Chapter 1097: A Good Bad Man

"Sorry to bother you."

Ye Zhenzhen carried a basin and brought Zhu Zhe and He Minhong into Wang Yan's house.

"You don't have any embarrassment at all."

"We're all friends, don't you understand human relationships?" Ye Zhenzhen didn't look back and ran directly to the kitchen.

"Sorry to trouble you, Wang Yan," Zhu Zhe kept a smile, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Didn't I also get to eat hot food at home? Trouble each other, come in quickly," Wang Yan leaned against the door, tilted his head toward the inside of the door, signaling them to come in.

Zhu Zhe didn't be polite, entered the door, and followed Ye Zhenzhen to the kitchen on one side.

He Minhong called "Brother Yan" and followed inside step by step.

As soon as she entered, she let out a "wow": "Brother Yan, you have so

"Amusing myself, no need to make such a fuss."

Ye Zhenzhen walked over: "Can you put the vegetables in your hand in the kitchen first?"

"Ah? Oh." He Minhong came to her senses, "I just really like books, Zhenzhen. I dream of having a study like this. To be surrounded by books, sleeping in the ink-scented air of books—that must be so happy."

"Like a mouse in a granary, right?" Ye Zhenzhen teased.

"If there were such a granary, I'd be willing to be a mouse." He Minhong began to get sentimental.

Zhu Zhe even shuddered: "Honghong, hurry up and go be your mouse; I don't need you here."

Without needing to be told, He Minhong had no intention of helping with the work anyway; she trotted over to the bookshelf to browse the books. Ye Zhenzhen, meanwhile, was looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, as well as some of the ornaments in the house, and even taking pictures with her phone.

Ye Zhenzhen asked: "I don't understand calligraphy and painting, but I feel like your level is quite high, right? It doesn't look like the 'amusing yourself' you talked about."

"I write for my own appreciation, isn't that just amusing myself? As for how high the level is, it's about as high as this building."

"Thick-skinned, not humble at all." Ye Zhenzhen pursed her lips, "But I really didn't expect you to have such a skill."

"I told you before, I have many impressive skills; aren't you seeing one now?" Wang Yan smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Pah, you scumbag." Ye Zhenzhen glared and feigned annoyance.

"I haven't even 'poked' you yet, and I'm already a scumbag?"

Seeing Wang Yan's smiling, punchable face, Ye Zhenzhen asked uncertainly: "Are we talking about the same 'scum'?"

"I'm uncultured, I don't know. Why don't you tell me, which 'scum' is it?"

Zhu Zhe couldn't bear to watch from the side and spoke up: "You two, that's enough. There are people here. I really hadn't noticed before, Zhenzhen, that you were so dirty-minded."

"It was clearly him who said it first."

"If you hadn't asked me which 'scum' it was, then it would definitely be that 'scum'. Once you ask, whether it's 'scum' or 'poke' is hard to say. As soon as I look at you, I know your heart isn't healthy; we were having a proper conversation, and you had to have dirty thoughts."

"Quick, put away that disgusting look." Ye Zhenzhen looked disgusted, then immediately changed the subject, "Speaking of which, there is one thing about our renovations that is the same."

"Tell me."

"Few doors, few walls. I just don't like so many doors; it feels like being imprisoned."

"I wanted it to be more open. It's mainly because I'm alone; otherwise, it would be very inconvenient." Wang Yan smiled and waved his hand, "Let's go, let's go upstairs and take a look, and feel the freedom of the sky being high for birds to fly. That large terrace is quite nice; it has a great vibe."

"Let's go, Honghong, look later; it's not going anywhere." Ye Zhenzhen called out to He Minhong, who was already immersed in the world of books.

"Although I can read e-books, I still like the texture of paper books. Every sound of turning a page makes me intoxicated and unable to extricate myself. But my room is too small to hold so many books. Brother Yan, can I come here to borrow books to read in the future?"

