Chapter 32: A Gift for You (Two-in-One)

Xia An stared at the numbers in his bank account, feeling a bit dazed.

The money from the domain name hadn't arrived yet, and the 70,000 yuan from his father's side remained unrealized because the 10% gain from yesterday's limit-up stock hadn't materialized into cash.

Therefore, the money in the sports betting account was his first intuitive realization of the unparalleled ability to generate wealth that he possessed as a prophet of rebirth.

Starting with 100,000, winning up to 200,000, then expanding to 2,000,000. After three evenings, it had grown to 11,320,000.

He pulled out his phone, but before he could find the calculator function, Tang Wan had already finished the math beside him.

"Do you want to calculate the profit sharing?" she asked Xia An.

"Yes."

Tang Wan tilted her head and said, "Do we really need to be so precise with each other? Wouldn't it be better if we just split it fifty-fifty?"

Xia An laughed, "Let's stick to what we agreed on."

Tang Wan pouted and hummed, pointing at the laptop to tell him to withdraw the cash. When the money was pooled together during betting, it was impossible to distinguish exactly whose bets won or lost. Tang Wan calculated based on a 9:1 ratio of the principal, treating the remainder as a service fee.

Tang Wan and Xia An had won 1.132 million. Of that, Xia An’s commission was 396,200. The 10.188 million in profit from "that friend" included the 35% share for Tang Wan, totaling 3.5658 million. Xia An was to take half of that portion.

Listening to Tang Wan’s little mouth chattering away, reeling off one set of figures after another without pause, Xia An couldn't keep track of any of it.

Tang Wan rolled her eyes at him, holding back a laugh. "Finally, something you're not good at."

Xia An said that in future business dealings, Tang Wan would definitely be the CFO; her mental math skills were incredible.

Tang Wan spat at him playfully and added, "If you insist on calculating it clearly, you should have earned 2.1791 million in commissions. Look, I even gave you two decimal places. That’s precise enough, isn't it?"

She herself would take away over 2.58 million.

While Tang Wan’s tone was teasing, she was actually quite shocked inside. Sports betting was not like playing poker; there was no systematic probability to calculate. Unless one mastered the detailed daily performance of every athlete for analysis—but human performance was rarely stable...

Even Tang Wan had to admit at this moment... *Hehe, we really are a great match when it comes to making money.*

Hearing Tang Wan conclude with the amount he could take, Xia An felt a twinge of guilt. After all, she had put up 100,000, while he had essentially conjured wealth out of thin air. No, wait, he had paid the 3,000 yuan for the internet fees. Then again, those 5,000 were just pocket money Tang Wan had given him.

In the end, Xia An told Tang Wan he would only take 2.1 million. As for the 70,000 remainder, she could either keep it or he would buy her 70,000 bags of QQ gummies. Tang Wan laughed, clutching her stomach, and said she chose the latter. She couldn't win an argument against him and understood his intentions, so she agreed to his arrangement.

After the withdrawal, Xia An wasn't too worried that "that friend" was the type to be stingy over small gains. To the real "second-generation" elites, spending seven figures on a single meal wasn't a rarity. Tang Wan was equally composed.

After bickering for a while in the sunset, Tang Wan fell asleep with her head on Xia An’s lap. This had been the routine for the past few days; she always made Xia An wait until she was asleep before he left. Xia An felt they were becoming more in sync, largely because he, too, had a soft spot for legs.

Watching Tang Wan curled up on him, he knew that a woman would only sleep so soundly when she felt a deep sense of security with a person and their environment. Outside the 16th-floor window, the sky had turned a deep, clear blue. Tang Wan’s eyelashes fluttered, and a faint curve graced the corners of her lips.

Xia An felt a sudden impulse to steal a kiss.

