Chapter 407: Chapter 406: Can You Lend Me Some Money?

"No, please, Uncle. I already told you, the place I’m staying is very safe. I’m not a child anymore. I can go wherever I want. If I wanted to go home, I would’ve gone home. You don’t need to worry about me."

Jin Shaoming sighed. "You silly girl. Is there something you can’t tell your parents? Be honest with your uncle, are your mom and dad pushing you to go on blind dates again? If you don’t want to go, just refuse them directly. It’s not like they can actually force you."

Jin Shaoming knew what his sister and brother-in-law were thinking. They wanted Ding Ruzhi to marry into a family of equal standing as soon as possible, but the girl simply wouldn’t listen to them.

She’d thrown a fit last year, and they had cut off her allowance.

"Uncle, can you lend me some money?" Ding Ruzhi mumbled.

Staying in a hotel was a bit expensive, and she was almost out of cash.

Jin Shaoming wasn’t surprised that she was asking him for money. After all, she hadn’t been home for a week, so it was very likely she was staying in a guesthouse or hotel, and those places cost money.

Besides, Ding Ruzhi had never been good at budgeting; it was normal for her to overspend.

Jin Shaoming took his wallet out of his pocket.

Ding Ruzhi’s eyes were glued to his wallet.

"I can give you the money, but you have to go home. Or at least go home tonight and explain things to your parents. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee they won’t suddenly show up here tomorrow. Especially your mom. I can’t control her, and it wouldn’t be good if this became common knowledge throughout your entire workplace."

Ding Ruzhi nodded helplessly. "I know, I know. I’ll go back after work today, okay?"

Jin Shaoming nodded. "That’s fine, then."

With that, he opened his wallet, pulled out a few large bills, and handed them to Ding Ruzhi.

After taking them, she kept staring at his wallet.

Jin Shaoming shot her a look, sighed, and reluctantly pulled out a few more bills for her.

Only then did Ding Ruzhi happily link her arm with Jin Shaoming’s and give it a little shake.

"Thank you, Uncle! You’re the best! When I make a fortune in the future, I’ll take care of you in your old age."

Jin Shaoming chuckled and tapped her on the forehead. "You and your sweet talk. I won’t be waiting around for you to make a fortune. Just try not to make your mom so angry all the time."

Ding Ruzhi pouted. "Got it."

"Uncle, I’m heading back to work now."

"Okay, go on."

Ding Ruzhi had just sat back down at her desk when Deng Weiwei leaned over. "You haven’t been home for so long. Don’t tell me you’ve been staying at Sister Xue’s hotel this whole time?"

Ding Ruzhi just glanced at her, neither confirming nor denying it.

Deng Weiwei’s eyes widened. "So it’s true! Why aren’t you going home? And what did you mean last time when you said something about ’the one in the best position gets the prize’?"

Ding Ruzhi propped her chin on her hand and slowly shook her head. "Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand."

Deng Weiwei studied her for a moment, then pouted. "Why wouldn’t I understand? Anyone can see you’re lovesick."

Ding Ruzhi glanced at their two male colleagues. Seeing they hadn’t reacted, she lowered her voice and asked Deng Weiwei, "How could you tell? Am I being that obvious?"

Deng Weiwei said in surprise, "Wait, I was right? You really are lovesick? I’m just curious, who’s the guy?"

Ding Ruzhi pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to say.

Deng Weiwei was perplexed. "Is it that hard to talk about? Or is he someone you can’t be seen with? I always thought you were fearless. But you have such high standards. Does this guy meet your criteria?"

Ding Ruzhi nodded. "Of course. It’s me who’s not good enough for him. He’s handsome, he has a great career... and I’m nothing."

Ding Ruzhi had a very clear understanding of herself. Other than being reasonably good-looking and coming from a decent family, she had no real skills. She also spent money like water. Her parents had taken care of her for the first twenty years of her life, and she’d need someone to take care of her for the next few decades, too.

The blind date candidates her parents picked for her were all from wealthy families, but she didn’t want that. She wanted a man who was rich, but also one she was attracted to.

Because of this, she suddenly became sensitive and insecure when she finally met someone she liked.

’I feel like such a loser. He’s so outstanding, why would he ever fall for me? And even have to take care of me on top of that?’

After hearing Ding Ruzhi’s explanation, Deng Weiwei grew even more curious.

"So who is this person, really?"

Ding Ruzhi merely glanced out of the corner of her eye toward the door of the inner office, then sighed and rubbed her face.

「After work that afternoon」

Ding Ruzhi slowly made her way home.

The moment her mother saw her, she started following her, nagging nonstop.

"Where have you been these past few days? You think you’re so grown up now, huh? Not coming home whenever you feel like it. Don’t tell me you’ve been seeing someone behind my back."

Ding Ruzhi hadn’t even said a word.

Her mother continued, "Let me tell you, you’d better drop that idea right now. You have terrible judgment, don’t let some man fool you. You can know a person’s face, but you can’t know their heart. Your father and I would never harm you. We’re pulling strings and calling in favors all over the place to find someone suitable for you, but you? You mess it all up. You’re showing us less and less respect these days."

"Say something! Have you gone mute?"

Ding Ruzhi said calmly, "What do you want me to say? When I don’t come home, you’re unhappy. When I do come home, you lecture me endlessly. No matter what I say, you have a comeback. My judgment is bad, I have no skills, I’m easily tricked... what else? I’m a good-for-nothing, is that what you want to hear?"

"What is wrong with you? Why are you being so passive-aggressive? Don’t you dare take out whatever frustrations you have from outside on me. I won’t fall for that."

Ding Ruzhi felt emotionally drained. ’Why is it so exhausting just to have a conversation?’ she thought.

"Speak! Why are you mute again?"

Ding Ruzhi looked directly at her mother and asked, "What exactly do you want me to say?"

"Where have you been these past few days? Why didn’t you come home?"

Ding Ruzhi said, "I was staying in a hotel. I didn’t want to come back. I wanted to see what freedom felt like."

"Freedom? Are you saying we’re restricting your movements? Or controlling your thoughts? We raised you all this time. It’s one thing to be ungrateful, but now you’re talking to me about freedom?"

Ding Ruzhi gave a bitter smile. "Mom, even if I’m wrong, can you please just let me have a moment of peace?"

"You’re not getting away with this until you explain yourself clearly. I see it now. We’ve spoiled you too much, and that’s why you’ve become so unruly."

Ding Ruzhi said wearily, "Then what do you want to do?"

"I’ve set you up with Director Li’s son from the tax bureau. You’ll meet him tomorrow morning at nine at the Red Square Cafe. He’s five years older than you. A bit older means he’ll know how to take care of you."

Ding Ruzhi refused outright. "I’m not going."

"I’m not asking, I’m telling you. This is not up for discussion. Do you have any idea how much effort I put into arranging this? Don’t be willful. It’s non-negotiable. You’re going whether you like it or not."

Normally, Ding Ruzhi might have just gone to get it over with, but now that she had someone in her heart, there was no way she would agree.