Chapter 82

Rong Ci and He Zhangbai finished eating, drove away for a while, then received a call from Chu Zilan.

“Xiao Ci, where are you? I’m exhausted—come pick me up and get something to eat.”

Rong Ci didn’t mention she’d already eaten: “Where are you?”

“Yulian Garden,” Chu Zilan said. “That classical-style courtyard housing complex developed a few years ago. I came here with my aunt first thing this morning to look at houses—I’m dead tired.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Rong Ci adjusted her navigation to Yulian Garden.

More than ten minutes later, Chu Zilan called again: “Damn! Do you know who I ran into here?”

Rong Ci paused.

The only person lately who could make Chu Zilan curse so bluntly seemed to be—

“Feng Tingshen and Lin Wu’s whole family! He brought Lin’s relatives here to look at houses!”

Rong Ci stared straight ahead, her face expressionless as she murmured, “Mm.”

Usually, when Feng Tingshen and Lin Wu went out, they almost always brought Feng Jingxin along.

Today, Feng Tingshen left Feng Jingxin alone at home because he was taking Lin’s family to view houses.

Of course—Sun’s family had already moved in. Since Lin’s family planned to settle in Ducheng, it was only natural they’d buy property.

At Yulian Garden, Rong Ci parked the car, told Chu Zilan she’d arrived, and sent her a location.

Chu Zilan replied she’d be out in a moment.

Rong Ci asked where she was—she wanted to use the sales office restroom.

Chu Zilan sent her a location.

As Rong Ci was about to get out of the car, she saw Lin’s grandmother, Lin Lihai, and Sun Yueqing walking toward the parking lot.

All three wore smiles, clearly in good spirits.

Rong Ci got out of the car, but Lin Lihai and the others entered the parking lot from the opposite side and didn’t see her.

A few minutes later, as Rong Ci reached the sales office entrance, she ran into Feng Tingshen and Lin Wu.

They were escorted out by seven or eight senior staff members from the sales office.

Seeing her, Feng Tingshen glanced at her sideways; Lin Wu, clinging to his arm, gave her a cold, dismissive look.

Rong Ci calmly withdrew her gaze.

Inside the sales office, she went straight to find Chu Zilan.

Seeing her, Chu Zilan gritted her teeth and whispered, “These houses start at three hundred million. Just now, I heard the staff say Feng Tingshen bought Lin’s family a villa—the top-tier one here—over six hundred million!”

Rong Ci: “Mm.”

Chu Zilan glanced at her face and added, “And… I also heard Feng Tingshen chose this place to buy because Lin Wu’s mother loves the style here…”

At this, Rong Ci’s steps paused, imperceptibly.

No wonder Sun Yueqing had smiled so broadly when they met.

Rong Ci suppressed her emotions and said coolly, “I’m going to the restroom.”

“Oh, okay…”

Inside the restroom, Rong Ci clenched her small fists.

Hearing others say how much Feng Tingshen doted on Lin Wu no longer affected her.

But hearing he was catering to Sun Yueqing—she still—

At that moment, the sales office staff’s voices sounded from outside: “Feng Zong has such good taste—his girlfriend is gorgeous.”

“Yes, and his girlfriend’s mother is elegant and refined too. More importantly, her husband and mother-in-law indulge her completely, always prioritizing her preferences. They spoil her rotten. Look at them—then look at my husband and mother-in-law. It just makes me angrier!”

“Exactly. Feng Zong treats his girlfriend well too—he hasn’t even married her yet, and he just bought her family a six-hundred-million villa. Wow, same gender, but Feng Zong’s girlfriend? Total life winner!”

“… ”

When Rong Ci emerged from the restroom, ten minutes had passed.

After eating with Chu Zilan, she suddenly wanted to go to the sanatorium.

But remembering Rong Yingsheng’s condition and the director’s warning that she couldn’t see familiar faces, she’d already driven to the sanatorium’s gate—yet in the end, she didn’t go in, and drove straight home.

Back home, she locked herself in her room and got to work.

She didn’t know how long passed.

Her phone rang again.

It was Feng Tingshen calling.

Rong Ci glanced at it, recorded the data she was working on, and ignored it.

The call ended automatically.

A few minutes later, it rang again.

Rong Ci still didn’t answer.

Soon after, Feng Tingshen sent a message: Grandmother wants us to return to the old estate for dinner.

Rong Ci didn’t reply.

On the other end, Feng Tingshen stared at his phone in silence.

At that moment, Feng Jingxin’s voice came from the staircase: “Dad, you’re back?”

Before she finished speaking, Feng Jingxin had reached the bottom floor and flung herself into his arms.

Feng Tingshen steadied her. “Mm.”

Seeing him holding his phone as if about to send a message, Feng Jingxin asked, “What are you doing, Dad?”

Feng Tingshen: “Your mother won’t answer her phone.”

Hearing him mention Rong Ci, Feng Jingxin huffed angrily and turned her face away.

Feng Tingshen pinched her soft cheek. “You get mad whenever your mother’s mentioned—did you upset her?”

Feng Jingxin widened her eyes, even angrier: “It’s Mom who upset me!”

Feng Tingshen propped his chin elegantly, as if intrigued: “Oh?”

Feng Jingxin pouted and complained: “Mom promised to take me skiing, but when I called her today, she said she was busy and would take me next time!”

“If your mother’s busy and can’t take you out, shouldn’t you understand her instead of being angry?”

“You!”

Feng Tingshen laughed, patted her head, and stood up. “Let’s go.”

Feng Jingxin paused: “Where?”

“Your grandmother called us home for dinner.”

“Oh…”

Feng Jingxin muttered, then ran after him.

Meanwhile.

Rong Ci ordered takeout; at just after seven, she’d finished eating when Feng LaoTai’s call came in.

She could ignore Feng Tingshen’s call, but Feng LaoTai had saved her family—she had to answer: “Hello, Grandmother.”

Feng LaoTai: “Xiao Ci, I heard from Tingshen you’re busy. When will you finish?”

Rong Ci didn’t want to return to the old estate.

Since Feng Tingshen had already lied for her, she said directly: “I’m busy these two days. Sorry, Grandmother—I probably won’t have time to visit you.”

Feng LaoTai didn’t mind. “It’s fine, Grandmother doesn’t mind. I just worry you’re overworking yourself.”

“I won’t, Grandmother. I know my limits.”

“Good.” Feng LaoTai said. “Tomorrow, Tingshen will come back—I’ll have him bring you some good food. Eat well.”

Rong Ci: “Alright.”

After hanging up, Feng LaoTai looked at her grandson sitting on the sofa reading the paper and said, “Next time if Xiao Ci still doesn’t come back with you, you don’t come back either.”

Feng Tingshen raised an eyebrow: “So I should leave?”

Feng LaoTai: “… ”