The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 540: Episode One: This Thing Called Emotion

"Hey Ranran, Shen Qinglan actually made a public confession to her hubby on a TV program, it’s just too blissful, don’t you think?" A girl with ear-length short hair excitedly said to Tao Ran as she held a tablet.

Tao Ran was in the middle of coding. Upon hearing this, she immediately looked up from her computer screen and towards the tablet held by the speaker, who was her roommate named Pan Yingying. They had been classmates in college and decided to stay in Beijing after graduation, so they rented an apartment together.

"What show is this?" Tao Ran asked curiously.

Pan Yingying rolled her eyes, "I’m saying, Tao Ran, can you not marry your codes every day? At least care a bit about the outside world. Just a few months ago, wasn’t Shen Qinglan awarded some international prize? The media have been hyping it up nonstop, and many show producers invited her. They were all steeled for rejection, but who would’ve imagined she actually accepted an invitation? At first, I was wondering why. Then, lo and behold, it turned out to be her husband’s birthday on the live broadcast day. My guess is, she accepted the invitation just because of the show’s timing. You think that’s a birthday gift for her husband or what? A public confession in front of the whole nation, just thinking about it is so romantic. Could this be the romance of a female artist?" Pan Yingying gushed with stars in her eyes.

Tao Ran chuckled, "If I didn’t know better about your orientation, I’d think you’ve fallen for Shen Qinglan." The look on her face was that of a true fan girl.

"Shen Qinglan is my Goddess, okay? She could totally rely on her looks, but she insists on winning through talent. Not only that, but she has good looks, good family background, a good personality, and especially that aloof aura. She should be an untouchable fairy, yet she has the warmth of the sun in winter when she smiles. Ahhhh! How could such a perfect woman exist in this world? If I were a man, I’d definitely fall madly in love with her."

"Heh, seeing you like this now, you’re almost there. I’d love to record this and send it to your boyfriend, I’m curious if he’d be disgusted seeing you like this," Tao Ran said with a disdainful look.

Pan Yingying huffed, "That’s called jealousy. And he wouldn’t dare to be disgusted by me. If he tried, I’d flatten him," Pan Yingying said, making a fierce gesture with her fist.

Tao Ran sneered, "Only he can put up with your tigress temperament."

"You know what this is called? This is ’a willing hitter and a willing receiver’. It’s true love between me and him, get it?" Pan Yingying boasted proudly. She had been dating her boyfriend since their freshman year, and now, after six or seven years, their relationship was very stable. They were planning to get married in the first half of the next year. Recently, they had started looking for houses, but the prices in Beijing were astronomically high. Even with their savings combined, they couldn’t afford anything, so they were planning to buy a house in her boyfriend’s hometown, which wasn’t far from Beijing—just a half-hour ride on the high-speed train, and the prices were within their range.

Tao Ran only caught the final scene of the broadcast and, seeing no more Shen Qinglan, she lowered her head and continued to study her codes. Pan Yingying talked on and on without a response from Tao Ran, and when she looked back, of course, she had returned to her coding.

Although Pan Yingying was in the same class as Tao Ran and also studied programming, she had spent most of her university years dating and had almost no grasp of the subject matter. She lacked this particular talent and had managed to pass her exams by cheating. She knew her own limitations, so after graduation, she didn’t pursue a career in programming but became a fashion salesperson instead.

Despite coming from an average background, Pan Yingying knew a lot about various fashion brands and was quite the smooth talker, which made her pretty successful at her job.

"Ranran, don’t just bury yourself in coding. Did you hear what I was telling you just now?"

Tao Ran responded, "What did you just say?"

"I said, how are things with your never-seen, only-heard-of boyfriend?"

"We’re good."

"What does ’good’ look like? You’ve been dating him for what, three or four years? What are your future plans, or are you just planning to wait for him like this? Listen to me, a girl’s youth only last so long, and once you hit twenty-five, you start to depreciate. You’d better think this through." Pan Yingying was actually quite dissatisfied with Tao Ran’s boyfriend. After so many years of dating, she could count on one hand the number of times she saw him, and opportunities to witness their phone calls were rare.

