Chapter 35: Look on the Bright Side

Dai Ning’s curiosity was left unsatisfied, leaving her more annoyed. She gave Zhao Yu a kick before running off into the house.

Zhao Yu tidied up her books and snacks with a faint smile. Only Ji Dai Ning could be so domineering—clearly uninterested in him yet demanding that she remain his priority. If the tables were turned and Zhao Yu were asked a similar question, he wasn’t sure if he could compare to a bowl of her beloved takoyaki.

But Zhao Yu genuinely had no time to coax her. Everyone wanted a piece of the lucrative Wudong land, and he had neither family connections nor sufficient funds—just the few usable contacts left by the Shentu family.

Day by day, he returned home later, while Dai Ning immersed herself in the world of novels. During such times, her carefree nature took over, and she nearly forgot their earlier spat.

Dai Ning was low-maintenance when it came to companionship—give her good food and drinks, and she’d be content on her own. Despite his financial struggles, Zhao Yu never skimped on her meals.

Breakfasts featured fresh soy milk and a selection of over ten dishes. Though she hadn’t brought a chef along, it was clear Zhao Yu had personally prepared them.

One morning, she woke earlier than usual and noticed Zhao Yu’s breakfast consisted of two plain bowls of congee without even an egg. After eating, he still made time to wash fruit for her.

Watching him silently from the side, Dai Ning saw him leave to start another busy day. Holding a single grape in her hand, she wasn’t sure why, but suddenly, her anger melted away.

—

One rainy evening in early November, Zhao Yu returned around midnight.

Rain poured heavily over Wudong, and their group had rented out the entire inn. The world outside was filled with the sound of rain.

Dai Ning loved sleeping during rainstorms and was fast asleep when Zhao Yu woke her.

She rubbed her eyes groggily. “What’s wrong?”

His hair was damp, and his expression heavy. Seeing her wake, he adjusted his demeanor to avoid scaring her. “Cui Yao is acting suspiciously. Someone monitored his phone—it’s been making frequent calls to Taizhou.”

Dai Ning blinked in confusion, clearly having forgotten who Cui Yao was. Zhao Yu sighed. “Cui Yao used to work for Shen Tuo Feng. Lately, his behavior has been very unusual.”

She gradually pieced it together, still puzzled.

“My side isn’t safe right now,” Zhao Yu explained. “Can you return home? Is your brother’s situation resolved?”

Dai Ning shook her head. “Grandpa told me not to go back yet.”

Zhao Yu frowned, and after a moment of thought, made up his mind. “You’ll go to Xinghua Village. Stay with Zhao Ping and An’an. The village is remote and closed off, and with the bodyguards, you’ll be safe. There’s a mountain path in the village that only Zhao Ping and I know about. If something happens, I’ll notify Zhao Ping, and he’ll lead you all there.”

Hugging her knees, Dai Ning asked nervously, “Is it… really that bad?”

Zhao Yu hesitated before nodding.

No matter how capable he was, without funding or experience, going up against seasoned schemers was an uphill battle. Cui Yao’s actions gave him an overwhelming sense of crisis. He doubted he could walk away unscathed, which was why he’d decided to send Dai Ning away in the middle of the night.

Even Lan Rongrong seemed torn—wanting to leave out of fear but unable to give up the treasures of Wudong.

Qingtuan, with dark circles under its eyes, muttered to Dai Ning, “See? This is why Zhao Yu didn’t want to compete for Wudong’s land. You had to push him, and now he’s up against Shen Tuo Feng. This is bound to go wrong. Unlike his nephew, Shen Tuo She, that old fox in Taizhou won’t be so easy to deal with. He’s probably just sitting back, watching the Lan siblings and the male lead tear into each other.”

But Dai Ning wasn’t scared—she was exhilarated. After being idle in Wudong for so long, what she’d been waiting for had finally arrived.

Once Zhao Yu faced Shen Tuo Feng, he would inevitably lose something.

“Put on your clothes,” Zhao Yu said. “I’ll arrange for a boat. You leave tonight.”

As he went to make the call, Dai Ning dressed warmly in a winter dress and thick socks before stepping outside. Rain pelted the rooftops, and the cold wind whipped around her.

