The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 807 The Prince and Cinderella!!!

Just then, the door to the computer lab was suddenly pushed open, and several students walked in laughing.

Liu Yunpeng subconsciously took a step back, a hint of unease flashing across his face.

Wang Huijuan noticed that his ears were slightly red, and couldn't help but smile.

"Then I'll be going now." Liu Yunpeng scratched his head, his voice suddenly becoming a little nervous. "Friday afternoon at four o'clock, I'll wait for you at the school gate?"

"Mm." Wang Huijuan nodded and carefully put the MP3 box into her schoolbag. "Thank you for the gift, senior."

As Wang Huijuan stepped out of the computer lab, her steps became lighter without her noticing.

The plane trees on campus rustled in the evening breeze, and the song "Simple Love" could be heard playing from the radio station in the distance.

She suddenly remembered something, turned around and looked at the window of the computer lab—Liu Yunpeng was still standing there, watching her leave through the glass.

The moment their eyes met, they both hurriedly looked away.

Back in her dormitory, Wang Huijuan couldn't wait to unpack the package.

The dark green MP3 player gleamed with a warm luster under the light. After turning it on, a line of handwritten lyrics appeared on the screen: "I want to hold your hand like this and never let go."

She put on her headphones, and Jay Chou's languid voice immediately filled her ears.

My roommate, Li Mei, peeked over and winked mischievously. "Hey, isn't this Huawei's latest MP3 player? I heard it costs over a thousand! Who gave it to you, Lao Yao?" She leaned closer to take a look.

Why was Li Mei so certain that this was a gift from someone else to Wang Huijuan? Because as her good friend, she knew that Wang Huijuan was a girl from the mountains who was used to being frugal. How could she be so extravagant as to spend more than a thousand yuan on an MP3 player?

"Oh, I know, this must be a gift from Senior Brother Liu, right?" Li Mei teased, putting her arm around Wang Huijuan's shoulder.

"Hmm," Wang Huijuan replied in a barely audible voice, her face flushing again.

She stroked the small print engraved on the side of the MP3 player: "To my angle," and her heart raced again.

"Hehe, youngest, tell me how far you two have gotten?" Ma Yunfang, the second oldest in the dormitory, who was reading a book, put down her book and asked with a gossipy look on her face.

Wang Huijuan's face flushed even more, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. "We...we're just ordinary friends." Her voice trailed off, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

Li Mei exclaimed "Wow!" in an exaggerated tone, "Would an ordinary friend give such an expensive gift? And it even has 'To my angle' engraved on it?" She deliberately emphasized "angle," adding, "Senior Brother Liu's English isn't very good, but the thought behind it is so sweet!"

Ma Yunfang also came over and said mysteriously, "I heard that Senior Brother Liu rejected the department beauty's confession. It turns out he already had someone in his heart." She mischievously poked Wang Huijuan's cheek, "Looks like our youngest brother has quite the charm."

Wang Huijuan hurriedly hid the MP3 player under the covers, but then heard the dormitory door being pushed open.

The eldest sister, Zhang Li, walked in carrying a stack of books. Seeing the three of them huddled together, she asked curiously, "What are you talking about?"

"They're talking about the youngest child." Before Li Mei could finish speaking, Wang Huijuan covered her mouth.

The three girls were laughing and joking around. Zhang Li shook her head, but her gaze fell on the earphone wire peeking out from beside Wang Huijuan's pillow.

"Hey! You've upgraded your weapon, youngest brother?" Zhang Li exclaimed in surprise, snatching the MP3 from Wang Huijuan's hand.

As the eldest sister in the dormitory, she usually acts like a tomboy, always in a rush.

According to Zhang Li herself, this is just how local girls from Yanjing are.

Zhang Li skillfully pressed the buttons on the MP3 player, then suddenly widened her eyes: "Wow, isn't this a limited edition? Look, there's a serial number on the back!" She flipped the player over and sure enough, she found a line of gold-stamped numbers on the bottom.

The dormitory erupted in chaos.

Li Mei snatched the MP3 player and exclaimed, "My God! This must cost over two thousand! Senior Brother Liu is so generous!"

Wang Huijuan was so anxious that she stomped her feet and reached out to grab it, saying, "Give it back to me!" Before she could finish speaking, the dormitory phone suddenly rang.

Zhang Li answered the phone casually, then flashed a mischievous smile: "Little one, it's for you." She deliberately drew out her words, "It's—Brother—Liu—!"

Wang Huijuan blushed as she took the phone, and heard Liu Yunpeng's gentle voice coming from the receiver: "Are you getting used to using the MP3 player? I forgot to tell you, you can switch sound effect modes by long-pressing the right button."

"Yes, it works very well." Wang Huijuan's voice was barely audible, her fingers unconsciously twirling the telephone cord.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Liu Yunpeng seemed to take a deep breath: "Actually, besides watching the game, I also want to take you somewhere." His voice suddenly became very soft, "It's the old house of our Liu family. It's a particularly beautiful place."

Wang Huijuan felt her heart pounding so hard it was about to burst out of her chest, and the cheers from her roommates seemed to have faded away.

