novelraw Chapter 203: Going to His Home
Chapter 203: Going to His Home
Green Oasis Garden Residential Complex.
“Guixiang, don’t be mad. Ruanruan is your daughter. Don’t you know her personality by now?”
“Honestly, I think it’s a good idea for you two to live apart for a while. Give her time to calm down and reflect on her future.”
…
Aunt Wen Lan sat on the sofa, trying to comfort Qian Guixiang, who sat with a grim expression, her face tight and unspeaking.
This time, Wen Ruan had gone too far. She had completely embarrassed her family in front of their relatives, even dragging her aunt into the fiasco.
Given Wen Ruan’s looks, career, education, and personality, she had high standards when it came to blind dates.
On her father’s side, due to the fallout from a failed relocation project, many relatives were still renting homes and struggling financially.
This meant matchmaking prospects had always been handled by Qian Guixiang’s side of the family, especially her elder sister, Wen Ruan’s aunt.
Her aunt’s family owned a hot pot restaurant and had successful children who were well-connected. Previous introductions, such as Gu Cheng and now Zhao Zidong, had all been arranged by her aunt.Now, the fallout from this latest incident was spreading, and there was no way to contain it.
Wen Lan patted Qian Guixiang’s hand. “But you’re right; this time, Ruanruan really went overboard. I’ll talk to her seriously.”
“Talking is useless!” Qian Guixiang sighed bitterly, gritting her teeth. “She’s 30 already. She’s let so many good prospects slip by! Remember Xiao Li from a few years ago? Now he’s a leader at a state-owned enterprise and already has a two-year-old kid! Then there was Xiao Wang…”
“I only asked her to have dinner and watch a movie with Xiao Zhao last night, but she blew up on me! She kept talking nonsense about penthouses, Mercedes-Benzes, tall, handsome, and young guys—just to humiliate me!”
Thinking about it made Qian Guixiang’s chest tighten with frustration.
As Wen Ruan got older, it was getting harder to find suitable matches with excellent conditions.
Any man with such qualifications would prioritize girls in their early twenties. No matter how beautiful she was, Wen Ruan was still 30!
“This…” Wen Lan’s mouth twitched, and she couldn’t help but agree that her niece was being unrealistic. “Honestly, I always thought Gu Cheng was the most suitable match. He’s tall, good-looking, a financial manager earning 600,000–700,000 yuan a year, with fully paid-off property and a car.”
Thinking about Gu Cheng, Wen Lan felt a twinge of regret.
Of all the blind dates the family had arranged for Wen Ruan, Gu Cheng had been the most talked about and anticipated.
Even Qian Guixiang and her husband had believed the two would work out.
If her own daughter, Qiao Lina, had found someone like Gu Cheng, Wen Lan would have been overjoyed.
Qian Guixiang slapped her thigh, exasperated. “He sent her WeChat messages she didn’t reply to, and he invited her to dinner, which she refused. She even lied to us, claiming she had found someone more suitable. And we believed her nonsense!”
Wen Lan tried to console her. “Don’t get so worked up. Gu Cheng still seems interested in her. Maybe they can try again.”
“Sigh!” Qian Guixiang sighed heavily. “I’m not asking for much anymore. If she could just live as comfortably as Lina, I’d be satisfied.”
Wen Lan’s eyes curved in amusement. “She’s eating at Lina’s place today, right? I asked Lina to invite Xiaoman as well. Let them have a good chat and see Lina’s new home. Maybe Ruanruan will come to her senses.”
She was proud of her daughter’s new apartment in Yuanhe Mansion and often brought it up in conversations. Even today, part of her visit to comfort Qian Guixiang was an excuse to showcase Lina’s success.
Qian Guixiang shook her head, about to say something, when their phones simultaneously buzzed with notifications.
Wen Lan picked hers up, her eyes widening. “Guixiang, check the group chat! Since when does Ruanruan have a boyfriend? Who is this young man? I’ve never heard of him!”
“What do you mean, boyfriend?” Qian Guixiang quickly opened her phone.
[Xiaoman: Photo.jpg]
[Xiaoman: “We’re at Lina Sis’s place for lunch. Wen Ruan Sis brought her boyfriend along! He’s so nice and such a great match for her!”]
[Xiaoman: “What a perfect couple! Wishing them a lifetime of happiness and an early bundle of joy.”]
Below were several more flattering messages from Xiaoman, clearly ecstatic.
Qian Guixiang clicked on the photo, her expression shifting from shock to bewilderment.
In the picture, her daughter sat at the dining table beside a young man in a white shirt, who looked about 25 or 26. He was undeniably handsome, with bright eyes, a straight nose, and an impeccable smile.
The two were holding hands under the table, clearly caught in an intimate moment.
Judging by his appearance alone, Qian Guixiang was more than satisfied. Compared to her daughter’s previous blind dates, even Gu Cheng paled in comparison.
“Oh my, what a handsome young man!” Wen Lan nudged her. “Guixiang, do you know him?”
Qian Guixiang’s fingers trembled as excitement flushed her cheeks. “Never heard of him! That girl didn’t even tell us she has a boyfriend! If we’d known earlier, we wouldn’t have kept arranging blind dates!”
As Xiaoman’s revelation spread, the family group chat became lively.
Some congratulated them, others demanded details, and several tagged Qian Guixiang directly.
“No one ever mentioned this before?” Wen Lan’s eyes twinkled as she typed into the chat. [@Lina: Lina, what’s the deal with Ruanruan’s boyfriend?]
[Lina: “Mom, how would I know? It’s my first time meeting him too. His name is Tang Song. We’re having lunch here. If you’re curious, why don’t you and Aunt Guixiang come over and ask directly?”]
Qian Guixiang hesitated, shaking her head. “I’m not going. I’m her mother. She didn’t even tell me she has a boyfriend, just to spite me. If I rush over now, where’s my dignity? She’ll have to bring him home herself before I forgive her!”
Despite her words, her face no longer showed any trace of anger.
[Wen Lan: “Lina, Qinqin, try to gather some information about him. What’s his family background?”]
[Lina: “Sure, Mom.”]
Wen Lan looked thoughtful and said, “Guixiang, could it be that this young man is hiding his financial situation? Maybe his conditions aren’t great, and that’s why Ruanruan didn’t tell you.”
Qian Guixiang froze, her excitement tempered by doubt. “I… I don’t know…”
Her daughter had a decent salary and owned both a Lynk & Co 06 and a two-bedroom apartment in Green Oasis Garden under her name.
If she ended up with a man who had nothing to his name, her husband would certainly disapprove.
Moments later, her phone buzzed again.
[Qinqin: “Don’t worry! He’s doing fine. Tang Song drives a BMW 3 Series. Not sure about the rest yet, but we’ll find out.”]
“A BMW 3 Series?” Qian Guixiang’s face lit up with joy. “That’s great! I remember Qinqin’s boyfriend drives one too—those cost over 300,000 yuan!”
Wen Lan frowned. “But don’t you think it’s odd? After arguing with her family yesterday, Ruanruan suddenly shows up with a rich, handsome boyfriend. Doesn’t it seem a bit…convenient? Could this be fake?”
The comment wiped the smile off Qian Guixiang’s face.
Her daughter had always been headstrong. Could she really have staged something like this?
Wen Lan picked up her phone. “I’ll call Lina and have her check carefully. See if the car is his, whether he has a house, and what he does for work.”
Yuanhe Mansion Complex.
Qiao Lina put down her phone and returned to the dining table without revealing her conversation.
Across the table, Wen Ruan was carefully peeling shrimp for Tang Song and occasionally adding food to his plate. The two appeared extremely close.
Based on her knowledge of her cousin, Qiao Lina felt certain this relationship wasn’t a sham—at least not on the emotional front.
While chatting with the group, she glanced at Chen Hao and asked with a smile, “Chen Hao, you’re in administration, right? Is your work usually busy?”
Before Chen Hao could reply, Wen Qinqin nudged him playfully with her shoulder. “Busy? Not at all! He works for a state-owned enterprise managing inventory and logistics. Nine to five, full benefits—it’s enough to make me drool with envy.”
“That’s great! And your house is in Qiaoxi District, isn’t it?”
Chen Hao sipped his drink, smiling slightly. “Yes, in the Royal Court Neighborhood on Huai’an West Road.”
“Oh, I’ve been there before!” Qiao Lina exclaimed. “It’s a nice area—low density, pedestrian-friendly, with decent amenities.”
“It’s not bad,” Chen Hao replied modestly. “We were assigned two units there during the relocation project, so there wasn’t much choice. Otherwise, I’d prefer living in the city center.”
Wen Qinqin beamed. “The city center is the best! Convenient transportation, excellent schools, abundant shopping… I really envy you, Lina Sis.”
Qiao Lina chuckled, the pride in her eyes unmistakable. “Yuanhe Mansion is good, but it’s not exactly a high-end complex—just a matter of location. If you both work hard, you might consider Yanjing Huating in the future. It’s right next to our complex and feels like a park inside.”
“Yanjing Huating?” Wen Qinqin stuck out her tongue. “Forget it. The houses there go for nearly 40,000 yuan per square meter. Who can afford that?”
