Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Blocking the Door
 

“That’s okay, are you free tonight? I’d like to take you out to dinner,” Liu Yujuan said.

“I don’t have the time,” Zhao Hai flatly refused.

“Then when will you have time? I’ll take you out,” Liu Yujuan knew Zhao Hai was making excuses, but she wouldn’t give up.

“I won’t have time any time,” Zhao Hai said.

“Zhao Hai, do you really hate me that much? You won’t even give me a chance to have a meal with you.”

Liu Yujuan had used this strategy before. Last time, it was this very tactic that made Zhao Hai agree to dine with her.

Unfortunately, the plan had been foiled by Zhao Yuxin last time.

“I’ve already given you a chance. I know what you want, so stop wasting your effort. We are never getting back together. Don’t call me anymore,” he said.

After speaking, Zhao Hai hung up the phone.

Liu Yujuan’s face turned ashen as she listened to the beeping tone on the other end of the line.

Only by meeting could she possibly have the chance to persuade Zhao Hai to get back together with her.

But Zhao Hai wouldn’t even give her a chance to meet. What could she do?

She couldn’t possibly block his door, could she?

Hmm?

Block his door?

That didn’t seem like a bad idea.

If Zhao Hai wouldn’t give her the chance to meet, then blocking his door was no issue.

To get Zhao Hai to accept her again, she had to make some effort.

She would block his door!

Today, she would wait for him outside the Haidilao restaurant, wait for Zhao Hai to come out.

With Haidilao employees watching, she believed Zhao Hai would have to give her a chance.

Unless Zhao Hai wanted to make a spectacle of himself in front of Haidilao’s staff.

Thinking this, Liu Yujuan felt her spirits lift somewhat.

At four-thirty, she informed her supervisor and called Yang Tiancheng to say she wouldn’t be home to cook tonight. She also texted Zhao Yulu.

Then she rushed off, driving to the open parking lot in front of Haidilao’s headquarters.

After parking her car, she stayed inside, waiting for Zhao Hai’s appearance.

At five-thirty, the end of the workday arrived, and employees started trickling out of the building.

By nearly six o’clock, she finally saw Zhao Hai coming out.

Initially, upon seeing Zhao Hai, Liu Yujuan was ready to get out of the car.

However, seeing Zhao Hai laughing and talking with a woman, Liu Yujuan stayed put for the moment.

The following event took her by surprise.

She saw Zhao Hai and the woman get into a BMW 730 together.

This was the company’s executive car for Zhao Hai; as a general manager, it was only fitting for him to drive a luxury car—it wouldn’t do to use his Wuling van.

Zhao Hai sat in the driver’s seat, the woman in the passenger’s seat.

“What are Zhao Hai and that woman going to do?”

Liu Yujuan thought of a possibility, and her face turned ugly; she started her car and followed them.

She tailed them to an upscale restaurant and saw Zhao Hai and the woman enter together, taking a seat by the window.

Now, Liu Yujuan’s expression became even uglier.

Undoubtedly, her suspicion was confirmed.

This woman must be Zhao Hai’s new love interest.

Otherwise, Zhao Hai would never go out to dinner with a woman alone.

Even if the two weren’t together yet, Zhao Hai must like this woman.

Given the way the woman acted, she seemed interested in Xu Yang as well.

A man and a woman, with the man affectionate and the woman interested—getting together seemed inevitable.

“No wonder he ignored my calls, not even sparing the time for a meal with me!” Liu Yujuan clenched her teeth with resentment.

She wanted to get out of her car, rush into the restaurant, and disrupt Zhao Hai’s date with the woman.

But then she thought better of it, such behavior was akin to being a shrew, and it would likely further alienate Zhao Hai, making the prospect of rekindling their relationship even more difficult.

So, she waited in the car, for over an hour.

When the two of them had finished their meal, paid the bill, and walked out of the restaurant, she got out of the car.

“Zhao Hai?!”

Liu Yujuan feigned surprise, “What are you doing here? I asked you out for a meal and you said you were busy. Turns out you were dining with another woman.”

She glanced at Zhou Ruyan and added, “And who might this be?”

Zhao Hai frowned slightly, unclear about Liu Yujuan’s intentions, he could only say, “This is a colleague from Grand Catch Bottom Restaurant.”

“A colleague,” Liu Yujuan said, looking at Zhou Ruyan with a smile, “Hello, I’m Liu Yujuan, Zhao Hai’s ex-wife.”

Zhou Ruyan nodded slightly, “Hello, I’m Zhou Ruyan.”

On New Year’s Day dinner, Zhao Hai’s daughter Zhao Yuxin had briefed her on Zhao Hai’s situation.

Due to his wife’s betrayal, Zhao Hai had divorced her when Zhao Yuxin was five years old.

Zhao Yuxin had stayed with Zhao Hai, while her older sister went with the ex-wife.

The ex-wife had taken Zhao Yuxin’s sister and started a new family with someone else.

That person was none other than Yang Tiancheng, the deputy general manager of Delicious Hotpot.

The reason Delicious Hotpot opened right next to Grand Catch Bottom Restaurant was due to Yang Tiancheng’s desire to suppress Zhao Hai.

Unfortunately, the move backfired.

Not only did it fail to suppress Grand Catch Bottom Restaurant, but their business thrived even more, leaving Delicious Hotpot with no customers.

Yang Tiancheng’s days at Delicious Hotpot must have been difficult.

Zhao Yuxin also mentioned that Liu Yujuan was a money-seeking woman who, seeing Zhao Hai become the general manager of Grand Catch Bottom Restaurant, wanted to reunite with him.

She even hinted that if she liked her dad, she should seize the opportunity.

In this moment, seeing Liu Yujuan, she felt the hostility in her eyes.

Zhou Ruyan knew that what Zhao Yuxin had said was probably true.

It was evident from Liu Yujuan’s comment about asking Zhao Hai out for a meal.

Moreover, she sensed from a woman’s intuition that Liu Yujuan’s presence here was likely no coincidence,

and seemed to carry an intention to provoke her.

She truly liked Zhao Hai; she had once thought she would be alone for the rest of her life.

It was a case of preferring to lack rather than to settle for less; without meeting the right person, she would never compromise.

But seeing Zhao Hai, her heart began to ripple.

She admitted she was moved.

Zhao Hai was a bit older indeed, but in matters of the heart, that didn’t matter.

In fact, it wasn’t much of an age difference; she was thirty-eight and Zhao Hai was forty-eight, just a ten-year gap.

And according to Zhao Yuxin, Zhao Hai was also interested in her.

Today, Zhao Hai had taken the initiative to ask her out to eat, and she naturally accepted.

Faced with Liu Yujuan’s provocation, Zhou Ruyan didn’t retort verbally,

but rather responded calmly.

Truth be told, Zhou Ruyan truly thought Liu Yujuan was delusional.

Any man, confronted with a woman who had betrayed him, would never tolerate her.

Let alone coming back years later seeking reconciliation.

Zhou Ruyan didn’t understand what Liu Yujuan was thinking or how she could believe there was still a chance.

Did she really take Zhao Hai for a fool?

So, facing this kind of provocation, she really didn’t need to do anything.

She trusted that Zhao Hai would handle it well.

“Ru Yan, let’s go.” Zhao Hai also guessed that Liu Yujuan’s appearance was no coincidence. Not caring to engage with Liu Yujuan any further, he left with Zhou Ruyan.

Liu Yujuan didn’t know what to say and could only watch helplessly as the two got into the car and drove away.

Liu Yujuan wanted to leave as well, but feeling hungry, she entered the restaurant, had her meal, and then went home.

When she got home, Yang Tiancheng and his son had already returned.

Zhao Yulu was back too, in her room.