She gazed at the deepening twilight outside the window and softly said, "Hmm, isn't this a bit too hasty, Senior Brother?..."

After hanging up the phone, all three roommates surrounded him.

Zhang Li waved the MP3 player in her hand, raised an eyebrow and said, "Youngest brother, looks like we need to prepare some money for the wedding gift?"

Wang Huijuan buried her face in the pillow in embarrassment, but then she heard the chorus of "Starry Sky" playing on her MP3 player: "Hand in hand, one step, two steps, three steps, four steps, looking at the sky."

Zhang Li's expression suddenly hardened. She gently pushed Li Mei aside, walked straight to Wang Huijuan's bedside, and sat down steadily.

“Youngest sister,” she took a deep breath and looked intently at Wang Huijuan, “as your eldest sister and your best friend, there’s something I have to tell you.”

Wang Huijuan was bewildered by the sudden serious atmosphere. She subconsciously sat up and looked at Zhang Li's tense face with confusion.

"Boss, you say it." She tilted her head slightly, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation and unease.

Li Mei and Ma Yunfang exchanged a questioning glance, silently waiting for Zhang Li to continue. They knew their roommate always had a reason for speaking, and she must have something important to say.

Zhang Li looked around at her three roommates, gently straightened her clothes, and said in a gentle but serious tone, "Xiao Hui, Mei Zi, Yun Fang, you all know that I am a native of Yanjing, and my family's financial situation is not bad, right?"

Wang Huijuan and the other two nodded in unison.

The designer handbags Zhang Li casually buys, the upscale restaurants she frequently treats to, and the sense of superiority she inadvertently reveals all silently tell of her family background, which is far more than just "good enough."

Zhang Li smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, "I'm telling you this not to show off. What you see now is just my most ordinary side. We're all good sisters, there's no need to hide anything."

"Actually, I'm just the kind of rich kid you often talk about. My father is the chairman of a listed company with a market value of over 10 billion." She said casually, her expression as indifferent as if she were talking about today's weather.

"My God! Boss, I never knew your family was so amazing!" Li Mei exclaimed excitedly, slapping the table with wide eyes. "You'll have to take good care of us sisters in the future!"

Ma Yunfang and Wang Huijuan looked at each other, speechless with shock. They came from ordinary working-class or farming families and had never even seen 10,000 yuan in cash, let alone imagined what such an astronomical figure as "10 billion" meant.

The two swallowed hard, as if they were listening to a fairy tale that seemed so far away.

"Ten billion? My goodness! My family is so rich, why would I need to go to school..."

"Exactly, exactly. You could spend it all in a lifetime, or even several lifetimes. Why are you working so hard, boss?"

Zhang Li couldn't help but smile upon hearing this, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes as she looked at her three excited sisters. Having grown up in luxury, she truly couldn't comprehend the awe that such an astronomical figure brought to ordinary people.

"Alright, let's get back to the main topic." She clapped her hands lightly, drawing everyone's attention back. "I'm not bringing this up to show off, but rather..." Before she could finish speaking, her gaze seemed to fall on Wang Huijuan.

The three of them immediately sensed the change in atmosphere and held their breath in unison.

Wang Huijuan felt a tightness in her chest, and an inexplicable palpitation made her unconsciously clench the hem of her clothes.

Zhang Li lowered her voice, her tone gentle yet cautious: "Youngest sister, I want to ask you, how much do you know about Senior Brother Liu's family background?" She deliberately slowed her speech, afraid that what she was about to say would startle the innocent girl in front of her.

Wang Huijuan was clearly taken aback, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes: "Senior Brother Liu? Is there anything special about his family background? I...I really don't know much about it." Her voice gradually faded, clearly bewildered by this sudden question.

Li Mei, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain herself. She suddenly stepped forward and interrupted rapidly, "Boss, what exactly happened? How did it suddenly involve Liu Yunpeng?" Her bright eyes were filled with urgency, and her fingers unconsciously tapped on the table, revealing her impatient nature.

Seeing Wang Huijuan's expression, Zhang Li smiled wryly and thought to herself, "Just as I expected!"

"When the youngest brother talks about Liu Yunpeng's family background, you'd better be prepared, because I'm afraid I'll scare you when I tell you."

Wang Huijuan's heart suddenly jumped into her throat, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the corner of the blanket.

The dormitory was so quiet that you could hear the rustling of the sycamore leaves outside the window.

Zhang Li took a deep breath and lowered her voice even further: "Liu Yunpeng's family background can only be described as extremely impressive. Compared to my family, which is so wealthy, it's like comparing a firefly to the bright moon."

You all know about Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone, right?
The high-tech development zone originated from Liujiazhuang, and the main body of Liujiazhuang is the Liu family.

The Liu family is one of the most prestigious families in Beijing, even in China and Asia, and is known as the 'Rothschild family of Asia'.

We are all college students and we basically know what kind of entity the Rothschild family is. They were once known as the 'Sixth Empire'.

Just imagine how powerful the 'Asian Rothschild family' would be!

