was a saying about how, to someone whose eyes were filled with you, everything you did looked amusing.

Gu Jia giggled at his exaggerated movements.

Not understanding what she found funny, Wang Yan took the opportunity to tickle her, making her laugh even harder. She had been exhausted lately and needed more laughter to relax.

After fooling around for a while, they finally quieted down.

"After some time, let's go to Henglu Village again," Gu Jia suddenly said.

Wang Yan naturally had no objection. "Of course."

Gu Jia smiled gently and said nothing more.

They had been together for some time. Everything that needed saying had already been said, and sweet nothings could not be repeated forever.

So neither spoke again. They simply gazed into the distance and enjoyed the rare peace.

The moment was warm and beautiful. Wang Yan became intoxicated by it, unwilling to wake.

"Ring, ring, ring." An unwelcome phone call shattered the peaceful mood and startled the entranced couple.

Wang Yan rose, picked up the phone beside him, glanced at it, and answered. "Hello? Yes, this is me."

"All right. Bring her up."

Gu Jia asked from the side, "What happened?"

"The building management called from downstairs. They said Zhong Xiaoqin drank too much, so I told them to bring her up."

Gu Jia had later told him about the incident. Since a conflict had occurred, it was normal for her to explain things on behalf of her friend.

As for how Zhong Xiaoqin knew the address, Gu Jia had told them at the time. When Wang Yan went to Hong Kong Island to meet Zhao Jingyu, Gu Jia had also brought them over. The place had left a deep impression, so it was not strange.

When she heard that Zhong Xiaoqin had come over drunk, Gu Jia became anxious. She hurriedly pulled Wang Yan downstairs.

They opened the door and reached the elevator. Before long, the building staff and Zhong Xiaoyang appeared, supporting Zhong Xiaoqin between them.

When the elevator doors opened, Gu Jia asked what had happened. Zhong Xiaoyang explained everything and reminded her to keep an eye on Zhong Xiaoqin.

After finishing, Zhong Xiaoyang left with the building staff.

From beginning to end, he did not even glance at Wang Yan standing nearby. Wang Yan disliked him too; he was far too pretentious.

If Zhong Xiaoqin had not been drunk and thinking of Gu Jia, she would not have mumbled out the address. Zhong Xiaoyang would not have known that this was where Gu Jia and Wang Yan lived, and he would never have brought her here.

The building management had already called them downstairs, so Zhong Xiaoyang could not explain taking Zhong Xiaoqin away. Otherwise, he would have left immediately.

Gu Jia and Wang Yan supported Zhong Xiaoqin inside and placed her on the sofa.

Gu Jia then quickly prepared a guest room and settled Zhong Xiaoqin in. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.

In bed,

"I'm sorry," Gu Jia said. She knew Wang Yan disliked Zhong Xiaoqin and Wang Manni.

They had lived together for some time, so she could understand why he felt that way.

"It doesn't matter. She is your friend, after all. Go to sleep. We've been dealing with this for half the night."

Gu Jia had been exhausted by the unexpected situation and was worried about Zhong Xiaoqin, so she was clearly not in the mood.

The two fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next day, after exercising, Wang Yan bought breakfast on the way back.

Gu Jia had been extremely busy lately, so Wang Yan did not make her get up early and fuss over breakfast.

By the time he returned, Gu Jia was already awake. She had been thinking about Zhong Xiaoqin and had not even slept soundly after going back to bed.

She woke Xu Ziyan as usual, and the father and son washed up together.

After they finished, Zhong Xiaoqin also got up.

Seeing the unfamiliar décor and Gu Jia beside her, Zhong Xiaoqin wished she could slap herself twice.

She did not like Wang Yan either. Their previous conflict had left a poor impression. She had not thought much about it and had failed to realize that Liang Zhengxian had been trying to trample Wang Yan. In any case, just like Zhong Xiaoyang, she thought Wang Yan was pretentious and cold-hearted.

The atmosphere at the dining table was awkward.

Wang Yan could not be bothered to speak to Zhong Xiaoqin.

Zhong Xiaoqin disliked Wang Yan as well.

Gu Jia wanted to ease the tension but did not know what to say.

Xu Ziyan did not understand the situation. Children forgot things quickly, so he chatted with Zhong Xiaoqin about whatever came to mind.

After breakfast, Wang Yan said goodbye to Gu Jia and took Xu Ziyan to school.

After Wang Yan left, Gu Jia and Zhong Xiaoqin both relaxed. The atmosphere had been unbearable.

"I should leave. I don't want to cause you trouble," Zhong Xiaoqin said.

After the matter had spread, it had become enormous. Public opinion was completely out of control, flooding the internet. One righteous, enthusiastic, hot-blooded hero after another spoke up, overwhelmingly condemning Zhong Xiaoqin and the building management company.

"No. With things like this, how could I feel comfortable leaving you alone?"

"But your husband..."

That was indeed a problem. But Zhong Xiaoqin had already been exposed online and was being cursed by everyone.

Gu Jia did not feel comfortable leaving Zhong Xiaoqin alone. After pondering briefly, she said, "Listen to me. Stay here for now. Wang Yan won't say anything. At worst, things will be awkward for a few days."

"Let's wait and see what happens." Zhong Xiaoqin did not agree immediately.

Thanks to (Blade Drinking Blood), my brother Blade, for the 100-coin reward and continued support.

Thanks to (Ru Yu), big brother, for the 100-coin reward and monthly-ticket support.

Thanks to (Wuyan Yidui), big brother, for your continued support. P.S. Little brother still suggests going to bed early when you have nothing to do.

As always, thanks to all the brothers who voted for recommendations.

Thanks to all the big brothers who criticize, encourage, guide, and support little brother, as well as the good brothers who quietly read without commenting, for your generous support.

Thanks to my big brothers.