You tricked me into raising your son? You'll divorce me and become my aunt.

Ruan Ning went downstairs after having dinner with Cheng Xi and Gu Mingzhou.

Ruan Ning stopped in her tracks when she saw the man smoking by the roadside downstairs.

Cheng Xi followed Ruan Ning's gaze and her face darkened.

"Why hasn't he left yet? Is he waiting for you here?"

Before he finished speaking, Fu Tingchen walked towards them.

"Finished eating? Come home with me."

Ruan Ning: "I won't go back for now."

Why?

Ruan Ning said coldly, "I'm going to stay at Xi Xi's house for a few more days."

Fu Tingchen frowned slightly, his thin lips pressed into a cold, hard line. "Ruan Ning, you've been staying outside for too long. It's time to go back."

"I think it's great to live outside."

Cheng Xi couldn't stand it anymore and said angrily, "Fu Tingchen, can you stop being so stupid? Do you really not know why Ningning doesn't want to go back?"

"You let Bai Xinyao bully Ningning, lost her cat, made it impossible for her to stay at home, and forced her to move out. Now that she's moved out to make things easier for you and Bai Xinyao, you come here pretending to take her back. What exactly do you want?"

Fu Tingchen pursed his lips and said to Ruan Ning, "I'm sorry about what happened before."

"If apologies were enough, what would we need the police for?" Cheng Xi rolled her eyes at him. "Stop pretending. Why should Ningning go back and suffer?"

Fu Tingchen insisted, "I must pick her up and take her home tonight."

Cheng Xi was furious at his appearance and wanted to scold him again, but Ruan Ning stopped her.

Ruan Ning had promised Jin Manrong that she would keep the divorce a secret.

If she insists on not going back, Fu Tingchen and Bai Xinyao will definitely notice something amiss.

Ruan Ning said coldly, "Fine, I'll go back with you."

Cheng Xi looked at her in disbelief, her face filled with astonishment: "Xiao Ning?"

"It's nothing." Ruan Ning turned to look at her friend.

Upon hearing the reply, Fu Tingchen's tense jaw relaxed slightly, and the melancholy in his eyes dissipated somewhat.

After saying goodbye to Cheng Xi and Gu Mingzhou, Ruan Ning walked to Fu Tingchen's car, bent down, and got in.

Speechless all the way.

Twenty minutes later, the car arrived at Yunjinju.

The two entered the villa's lobby one after the other.

When Bai Xinyao saw Ruan Ning return, a cold glint flashed in her eyes, but she then pretended to say, "Tingchen and Xiao Ning, you're back."

Bai Xinyao was dressed in white loungewear, her long hair loosely tied up, her eyebrows and eyes curved, looking completely harmless.

Ruan Ning did not speak.

Fu Tingchen hummed in agreement.

Bai Xinyao then said insincerely, "Xiao Ning, you're finally back. I missed you so much while you were away. I looked forward to your return every day."

Ruan Ning didn't even bother with a perfunctory response.

She rolled her eyes and walked past Bai Xinyao upstairs.

Ruan Ning returned to her bedroom.

The room was clean and tidy, and all her belongings were neatly arranged in their original places without being moved.

She is exactly the same as she was when she left.

Her usual skincare products were also displayed on the dressing table.

In the closet, the clothes she hadn't taken were hung neatly.

Ruan Ning felt a little surprised.

She thought that since she hadn't been back for so long, Bai Xinyao had already thrown away all her things.

After washing up, Ruan Ning went to bed early.

Not long after, Fu Tingchen came in.

"Are you asleep?" the man asked softly.

"Why are you here?" Ruan Ning sat up and looked at him warily.

Fu Tingchen was stung by Ruan Ning's guarded expression, his eyes darkening. "This is our room. I'm your husband. Can't I come?"

Aren't you afraid Bai Xinyao will get jealous?

Fu Tingchen walked over and said, "What are you saying? You and I are husband and wife. Xinyao is just a friend staying here. Why would I be afraid of her being jealous?"

Ruan Ning said coldly, "Go sleep in the next room."

Fu Tingchen frowned. "Why?"

"I have poor sleep quality and am used to sleeping alone. I can't fall asleep if there's even the slightest noise. I'm not used to sleeping with someone."

"Didn't you sleep with Cheng Xi at her house?"

"I didn't sleep with her; I slept on the sofa in the living room."

Fu Tingchen was skeptical.

Ruan Ning insisted, "You can sleep here if you want, I'll sleep in the next room."

"Fine, I'll go. You can sleep here."

After saying that, Fu Tingchen left the room.

The man closed the door and turned around, only to find Bai Xinyao standing in the doorway.

"Tingchen, are you sleeping with Ruan Ning tonight?"

"No," Fu Tingchen said, "I'll sleep in the next room."

Bai Xinyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Why don't you go sleep in Shuo Shuo's room? Shuo Shuo just told me he wanted to hear you tell him a bedtime story."

"it is good."

Ruan Ning overheard Bai Xinyao and Fu Tingchen's conversation at the door.

She scoffed coldly, not caring at all.

Without Fu Tingchen's disturbance, Ruan Ning slept soundly through the night without any dreams.

翌日清晨，天光微亮.

Ruan Ning has always maintained a regular schedule and woke up early.

She got up, washed up, changed her clothes, and went downstairs to prepare to go out.

The maid, seeing her, asked in surprise, "Madam, when did you get back?"

Ruan Ning: "Last night."

When she returned last night, the maid was already asleep.

The maid asked again, "Are you going out?"

"Okay, off to work."

"Madam, it's still early. Why don't you have some breakfast before you go?"

"No."

Having breakfast with Fu Tingchen and Bai Xinyao?

It's a miracle if you don't feel nauseous and vomit; it's no wonder you can't eat anything.

Ruan Ning drove to Gu Mingzhou's company building, parked her car, and grabbed a quick breakfast at a nearby shop.

I arrived at the lab just after 8:30.

Ruan Ning started work ahead of schedule.

By nine o'clock, my colleagues had all arrived one after another.

Near the end of the workday in the afternoon, Gu Mingzhou's secretary came to see Ruan Ning.

"Manager Ruan, President Gu wants to see you."

Ruan Ning put down her work and stood up. "Okay."

Ruan Ning went to Gu Mingzhou's office.

"Mr. Gu."

Gu Mingzhou nodded. "Sit down."

Ruan Ning sat down opposite Gu Mingzhou.

"The team members for the brain-computer interface project have been finalized."

As he spoke, Gu Mingzhou took out a document and handed it to Ruan Ning, "Take a look."

Ruan Ning's gaze swept over the densely packed names on the document.

When she reached the last page, her brow furrowed and her eyes turned cold.

"Bai Xinyao? How did she get involved?"

"Yes," Gu Mingzhou said. "I called to ask when I saw the list. She was added through Murong Yuan's connections. She's Murong Yuan's student now."

Ruan Ning frowned, her face pale. "It's settled?"

"Yes, it was finalized this morning, and there are no changes."