Liu Yunpeng's ancestors were officials and scholars from the early Qing Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. However, due to the corruption of the bureaucracy in the late Qing Dynasty, his great-grandfather's family began to practice medicine and make a living...

Since the reform and opening up, Liujiazhuang has developed rapidly, with industries spanning finance, real estate, technology, biomedicine, culture and media, internet, infrastructure, mining, energy, hotels and tourism, retail, heavy industry, chemicals, automobiles, shipbuilding, and many other fields.

Zhang Li paused for a moment, then continued, "And Liu Yunpeng's father, Liu Zhenbang, is the current head of the 'Liu's Mining' Group, which is under the Liu family.

This mining group has a market capitalization of 4500 billion yuan, making it the largest privately-owned mining group in China and ranking among the top ten globally.

Li Mei gasped, scattering sunflower seeds all over the floor: "My God! Is this the 'Liu's Mining Group' that won the bid for a super copper mine in East Africa, which was reported on CCTV News a couple of days ago?"

Zhang Li nodded, looking at Wang Huijuan with a complicated expression: "Last year on the Forbes list, Mr. Li Jiacheng was ranked number one among Chinese people."

This is just the surface. In reality, the largest shareholder of 'Cheung Kong Holdings' in Mr. Li Jiacheng's hands is just a financial investment company under the Liu family. She hesitated for a moment. "Outsiders just don't understand the mystery of the Liu family."

As long-time residents of Beijing, my family knows a bit about it.

Thirty years ago, there was a local saying in Beijing called "Liu of Western Beijing," which referred to the Liu family of Liujiazhuang in the western part of Beijing.

This family has produced many talented individuals; if you follow current events... you'll often see members of the Liu family appearing on television news...

Honestly, such an awesome family is rare, even throughout history.

"Youngest, do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

Wang Huijuan's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her ears began to ring.

She remembered Liu Yunpeng always wearing seemingly ordinary but high-quality shirts, the understated Patek Philippe on his wrist, and the complex look in his eyes when he mentioned the old house.

It turned out that those items she mistook for high-quality replicas were actually genuine luxury goods.

Her fingers unconsciously traced the corner of the blanket, and memories of her time with Liu Yunpeng flashed through her mind—his effortlessly elegant speech, his encyclopedic knowledge of various luxury goods, and his expert ordering at that upscale restaurant.
"So," Wang Huijuan's voice trembled slightly, "I'm so ordinary, does he really like me?" This thought tore at her heart, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

She remembered Liu Yunpeng's focused gaze whenever he tutored her, his thoughtfulness in taking a detour to escort her back to her dormitory, and the hot porridge he brought her when she was sick. Could all of this have been for ulterior motives?
Seeing this, Zhang Li quickly grasped her hand: "Don't overthink it. We all know what kind of person Brother Liu is. It's just..." She hesitated, "...a large family like this must have very strict rules, and marriage is often not a matter of personal choice. I'm worried you'll get too deeply involved, and in the end..."

"I don't think the youngest child needs to worry about anything. What era are we living in now?"

Besides, I think Senior Brother Liu likes our youngest son.

Our department's most beautiful girl, Jiang Wenwen, has been pursuing Senior Liu for so long, but he hasn't shown any interest.

I think Senior Brother Liu is an upright person, he definitely wouldn't be messing with us youngest..."

Ma Yunfang chimed in, "Yes, yes, I've never heard of Senior Brother Liu having any scandals either..."

Wang Huijuan's tears finally welled up and rolled down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes hard, her voice choked with sobs, "But...but the gap between us is just too big. I'm just an ordinary girl from the countryside, I have to carefully budget even to buy a decent piece of clothing."

The dormitory fell silent for a moment, with only Wang Huijuan's suppressed sobs echoing in the air.

The sycamore leaves outside the window rustled, as if they too were sighing for this relationship.

Zhang Li sighed softly and put her arm around Wang Huijuan's shoulder: "Silly girl, matters of the heart are never that simple. Since Senior Brother Liu chose you, it means you have something that attracts him." She paused, her tone becoming firm, "However, I suggest you find an opportunity to have a good talk with him. Instead of overthinking here, you should listen to his true thoughts."

Li Mei also came over and handed over a tissue: "That's right, youngest brother, look how good Senior Brother Liu is to you. Last week when you had a cold, he skipped his major class to buy you medicine. That kind of sincerity isn't faked."

Wang Huijuan took the tissue, wiped away her tears, and her eyes gradually hardened. She took a deep breath: "You're right, I should trust my own judgment. But..." her voice lowered again, "...what if his family objects?"

Ma Yunfang suddenly slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "What's there to be afraid of! It's the 21st century now, and people are free to love! Besides, our youngest son is so outstanding, he gets scholarships every year, and he's a student council member. What makes him unworthy of her?"

Zhang Li nodded: "Second brother is right. However," she looked at Wang Huijuan meaningfully, "you need to be mentally prepared. Such a wealthy family will indeed have many rules and pressures that we cannot imagine."

(End of this chapter)