"Of course you can, read whatever you want. Let's go, let's go up and take a look." Wang Yan led the way.

Zhu Zhe asked: "What about Lucy? Isn't she coming?"

"No, she has another date; she left after eating lunch with me." Wang Yan asked, "I haven't asked you yet, was the trouble resolved?"

"It wasn't a big deal. A guest at our hotel was harassing one of my young staff members. She didn't cooperate, so he wanted to cause trouble. It's already been handled."

Wang Yan of course knew about this matter. This drama is just like that: starting with secret filming, then sexual harassment, then Chen Zufa using marriage to scam money, and Qi Mu using PUA on He Minhong to make her a nanny for his family—they are all sleazy men.

Wang Yan was already used to it...

The group arrived at the terrace and leaned against the railing, looking at the surrounding environment.

Actually, there wasn't much to see. After all, this building didn't reach the level of "looking down on all the mountains." It was surrounded by high-rise buildings, and looking as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but buildings, and the view wasn't as open as one might imagine.

But overhead were blue skies and white clouds, enjoying a wind much stronger than on the ground, giving people more of a feeling of freedom. In a big city, this feeling is of course rare.

"Your place is really nice." Ye Zhenzhen said, "When I was buying a house here, I knew there was a terrace on top, but unfortunately, I contacted everyone, and the owners wouldn't sell."

"Now that you mention it, I have an impression. I did receive a call back then, asking if I would sell the house, and even saying they could pay a higher price." Wang Yan responded with a smile, "But it's also quite good; otherwise, we wouldn't have had the chance to meet."

"Brother Yan is right, fate is just so wonderful."

He Minhong took over the conversation, "Renting a house together now, at best, is just nodding when we meet. Although neighbors see each other every day, we don't say a few words all year round. That's how the house I rented before was. It's nothing like us, where everyone gets along so well and is so happy. Don't you think so, Sister Zhu?"

"You're right, the house I rented before was about the same."

Zhu Zhe was closing her eyes, enjoying the wind blowing. The wind blew through her short hair, revealing her profile. She looked like the sister-in-law again, still very beautiful.

She said, "Let's go, I have to get busy; the beef sauce needs to be made for a while."

"Then you two have free time, walk around as you please, there's nothing you can't look at. I'll go help out."

"Who are you looking down on? I'm also good at cooking, okay?" Ye Zhenzhen said, "You guys have no idea how I survived those years abroad."

He Minhong thought for a moment and said: "I can help pick the vegetables."

Zhu Zhe laughed: "The three of us are enough, you should just go be your little mouse."

"That's so embarrassing."

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Wang Yan said, "You must have been spoiled by your parents since you were a child; you basically haven't done any work, let alone cooking. I understand your intention, but your help makes things more chaotic. Not helping is the real help. Just wait to eat. This sounds a bit uncomfortable, right?"

"But Brother Yan, what you said is also the truth; I really don't know how to do much."

"So you have to pay attention in the future, listen more, watch more, think more..."

"Talk less!" He Minhong took over, and then laughed heartlessly again, "Brother Yan, you're teaching me."

"Otherwise, why would I say these things for no reason? It doesn't matter if you can't do it, and it's not a difficult thing; it's not about intelligence, but experience. As long as you are willing to do it, you can learn. You just haven't done it before. When you go home for the holidays, help your parents do things, talk and chat with your parents, and you'll learn as you go."

"Then I have to help you guys even more, Brother Yan, I have to learn."

Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "We are not your parents, we are just friends. Friends should be tolerant of each other, that's true. But the premise of this tolerance is that you can be beneficial to your friends to a certain extent.

Even as friends, they are not obligated to bear the trouble you cause, and no one likes people who always cause trouble, especially when the trouble you cause still needs friends to solve for you; then they like it even less.

You might think, haven't I ever solved trouble for others? Then you have to think carefully. From childhood to adulthood, what trouble have you actually solved, instead of just stopping at words?"

