Chapter 13: Playing the Rogue

Jiufu Community, a usually peaceful and serene neighborhood, has been shaken by a major scandal in the past few days. The root of all the trouble lies in a property dispute between the Zheng family and Xiao Ran.

The youngest son of the Zheng family, Zheng Gang, had boasted only a few days ago that he would receive a whopping two hundred million yuan from Xiao Ran. His words were like a stone thrown into a still lake, causing ripples to spread. However, before the joyful atmosphere could dissipate, a new piece of news came like a storm, sweeping through the community.

Someone revealed that Xiao Ran's four hundred million yuan was actually marital property, and according to the law, this portion of the property had nothing to do with the Zheng family. Upon hearing this news, Jiufu Community erupted. Neighbors who had previously envied the Zheng family for their imminent wealth now turned their attitudes and began to mock the Zheng family for their ignorance and greed.

The Zheng family members, who had just been parading around the community like emperors, were now like concubines banished to a cold palace. They retreated into their own houses, no longer daring to come out and contradict . Their faces were filled with disappointment and embarrassment, as if they had been stripped of their clothes.

"Haha, it seems the heavens do have eyes."

"Exactly, they didn't let the Zheng family get that money!"

"Now they've really lost face. First, they exposed their daughter's affair and the scandal of having a child with another man. Now, they thought they would get two hundred million, but it turned out to be a false hope."

Residents of the community gossiped incessantly, their faces filled with mockery and ridicule towards the Zheng family. They felt that the Zheng family had brought this upon themselves and deserved such punishment.

Meanwhile, the mocked Zheng Juan family was hiding in their rooms, their heads down in despair, as if the sky had fallen. They couldn't imagine that the a huge sum wealth that had been so close to their grasp had vanished into thin air. The piercing pain was beyond words.

"Grandma, I'm hungry!" Zheng Jie suddenly exclaimed. As a child, he didn't understand the complexities of the adult world and only knew that he needed to eat when he was hungry. However, Zheng Youjun, angry at his grandson, roared angrily, "Hungry, hungry, hungry all the time! Go find your father, don't come to me!"

Zheng Juan stood silently by, listening to her husband's rage. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. She knew that she had made a mistake this time, not only dragging her family into this mess but also hurting her child. However, what could she do now? She could only silently endure the pain and regret.

"Dad, what's wrong with you?" Zheng Juan stood up in surprise, unable to believe that such words would come from her father's mouth. She had always believed that her father was a sensible man, but now, his words were like a sharp knife, piercing deeply into her heart.

Zheng Youjun's face was as dark as the clouds before a storm. He stared at Zheng Juan and said, word by word, "Zheng Juan, if you hadn't done those unforgivable things, Xiao Ran would still be the son-in-law of our Zheng family, and our Zheng family wouldn't be in this mess now. The 400 million he gave us would be ours, not wasted!"

Zheng Juan felt suffocated. She didn't expect her father to be so heartless. She couldn't help but Rebuttal : "Dad, how can you say that? Xiao Ran's previous earnings were all in my hands. I sacrificed so much for my younger brother and this family. Don't you know anything about it?"

Zheng Juan's voice trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at her father and brother, feeling disappointed and angry.

Zheng Gang, hearing his sister's words, did not show any guilt. Instead, he sided with his father and said, "Sister, Dad is right. If you hadn't divorced Uncle Xiao, our family would have had 400 million by now. Look at you now, you haven't gained anything, and you're being looked down upon. All this is your own fault."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Juan's anger could no longer be controlled. She pointed at Zheng Gang and shouted loudly, "Zheng Gang, how dare you say that! Do you know how much money you've spent over the years? Do you know how much I've sacrificed for this family? And now you're here talking nonsense!"

Zheng Youjun, watching his daughter and son argue, was also annoyed. He waved his hand to silence Zheng Gang and then turned to Zheng Juan and said, "Zheng Juan, you only have one choice now, and that is to remarry Xiao Ran. Take Xiaojie with you and beg him. After all, he's been Xiaojie's father for three years. He must have some feelings for him. One day as husband and wife, one hundred days of kindness. Since you were married once, he should give you this chance."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Juan's anger erupted like a volcano. She shouted loudly, "Dad, how can you say that? I'm a person, not a bargaining chip for you! How can you ask me to do such a thing just for money?"

Zheng Youjun's face darkened upon hearing his daughter's words. He said coldly, "Zheng Juan, don't forget that you're a member of our Zheng family. Your matters are our Zheng family's matters. You now have only two choices: either remarry Xiao Ran or never come back to this family!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Juan felt a chill in her heart. She looked at her father and brother, feeling strangely alienated and disappointed. She turned and left the room, determined in her heart. She knew that she couldn't sacrifice her happiness for the sake of this family anymore. She wanted to find Xiao Ran and tell him the truth, letting him know that she had never betrayed him. She wanted to live for herself and fight for her own happiness!

Behind the bustling city of Sucheng, Zheng Juan's ordeal was like a forgotten corner, desolate and helpless. She had once thought of herself as the apple of the Zheng family's eye, but a sudden change had plunged her from paradise into hell. The Zheng family ruthlessly kicked her out of the house, and even her young son was cruelly thrown out by Zheng Gang, leaving him crying helplessly outside. This scene made Zheng Juan's heart ache like a knife stabbing into it, and anger and despair mingled in her heart. She almost wanted to shout out loud, but reason told her that doing so would only make her look even more pathetic.

