After being reborn, the aloof female CEO became a paranoid.

On the Zhou family's side, after half a month of searching yielded no results, Zhou Zhengwen had silently accepted the fact that his eldest son, Zhou Yu, might have passed away. However, with his body still warm, a faint glimmer of resentment remained in his heart.

He had considered holding a funeral, but was thwarted by Xu Xinran's firm opposition, and since the remains had not been found, he ultimately gave up the idea.

So he only gathered his family and held a simple farewell ceremony at the Zhou family villa as a final goodbye to Zhou Yu.

After the ceremony, Zhou Zhengwen was exhausted and went back to his room to rest.

Zhou Ze led Zhou Yuzhen and Shen Tianling back to his room, and after confirming that no one was around, he gently closed the door.

"Aunt, cousin, Zhou Yu is dead. What should we do next?"

Zhou Ze didn't have many ideas to begin with, and most of the underhanded tricks he used to scheme against Zhou Yu were devised by Shen Tianling behind the scenes.

Shen Tianling chuckled lightly, his face full of disdain: "He just had a short life, what does that have to do with us?"

Zhou Yuzhen followed her son's words closely, a calculating glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, that kid just wasn't lucky. Xiao Ze..."

She gripped Zhou Ze's hand tightly, a glint of shrewdness in her eyes. "Now that Zhou Yu is gone, your opportunity has arrived. You're far better than Zhou Yu, and Xu Xinran will see your worth sooner or later. Zhou Yu was just a passing fancy for her. Now that he's gone, as long as you show your face in front of her more often and demonstrate your excellence, how can she escape your grasp?"

A glimmer of hope flashed in Zhou Ze's eyes, but he immediately recalled Xu Xinran's indifference and questioning at the hospital that day, and his heart tightened, a chill creeping over him.

“But last time at the hospital, she wouldn’t even look at me properly, and she even suspected that I was behind the car accident…” Zhou Ze’s voice trembled slightly.

"That's just because she hasn't recovered from her grief yet."

Zhou Yuzhen patted Zhou Ze's hand and said earnestly, "When a woman is at her most vulnerable, whoever gives her warmth will be the one she will be devoted to."

Shen Tianling nodded in agreement, looking confident.

The fear in Zhou Ze's heart was instantly replaced by confidence. Competing with a dead man for a woman? What a joke!

"Aunt, cousin, thank you for your guidance! I know what to do now."

……

After leaving the Zhou family, Shen Tianling and Zhou Yuzhen exchanged a glance, their unspoken understanding tinged with a hint of slyness in their smiles.

“That Zhou Ze is a real idiot. Without Zhou Yu as an obstacle, if he keeps jumping into the fire, then it'll be your turn to step in…”

Zhou Yuzhen smiled meaningfully, her eyes gleaming with calculation.

"Let's wait a little longer. The position of Xu family's son-in-law will be yours sooner or later."

Five days later, Zhou Yu quietly left the hospital and returned to a simple dwelling with Shen Shuqing and Miaomiao.

"This is the apartment I rented. It's not very big, but it's cozy. I'm sorry to trouble you to stay in the storage room for now. I've already cleaned it up, so please don't mind."

Shen Shuqing pointed to the renovated small room. Although the space was limited, it was well-lit and looked exceptionally clean and bright.

Zhou Yu looked around, a warm feeling welling up in his heart: "Brother Shen, I am already extremely grateful that you took me in. Thank you!"

Compared to that cold mansion, this place, though simple, allowed him to feel a long-lost sense of freedom and warmth.

"Don't be shy, you're not fully recovered yet, go back to your room and rest. Miaomiao, let's do some crafts." Shen Shuqing said, taking the little girl's hand and walking towards another room.

"Making handicrafts?" Zhou Yu was curious and followed along without thinking.

The small room was filled with all sorts of adorable handicrafts, including lifelike clay sculptures, wood carvings, and small animals and figures in various shapes, each piece revealing the ingenuity of the craftsman.

"Brother Shen, did you and Miaomiao make all of this?" Zhou Yu asked in surprise.

Shen Shuqing turned around, smiled and nodded: "Yes, we take these to the market every weekend to set up a small stall and earn some living expenses."

Zhou Yu suddenly realized how much burden his arrival had added to the father and daughter.

He originally wanted to use his skills to earn some money to supplement his family's income, but he was worried about exposing his identity and causing trouble for Shen Shuqing and Miaomiao.

After thinking for a moment, he tentatively said, "Perhaps... I can also be of help."

Shen Shuqing was taken aback when he heard this, then smiled and shook his head: "Don't feel guilty, just focus on getting better first."

But Zhou Yu stubbornly shook his head: "I've already troubled you enough by staying here, how can you not help at all? I... want to do it with you."

Seeing his insistence, Shen Shuqing finally agreed.

And so, Zhou Yu began his new life in this quiet little town.

Life was peaceful and warm, as if everything had returned to normal...