Tao Ran didn’t seem to react much to this, "He’s really busy lately. We’ll talk about it when he’s less busy."

Pan Yingying glared at her frustratedly, "Busy busy busy, how busy can he be? Even if he’s busy, he should make time for his girlfriend. You’re his official partner, not some mistress; nor are you a pet that gets played with when convenient and ignored when not."

Tao Ran frowned. She was somewhat unhappy with Pan Yingying speaking about Gu Yang in such a way, but she also knew Pan Yingying was just concerned about her, "Yingying, Gu Yang is not that kind of person." Gu Yang was really busy, but he would contact her whenever he had time.

"Ranran, I know you like him a lot, but can you be sure that he likes you as much as you like him? You might not want to hear this now, but think about it, how old are you this year? If he really liked you, he wouldn’t let you wait endlessly like this. Even getting engaged first would be something, at least it’s a commitment. But now you have nothing, just waiting here alone. What does he mean? Does he want to wait until you’re old and past your prime before breaking up with you?"

Tao Ran’s face darkened, "Yingying, stop it, things between Gu Yang and me are not like what you think. He is a soldier; he has a lot to do every day. From the day I chose him, I knew what I was facing, and I was prepared for it. I’m willing to do all this."

"Ranran, I just want to ask you one thing, when was the last time you contacted him, a month ago or two months ago?"

Tao Ran’s expression dimmed upon hearing this. Thinking carefully, she realized that it had been over three months since she’d had any contact with Gu Yang, and the messages she sent him had fallen into a black hole.

Seeing her expression, Pan Yingying knew it wasn’t good and sighed, "Ranran, you’re my best friend, and I definitely hope you can be happy. You believe in Gu Yang, and I won’t say much, but still, I want to add one thing: there are not only male soldiers in the army but also female soldiers. Maybe they are not as pretty as you, but they are in the army year-round, spending day and night together, it’s inevitable..."

"Yingying, Gu Yang wouldn’t," Tao Ran cut her off before Pan Yingying could finish. She believed in Gu Yang, just as she believed in herself.

"Alright, alright, I know you don’t like to hear me speak ill of Gu Yang, and I won’t make myself unwelcome here anymore. I’m leaving. But you really have to think about what I’ve said and plan for yourself. After all, you are a girl." She really didn’t have much hope for Tao Ran and Gu Yang’s relationship. In this relationship, Tao Ran had always been the one giving and waiting. As a friend, she felt for her.

In the room, Tao Ran looked at the code on the computer screen and couldn’t continue typing. Closing the laptop, she stared blankly at the ground for a long time before she picked up the phone on the side. There were no calls, no texts, nothing—utter silence.

"Sigh." She let out a sigh, composed a WeChat message, and sent it—[Gu Yang, I miss you.]

She put down the phone and picked up a book from the bookshelf, flipping through it aimlessly. She recognized every word on the pages but couldn’t seem to process them. She put the book down and irritably ran her hands through her hair, tangling it into a bird’s nest.

"Better take a bath first," Tao Ran muttered to herself.

As she passed by Pan Yingying’s room, where the door was not quite closed, the sound of her on the phone, sweet and caring, obviously talking to her boyfriend, seeped through. They would talk each night, and Tao Ran’s steps faltered slightly, envy flashing in her eyes before she stepped into the bathroom.

After the shower, returning to her room, she picked up her phone to check it, but no new messages appeared. She sighed deeply and began to blow-dry her hair.

"Bright moonlight, somewhere in my heart, so bright, yet so cold..." A familiar melody began to play, and Tao Ran’s eyes brightened. But when she saw the name on the screen, her eyes instantly dimmed again.

"Mom." Tao Ran answered the call.

"Ranran, have you been busy lately?"

Tao Ran perked up to talk to her mother, "Mom, I’m okay. How are you and Dad doing?"

