When Xu Yun got home, he gave his mom all the things he had bought for her, telling her to take them home with her the next day.
He lied, telling her it all cost less than 5,000 yuan, and that the Jade Bracelet alone was 3,000 of it.
Although Zhang Sujuan chided him for his reckless spending, she still accepted the gifts happily.
She was especially fond of the Jade Bracelet and couldn't put it down.
She had worked hard her entire life and had never been willing to splurge on herself. This was the most expensive and finest piece of jewelry she had ever worn.
In truth, she had no idea that the clothes were worth tens of thousands of yuan.
And the Jade Bracelet had cost Xu Yun a whopping 88,000 yuan!
Of course, Xu Yun wouldn't tell her for the world.
If he told her, Zhang Sujuan would refuse the clothes and wouldn't wear the bracelet.
After all, for someone who had lived a frugal life, suddenly finding out she was wearing such expensive clothes and such a pricey Jade Bracelet would make her instinctively panic and feel insecure.
Ever since Xu Yun was no longer getting married, she felt as if the family had enough money and they didn't need to be so frugal anymore.
Even though Xu Yun had gone into debt to buy the old house, the money she held, originally intended for the wedding, was now freed up.
Of the 300,000 yuan she had prepared, she still had about 250,000 left after deducting the deposits for the wedding banquet and other things.
She planned to transfer 200,000 to her son before she left; keeping 50,000 for herself would be more than enough.
After all, there were many expenses in the big city. Xu Yun couldn't be without money—how else was he supposed to find a girlfriend?
Women these days were so pragmatic when choosing a man; they had to have a car, a house, and savings. It was pure hedonism.
It was nothing like the simpler times of their generation.
Back then, a new family was built by two people working hard together and supporting each other, making their life better over time.
The next morning, a private car was waiting downstairs early.
His mom, Zhang Sujuan, was wearing the new clothes Xu Yun had bought for her, and she had also put on the bracelet and a necklace.
The whole ensemble made her look much more beautiful.
A wave of emotion washed over Xu Yun.
'It's true what they say—money changes people for the better,' he thought.
'It wasn't that his mom had never been pretty; she had just never taken the time to dress up properly.'
"Mom, you look really beautiful today."
"Oh, stop. You're getting to be quite the sweet-talker."
Zhang Sujuan stood in front of the car, giving him some last-minute instructions. "You're all alone in the big city, so you have to take good care of yourself. Make sure you eat on time, especially breakfast, otherwise you'll get stomach problems."
"I know."
"And don't work yourself too hard. Don't stay up all night. Make sure you get enough rest."
"Mhm."
"And if you meet a nice girl you like, remember to take the initiative."
"Okay."
"And one last thing."
Zhang Sujuan pulled a bank card from her pocket and handed it to him. "Take this. It was meant for your wedding with Huang Mengyao, but since that's not happening, you should keep it for emergencies."
"Mom, this is your money. I can't take it."
"What's mine will be yours someday anyway. Take it."
Zhang Sujuan added, "A man has no confidence without money in his pocket."
"Okay." Seeing his mom's insistence and knowing she just wanted him to have a good life, Xu Yun accepted it.
'Such is a parent's heart,' he thought.
After seeing his mom off into the car, he said, "Mom, text me when you get home."
"Mhm."
After his mom left, Xu Yun checked the time. It wasn't too late, so he decided to head to the office.
But as he turned, he ran into a woman who had no business being there.
Wang Qing walked over, smiling. "Xu Yun, did you just see your mother off?"
"What are you doing here?"
Xu Yun frowned. "Don't tell me Huang Mengyao sent you."
"No, I came on my own."
Wang Qing said, "To be honest, I've always thought it was a real shame about you and Mengyao.
I tried to convince her to get back together with you many times, but she wouldn't listen to me. She said she already had someone else in her heart."
"What do you mean by that?"
Xu Yun asked, "She was cheating on me while we were still together?"
"Mhm, it was emotional cheating, you could say."
Wang Qing nodded, a guilty expression on her face. "While you two were preparing to get married, she was secretly messaging your friend, Zhang Wentao, and flirting with him.
I warned her multiple times that she shouldn't be doing that, since you were about to get married, but she wouldn't listen. She just said I was being a busybody.
I'm so sorry. I should have told you this sooner."
"…" Xu Yun was speechless.
Xu Yun knew of Zhang Wentao.
They had shared a few meals before, but he wouldn't call them friends.
'I can't believe that bitch Huang Mengyao was lining up a backup plan while we were preparing to get married.'
'Good thing I didn't marry her.'
Xu Yun suddenly grew curious. "Aren't you supposed to be her best friend? Why are you suddenly running to me with all this?"
"Xu Yun, you've got me all wrong. I would never want to be friends with such a fickle, unfaithful woman."
Wang Qing said with a look of disgust, "I cut all ties with her yesterday. We're finished, and we won't be seeing each other ever again."
'Huh?' Xu Yun thought.
'Damn, she sure cut ties with her fast!'
Then, Wang Qing stepped closer, her entire demeanor changing. "Xu Yun, actually, there's something I've never had the courage to tell you.
I know you must still blame me in your heart. You blame me for instigating Huang Mengyao to make all those unreasonable demands, which led to your wedding being called off.
But do you have any idea that I was doing it for your own good?"
"For my own good?"
Her words made Xu Yun laugh. He retorted, "Go on, then. Tell me how you were doing it for me."
"The truth is, I've liked you ever since the first moment I saw you."
Wang Qing said with a look of deep affection, "But back then, you were already with Huang Mengyao, so I could only hide my feelings and silently wish you two the best.
But who knew that woman, Huang Mengyao, was completely unworthy of you? She always had a wandering eye, never satisfied with what she had. She's just not a good woman.
To keep you from being deceived by her, to protect you, I had no choice but to resort to that terrible plan to make you break up."
Listening to Wang Qing's speech, all Xu Yun could think was, 'Damn, she's a smooth talker.'
'She could talk a dead man back to life.'
But he didn't believe a single word of it.
"I don't think you like me. You like my money, don't you?"
Xu Yun laughed. "What, now that you know I'm rich, you want to throw yourself at me?"
"No! I'm not that kind of woman."
Wang Qing said, looking aggrieved, "I really do like you."
"Stop the act."
Xu Yun said with deliberate scorn, "I'm only interested in virgins now. Are you one?"
"I am!" Wang Qing answered.
"Hah."
Xu Yun laughed contemptuously, ignored her completely, and hailed a taxi to leave.
'Her, a virgin?'
'Yeah, right. And I'm still a virgin!'
'Even if I were that desperate, I would never consider her!'
"…"
Seeing that he didn't believe her, Wang Qing stomped her foot in frustration.
But she actually wasn't lying about that.
Although Wang Qing was a gold digger, she had a very clear mind and way of thinking.
So, until she was absolutely certain of a payoff, she wouldn't easily give herself away.
She was holding on to her virginity for dear life.
In that respect, she was actually more disciplined than many other gold diggers; she wasn't so casual.