Chapter 119: The Gift

Whether Jiang Zao has fortune or not remains unknown, but one thing was certain: she felt profoundly helpless.

At the top of the stairs on the second floor of the villa was a small reception room, much like the one on the second floor of the old residence. However, unlike the old house, which had a separate door, this space in Tingshan was open.

Shen Xiaonan had placed the promised swing there.

Since Jiang Zao’s return, she often sprawled on the newly installed swing, sketching leisurely.

Every time Zhou Lichuan saw her, he would come over and sit beside her.

The swing was large enough for an adult to lie down and rest. Jiang Zao found it quite comfortable, but whenever Zhou Lichuan climbed on, the swing’s balance would suddenly shift, losing control. Each time, Jiang Zao would break out in a cold sweat from the fright.

Jiang Zao would scold him, but he’d look utterly innocent, as if he were the one wronged, making it seem like Jiang Zao was at fault, not him.

“Don’t you like the necklace I gave you? Or was the little cake I made last night not good enough?” Zhou Lichuan leaned in close, completely oblivious to her annoyance.

Jiang Zao raised her tablet to cover her face, her voice buzzing faintly. “Can you get off? The swinging’s making me dizzy.”

Zhou Lichuan quickly planted both feet on the ground and steadied the swing.

“What’s wrong? Why the sudden dizziness? Should we go to the hospital? Or maybe we should find a family doctor tomorrow?”

Jiang Zao sighed, setting down the tablet and looking at him. “If you go farther away, I won’t feel dizzy.”

Zhou Lichuan felt wronged for a while but finally said, “Zao Zao, you can’t treat me like this.”

“…Maybe you should hang out less with Shen Mushi. I’m serious.”

That sentence rang familiarly.

Just two hours ago, Meng Qiaoyuan had sent a WeChat message complaining about Shen Mushi.

[I accidentally threw away the cake he made, mistaking it for expired food. And he said I can’t treat him like that. How did I treat him badly? I didn’t do it on purpose.]

“The necklace you gave me,” Jiang Zao, seeing his pitiful expression, didn’t want to continue the topic and quickly changed it. “I don’t like diamonds—they’re too white, no color appeal.”

“Well, what do you like? Did you like the tulips the day before yesterday?”

“…They’re okay.”

Jiang Zao’s exasperation was evident.

Right now, she just wanted to quietly paint, not have a love-struck, stinky old man babbling next to her, repeating words and showing off the gifts he gave.

Sensing Jiang Zao’s discomfort, Zhou Lichuan gradually stood up and stepped away from the swing.

---

“Then tomorrow I’ll buy you new flowers. What kind do you want? You don’t like diamonds—how about jade? Rubies or sapphires? Or other colored gems?”

Jiang Zao glanced at him, knowing if she didn’t give an answer tonight, he would pester her all night.

“Chamomile. Pearls.”

“Got it!”

Zhou Lichuan happily hugged his phone and walked away.

Jiang Zao watched his retreating figure in silence for a moment, then opened a group chat on WeChat shared by Meng Qiaoyuan and Zhou Jiayan, and sent a message.

“Ladies, Zhou Lichuan keeps bringing stuff back every day, claiming they’re gifts for me—flowers, jewelry, all sorts of luxury items. Is he going bankrupt and trying to transfer assets through me?”

Soon, Zhou Jiayan replied.

“Confirmed: the Zhou Group’s stock market is stable. No risk of bankruptcy.”

Meng Qiaoyuan followed up with a message: “What did he give you? Can you pick items? There’s a bag I can’t get—send me a link, and I’ll see if President Zhou can get it. I’ll pay you back in RMB at cost.”

Jiang Zao thought for a moment. She wasn’t familiar with luxury goods, but no matter how hard to buy, they were still commodities with a price.

“Send me a picture. What bag do you like so much?”

Meng Qiaoyuan quickly sent images of the bag.

Zhou Jiayan’s message carried excitement: “I want this too! It’s so hard to get, requires allocation and a long wait. Only fifteen in the whole country. Even with money, you can’t buy it.”

Jiang Zao studied the picture, then stood up from the swing, put on slippers, and headed to the walk-in closet.

Since her return, Shen Xiaonan had added a walk-in closet to the master bedroom’s other side, filled entirely with Jiang Zao’s personal belongings.

The bag looked somewhat familiar—she wondered if it was the one in her closet.

She opened the closet door, eyes scanning the display cabinet above. Comparing it with the image on her phone, she took a photo and sent it.

“Is this the one?”

“…”

“…”

Two ellipses quickly appeared on the screen—one from each of the others.

“Sis-in-law! You’re my real sis-in-law! Give it to me, give it to me, I’ll pay you! You’re the best!”

Jiang Zao sent a cat shaking its head emoji. “First come, first served. Qiaoyuan asked first. Jiayan, can’t you buy one yourself? Your brother can get them, so why can’t you?”

---

“Wow, that question really hurts. Why can Du Bin get into Peking University while you scored 480 on the college entrance exam?”

Jiang Zao raised an eyebrow. Excellent—that bag was Qiaoyuan’s now.

“Because I ranked first nationally in my specialty.”

Meng Qiaoyuan sent a triumphant emoji. “So now the bag’s mine, right?”

Jiang Zao replied, “Congratulations to this esteemed bag buyer. Let’s celebrate her becoming the store’s number one customer!”

Setting the phone down, Jiang Zao dialed an emergency contact number.

A minute after the call connected, Zhou Lichuan appeared at the walk-in closet’s door.

“What’s up, Zao Zao?”

His tone was anxious, hair tousled, clearly having run all the way.

Jiang Zao pointed to the bag on the cabinet. “I want that one. I can’t reach it.”

Zhou Lichuan glanced at the bag, then back at her. “Are you okay? Besides wanting to grab something, you don’t feel unwell anywhere, right?”

Jiang Zao nodded. “I just want that. I’m not feeling unwell.”

Zhou Lichuan exhaled in relief, took a nearby footstool, stepped up, and took down the bag and its box behind it.

“This is the one I bought for you a few days ago, right? Want to carry it?”

Jiang Zao shook her head, slipped the bag into the dust cover, and carefully placed it into the box.

“Qiaoyuan likes this and can’t get one. I’ll give it to her tomorrow.”

Zhou Lichuan’s gaze faltered for a moment, his voice lowering. “You don’t like the things I give you?”

Jiang Zao met his eyes. “I don’t know why you suddenly started giving me gifts. I’m not really good at appreciating luxury items. I know they’re expensive, but I have no real concept of it. Meng Qiaoyuan said this is hard to get; even Zhou Jiayan can’t buy one. Yet, it just lies so simply in my closet. Zhou Lichuan, the gap we cross isn’t just about money and power—it’s about understanding.”

Zhou Lichuan’s hairs stood on end. Knowing Jiang Zao, the next sentence would definitely not be pleasant.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Zao suddenly shifted the tone, steering the conversation in an odd direction.

“I don’t think it looks good. Qiaoyuan spent a fortune on it. If that money were in RMB in an account, it’d be much more satisfying than gathering dust in a cabinet.”