Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules - Chapter 35

Xu Zhen hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

Jiang Ruan didn’t dwell on it and unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. Her tone instantly became more cheerful than usual. “That’s good. Once I finish this busy period, I’ll make it up to you.”

“I’ll do whatever you want with you.”

Jiang Ruan declared confidently. Xu Zhen smiled but didn’t respond.

The previous matter was temporarily set aside. Though Jiang Ruan longed to be affectionate with her wife, she didn’t dare to cling or push too hard, afraid of annoying Xu Zhen.

Since both had to wake up early the next day, they didn’t linger on idle talk. Jiang Ruan moved closer, wrapped her arms around Xu Zhen, and fell asleep.

Xu Zhen’s mind wandered for a while before she, too, drifted off.

The next day, Xu Zhen felt fairly refreshed. After breakfast, she met up with Assistant Lu and bid Jiang Ruan farewell before heading to her work location.

Today’s livestream was relatively simple, and for someone with strong acting skills and a good memory like Xu Zhen, it wasn’t particularly challenging.

Moreover, after the previous incident where the host had asked inappropriate questions, Assistant Lu had firmly laid down boundaries and even included them in the contract to protect Xu Zhen’s basic rights.

With these safeguards in place, the work proceeded much more smoothly.

Later, Jiang Ruan became extremely busy so much so that she had no time to see Xu Zhen. Coincidentally, Xu Zhen’s schedule was also packed, so the two were separated again, not seeing each other for several days.

Jiang Ruan wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be tied up at the company. It was Friday, and since the client’s employees had weekends off, Xu Zhen decided to return home instead of staying at a hotel.

Xu Susu remained as attentive and caring as ever, preparing a table full of Xu Zhen’s favorite dishes. Not only that, she even helped Bai He downstairs, settling her in a wheelchair so she could join the family for dinner.

Bai He had been well taken care of by Xu Susu. Though her complexion was pale, she was clean and tidy her hair neatly combed and her clothes spotless.

If not for her lingering frailty, no one would have guessed she had been bedridden for years.

Xu Zhen’s eyes grew slightly moist as a mix of emotions surged within her. “Mom, you finally decided to come downstairs. With that temper of yours, if not for Aunt Xu, who’d be willing to treat you so well?”

“If you don’t know how to speak, you can stay silent,” Bai He retorted weakly, shooting Xu Zhen a glare. “You just got home and already you’re trying to provoke me?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Xu Zhen blinked away the moisture in her eyes and grinned. “I just want you to be healthy and happy every day. Who else is going to scold me if you’re not around?”

She added teasingly, “I feel off if I don’t get yelled at for a day.”

Xu Susu stifled a laugh, while Bai He pretended to scowl before finally cracking a smile. “I really don’t know how I ended up with a daughter like you.”

“What’s wrong with a daughter like me? Beautiful, successful, and always at your beck and call.” In high spirits, Xu Zhen couldn’t resist bantering. “Mom, you must’ve done some great deeds in your past life to deserve such a good child.”

Though her words were cheeky, they weren’t wrong, Xu Zhen was indeed an outstanding and dutiful daughter, so Bai He didn’t argue.

Once the two had exchanged enough barbs, Xu Susu finally chimed in, “Ting Yuan is already at the door. She’ll be here any moment.”

Speak of the devil before Xu Susu could finish, Xu Ting Yuan’s loud voice boomed from the entrance, “Wow! Mom, what delicious food did you make today? It smells amazing!”

“Sis? Aunt Bai?!” If Xu Tingyuan was pleasantly surprised to see Xu Zhen, then seeing Bai Zhen was downright shocking.

She instinctively pointed at Bai Zhen, exclaiming, “Aunt Bai is up?!”

Xu Susu shot her a glare, and Xu Tingyuan quickly snapped out of it, offering an awkward smile. “I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just surprised.”

Bai Zhen didn’t take offense. “It’s been so long. I finally have the energy to spend some time with you all today.”

Even so, Bai Zhen’s condition was still poor. After just a few sentences, she was gasping for breath, unable to control her labored breathing. Seeing this, Xu Susu quickly stopped her. “Sis, don’t talk too much.”

Xu Susu brought over the specially prepared nutritious meal for Bai Zhen. “Sis, can you manage on your own?”

Bai Zhen smiled. “I can.”

Once seated, everyone began eating. Xu Susu was an excellent cook, and having taken nutritionist training and earned a certification, the meal was thoroughly satisfying whether for Xu Zhen, Bai Zhen, or Xu Tingyuan.

After Xu Zhen started earning money, she regularly gave Xu Susu a salary along with living expenses. With Bai Zhen’s limited mobility, Xu Zhen felt reassured having a morally upright beta like Xu Susu taking care of her.

Xu Susu was both pitiable and kind-hearted, making her far more suitable for caring for Bai Zhen than hiring a professional nurse.

After the meal, Bai Zhen returned to her room to rest while Xu Susu busied herself with household chores. Meanwhile, Xu Tingyuan quietly pulled Xu Zhen aside. “Sis, do you think that Tang Yehe is insane?”

