Lin Jiang laughed. "And then he drops seven million to buy a house for a young divorcée. You couldn’t even make this stuff up for a novel."
"I know, right? And..."
RING RING RING—
Xu Lin didn’t get to finish before she was interrupted by her ringing phone.
Lin Jiang glanced at her phone. It was a video call from her dad.
"Let me get this."
After saying that to Lin Jiang, Xu Lin answered the call.
When the video connected, the person on the screen wasn’t her father, but Zhao Wenxuan.
"Mom, I see your car!"
Since Lin Jiang had been drinking when they left last night, Xu Lin had driven him in her own car.
"You saw my car? Are Grandma and Grandpa with you? Are you guys playing around here?"
"Yeah, we were just about to go home when I saw your car. Mom, are you nearby?"
"Yes, Mommy’s at a friend’s place, so I won’t be going back with you. You listen to Grandma and Grandpa and be a good boy. Go straight home."
"Are you with Uncle Lin?"
Xu Lin’s expression turned a little unnatural. "Why do you say that?"
"My dad video-called me today. I said I wanted to come home and see you, but he said you were busy talking about something with Uncle Lin and told me not to come back."
"I’ll come home as soon as I’m done talking with Uncle Lin. Be good and listen at home."
"I want to play with Uncle Lin, too! Where are you? I’ll come find you."
Lin Jiang smacked his lips. ’Kid, this is one game you can’t play.’
Xu Lin glanced at Lin Jiang, her expression a little helpless. He said:
"Looks like you can’t handle him. Let me. Tell them to go to the security booth and say they’re friends of the owner of C2401. The guards will bring them over."
Xu Lin nodded, repeated Lin Jiang’s instructions, and then hung up.
"Sorry to trouble you. I have to be mindful of his feelings these next few days, otherwise I wouldn’t have let him come."
"What’s the trouble? I don’t just need to get on your good side, I need to get on his too," Lin Jiang said with a straight face.
"Otherwise, if he doesn’t listen to either of us, how are we ever going to send him off to his grandma’s house in the future?"
Xu Lin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "You’re really thinking long-term."
Meanwhile, Zhao Wenxuan arrived at the entrance of the residential complex with Xu Lin’s parents.
People of the older generation married and had children early, so Xu Lin’s parents weren’t as old as one might imagine.
Both were in their fifties, and being university professors, they had never endured much hardship, so they both looked quite young.
After arriving at the gate, they explained the situation to the security guard. Upon learning they were friends of the owner of C2401, the guard’s attitude became even more respectful, and he led them toward C2401.
This was an owner President Qin had specifically asked them to give special treatment. Naturally, his guests couldn’t be slighted.
But the elderly couple didn’t think too much of it. They just assumed the complex had excellent property management and didn’t realize this was the kind of treatment reserved for the wealthy.
"Looking at the complex’s environment, the apartments here can’t be cheap," said Xu Lin’s father, Xu Qingyou.
"Now is not the time to be looking at that. Those two are about to separate for good, and it’s getting me all worked up," said Xu Lin’s mother, Wang Xiazhi.
"They divorced a long time ago. They were only living together for Xuanxuan’s sake. What’s there to get worked up about? I couldn’t be happier about this."
"Keep your voice down! Don’t let Xuanxuan hear you," Wang Xiazhi grumbled, then said:
"I’m not worked up about that. It’s mainly because of Xuanxuan. He’s still young. It’s better for them to pretend for a while longer than not at all."
"Something must have happened for it to be this sudden," Xu Qingyou said.
"It is a bit sudden." Wang Xiazhi thought for a moment. "Do you think it has something to do with that young man?"
"Which young man?"
"You know, the young man who’s been picking Xuanxuan up from school and bringing him to our place all this time," Wang Xiazhi said.
"And just now, when they were on the video call, Linlin said she was with him. Do you think this is what caused Linlin and her ex to suddenly separate?"
"That seems unlikely. Linlin has had her own mind since she was a child. She didn’t even tell us when she got divorced. It’s not likely someone else could sway her."
"Not necessarily."
Wang Xiazhi looked up and saw Zhao Wenxuan joking around with the security guard.
"Xuanxuan, come here. Grandma wants to ask you something."
"What is it, Grandma?" Zhao Wenxuan asked as he walked back.
"Grandma has something to ask you, and you have to tell me the truth."
"Okay, what is it?"
"Who is the uncle that picks you up every day? Is he close with your mom?"
"He’s great! The noodles at his place are delicious. My mom and I go eat there all the time. He’s helped me build toys and even tutored me with my homework. He’s a really nice person."
"Besides all that, has your mom done anything... unusual?"
"She just tells me to go to bed early every day. Nothing else."
The old couple exchanged a look. Xu Qingyou said:
"If that’s all, it sounds pretty normal."
"Not necessarily. You know how clever your daughter is. Even if something was going on, she wouldn’t let anyone see it," Wang Xiazhi said.
"I’m sure it has something to do with that young man. When we see him later, I need to have a good talk with him."
"What is there to talk about?" Xu Qingyou said.
"We’re old. We should meddle less in young people’s affairs."
"I’m not against their divorce, but I’m afraid my daughter is being scammed."
"You just said Linlin was clever, and now you’re worried about this."
"A woman can still be foolish sometimes. They’re neighbors. After a while, he found out about Linlin’s situation. What if he’s just after her money?" Wang Xiazhi said, dead serious.
"Now that you mention it, that is a possibility. This is a good opportunity. We’ll have a proper chat with him when we meet."
"Yes, that’s what I was thinking."
Soon, the guard led the three of them into Building C, swiped his key card, and took them up to the 24th floor.
The apartment door was open. The moment the couple stepped out of the elevator, they saw Lin Jiang and Xu Lin chatting at the doorway.
"Mom! Uncle Lin!"
Seeing Xu Lin, Zhao Wenxuan’s eyes filled with joy. He trotted over quickly, and she smiled, pulling him into her arms.
"Mom, what are you and Uncle Lin doing here?"
"Your Uncle Lin bought a new apartment here, so I came to take a look."
Just then, the old couple also reached the doorway. Although they couldn’t see the entire place yet, the sheer size of the living room alone stunned them.
’How much must it have cost to buy an apartment this big?’
’This young man is so wealthy... Were my suspicions a bit paranoid?’

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