"The floor is so cold. You're walking around barefoot. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
After Xu Yan blurted out this habitual remark, he scooped Jing Zhen up into his arms.
Not only Xu Yan but Jing Zhen was also stunned. She shrank into Xu Yan's embrace, forgetting to resist for a moment.
Jing Zhen liked to walk around barefoot on the floor. During their past relationship, it was inevitable that Xu Yan would lecture her about it.
Downstairs, Xu Qingqing knocked on the door for a long time, but no one came to open it. So she simply used her own key to unlock the door and enter. The living room was quiet.
Xu Qingqing looked around for people. There was no one in the study or the kitchen.
"Mom and Dad, aren't you at home?"
Xu Qingqing called out. When she turned to the stairwell, she saw Xu Yan carrying Jing Zhen in a princess - carry. She couldn't help covering her mouth in surprise.
When did these two reconcile?
"Brother, what are you guys doing?"
Xu Qingqing couldn't help asking.
Jing Zhen quickly wriggled out of Xu Yan's arms and pushed him away forcefully. Gnashing her teeth, she said, "Why did you carry me? Are you trying to take advantage of me!"
Xu Yan also felt a bit embarrassed about carrying his ex - girlfriend. He sneered and retorted, "I was afraid you'd dirty the floor."
Jing Zhen sneered back, "Dude, I'm barefoot. How could I dirty the floor!"
Jing Zhen's ears were red as she put on her slippers. She was too lazy to look at Xu Yan's face and went downstairs to greet Xu Qingqing.
Jing Zhen looked at the special local products piled up in the living room and asked with a smile, "Xu Qingqing, did you go on a trip? You brought so many special local products!"
"I took a trip to Dongchuan Province. The dried fruits there taste great, and the cotton - padded clothes are very thick. So I brought you guys some gifts."
Xu Qingqing was considerate and didn't ask about what had just happened. She pulled Jing Zhen over to show her the gift she'd bought for her.
"I bought you a woolen scarf. It's super warm when you wear it. Try it on."
Hearing that she also had a gift, Jing Zhen was beaming with gratitude. She happily took the more - than - one - meter - long scarf.
The fluffy wool was extremely soft. Wrapping it around her neck several times, she could bury her face in it. It was really comfortable.
"It's really warm. Thank you!" Jing Zhen held the warm wool in her hands. She could even break into a sweat wearing it in this air - conditioned room.
Jing Zhen took off the scarf and carefully wrapped it up. "Xu Qingqing, are you free today?"
Seeing the somewhat eager look on Jing Zhen's face, Xu Qingqing knew she must be asking for a favor. "What do you want to do?"
"I need you to help me with something."
Jing Zhen said somewhat sheepishly, reluctant to call Song Fuqiang her ex - husband.
"All those designer bags and cosmetics my ex - husband gave me, I've never used them. But he actually wants me to pay him back in cash!"
"I can't just lose money for nothing. So I want to go to the Song family's place today to get those things back."
By the end, Jing Zhen's tone was a bit coy as she tugged at Xu Qingqing's hand and shook it.
"But I'm too scared to go alone..."
Jing Zhen had really been traumatized by Song Fuqiang's beatings.
Hearing this, Xu Qingqing readily agreed. She genuinely felt sorry for Jing Zhen.
"Sure."
It was only noon. There was still some time before Xu Qingqing needed to pick up the kids. It wouldn't hurt to help Jing Zhen.
Hearing Xu Qingqing's agreement, Jing Zhen's eyes curved into happy crescents. She hugged Xu Qingqing. "Thank you so much. You're so kind!"
"Ahem!"
Seeing the happy pair from the stairs, Xu Yan coughed loudly and gave Xu Qingqing a look, hinting that he wanted to go with them too.
Xu Qingqing caught the look and gave him an OK sign.
Xu Yan and Jing Zhen finally showed signs of reconciliation. As his sister, of course she had to do her best to help.
Xu Qingqing smiled and suggested to Jing Zhen, "It's not very safe for just the two of us girls to go. How about we ask my brother to come along too?"
"If Song Fuqiang really dares to attack us, my brother can protect us."
Although Jing Zhen was a bit reluctant, for the safety of the two of them, she glanced at Xu Yan on the stairs out of the corner of her eye and reluctantly agreed.
"Fine. I'll let go of the matter of you taking advantage of me today for now."
"Who took advantage of you?"
Xu Yan inwardly cried out injustice. It was just an instinctive action. He really hadn't meant to take advantage of Jing Zhen.
"You're bad - mouthing me even though you need my help."
"If you don't go, I'll ask someone else."
"Fine, I'll go!"
The three of them set off in a grand manner towards the Song family's place.
After Song Nuanuan learned that Song Fuqiang had divorced Jing Zhen, she had been coveting the jewelry and designer bags in Jing Zhen's dressing room.
While Song Fuqiang was taking a nap with a headache, she quietly slipped into the dressing room where Jing Zhen used to stay in the Song family's mansion.
Back then, in order to marry a beautiful bride, Song Fuqiang had spent a fortune to make Jing Zhen happy. Looking at all the unopened clothes, shoes, and various gift boxes,
Song Nuanuan was so happy that she spun around on the spot. She couldn't help sighing, "Jing Zhen is such a woman who doesn't know how to enjoy life. These clothes are mine now!"
Then, Song Nuanuan took down the beautiful clothes one by one and held them in front of her to compare. She twirled in front of the full - length mirror.
The car pulled up in front of the Song family's villa. Different from the bustling and luxurious scene when Xu Qingqing and Xu Yan came last time, the whole villa looked extremely desolate. There was a thick layer of fallen leaves at the door that no one had bothered to clean.
Jing Zhen tried to enter the password on the combination lock, but sure enough, the password had been changed.
Jing Zhen had no choice but to knock on the door forcefully and call out, "Is anyone there?"
The maid who had been slacking off in the kitchen heard the call from outside. Munching on a carrot, she came to open the door.
When the door opened and the maid saw that it was Jing Zhen, she rolled her eyes and was about to close the door directly.
Xu Yan quickly stuck his leather shoe into the door gap to prevent the maid from closing it. He also grabbed the doorknob.
The maid stuck the carrot in her mouth and pulled the door hard. But Xu Yan was much stronger than her. After pulling for a long time, the maid couldn't close the door, so she had to give up.
The maid took the carrot out of her mouth and took a big bite. "You're already divorced from the master. What are you doing back here? If you don't leave, I'll call the security guards!"
Jing Zhen stared at the maid who used to bully her with a cold gaze and a poker - faced expression. "I'm here to get my things!"
The maid looked at her contemptuously, chewing the carrot in her mouth with a crooked mouth like a camel. "You married into the Song family without even a dowry. There's nothing in this house that belongs to you!"
A look of disdain flashed across Xu Qingqing's beautiful face. She directly reached out and pushed the maid aside, then swaggered into the villa.
"The jewelry and bags were bought by Sister Jing Zhen. Naturally, they belong to her!"
"Why should we leave the things we paid for here and let you guys who look down on people take advantage of them?"
Xu Qingqing deliberately emphasized the words "look down on people".
This was like slapping the maid in the face. The maid looked at Xu Qingqing in a fit of rage, her eyes as if she wanted to tear her apart.
"Who are you calling someone who looks down on people!"
"I didn't name you specifically. Why are you so worked up?"