Chapter 14: The Midnight Call from the Empty Nest Elderly

Indeed, Mrs. Bai doesn't bat an eye at 60 million; it's as though it's just sixty bucks to her.

Bai Jiaoyue picked up some food with her chopsticks, her red lips parting slightly as she waited for Shen Fu's decision. She wanted to see if Shen Fu had the boldness of a hero and the level of trust he had in his wife.

Shen Fu didn't actually have such grand ambitions, but this time, he didn't let her down.

He slapped down several bank cards, "There should be more than 50 million in these, plus the card with your manuscript fees, adding up to about 60 million. Aside from the car and the house, and some investments that can't be touched, everything is here. I was planning to use it for expanding the company, but I'll give it to you first. I trust my wife."

Seeing that Bai Jiaoyue didn't take them, Shen Fu added, "Oh, the passwords for these two cards are your birthday, and these two are mine. You remember my birthday, right?"

Shen Fu was worried she really didn't know.

Bai Jiaoyue smiled faintly, "I'm your wife, how could I forget?"

"Hmph, if you forget, I'll take these two cards back," Shen Fu teased.

Bai Jiaoyue secured the bank cards then said, "Considering our marital relationship, let's not sign a contract. I'll pick a date to pay you back."

She was uncertain about the date because she didn't know when she could "come out." However, when investing in stocks, she built mathematical models, estimated a time, and then had the operators sell on time.

This approach couldn't guarantee maximizing returns or timely adjustments, but it was a reluctant move for someone with alternating personalities.

Considering that Bai Xiaodie was online most of the time, she would leave a message for Xiaodie explaining her investment analysis. Xiaodie was in the business too, so she could perform some of the operations herself.

After this matter was settled, Bai Jiaoyue was in high spirits. She could have made the investment by herself, but anything under a hundred million felt somewhat insignificant. With Shen Fu's addition, this time she could go bigger.

Once an investment exceeds a hundred million, making money becomes much easier.

Starting from zero to achieve a modest goal is difficult, but using a modest goal to earn another one is much easier.

After finishing their meal, Bai Jiaoyue was eager to get back to Big Things, and Shen Fu signaled, "You're leaving just like that? Haven't you forgotten something?"

Bai Jiaoyue gritted her teeth inwardly, but considering he was Xiaodie's lawful husband, she reluctantly pecked him on the cheek, leaving a noticeable red lipstick mark on Shen Fu's face.

Shen Fu was stunned, "I meant, aren't you going to pay? I'm broke now."

Bai Jiaoyue nearly ground her teeth to bits, "I'm rushing to make money for you, you pay yourself, haven't I given you pocket money usually!"

With that, Mrs. Bai walked away, her high heels clicking as if they were clattering away in a huff, infuriated for swooping in to kiss him!

Watching his graceful wife's retreating figure, Shen Fu chuckled. Xiaodie had also tried such high heels, but she couldn't walk steady. Yet when Bai Jiaoyue wore them, she moved with sprightly ease!

Next, Shen Fu went to the hospital to change his dressing, recovering well, and he'd be able to get the stitches removed at his next visit.

Once he was home, Shen Fu strolled over to the nearby Zizhu Park, planning to space out by the river, and contemplate the follow-up plot of his novel. As a writer, his core competency remained his work.

He had just sat down for a while when a middle-aged woman approached him, struck by his almost ethereal handsomeness, and started a conversation, "Young man, do you have a partner? My daughter..."

Before she could finish describing the outstanding qualities of her daughter, Shen Fu silently turned the other half of his face to her—clearly revealing a vivid red lipstick mark. Shen Fu smiled subtly, his silence saying it all.

After the woman left, Shen Fu narrowed his eyes and sat on the long wooden bench, continuing to enjoy the gentle summer breeze, eventually falling asleep right there.

When he woke up, he realized he hadn't had any inspiration at all. Had he known, he would have been better off fishing here, maybe even adding a course to his dinner.

Checking the time, Xiaodie should be off work by now. Her workplace wasn't far, and she usually rode a shared bike for her commute. But these days were not like before, and Shen Fu felt that he should pay more attention to his wife and take better care of her.

"Hello, Xiaodie, let me pick you up from work later."

"No need," the other side answered crisply, "I'm not coming home to sleep tonight."

"What!?"

"I am trading U.S. stocks, so I need to work at night. To be in the best condition, I booked a hotel room to concentrate on my work."

"But we have spare rooms at home, too. You can work, and I won't disturb you," Shen Fu promised.

However, Bai Jiaoyue didn't trust a man's broken promises. She had the misfortune of spending a short time with Shen Fu during the height of their passionate relationship. Just a few minutes with him, and she felt like she was almost devoured alive, nearly causing her to flip out.

If Bai Shengnan had been in that situation, she probably would have had the heart to chop him into pieces.

Of course, as lovers, those actions were not bad in themselves, after all, they had been intimate. But for Bai Jiaoyue, those acts were unacceptable and indecent, and she would never allow it to happen a second time.

Therefore, Mrs. Bai resolutely refused to live under the same roof as Shen Fu. The daytime was acceptable, but never at night!

Shen Fu also understood why Bai Jiaoyue chose to flee the home. If she had seen the explanatory video that Xiaodie shared, maybe they could have cleared things up, and these worries wouldn't exist. It was all the fault of the person who deleted the video.

However, Shen Fu could still conclude that Bai Jiaoyue wasn't the one who deleted the video. He could eliminate her and Bai Shanshan from suspicion.

Thinking it over, Shen Fu said, "Since you've decided, I support you, but we must have a video call before you go to bed. I need to be sure you're safe."

Bai Jiaoyue replied indifferently, "I told you, I'm not sleeping tonight. Let's video call at ten o'clock, okay?"

"That's settled then. Be very careful when you're outside. Never open the door to strangers..." Shen Fu nagged on and on, fearing that a highly intelligent woman like Bai Jiaoyue lacked experience in dealing with the dangers of society.

Bai Jiaoyue put the phone on the table and waited for Shen Fu to finish. She muttered an "Oh," and hung up.

After Bai Jiaoyue, her niece Qian also didn't return home, deciding to stay overnight at Ugly Orange's mansion, which was worth over a hundred million.

Shen Fu showed understanding, since her new book was based on Ugly Orange, titled "Girl, Don't Move". It was essential for her to have a heart-to-heart with Ugly Orange.

But poor Shen Fu, alone in a 200-square-meter house, felt a loneliness resembling that of an empty nester.

Fortunately, he had books for company. Reading and drinking tea, he passed the time until ten o'clock.

During the video call with Bai Jiaoyue that lasted two minutes, she took the initiative to end it. Cleverly, she did not aim the camera outside the window to prevent Shen Fu from identifying her location by landmarks.

This showed that she was still somewhat cautious of the outside world.

After hanging up, Shen Fu recorded the details of his interactions with Bai Jiaoyue that day, including their joint investment in the stock market, as well as the stockings, lipstick, and high heels, meticulously noting everything to show to Xiaodie the next day.

Today, he truly was without a wife. Shen Fu struggled to fall asleep, only to be awakened by a phone call.

"Hello, who is this?"

"I've seen your wife! She's at Kunlun Hotel Room 1024. Hurry up and go there!"