"Your dad and I don’t need you to worry; we are doing well. It’s you we’re concerned about. When you’re by yourself out there, make sure to take care of your health and eat well. Don’t mistreat yourself. And if you’re running low on money, just tell your mom and dad. I’ll send you money."

"Mom, I have a salary; I can support myself. And don’t you know what kind of person I am? How could I possibly neglect my stomach? I’m really treating myself well, eat well and strong as ever." Tao Ran smiled, and there was a hint of a daughter’s coquetry in her voice as she spoke with her mother.

Tao Ran’s mother smiled, "Hearing you say that, Mom can rest assured. Ranran, actually the reason Mom called you today is that there’s something I want to ask you."

"Mom, just ask away, I promise to tell you everything I know."

"It’s like this, do you still remember your Uncle Chang?"

"I remember him, he’s Daddy’s colleague, I’ve seen him a few times. What about him, Mom?"

"Your Uncle Chang has a son about your age who doesn’t have a girlfriend yet, and I was thinking..."

"Mom," Tao Ran interrupted her, "I have a boyfriend, you know that."

"I know that, but Ranran, listen to Mom. Your boyfriend is unreliable. You should break up with him quickly. I’ve already discussed this with your Dad, and we both feel he’s not suitable for you."

The smile on Tao Ran’s face gradually disappeared, "Mom, whether he’s suitable for me or not should be my decision to make."

"Ranran, you always think this boy is suitable for you, but let me ask you, in all these years you’ve been together, has he ever come to see me and your Dad? We’ve only heard you mention him and seen a few photos, but where is he in person? During holidays, he doesn’t even call to say hello. He’s obviously not serious about you. We, as your parents, don’t ask for you to find someone very wealthy or noble, just someone who is good to you and committed to sharing a life with you. If this man can’t even do that, how can your Dad and I be at ease?"

Tao Ran’s lips tightened slightly, "Mom, he’s a soldier, always in the military, so it’s normal that it’s not convenient for him to stay in touch, and we need to be understanding. Besides, our families haven’t formally met yet, so why should he call you?" Tao Ran defended Gu Yang, not wanting her parents to get a bad impression of him.

"Ranran, has he considered leaving the military? If he could leave the service and work locally within a year or two, then I think you could continue dating. But if he plans to stay in the military for life, then I do not approve of this marriage," Tao Ran’s mother expressed her stance directly.

"Mom, that’s not what you said before. When Gu Yang and I started dating, you agreed," Tao Ran said, getting a bit anxious.

"Yes, I agreed when you two got together, thinking he was just serving his military duty and would reassigned to a civilian job within a year or two. But look how many years have passed. Ranran, you’re not getting any younger. You can’t keep waiting for him like this."

Hearing these words for the second time in one day only added to Tao Ran’s frustration, "Mom, don’t start. Actually, Gu Yang is really good to me. Whenever he gets the chance, he calls me, and he visits me during his leaves. He’s really good to me."

Tao Ran could actually feel Gu Yang’s dedication to her; it was just that due to limited time and freedom, he couldn’t always be with her, but she didn’t mind that. What she cared about was whether she was in his heart.

Tao Ran’s mother heard this but neither agreed nor disagreed and didn’t continue criticizing Gu Yang, worried about provoking her daughter’s rebellious spirit. She took a step back and said, "Ranran, how about this, why don’t you meet Uncle Chang’s son? Just consider it making a new friend."

"I don’t care about any Uncle Chang or Uncle Li, I have a boyfriend now, I don’t want to go on blind dates, and I’m not going to, and as for making friends, stop feeding me that excuse." Tao Ran flatly refused. She was someone who took relationships very seriously and was very faithful, and she loathed such strategies.

"Why are you being so stubborn? Mom isn’t asking you to date two guys at once, but just to see more of the world, to give you more opportunities to choose," Tao Ran’s mother said, getting a bit anxious after hearing her daughter’s adamant stance.