“She didn’t even hold a grudge after I pushed her that day. Instead, she’s been sticking to me like a damn plaster. I don’t get it.”

Xu Tingyuan scrunched up her face. “Does she have some kind of masochistic streak?”

“What’s going on?” Xu Zhen asked.

After hearing Xu Tingyuan’s explanation, Xu Zhen finally understood. It turned out that after Xu Tingyuan had gone to the hospital to visit Xu Zhen but was shooed away by Tang Yehe, the latter had transferred to Xu Tingyuan’s school and class, becoming her classmate.

Xu Tingyuan and Tang Yehe were the same age, so they naturally ended up in the same grade.

After transferring, Tang Yehe first asked the teacher to switch seats so she could sit beside Xu Tingyuan, then began showering her with gifts, bombarding her with sugar-coated tactics.

However, Xu Tingyuan had always remembered Xu Susu’s teachings and refused to accept any of her attempts at flattery.

Xu Tingyuan already disliked Tang Yehe, and now the girl wouldn’t leave her alone. She had been driven to frustration all week, completely out of ideas.

Xu Tingyuan looked miserable. “I want to transfer schools too.”

“Fine, I’ll arrange it,” Xu Zhen agreed immediately.

Hearing this, Xu Tingyuan froze, then said, “But I’m so annoyed. Why should I be the one to suffer the consequences when I’m the one being harassed?”

“My teachers and friends are all here. If I leave, I’ll have to start all over in a new environment.”

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Xu Zhen watched her calmly. “Have you considered another possibility?”

“What?”

“She likes you, she’s just expressing it the wrong way.” Xu Zhen stated objectively. “She was willing to transfer schools for you and spend money to win you over. At the very least, her feelings seem genuine.”

“You could try talking to her and asking her to stop the behaviors you don’t like.”

Xu Tingyuan hesitated, “But even if she’s changed, I still don’t like her.”

Previously, Tang Yehe had insulted Xu Zhen so harshly. If Xu Tingyuan easily forgave her and started hanging out with her, it would be too unfair to Xu Zhen.

Xu Zhen could roughly guess Xu Tingyuan’s thoughts and smiled reassuringly, “It’s alright, everyone makes mistakes. If she’s genuinely remorseful, you can give her another chance.”

Xu Zhen wanted to prevent Xu Tingyuan from becoming overly stubborn. If she couldn’t resolve her resentment towards Tang Yehe, it might eventually affect her academic performance.

Xu Tingyuan had good grades, and Xu Zhen hoped she could work hard to get into a good school.

Xu Tingyuan still looked unwilling but didn’t say anything more.

After sitting for a while, she excused herself and went back to her room to do homework. Xu Zhen didn’t feel particularly upset about Tang Yehe’s offense her behavior was understandable.

Putting herself in Tang Yehe’s shoes, if she were a young girl like her, she would probably feel hostile toward herself too.

Even Jiang Ruan’s wealthy friends secretly held grudges against Xu Zhen, let alone an underage girl.

Emotions were inherently personal, and Xu Zhen had learned to handle them calmly and rationally.

After Xu Tingyuan left, Xu Zhen went to chat with Bai Zhen for a while. Bai Zhen, as usual, asked about Jiang Ruan’s recent situation. After Xu Zhen gave a brief answer, Bai Zhen simply said, “As long as you’re sure about the choices you’ve made.”

“If you think it’s worth continuing, then do so. If not, don’t force yourself. Our family may not be as well-off as theirs, but we don’t need them to survive.”

Bai Zhen was a strong-willed beta. Back when she discovered her husband’s infidelity, she immediately dragged him to file for divorce.

If he hadn’t fled so quickly and Bai Zhen’s illness hadn’t suddenly worsened, their marriage would have ended long ago. Still, Xu Zhen sometimes felt grateful they hadn’t divorced back then.

Because her biological father, who was killed by a drunk driver, had contributed his final value to the family, a compensation payout of three million yuan.

This money not only covered Xu Zhen’s upbringing expenses but also Bai Zhen’s medical bills. In that regard, Xu Zhen was thankful to her deadbeat father.

Bai Zhen’s health remained poor, and she couldn’t talk for too long. After Xu Zhen stayed with her until she fell asleep, she quietly got up and left the bedroom.

Though she had a rare night off, Xu Zhen didn’t let herself relax.

She checked her phone for any news related to her, wary of Jia Hua catching her off guard.

But the internet was quiet. Perhaps Jiang Ruan’s intervention had intimidated Jia Hua, or maybe the reputation of Jiang Ruan’s legal team was too formidable. Either way, the storm Xu Zhen had anticipated hadn’t arrived.

Xu Zhen sighed in relief. She didn’t want things with Jia Hua to turn ugly.

Burning bridges with Jia Hua would bring her no benefits. As an industry leader, many smaller companies were eager to collaborate with Jia Hua for a share of the profits. Under such circumstances, some would inevitably try to curry favor by targeting Xu Zhen.