It was strange. Perhaps because he had Le Ning by his side throughout his youth, early adulthood, and middle age in his previous life, he didn't view his 19-year-old ex-wife as a child. Instead, the Tang Wan before him always touched a soft spot in his heart, stirring a sense of pity. It was hard for Xia An to describe this feeling. Was it curiosity sparked by the strangeness of the original world, or the idea that the new replaces the old?

*Am I a scumbag at heart?*

With that thought, Xia An leaned forward, approaching her pink lips.

*Buzz—*

Tang Wan’s phone, resting on the coffee table, vibrated. As Xia An turned his head, he saw Tang Wan’s eyes tightly shut, her lips curling into a secret, mischievous smile.

Xia An saw a text message on the glowing screen. He couldn't see the content.

Sender: Zhenzhen.

***

He Zhenzhen took the elevator to the 30th floor of the East Tower and was led into a suite by a woman dressed like an assistant waiting at the elevator entrance. As soon as she entered, she tossed her bag aside and headed straight for the balcony window, picking up the herbal tea on the table and draining it in one gulp.

"I'm dying of thirst. Aunt He, what time did you arrive?"

"Just got off the plane," replied the middle-aged noblewoman, who was looking down at some documents, smiling as she glanced at her. She then closed the folder, handed it to the assistant, and told her to go about her business.

Seeing that the outsider had left, He Zhenzhen pouted and said, "It's been so boring these past few days. I wanted to go to Italy to find you, but I couldn't get a first-class ticket. Aunt He, you promised to take me out to play, so why did you stand me up?"

Ms. He replied, "The flight route was approved at the last minute, and you didn't pick up when I called. Who knew where you were off playing."

She had just received the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity and had flown back to Macau immediately after the banquet. The main structure of the MGM had already been topped out; this project was an obsession, and she didn't want to miss a single step. Seeing He Zhenzhen kick off her shoes and sit cross-legged, rubbing her feet, Ms. He gave her a sharp look.

"You're twenty-five and still not acting like a grown-up. How will you get married in the future?"

He Zhenzhen scoffed, "Better not to get married at all."

Ms. He shook her head with a laugh and poured a cup of tea. "Is Mr. He doing well?"

"My dad?" He Zhenzhen snorted. "Better than ever. He performed the ancestral rites at the start of the year and is currently coordinating personnel. He’s going to be the Chief Steward soon. Mom and I don't even know how often we'll see him after this. Aunt He, I just don't get why you career women work so hard. That woman is even called the 'Iron Lady'—it sounds so harsh."

"Do you need to understand?" Ms. He glared at her, then smiled. "In terms of seniority, you should call Ms. He 'Cousin.' Is there anything wrong with Mr. He working under her?"

He Zhenzhen muttered, "I still think your branch of the He family is better..." But realizing that Aunt He's family was also a mess, she fell silent. She only added, "I still prefer the days back in Fujian."

Ms. He took a sip of tea. "He who lies low for a long time will fly high. Mr. He bided his time in the mainland and did quite well for himself; now is the perfect time to return. Ms. He's strategic focus for the next two years, after taking office, is on East Asian investment. Your father understands this best; he is the most suitable person to assist her."

He Zhenzhen scratched her head, stating bluntly that she didn't want to hear about business. Ms. He shook her head with a smile, saying that He Zhenzhen was at the right age and would have to deal with business sooner or later.

He Zhenzhen looked at her and said, "Dealing with big deals every day with such dignified poise? I couldn't stand it. I've made up my mind, Aunt He. This time I'm not going to Brunei with you. Just help me hide it from my dad and say I didn't like that Ajimu fellow who hangs out with female celebrities."

Ms. He stiffened and pretended to be angry, calling her rowdy. "A woman of age should be married. Is this something to joke about? I'm just the introducer; don't push me out to take the heat. I can't afford to offend your cousin."

He Zhenzhen feigned grievance, muttering, "How can you say that? You've already been through it once—would you really let that tragedy happen to me?"

Ms. He froze for a moment. The two large pearls on her earlobes shimmered under the orange spotlight. He Zhenzhen realized she had said the wrong thing but didn't know how to take it back.

