Wei Yanze hung up the phone when a well-dressed man in his thirties approached him, a self-satisfied smile on his lips.
Wei Yanze anxiously looked around, searching for familiar classmates, unsure of where they had gone. His gaze landed on a sea of strangers.
“Hello, are you a student from D University?” the man asked softly.
Wei Yanze stiffly nodded, “Sir, what do you need?” His tea-colored eyes were filled with anxiety, resembling a helpless little rabbit that made one want to tease it.
“My name is Fan Shang. I am an agent from Fanyin Entertainment. Are you interested in becoming a star?” Fan Shang said, pulling a business card from his folder and placing it in front of Wei Yanze.
Wei Yanze shook his head and replied, “No need for the card. I’m not interested in being a star.”
Fan Shang’s fingers froze; it was the first time someone had rejected him.
“Okay, I respect your decision.” He retracted the business card. “What is your major? Why are you here alone?”
Wei Yanze glanced at the half-completed sketch he was working on and replied, “I’m sketching.” After this, he ignored Fan Shang and moved closer to his easel, picking up his brush to outline the lines.
Fan Shang stood persistently beside him, while Wei Yanze immersed himself in his drawing, completely unaware of the person next to him.
A male classmate from the fashion design department returned with some water and noticed an older man gazing at Wei Yanze with a strange expression. He immediately approached and said, “Sir, please do not disturb his creativity.”
Fan Shang pulled back his gaze. “And you are?”
“I’m his classmate. Do you know him?” The male classmate warily refrained from mentioning Wei Yanze’s name.
Fan Shang smiled faintly, remaining silent.
The classmate knew that Wei Yanze was good-looking and worried that Fan Shang might have ulterior motives, so he stood beside Wei Yanze, ready to watch closely, glaring at Fan Shang whenever he made a move.
Fan Shang answered a phone call, regrettably saying, “It seems I can’t continue to watch you paint. If fate allows, we will meet again.”
Once Fan Shang left, Wei Yanze sighed in relief and said to his classmate, “Thank you for staying with me. I was a bit scared of that man and didn’t dare to speak to him.”
The classmate quickly waved his hands, his face turning bright red. “It’s nothing, it’s what I should do. We are classmates, after all.”
Wei Yanze smiled faintly, and the classmate felt a flutter in his heart, realizing that Wei Yanze was truly adorable and gentle, making one want to protect him.
With the crisis resolved on Wei Yanze’s side, Shuai Chang hung up his phone and walked into the bedroom, where he saw Ding Jie trying to reach for a toy on top of a wardrobe. She was on her tiptoes, her arms raised, her shirt riding up to reveal a narrow waist.
Shuai Chang asked, “Ding Jie, what are you trying to get?”
Ding Jie jumped slightly at his voice, turning her fair face slightly flushed. “Mr. Zhou, I saw two little bears on the wardrobe that would be perfect for Cheng Xing, so I wanted to see if I could get them down.”
“Oh, that’s easy.” Shuai Chang went to the bathroom, took out a broom, and knocked the two bears down.
“They’ve collected dust up there. Make sure to wash them before giving them to Cheng Xing.”
Ding Jie tried to appear normal, smiling gently. “Thanks to Mr. Zhou, it’s so much easier having a man at home. There are some things Shuang Er just can’t handle.” As she spoke, Ding Jie furrowed her brow, clearly a person with a story, intriguing enough to want to delve deeper.
However, among those filled with curiosity, Shuai Chang was not one of them. He waved his hand and picked up Zhou Cheng Xing, who was gnawing on his fingers in the crib. “You wash the bears first; I’ll take Cheng Xing out to play for a while.”
Ding Jie nodded absentmindedly, and once Shuai Chang’s figure disappeared, her expression twisted into a sinister scowl.
She didn’t understand what made Wei Yanze so special. Both of them were Shuang Er, so why did Zhou Zhenting only have eyes for him? She was also good-looking and charming.
Ding Jie didn’t believe that there existed a man who could possess a beauty yet remain uncharmed. Today was likely just because Zhou Zhenting hadn’t realized it; after a few more attempts, she could undoubtedly replace Wei Yanze as Zhou’s daughter-in-law.
She dedicated herself to helping Wei Yanze take care of the kids, all to win their affection. Once Wei Yanze left, she could teach the children wholeheartedly, and someday, Wei Yanze’s two kids would become her own.
For the next few days, Ding Jie would subtly flirt in front of Shuai Chang, but alas, he was oblivious. No matter how obvious Ding Jie’s advances were, he simply could not perceive them.
Ling Tuan got fed up and said to Shuai Chang, “Handsome, can’t you be a bit more aware? Ding Jie is flirting with you every day, yet you’ve failed to notice. If it weren’t for me, he could easily drug you and you’d be in trouble.”
Shuai Chang replied, “Ding Jie? Flirting with me? What are you talking about? She’s just a hired nanny to look after the kids. What is she trying to flirt with me for? Does she expect me to divorce Yanze and marry her?”
Ling Tuan exclaimed, “Congratulations, you’re correct! Applause!”
Ling Tuan continued, “I checked into Ding Jie’s background earlier. At sixteen, she was deceived by a bad man, got pregnant, and lost the baby. She can no longer have children. Ding Jie loves kids, and since you and Wei Yanze have two kids, if she replaces Wei Yanze, wouldn’t those children become hers?”
Shuai Chang frowned. “Are you sure?” If that was the case, Ding Jie couldn’t stay any longer.
But he had a good relationship with Wei Yanze, and to avoid hurting his feelings, he needed to come up with a good plan.
Ling Tuan assured him, “I guarantee it with my integrity!”
Shuai Chang felt it was necessary to inform Zhou’s mother about this matter.
Almost as soon as Shuai Chang mentioned it, Zhou’s mother slammed her hand on the table in anger: “I thought Cheng Xing’s routine had changed lately, it must be Ding Jie’s doing. You’re worried about hurting Yanze’s feelings? She’s just a fake friend. If something happens to the child, who do you think Yanze will side with? Leave this to me; don’t get involved, and act like you don’t know anything.”
That night after the family finished dinner, Zhou’s mother called Ding Jie to her room for a talk. No one knew what they discussed, but when Ding Jie emerged, she wore a cold expression as she packed her belongings and left Zhou’s residence in Uncle Li’s car.
Later in the evening, Shuai Chang went to pick up Wei Yanze, who stood under the yellow streetlight at the school gate, immediately brightening up with a smile when he saw him. Shuai Chang drove up to him, and through the car window, asked, “How was your day? Are you tired?”