Priceless: A widow with a baby asks the prince to marry again

A low-key black car drove towards the university where freshmen were reporting.

The young man driving the car was calm and composed, wearing a low-key yet sophisticated luxury brand without a logo.

The passenger in the passenger seat had striking red hair, was chewing gum, and swinging his legs to the faint rhythm of the music, complaining unhappily, "Ling Yu! Can't you turn up the music a little louder?"

"I put it on for you, why are you still picking?" Ling Yu glanced at him and then back to the road. "If you think it's too small, just wear headphones."

The two had lived in the same compound since childhood, and their parents were old friends. If Ke Jinfeng's father hadn't specifically told him to look after this "high-profile spirited young man" who had just returned from a trip abroad, he wouldn't have bothered to pay any attention.

"Wow, there are a lot of girls in your school!" Ke Jinfeng was immediately attracted by the bustling crowd of freshmen outside the window.

Ling Yu was too lazy to respond.

Suddenly, Ke Jinfeng's eyes lit up and he slammed the car door: "Stop! Look! There's a world-weary beauty over there, a rare and exquisite one!"

"My uncle told you not to have affairs with other girls." Ling Yu said coldly.

"How can I be so philandering? I've always been loyal in every relationship..." Ke Jinfeng said as he reached out and opened the nanny lock on the car door, saying, "It's just that the frequency of dating is a bit high."

They were already outside the university gates. The car had stopped due to traffic congestion, but Ling Yu didn't try to stop them. He wasn't really a babysitter. He was just taking Ke Jinfeng to familiarize himself with the domestic environment for a few days, so he didn't want to interfere with his private life. However, he still reminded him, "Don't go too far and hurt my schoolmate."

"Tsk... didn't you just transfer the project to this school?" Ke Jinfeng glanced at him with disdain. The subtext of Ling Yu's words was that he would interfere if things went too far, but Ke Jinfeng got out of the car immediately!

Because the beautiful woman he was eyeing was just about to walk by!

"Beautiful lady! Let's get to know each other!"

Ling Yu, still sitting in the car, saw Ke Jinfeng stop the beautiful woman as soon as he got out of the car, the door not even closed tightly... One could tell at a glance that she was world-weary. The girl was petite, wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, but she was very thin. Her eyes were cold and gloomy, with a faint dark blue under them. But even so, her face was still fascinatingly beautiful...

Ke Jinfeng reached out to stop the girl, who walked straight ahead as if he hadn't heard him. "Beauty, my name is Ke Jinfeng. Can I add a V?"

The girl finally gave him a disgusted look and said coldly, "I'm in a hurry!"

The blunt rejection made Ke Jinfeng stunned for a moment. The girl took a few steps forward, and Ke Jinfeng finally reacted. He caught up with her, grabbed her hand, and pointed with his other hand at Ling Yu, who was observing silently - his car, and said urgently, "If you're in a hurry, I can give you a ride! Where are you going?"

This time the girl turned around, her face stained with anger: "Unless you're driving a plane, you can't be faster than the subway! Let go! I'm going to be late!"

After saying that, the girl fiercely shook off Ke Jinfeng's hand! Even though her arm was red, she hurried to the subway entrance without looking back, and even seemed to jog because she was delayed for a while!

Ke Jinfeng stood there in a daze for a while, then he pursed his lips and returned to the car with an expression of disbelief.

"How could this happen?" Ke Jinfeng pulled down the sun visor on the passenger side in confusion and used the mirror on it to look at his face.

"She's right. It's five in the afternoon, the beginning of the evening rush hour. No car can be faster than the subway." Ling Yu said with a calm and gloating tone.

Ke Jinfeng snorted and said, "That's an excuse to refuse! It must be your car's problem! It's pitch black and doesn't look cool at all!"

Ling Yu's face suddenly darkened: "My car has been modified for military use. Ordinary rifle bullets can't penetrate it!"