He Minhong opened her mouth but didn't say anything. The little happiness from just now was gone...

But she heard Wang Yan continue: "However, you can still do it together. After all, picking vegetables is just a small matter; the most trouble it can cause is wasting some good vegetables."

He Minhong thought for a moment, and then smiled again: "Brother Yan, you are telling me to see the big picture from the small, and to act according to my ability. I need to think clearly about whether I can bear the trouble I cause, right?"

"About that, it's to let you act according to your ability. After all, there are many people in this world who overestimate themselves, and there aren't many who can have an accurate understanding of themselves."

Wang Yan waved his hand: "Let's go, let's go, finish early and eat early. The amount of exercise today is really not small."

"After a fight, the consumption must be high." He Minhong followed his words and trotted after Wang Yan.

"That's not all. After you guys left, others in the boxing gym challenged me, and I fought nine more matches and knocked them all down. I'm exhausted."

"Brother Yan, you didn't lose a single match?"

"Do you see any injuries on me?"

Zhu Zhe and Ye Zhenzhen exchanged glances, both seeing the emotion in each other's eyes. They smiled at each other knowingly and followed downstairs.

They had watched how Wang Yan stirred up He Minhong's emotions. This kind of back-and-forth, constantly hitting and encouraging, was something they couldn't do so smoothly.

And in normal interpersonal communication, not many people's words are full of military strategy and sharp wit. Life is not a movie or TV show where every line is polished.

But Wang Yan played with He Minhong quite casually, manipulating her emotions up and down. Their tacit understanding was a consensus they had long reached: Wang Yan was an absolute high-level player...

With the efforts of the group, the meal was prepared. Stir-frying, deep-frying, and braising, plus the ready-made food bought from outside, added up to more than ten dishes.

Only Ye Zhenzhen, to show off her skills, fried a plate of eggs. Wang Yan helped Zhu Zhe by smashing a cucumber. The rest were all made by Zhu Zhe. She really is a good woman who knows how to live. She is wise, diligent, and can handle both the living room and the kitchen.

Yu Chuhui also returned from her part-time job. Unsurprisingly, she marveled at the many books in Wang Yan's house, sighed at Wang Yan's combat power, joined the others in condemning Li Qixing, and discussed Lucy. She also listened to Zhu Zhe tell more detailedly about the harassment incident at the hotel today. Everyone sighed together and launched a deeper discussion on this.

Anyway, everyone was just chatting aimlessly, and there was always endless talk. Because Wang Yan was sitting there, he always provided topics at the right time, or if the conversation was about to die, he would silently change the subject, and everyone would continue chatting enthusiastically.

Plus, except for He Minhong, everyone drank a little alcohol, so the conversation naturally became warmer.

I don't know how they talked, but they talked their way into emotional problems.

Ye Zhenzhen complained that she had been arranged for blind dates since she returned, complained that her mother treated marriage as a must-have option in life while she treated it as a backup option, and complained about being urged very tightly, and so on.

Zhu Zhe said she was getting old, how disadvantaged women are in the workplace, and how difficult it is for her.

Yu Chuhui complained about her family burden. Her family is poor, her own future is unclear, and her father is a troublemaker. She has no interest in men, only wanting to make money.

Only He Minhong, with a look of longing, talked about love. Then she foolishly blinked her pure big eyes and asked Wang Yan: "Brother Yan, you are also thirty years old, and you are so rich, why don't you have a girlfriend yet?"

When she asked this, the air went quiet. Ye Zhenzhen and the other three all glanced at He Minhong, and then all looked at Wang Yan together.

There was a vacuum of two or three seconds.

He Minhong came to her senses, covered her mouth, and asked weakly: "Did I say the wrong thing?"

