Chapter 16：The takeout was stolen

After a busy day receiving numerous wedding gifts and parcels, Xiao Ran finally returned to his residential community. The memory of the previous day was still vivid in his mind. Jia Yungui had already handed him the detailed renovation drawings, and he had successfully obtained the property ownership certificate, which meant that his home renovation project had officially kicked off.

To expedite the progress of the renovation, Xiao Ran promptly transferred another 20 million to Jia Yungui, urging him to purchase the necessary materials and start the construction. Although this amount of money was not insignificant for him, considering the prospect of a brand-new home, he felt it was all worthwhile.

Xiao Ran returned to his temporary rented apartment on the 15th floor, naturally needing to take the elevator. As he entered the elevator, the doors were slowly closing, but suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and a woman ran over, repeatedly pressing the upstairs button. The elevator doors reopened, and a fashionably dressed woman stepped in.

She exuded a fragrant scent, a subtle yet high-end perfume that left one wanting to sniff more. Her appearance was breathtaking, with delicate features and snow-white skin, exuding a captivating charm as if she had stepped out of a painting. Standing at about 168cm, she was slightly shorter than Xiao Ran's 178cm, but the two looked harmonious together.

After entering the elevator, the woman pressed the button for the 17th floor. The elevator was silent, only the fragrant scent filling the air, creating a pleasant ambiance. Xiao Ran stood at the back, his gaze inadvertently falling on the woman, admiring her voluptuous curves and elegant demeanor. In the past, he might have felt somewhat uneasy, but now, with his personality having undergone a significant transformation, he found himself quite comfortable with such admiration.

The woman seemed to sense Xiao Ran's gaze and turned to look at him. Suddenly, she asked, "Oh, are you Xiao Wuyi?" Xiao Ran was taken aback, wondering when he had acquired such a nickname. He shook his head with a smile, "I'm indeed Xiao Ran."

Upon hearing this, the woman covered her mouth with a giggle, her laughter clear and melodious, like a gentle spring breeze. Due to her slender figure, the entire elevator seemed to tremble with her laughter. She coughed slightly and introduced herself, "Hello, my name is Han Yun."

Xiao Ran nodded in response, "Hello, Miss Han Yun." Although they had only just met, Xiao Ran felt a sense of inexplicable familiarity with her.

The elevator continued its upward journey and soon reached the 15th floor. Xiao Ran nodded to Han Yun and stepped out of the elevator. He couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for their next encounter, perhaps signaling the beginning of a new chapter in their story.

Xiao Ran stood at his doorstep, the handle slightly warm as if it were speaking of his current anxiety. He had just descended from the skywalk, and the coolness of the evening breeze still lingered in his heart, but at the moment, his thoughts were entirely focused on the missing takeout.

He opened the door, and the familiar scent of home filled the air, but he had no heart to appreciate it. He walked straight to the sofa, sat down abruptly, and prepared to turn on the TV to distract himself from the unpleasantness. However, just as he was about to press the remote control, he paused. He remembered that on his way home, feeling lazy to cook, he had casually ordered a takeout, which should have been delivered already.

Immediately, he opened the takeout app, and indeed, the order status showed "delivered." He stood up, walked to the door, and scanned the corridor, but did not find the takeout anywhere. He furrowed his brows, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

He quickly contacted the delivery rider, who insisted over the phone that the food had been delivered and, to prove his innocence, sent a photo of the delivery. On the photo, the takeout was clearly visible, placed right at Xiao Ran's doorstep.

Xiao Ran was stunned. He had not seen the takeout at all. Could it really have been stolen? He recalled the online news about takeout theft, and a surge of anger rose in his heart. He never expected such bad luck to fall on him.

He ordered another takeout and decided to report the situation to the property management. The property manager, upon hearing that it was Xiao Ran, immediately led a team to his home. After all, Xiao Ran was not only the only villa owner in the neighborhood but also a lucky winner who had recently won 500 million yuan. They naturally could not afford to be indifferent.