Ke Jinfeng was speechless: "Tsk! What's the point of BTS in China! They can't even pick up girls, they are just garbage..."

"Go down!"

...

As soon as the seven-day military training ended, Ke Jinfeng drove a striking pink Aston Martin and stopped at the university gate, instantly becoming the focus of attention.

He specifically brought Ling Yu along just to prove that the last failure was definitely the fault of the "black turtle".

Ke Jinfeng leaned against the car door, holding a bunch of roses in his hand, his target clearly locked on Liu Rusi who had just walked out of the school gate.

"Hi! See you again, beautiful!" He put on what he considered a charming smile and handed the flowers over. "Will you please let me give you a ride this time? I promise it'll be faster than the subway!"

Liu Rusi's cold eyes swept across the dazzlingly arrogant car, then fell on Ke Jinfeng, and a trace of undisguised sarcasm appeared on the corner of her mouth: "I won't ride in a second-hand car with a luxurious appearance."

Ke Jinfeng turned around and glanced at his chariot, a little angry that she didn't know the value of it, and retorted, "This is a new car I just picked up!"

"I'm talking about you." Before he finished speaking, the person had already passed by.

Ke Jinfeng froze in place, forgetting to put away the rose in his hand, feeling bewildered by everything.

After a long while, he finally recovered his composure, abandoned the ostentatious luxury car, walked over to the "black turtle," and without a trace of hesitation, opened the door and climbed in. His voice was filled with depression as he muttered, "She said I was a used car?!"

Ling Yu placed one hand on the steering wheel, his eyes still following Liu Rusi's retreating figure. Upon hearing this, he slowly turned back: "The perception is very clear. However, you are more than just second-hand."

"You!" Ke Jinfeng said angrily, "Is this an excuse for rejection?"

"Oh?" Ling Yu raised an eyebrow, throwing back the other party's previous sarcasm, "That means your new car is too rubbish, you can't even pick up girls."

Ke Jinfeng was choked and retorted with his neck stiff: "...Maybe they just don't worship money!"

"It's also possible that the reason for failure is you yourself, who doesn't meet her standards for a partner." Ling Yu said sarcastically.

Ke Jinfeng couldn't help but get furious. This was even more embarrassing than denying his new car! He angrily said to Ling Yu, "Can you meet the standards?"

"Maybe." Ling Yu's answer was understated, but her self-righteous pride was glaring.

Ke Jinfeng's competitive spirit was instantly ignited, and he absolutely refused to admit defeat! "If you're brave enough, why don't you give her a try?! Let's make a bet and see who can take her down first!"

Ling Yu's eyes darkened slightly. Normally, he would have scoffed at such a frivolous bet. But Liu Rusi's equally dismissive rejection of the flashy sports car gave him a secret pleasure... "Bet?"

"Whoever loses will open the garage and let the other party pick a car at will!" Ke Jinfeng said viciously.

"make a deal."

The bet was settled, and Ling Yu acted decisively. He quickly used his connections—or perhaps, perhaps, his sincerity, which Liu Rusi's roommate couldn't refuse—to find out the reason for her hasty departure: a part-time job at a luxury store quite far away.

Ling Yu's plan was meticulous: to create a carefully orchestrated "chance encounter." He would present himself at her workplace as a client—a position she couldn't afford to treat coldly. He would use just the right amount of "money power" to demonstrate his strength and style, thus establishing their first contact.

One afternoon, he put on a recognizable piece of luxury brand clothing and walked into the luxury store. The lights were bright and the sales assistants were enthusiastic. Ling Yu looked around, but didn't see Liu Rusi.

"Excuse me, is Liu Rusi here today?" he casually asked a shopping guide.

"Liu Rusi?" The saleswoman was stunned for a moment, her gaze shifting from his face to his attire. A flicker of understanding flashed across her eyes. Then, she smiled even more warmly. "Oh... she's in trouble right now. How can I help you?"

"When does she go to work?" Ling Yu asked directly.

