Just as Ling Ruoke was at her wits' end, someone called her leisurely, even smug, voice. When Ling Ruoke heard the voice on the other end, she took a few deep breaths. "I knew it was you."
Only someone as shameless as Gu Zheng would resort to such tricks. For the first time in her life, Ling Ruoke wanted to swear. But she wouldn't, not just because of her manners, but also because she didn't want Gu Zheng to be so smug.
"Hmph, I've said it before, I'll get what I want, no matter the method. This is just a small trick, but if it drags on any longer, it'll become a big deal. The smart thing to do is get lost. If you piss me off, you won't be able to escape unscathed." Her arrogant attitude made it seem as if she were the ruler of the world. This was Guzheng; doing whatever she pleased was her true nature.
Ling Ruoke's pen pierced the thick notebook with a sharp blow. Her tone, however, was calm yet laced with sarcasm and disdain. "You think you can do anything to Pei Huo with these little tricks, or to me, Ling Ruoke?"
"Ling Ruoke, your stubbornness is useless. I bet you're in a real bind right now, aren't you? I'm not only going to destroy Pei Huo, I'm going to make sure you, Ling Ruoke, have nowhere to go. You'll soon realize that there's no good end to fighting with me."
Gu Zheng's actions were only minor, not because she couldn't cause a big stir, but because she wasn't completely ignorant of Huo Qingfeng. She wanted to force Ling Ruoke to leave voluntarily, but she was also testing Huo Qingfeng's limits. Before she was certain whether Ling Ruoke was his bottom line, she didn't dare to be too arrogant.
She had planned to secretly get rid of Ling Ruoke while Huo Qingfeng was rushing back to the army, but she hadn't expected Huo Qingfeng to have people secretly protecting her. If she didn't get rid of those people, she wouldn't be able to make a move.
Thinking of Huo Qingfeng's affection for Ling Ruoke, Gu Zheng gritted her teeth in hatred! She couldn't understand what was so special about a woman with no status, no position, and no beauty that made him go to such lengths for her!
Ling Ruoke suddenly stopped being angry. It seemed childish of her to argue with such an arrogant woman. No matter how powerful the Gu family was, there would always be someone who would teach this woman a lesson: there are always those more powerful than oneself!
“Peihuo is my life’s work, and I won’t let it be ruined like this. But I still want to tell you that even if Peihuo is ruined, Huo Qingfeng can still support his woman and children. Even if I stay at home all day and do nothing, my man can support me for the rest of my life. You, Guzheng, will never change that, even if you die. Of course, you can live that kind of life, but that man will never be Huo Qingfeng.”
Not wanting to hear her disgusting voice and words again, Ling Ruoke hung up immediately. She initially considered blacklisting the number, but then thought it over—she could easily find another number to call, so she let it go. She wasn't afraid of anything!
If all else fails, she can go home and let the colonel support her. Besides, if all else fails, she can go back to writing novels. As for Tan Peishi, Fu Peigang can support her and her child, so there's no need to worry!
Ling Ruoke chuckled coldly, finding herself feeling surprisingly relieved. After thinking for a long time, she finally picked up her phone and dialed a number she wouldn't normally call.
"Baby, did you miss me? Baby, I missed you too!" His roguish voice was his unique trademark. However, only Ling Ruoke and Mo Ran were fortunate enough to see this childish side of him.
Ling Ruoke chuckled, finding this man to be quite the character. Who would have thought that the infamous arms dealer was a refined young man, and also a secretly roguish scoundrel? "I say, if those people knew that the leader of the Sky Wolf Gang was this stupid, wouldn't they want to quit?"
"No, they'll be even more eager to cooperate. Do you know why?"
Ling Ruoke could imagine that he must have had that smug, waiting-for-the-fish-to-take-the-fish expression, which was incredibly annoying. "Your thinking is different from ordinary people, how would I know? If I knew, then I'd be a freak. I don't want to be a freak, one freak like you in this world is enough."
That soft chuckle, a joyful laugh. "My darling, are you praising my uniqueness, my one and only?"
"You can interpret it that way if you want. Anyway, no matter what I say, you'll always get the compliment in it." This person was extremely narcissistic. Or rather, he knew very well that the wolf in her heart was a very good man.