The property manager retrieved the surveillance video, which clearly showed that at 5:07 pm, the delivery rider had delivered the takeout to Xiao Ran's doorstep, took a photo, and left. Then, the camera captured the door of 1501 next door opening, and a little boy stepping out. After playing on the corridor for a while, he suddenly spotted the takeout on the ground. Looking around to ensure no one was paying attention, he quickly picked it up and walked into his home.

"That's him!" Xiao Ran pointed at the little boy on the screen. The property manager nodded, indicating understanding. They immediately gathered a few people and headed to 1501.

"Who is it?" an impatient voice came from inside. The property manager knocked on the door and said, "Property management, here for a matter." Then, the door opened, revealing an old man with a puzzled look at the property manager. The property manager smiled and explained the purpose of their visit. Upon hearing that his grandson had stolen the takeout, the old man's face immediately darkened. He quickly called out his grandson and asked Xiao Ran to identify him.

The little boy stood before Xiao Ran, Lower your head and dare not look at him．Xiao Ran looked at the boy, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart. He knew that the boy might have acted out of curiosity and greed, but he couldn't let him off easily. After all, such behavior was immoral. He decided to teach the boy a lesson and let him know that stealing was wrong.

Xiao Ran's mood had relaxed with the comfort of his home, but when he walked to the sofa to turn on the TV and enjoy a relaxing time, he suddenly realized that his takeaway should have arrived. He opened his usual food delivery app and confirmed that the order status had already been marked as "delivered," but strangely, there was no sign of his anticipated delicacy at the door.

Xiao Ran furrowed his brows and walked to the door, looking around in confusion, trying to find the missing takeaway. Various possibilities flashed through his mind, the most unacceptable being that the food had been stolen. He recalled some news articles he had read online about stolen takeaways and never expected such misfortune to happen to him.

He quickly contacted the delivery rider, who insisted over the phone that the delivery had been made and even provided a photo as evidence. This made Xiao Ran even more convinced that the food had indeed been taken by someone else. A sense of anger welled up in him. This takeaway was not just his expectation for dinner; it was also a comfort for his hard work throughout the day.

Xiao Ran calmed down and decided to take action. He reordered another takeaway and immediately went to the property management office to explain the situation. The property manager took it very seriously, especially since Xiao Ran was the only villa owner in the complex and had recently won a 500 million yuan lottery. They quickly retrieved the surveillance footage from the afternoon, hoping to find some clues.

In the surveillance footage, Xiao Ran clearly saw the delivery rider bringing the food to the door and taking a photo. Then, a little boy appeared, walking out of the door of apartment 1501 next door. After playing in the corridor for a while, he suddenly noticed the takeaway at the door. He looked around, seemingly ensuring no one was paying attention, and quickly picked up the food and went into his house.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Ran's anger flared up again. He didn't expect it to be a child who had done such a thing. But he also knew that this matter couldn't just be brushed aside. He had to find the boy's parents and let them know the seriousness of the situation.

The property manager was also outraged after seeing the surveillance footage. He immediately led Xiao Ran and several security guards to apartment 1501. They knocked on the door, and an impatient voice asked, "Who is it?" The property manager replied that it was the property management with something to discuss. The door opened, and an old man appeared, staring at them with confusion.

The property manager explained the situation to the old man, who looked shocked. He let Xiao Ran and the property manager into the house and called his grandson—the same little boy from the surveillance footage. The boy looked terrified when he saw Xiao Ran and the property manager.

Xiao Ran looked at the boy, feeling a mixture of emotions. He didn't know how to scold the child, but he also knew that this matter had to be resolved. He took a deep breath and tried to speak in a calm voice, explaining the situation to the boy and his grandfather. He hoped they would recognize their mistake and promise not to do such a thing again.

Under Xiao Ran's patient persuasion, the boy and his grandfather recognized their mistake and apologized to Xiao Ran. Xiao Ran, seeing their sincere attitude, gradually calmed down. He accepted their apology and told them to be mindful of their behavior in the future.

The matter was finally resolved, and Xiao Ran sighed with relief. He returned to his home and enjoyed his dinner while watching TV. Although today's experience had been unpleasant, he believed it was just a small episode in life. He was confident that more wonderful things awaited him in the future.