She and her husband sighed whenever they thought about Tao Ran’s romance. They had never seen such an elusive young man. Initially, they didn’t care about what profession Tao Ran’s boyfriend had; being a good, honest man was good enough. But now, they had started to have a bit of an issue with the profession of a soldier.

If things were already like this during dating, what would happen if they got married? They wanted to find someone who would be good to their daughter, not someone for whom she’d have to silently give everything, waiting endlessly in return.

Tao Ran softened her tone, trying to keep calm. "Mom, I know you want what’s best for me, but Gu Yang and I truly love each other. He likes me, and I like him. When I chose him, I knew what kind of life I’d have to face in the future. But Mom, shouldn’t we be proud of him? He made sacrifices because he was protecting our country, for everyone."

"That sounds nice, but what is he sacrificing? It’s your youth he’s sacrificing, Ranran. It breaks your mother’s heart."

"Mom, give me a little more time, okay? I’ll talk to Gu Yang about this issue. If possible, we’ll set a wedding date as soon as we can. Is that okay with you?"

"Ranran, you know that’s not what I mean. I want you to break up with him. Your father and I don’t want you to marry a soldier, being a military wife is just too hard. We can’t bear to see you suffer. Yes, soldiers are great. They sacrifice their personal lives for the country, and as an ordinary person, I’m grateful for their dedication. But Ranran, don’t forget, I am your mother. For your sake, I can be selfish. I just want you to have the happiness of an ordinary person. I don’t need the glory of you being a military wife."

Tao Ran’s eyes reddened, and when she spoke again, there was a crying tone in her voice. "But Mom, I only love him. I only want to be with him my whole life. Even if he has to stay in the army forever, hardly ever coming home, I still want to marry him. I feel that is happiness."

Tao Ran’s mother, hearing her daughter cry, felt a sourness in her heart. She hesitated for a long while and finally did not continue to persuade her. "Ranran, don’t cry. I won’t say any more. Think about it carefully, and after you’ve thought it through, we can talk again, okay?"

After hanging up the phone, Tao Ran laid her head on the desk, her face streaming with tears. She looked at the few photos she had with Gu Yang in her phone and murmured softly, "Gu Yang, what should I do, tell me. Gu Yang, I miss you so much."

*

The next day, when Tao Ran went to work, she had shaken off the sadness of the previous night and was once again full of energy.

"Tao Ran, breakfast."

A breakfast was placed in front of Tao Ran, and she looked up to see her colleague Lu Minghua looking at her with a smile.

Lu Minghua was a new colleague they had recruited this year, two years younger than her.

"Thank you, I’ve already eaten," Tao Ran declined.

Lu Minghua glanced at the milk on her desk. "Just a glass of milk? You’ll become malnourished this way. The plan for the day starts with the morning, and breakfast is especially important, you can’t skip it. Don’t worry, this wasn’t specially bought for you. I just happened to buy too much this morning and couldn’t finish it. Think of it as doing me a favor, help me finish it."

Tao Ran was in a difficult position, glancing around. "Lu Minghua, I really have eaten already, I can’t eat anymore. Why don’t you give the breakfast to someone else?"

Lu Minghua shrugged. "Everyone else has eaten, only you haven’t. Tao Ran, you might reject me, but surely you won’t refuse a breakfast, right?" His face bore an expression that said, "If you really refuse, then you’re just being petty."

It was well-known within the company that Lu Minghua had a crush on Tao Ran; he had even openly confessed his feelings to her, only to be turned down.

Tao Ran didn’t like to engage in ambiguities. In her world of relationships, liking someone meant liking them, not liking them meant just that, without any ambiguity. After she learned of Lu Minghua’s feelings for her, she consciously kept her distance to cut off any hope he might have held.

"Thank you for the kindness, but I’ll pass on the breakfast. I don’t have a big appetite in the morning, a glass of milk is enough for me, thank you!" Tao Ran thanked him, then pushed the breakfast back to Lu Minghua and started working on her computer.

