Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Who

It was past seven when she returned to the TV station. Having eaten nothing since noon, Ruan Xiangyi felt like she was about to suffer from hypoglycemia. The office lights were still on. She returned to her workstation and found a bouquet of roses and a dinner. The packaging was still warm, suggesting it had just been delivered. Ruan Xiangyi picked up the bouquet. The roses were a delicate crimson, stained with water droplets. She couldn't think of anyone else besides Shen Huaimeng, and a curved smile formed on her lips.

While opening the lunch box, she sent a message to Shen Huaimeng. She thought that he was angry after that night.

Shen Huaimeng didn't reply to her message, probably because he was busy. Ruan Xiangyi quickly finished her meal, packed up and left the office. While waiting for the elevator, she met Zhou Zilang who had returned. He casually mentioned: Your boyfriend is waiting for you downstairs.

Ruan Xiangyi ran out of the building happily.

There was no Chen Huaimeng downstairs, only a strange man leaning against the car door with his hands in his pockets. Ruan Xiangyi was a little disappointed, thinking that Zhou Zilang was wrong and was about to leave, but the man suddenly came over to stop her.

"Sister Xiangyi." Ruan Xiangyi felt uncomfortable the moment he spoke. The combination of this address and his nonchalant tone made her take three steps back. "Who are you?"

"You don't remember me?" He Wen seemed unwilling to believe it, and pointed at her face close to hers. "Are you sure you don't remember me? Don't you have any impression of such a handsome face?"

Ruan Xiangyi shook her head.

He Wenxin died.

He couldn't make an appointment with her, so he found out where she was doing her internship and went downstairs to wait for her. However, she didn't remember him.

Forget it. Seeing how innocent she was, He Wen endured it, put on a harmless smile, and began to introduce himself: "My name is He Wen, I'm the third son of the He Group and the chief surgeon at Jiangbei First Hospital. Most importantly, I'm a good friend of your sister Ruan Lingyu. We met at her birthday party last October." After saying this, he continued to confirm: "Do you remember it now?"

She had some impression that Ruan Lingyu said today that she wanted to take her to meet a friend. Could it be the man in front of her?

She asked cautiously, "Is there something wrong with you?"

"Look at what you said. I can't come to you even if I'm fine."

"No, I don't know you."

“…”

He Wen hesitated for three seconds, then saw the flowers in her arms and curled his lips: "You've already accepted my flowers, and you still don't recognize me?"

Ruan Xiangyi looked down at the rose she was holding, her fingers loosening their grip little by little, and asked with lowered eyes, "Did you send me dinner and flowers at my workstation?"

"Then who do you think you are?" Seeing the disappointment on Ruan Xiangyi's face, He Wen almost choked for three seconds, "No, you think of me as a substitute?" Where would his face be? He even made a promise in front of Ruan Lingyu, saying that he could deal with her in two weeks.

"I'm returning the flowers to you." Ruan Xiangyi stuffed them into his hand without a word, then lowered her head to look for something in her bag. She pulled out a Mao Zedong note and placed it between the flowers. "This is for dinner. You don't have to return it if there's any extra money."

"Sister Xiangyi, why are you so distant with me?" He Wen said as he wanted to return the flowers to her and even gave her money to insult her.

Ruan Xiangyi was stopped by him. Fortunately, Zhou Zilang came down at this time. She shouted and ran over immediately while He Wen didn't react.

"Help me, I don't know this person."

He Wen chased after her, looking helpless: "Sister Xiangyi, it was really your sister who asked me to pick you up."

Ruan Lingyu wanted to eat her up, but she would send someone to take her back? Who would believe it?

"I don't really know him."

He Wen wanted to come over and pull her, but Zhou Zilang stretched out his hand to stop him: "What are you doing? Didn't you hear that people said they didn't know you?"

He Wen narrowed his eyes: "Who do you think you are? This is a matter between me and her."

"Don't worry about who I am. The point is, if you continue to harass me, it will be embarrassing for everyone when the police show up."

He Wen said harshly: "Okay, you wait."

As he stepped back, he waved to Ruan Xiangyi and raised his lips: "Sister Xiangyi, see you next time."

When she passed by the trash can, she threw the flowers in. She irritated him.

After the man drove away, Zhou Zilang said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I just thought he was your boyfriend."

It’s no wonder he misunderstood, because he heard the man mention Ruan Xiangyi when he called.

Ruan Xiangyi shook her head: "Thank you for what I just did."

Seeing her tired face, Zhou Zilang said, "Where do you live? I'll take you back."

"No need, I can just take a taxi myself." I received a call from Lin Manshu in the afternoon, and she wanted to go back to Ruan's house.

"Let's go. I'm half a master too. If I let you work overtime so late and something happens, I can't take the responsibility." Zhou Zilang didn't allow her to refuse and took her to the parking space.

Unable to refuse, Ruan Xiangyi had no choice but to get in the car and tell him her address. Zhou Zilang's hand paused when entering the address. As far as he knew, this address was in a wealthy area.

