After contracting to have a child, the icy female CEO became addicted.

Wen Ling: "?"

"Unlike you, Miss Wen, although I also graduated from a top university, I have a younger sister. After graduating from university, I started working and struggled in Beijing for six or seven years before I finally managed to gain a foothold. I just divorced my ex-husband recently. To be honest, if Jiang Ran hadn't been so handsome, I wouldn't have planned to start dating again anytime soon."

Having set aside the hostility, Li Yan recounted her past experiences in detail. Her tone was sincere, and her words were understandable to Wen Ling.

Like Li Yan, Wen Ling was initially attracted to Jiang Ran's height and appearance, but she never expected that she would later develop genuine feelings for him...

"Of course I want this villa, but you're a member of the Wen family. I'm not stupid enough to be unaware of my own limitations at my age."

Li Yan said very sincerely, "I think, Miss Wen, we shouldn't compete with each other. Since my position is suitable, I'll help you, and you can help me fulfill my dream of studying abroad, how about that?"

All the conditions were set by Li Yan.

Applying to go abroad isn't difficult; you can just throw money at it. Since Li Yan was able to establish herself in Beijing in six or seven years, she shouldn't be short of money...

Wen Ling narrowed her eyes: "I don't think you can't come up with two hundred thousand, can you?"

"I want to go to the United States."

Li Yan said directly, "Moreover, my spoken English isn't very good. I want to go abroad this year, and I need Miss Wen to help me find a translator, preferably someone younger, around the same age as Jiang Ran."

"..."

Is he the same age as Jiang Ran?

Wen Ling felt inexplicably annoyed.

But Li Yan's request really appealed to her.

Wen Ling could easily fulfill all of her conditions with a simple gesture, but...

"Tell me your plan."

Wen Ling felt that she still needed to hear Li Yan's thoughts first.

"I don't have any plans! I just ask Miss Wen to wait a bit tonight so that Jiang Ran and I can be alone together for one night."

"impossible."

Without any hesitation, Wen Ling refused outright.

There was no room for negotiation. As a cunning and treacherous woman herself, Wen Ling knew exactly what Li Yan was thinking.

When wealth is right in front of you, people's greed will be amplified infinitely.

Who knows what she'll do if she spends the night alone with Jiang Ran?

Do you want to be like her and force yourself on her?

As if she had anticipated Wen Ling's refusal, Li Yan shrugged and said, "It's just being alone in the same space. Give me one night, and I can guarantee you that Jiang Ran's attitude towards you will definitely change tomorrow."

"I can't give it to you!"

Wen Ling said decisively, "You can leave after you finish eating."

"Are you really that sure? Stop all the girls around him? That will only make him more annoyed with you."

Li Yan said somewhat helplessly, "Well then, I'll suggest visiting Jiang Ran's bedroom during dinner later. Of course, I'll close the door. Miss Wen, you can sit in the living room, or you can send someone over to supervise."

"..."

This time, Wen Ling didn't refuse; she simply analyzed the first half of Li Yan's statement.

indeed.

She was so certain that she had truly fallen for Jiang Ran because Wen Zhi and Deng Lanlan had always been by her side.

In particular, there was the appearance of Weng Bingyun.

It was only through comparing herself to those other men that she truly realized how precious Jiang Ran was.

However, for liking to arise from comparison, the prerequisite is that the other person likes you back.

Does Jiang Ran really like her?

Was he really depressed during the time he was at home?

Without saying whether she agreed or disagreed, Wen Ling simply changed the subject.

She cared more about Jiang Ran's opinion.

"Yes! He was so lost in thought while we were eating that he dropped his chopsticks several times. Lately, his mother has been asking me to invite Jiang Ran out, saying that Jiang Ran is in a bad mood. You can actually verify these things with Jiang Ran's parents."

Staring intently at Li Yan, Wen Ling knew she wasn't lying.

The happiness was fleeting, because in the brief pause of the conversation, Jiang Ran had already returned from shopping.

He carried a large package and placed it on the coffee table. Behind him, several chefs and servants led by Li Shu also came in carrying large and small bags of ingredients.

The group, in a grand procession, went to the kitchen with practiced ease, as if it were their own home.

Taking the things she wanted out of her bag, Li Yan smiled and waved to Jiang Ran, "What delicious food is available tonight?"

"I don't know, Sister Wen prepared them all."

Jiang Ran shook his head, sat down on the separate sofa, and didn't say anything more.

Li Yan put a mint in her mouth, her gaze lingering between Wen Ling and Jiang Ran.

During the cooking break, the three people on the sofa remained silent.

After the meal, Jiang Fengdie was handed over to Li Shu, and Wen Ling, Jiang Ran, and Li Yan went to the restaurant.

During the meal, none of the three people at the table spoke.

The atmosphere was unmistakably awkward.

After the meal, Li Yan finally broke the silence that had lasted for more than an hour by wiping her mouth with a damp towel.

"Xiao Ran, could you show me around here? This is my first time visiting such a big villa."

She never speaks aggressively, and her tone is always inquiring.

Such questions and probes are hard to refuse.

Jiang Ran hummed in agreement and then said to Wen Ling, "Go home early."

He then stood up and led Li Yan to the second floor.

Wen Ling, left alone in the restaurant, wanted to catch up immediately, but then she remembered Li Yan's words.

Wen Ling didn't think Li Yan would be stupid enough to stick to her after learning that she was from the Wen family.

Perhaps if we let Li Yan give it a try, things might actually turn around?

Suppressing the urge to chase after her, Wen Ling took out her phone and opened the surveillance video in the second-floor corridor...

......

The second floor of the villa.

After climbing the steps, Jiang Ran, who was walking ahead with his back to the ground, paused and stopped.

He turned around and looked at Li Yan behind him, his eyes darkening slightly.

His sudden stop puzzled Li Yan, especially since Jiang Ran was staring at her with those dark eyes, which made her feel inexplicably uneasy.

Li Yan composed herself and forced a smile. "W-what's wrong? Weren't you going to show me around the villa?"

Instead of answering her question, Jiang Ran simply asked, "Tell me, you've sent me away so many times today, and now you've found an excuse to call me out alone again. What exactly do you want to tell me?"