The property manager stood in front of the door, still wearing his trademark smile, but with a hint of helplessness. He shook his head slightly, as if he had anticipated the situation he was about to face. He looked inside the house, where a resident named Mrs. Qin lived, and her grandson, Qin Xiaokang, had recently become the "talk of the town" in the neighborhood.

As soon as Mrs. Qin heard the property manager mention her grandson, she became instantly agitated. She approached angrily, like a lion about to pounce, and started scolding the property manager in a harsh voice that nearly pierced through the entire hallway.

"Which eye did you see it with? My little Kang is so well-behaved, how could he possibly steal someone's takeout?" Mrs. Qin's voice was sharp and piercing, her eyes filled with anger and dissatisfaction. She refused to believe the property manager's words and was even more reluctant to face the harsh truth.

The property manager was not intimidated by Mrs. Qin's anger. He remained calm and rational. He pulled out his phone and played a video recording he had just retrieved from the security room. The video clearly showed Qin Xiaokang stealing the takeout, providing indisputable evidence.

However, Mrs. Qin refused to even glance at the video. She pushed the property manager's phone away angrily and shouted, "What are you showing me? Now get out of here and don't disturb our dinner. Otherwise, I'll call the police and say you're trespassing!" With that, she slammed the door closed, leaving the property manager outside.

Inside, the sound of Mrs. Qin scolding Mr. Qin could be heard. She warned him to drive away intruders and close the door immediately in such situations, without any hesitation. This attitude left the property manager feeling extremely angry, as he felt he was being unreasonably treated.

Xiao Ran, standing at his own doorstep, witnessed the entire scene. He was a well-respected resident in the neighborhood, known for his low-key and friendly demeanor. He was deeply dissatisfied with Mrs. Qin's family's behavior and believed they should be held accountable for their actions. He approached the property manager and asked, "Manager, how do you plan to handle this matter?"

The property manager sighed helplessly and said, "Mr. Xiao, we will continue to communicate with this family and ensure that they compensate you for your loss." However, Xiao Ran was somewhat disappointed with the property manager's approach. He understood the manager's helplessness and the complexity of such family issues. But he believed that as a responsible resident and citizen, he could not sit idly by.

Xiao Ran decided to take action himself. He returned to his apartment and started searching online for information on how to deal with "naughty children stealing takeout." He hoped to find some effective solutions to address the issue properly. At the same time, he began thinking about how to communicate effectively with Mrs. Qin's family, making them realize their mistake and take responsibility accordingly.

Xiao Ran sat on the sofa at home, scanning through various takeaway orders with a playful smile. Each order was quite valuable, some even reaching five digits, but to him, they were just a fraction of the wealth he was about to lose. In three months, he had to spend all his money, otherwise, it would lose its meaning and become a pile of useless paper or cold numbers in the bank.

"Alright, since that's the case, let me enjoy this final spree," Xiao Ran said to himself, starting to formulate his spending plan seriously.

As he was engrossed in his plan, a commotion suddenly came from outside the door. He frowned slightly and walked to the entrance, only to see a mischievous child eating his takeaway with relish. The child's mother, Aunt Qin, stood by with a disdainful expression, as if it was all perfectly justified.

Xiao Ran sneered inwardly. This wasn't the first time the mischievous child had stolen his takeaway. Every time, the child would put on an innocent face, while Aunt Qin would come up with excuses and never truly disciplined her child. This time, he was determined to give them a profound lesson.

"Look, Xiao Ran, are you being too petty?" Aunt Qin started accusing him as soon as she saw him. "It's just one takeaway! Isn't that a drop in the bucket for you? You even went to the property management to complain about us. That's too much!"

Xiao Ran smiled faintly and said calmly, "Aunt Qin, that's not how it is. My money is not earned easily. Moreover, your child has stolen my takeaway more than once. If I forgive him every time, that would be encouraging him to continue making mistakes. I want him to understand that there are consequences for wrongdoings."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Qin's face darkened, and she glared angrily at Xiao Ran before dragging the mischievous child away. Xiao Ran watched their backs with a sigh, thinking to himself: Some people really can't understand others' feelings. However, that was precisely why he had devised this spending plan—he wanted to experience different aspects of the world in his own way.