"Starting a company—well done, young and promising."
"Exactly, managing a company at such a young age—boundless prospects."
"Linger, you've got good taste…"
After a brief parental meet-and-greet in the small garden, Jiang Cheng drove Zhao Linger and Wang Juan home. As he'd expected, Zhao Linger's family lived in one of the city's little colonial-style houses.
The villa looked a bit worn, yet it radiated a unique charm.
Mottled walls were blanketed in green vines, breathing life into the structure.
Red roof tiles glimmered faintly in the sunlight, as if recounting past glory.
Clearly, the house had stood for decades.
Still, owning such a villa amid the hustle and bustle of prosperity usually marked one as a local.
Seeing Jiang Cheng step out of the passenger seat, Wang Juan called, "Come in for some tea."
"Auntie, I won't intrude today," Jiang Cheng replied. "I wasn't prepared; I'll visit another time."
Zhao Linger quickly added, "Exactly—go on in. I'll… I need to talk with Chairman—no, with him."
Wang Juan nodded in agreement.
Just as the two reached to open the gate and escort her inside,
the slightly rusted, time-wrought iron door swung open from within, revealing a handsome young man in a black down jacket.
The instant he saw Zhao Linger, delight flashed in his eyes.
But when his gaze landed on Jiang Cheng, he froze, then frowned.
He gave Jiang Cheng a quick once-over before turning to Zhao Linger with intimate warmth. "Linger, you brought Grandma back?"
Noticing the bulging bags in Zhang Yue's hands, Zhao Linger's expression turned awkward.
She forced a smile. "Senior Zhang Yue, what brings you here?"
Zhang Yue glanced at Jiang Cheng again,
then lifted the heavy gift bags. "I'm off today, so I came to see Uncle. He said you'd gone to the retirement home, so I was heading there—didn't expect you back already."
Zhao Linger's lips curled stiffly. "Was there something you needed?"
"Nothing urgent. The company handed out tons of supplements and vouchers. I can't finish them myself, so I brought them for Uncle and Auntie to cook for you. It's cold now, so I also picked up towels and gloves—you'll need them for early shifts."
He carefully offered the bags to her.
"I saw Uncle inside, but he wouldn't take them without you here. Perfect timing—you can accept them."
Zhao Linger waved them away, delicate brows knitting. "I've told you, we can't finish them. Stop bringing things—I won't accept."
A flicker of impatience crossed Zhang Yue's eyes.
He turned to Jiang Cheng. "And this is…?"
Reading the situation, Jiang Cheng answered, "I'm her boyfriend, Jiang Cheng."
Zhang Yue stared at Zhao Linger, bewildered. "Boyfriend? Since when?"
Even the normally slow Zhao Linger caught his implication.
She stepped to Jiang Cheng's side and slipped her arm naturally through his.
With a smile she said, "My new boyfriend."
She leaned closer to Jiang Cheng, beaming sweetness.
Hearing it outright, Zhang Yue felt thunderstruck, rooted to the spot.
The elegant gift bags suddenly weighed a thousand pounds.
His fists clenched so hard the veins on his hands bulged.
Zhao Linger's clear rejection—lest Jiang Cheng misunderstand—ignited a blaze inside him.
He'd pursued her since school, and she'd always refused.
He'd assumed she simply didn't want romance and had waited patiently.
Yet in the blink of an eye she'd taken up with some pretty boy.
Wang Juan, watching the three, felt dizzy.
Still, she shot Zhao Linger a scolding glare.
In her eyes, Jiang Cheng was already Zhao Linger's rightful boyfriend.
Back at the nursing home, the elderly residents had heaped praise on Jiang Cheng, one compliment after another.
All those words of praise had etched themselves into Wang Juan's heart, making her truly accept Jiang Cheng's presence.
Seeing Zhang Yue like this, Wang Juan was filled with worry and concern.
She feared that Zhang Yue might suddenly appear like a bombshell and shatter the fragile relationship Zhao Linger and Jiang Cheng had only just built.
Wang Juan collected herself and cleared her throat.
Then she turned to Zhang Yue and spoke in a firm, unquestionable tone.
'Young man, I don't know who you are, but we can't accept gifts from strangers. It's freezing—please go home.'
Zhao Linger's heart leapt into her throat at the sight.
If Zhang Yue said something extreme or upsetting to Wang Juan in the next moment, the situation could spiral out of control.
Seeing Zhang Yue about to explain, Zhao Linger quickly told Wang Juan, 'It's cold out here—please go inside.'
Wang Juan could only nod reluctantly.
But as she stepped into the courtyard, she suddenly stopped.
She turned back, placed a gentle but serious hand on Zhao Linger's shoulder, and warned in a low voice, 'Girl, when you're not dating, you date no one; the moment you do, you juggle two. Handle it properly—don't break Jiang Cheng's heart.'
Embarrassed, Zhao Linger lowered her head and muttered, 'Got it. Go inside, it's cold...'
With that, she gave Wang Juan a light push to hurry her in.
Only after watching Wang Juan disappear into the courtyard did Zhao Linger exhale in relief.
Yet when she turned back to face Zhang Yue standing in the cold wind, her expression instantly cooled again.
'It's too cold—head home first. There's usually no one here; let me know before you visit next time.'
Seeing Zhao Linger draw a line between them in front of Jiang Cheng, Zhang Yue felt a swirl of bitterness.
He clenched his teeth so hard his molars nearly cracked.
Still, he fought to suppress the surging emotions and forced himself to stay calm.
He had pursued Zhao Linger ever since their school days.
Even after countless rejections, he never gave up.
His persistent entanglement served a purpose of his own.
So a few cold words—and Jiang Cheng's appearance—weren't enough to drive him away.
Noting that Jiang Cheng was younger, Zhang Yue curled his lip in disdain. 'Looks pretty young—still in college?'
Jiang Cheng simply pulled Zhao Linger closer.
Far from looking ashamed, his face brimmed with confidence.
After all, Jiang Cheng was genuinely young and accomplished, with nothing to feel inferior about.
Being a student wasn't a source of shame for him.
'Right guess—just started freshman year.'
Zhang Yue's face darkened even more.
Sure, Jiang Cheng was handsome—but so what?
These days, a good-looking young college kid like him was no longer in vogue for dating Little Girls.
Especially in a city of prosperity like Modu, where rich women keeping male college students was common.
Besides, Zhao Linger was now an investment manager at Xingchen Company.
He didn't know her exact salary, but it had to be substantial.
After all, she had given up a Wall Street job to join this new firm.
Only a high-paying offer could lure her back from abroad.
Yet to his surprise, she was now keeping a pretty boy.
He let his gaze drift over Jiang Cheng, scrutinizing the outfit.
From the luxurious Bvlgari coat down to the trendy LV sneakers.
The whole ensemble cost a fortune.
Unable to hold back, Zhang Yue turned to Zhao Linger.
'I heard Xingchen has closed several big deals lately. On New Year's Day your boss handed out bonuses—two million each for senior staff?'
Zhao Linger glanced happily at Jiang Cheng.
'Your sources are quick. Yes, our chairman's generous—not just the senior team, everyone at Xingchen Investment got a share. Even the Front Desk Girl received a hundred-thousand-yuan red envelope.'
Zhang Yue snorted inwardly.
So that was it—no wonder Zhao Linger had suddenly taken up with a young pretty boy.