When you have two wives

"Right! The morning that article came out, Li Boliang was actually bragging to me about it," Xu Ruoyun analyzed with a thoughtful expression. "Normally, he doesn't even read the newspaper. So if he wasn't involved, how could he have known about it so early?"

Damn, I had actually been thinking of letting that guy off the hook, but it looks like I'll have to deal with him eventually. That article nearly caused me some serious trouble. Good thing I caught it in time, or else he could have severely damaged Dawn's reputation.

I just shrugged and said, "Forget it; it's over now."

Xu Ruoyun nodded thoughtfully. "If only Li Boliang were half as generous as you."

Generous? Clearly, she doesn't know me well. Though I might not be keen on seeking revenge for every little thing anymore, if I don't deal with someone who caused me this much trouble, I'd be a pushover.

Li Boliang being as "generous" as me? What did she mean by that? Would she have actually accepted him if he were a little more gracious? My heart unexpectedly twisted at the thought, and, in my distraction, the spoon slipped from my hand and clattered into my coffee.

"What's wrong?" Xu Ruoyun noticed my reaction.

"Nothing," I replied, a bit self-deprecatingly. "Just an accident." Why was I even concerned about whether she'd accept him? It was none of my business.

"You're jealous!" Xu Ruoyun suddenly teased.

"I am not!" I denied instinctively.

She laughed. "Knew it! Alright, I've passed on the info, so I'm off! Remember to pay the bill!"

With that, Xu Ruoyun stood up, slung her bag over her shoulder, and headed toward the exit. After a few steps, she turned back and said softly, "Liu Lei, what I said earlier... it was all true." Then, she dashed off before I could respond.

True? Which part was true? Did she mean the thing about Li Boliang? I shook my head in confusion and called over the server to settle the bill.

...

Today was a big day. It was my second time visiting Chen Weier's house, but with a difference: today, Weier and I intended to talk openly with her parents about our relationship.

Dawn Group's projects, once launched, mostly turned into stable revenue streams, so I now had plenty of available funds. Several of my plans could finally be set in motion, including real estate ventures. In these times, the more money you pour in, the more likely you are to dominate.

Chen Weier came to pick me up early, though she wasn't bold enough to barge into my place like Zhao Yanyan sometimes did. My mother wouldn't be thrilled to see two women in my life—having two potential daughters-in-law was still shocking in this era. I was fine with it, but I didn't want my mom to think Weier was trying to ruin things between me and Yanyan. That would be unfair to this sweet girl.

"Sigh!" My mom sighed as she sat at the breakfast table.

"What's wrong, Mom?" I asked, noticing her worried expression.

"It's your father's factory... something's wrong," she complained.

But before she could go on, my dad interrupted, "No need to tell the kid all this! It's adult stuff!"

"Your son has a girlfriend now; he's not a child! He needs to know what's going on with the family. We can barely make ends meet as it is!" my mom scolded him. Dad quickly fell silent.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on? Has something serious happened?" As I asked, I tried to remember if there had been any major family issues around this time in my past life. But nothing came to mind; there hadn't been any drastic incidents that threatened our livelihood. Could this be something unexpected?

"Your dad's factory has been delaying salaries and, on top of that, there's no year-end bonus in sight. New Year's almost here! How can they do this?" Mom vented angrily.

"What can I do about it?" Dad sighed, feeling helpless. "The director said the factory has no money. I'm just an engineer; I don't make those decisions."

"I married you and brought nothing but bad luck!" my mom said bitterly. "Not only is the pay pitiful, but now we can't even get a cent of it back!"

"You're one to talk! Your factory's no better—it pays for two months' work every three months!" my dad retorted, clearly annoyed.

"Well, at least we're getting some money! And your factory? Three months and all you've gotten is a measly 500-yuan subsidy—what's that supposed to cover? Certainly not groceries!" my mom shot back.

"Alright, Mom, Dad, please stop arguing! This isn't something you can change. Who could have imagined that the big state-owned factories would one day struggle like this? Back when you both started working, those factory jobs were as secure as you could get—the best there was! But now, the people who couldn't find jobs before have become private business owners, while factory workers are practically at the bottom of the ladder," I said, trying to soothe things over.