Lu Minghua stood there, watching her for a moment with a smile, "Alright then, I’ll just have to deal with it myself. Ah, I won’t buy so much next time." He didn’t seem embarrassed by the rejection at all, his skin must have thickened from being turned down so many times.

Lu Minghua sat down, his seat was right next to Tao Ran’s, just across the aisle.

As noon approached, Tao Ran felt some discomfort in her stomach, even a faint pain, and she knew her period must have come. She grabbed a pack and went to the restroom, and, sure enough, Aunt Flo had visited.

She mentally sighed at her misfortune, as her workload these past few days had been overwhelming. Yet her period always managed to wrack her with pain, severely affecting her work efficiency.

"I must really be out of luck lately," she said with a bitter smile, returning to her seat.

She hadn’t slept well the night before and felt groggy, her mind filled with all sorts of messy thoughts. Coupled with her period, she felt utterly listless and had no appetite for lunch. She simply laid her head on the desk to rest for a while.

"Tao Ran, let’s go eat," Lu Minghua spoke up.

Tao Ran shook her head, "I’m not hungry. You go ahead."

Lu Minghua examined her for a moment, "Are you feeling unwell? You look pale."

"No, I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’ll be fine after resting for a bit. You go eat with the others," Tao Ran just wanted to rest on the desk undisturbed.

Lu Minghua read the refusal in her demeanor and didn’t insist further. He simply nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll go ahead then, you take care!"

Tao Ran nodded absently and laid her head on the desk, closing her eyes.

In a drowsy haze, she fell asleep. When she woke up, the office was mostly empty, as everyone was still out for lunch. She wanted to make herself some ginger brown sugar tea, but found she had run out, so she had to settle for pouring herself a cup of hot water instead.

The office gradually bustled again as her colleagues returned from lunch.

"I didn’t know what you’d want for lunch, so I just brought something for you to make do with," Lu Minghua said, setting the takeout box in front of Tao Ran. Worried she might refuse, he quickly added, "Don’t tell me you’ve already eaten. Even if you have, at least have some. I’ve already bought it, you can’t just let me throw it away, it’d be such a waste."

Tao Ran, who had been ready to refuse, was cornered by his words and accepted it, "Thank you. How much? I’ll transfer it to you."

"It’s just a few bucks, cafeteria food. No need to pay," Lu Minghua said with a hint of resignation. He wanted to close the gap with Tao Ran, but she had built an impenetrable wall, both high and thick, and his efforts seemed in vain. The more he tried, the further she seemed to drift, which was genuinely disheartening.

He had fallen for Tao Ran at first sight, and his feelings had deepened upon seeing her again. Conventionally handsome, he was quite popular with the ladies, yet he couldn’t manage to win over this particular mountain of a challenge.

Nevertheless, Tao Ran still transferred the money to Lu Minghua. She didn’t want to be indebted to the man before her.

As the workday was ending, Tao Ran received a call from Fu Jingtong.

"Ranran, is your shift almost over?" Fu Jingtong’s friendly voice came through the phone, her tone gentle.

Tao Ran glanced at the time and realized there were only five minutes left until the end of her shift, "Auntie, I’m about to finish work. Is there something you need?"

"If you have no plans this evening, come over for dinner."

Tao Ran wasn’t feeling well today, and after a whole day of work, she was genuinely exhausted and wanted to decline. But before she could voice her refusal, Fu Jingtong added, "I’m nearby your office, so I can pick you up and we can go home together."

Swallowing her refusal, Tao Ran replied, "Okay, Auntie, wait for me five minutes, I’ll be right down."

"No rush, take your time. I’ll be there in a few minutes."

Despite the reassurance, Tao Ran quickly packed up her things.

"Tao Ran, are you about to leave? How about dinner together tonight? My treat," Lu Minghua saw Tao Ran cleaning up and couldn’t resist inviting her, even though he expected a likely rejection.

"No, thank you, I have plans tonight," Tao Ran gathered her belongings and left the office. Lu Minghua watched her depart with a sigh, feeling truly lost.

