After They Know I'll Be Rich

The cell phone buzzed on the desk. I reached out and swiped the screen; it was a message from Leon Carter. "Shirley, the demolition policy for our area just came through. Get married so you can claim more space." My heart skipped a beat, and my fingers tapped out, "Really?" Two words. "Absolutely, I confirmed it at the neighborhood committee this afternoon." He replied quickly, attaching a photo of the policy document. I stared at the screen and laughed out loud, my finger hovering over the words "Alright" for a long moment before gently tapping send. "Well, what's got you so happy?" A scrutinizing voice came from above, making me jump—I almost dropped my cell phone. I looked up to see Wanda standing by the desk, plastering on a fake smile, but her eyes were glued to my phone screen. She's the department's notorious gossip queen—she can dig up anyone's family business and chew it over for days. I hurriedly turned off the screen and gave an awkward smile. "Nothing much, just some little family stuff." "Little stuff that makes you smile that sweetly?" Wanda wasn't letting up; she leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "I think I just saw the words 'get married'? Shirley, are you getting married?" The office instantly fell silent, and several pairs of eyes snapped over all at once. My cheeks flushed as I nodded, "Yeah, planning to collect the certificate soon." "What does the guy do? You seem pretty eager." Wanda's voice suddenly shot up, like she was afraid no one could hear her. I gripped my cell phone tightly and whispered, "He's just an ordinary guy. We've been together a while, and it feels about right." "Ordinary guy?" Wanda raised her eyebrows like she'd just heard a joke. "If you're this desperate to get the certificate, he can't be that ordinary, right? I think I just caught the word 'demolition' earlier?" My heart sank for a moment—I didn't expect her to see right through it like that. Whispers started buzzing around, and people began huddling up, whispering behind cupped hands. Wanda crossed her arms and, with the tone of someone who's been around the block, said, "Shirley, I'm not trying to be harsh, but those demolition households look flashy, yet hardly any of them are trustworthy." "Once they get some cash in hand, their heads start spinning. Most of them are just playing around—you better not take it too seriously." I frowned. "Wanda, Leon Carter isn't that kind of guy. He's pretty straight-laced." "Straight-laced?" Wanda snorted, "Can you really trust a man's word? Especially one who suddenly hits the jackpot—he'll turn around and ditch you in a heartbeat." "I think you better think it over again—don't end up losing both your money and your man." Her words stabbed me like needles. I took a deep breath, ready to argue back, but my finger accidentally brushed against the ring on my ring finger. That was the diamond ring Leon Carter gave me a few days ago—not huge, but it sparkled with tiny flashes under the fluorescent light. Wanda's eyes immediately glued to my hand, staring hard: "Oh, that's no small ring. Looks like your guy's actually got some serious backing." The buzz around us got louder, with people starting to speculate about Leon Carter's background. "Could it be the boss of some company?" "Doesn't seem like it; Shirley usually keeps a low profile." "Maybe he's a secret millionaire?" I was so annoyed by all the gossip that I blurted out: "It's not what you think. He's just a local farmer; nothing fancy at home." Right after I said that, I regretted it—my cheeks burning fiercely. Wanda clearly froze for a moment, then gave a knowing look, smirked slightly, didn't press further, and turned back to her desk. The chatter in the office slowly died down, but I could feel quite a few eyes still lingering on me. There's a project meeting this afternoon, and everyone in the department has to attend. I was sitting by the conference table, flipping through the documents absentmindedly, my mind completely stuck on the news about Leon Carter and Wanda's sarcastic attitude. My cell phone buzzed again; it was a message from Leon: "Let's grab dinner tonight and talk about the marriage." I looked down to reply, not realizing Director Shane had already projected the meeting content onto the wall, right next to where I was sitting. "By the way, should we tell your parents about the demolition?" Leon's message popped up. My finger froze mid-tap, and before I could even reply, the office filled with a chorus of sharp intakes of breath. I looked up, and there it was—my WeChat chat window glaring back at me on the big screen, Leon Carter's message about the demolition policy crystal clear for everyone to see. The air went dead still in an instant. All eyes locked onto me—some shocked, some curious, and others openly jealous. The color drained from my face in a flash, and I fumbled to shut off my cell phone screen, my heart pounding like it was trying to burst out of my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Wanda. The surprise on her face quickly twisted into a nearly feral sneer, her gaze locked onto me like she was trying to see right through me. "Well, well, Shirley, you sure know how to keep things under wraps." Wanda's voice carried a chill that cut through the quiet office like a knife. I lowered my head, too scared to meet anyone's eyes, feeling my cheeks burn hot enough to fry an egg while my back turned ice cold. That was probably the exact moment when the rumor started to take root and grow.