"Hahaha... I don't know who gave me life, but I'm grateful to those who do. Baby, you're so cute. Alright, the answer is revealed. They're scrambling to cooperate because they figured that Wild Wolf is such a good-for-nothing, so taking over the Sky Wolf Gang's territory is just around the corner."
Ling Ruoke figured this guy must be lonely, rambling on and on. "You big bad wolf, isn't Mo Ran keeping you company?"
"Honey, I'm not actually that close to her. Can you please stop bringing us up together all the time?"
Ling Ruoke chuckled. "I'm not going to waste my breath on you. I want you to do me a favor, okay?"
They seemed to be considering it. "What's in it for me after it's done? Will you spend the night with me, reward me with a kiss, or just give me a quick kiss? If that's not enough, then it'll depend on my mood."
"I'm going to beat you up. So, are you going to help me or not?" Ling Ruoke subconsciously gritted her teeth and made a punching motion.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll make the trip for you. Darling, remember you owe me one."
Judging from what one could guess, he was probably sitting with his legs crossed and propped up on his desk, looking every bit the spoiled rich kid. "I've got it. Someone's deliberately framing our company. They posted a complaint on a client's official website using a QQ email address and a new QQ number. I'll send you the link; can you help me find this scoundrel?"
His roguish air vanished without a trace, replaced by his usual clean-cut and imposing demeanor. "No need for the link, I'll find it myself. When do you want the results? What if we find that worm, then roast him dry?"
"Of course, the sooner the better; we need to give the client an explanation. As for how to deal with him, I can't think of a good answer yet. Why don't you help me come up with a plan?"
"Okay." That single word made it seem like there was nothing he couldn't do. "Or, how about I take care of that annoying woman for you, darling?"
Ling Ruoke knew that his solution would most likely involve making this person disappear, so she quickly refused. "No need, I'll handle it myself."
After hanging up the phone, Ling Ruoke breathed a sigh of relief. Peihuo was the culmination of her, Peishi's, and so many employees' hard work; she didn't want any problems to arise. She especially didn't want to see Guzheng acting so smug.
Looking at the time, it was already past midnight. I quickly picked up my phone and dialed Yang Ziyun's number. "Hello, Auntie, are you home? Have you eaten yet?"
"We're out. Don't worry, we're all in our forties, we wouldn't let ourselves go hungry. But you, you've been so busy you haven't even eaten, have you?" It was a bit noisy on the other end, they were definitely outside.
The words of concern warmed Ling Ruoke's heart. "I was just about to go eat, so I called you. If you're home, I was thinking of going back to cook; homemade food is healthier and safer than eating out."
Although Yang Ziyun had already acknowledged her, Ruoke still felt that their relationship wasn't strong enough, so she always tried to behave well to solidify their mother-in-law/daughter-in-law bond. Only when her relationship with Yang Ziyun was good could the colonel live a comfortable life.
"No need for all that trouble. Go eat now and come back early tonight. You don't know, your grandfather was saying during dinner that Ruoke's cooking is still the best. If Ruoke were a chef, all these so-called top chefs would be out of a job. Listen to that."
Ling Ruoke couldn't help but laugh, and said a few more words before hanging up. Once quiet, she felt all the gloom dissipate. At least she was certain: Guzheng hadn't gotten any support from Yang Ziyun, so with her grandfather involved, she had even less chance of succeeding.
I had just closed my laptop and was about to go downstairs for lunch when Tan Peishi called. "Honey, have you had lunch yet? If not, come over quickly, my mom is cooking, it'll be ready soon."
Ling Ruoke thought about it and agreed. Anyway, it was only a ten-minute drive, and they would be there in the blink of an eye.
Downstairs, we went back into the store and bought a few toys for the little one.
As soon as she entered, Tan Peishi saw the toys she was carrying and started nagging. “I’m going crazy! If you keep buying like this, there’ll be no room left in the room. His dad and grandma always bring some back from their trips, and now even you’re getting involved. I suspect my room will be completely full sooner or later.”
Ling Ruoke put her arm around her shoulder and laughed. They finally had such a precious child, and everyone doted on him, wanting to bring him all the good things in the world. "You're still in your postpartum period. Once you can go out, I bet you'll be shopping like crazy!"
Just then, Mrs. Tan came out with the dishes and immediately chimed in, "Ruoke is right. Ruoke, hurry up and wash your hands, we'll be eating soon."
"Okay." Ling Ruoke hurriedly put down her things and went to wash her hands. After playing with the baby for a while, it was time to eat.