Faced with this sudden blow, Zheng Juan knew she had to find a way out. She thought of Xiao Ran, the man who had once lent her a helping hand when she was in the most difficult situation. She believed that if she could find him, she would have a chance to change her fate. So, with a trembling heart, she went to Xiao Ran's villa.

However, when she knocked on the door for a long time but didn't see Xiao Ran opening it, her heart sank. She waited for a whole night, but the villa remained dark. Zheng Juan began to suspect, did Xiao Ran not live here? Or had he left the city? Sucheng was so big, how could she find this billionaire with four hundred million assets? She even imagined that Xiao Ran might be enjoying a luxurious life somewhere in the world while she was left alone and helpless here.

At this moment, hatred and regret surged in Zheng Juan's heart like a tide. She hated the Zheng family's ruthlessness and indifference, and hated her own past weakness and ignorance. However, she regretted even more that she shouldn't have agreed to the divorce so quickly. If she had delayed for just one day, or even half a day, she could have received at least two hundred million in compensation from the Zheng family. This amount of money would have been enough for her and her son to live a worry-free life, but now it was all too late.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ran was sweating it out in the gym. He had hired a professional fitness coach, Liu Susu, to guide him through his training. Liu Susu was not only professionally capable but also very beautiful. Her presence made Xiao Ran feel relaxed and happy during the training. Liu Susu praised Xiao Ran's physical condition highly: "Mr. Xiao, your physical condition is very good. If you keep it up, you will definitely have a strong physique."

The reason why Xiao Ran chose a female coach instead of a male coach was quite simple. During the training process, there were inevitably cases of physical contact, which would be somewhat awkward between men. However, with women, especially beautiful women like Liu Susu, Xiao Ran felt comfortable and at ease during the training, and he could even enjoy a little pleasure after exhaustion.

Of course, Xiao Ran had not forgotten his original intention. He knew that having four hundred million assets didn't mean he could spend it recklessly. He wanted to use this money to create a better version of himself - not only with a strong physique but also with a wise mind and a broad perspective. Therefore, besides hiring a coach and a nutritionist, he also actively participated in various social events and training courses to improve his comprehensive qualities.

While Zheng Juan was still anxiously searching for Xiao Ran, she had no idea where her future lay or how to face the upcoming difficulties. She could only silently pray that one day she would be able to regain her happiness and dignity.

"Oh?" With a hint of confusion, Xiao Ran's gaze followed Liu Susu's pointing finger, landing on the detailed data reports. He never expected that his physical fitness would exceed 99% of people without any training. His eyes betrayed a slight surprise. Years of working under the 996 model had indeed left him feeling physically exhausted, especially with common joint issues like shoulder pain, which often troubled him.

Looking at Xiao Ran's astonished expression, Liu Susu was also slightly surprised. She had originally thought Xiao Ran was just an ordinary office worker, but never expected his physical fitness to be so outstanding. She explained with a smile, "Mr. Xiao, your physical fitness is really amazing. I even think that if you undergo systematic training, you could definitely become a professional athlete."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran's heart skipped a beat. He recalled his past experience before rebirth, the dark days overshadowed by the apocalypse. Back then, physical fitness directly related to one's survival ability. Now, discovering that he possessed such excellent physical fitness, he couldn't help but look forward to the results of future training.

He chuckled and asked Liu Susu, "Then, do you think I still have a chance to represent the country at my age?" His words revealed a hint of expectation and eagerness.

Liu Susu giggled and shook her head. "Mr. Xiao, your physical fitness is indeed very good, but representing the country is not an easy task. Unless you can achieve outstanding results in various competitions, even surpassing those already well-known national-level athletes."

Although disappointed, Xiao Ran didn't dwell on it too much. He knew that improving his strength was the most important thing now, not pursuing those illusory fame and wealth. He smiled at Liu Susu and said, "Haha, let me work hard on training first. I believe that if I work hard enough, I will definitely achieve good results."

In the following hours, Liu Susu began guiding Xiao Ran in his training. She first let him do some warm-up exercises and then gradually increased the training intensity. During the training, there were inevitable physical contacts between the two. However, Xiao Ran always maintained a professional attitude and didn't take any advantage. He knew he was undergoing training, not participating in any entertainment activities.

Liu Susu was very satisfied with Xiao Ran's performance. She found that not only did Xiao Ran have excellent physical fitness, but he also had a very serious learning attitude. She couldn't help but look forward to Xiao Ran's future performance.

During the practice, Liu Susu demonstrated her professionalism as a fitness coach. She patiently guided Xiao Ran through every movement's essentials and often encouraged him to persevere. With her help, Xiao Ran quickly mastered the basic training techniques.

During the breaks, the two started chatting. Liu Susu shared her fitness experience and passion for fitness with Xiao Ran. In turn, Xiao Ran shared his future plans and dreams with her. They chatted very well, as if they had been friends for years.

The three-hour training session soon ended. Xiao Ran looked at Liu Susu's round and plump hips and ample chest, and his heart swayed momentarily. But he quickly regained his composure, knowing that improving his strength was the most important thing now, not pursuing these illusory things. He stood up, bid farewell to Liu Susu, and left the gym.

Looking at Xiao Ran's departing back, Liu Susu felt a slight sense of loss. She felt that she had been very enthusiastic, but Xiao Ran didn't seem to appreciate it. She began to reflect on whether she had done something wrong. But soon, she let it go, knowing that everyone had their own pursuits and dreams, and she only needed to do her job well.