"Wang Yan, I just remembered, after returning to China, I joined a club, all marathon enthusiasts. There is an activity next Saturday, everyone agreed to run a half-marathon, the route is planned, and there are supplies along the way. Do you want to participate?" Ye Zhenzhen changed the subject very stiffly.

"Looking at me like this, I have to answer directly, otherwise how can I face people in the future?"

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement and said to He Minhong, "Do you know why they are all like this?"

"Because this is a question that doesn't need to be asked." He Minhong said dejectedly.

"Why doesn't it need to be asked?"

He Minhong looked at the other three and sighed: "I'd better not talk, Brother Yan..."

She had a look of begging to be let off.

Wang Yan smiled: "Actually, it's nothing. As the saying goes, men change when they have money, so of course there is no shortage of women around me. And now people's hearts are complex, and money is also dazzling; I don't know if they like the person or the money. Marriage is guaranteed by law, even if assets are clarified before marriage, but after living together, no one knows what will happen. Of course, this is what the three of them are thinking."

"Then what about in reality?" Ye Zhenzhen pursued.

"In reality, of course, I don't lack women. After all, I'm only thirty, still young, and in good health, so I still have physiological needs."

Wang Yan shrugged, speaking as a matter of course, "Regardless of gender, there are always people who want to take shortcuts and are willing to use themselves as an exchange. Of course, the requirements for men might be higher. I can be considered wealthy, and I work in finance, so these things are unavoidable.

So if the other party has needs and I have needs, it's a matter of hitting it off, but it's not really about being lost in luxury. Maybe your misunderstanding lies in the fact that I have money; in reality, even without money, there are others going out on dates. Especially in this city where we are, everyone plays quite openly.

But I didn't use money to smash anyone, nor did I force anyone; it was all voluntary. You might not know, some people are really throwing themselves at me. But I'm also very careful; after all, the world is slippery and people's hearts are complex. If there's some disease or something, it's not worth it.

If you really want me to talk about love, it's actually a bit difficult for me. Because what I come into contact with are all interests. The kind of pure, sacred love that little He longs for simply cannot appear around me. I've only seen never-abandoning in social news.

Let's put it this way: ever since my house was demolished and I got the compensation, we haven't had this kind of aimless eating together and relaxed chatting. I have many friends, but also very few. Do you understand now?"

"But you still didn't talk about marriage, Brother Yan." He Minhong blinked her innocent big eyes.

"It means that I don't want to let down a good woman, and I don't want to let this good woman suffer."

When this was said, the eyes of Ye Zhenzhen, Zhu Zhe, and Yu Chuhui all lit up. The three of them of course understood; this is the brilliance of a person. Listening to the previous words, they thought Wang Yan was a shameless person, after all, he could say such things without changing his expression; they thought Wang Yan was a real person, because he was really answering the question directly without making things up or deceiving them by talking about other things.

But only this sentence made them think that Wang Yan is a good man...

Only He Minhong didn't understand, so Wang Yan continued, "Think about it, if I marry a woman, then this woman is inevitably good in all aspects. But what happens after I marry her? Trust is the first big problem. I say I'll turn over a new leaf and stop seeing other women. Then if I come home late and say I'm socializing, will she believe me?

In reality? Will I really turn over a new leaf and be a new person? I'll still be out drinking and partying, and she'll be at home wiping away tears by herself. Why bother? I don't get married, and the women I come into contact with are all women who are eager to make money; I'm not harming decent good girls. If I get married, I'll harm another good girl. It's that simple.

As for the problem of continuing the family line, do you think this is a problem? I want children, as long as my fertility is not a problem, having a hundred is not a problem."

He Minhong finally understood: "Then you'd better not harm good people, Brother Yan..."

She came to her senses and hurriedly covered her mouth: "I'm sorry, Brother Yan, I didn't mean that, I..."

"You said the wrong thing again." Wang Yan shook his head with amusement, "Of course I won't blame you, but others may not be as generous as me, and others don't understand you. You will offend many people; you are destined not to do well like this. I said it before, you have to restrain your desire to express yourself and learn to use your brain before you speak."

