Zheng Juan's gaze pierced like two sharp swords, directed straight at Xiao Ran. A mocking curve appeared on her lips, and her voice carried a hint of disdain: "Xiao Ran, how dare you blame me? Who is this? Your new mistress? You're quite good at finding them, such a flashy one."
Liu Mei frowned slightly upon hearing this, but quickly regained her composure. She said sternly, "Ms. Zheng, please watch your words. As Xiao's attorney, I am here to fulfill my duties according to the law. Your previous remarks have constituted defamation, and I have the option to sue you. But considering we are all civilized people, I won't hold it against you. But please remember, if I hear similar remarks again, I will not be lenient."
Xiao Ran glanced at Zheng Juan's reaction, a fleeting smile flashed across his eyes but was quickly concealed. He patted Liu Mei's shoulder gently, signaling her not to be angry. Then, he turned to Zheng Juan and said with a teasing tone, "Zheng Juan, this is Liu Mei, Liu Attorney, my legal representative. She is not only beautiful but also exceptionally capable in her profession. You should get to know her better."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Juan's face darkened. She had originally thought Liu Mei was just Xiao Ran's new mistress, but she never expected her to be a lawyer. Moreover, from Liu Mei's earlier demeanor, she was clearly not just any ordinary lawyer. Zheng Juan regretted her earlier words, realizing they had been a bit excessive.
However, she quickly regained her composure. With a cold smile, she looked at Xiao Ran and said, "Xiao Ran, you think finding a lawyer can change anything? I'll tell you, tomorrow I will hire a lawyer to file an application to the court to freeze your assets. I'll see how you can continue to be arrogant without money!"
Xiao Ran's smile grew broader upon hearing this. He shook his head and said, "Zheng Juan, you are truly naive. Do you think freezing my assets will make me surrender? Let me tell you, my assets are not just what you see. Even if you can freeze my assets, I have plenty of ways to deal with it. However, don't forget our agreement. If you dare to violate it, the consequences will be severe."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Juan's heart tightened. She knew exactly what agreement Xiao Ran was referring to. She had to sign an extremely unfavorable agreement with Xiao Ran in order to get a divorce. If she violated the agreement now, she would face significant losses. Thinking about this, Zheng Juan regretted her earlier impulse.
Nevertheless, she quickly regained her composure. She looked coldly at Xiao Ran and said, "Xiao Ran, you think you've won? I'll tell you, this game is not over yet. Our grievances are far from settled! Enjoy yourself now, because soon you will know what pain truly feels like!" With that, Zheng Juan turned and walked away, leaving Xiao Ran and Liu Mei smiling at each other.
Xiao Ran chuckled, a playful curve forming on the corner of his lips. He looked at Zheng Juan and said indifferently, "Alright, you can try. See if you can freeze my assets tomorrow." His voice carried a hint of provocation, as if mocking Zheng Juan's ignorance and arrogance.
Zheng Juan's face instantly flushed red. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She pointed at Xiao Ran angrily, her voice trembling, "You think you can just freeze my assets? The court is not your personal playground!" Her voice echoed throughout the dining room, filled with resentment and anger.
Xiao Ran remained unaffected. He glanced at Zheng Juan coldly, as if looking at a child throwing a tantrum. He chuckled, his voice filled with disdain, "Just wait and see."
Infuriated by Xiao Ran's attitude, Zheng Juan turned away angrily, her steps hurried and heavy. She hadn't even eaten dinner, but she felt as if she were already full from anger. Her mood was like a sea tossed by a storm, turbulent and impossible to calm.
Xiao Ran watched Zheng Juan's retreating figure with a playful smile. He turned to Liu Mei, a flash of gratitude in his eyes. Liu Mei was his lawyer, a woman who was intelligent, resourceful, and understanding. She had been supporting him silently, providing him with legal assistance.
"Thank you," Xiao Ran said softly, his voice filled with sincerity and gratitude.
Liu Mei smiled gently, her eyes sparkling with wisdom. She deliberately moved her chair closer to Xiao Ran, making their actions seem intimate as if they were a couple. However, they were not discussing anything important, merely chatting casually and sharing their thoughts and feelings.
All of this was done to make Zheng Juan see. Zheng Juan had always held a grudge against Xiao Ran, believing him to be an irresponsible and idle person. However, Xiao Ran was proving his worth and abilities with his actions. He not only wanted to make the Zheng family unhappy and lose money, but also wanted them to see his determination and resilience.
When Zheng Juan saw the seemingly intimate interactions between Xiao Ran and Liu Mei, she felt a surge of jealousy and anger. Her eyes widened, staring at them intently as if trying to see through them. However, Xiao Ran and Liu Mei paid no heed to her gaze, continuing to enjoy each other's companionship and conversation.
"Dad, Mom, you guys eat. I'm going back now," Zheng Juan finally stood up, unable to contain her anger. She grabbed her bag and walked away, her voice filled with dissatisfaction and fury as if she wanted to vent all her emotions.
Xiao Ran watched Zheng Juan's departing figure with a sense of satisfaction. He knew he had achieved his goal—he had successfully made the Zheng family unhappy and lost money. However, he was not content with this, as he knew that the battle was far from over. He would continue to strive until the Zheng family fell apart completely.
Xiao Ran sat at the dining table, looking at Liu Mei opposite him. A feeling of indescribable emotion welled up in his heart. She was beautiful like a painting, with bright eyes that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts, and her smile was like a spring breeze, warming the heart. Her figure was so perfect that one couldn't tear themselves away from it, every curve seemed to be carefully crafted.
"Here, try this dish," Xiao Ran smiled and pushed a plate of delicious food in front of Liu Mei. Liu Mei nodded slightly and gently picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. A trace of satisfaction flashed across her eyes.
After the meal, Xiao Ran hailed a taxi for Liu Mei and watched her disappear into the night. Walking home alone, he couldn't help but recall Liu Mei's figure in his mind. This woman, beautiful and understanding, seemed to have a unique charm that drew people towards her involuntarily. However, Xiao Ran knew that he no longer had the heart to talk about feelings.
In this post-apocalyptic era, survival was the most important thing. Xiao Ran knew in his heart that he had to be fully prepared to face the challenges ahead. He returned to his neighborhood and looked around at the silent scenery, a chill rising in his heart.
He knew that the world had undergone earth-shaking changes. After the apocalypse, it had been raining hailstones non-stop, as if the whole world was being frozen. Thick clouds covered the sky, preventing the sun's rays from penetrating, making the world cold and dark.
In such an environment, a strong physique became crucial. Xiao Ran decided to start working out to enhance his physical fitness. He knew that only with a strong body could he better cope with the challenges in the post-apocalyptic world.
At the same time, weapons were also essential. Xiao Ran was clear that in this post-apocalyptic era, food and weapons were the keys to survival. He must have enough weapons to protect himself from possible dangers.
However, in a country like China, ordinary people couldn't purchase guns freely. This made Xiao Ran feel somewhat helpless. He knew that if he went abroad, he might be able to get guns, but the foreign countries were too dangerous, and he didn't want to take risks.
Nevertheless, Xiao Ran didn't give up. He thought of a plan - to go to a shooting range. He could practice his shooting skills there and use his spatial gate ability to collect bullets. He only needed to open the spatial gate in front of the gun, and when the bullet was fired, he could immediately collect it. This could save a lot of bullet costs and ensure his safety.
Xiao Ran decided to take action. He spent a lot of time and money practicing his shooting skills and collecting bullets at the shooting range. He knew that the process would be long and boring, but he had to persist for survival.
As time went by, Xiao Ran gradually mastered the shooting skills and collected a large number of bullets. These bullets were stored in a safe place for emergency use. At the same time, he also purchased some other weapons such as knives and sticks to prepare for unexpected situations.
During this process, Xiao Ran also realized some problems. He knew that if he exposed the fact that he had a lot of food and weapons, it would inevitably attract the greed and siege of others. Therefore, he had to keep a low profile and be prepared to deal with possible dangers at any time.
In this post-apocalyptic era, Xiao Ran understood a truth: only by constantly working hard, learning, and making progress could one survive. He would continue to strive to improve his abilities and prepare for the challenges that would come.
In the silent night, Xiao Ran walked alone on his way home, his heart filled with complex emotions. His steps were firm, but his thoughts were tangled like a mess of threads. The streetlights along the way cast his lonely shadow, elongating it as if telling his story.
As the hands of the clock pointed to a little past ten, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Liu Mei. The content was simple and direct, only two words: "Goodnight." Upon seeing this message, Xiao Ran couldn't help but recall the days when he pursued Zheng Juan. Back then, he would send ten messages and only receive a reply after more than half an hour. Now, the situation had completely reversed, leaving him feeling incredibly sentimental.
"Money, it really is a good thing," Xiao Ran muttered to himself, a self-mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He understood that in the face of nearly 400 million yuan in wealth, even goddesses like Liu Mei became proactive. However, he didn't intend to be a卑微的舔狗 (a desperate and submissive person in a romantic relationship) like before. Instead, he wanted to become the harvester of goddesses, controlling his own destiny.
As the night deepened, Xiao Ran lay in bed, his thoughts spinning. He knew that this night was destined to be long and tormenting for Zheng Juan. She must have been tossing and turning, her mind filled with thoughts of the 12 million yuan debt, his arrogant demeanor in front of her, and the intimate scenes between Liu Mei and himself. Xiao Ran could even imagine Zheng Juan being so anxious that she couldn't sleep.
Indeed, the very next morning, Zheng Juan couldn't wait to call Han Tao, urging him to check Xiao Ran's bank account. An hour later, Han Tao called back, his voice颤抖 (trembling) with shock and disbelief.
"Have you checked?" Zheng Juan asked anxiously.
"I have," Han Tao's voice was unsteady.
"How much?" Zheng Juan's heart raced, almost leaping out of her chest.
"You'd better brace yourself," Han Tao's words made Zheng Juan even more tense.
"Just tell me, how much?" Zheng Juan almost shouted, her voice filled with expectation and tension.
"Your ex-husband's bank transactions in the past six months, or more precisely, in the past two days, have reached nearly 400 million yuan!" As soon as Han Tao finished speaking, Zheng Juan felt a wave of dizziness. She could hardly believe her ears. 400 million? How could that be possible? She stood there, stunned, unable to regain her composure.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy and the phone slipped from her hands. She reached out to pick it up but accidentally knocked over a glass of water beside her. The glass hit the floor, making a crisp sound, and then rolled away. Zheng Juan stared blankly at the broken pieces and water stains on the ground, her heart filled with shock and unease. She understood what this number meant to her. Her former husband, the man she had once despised for his poverty and humility, now possessed such a huge fortune. This left her feeling incredibly shocked and uneasy.
However, she knew even more clearly that this wealth had nothing to do with her. She had once looked down on Xiao Ran, even mocking his poverty and humility. Now, she had to scramble and worry about the 12 million yuan debt. This reversal and contrast filled her with immense pain and helplessness.
Zheng Juan sat on the floor, hugging her knees, her heart filled with endless regret and remorse. She understood what she had missed and knew that she could never win back the man who had once deeply loved her. However, nothing could be changed anymore. She could only silently bear the pain and helplessness of this situation and continue moving forward.