After hanging up the phone, Zhou Chenyu’s mind was in turmoil.
She paced back and forth in agitation:
“Mom, what do we do? What if Ren Zhi finds out and comes after me?”
She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but Nanny Wu remained calm:
“What are you panicking for? Even if you’d committed the gravest sin, I have the power to protect you in front of Ren Zhi.”
Zhou Chenyu didn’t understand:
“Mom, how can you talk so big? Didn’t you see how Ren Zhi acted a few days ago? He clearly doesn’t care about you anymore.
“He’s no longer the Ren Zhi who listened to you.”
Nanny Wu took a sip of tea:
“There are still some things you don’t know, Chenyu. I saved Ren Zhi’s life once.”
She whispered a few words into Zhou Chenyu’s ear, and a smile immediately crept onto Zhou Chenyu’s face:
“Mom, why didn’t you tell me sooner? If I’d known you still had such leverage over him, why would I have worried?”
Nanny Wu leaned back in her rocking chair, looking at the sky, and recalled thirty years ago.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she silently praised herself.
It was lucky she had kept a backup plan back then.
Otherwise, now she’d be nothing more than a discarded servant, abandoned once her usefulness was over.
After Lin Wanyi fell asleep again, Chen Hui arrived.
Ren Zhi finally closed his laptop and told Chen Hui:
“Keep an eye on her. I’m going out to handle something.”
He didn’t go home but went straight to the company.
In the office, the director and crew from the short drama project were all trembling with anxiety.
Within a day, they’d already figured out that something serious was going on.
Now, without Ren Zhi even needing to ask, they confessed everything.
“Boss, it was all Secretary Zhou. She made us do it.”
Ren Zhi lit a cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke:
“She told you to do it, and you just obeyed?
“Since when have you all been so obedient?”
The director’s legs shook like sieves, sweat pouring from his forehead:
“Because... because we all knew Secretary Zhou is your younger sister.
“And she might even become the future lady of the house, so... so...”
“Younger sister? Future lady of the house?”
Ren Zhi had no idea that while he worked day and night, Zhou Chenyu had been spreading such rumors everywhere.
He glanced at his assistant, Chen:
“Notify everyone. Fire Zhou Chenyu.
“And these people...” he pointed at the group in front of him, “blacklist them all!”
When Zhou Chenyu got the news, she was so furious she smashed her phone:
“Mom, see? I told you!
“He’s really changed. He fired me just for that woman?
“I’ve followed him for thirty years! Last time, he demoted me because of Lin Wanyi, and now, not even that long after, he’s firing me?”
Nanny Wu was disappointed too, but she was more level-headed than Zhou Chenyu:
“Don’t rush. Someone else will deal with Lin Wanyi.
“Just you wait. She won’t marry into the family.”
Zhou Chenyu didn’t believe it:
“Ren Zhi likes her so much, Su Jing likes her, even Liu Siyue likes her.
“Mom, I think her marrying into the family is as good as sealed.”
“Hmph!”
Nanny Wu snorted coldly:
“What’s Su Jing? At the end of the day, she’s just Ren Zhi’s aunt by marriage.
“Do you really think she gets a say in anything?”
Zhou Chenyu finally felt a bit relieved.
Nanny Wu knew the Liu family inside and out. If she said Lin Wanyi wouldn’t marry in, then that was that.
Just as they were feeling smug, Ren Zhi arrived.
A chill radiated from him.
His trench coat brushed against fallen leaves on the ground. Zhou Chenyu cowered behind Nanny Wu out of fear.
Nanny Wu, however, remained very calm:
“Ren Zhi, you’re here.”
“Chenyu, have Nanny Wu make some tea.”
Before Zhou Chenyu could speak, Liu Renzhi said first:
“No need, Nanny Wu. Starting today, I’m withdrawing all the drivers and servants here.
“If you still want to use them, you’ll have to pay their wages yourself.
“This house was a gift to you, and I had it put in your name from the start, so I won’t take it back.
“That was my promise to you.
“Nanny Wu, I won’t be coming here again from now on.”
Zhou Chenyu grew frantic. She screamed:
“Why, Big Brother? Why are you treating my mom like this?
“Are you really going to be an ungrateful wretch?”
“Ungrateful wretch?”
Liu Renzhi crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair:
“Zhou Chenyu, have you forgotten how you grew up all these years?
“You, a servant’s daughter, lived like a princess, received the best education, and went straight to work at the Liu Corporation after graduation.
“Your mother, a servant, has been getting a monthly salary of 30,000 yuan from the Liu family, with full social insurance and housing fund.
“Her medical expenses are fully reimbursed. Upon retirement, I bought her a million-yuan property, complete with two servants and a driver.
“Her food, clothing, and daily expenses are all top-notch, entirely at my expense.
“She’s living more comfortably than a wealthy wife now. Tell me, how is that being an ungrateful wretch?”
Zhou Chenyu was left speechless by Liu Renzhi’s questions. She could only stammer:
“Well, that’s only because my mom treated you like her own son.
“What you did for her—it’s only right.”
“Only right?”
Liu Renzhi laughed—a helpless laugh.
He had always cherished the years Nanny Wu had taken care of him.
He had chosen to look at things selectively.
But now he understood: some people’s appetites only grew with feeding.
Some hearts could never be satisfied.
It was time to cut his losses.
So he came in person to inform Nanny Wu:
“From now on, we have no connection.
“Nanny Wu, take care of yourself.”
Nanny Wu’s wrinkled face twitched, but in the end, she only said one sentence:
“Ren Zhi, one day you will regret this.
“You’ll come to know that in this world, the one who treated you best and gave to you unconditionally was only me.
“Think it over carefully.”
Liu Renzhi got up and left without a trace of hesitation.
Zhou Chenyu refused to accept it. She blocked his path:
“Is it because of Lin Wanyi? Are you breaking ties with me and my mom because of her?
“Liu Renzhi, you’re so heartless.
“And Lin Wanyi has already been defiled by another man. Are you still going to stick by her?”
Liu Renzhi stopped, turned around, and slapped Zhou Chenyu across the face:
“Listen to me clearly: Wanyi is fine. No one has harmed her.
“Zhou Chenyu, this slap is just a warning. If you dare do anything else, don’t blame me for showing no mercy.”
Zhou Chenyu didn’t believe him. She thought Lin Wanyi must have been violated.
Otherwise, why would Liu Renzhi be so furious?
But she didn’t press further. She just touched her face and sobbed:
“You hit me! Liu Renzhi, you hit me!
“How dare you hit me?”
Liu Renzhi stared at her intently and slapped her again:
“Yes, this is the lesson and warning from your big brother of thirty years.
“Zhou Chenyu, there are things you shouldn’t do, and even thoughts you shouldn’t entertain.
“Remember that.”
He left without looking back.
Zhou Chenyu stomped her foot, rubbing her face:
“Mom, Mom, why didn’t you stop him? You just let him hit me?
“Why didn’t you say a word for me?”
Nanny Wu wiped away her tears and sighed:
"You're being foolish. Right now he's at his angriest, and no matter what I say, he won't listen.
"Xiao Yu, I told you to rest assured, to be patient.
"Ren Zhi hasn't been in love in thirty-five years; this first time is bound to sweep him off his feet.
"But someone will eventually put a stop to it. Just wait and see."
