Though there were minor hiccups, Zhong Ziyan returned to Tingshan after settling the matter of the meeting gifts, feeling her task was accomplished.
Li Ye, declaring he was on vacation anyway, hopped off midway and headed to some unknown destination with a stack of sheet music in hand. Before leaving, he pulled a few tickets from his pocket and handed them to Zhong Ziyan. "Tickets to a musical. If you have time, come see it live."
Zhong Ziyan glanced at them and took them without much fuss.
Li Ye added, "The payment’s already been transferred to Houtu’s account. You should receive it soon."
That piqued Zhong Ziyan’s interest a little more.
Li Ye sighed. "…You do know most of Houtu belongs to you now, right?" He patted the luxuriously cushioned seat beneath him for emphasis.
Zhong Ziyan reaffirmed seriously, "One can never have too much money."
"Fine, whatever." Li Ye shook his bangs in incomprehension and made a stylish exit.
Zhong Ziyan handed the manuscript to the butler at Tingshan, where it joined the other prepared gifts to be framed. Even the box of albums and autobiographies was taken away by the butler.
The butler worked with astonishing efficiency. By the next day, the gifts were exquisitely packaged and arranged in the seldom-used parlor next to the main reception room. When Zhong Ziyan passed by on her way to the walk-in fridge for milk, the display reminded her of Christmas Eve.
Judging by the quantity, aside from the gifts she had suggested, there was also a towering fossil specimen and an oil painting—both neatly wrapped—that Wei Hanyun had long prepared for his second brother and sister-in-law.
Having ventured through Jurassic○ Park multiple times, Zhong Ziyan felt nothing but indifference toward the fossil. If anything, it seemed a bit small.
Come to think of it, many items from the Infinite World would’ve made extraordinary gifts—if only they could be brought out.
"Still awake?" Wei Hanyun’s voice came from behind her.
Already aware of his approach, Zhong Ziyan turned to look at him. "I was wondering—do wealthy people always prepare gifts like this for every meeting? Doesn’t it get tedious?"
"Not every time," Wei Hanyun said, standing beside her with a two-fist-width gap between them—neither too intimate nor distant. "It’s only because it’s your first time meeting them."
Truthfully, Wei Hanyun found the recipients of these gifts the ones with the bigger headache.
As the new daughter-in-law, Zhong Ziyan’s offerings would naturally require even more lavish gifts in return.
Ever since Wei Hanyun announced his plans to return to Yandu with his wife, not only had Fang Nan’s phone been flooded with probing calls, but Wei Hanyun’s own line had nearly been overwhelmed.
One relative asked, "What does my daughter-in-law like? I’ll go buy it right away!" Another inquired, "What does my granddaughter-in-law enjoy eating? I’ll have the kitchen order the finest ingredients days in advance!"
What did Zhong Ziyan like? She hoarded wealth like a dragon.
But what did she like to eat? Wei Hanyun… genuinely didn’t know.
Zhong Ziyan’s attitude toward food was unusual, to say the least.
If he had to describe it, Wei Hanyun would say she treated meals with the reverence of someone who had endured famine—finishing every bite with gratitude, never wasting a single morsel.
Yet according to her records, Zhong Ziyan had grown up in a comfortably middle-class household. Where would she have experienced such hunger?
"Is there anything you particularly enjoy eating?" Wei Hanyun asked casually.
Zhong Ziyan thought for a moment. "Roasted sweet potatoes."
Wei Hanyun was momentarily speechless. "…Noted."
Recalling the days in the Infinite Space when she and her teammates had shared roasted sweet potatoes, Zhong Ziyan bid Wei Hanyun goodnight and headed to her room in high spirits.
Before bed, she habitually checked Weibo. Under her post asking for tea recommendations, the top comment was still from an industry insider suggesting Da Hong Pao.
Zhong Ziyan replied with thanks.
[Still Trying to Spend Money Today: Thanks, bought it.]
[Lemon Incarnate: …Wait, hold on. I just called my aunt, and apparently, Da Hong Pao was nearly sold out yesterday. Was it you, rich lady? Was it you?!]
Zhong Ziyan didn’t bother reading further. She skimmed her private messages instead.
After her follower count exploded, she had disabled DMs from non-followers, leaving only a handful of people who could message her—like Li Ye.
He had sent her a link with a string of ellipses: "…………Is this you?"
Zhong Ziyan tapped the link and saw a video of her driving an Aston Martin at breakneck speed on the highway. The sleek black-and-blue supercar weaved through traffic like a living Transformer, its maneuvers nothing short of jaw-dropping.
The post, originally shared by an excited car enthusiast, had already amassed tens of thousands of reposts, with heated debates in the comments.
The most notable repost came from the H City Traffic Police.
[H City Traffic Police: After review, the vehicle’s speed remained under 120 km/h at all times, with no speeding violations. Reminder to the driver and the public: supercars are cool, but safety first. //@I’m Right So Shut Up: Am I blind, or are you? How is this NOT speeding?!]
Zhong Ziyan: "…" At least she hadn’t actually broken the speed limit, or she’d have been the next viral scandal.
Her single ellipsis was enough for Li Ye to confirm the truth. "I KNEW it was you!! Do you know there are only five of these cars in the whole country?!"