At the dinner table, Ling Ruoke told Pei Huo about the problems he had encountered.
Tan Peishi bit her chopsticks, looking at her. "Ruo Ke, I don't think you need to think so much. I've never been an ambitious person. I wanted to start a company back then because I thought Fu Peigang was... you're the same. Although we did put a lot of effort into it later, we don't need to cling to it like others do, like a lifeline. We'll try our best, and if we can't, we'll just be housewives."
Ling Ruoke chuckled and pinched her waist. "Listen to this, Aunt Tan! Now that's what you call truly lacking ambition!"
Mrs. Tan didn't think there was anything wrong with it. "As long as she's happy, that's all that matters. You should be too, Ruoke. These things aren't that important. For a woman, family is the most important thing."
Ling Ruoke and Tan Peishi exchanged a glance, their eyes full of laughter, both thinking: This is what you call having no ambition, a typical woman's mentality!
But that's fine too; without all that strife, life is peaceful and comfortable. I just wonder if, when I'm old, I'll regret not doing something I'm proud of when I was young.
Everyone has their own choices. Just like some people choose to return to second- or third-tier cities or even small towns after graduating from university to become teachers, leading a stable and comfortable life, but with a limited perspective; while others choose to work hard in big cities, facing great pressure, but seeing a wider world. Whether to be a comfortable frog in a well or a petrel facing a storm is just a choice, as long as you are willing and have no regrets.
It has to be said that Tan Peishi's words relieved Ling Ruoke's pressure considerably. After all, Peishi was the one who founded Peiho, and she led everyone through the first steps. Now, it's quite upsetting that it might be ruined because of her own emotional entanglements.
After lunch, Ling Ruoke took a nap before heading to work, feeling refreshed. Before leaving, he was covered in drool from the newly awakened little guy, who had been drooling all over his face; he was still quite pleased with himself.
Back at the company, Ling Ruoke told Xia Mo and Lin Beibei to put the matter aside for now and focus on their current work. She believed that Wild Wolf would handle the situation.
Now that the truth of the matter was clear, Ling Ruoke naturally had to reply to the client. The back-and-forth emails took a considerable amount of time. Face-to-face conversations are much simpler, with the added aid of tone, facial expressions, and gestures. Written expressions are prone to disagreements, requiring careful consideration of every single word.
Other projects had some minor issues that required her input, and before she knew it, it was time to leave work.
Her whole family was waiting for her to come home and cook. Although there was still some work to finish, Ling Ruoke had no choice but to take her laptop home to handle it. Thinking about that family, Ling Ruoke felt like a mother bird facing a bunch of hungry chicks. Thinking about it, she couldn't help but laugh.
Yang Ziyun, being considerate of her, had already taken the guards to buy the groceries and started cooking the rice; apparently, they were currently preparing and washing the vegetables. However, because her grandfather loved her cooking, she was kept in charge of the kitchen.
Ling Ruoke sped back, only saying hello before diving headfirst into the kitchen to get busy. Sure enough, everything was ready, just waiting for her to start cooking.
After dinner, Ling Ruoke didn't play chess with the old man because she hadn't finished her work. With a general and bodyguards around, it wouldn't be difficult for the old man to find someone to play chess with.
Ling Ruoke was typing on her computer in her room when her phone rang. The person on the other end surprised her. "Mr. Zhuang?"
Zhuang Yicheng's voice sounded a little tired. "I'm outside your house, is it convenient for me to come out and meet you?"
Ling Ruoke paused for a moment. "Wait a moment, I'll be right down."
As she passed through the living room, Yang Ziyun asked her why she had gone out. "A friend needs to talk to me about something, I'll be right back," she replied without giving a detailed explanation, and hurriedly ran out.
She was anxious. Hearing Zhuang Yicheng's tired voice reminded her of the identity fraud. She feared she had implicated him and caused him a lot of trouble. He was an official; even a small problem could be blown out of proportion.
Running out of the gate, she saw a black car parked under a tree on one side of the entrance. A tall figure leaned against the car door, smoking. Although she couldn't see his expression yet, Ling Ruoke seemed to sense his mood. "Mr. Zhuang."
They hadn't seen each other for a long time since they parted ways in T City. A year had passed in the blink of an eye. She still remembered how he had taken a bullet from Wild Wolf for her sake. Even after so long, the shock and emotion she felt at that moment were still so vivid.
