Inside the Lin family villa, Lin Rou was showing off that her good brother Yu Yuntian had booked a high-end restaurant for her, which was only open to members.
"Yun Tian said he was too busy and told us to go eat by ourselves. You guys go change your clothes quickly," Lin Rou said.
"Is he so busy that he doesn't even have time to eat with us? I think it would be better if we met him, so we can help you see what kind of person he is." Lin Wan was a little worried. These two met through a blind date, and now that they've established a romantic relationship, they should meet each other's families soon.
Faced with her older sister's question, Lin Rou looked impatient:
"What's so interesting about him? Don't his parents know his family situation? Yuntian is currently in the prime of his career. He's working hard for our future and is very busy."
Lin Rou even worried that Lin Wan wanted to see Yu Yuntian to poach her. She knew how much she was inferior to her older sister in terms of looks and talent.
Zhang Wanru then said with a smile, "The Yu family is not an ordinary family. For men, of course, career is the most important thing. Xiaorou, you must not disturb him. You must learn to be understanding in order to keep a man's heart."
Lin Zhe immediately followed up with a compliment: "Second sister will definitely do it. I'm looking forward to attending your lavish wedding!"
Lin Rou looked at them with pride, imagining the glory she would have when she married into the Yu family.
Lin Wan felt a lump in her throat, making her feel suffocated, so she changed the subject: "Mom, you should prioritize comfort when you go out. Don't wear high heels. Don't tire yourself out; your health is important."
"What's tiring about it? Of course you have to dress appropriately when you go to such a high-class restaurant. I'm going to change."
After saying that, Zhang Wanru went into the dressing room and hummed a song as she picked out clothes.
She's been in a great mood lately, mainly because she saw the gossip about the woman struck by lightning online. Many netizens posted photos of the charred woman at Jiren Hospital in the comments, and she recognized her immediately. She would recognize Yang Li even if Yang Li were reduced to ashes.
Zhang Wanru felt that even the heavens were on her side, as her lifelong rival had been struck by lightning. Now, Lin Haoran came home every night, and she was very satisfied.
Except for Lin Xi, who insisted on staying home to study, and Lin Haoran, who had to go out to discuss business, the rest of the Lin family got ready and went out for a meal.
Meanwhile, Lin An and Leng Lin had already arrived at the restaurant. Leng Feng said that he had driven there himself, so Lin An didn't need to pick him up; he would bring his wife, Tong Jiaojiao, with him.
Leng Lin ultimately chose a white evening gown, elegant yet with a touch of playfulness, perfectly suited to her age.
As soon as the two entered the restaurant, the enthusiastic manager led them to the rooftop dining area, which had only four seats. They were seated in the best spot in the rooftop garden, which offered a stunning panoramic view of the city.
The place is surrounded by flowers, and fresh flowers flown in from abroad emit a fragrant aroma. A few meters away, there is a performance stage where several violinists are playing soft music. The environment is indescribably quiet and beautiful.
Leng Lin sat in the dining chair, admiring the beautiful scenery with her eyes wide open, constantly exclaiming in amazement:
"Lin An, the view here is so beautiful. This is the first time I've ever been to such a wonderful restaurant."
Lin An smiled indulgently and said softly, "If you like it, we'll come often."
Leng Feng brought Tong Jiaojiao downstairs and was about to close the elevator doors to go upstairs when...
A woman's exclamation rang in her ears: "Jiaojiao, what are you doing here?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Lin family members squeezed into the elevator.
Tong Jiaojiao looked up and saw Zhang Wanru, who had exquisite makeup, wore an expensive dress, and was carrying a crocodile skin bag. The young people who came in with her were also dressed in luxurious clothes.
"Who are you?" Tong Jiaojiao obviously didn't recognize Zhang Wanru, the transfer student who had briefly appeared during her studies abroad.
"It's me, Wanru." Zhang Wanru spoke intimately, but in reality, the two had a very ordinary relationship when they were studying abroad, to the point that Tong Jiaojiao had almost forgotten about her.
Tong Jiaojiao left a particularly deep impression on Zhang Wanru, mainly because among the group of international students, Tong Jiaojiao stood out for her beauty and was known as the pride of the nation.