Zhong Ziyan silently reposted the video with a "lying down and admitting guilt" emoji.
[Handsome, Not a Clown: ?? Wait… is this your car, rich lady? Do you need a pet for the passenger seat to keep you company on joyrides?]
[Did I Catch Rich Lady’s Aura Today: Tears of envy are streaming from my mouth.]
[Begone Bad Luck: LMAO watching the haters get owned by the authorities.]
[My Eyes See Beyond the Masses: Watched the video 120 times—pretty sure the driver’s a stunning beauty. [Blurry screenshot]]
After confirming that Luo Yin’s fan club was still running smoothly without needing her help, Zhong Ziyan turned off her phone and went to sleep.
…
The chaos within the Wei family was no secret to the people of Yandu—or the nation, for that matter.
With the internet’s reach, even the juiciest gossip about top-tier elites became public entertainment.
Wei Hanyun’s long-standing absence from the Wei family’s base in Yandu was old news.
Though his return this time didn’t make headlines, whispers spread quickly in private circles. Zhong Ziyan’s existence, however, remained tightly under wraps.
Even among the public, few knew the real reason behind Wei Hanyun’s trip to Yandu.
The journey wasn’t far, so Wei Hanyun opted for a private jet. Once aboard, Zhong Ziyan couldn’t help but warily inspect every corner of the plane.
Fang Nan adjusted his glasses and informed her, "The boss bought you the same model… Are you looking for something?"
Zhong Ziyan: "No, just professional habit." In the infinite world, nine out of ten planes would encounter trouble, with crashes making up the majority—undoubtedly one of the most dangerous modes of transportation.
Even though she knew it was unlikely, Zhong Ziyan still thoroughly inspected the cabin for potential hazards.
Bombs? None.
Firearms? None.
Loose or damaged aircraft components? Also none.
Parachutes? Still there, and in ample supply.
Zhong Ziyan was satisfied. With these, even if the plane suddenly transformed into a Decepticon and nosedived from ten thousand meters, she could still ensure Wei Hanyun escaped unscathed.
Fang Nan watched as Zhong Ziyan moved around like an experienced private bodyguard, conducting her checks. "…" He cast a silent, pleading look at Wei Hanyun: Do something about her!
Wei Hanyun ignored him.
Only after a while did Zhong Ziyan obediently return and take her seat across from Wei Hanyun.
The plane finally took off smoothly.
Fang Nan stole a moment to scroll through his social media feed. As Wei Hanyun’s de facto spokesperson—given the latter’s aversion to unnecessary social interactions—his contacts were filled with influential figures, many of whom had ties to the Wei family.
Quite a few of them had been invited to the Wei family banquet that evening.
After browsing several posts showcasing socialites prepping for the event at salons, makeup studios, and designer ateliers—each vying to outshine the others—Fang Nan glanced at Zhong Ziyan.
Zhong Ziyan was gazing out the window, her chin resting on one hand, her lips slightly pursed by the pressure of her palm.
Her features blended Eastern and Western beauty seamlessly, with lashes so long and curled they could rival a foreigner’s, gilded a proud golden-brown by the sunlight at high altitude.
Fang Nan took in her simple little black dress and her effortlessly smooth, satin-like hair, then looked back at his phone, struck by the irony.
Zhong Ziyan was about to win without even trying.
He couldn’t help but wonder what expressions those socialites—who had gone to great lengths to "outshine" their rivals—would wear when they saw Zhong Ziyan tonight.
…While Zhong Ziyan seemed lost in thought watching the clouds, she was actually pondering something similar to Fang Nan.
As someone who had grown adept at keeping up with gossip, Zhong Ziyan was well aware of the rumors surrounding Wei Hanyun.
Unlike his peers, who favored models, celebrities, or social media stars, Wei Hanyun’s rumored love interests were all wealthy, well-bred heiresses.
Surely, she’d run into a few of them at the Wei family gathering?
The question was: Should she engage, ignore them, or tactfully step aside?
After mulling it over the entire flight, Zhong Ziyan finally decided to ask Wei Hanyun directly as the plane prepared to land.
"Exes?" Wei Hanyun tilted his head slightly, propping it on one hand as he studied her serious expression. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Doing your homework again?"
Zhong Ziyan nodded. "Professional ethics."
She couldn’t just take the money and slack off!
In fact, she’d gone above and beyond!
"Once we arrive in Yandu, remember just one thing," Wei Hanyun said, setting his laptop aside on the adjacent seat. He retrieved a small square box lined with pale green velvet from his pocket and motioned for her hand.
Zhong Ziyan obediently extended her fingers.
With deft movements, the man opened the box, slid out a ring, and slipped it onto the base of her ring finger.
"You are my wife. To provoke you is to provoke me," Wei Hanyun said lightly.
Zhong Ziyan’s gaze remained fixed on the breathtakingly exquisite ring before her—a piece that radiated an unmistakable aura of "you could never afford me, not even in a hundred lifetimes."
"...I didn’t see this diamond the other day," she murmured.
Had he secretly gone out and bought something new while she wasn’t looking?
"Mm," Wei Hanyun brushed his fingers over the gem. "It was a private collection piece my mother acquired at an auction years ago."
Zhong Ziyan: "…" A family heirloom.
Didn’t that mean she’d have to return it after the divorce?!