Chen Hao stayed silent, unwilling to admit that even with his family’s decent circumstances, a 4–5 million yuan house was out of reach. The down payment was manageable, but the looming mortgage payments were a different story.
Zhang Ziqi glanced at Tang Song with a knowing look. She was well aware that Tang Song lived in a luxurious Yanjing Tiancheng penthouse nearby.
For him, what they considered unattainable might not even be a big deal.
“Tang Song,” she said suddenly, “which complex do you live in?”
Hearing this, Wen Qinqin and Chen Hao perked up, waiting for his answer.
Tang Song raised his head, speaking calmly. “It’s funny you mentioned it—I live in Yanjing Tiancheng, just next door.”
“…Huh?”
The table fell silent, and all three stared at him in disbelief.
They were well aware of Yanjing Tiancheng’s reputation as the most exclusive residential area in the city, surpassing even Yanjing Huating in prestige.
Wen Qinqin’s eyes widened. “Yanjing Tiancheng? Really?”
Before Tang Song could respond, Zhang Ziqi chuckled. “Of course, it’s true.”
Given his status, there was no need for him to fabricate such a thing.
Qiao Lina licked her lips nervously. “That’s a very upscale community. Few homes there are rented out. Did you…buy your place?”
Tang Song nodded casually. “I bought it five years ago when it was first built.”
Qiao Lina and Wen Qinqin exchanged stunned glances, swallowing hard.
This was no ordinary boyfriend Wen Ruan had brought along!
“Back in 2017, prices were sky-high, especially in Yanjing Tiancheng,” Qiao Lina said hesitantly. “The monthly mortgage must be astronomical, right?”
“I paid in full,” Tang Song said, shaking his head lightly.
The dining room fell silent again.
Chen Hao furrowed his brows, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face. What kind of show-off is this?
If he had fully paid for a Yanjing Tiancheng property five years ago, would he still be driving a BMW 3 Series like Chen Hao? Was he exaggerating?
Meanwhile, Chen Xiaoman’s sharp eyes darted around. Without missing a beat, she updated the family group chat. Updates are released by N()velFire.net
[Xiaoman: “Just asked. Brother-in-law Tang Song said he owns a house in Yanjing Tiancheng—paid in full!”]
The message sent shockwaves through the chat, with replies flooding in instantly.
“Ring, ring—”
Qiao Lina’s phone buzzed.
“I’ll step away to take this call,” she said, excusing herself and heading to the bedroom.
A few minutes later, she returned, resuming her role as host. She poured drinks and helped serve food, steering the conversation toward work and daily life.
As the meal wound down, she bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and finally said, “Since we’re so close, why don’t we visit your place afterward, Tang Song? I’ve never been inside Yanjing Tiancheng, and I’d love to see it.”
She had already confirmed from her earlier call that Tang Song lived alone. As Wen Ruan’s cousin, she felt justified in making such a request.
Her curiosity was twofold: partly driven by her mother’s insistence and partly out of personal interest. Despite his casual demeanor, Tang Song’s modest car and understated clothing left her wanting to verify his claims.
“Of course,” Tang Song agreed easily, turning to Wen Ruan. “Why don’t you come over, too? I’ve got a dedicated entertainment room with a PS5. Since you’re so good at games, you can teach me a few tricks.”
He winked at her, his gaze playful.
Wen Ruan flushed, nudging him lightly under the table with her foot.
“I want to go too!” Chen Xiaoman piped up, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve been dying to try out a PS5!”
“Me too!” Wen Qinqin added excitedly. “I can’t afford a house there, but I can at least visit one.”
“Count me in,” Zhang Ziqi said with a grin. She couldn’t wait to see everyone’s reaction when they realized Tang Song’s home was a sprawling penthouse.
Wen Ruan hesitated, torn between maintaining discretion and giving her family a glimpse into Tang Song’s life.
Before she could decide, Tang Song smiled. “Everyone’s welcome. I just installed a new laser projector and sound system. Watching movies there feels just like being in a theater.”
“Perfect!” Chen Xiaoman exclaimed, clapping her hands. “We can skip Xingyue City this afternoon. Let’s go have sodas and watch a movie!”
Hooking her arm through Tang Song’s, she bounced excitedly. “Come on, Brother-in-law, let’s head out now!”
Wen Ruan’s brows twitched slightly, but she didn’t object.
She knew the group chat had already spread the news, and there was no hiding it now.
Better to seize the opportunity, she thought. If my parents learn the truth about Tang Song’s wealth, they’ll have no grounds to criticize me later—even if things don’t work out between us.