"Minghua, let it be. You won’t win Tao Ran over," the colleague sitting behind him said, patting his shoulder with earnestness.

At this, Lu Minghua turned around and replied, "How can I know without trying? Maybe I’ll succeed."

"How could you succeed? Don’t you know Tao Ran has a boyfriend?"

Lu Minghua, who had only been with the company for three months and had pursued Tao Ran for one of those months, did not know this detail. He was not familiar with Tao Ran’s personal life.

"What does her boyfriend do? How come I’ve never seen him?"

"Not just you, none of us have seen him. The fact that she has a boyfriend came from her own mouth. Supposedly, her boyfriend is a soldier and doesn’t come back often."

Lu Minghua raised an eyebrow, "So, she’s actually in a long-distance relationship?"

The colleague nodded, "Yes, I heard her boyfriend is quite busy. Usually, they don’t even have much time to talk on the phone. Of course, this is all hearsay, I don’t know if it’s true or not. But it’s a fact that Tao Ran is a difficult mountain to conquer."

Tao Ran was beautiful, cheerful, and competent. There were certainly more than just Lu Minghua in the company who had taken a liking to her. When she first joined, there were suitors, but she rejected them all.

Eventually, everyone came to understand that this delicate flower was already taken. However, the owner had yet to reveal himself, leading to skepticism about Tao Ran’s public statement, widely considered to be an excuse to fend off advances. That’s why no one informed Lu Minghua of this when he started pursuing her, leaving him in the dark.

A gleam appeared in Lu Minghua’s eyes. To him, this was both bad news and good news. While he was somewhat irked that Tao Ran already had a boyfriend, the fact that it was a long-distance relationship was a great opportunity. Additionally, her boyfriend was in the military and often couldn’t be with her. Over time, a woman would inevitably feel lonely, and having someone close who offered care and comfort could naturally shift her affections.

Lu Minghua didn’t see it as taking advantage of someone’s misfortune. He was merely pursuing his own happiness. After all, Tao Ran wasn’t married yet, and neither was he; everyone had the right to pursue.

"Auntie, why did you come over today?" Tao Ran looked at Fu Jingtong with a beaming smile.

Fu Jingtong smiled slightly and handed her a bag from the back seat, "I was out shopping with a friend today and happened to see this piece of clothing that I thought would suit you, so I bought it. The size should be right; you can try it on at home. If it doesn’t fit, I’ll exchange it tomorrow."

Tao Ran hesitated, "Auntie, I have clothes."

"I know you have clothes, but a woman’s closet is always one dress short. I think this one is quite suitable for you. Try it on at home first, and if you really don’t like it, we can return it, okay?"

Fu Jingtong’s reasoning made it difficult for Tao Ran to refuse, "Thank you, Auntie."

"No need to thank me, we’re all family here. There’s no need for thanks! I see you’re looking pale today. Are you not feeling well?"

"No, I’ve just been a bit tired from work recently. I haven’t been resting well."

"You’re just pushing yourself too hard. You should take more care to rest. Girls need to cherish their health and not rely on their youth to overwork and stay up late. There are often reports online about how staying up late and overworking leads to a decline in physical health."

"I do pay attention to it usually, but these past few days I’ve just had too much work, so I stayed up late. It’ll get better after these couple of days."

Hearing this, Fu Jingtong didn’t say anything more. Tao Ran was a girl with her own opinions, and it was enough to mention things only once.

When they arrived home, the auntie had already prepared the meal, and Fu Jingtong went into the kitchen. When she came out, she was holding a cup, which she handed to Tao Ran, "Drink this first."

Tao Ran took it and saw that it was ginger brown sugar tea. She looked towards the door in surprise.

"I was negligent earlier and only remembered when I got to the doorstep that your ’special days’ must be around now." It was Gu Yang who had told Fu Jingtong about Tao Ran’s painful periods. Being away in the military all year round and unable to take care of Tao Ran, Gu Yang had asked his mother to remind Tao Ran to make a cup of ginger brown sugar tea during her periods. When Fu Jingtong saw Tao Ran earlier today, she hadn’t put two and two together due to the pale look on Tao Ran’s face; she only remembered just now.