She recalled how, back in Guilin, she had actually told him he didn't love her. Now, thinking back, even if it wasn't love, the fact that someone was willing to give their heart to another person was a profound and weighty sentiment.
"Are you alright?" Ling Ruoke stopped in front of him, looking up at his furrowed brows. He looked travel-worn and exhausted.
Zhuang Yicheng stubbed out his cigarette and said to her, "I haven't had dinner yet, I'm starving, come eat something with me?"
Ling Ruoke glanced at the lights in the house, smiled, and nodded. "Okay. I'll drive. You can sit in the back and rest for a while."
Zhuang Yicheng didn't say anything, climbed into the back seat, and closed his eyes. He seemed truly exhausted.
Ling Ruoke started the car and drove towards the door, pondering where to take him to eat. She wanted to cook something for him herself, but there was nowhere to go. The Huo family elders were all home; she couldn't bring him there. Although she was innocent, sometimes it was truly impossible to explain herself, especially since Yang Ziyun's impression of her had only just begun to improve.
"Drive to Sunshine Home on Fenglin Road," Zhuang Yicheng said, his eyes closed.
Ling Ruoke has been in Z City for quite some time now. She knows that Sunshine Home is an upscale residential area, not too far from Lijing Garden. "Mr. Zhuang, do you own a house there?"
"Hmm. There's a supermarket near the entrance. I'd like to eat your fish soup noodles, is that okay?" Zhuang Yicheng opened his eyes, looking wearily at the road ahead.
Ling Ruoke couldn't refuse. A person who once risked his life for you was now standing before you, asking you to make him a bowl of noodles—no one could refuse such a request. "Okay."
Not far behind them, a car was following silently.
Soon, the car stopped outside Sunshine Home. "You stay in the car for a while, I'll go in and buy it." She took a few steps, felt in her pocket, and realized she had brought money with her.
She turned back and knocked on the car window. Before she could speak, several hundred-yuan bills were handed out of the window. She paused for a moment, took them, and ran into the supermarket.
Ling Ruoke bought a fish and a small bag of flour; she planned to make handmade noodles. Making the fish soup would take time, which would give her just enough time to make the noodles. She also bought some small pastries and a bag of fruit.
Zhuang Yicheng's apartment is on the 18th floor, estimated to be over 200 square meters. It's large, but deserted. If it weren't for someone taking care of it, it would probably be covered in a thick layer of dust by now. There's a stuffed animal on the sofa, which must have been left there by little Zhuang Yuqi.
Ling Ruoke put the cake down and took the other things into the kitchen. She quickly washed the fruit and brought it out. "You eat the pastries and fruit first, I'll make the noodles now."
Zhuang Yicheng watched her enter the kitchen, then slowly turned his head to look at the pastries and fruits in front of him. After a long pause, he reached out, picked up a small piece of pastry, and put it in his mouth.
Looking around his empty house, he felt a void, much like his heart, which seemed empty no matter where it went. Looking back, his heart was fullest during the time he spent with Zhuang Yuqi in Y City. There were concerns and expectations. Perhaps the expectation wasn't for a beautiful love story or a happy marriage, but simply for the warmth and comfort of a bowl of noodles.
Zhuang Yicheng stood up and slowly walked to the kitchen doorway, leaning against it. He quietly watched her busy at work. Her serene profile, focused expression, and nimble hands all indicated that she was carefully preparing a bowl of noodles—his dinner.
Silently, he let out a sigh of relief, releasing the bitterness that had been building up in his chest. No matter how strong he was, he was still flesh and blood, not a robot; he got tired too! Everyone else thought he was tireless, but only this woman cared whether he was tired. And only she saw the weariness behind his expressionless face.
He wanted her, so much so that his heart ached. He didn't know if this was love; he didn't understand love. He only knew that he was willing to do anything to gain this warmth, to give his weary heart a place to rest.
He thought he had given up, but now he felt that same feeling all over again. He didn't know if it was because his self-control was too weak, or if her allure was too great. At this moment, the restless feeling was growing stronger and stronger. He wanted to rush in without a care, pull her into his arms, and rest his head on her thin shoulder for a while.
She was a ray of dawn, and he had been imprisoned in darkness for too long, yearning for that light. His heart was out of control, and his legs seemed to be about to break free as well.
If possible...
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