Zhang Wanru felt that this title should belong to her, but in reality, Tong Jiaojiao is virtuous and talented, beautiful and kind-hearted, and has helped many international students who are not adapting to life abroad, which is why she received this honor.
Tong Jiaojiao frowned slightly, and after thinking for a few seconds, she reacted: "Wanru, it's been a long time. My husband and I are here to eat."
"What a coincidence, I brought the kids here for dinner." Zhang Wanru said, while looking Leng Feng up and down. This must be her husband who runs a ramen shop. He's not very handsome, not even as good-looking as Lin Haoran.
Ever since Zhang Wanru heard that Tong Jiaojiao had left home for love and married an ordinary man, she felt like she had won. Even though Tong Jiaojiao had never paid any attention to her, in the battlefield that Zhang Wanru had drawn up for herself, she declared herself the winner.
Leng Feng sensed the scrutiny and arrogance in Zhang Wanru's gaze. He took Tong Jiaojiao's hand, as his wife's feelings were his primary concern.
"The children have all grown up, that's wonderful." Tong Jiaojiao was clearly just as indifferent to Zhang Wanru as she had been back then, and casually struck up a conversation with a smile.
Zhang Wanru continued to scrutinize Tong Jiaojiao. It was infuriating; even in such simple, unbranded clothes, Tong Jiaojiao's excellent figure was undeniable, especially her face. Despite showing no signs of skincare, her complexion was rosy and her skin fair and smooth; she didn't look like she was approaching fifty at all. She secretly rejoiced that Tong Jiaojiao didn't wear designer clothes or carry expensive bags; otherwise, Lin Haoran would probably stare at her intently.
Suddenly, Zhang Wanru's gaze was drawn to the bracelet on Tong Jiaojiao's wrist. Wasn't that her precious jade bracelet? Even if it had been pawned, it wasn't something someone like Leng Feng, who ran a ramen shop, could afford; it was worth millions. Then she thought again, it must be fake. No one but her was worthy of wearing that bracelet.
Zhang Wanru glanced at Tong Jiaojiao with disdain and asked, "Jiaojiao, where did you get this bracelet?"
"It was a gift from my child. It's not expensive, but it's quite pretty. I wear it whenever I go out." Tong Jiaojiao raised her wrist, showing off her bracelet generously.
Lin Wan's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Zhang Wanru had recognized this as the bracelet that had been taken to the pawnshop. She frowned, afraid that her mother would faint again from excitement.
Unexpectedly, she heard Zhang Wanru laugh: "Haha, I think it's best for people our age to wear some nice things."
Lin Rou immediately understood what her mother meant and boasted, "My mother has a real jade bracelet like this, probably worth several million. Auntie, don't blame me for being blunt, but you should ask your husband to work hard to buy you a real one."
Tong Jiaojiao's expression changed drastically. She didn't care what others said about her, but she couldn't say anything about her husband. She said coldly, "I don't need it. It's just jewelry, a token of my appreciation. I like it, that's enough."
Others might say such things because they're sour grapes, but Tong Jiaojiao is different. Twenty years ago, the men who admired her could have lined up all the way to Paris, France. Even now, some of them are still waiting for her to turn back. She has always had the opportunity to find a rich man and live the life of a wealthy lady.
But she was interested in Leng Feng as a person; she had feelings for him, so she wanted to do her best to protect him.
“I really can’t afford something worth millions, but I can try my best to get you something worth a few hundred thousand,” Leng Feng said, looking into Tong Jiaojiao’s eyes. He didn’t want to prove anything to outsiders; he just wanted to make his wife happy.
Leng Feng's eyes held guilt and heartache, but even more so, boundless love.
Zhang Wanru had never seen such a look in Lin Haoran's eyes before.
Tong Jiaojiao knew how much pressure Leng Feng was under to buy a house, a car, and support his family. He had only recently recovered and had saved several hundred thousand yuan. Yet, he was willing to use it all to buy her jewelry. Tong Jiaojiao's nose suddenly felt a little sore.
She said sweetly, "Honey, it's enough that you have such a kind thought."
The two held hands even tighter, and Tong Jiaojiao, who was in her forties, still spoke with the expression of a young girl who had fallen in love.
Caught off guard, Zhang Wanru was suddenly bombarded with a display of affection, causing her heart to race and her anger to surge. What did these two mean? Were they mocking her for being unloved?
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