At this point, I realized what my parents were discussing. In my previous life, around this time, my dad's electronics factory had already started to decline, with cash flow problems and delays in wages. But that was just the surface. The real issue was that their factory director, Zhang, was lining his own pockets, and it wouldn't be long before he'd make off with the funds.

Should I warn my dad? But then I thought better of it. On the very first day after my rebirth, I'd tried to hint to my dad about Zhang's true nature, but he wouldn't believe that someone like Zhang could act that way. And now, I had enough money to buy out thousands of factories like his, if I wanted to. Honestly, it would probably be better if my dad left that job. I could find him something easier—something that wouldn't end with me losing such an important person in my life again.

"Hmph! At least my son has some sense. Unlike you! Sometimes I wonder why I married you. If I'd gone with Zhao, I'd be living in luxury, enjoying life as a lady of leisure!" My mom gave my dad a pointed look, using her usual trump card.

"Heh, well, he's still my son, isn't he? So I get half the credit! Would you have had such an outstanding son if you'd married Zhao? Nope, it's the Liu family genes!" My dad softened immediately at the mention of Zhao, shamelessly boasting with a smirk.

"How can you say that! And right in front of our son! Do you even hear yourself?" My mom's face flushed as she gave him a sharp look.

"You were the one who said our son was all grown up! Besides, you think he doesn't already understand the way of the world?" My dad glanced at me with a mischievous look.

"Cough, cough! If it weren't for our son, I'd have divorced you ages ago, just so you know! And let me tell you, there are still plenty of people pursuing me to this day!" my mom said, stifling a small cough.

She wasn't just bragging. My mom was still undeniably attractive; while Zhao Yanyan's mother was one of the prettiest women I'd seen of her generation, even she couldn't quite match my mom's looks. Of course, mature Zhao Yanyan herself was a different story.

Back then, I used to wonder why someone as beautiful as my mom had fallen for my dad. But as his son, I'd never say that out loud—just like I'd never question why someone like Zhao Yanyan had fallen for me, especially since our relationship began back when I hadn't accomplished anything yet. Sometimes, love really is blind.

"Oh, right, Leilei, I think we should skip your allowance this month—it's the holidays anyway." My mom hesitated a bit before speaking.

Allowance? I suddenly remembered that since I'd entered middle school, my mom had been giving me 200 yuan each month at the start of the month, neatly placed in an envelope. Honestly, I barely used the money, but to avoid her asking questions, I'd accept it with a smile and toss it into my drawer.

"And I know you and Yanyan go out together often, and we don't mind. But young people in love tend to spend too much—try to keep things modest, alright?" my dad added.

"I'm against that!" Before I could reply, my mom interjected, "Where else are you going to find such a wonderful future daughter-in-law? Yanyan's completely devoted to our Leilei; we can't have her feeling neglected!"

"But look at Yanyan's family background. I'm worried her spending might be a bit much, and we might not be able to keep up with it." My dad mumbled.

"Mom, Dad, don't worry! Yanyan and I hardly spend much at all!" I assured them quickly. Although the truth was, I'd just spent tens of thousands recently—and that didn't even include the wrecked BMW.

I went to my room, pulled out a few of those allowance envelopes from my drawer, and brought them to the kitchen. "Mom, I barely touched any of my allowance. Here, use this for now. You don't have to keep giving me any more; I'll only ask if I need something."

She took the envelopes, visibly moved, and remained speechless for a long moment. Then, turning to my dad, she finally said, "We really raised a good son, didn't we?"

"Leilei, it seems like you've changed ever since you started high school," my dad suddenly said, looking at me thoughtfully.

"Changed?" I was startled. Could it be that my parents had noticed something about my rebirth?

"What's... different?" I asked casually, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I can't quite explain it, but it feels like you've grown up. You've started studying seriously, you're more considerate towards us, and, most importantly, you even know how to find a girlfriend now..." My dad said with a smile.

I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed it off. "Yeah, people just grow up, you know?"

I glanced at the time—it was almost time for Chen Wei'er to arrive. I quickly told my parents that Zhao Yanyan was waiting for me downstairs and rushed out of the room.

Watching me leave, my mom seemed puzzled. "Yanyan's downstairs? Why isn't she coming up? She even has the key to our place."

My dad, too, was confused. "Yeah, and did you see how in a hurry he was to leave just now? Do you think he's hiding something from us?"

"Right! There's definitely something going on!" My mom's expression turned serious.