The salesperson looked back and smiled, "She's got something to do in the warehouse out back. How about this... My name is Cindy. I'll help you pick out the items you need while she finishes?"

Ling Yu glanced in the direction Cindy pointed and happened to see another clerk push open a nondescript door. Through the crack in the door, a familiar, cool silhouette was busy and focused. It was Liu Rusi. She seemed completely oblivious to the noise outside.

"Well... pick first then."

The following situation was a complete blind spot for the eldest son of the Ling family. His daily clothes were specially selected by season and occasion and delivered to him for his review.

How do you identify "people who serve you" in a store? He has no idea about the process. In his opinion, as long as it's clearly stated that these things were bought because of Liu Rusi, then it should naturally be counted as her sales.

Sales assistant Cindy bustled around enthusiastically. Ling Yu's 193cm height stood out from the crowd, so naturally, the ready-made clothes on display weren't in his size. Cindy expertly measured him, then quickly walked to the back warehouse door, pushed it open a crack, and said, "Sophie, and Linda, please help this gentleman find size XX in style XX. We should have it in stock."

Ling Yu's gaze instantly locked onto the crack in the door. Liu Rusi tilted her head slightly at the sound, giving a barely perceptible nod as a response. In that brief glimpse, Ling Yu clearly saw another person in the warehouse tug at the corner of her clothes.

Cindy quickly returned to Ling Yu with a smile on her face: "Sir, it will take some time to find the size. Why don't we take a look at the accessories or other things you are interested in first?" She guided him attentively.

Ling Yu's mind was not on the accessories at all. He couldn't help but frown and asked directly: "Can't Liu Rusi come out first?" His target was her, not these goods.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Cindy immediately put on an apologetic expression and explained in a low voice, "Inventory work is very important and cannot be interrupted. If we stop midway and the numbers don't match, or if something is missing... Liu Rusi will have to compensate at the original price! That would be several months' salary for her!"

Ling Yu understood. If he wanted to pursue her, he naturally couldn't cause her trouble... He could only suppress his impatience.

At this time, another salesperson with Linda's name tag came out with several clothes that matched her size. When she handed the clothes to Cindy, her eyes quickly swept between Ling Yu and Cindy, with a barely perceptible weirdness and...hesitant to speak?

Ling Yu caught on to it, and the restlessness he'd been waiting for only intensified. If no one came out, wouldn't his carefully prepared "display of financial power" be a mere show for nothing?

To maintain the rationality of waiting here, Ling Yu patiently began to choose. He tried on a few low-key T-shirts, crisp jeans, comfortable sneakers... In total, he picked out more than a dozen items.

Cindy was busy and happy, making orders and recording them, and her smile became brighter and brighter.

Time ticked by. Two hours passed, the warehouse door opened and closed, Linda came in and out several times, but there was no sign of Liu Rusi. Ling Yu's patience was running out; he had other things to attend to.

"That's all." He didn't wait any longer and said directly to Cindy with an unquestionable tone, "Everything is registered under Liu Rusi's name. I bought these because she works here." He once again clearly emphasized his intention.

"Don't worry! Sophie will definitely be very grateful to you when she finds out!" Cindy said with a sincere smile on her face, and promised, "We'll take care of it!"

Ling Yu looked at the other party's confident expression. Although he always felt that something was wrong, such as Linda's strange look, he did not delve into it.

He returned to the car with a pile of shopping bags, threw them all into the back seat, and left the mall feeling depressed that his plans had failed and he had nowhere to put them to use.

However, the frustration caused by the complete failure of the "chance encounter" plan in the luxury store was soon overwhelmed by the huge data and workload of Ling Yu's new project.

His biomechanical project - a cutting-edge research project to develop mechanical warriors based on brain-computer interfaces - occupied his entire mind.

