Volume One, Chapter Four: I Believe Aunt Yan Still Possesses Her Charm

The next morning, just past ten o’clock, Zhang Han finally got up.

A night of youthful recklessness—fortunately, his young body was resilient, and the exercise had truly made him strong and vigorous.

Leaving behind ten thousand yuan, Zhang Han said he would get in touch later and then left the hotel.

The three girls shared a tacit understanding; no fights broke out. Whoever could hold onto Zhang Han had to rely on their own skills—they knew this well.

Even a beauty like Liu Xin didn’t get any favors from Zhang Han, so why would he bother with them?

Taking a step back, whether or not to sleep with someone was their choice. Zhang Han was handsome and wealthy—why wouldn’t they choose to be with him?

With a cigarette loosely dangling from his mouth, Zhang Han entered a breakfast shop.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been so unscrupulous. But now, having been reborn, he struck when he needed to. Etiquette and morals were restraints for the poor, not for him.

His phone had many missed calls, mostly from an unfamiliar local number in Ancheng. He pondered briefly.

No memory of this number—could it be about a prize?

Zhang Han called back. The other end picked up almost instantly. “Hey, Han, it’s Aunt Yan. Don’t hang up yet. Last night, Xiao Song and I waited at your place all night.”

“You’re such a kid. Not coming home all night made us worry.”

“Aunt Yan, is there something you need?” Zhang Han asked knowingly.

“It’s about the incident the day before yesterday. Auntie brought Xiao Song over to apologize. How about this—you come home first, and we’ll talk face-to-face,” Liu Yan spoke quickly, fearing Zhang Han might hang up.

Zhang Han considered it and didn’t refuse. He agreed to come home and talk.

Between the Liu and Yang families, the Liu family of three was relatively united and affectionate, especially Li Jie. She had a leisurely job arranged by Liu Zhong, earning three thousand a month. She could work when she wanted or go shopping and practice yoga when she didn’t.

So, she obeyed Liu Zhong’s commands without resistance. Having a daughter and a good husband, plus Zhang Han’s expensive cosmetics, Li Jie was quite proud.

The Yang family was different. Yang Song was rebellious, constantly clashing with his father, Yang Zhongrui. Yang Zhongrui's income wasn’t much higher than Liu Zhong’s, and compared to Liu Yan, he drew some criticism.

As for Zhang Han, he once thought Yang Zhongrui was sincere, but now suspected it was tied to the five million yuan in his hands.

Between the two families, Liu Yan was easier to win over quickly. She had long been overshadowed by Li Jie in clothes, bags, shoes, and Yang Song’s education—a glaring weakness.

Still, Liu Yan and Yang Song waited outside the door all night, something Zhang Han hadn’t expected. The Yang family must have truly feared Zhang Han’s influence over Yang Song, losing even the slightest chance to manipulate his money.

After breakfast and paying the bill, Zhang Han took a taxi home.

On the way, he considered getting a driver’s license; having a car would make things much easier.

About half an hour later, Zhang Han returned to his neighborhood.

His neighborhood was in the southern part of Jiangdong, Ancheng, where apartments cost about eleven thousand yuan per square meter. A river divided Ancheng into north and south—poor people lived on the north side, while the wealthy resided in the south. The most expensive properties there could go as high as fifty thousand yuan per square meter. Zhang Han couldn’t help but scoff; five million seemed like a lot, but it was only enough to buy a hundred-square-meter apartment in the best southern district.

Yet, seventy percent of people would never earn enough to afford such a home in their lifetime.

At eleven-thirty, Zhang Han arrived home. Liu Yan and Zhang Han were sitting on the floor by the doorway, waiting. Upon seeing him, Liu Yan immediately stood up and even gave Yang Song a nudge.

Both looked like they had not slept all night, their eyes red and bodies still carrying the scent of sweat.

“Xiao Han, you’re back,” Liu Yan said with a forced smile.

“Aunt Yan,” Zhang Han greeted calmly.

Liu Yan stiffened; Zhang Han still held grudges. She felt displeased—over the past two years, she had treated Zhang Han well, often having Yang Song call him home for meals, even though Zhang Han bought the food, she still cooked.

Had it not been for her, how could Zhang Han have felt the warmth of a mother’s love and ‘parental affection’?

Ungrateful little bastard.

“You punk, still mad, huh?” Liu Yan pinched Zhang Han’s cheek lightly, expertly putting on an act.

Liu Yan was not unattractive. She married Yang Zhongrui young, had children early, worked as a low-level staffer in a state-owned enterprise with an easy job. At forty-two, she looked no older than thirty-seven or thirty-eight, maintaining a well-kept figure—slim where it counted.

Still radiating charm.

She had even dressed up to apologize, wearing a thin long dress that was remarkable for a woman her age.

Zhang Han opened the door wider, inviting them in to talk. He turned on the air conditioning and served Liu Yan tea.

Her displeasure eased somewhat—if not for Yang Zhongrui’s pressure, she would never have come to apologize.

Who had ever seen an elder apologize to a younger?

She shot a glare at Yang Song.

Yang Song stood and bowed to Zhang Han. “Xiao Han, I’m sorry. I was impulsive.”

Zhang Han didn’t look at him.

Tilting his head, Zhang Han studied Liu Yan seriously for the first time. Her skin was delicate, her face free of blemishes, and her features well-defined. If not for the mature allure she carried, one might think she was in her twenties just by her silhouette and profile.

Originally, Zhang Han had considered another man.

But then he thought, why give that privilege to someone else?

Wasn’t he a man himself?

“Aunt Yan,” Zhang Han lamented dramatically, as if possessed by a great actor, “you know how much I adored Liu Xin, how much I sacrificed for her. My best friend and the woman I loved were on the sofa... my heart was torn apart.”

“But Li Song was just one step away, just the last step. Liu Xin was already sullied, and my friend was gone. How can I forgive Li Song?”

Suddenly standing, Zhang Han shouted hoarsely, “Aunt Yan, she is my one true love! How can you expect me to forgive Li Song?”

Liu Yan’s heart filled with disdain. In Liu Xin’s eyes, Zhang Han was merely a backup. His parents wanted to groom her to remain untouched and then match her with a wealthier man.

Only when both families’ finances hit trouble did they decide to sacrifice Liu Xin—of course, with Liu’s family pocketing an extra five hundred thousand yuan.

Liu Yan quickly grabbed Zhang Han’s hand. “You’re a child. Nothing really happened between Liu Xin and Xiao Song. Yang Song is still young and naive.”

“You forget that every time you came over, Aunt Yan made your favorite braised ribs and braised fish... Aunt Yan has been so good to you. You can’t be heartless.”

Hearing this, Zhang Han’s already hardened heart grew colder. Those dishes were indeed his favorites.

But making his favorite foods always had ulterior motives!

“Aunt Yan,” Zhang Han finally squeezed out a few tears, “you don’t understand pure love and devotion. No matter what, I will never forgive Yang Song!”

Liu Yan hadn’t expected Zhang Han to be so stubborn. Her dissatisfaction grew, and anger flared, but thinking of the over one million yuan debt weighing heavily on her mind, her tone softened, coaxing, “Xiao Han, then quietly tell Aunt Yan, what would it take for you to forgive Xiao Song?”

Zhang Han smirked, leaning close to Liu Yan, his voice low and thick with masculine charm that made her body shiver, “I think Aunt Yan herself is still quite alluring...”