"Oh..." He Minhong lowered her head dejectedly.

Ye Zhenzhen comforted her: "Alright Honghong, just pay attention all the time. Wang Yan himself said it's okay."

"I know Brother Yan doesn't blame me, I just hate myself for being so stupid and always saying the wrong thing."

Wang Yan said happily: "Perhaps it's because when you did something wrong in the past, your parents always comforted you like Zhenzhen, using Ah Q's spiritual victory method to comfort yourself and make excuses. You haven't suffered any substantial loss or harm because of saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing. After all, what teaches people to grow is suffering losses. So from this point of view, hitting children has some truth; if you don't hit them, they won't remember."

So He Minhong was even sadder...

Rolling her eyes at Wang Yan, Ye Zhenzhen said: "I admit, I underestimated your thick-skinnedness before; I didn't expect you to be so shameless."

"What if I argue?"

"Shameless and hypocritical! Honey-mouthed and sword-hearted, a true villain!"

"That's it, if I say I'm a decent man, you definitely won't believe it, and I don't believe it either. This is a real thing, it's just not as exaggerated as you imagine. There is nothing that cannot be said to others; if you dare to do it, you must dare to say it. If you have the guts to do it but not the guts to admit it, I look down on that."

"But you finally have self-knowledge, right, Jiji?"

Zhu Zhe smiled: "People are the most complex. How can one or two sentences, or one or two labels, define a person? Wang Yan is a good person, that's true, it's just that he's not completely good and goes against public concepts a bit."

"But this is the naked reality, the differentiation between rich and poor, noble and lowly. We don't live in a beautiful fairy tale world." Yu Chuhui said, "I think Brother Yan is right. If I were Brother Yan, I might be the same, and I wouldn't dare to admit it so directly. Brother Yan, I support you."

"Support or not, if you can understand, I'll thank God. Come, come, drink, drink."

Everyone drank a glass together, and Wang Yan said to Ye Zhenzhen, "That half-marathon you mentioned, I'll go play with you when the time comes; idle is idle."

"Okay, then be prepared, it starts after six, we have to leave after five."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "I found that since I met you guys, life has become much more exciting. First caught a secret filmer, then went to the boxing gym to fight, and now I'm running a half-marathon."

"Then what about before? You couldn't always be drinking and partying, right?" Zhu Zhe was a bit curious.

"Socializing, besides eating, drinking, and finding women, it's all kinds of cultural and sports activities. Now that life is better, the nouveau riche atmosphere of those who have become rich has also faded, and they have begun to settle down, and there are more hobbies. Golf, tea, chess, calligraphy and painting, opera, movies, fishing, basketball, football, badminton, table tennis, rock climbing, etc., anyway, there is everything."

"And you have to admit that rich people are generally older, with forty or fifty-year-olds everywhere. I hang out with this group of people all day, it sounds exciting, but in reality, it's very boring."

Ye Zhenzhen asked: "Then why are you idle now?"

"I've seen through it." Wang Yan said, "I feel that no matter how much money I have or how strong my connections are, it's meaningless. The money is enough to spend, and I can protect my wealth, and I don't have any great ambitions. Since I don't have to worry about food and drink, what am I pursuing? Now I'm just enjoying life and living again."

"Although I know what you said is the truth, we workers are still envious, jealous, and hateful." Ye Zhenzhen clicked her tongue.

"You are a local tyrant, Zhenzhen, we are the ones who should be envious, jealous, and hateful." Zhu Zhe laughed.

Yu Chuhui agreed: "Exactly, we are the ones who are really envious, jealous, and hateful. Ah, God, let me get rich, I just want to get something for nothing..."

"I just..." He Minhong just started, but seeing everyone's eyes focused on her, she picked up a piece of food, "I'll eat, I won't talk."

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement...