While Yan Yuxin was stunned, Ji Yaru took Xu Zifan's hand and intertwined their fingers, saying to Yan Yuxin, "Just like Zifan, you betrayed him despite more than ten years of friendship. What did you gain? But I'm glad I didn't miss any opportunities and stood by his side. I noticed that your gaze kept lingering on Zifan today. I hope Miss Yan remembers that this is my boyfriend. Please respect yourself in the future. The scenery here is nice; Miss Yan can calm down. We'll take our leave now."
Xu Zifan chuckled. He'd been wondering why Ji Yaru had been so talkative today; so this was what she was waiting for. This little girl knew how to assert her dominance. He'd originally intended to say something, but since Ji Yaru had already said so much, he simply followed her lead, not glancing at Yan Yuxin again. Yan Yuxin was the culprit who caused the original owner's broken leg pain; he would have absolutely no sympathy for her, so what reason did he have to enlighten her?
After the two left, Yan Yuxin broke down in tears. All she wanted was a better life, to be successful. What was wrong with that? Ji Yaru said she'd received elite education since she was five, and that children are supposed to be highly adaptable. Growing up in such a privileged environment, of course she could adapt. But she was a latecomer! She'd relaxed for eighteen years, and now she was suddenly forced to be on edge. How could she possibly adapt? What had she done wrong? She'd tried to please her strict parents, hadn't they? Didn't they accept it? Didn't she try harder? She hadn't done anything wrong. If she had, wouldn't everything she'd done in the past two years have been a mistake? So she wasn't wrong, she couldn't be wrong, she wouldn't admit she was wrong, and she would never regret it!
The Yan couple were deeply disappointed by Yan Yuxin's disappearance at the banquet. The day after her one-month celebration, they sent her abroad, warning her to stay away from people like Li Xudong if she didn't want to regret it later. They had tried to discipline their daughter, albeit with poor attitude, but they had genuinely cared. However, it's easy for someone to go astray, but difficult to bring them back to the right path. They didn't have that deep affection for her, nor the patience or time. Currently, they were focused on raising their youngest son and couldn't spare any attention for her. If she ignored their warnings, she would have to bear the consequences herself later.
Afterwards, Xu Zifan and Ji Yaru got busy again. They ran the same company, and seeing each other every day didn't affect their relationship. Xu Zifan wanted to fulfill the original owner's wish as soon as possible. Starting his own business was too slow, so after he made money, he started investing in stocks and then invested in many promising companies and projects, becoming their shareholders.
Most of his investments are in computer-related projects, allowing him to expand his network within the industry and request technical exchanges with partners, learning from their best engineers. He believes in mastering every field he studies; having chosen computer science in university, he's determined to learn how to make money from it, ideally reaching a cutting-edge level. Of course, this learning requires a correspondingly larger investment, serving as a reward for his expertise.
Gradually, Xu Zifan became famous in the industry because no one had ever seen a company CEO who spent all his time learning technology. CEOs usually recruit various highly skilled technicians and just strategize, but Xu Zifan seemed determined to exhaust the knowledge of all the technical staff, as if he were determined to become the best technician. He was simply an oddity among CEOs.
Ji Yaru and his elders were very supportive of him. After all, he was still young, and it was always good to learn more. So Xu Zifan went further and further down this peculiar path, and he never took off his academic genius title until graduation and even when he made it onto the wealth list!
Xu Zifan's company has a rather whimsical name: "Zifan Learning Co., Ltd." Over the years, the initial interactive learning platform has grown into one of the largest learning platforms in China, encompassing numerous functions such as "photo-based question assessment," "vocabulary mastery games," and "subject-specific quizzes," all designed by Xu Zifan and his team, and are highly practical. Even the Taobao "Top Scholar Shop" has moved to the platform's online store, making it more convenient for members to purchase—a truly one-stop service.
Now, when parents and students think of learning software, the first thing that comes to mind is "Zifan Learning". From the very beginning, "Zifan Learning" has gained a high level of trust from everyone through Xu Zifan himself. Afterwards, all functions of the platform are strictly controlled and have never had any flaws, which has further deepened people's trust in "Zifan Learning". The usage rate is very high, and the wealth it brings is naturally very considerable.
Several other companies Xu Zifan invested in also performed very well, naturally increasing his net worth as a shareholder, placing him among the top on the wealth list by the age of 28. He then moved the company headquarters to his hometown city, leaving only a branch office in the capital. At this time, Xu's father had been transferred back to the provincial capital to become governor, and his former superior had been promoted to the capital. With powerful backers, his work proceeded very smoothly. Since Xu Zifan and the Ji family's companies were all affiliated, they naturally helped each other, and both their political achievements and company performance accumulated rapidly.
The Li family's fortunes declined. A couple of years ago, a very important meeting was held here, demanding a city-wide pollution-free environment. The Li family happened to have a factory in the city that discharged pollutants. Xu's father seized the opportunity to launch a major crackdown, using the Li family as an example. The Li family was forced to relocate their factory, disrupting many partnerships. Everyone else could see that the new governor disliked the Li family, so naturally no one helped them; some even took advantage of their misfortune, causing the Li family significant losses and severely damaging their health.
Mr. Xu treated the Yan family the same as everyone else, but since the Yan family was in real estate, they were greatly affected by the government's strict control over the property market. After Xu Zifan's company moved here, the Yan family even relinquished their position as the richest family to Xu Zifan. Facing this young man they once admired again, the Yan couple sighed with regret. If Ji Yaru were their biological daughter, such an excellent son-in-law would have been theirs; together, they could have taken the Yan family to new heights. Unfortunately, they now had to continue raising their son, who was not yet ten years old, and a sense of exhaustion arose within them.
Original owner 's obsession was to be richer than the Yan and Li families, and Xu Zifan resolved this obsession by making a direct comparison when he returned home. That left only one thing: marrying a wife much better than Yan Yuxin. His relationship with Ji Yaru was stable and had grown closer over the years, so that wasn't a problem. Ji Yaru was far superior to Yan Yuxin in every way. The only issue was that they were both workaholics. Although they started dating at 18, they were still unmarried at 28 because they simply didn't have time to plan a wedding.
Both families had been urging them to get married for a long time. Now that Xu Zifan was on the wealth list and Ji Yaru was managing the Ji family business with great success, how could they possibly wait any longer? Business was never-ending. Xu's mother often said with exasperation, "You're not hurrying to marry such a good daughter-in-law? You'll regret it if you lose her one day!"
Xu Zifan appeared completely unmoved, but in reality, he had been preparing to propose for a long time. He felt that after studying his skills for so many years, his proposal should be related to that, so that it would seem extraordinary!
Six months later, Xu Zifan's company suddenly launched a mini-game called "Zifan's Proposal." It featured ten boys and ten girls, and players could choose any one to pursue the others. However, the storyline actually encompassed everything that had happened between him and Ji Yaru since their first meeting. Every step the player took would present several choices, leading to different endings. Only Ji Yaru knew everything about their relationship and could make the right choices to find the hidden character and get married.
Xu Zifan personally installed the game for Ji Yaru and watched her play. Ji Yaru's eyes were full of smiles, and she couldn't help but tease him. She deliberately hesitated when she had to make a choice, as if she was about to choose the wrong one. Sure enough, Xu Zifan immediately pulled her hand and hinted, "Think carefully, you can't make a mistake."
Ji Yaru suppressed a laugh and played slowly, teasing Xu Zifan several times until he noticed and gave her a good scolding before she finally calmed down and made her choices gradually. Her slow pace wasn't because she needed to think; Xu Zifan was the sunshine in her life, and she remembered everything about their past perfectly—how could she possibly make a mistake? She simply wanted to reminisce while playing, leaning against Xu Zifan and watching everything in the game, as if she were walking the path they had walked hand in hand again—sweet and happy. This feeling was so wonderful that she didn't want to speed up.
Xu Zifan was patient, and he sat with her head close to watch the screen together. In the quiet office, there was a sense of peace and tranquility.
At this moment, all their CP fans were excited. After waiting for ten years, Xu Zifan finally proposed. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and they even came up with such an interesting gimmick. Of course, they had to participate and support them! They seemed to know the process of their idols' love story!
So fans registered and started playing the game. As they played, they forgot their original intention and began to focus on winning over their favorite characters of the opposite sex, raising their affection level, completing small tasks, and always having to be careful not to starve themselves and to generate income. They were so busy that they played for several hours without realizing it!
This game is absolutely addictive!
Most players who tried it fell in love with the game and couldn't bear to stop playing. They kept recommending it to others, attracting more and more players to join. "Zifan's Proposal" quickly became a hit, just like the previous "Buddhist Frog Raising" game, it quickly spread across major forums, Weibo, WeChat Moments, and all places where people gathered. Everyone was discussing the game and whether Xu Zifan's proposal was successful.
This game wasn't something that could be finished in a day or two, but Ji Yaru was so engrossed in playing it that she didn't want to go to sleep. She would play it in bed at night, and in the end, she reached the final ending in just five days, successfully unlocking the hidden character—the chibi version of Xu Zifan. Her own character also became the chibi version of Ji Yaru.
Suddenly, all the players in the game were unable to operate the game. The game interface froze, as if it had been frozen, and then it turned into a scene of chibi-style Xu Zifan kneeling on one knee to propose to chibi-style Ji Yaru.
Xu Zifan: Ji Yaru, will you marry me?
Seeing this, Ji Yaru's lips curved into a smile. She looked at the still-warm sun jar on the bedside table, smiled, and tapped "I do" on the screen.
Ji Yaru: I do!
The game interface background instantly became beautiful and romantic, with fireworks filling the sky and two chibi characters embracing each other. Just then, the game interface for all players suddenly returned to normal, and a line of text appeared at the top: "For custom proposal scenes, please contact Zifan Company for preferential pricing."
The initial感动 (moved/touched) feeling instantly turned into a mix of laughter and tears, but everyone still subconsciously started playing their characters. This game was truly addictive, and so was the boss—even while proposing marriage, he couldn't resist promoting his product. His love for money remained unchanged for years. But that's great, that's so Xu Zifan! They love this kind of Xu Zifan!
At the same time, Xu Zifan took out a ring, put it on Ji Yaru's hand, and kissed his bride-to-be!
Their wedding was, of course, an exceptionally grand affair. Not only did all the prominent figures in the province attend, but several heavyweights from the capital who had collaborated with Xu Zifan also showed their respect by showing up, leaving everyone present in awe of Xu Zifan's extensive network. This wedding of the century was widely reported by major media outlets, which once again unearthed and recounted the couple's life story. By this time, they were already considered "legends," and the news was filled with praise for them.
Yan Yuxin saw their news abroad and was stunned for a long time. She only came to her senses when she heard people nearby saying how well-matched and in love they were. She forced a smile and said with difficulty, "Men become bad when they have money. Men who suddenly become rich from the bottom are most likely to cheat. How can it be true love? Maybe this bride will be abandoned in two years." Just like her.
The person next to her glared at her and said, "You have such a dark mind. Besides, so what if they break up? Women aren't just dependent on others. This bride is a strong woman; she's independent."
"A CEO is a high-society woman, why would she be afraid of being abandoned? If that day ever comes, she might be even happier raising younger men!"
Yan Yuxin, stung by the revelation, turned and walked away with a cold face. She had married a few years ago, not to Li Xudong, but to a very wealthy, handsome foreign man. However, after the marriage, she discovered he was a nouveau riche with no real family background. The man, suddenly wealthy and having easily won her over as a true heiress, was quite smug for a while, especially enjoying showing her off to his friends. But she had a bad temper and soon offended all his friends, leading to conflicts between them. She quickly discovered that the man was a womanizer and had cheated on her after only six months of marriage. When explaining to her, he claimed he had never seen anything like this before and couldn't resist the temptation!
She thought of herself. Hadn't she succumbed to temptation with Li Xudong back then? These things can't be changed, so she divorced him. Now, seeing Xu Zifan marry Ji Yaru, she felt incredibly sad, yet she also found it amusing. What was Xu Zifan like before? Just a poor loser! Now that he's rich, would he still like Ji Yaru? Even if he did, could he stay that way? Impossible. She didn't need to feel sad at all, because sooner or later she would see them fail.
Xu Zifan and Ji Yaru have always been loving after their marriage, so of course she didn't see the joke. Instead, she herself became the joke.
She tried to earn money through her own efforts, but having grown accustomed to comfort, she couldn't bear the hardship. She took several jobs, but none lasted, and she ended up becoming a "rich girl" who only took money. Her strict parents only gave her a fixed monthly allowance, ignoring everything else. When she returned home, she tried to compete with her younger brother for their affection, but this only eroded the last bit of love her parents had for her. She wanted to find a wealthy husband to guarantee her lifelong financial security, but every relationship ended without a trace because none of them could compare to Xu Zifan.
She had tried to contact Xu Zifan, and after much effort, she finally got through to him. But as soon as she brought up their childhood memories, Xu Zifan coldly told her to have some self-respect and hung up. She told herself she didn't regret it and that she would find a better man than Xu Zifan and return home in style. How could she possibly marry someone who couldn't even compare to her childhood sweetheart whom she had abandoned?
She squandered her years, achieving nothing. When the Yan couple passed away, they left her a sum of money and a villa, and the rest went to their youngest son. From then on, everything in the Yan family had nothing to do with her. After spending all the money, she could only turn to her younger brother, whom she didn't know very well, and endured the disdainful looks from her brother and sister-in-law. But she had become like a parasitic plant, losing the ability to survive on her own, and could only barely make ends meet with the charity of her brother.
The Ji family, whom she once despised, became well-known entrepreneurs in the country; the kind-hearted Xu family, whom she once looked down upon, became a provincial governor; the fiancé she once abandoned became a regular on the world's rich list; and even the fake heiress who swapped identities with her became a top female CEO...
And her? She had nothing. She regretted it. If she had stayed with Xu Zifan and hadn't revealed the truth about the switched babies, wouldn't she be enjoying all of this now? Xu Zifan was her childhood sweetheart, wasn't he? She shouldn't have looked down on her childhood sweetheart for being poor! She had already understood a principle: mountains crumble, people run away, and in this world, only oneself is truly reliable; true strength lies in one's own strength. But she understood this too late; she was already broken at heart. So she could only fantasize about what would have happened if she hadn't betrayed Xu Zifan.
Xu Zifan and Ji Yaru dedicated their lives to building their businesses, becoming pillars of the business world. Their loving marriage was unwavering, allowing no one to interfere. The only crisis they faced in their decades-long relationship was when Li Xudong kidnapped Ji Yaru. However, because Ji Yaru had practiced self-defense with Xu Zifan for years, she only suffered minor injuries, successfully averting the crisis and even sending Li Xudong to prison. By then, the Li family had gone bankrupt, and no one could help him settle his legal troubles. He had no choice but to go to jail, where Xu Zifan had arranged for people to take care of him. His life there would be worse than death.
Time flies, and after bidding farewell to their four elders, Xu Zifan and Ji Yaru also grew old. In this life, Xu Zifan's family is very warm and loving: kind parents, a gentle wife, and obedient children. It's truly a warm and comfortable life, like soaking in a hot spring—truly blissful. He also spent his entire life learning computer technology to a hacker-level, top-tier hacker.
He held onto the same idea: if you're going to study, you should strive to be a top student and be remembered. Since he was studying computer science, he naturally wanted to excel at it and make it a skill he could truly master. He led by example, truly learning until old age, setting the best role model for all his students, encouraging many to work hard and promoting positive energy throughout his life.
He was the best representative of "Zifan Learning," engraving "Zifan Learning" in people's hearts. Even though he's gone, people will never forget him. He truly left a profound mark on this world, just as he envisioned.