After thinking for a second, she bit the bullet. "At worst, I'll follow your path: go into the film industry for a while, and when it's boring, I'll learn business from you and become a 'career woman.' Anyway, I'm just a branch member of the He family, and I'm a girl. When the time comes, I'll secretly give you the Temasek resources. Once this MGM is built, keep building the second and third ones, and I'll keep drawing crowds to your casino every day..."

Seeing Ms. He smile helplessly, He Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "At the very least, I'll follow my best friend and go back to school."

Ms. He sighed, rubbing her forehead. "School? Where? Aren't those aristocratic schools even more boring?"

He Zhenzhen was about to explain when her phone chimed with a text message. She opened it, instantly calculated the specific ratio, and transferred a sum of money via online banking. The whole process took just over a minute.

He Zhenzhen shook her phone at Ms. He with a smile. "See, that's her. No parents, completely free. She earned millions in two days, enough to win back everything I lost downstairs. And she found herself a little boyfriend she likes. I envy her."

*No family, and you envy her?* Ms. He was genuinely amused. "That pretty girl you brought to play cards in college who never lost?"

He Zhenzhen nodded. "Right, Tang Wan."

Ms. He said, "She’s also a poor child. But you and she are different."

Seeing that Ms. He still wouldn't take a side regarding the "blind date crisis" coming up in a few days, He Zhenzhen's patience finally wore thin. Standing barefoot on the carpet, she said, "I don't care, I won't marry someone I don't like. Aunt He, anyone else can misunderstand me, but you can't."

Ms. He was silent for a while, as if lost in memories. She suddenly felt a bit envious of this person who shared her surname but not her blood. After a long time, she let out a soft sigh.

"The complexity of human nature lies in the entanglement of choice. If Danny and I had been even a little bit as brave as you at the time, this wouldn't have been the outcome. Ah Zhen, you must think clearly. The fate between people is used up the moment you meet; the rest depends entirely on human effort. A woman must pay for her own choices. Once you bet wrong, it's not as simple as just losing money."

Hearing this, He Zhenzhen's eyes sharpened.

"My 'Zhen' stands for Joan of Arc, for chastity, for loyalty. I am only loyal to myself! If they force me to marry into Brunei, ha, that little prince will have a miserable time, I swear!"

***

When Xia An returned with the takeout, Tang Wan was packing her luggage.

"Why are you awake?" Xia An asked as he changed his shoes and entered.

Tang Wan glared at him resentfully, scolding him for deliberately not letting her sleep well. "Why did you turn off the AC? It's 32 degrees outside today!"

Xia An laughed sheepishly while untying the plastic bag. "I was afraid you'd catch a cold. Anyway, now that you're up, let's eat."

Tang Wan sat down, grumpy, and snapped open the disposable wooden chopsticks. "After I leave tomorrow, you have to eat on time, too." She told him everything was in the fridge and that he should cook at home instead of always going to restaurants. Finally, she told him she had just transferred the 2.1 million to him.

Xia An wasn't stupid. Even though he was excited about this era where "private-to-private transfers under 5 million aren't restricted," he wouldn't make the money the main topic of conversation at this moment. He told Tang Wan to take care of herself.

"When we meet at the end of next month, let's try not to lose too much weight."

Tang Wan covered his mouth. "Don't say it, don't say it. Even if you guessed where I'm going, don't say it. Just act like you don't know. You need to savor what life is like without me. I read in a book that longing gnaws at the bones—if we both feel that way... that's what love is, right?"

Xia An nodded helplessly. It was hard not to guess that Tang Wan was going to Donghai University to wait for him. This little mindset was both childish and cute. But... Le Ning would be there, and Zuo You would be there, too. If Tang Wan popped up as a PhD student... *Tsk... University is truly colorful.*

Xia An suddenly lost his appetite.

Before leaving that night, Tang Wan asked if he could accompany her for one more day tomorrow. Xia An said of course.