Xu Zhen believed she had been loyal to the company over the years, she had earned them substantial profits and never caused any major PR scandals.

Jiahua’s actions over the past six months have truly been disheartening.

Xu Zhen sighed, did some light exercises, and then went to bed early as well.

The next day, Xu Zhen was awakened by the sound of an argument downstairs. She opened her eyes, lingered in bed for a while, then got up, freshened up, changed clothes, and went to see what was happening.

The first thing Xu Zhen saw was Tang Yehe looking pitifully aggrieved, with Xu Susu trying to mediate, and finally Xu Tingyuan, whose face was filled with anger.

“What’s going on?” she couldn’t help but ask.

Seeing Xu Zhen, Tang Yehe’s eyes lit up, and she quickly rushed over with large and small bags of apology gifts. “Sister Xu Zhen, I’m really sorry, I truly know I was wrong now.”

“It’s all my fault, I let my imagination run wild and made assumptions.” Tang Yehe treated Xu Zhen like a lifeline, explaining rapidly, “Actually, on the night we met, Sister Yan had already told me beforehand to apologize properly to you.”

“I was just unwilling to accept it, felt resentful, and selfishly made an impulsive decision.”

Tang Yehe said nervously, “Sister Yan has always been so good to me since childhood, she’s gentle, considerate, and I really adore her. So when I found out that my cousin ended up marrying you instead of Sister Yan, I felt extremely angry and indignant.”

“In my heart, I always thought of them as a couple. I believed they would eventually walk into the wedding hall together…”

Xu Zhen could understand Tang Yehe’s feelings. Tang Yehe was a die-hard fan of Xing Yan and also a shipper of Xing Yan and Jiang Ruan, so her reaction was completely natural.

“Plus, Sister Yan’s mother and many people around them subtly hinted that you came between them…” Tang Yehe clenched her hands tightly. “So I misunderstood.”

“But later, both my cousin and Sister Yan scolded me and made it very clear that there was no romantic relationship between them.” Tang Yehe’s eyes showed a hint of nervousness. “So, I hope you can forgive me for what I did before.”

After speaking, the child bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle and sincerely apologized to Xu Zhen.

Xu Zhen pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Get up.”

“So, Sister, you’re willing to forgive me?” Tang Yehe didn’t rise, just tilted her head to look up at Xu Zhen. “If you don’t forgive me, I won’t get up.”

Hearing this, Xu Tingyuan exploded. “Then stay bowed like that! Sis, let’s go, ignore this lunatic.”

“Mm.” Xu Zhen stopped Xu Tingyuan and turned to Tang Yehe. “I forgive you. Get up.”

The other party had a good attitude in admitting her mistake, but she was also stubborn and headstrong. These two times, they were lucky no outsiders were around, but next time might be different. If Xu Zhen continued to hold a grudge, she would inevitably be called petty for arguing with a child.

“Yay!” Tang Yehe immediately beamed with joy. “Sister, I bought all these especially for you!”

“Yuan Yuan has a share too, this bag is for Yuan Yuan.”

“And Aunt Bai, Aunt Xu, I bought gifts for everyone!” Tang Yehe was generous. Xu Zhen glanced casually they were all high-end luxury brands. But she didn’t refuse.

Xu Tingyuan didn’t even look and snorted coldly. “Only my sister is big-hearted enough not to hold a grudge against a brat like you.”

“Yes, yes, Sister is the best.” Tang Yehe agreed. “I’ve never met anyone as wonderful as Sister Xu Zhen so down-to-earth, kind-hearted, and without any airs.”

Xu Tingyuan: “…”

Tang Yehe’s smooth-talking made Xu Tingyuan reluctant to engage with her.

As a staunch defender of Xu Zhen, though she felt indignant on his behalf, since Xu Zhen himself had already let it go, there was no need for her to prolong the awkwardness.

Xu Zhen had Xu Tingyuan place the apology gift aside, then said to Tang Yehe, “Could you tell me about Miss Xing Yan’s past?”

Tang Yehe looked puzzled. “I could, but what exactly would you like to know, sister?”

“Anything is fine,” Xu Zhen replied.

Hearing this, Tang Yehe’s face showed a hint of conflict. After a moment, she gathered her courage: “Actually, Sister Yan never intended to steal your cousin from you, Sister Xu Zhen…”

“I know,” Xu Zhen, realizing the misunderstanding, explained, “I just want to understand her better.”

Tang Yehe fell silent. Xu Zhen thought she was finally going to start, but after a long pause, Tang Yehe spoke again with a conflicted and hesitant expression: “Sister Xu Zhen, you’re not… falling for someone else and abandoning my cousin, are you?”

“I know Sister Yan is a great person, perfect to marry and bring home, but my cousin isn’t bad either.”

“Yes, my cousin is a bit busy with work, has a cold and serious personality, and isn’t good at sweet-talking or charming girls, but other than that, she doesn’t have any major flaws.”

Tang Yehe twisted her fingers together, speaking with heartfelt sincerity: “So, how about giving my cousin another chance?”

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