Urban System: Beautiful lady, I really didn't steal your black stockings!

"No...please..." Shen Yating and Chen Fengping playfully argued.

"Fengping...I was wrong...please let me go..."

He was so amused by Chen Fengping that he went weak all over and begged for mercy repeatedly.

"Cheng Zhe...save me."

Cheng Zhe looked at the two bickering and said with a smile, "Stop fooling around, think about what to do next."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Chen Fengping released her grip on Shen Yating's waist, and Shen Yating also straightened her disheveled clothes. Both of them lowered their heads, the previous intimacy fading away, leaving only an unconcealable sense of loss.

Shen Yating felt a lump in her throat as she thought of the beauty salon she had painstakingly built up over the years, which was now closed down and burdened with a mountain of debt. All her hard work had gone down the drain, and her future was uncertain.

Chen Fengping's life savings were stolen, and she was also mistaken for an accomplice. She was criticized wherever she went and was already exhausted.

The few casual words they had just exchanged made them realize that they were both down on their luck, just bearing the blows of life in different ways, and the despondency in their eyes was tinged with a sense of shared experience.

Cheng Zhe observed their expressions and slowly said, "Since things have come to this, I naturally won't abandon you. From now on, you two should move in together so you can look after each other."

He paused, then looked at Shen Yating: "Yating, I will transfer the money to you every month to pay off your debts on time. You can pay it off slowly, there's no rush."

He then turned to Chen Fengping and said, "Fengping, I'll give you 20,000 yuan a month for living expenses. You and Yating can use it together; it'll be enough for you two to live on."

His arrangements were clear and logical, and both of them understood that Cheng Zhe wanted them to live together simply because he wanted to keep them by his side.

Shen Yating and Chen Fengping exchanged a glance, both seeing tacit approval in each other's eyes, and then nodded together.

Chen Fengping was the first to look up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I'll choose the house! I want one with floor-to-ceiling windows, so the sunlight is great!"

Looking at the light in her eyes, Cheng Zhe nodded and replied, "Okay, whatever you say."

When Cheng Zhe came out of the bathroom, his eyes were filled with undisguised surprise.

In just a short while, the two had become quite familiar with each other.

The two were sitting side by side, seemingly having nothing to hide.

"I was so stupid back then!" Shen Yating clutched the pillow, her voice full of regret.

"I treated her like a sister, discussing everything at the beauty salon with her and entrusting her with the money. But she secretly transferred assets, leaving me to clean up the mess!"

As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion. Thinking about all the days and nights she had spent working so hard, she felt utterly wronged.

Chen Fengping immediately patted her on the back, echoing her sentiments with empathy, her eyes filled with indignation: "That's right! These swindlers deserve to be unlucky for life! They deserve a terrible death!"

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, clenching her fists: "Especially that bastard, I gave him all my savings, and he ran off with the money, and now everyone's saying I'm an accomplice! I curse him to get into a car accident soon and to be childless!"

Holding Shen Yating's hand, she sobbed, "I never believed that people could be so bad. I always thought that sincerity would be reciprocated, but he cheated me out of everything and I'm now being gossiped about."

The two talked back and forth, finding themselves getting along better and better, pouring out all their grievances and resentments, from the wickedness of the swindler to their own naiveté, from the hardships of life to their hopes for the future.

As night deepened, the room finally quieted down.

Cheng Zhe turned off the bedside lamp and lay down on the bed. Before he could fall asleep, Shen Yating suddenly pulled him to the left and hugged his left arm.

As if sensing that Cheng Zhe had moved to the left, Chen Fengping naturally refused to be outdone and also pulled at his right arm.

For a moment, Cheng Zhe was torn between two sides, caught in a dilemma.

Cheng Zhe paused before he could speak, ultimately unwilling to break the rare tranquility. He could only brace himself and remain frozen in the middle, spending a sleepless night, hoping that dawn would break soon.

Finally, the morning light shone into the room through the gaps in the curtains, and the two were still sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking up.

Cheng Zhe carefully moved the two hands that were embracing him, his movements as light as if he were afraid of startling a butterfly. Just as he managed to break free, his phone on the bedside table started buzzing.

He took out his phone and saw the words "Zhao Ya" flashing on the screen, followed by seven missed calls.

There were two more unread messages, both from Zhao Ya, asking him where he went last night, why he didn't go home, and when he would go back.

Lately, he has been frequently away from home. Every time Zhao Ya calls, he makes excuses about working overtime, entertaining clients, or being on a business trip. After a while, even he himself feels that those reasons are too far-fetched.

He knew Zhao Ya's personality well. She seemed gentle and sensible, but deep down she was sensitive and persistent. She probably hadn't noticed his repeated perfunctory attitude.

If I were to fabricate another flimsy excuse, it would only arouse her more suspicion and even make her upset, making things even more difficult to resolve.

Cheng Zhe leaned against the wall, pressing his fingertips against his brow.

Well, when we get back, I might as well use mind reading to see what she's thinking, so I can know if she's really suspicious and what she's thinking.

If she's just worried, then comfort her properly; if she's already noticed something amiss, then it's better to think of a solution in advance than to blindly make excuses like this.

On the other side, Zhao Ya threw herself into Zhang Cuiting's arms, her shoulders trembling so hard that she soaked a large patch of Zhang Cuiting's clothes.

"Mom... Cheng Zhe isn't coming home again..." Zhao Ya's voice was choked with sobs, filled with deep grievance and unease.

"He's definitely seeing another woman! He's such a jerk! Waaah... But what can I do, Mom? I love him!"

"And I smelled women's perfume on his clothes! There were also red blemishes!"

She lifted her tear-streaked face, a sudden light flashing in her eyes. Grabbing Zhang Cuiting's arm, she said urgently, "Mom... I remember..."

Zhang Cuiting was taken aback by her sudden reaction, and her hand, which was patting her back, paused: "What did you remember?"

"When Cheng Zhe and I were being intimate before," Zhao Ya's cheeks flushed an unnatural red, but she still gritted her teeth and said it.

"I asked him to call your name, and he... he reacted very strongly..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cuiting's face instantly flushed red, filled with shame and embarrassment. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away, her eyes darting away, unable to meet Zhao Ya's gaze: "What nonsense are you talking about! Don't talk like that, you're just a child!"

"I'm not lying! It's true!" Zhao Ya gripped even tighter, her eyes filled with pleading, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

"I can tell! He definitely likes it!"

"Mom, you have to help me! Go and talk to him, even if... even if it's in that way!"