Tao Ran’s pretty face turned red, not expecting that Fu Jingtong would actually remember such a small detail.

"Thank you, Auntie," Tao Ran said softly, feeling the warmth in her heart for Gu Yang while sipping the ginger brown sugar tea. The chill in her belly was immediately soothed, and she felt much more relaxed.

During the meal, Fu Jingtong brought over an extra bowl of soup and placed it in front of her, "This is black chicken soup, especially good for girls. Drink more of it."

"Thank you, Auntie, that’s okay; I can get it myself," Tao Ran thanked her and then asked, "Why isn’t Uncle home today?"

"There was some trouble at the company in France; he and Gu Kai went to handle it, so he won’t be home for a few days," Fu Jingtong said casually.

Over the last few years, Gu Bowen had handed over the company’s affairs to Gu Kai, but he still remained the chairman. When the company faced issues, he still needed to lead the charge, and this time, the matter in France was serious enough that Gu Kai couldn’t handle it alone, so Gu Bowen had to make a personal trip.

The Gu family’s dining table had no rules about silence during meals, so Tao Ran and Fu Jingtong chatted while they ate, which was quite pleasant.

Fu Jingtong was a straightforward and frank person, which matched Tao Ran’s personality. So, when Gu Yang first brought Tao Ran home, Fu Jingtong was very pleased with her.

In the years since Tao Ran graduated from college and started working, Fu Jingtong would often invite her to dinner or go shopping with her on weekends. Their relationship was more like friends than a future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

"Has Gu Yang contacted you recently?" After dinner, as they sat on the couch chatting, Fu Jingtong inquired.

Tao Ran shook her head, "No, he must be busy."

Fu Jingtong scolded playfully, "That kid really should call you no matter how busy he is. Unacceptable. When he gets back, I’ll have to have a word with him."

"Auntie, please don’t blame him. We’re doing well, and he calls me whenever he gets a chance."

Fu Jingtong took Tao Ran’s hand, "You’re too soft with him; that’s why he’s so presumptuous. Ranran, you can’t spoil men, you know? The more you spoil them, the more outrageous they get." Fu Jingtong was advising Tao Ran on how to keep her son in line.

Tao Ran listened with amusement. In other families, people would hope that daughters-in-law listened to their sons, but here she was, with a mother-in-law who seemed keen to encourage her to keep Gu Yang in check.

Tao Ran didn’t know that it was because Fu Jingtong liked her. If she hadn’t been fond of her, she wouldn’t have bothered with any of this.

"Auntie, it’s getting late, and I still have work tomorrow, so I should head back," Tao Ran said.

"Why not stay here for the night? We have spare rooms, and I can take you to work early in the morning," Fu Jingtong suggested.

"No, Auntie, I still have a bit of work left to finish. If I can spend half an hour on it tonight, it’ll be all set for tomorrow," Tao Ran declined.

"You child, why didn’t you say you had work? I would have taken you home earlier. Come on, I’ll drive you back now." Fu Jingtong got up.

"There’s no need, Auntie. I can just take a taxi. It’s very late, and it would be too much trouble for you to go back and forth."

"It’s no trouble. I don’t have much to do all day anyway, and it isn’t safe for a girl to be taking a taxi alone at night."

Fu Jingtong insisted on driving her home, and Tao Ran was unable to refuse. However, as they arrived at the apartment building where she rented a room, they saw a familiar figure waiting at the door – it was no other than Lu Minghua.

Tao Ran opened the car door and got out. When Lu Minghua saw her coming out of a sports car, he glanced at the driver and saw it was a woman. Thinking it was just a friend of Tao Ran’s, he didn’t give it much thought.

Seeing a man waiting for Tao Ran late at night, Fu Jingtong also got out of the car and walked up to her, smiling and asked, "Ranran, who is this?"