Time had flown by—winter had arrived without her realizing it.

She reached out to catch the rain dripping from the eaves, only for Zhao Yu to grab her hand. “You’ll catch a cold. Don’t do that.”

He found her cloak and wrapped her tightly. “We’re heading to the dock now.”

Everything that night happened so quickly that even Qingtuan grew anxious.

By now, the story was far from its original trajectory. With Dai Ning stirring things up, the plot had been completely overturned.

Du Tian had abandoned her strategy of wooing the male lead. Oblivious to her identity as the “Second Miss of the Ji Family,” she aimed to rise to the top in this story, setting her sights on Wudong just like Lan Rongrong. The original heroine had begun to grow, and her methods were far crueler than Lan Rongrong’s. Du Tian had swayed her admirer Cui Yao to betray Zhao Yu, hoping to pit him and Lan Rongrong against Shen Tuo Feng.

At the dock, a boat was waiting for them.

Zhao Yu escorted her aboard, half-soaked by the rain while Dai Ning remained warm and dry. Despite the storm’s battering, she stood as radiant as ever, untouched by the chaos around her.

Looking at her, Zhao Yu lingered for a moment before turning to leave.

She tugged at his sleeve. “Aren’t you coming?”

He turned back, hesitated, and said, “No. You know I can’t leave.”

The moment he decided to take down Shen Tuo She and seize his network, along with competing for Wudong’s treasures, retreat was no longer an option.

Raindrops rippled across the river’s surface. Squatting in front of her, Zhao Yu gazed at her intently. “Ji Dai Ning, I don’t know if you feel anything for me or how long you’d remember me if I really died. You’re naïve, willful, and deceitful, and you’ve infuriated me countless times. But meeting you… I don’t regret it.”

Dai Ning widened her eyes in disbelief. “You’re lying! Am I really that bad?”

Zhao Yu cupped her cheek, the rain mingling with an inexplicable sadness in his gaze.

Dai Ning couldn’t quite understand his emotions. To cheer him up, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Her bodyguard, who accidentally saw this, was so shocked that he bolted to the bow of the boat.

Oh no, what did he just witness? Should he tell Mr. Qian? Should he?!

Zhao Yu released her. Her eyes remained bright and innocent, like a detached observer watching him fall. His daze faded slightly as he wiped her lips clean, stood, and said, “Goodbye.”

Once again, he became the composed man she was used to, though a trace of gentleness lingered in his eyes.

Dai Ning watched his back disappear into the rain-soaked dock. Touching her lips, she seemed confused.

—

In early winter, Xinghua Village welcomed its first snowfall.

“Miss Ji is back!” the village chief’s second daughter cheered.

Hearing the news, no one was happier than the children of the Zhao family. Little Zhao An’an, still a tiny tot, ran all the way from their house to the village entrance. Zhao Ping sighed helplessly, “An’an, slow down.”

Zhao An’an dashed through the thin layer of snow, her face flushed red from the cold. She waved excitedly at the approaching group. “Miss Ji! Grandpa Qian!”

Amid the gently falling snow, under the cover of her umbrella, Dai Ning chuckled and beckoned with a finger. “Come here.”

Called over like a little puppy, the young girl eagerly ran up to her, attempting to throw her arms around Dai Ning in a hug.

Dai Ning, however, pushed her away in disdain.

“Why are you so thin again? Zhao Ping isn’t feeding you? And this shabby coat—you’ve been wearing this since you were little, haven’t you? Didn’t your brother send money back? Don’t cling to me! Zhao An’an, you look like you’ve just crawled out of a trash heap.”

Zhao An’an blushed shyly at the scolding, giggling all the while. “Miss Ji, where’s my big brother? Why didn’t he come back?”

Dai Ning replied flatly, “He said he doesn’t want you guys anymore.”

Zhao An’an’s face froze in shock, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. Uncle Qian interjected quickly, “Don’t cry, An’an. Miss Ji is teasing you. Your brother is working hard in the city to make money and will come back to see you soon.”

“Grandpa Qian wouldn’t lie to you.”

Only then did Zhao An’an swallow her tears, rubbing her nose as she said, “Miss Ji, it’s cold outside. Come back home with me.”