"Absolutely something's up!" My dad stood up, and both he and my mom headed toward the balcony together...

When I reached the downstairs area, Chen Wei'er was already there. She was wearing the light blue down jacket we had picked out together with Zhao Yanyan a few days ago, puffing her breath into her hands while hopping up and down in place. She must have been cold, especially her feet.

"How long have you been here?" I asked as I walked up to her.

Chen Wei'er immediately bounced into my arms, looking up at me with a pitiful expression. "Half a day already! My hands are freezing, please warm them up!" She said, slipping her small hands inside my jacket.

"Why didn't you wait in the hallway for a while?" I asked, my heart aching as I gently touched her small, red face.

"Ah~! I'm just a little wife, nobody loves me, nobody cares about me, so I have to stand out here in the freezing cold. Unlike Yanyan, she's so capable, she even has a key to your house," Chen Wei'er said with a hint of jealousy.

I sighed! Zhao Yanyan didn't have to stir up trouble at a time like this. Telling Chen Wei'er about these things would only make her jealous!

"Hey? What's wrong? Are you mad? I'm just joking with you. I'm not trying to compete with Yanyan. I'm the one you spent 250,000 on, and even if you treat me like a servant, I won't complain!" Chen Wei'er said with a smile.

Though she said that, I knew deep down, what girl wouldn't care about such things?

"Don't worry, Wei'er, one day, you'll come to my family openly and proudly as my wife," I said, holding her tightly.

"Mm..." Chen Wei'er nodded, but her small hand inside my jacket began to wander.

"Hey, where are you touching? It's freezing!" I yelped as her cold little hand made its way down...

"Ha-ha, I just want to freeze you!" Wei'er teased, moving her hand a few more times before pulling it out.

Meanwhile, I was left feeling uneasy, her teasing making things rather uncomfortable for me.

Hand in hand, we left the gate of my neighborhood. Little did I know, from a nearby apartment balcony, a man and a woman were spying on us through binoculars...

"Old Liu, is that girl Zhao Yanyan?" The woman asked anxiously.

"Doesn't seem like it!" The man replied.

"Give me that thing, let me see!" The woman grabbed the binoculars from him.

"They're hugging!" 

"From this distance, that girl looks pretty good!" 

"That brat, does he think he can get away with this? How can he treat Zhao Yanyan like that? Wait until I get my hands on him."

"I think we should wait until he comes back and get the truth first," the man said.

"What truth? If I don't break his legs when he gets back, I'll change my surname!" 

"Old Liu, are you out of your mind? He's got the same surname as you!"

"..."

I drove my Jetta out of the warmth storage at the Industrial and Commercial Bank (ICB), right near my home. Since Shuguang and ICB were closely connected—many of Shuguang's financial accounts were with ICB—the bank's president had personally allowed me to park the car at a branch close to my place.

"Why did you park the car here?" Chen Wei'er asked, looking at the guard who was smiling at me.

"Oh, the president is a friend of Uncle Zhao," I explained.

Chen Wei'er's house wasn't far from mine—only about a ten-minute drive. It didn't take long for us to reach the old housing area near Caishikou. This area had become the last undeveloped land in New Jiang City, mainly because it was so poor.

When I parked in front of a courtyard house, a few elderly people out for their morning exercise looked at the car in surprise. It was rare for any car to be seen in this neighborhood.

"Whose car is this? It's pretty new!" one elderly lady remarked.

"It's not from our area, is it? How could anyone in this neighborhood afford a car?" another lady commented.

"True, we can't even afford an apartment, let alone a car!"

"This car must have cost several tens of thousands."

"Several tens of thousands? The factory director from Dongzi's factory next door also bought a car like this! It's called a 'Jie Da' brand, and it costs over a hundred thousand!"

"Jie Da? Is it made in the same place as the 'Jiefang' cars?"

"Seems like it!"

The elderly women all clicked their tongues in admiration.

Chen Wei'er opened the car door and got out. I locked the car door, also stepping out. When did electronic car key fobs become available? They hadn't become widespread yet, and using physical keys to lock the car was exhausting.

"Look, isn't that the daughter from the Lao Chen family?" one of the elderly women said, her eyes lighting up as if she'd discovered something incredible.

"You're right! But who's that man standing next to her?" another asked.

"How would I know? But just look at how close they are. Their relationship definitely isn't ordinary!"