As he prepared to leave that morning, he saw in the cloakroom that the maid had, as was his custom, hung several freshly dry-cleaned and ironed clothes in the frequently worn area. When his fingertips touched the fine yet meaningless T-shirt he had bought at the luxury store, Ling Yu suddenly remembered Liu Rusi and the ridiculous bet.

He frowned, picked up his phone, and sent a message to the person marked "intelligence agent" - Liu Rusi's roommate: "Did she go to that store today?"

The reply was quick, but the content surprised him: "That luxury store? She quit a long time ago! The commute there is too terrible. She's now working as a waitress at the 'Time House' restaurant on the back street of the school."

Resigned? Ling Yu put down her phone.

The luxury store was indeed some distance away... He remembered her initial figure jogging towards the subway entrance, and her undisguised look of being in a hurry every time she rejected Ke Jinfeng.

I recall the regret I felt when shopping, but it has faded a lot after a few days. As for the things I bought for free, they didn't cost much, so I don't need to worry about them.

But the plan needed to be adjusted. This time, she was working at the restaurant, and he didn't want too many people to see him... and his "customer" status at the luxury store had failed. This time, he needed to blend in more with her environment and keep a low profile.

So, a few days later, a figure that didn't fit in appeared in the greasy kitchen of the "Time Cottage" restaurant.

Ling Yu, the eldest son of the Ling family and a rising star in the field of biomechanics, was now wearing the luxury brand casual wear he had bought at her old workplace - hoping that she would notice and realize his efforts last time, standing in front of a mountain of dirty dishes, working as a dishwasher.

The application process went smoothly—this kind of position has almost no barriers to entry. The manager looked at his overly handsome and elegant face, and although his eyes were full of suspicion, he nodded hesitantly.

However, the cruelty of "actual combat" was far beyond Ling Yu's imagination. He had never been exposed to such primitive, heavy and dirty labor.

Greasy oil, pungent detergent, and the endless supply of heavy dishes... Those hands that could precisely operate experimental instruments and type complex codes were now so clumsy that they seemed not to belong to them.

The water splashed on the expensive clothes, and the dishes slipped under my fingertips, with the sound of breaking one after another.

“Bang! Crash—!”

When he tried to pick up a pile of plates, his hands were covered with slippery detergent, causing the plates to fall over like dominoes, with porcelain shards scattering all over the floor.

The manager rushed in upon hearing the noise. Seeing the mess on the floor and Ling Yu's embarrassed look, his face turned green. "Oh my god! You're not here to wash dishes, you're here to cause trouble, right?!"

Suppressing the heat and annoyance on his face, Ling Yu solemnly proposed a solution: "I can pay triple the compensation."

"You don't need to pay me back! Hurry up and leave! We're busy and don't have time to play with you!" The manager scolded, then said calmly, "I'll give you today's wages. Find a quiet place to experience life. You're welcome to come and have dinner!"

The manager almost begged him to leave, fearing that if he stayed any longer he would destroy the entire kitchen.

Ling Yu was "invited" out the back door. The afternoon sun was a bit glaring as he stood in the greasy back alley, his expensive clothes stained with foam and oil, his expensive shoes treading on the slippery ground.

An unprecedented mixture of absurdity, frustration, and intense self-doubt washed over me.

What on earth was he doing? Why did he end up in this state because of a ridiculous bet with a "spirited young man"? His intelligence and control, which he was so proud of, seemed so ridiculous in front of that greasy sink.

He tugged at his wet collar, and left without looking back, looking disheveled and with his self-esteem shattered.

Ke Jinfeng soon learned of his "dishwasher" feat. The laughter on the phone almost penetrated the receiver: "Hahahaha! Master Ling! Dishwasher?! And he was kicked out for breaking a bunch of dishes?! Oh my god, I'm laughing to death! Your way of pursuing girls is too wild, isn't it? What are you thinking? Hahahaha!"

Ke Jinfeng laughed so hard that he couldn't breathe.

Ling Yu listened expressionlessly and hung up the phone. He needed a shower to wash away all this ridiculous grease and that stupid bet.