TREATING BOYFRIEND AS EX

Chapter 4 Enemies

"Why don't the higher-ups, who have money, make more? Such a waste!"

...

Jiao Didi visited several pawn shops, but the answers she received were mostly the same: either the prices were outrageously low, or the offers were absurdly unworthy.

She hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address.

The driver, an elderly man, drove at a pace so slow it seemed as though he were in no rush at all. He tried to strike up a conversation while driving, "Miss, are you headed to 'Yongrong Huafu'? It's a place for the rich, you know!"

Noticing Jiao Didi’s indifference, he continued, slowly meandering through the streets, looking for something to talk about.

Enduring his chatter, Jiao Didi restrained herself from responding impolitely, as her upbringing did not allow her to behave rudely.

The elderly driver took a winding, unnecessary route instead of the direct road she knew was ahead.

"Master, we should be taking that road to 'Yongrong Huafu,'" she pointed at the intersection they had just passed.

He argued, "That road is blocked. I just drove some customers there and had to turn around." He kept talking about how today's young women only care about money and were all driven by vanity.

Jiao Didi, uninterested, stared out the window with a blank expression.

"Young lady, we're almost there, where should I stop?"

She looked out and realized they were still two kilometers from the main entrance.

"Are we not there yet?" she asked, puzzled.

The driver, now acting coy, shrugged and replied, "Well, you didn't say anything. How could I have known where to stop?"

He then went on a rant, blaming her for the confusion.

It was frustrating to argue with him. Seeing the low traffic and her luxurious appearance, he assumed she was easy to deceive, so he tried to inflate the fare threefold.

Jiao Didi tried to reason with him, "What’s the fare according to your meter?"

"My meter’s broken, but the fare for this route is a thousand. If you don’t pay, I’m not going anywhere."

He grumbled, then pointed at her, boasting to the onlookers, "Look, this young lady wants a free ride!"

Passersby immediately started criticizing her, "Can't believe how thick-skinned these young ones are."

Annoyed, Jiao Didi dialed 110.

"Hello, 110? I'm on Fangyuan Avenue, and there's someone attempting to extort me. Thank you!"

Seeing her call the police, the driver realized he couldn’t get away with it. He reluctantly accepted the fare, muttered curses, and left.

The bystanders, seeing the drama over, scattered like birds.

...

A Rolls-Royce glided down the straight road.

"Doesn't that girl look like a lady?"

The chauffeur, Xiao Chen, asked the elegant woman in the back seat.

"Let me take a look..."

The woman quickly lowered the window.

"Oh, it's really Didi! Xiao Chen, pull over!"

Xiao Chen parked the car smoothly next to Jiao Didi.

"Miss, Miss!"

"Didi, Didi!"

Jiao Didi raised her head and saw a familiar face, which finally provided her with an outlet for the frustration she'd been holding in.

Mrs. Jiao, after hearing the story, fumed, "People like that deserve to be put behind bars."

Xiao Chen nodded in agreement.

After sharing the ordeal with her family, Jiao Didi felt a sense of satisfaction, as though a great injustice had been righted.

Once back home, she collapsed into the soft, comfortable bed and indulged in a much-needed nap.

Stretching as she emerged from the intricately carved door of her room, she lazily wandered past her parents' room, the door slightly ajar.

She overheard her mother’s voice, speaking on the phone: "Do we really have to withdraw all the funds from the bank? That will leave us without any liquidity... Alright then."

Mrs. Ye sighed before hanging up.

Jiao Didi pushed the door open and sat down beside her mother, gazing at the faint lines near her eyes and the silver strands hidden in her hair.

She leaned her head affectionately against her mother’s shoulder.

"You're twenty-three, and still acting so childishly," Mrs. Ye said with a smile.

"Why haven't I seen Lu Yan around lately?" she asked, puzzled.

Having worked in business management herself when she was younger, Mrs. Ye had since shifted her focus to family life after overworking. She didn’t follow entertainment gossip and didn’t often interact with other wealthy wives, so she wasn’t well-versed in what was going on outside their home.

Jiao Didi looked up, her large eyes reflecting a sadness that echoed in Mrs. Ye’s single, almond-shaped eye.

"We broke up," Jiao Didi said softly.

Seeing her daughter so dejected, Mrs. Ye, who had also been through the highs and lows of youthful love, immediately understood.

"He just couldn’t see your worth," she said, her voice full of conviction.

Every mother believes her daughter is the best, and Mrs. Ye was no exception.

The thought of Lu Yan's once-handsome eyes now seeming dull and lifeless brought a trace of amusement to Jiao Didi.

...

At dinner, the table was laid out with all of Jiao Didi’s favorite dishes—steamed bass, squirrel-shaped fish, and spicy flower snails.

"It’s been so long since I’ve had all my favorite foods!" she said, savoring the meal, knowing her mother had prepared it with love.

"I've eaten so much, but I still feel like I want more," she said, finishing two bowls of rice.

"Where’s Dad? Isn’t he coming home?" she asked, noticing her mother’s discomfort.

Mrs. Ye hesitated and said, "He has business to attend to."

Jiao Didi knew the truth—that her father wouldn’t be coming home for dinner—but she chose to remain silent.

The two women shared a warm, peaceful meal together.

...

Lately, Jiao Didi had been having irregular periods, and it had been a while since her last cycle.

She searched online for possible reasons and came across a number of different explanations. The most alarming one: pregnancy.

The risks of abortion and other complications frightened her. She felt her hands and feet go numb just thinking about it.

She donned a face mask, a sun hat, and sunglasses, determined to be as inconspicuous as possible.

At the hospital, she went to the gynecology department to have a blood test.

As she sat in the corridor waiting for the results, a voice called out to her.

"Jiao Didi, is that really you?"

It was Lu Yan’s sister, Lu Xue.

Despite her disguise, Jiao Didi had been recognized. It was a saying that seemed true—even when you’re reduced to ashes, you can still be recognized.

The two women had a long-standing rivalry, which went back to their university days when they both pursued the same campus heartthrob—no one had won, but neither had forgotten.

Their animosity only deepened over the years, as they continued to compete in every way possible, from beauty contests to academics.

Jiao Didi had even won Lu Xue’s brother, Lu Yan, which had caused an uproar.

Lu Xue, once confident her brother would never fall for someone like Jiao Didi, had been shocked when he had fallen in love with her.

Now, seeing her in the hospital, she could hardly believe her eyes.

"What’s that you’re holding?"

Lu Xue stared at the report in Jiao Didi’s hand.

In a flash, Jiao Didi tucked it into her bag and hastily replied, "I’m just here for a checkup."

Lu Xue, sensing her nervousness, pointed at the gynecology section with a skeptical look.

Jiao Didi quickly turned and walked away, but Lu Xue, determined to find out more, followed her through the crowded hospital, only to lose her after a few moments.

Refusing to let go, Lu Xue decided to go straight to the company to confront her brother.

As she arrived at the office, staff greeted her:

"Good morning, Miss Lu!"

"Good morning, Miss Lu!"

Then, as if on cue, she collided with someone.