Twirling her umbrella out of boredom, Dai Ning let snowflakes fall from its edge and walked ahead of the little girl back to Zhao Yu’s home.

The place was a run-down shack that let the cold wind seep through in the winter. If not for her plans, Dai Ning would never willingly return to such a place.

“Miss, why didn’t my big brother come back?”

Zhao An’an, afraid of what the response might be, quickly told her second brother, “Big brother is making a lot of money in the city.”

Inspecting the house inside and out, Dai Ning noted that the two kids were clearly well-disciplined by Zhao Yu. Despite the house’s disrepair, it was spotless. However, the siblings themselves were another matter—they looked terribly shabby.

Zhao Ping’s ankles were exposed, reddened from the cold. The siblings’ padded clothing made them appear bulky, but their clothes were actually old and provided little warmth.

Dai Ning pushed open the inner door.

“Miss Ji!” Zhao Ping called out in a panic, trying to stop her.

Inside, a middle-aged woman looked over with visible unease. “Miss Ji…”

It was Dai Ning’s first time meeting Zhao Yu’s mother.

The room smelled heavily of medicine but fortunately wasn’t unpleasant. The furniture was neatly arranged, but poverty had clearly taken a toll. Both the woman and her surroundings appeared worn and fragile.

Two old, thin quilts covered the bed, offering minimal protection against the cold. The room felt icy, void of any warmth.

What kind of life was this?

“Auntie,” Dai Ning began with a frown, “didn’t Zhao Yu send money back through Liu Shuan? Why haven’t you bought new clothes or blankets? Don’t tell me Liu Shuan pocketed the money!”

This was the first time Zhao’s mother had met Dai Ning.

Outside, snow continued to fall. Dressed in a red cape trimmed with soft fur, Dai Ning’s striking beauty momentarily stunned the older woman.

“No, no,” Zhao’s mother stammered. “Liu Shuan gave us all the money. We have enough clothes and blankets. But I heard Yu’er is working hard out there. If we spend all the money, what will he do if he needs it?”

Dai Ning shook her head, unsure what to say to such foolishness.

“At least you’re buying medicine, right?”

Zhao’s mother nodded. “Little Ping has been buying it regularly.”

Zhao Ping scratched his head anxiously. “Miss Ji, my mom isn’t in good health. If you have questions, ask me.”

“You’re too ugly for me to bother,” Dai Ning said dismissively.

Zhao Ping: “…” He began doubting his existence.

With Dai Ning’s return, the Zhao family’s home immediately became livelier. Uncle Qian, mindful of her aversion to the cold, busied himself preparing hot water bottles and setting up a brazier.

Sitting cozily, Dai Ning suddenly instructed, “Uncle Qian, prepare braziers for those two little monkeys and Zhao Yu’s parents too. Throw out their old clothes and blankets—they’re an eyesore.”

Uncle Qian’s eyes lit up with a pleased smile. He nodded and promptly arranged for new supplies to be brought in.

For the Zhao siblings, this winter turned out to be their warmest yet.

Dressed in a brand-new red cotton jacket, Zhao An’an glowed with delight. Normally shy and withdrawn, this time, when the snow fell, she went outside to play with the other village kids.

“An’an, your clothes are so pretty!” said Er Ya, sniffling with envy.

Blushing, Zhao An’an nodded proudly. “Of course. It’s the same color as Miss Ji’s.”

At this, the children exclaimed in awe.

Zhao An’an felt pure joy. Her six years of life had been filled with hardship—barren mountains, scorching summers, freezing winters, and endless dark nights.

But now everything was different. She was warm, and even her quilt had been replaced with a soft, cozy thermal blanket.

The thermal blanket was fluffy and carried the faint scent of sunshine.

She adored the young lady. Even though Dai Ning often teased her, Zhao An’an’s fondness for her was deeply ingrained in her childhood memories.

With no work to be done in winter, the children played until it was time to go home.

Later, Zhao An’an knocked on Dai Ning’s door, holding a plastic bag.

Dai Ning opened the door. “What’s this?”

“It’s for you!” Zhao An’an said, shyly thrusting the bag at her before running away.

Inside the bag, Dai Ning found an adorable snowman. She snorted, then carried it inside to figure out how to keep it preserved.