"Then I'll call you later tomorrow morning. I want to go visit my parents."

Xia An gave a soft "Hmm."

Afterward, as he walked to the door, Tang Wan lingered and hesitated, her conflicted little expression making Xia An find her quite amusing. He put on his shoes, opened the door, and stepped out. Before closing it, he caught a glimpse of Tang Wan’s lonely expression and decided not to tease her anymore.

"Do you want me to go with you tomorrow morning?"

Tang Wan looked up, pleasantly surprised, jumped up in excitement, and ran over to hug him. That night, Xia An lay in bed, clutching his only bank card, unable to sleep.

***

The anniversary of Tang Wan’s parents' death was on the 10th of this month; it had already passed. That day, she had told her parents at the cemetery: "See you tomorrow." Then she went to the bar and met Xia An.

Today, she was going to tell them that she had started a new life and was firmly speeding toward it. She hoped her parents' spirits would bless her path.

Xia An couldn't tell his parents he was going to a gravesite. After putting on a pure black T-shirt and black jeans, his parents, who were home for the weekend, asked why he was dressed like that. His reason: "I'm grown up; isn't it appropriate to be more steady?"

Standing next to Tang Wan, who wore a black dress that made her skin look even fairer—like a cold, proud narcissus—they looked quite a perfect match. Tang Wan didn't buy tacky chrysanthemums. She said her mother liked jasmine, so Xia An drove her to several flower shops until they bought two large bouquets.

At the Lianhuashan Cemetery, they climbed the stairs, and Xia An followed Tang Wan to lay the flowers before the tombstone. Tang Wan pointed to an unmarked tombstone next to it, telling Xia An that she had bought that plot for herself.

Xia An took a look and then surveyed the surroundings. Dense, blue-black marble filled his vision. Beneath every stone was buried a lifetime. A sense of destiny and pressure rushed to his crown. Xia An wondered: *Where am I buried in the original world?*

Tang Wan followed his gaze and said, "It looks like rows of windows, doesn't it?"

Xia An wrapped his arms around Tang Wan’s waist in front of her parents' tombstone and told her, "The stories inside these windows have all stopped and been sealed, but our story will continue."

Tang Wan smiled at him and asked him to wait at the stairs for a moment; she wanted to whisper a few words to her parents. Xia An’s figure was soon blocked by the pines and cypresses. Tang Wan lifted her dress and squatted down, tears welling in her eyes, but she fought hard to hold them back.

"Mom, Dad, your daughter is leaving. I will live on, fiercely, desperately, and happily."

...

...

They returned to the city from Lianhuashan at ten o'clock sharp. Xia An drove the car to a China Construction Bank. The security guard enthusiastically directed the Bentley to back into a spot and then warmly ushered them into the lobby, secretly gesturing to the luxury car outside and pointing at Xia An and Tang Wan to the lobby manager.

Actually, the manager didn't need the hint; with her sharp eye for detail, she understood everything the moment she saw their temperament.

After confirming Xia An’s intention to withdraw money, she saw that only two of the four counters were open, and the remaining two had long lines, so she took the initiative to get him a number and brought a cup of hot water for Tang Wan.

She then asked, "Sir, how much are you planning to withdraw? If it's under 20,000, you can actually go to the branch down the street; they have an ATM."

Xia An said, "100,000."

The manager’s eyes darted, and she asked, "Sir, are you a VIP of our bank? If so, you can use the VIP channel."

Xia An replied, "No."

He knew the manager’s next question would be: *Then would you like to sign up, sir?*

So, he cut her off in advance: "Maybe in a while."

The manager understood, smiled, and went off to attend to other matters. Tang Wan had only known he was coming to withdraw money, but not that it was this much. She asked Xia An what he was going to use it for.

Xia An laughed, "It's your birthday today, I'm getting you a gift."

Tang Wan froze instantly, her face a mix of excitement and emotion. She stammered, "Y-you, how did you know?"