"Could it be the daughter's boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend? She's only in her senior year of high school. How could she have a boyfriend?"

"Who knows? But look at the man—he looks so dignified and even drives a car. He must be some big boss!"

"Could he be the rich man she's clinging to?"

"That's very possible. I heard Old Chen spent over a hundred thousand on medical bills recently. His family is so poor that they can't possibly have that much money!" 

"Nowadays, these young girls are really open-minded..." 

Although we heard all these comments clearly, Chen Wei'er and I exchanged a knowing smile. There are always those old folks who like to gossip everywhere you go. They have their mouths, and they can say whatever they want.

Since this trip was meant to finally have an open conversation with her parents, neither Chen Wei'er nor I tried to hide anything. We walked into the courtyard, hand in hand, showing our affection in front of everyone.

"Mom, Liu Lei is here!" Chen Wei'er pushed open the door of her house and called out.

"He's here! Come in, come in!" Chen Wei'er's mother rushed out from the house, but then she saw us holding hands, and she froze, looking at us in surprise. "You... you two..."

"Mom, this is my boyfriend, Liu Lei! He came to our house last time." Chen Wei'er smiled warmly, her face glowing with joy, her cheeks flushed like a ripe apple. If it weren't for her mother being there, I might've kissed her right then and there.

"Boyfriend... boyfriend? Wei'er, what are you talking about?" Chen Wei'er's mother was so shocked that she nearly stumbled.

I quickly stepped forward and supported her, saying, "Auntie, Wei'er is right. We're together now."

"Together? How did this happen? Liu, aren't you younger than Wei'er? And...?" Chen Wei'er's mother looked at her daughter with confusion.

Both Wei'er and I immediately understood what her concern was about.

"Mom, it's a bit complicated. Liu Lei and I got together by accident..." Chen Wei'er began explaining.

"Wei'er, I'm not interfering with your life. You're not young anymore, and it's normal to find a partner. Plus, Liu Lei is such an excellent young man. He's even helped our family. But you're different from other girls..." Chen Wei'er's mother finally voiced her worries. From the first time she met Liu Lei, she thought he was a good young man. After a few more interactions, she liked him even more. She often found herself thinking how wonderful it would be if he could become her son-in-law. But then, remembering Wei'er's current situation, she had to abandon these unrealistic ideas.

"Mom! Please don't say anything more. Let me explain!" Wei'er tugged at her mother, leading her into the back room, and closed the door.

I smiled, relieved. Now it was up to Chen Wei'er to explain things to her mother. It was better for them to talk it out, as it would be easier for them to communicate. I, on the other hand, was glad to have some free time. I walked into the living room, where Chen Wei'er's father, who was now up and about, was talking with Chen Yong. When he saw me, he waved me over, saying, "Liu Lei, you're here!"

"Yes, how's Uncle's health been recently?" I asked.

"Not bad! I'm recovering well. I can eat normally now. I went for a check-up last week, and the doctor said there are no major issues anymore. I just need to continue resting," Chen Wei'er's father said, looking much more energetic than when I last saw him. 

"By the way, where are Wei'er and her mom?" He noticed I was by myself and asked curiously.

"They're in the other room talking about something. They'll be here soon," I explained.

Inside the small room, 

After recovering from the initial shock, Chen's mother regained her composure and said sternly, "What's going on here?"

Chen Wei'er then began to explain the events, starting with the skiing trip, where we were ambushed by Li Shaojie, causing us to fall off a cliff and into an icy crevasse. Miraculously, we ended up drifting to a small island. Chen's mother listened in horror, and as she looked at her still-living daughter, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of relief.

When Chen Wei'er mentioned that we had to strip off our clothes and huddle together for warmth, Chen's mother immediately understood what had happened and reacted: "And then... did you two end up doing something you shouldn't have?"

Chen Wei'er blushed, nodding shyly. She understood exactly what her mother meant by "something you shouldn't have," and continued, "At the time, we thought we might never make it back..."

"Ah!" Chen's mother sighed, "I'm not blaming you, but you promised that big boss who paid for your father's medical bills that you would give yourself to him, but now…"

"Mom, don't worry about that!" Chen Wei'er grinned. "There was no big boss! That was all just nonsense made up by my annoying brother!"

"Nonsense!" Chen's mother was once again shocked. "Then where did the money come from?"