Ruan Xiangyi's usual outfits don't include any big brands, but she has a great temperament. Now it's clear that she is not a low-key young lady.

It was already late when Ruan Xiangyi returned to the Ruan residence. Instead of looking for Lin Manshu, she returned to her room on the second floor. The third floor was Ruan Fu and Ruan Lingyu's territory. After taking a shower, Lin Manshu came in with a glass of milk. Seeing that she had lost weight and her skin had darkened, she felt heartbroken and began to grumble, "I don't know why you're so stubborn. You insisted on moving out. We finally settled down, and why don't you cherish us?"

She had heard this kind of talk hundreds of times and had become immune to it.

Ms. Lin Manshu's biggest wish is that she can step on the stilts of the Ruan family, marry into a wealthy family, and become a rich wife from then on.

Why didn't she think about whether her daughter had this fate?

"Mom, is there something you want me to come back for?"

Lin Manshu put the milk down and let her drink it first. After she finished drinking, she took the empty cup and put it aside, then began a serious conversation.

"Are you still in contact with Xiao Shen?"

"Mom, I've known him since we were little. Isn't it a bit too much to ask me to be a stranger to him?"

"Xiangyi, you know what I mean. If you're just friends with him, Mom won't care. But if you want to date him, Mom will never agree."

"Why?" Ruan Xiangyi didn't understand. "Why do you have such a big prejudice against him? Didn't you always praise him before, praising him for being sensible and good at studying?"

"It's not that he's a bad person. On the contrary, I like Xiao Shen very much," Lin Manshu said. "But I won't send my daughter back to that place just because of his character."

"Xiangyi, it took me most of my life to get you out of that small town and into the big house you live in now. Now you tell me you want to go back to that small town. How can I accept that? Maybe you don't understand now that love can't support the expenses of life, but it's different now that you have money. You don't have everything you want, let alone love."

Ruan Xiangyi still wanted to persuade her: "But after I get together with him, we can work hard together in Yitong. We don't have to go back."

"What about his relatives over there, his parents? Should we bring them to Yitong? I remember his parents didn't have any education, didn't have a stable job, didn't pay into social security, and couldn't even get the most basic pension after retirement. How will the family live? Will they rely on that meager salary? Let's not talk about coming to Yitong for now. Let's talk about the houses in Yitong. Even the worst neighborhoods cost millions. With his ability, it will take him several years to pay the down payment. After paying the down payment, he still has to repay the mortgage every month. After getting married, he still has to have children. I won't tell you about the rest of the bills. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

"Anyway, I'm going to make things clear to you again today. If you still have that thought, give it up as soon as possible. I won't allow you to have anything to do with that place anymore. I've already arranged for people to look at the apartment you lived in before, and you don't have to go back anymore."

"Mom!" Ruan Xiangyi collapsed. "Do you have to be so heartless? That apartment is a memory of us and Dad!"

"Your father has been dead for many years. I have been very tolerant of you in these years. When have I ever stopped you from going back?"

"It's not that I'm heartless. I've lived through hard times. You can reminisce, but don't try to relive them." Lin Manshu opened the door. "You should have a good rest. I'll go upstairs first."

After a night, Lin Manshu thought she would have thought it through, so she went to knock on the door early in the morning to call for help, but found that no one was there. She called her workplace and found out that she had taken three days off.

Lin Manshu knew without hesitation where she had gone. She was so disappointed with her that she didn't follow her at all. She turned around and went out to make a phone call.

"Well, the apartment will be delivered in the next two days, and the price is negotiable."

Ruan Xiangyi didn't expect Lin Manshu to be so heartless. She sold the house as soon as she said she would. When she came back, she happened to meet the agent bringing people to see the house.

The price can be said to be a bargain.

She didn't dare say anything else to Lin Manshu, for fear of angering her and asking her to lower the price. In recent years, tourism in Yuyao's ancient city has developed well, and many outsiders have come here to do business. In addition, the apartment is now by the river, so it is most suitable to convert it into a homestay.

Ruan Xiangyi was unable to disobey Lin Manshu's decision. After much thought, she had only one option, which was to borrow money from someone to buy the house.

Ever since she followed Lin Manshu to the Ruan family, her interpersonal relationships have been very simple. Unlike Ruan Lingyu, she does not have to attend various cocktail parties to make friends with socialites. Most of the time, she is the one who is hidden. Therefore, the friends around her are still students and have no money to lend her.

After thinking for a long time, she could only think of Zhao Qingshi.

She took out the crumpled business card from her bag. The three words "Zhao Qingshi" were already worn out. She took out her cell phone and entered the numbers on it one by one. After entering the last number, her fingertips paused for two seconds before pressing it.

Take a deep breath and put it next to your ear.

The phone was not answered as expected, and no one answered it after ringing for a long time.

She didn't give up and called again. Finally, a lazy voice came from the phone: "Who?"