At the entrance of the banquet hall, Xie Qichen waited for Tan Mo. A group of university classmates were also there, and it seemed that dinner had not been satisfying enough, as they continued chatting animatedly.
As they talked, Tuozhi, the host who had just finished his duties, approached. Several guys laughed and said, “Tuozhi, you did a great job hosting today!”
“Very professional! You could become a professional host in the future, hahaha.”
Tuozhi laughed and playfully kicked the guy, saying, “Forget it, I’m exhausted today. I’ll never do this again…”
As the conversation continued, Tuozhi glanced toward Song Ranxia nearby and said, “I missed the class reunion, so I only met Song goddess today. She’s still so beautiful. Is she single now?”
“Seems like it. Why, are you interested?”
“Come on, I know my place. She wouldn’t look at me anyway.” Tuozhi looked toward the most aloof and dignified guy among the men and smiled, “Only someone like our God Xie would be worthy of her.”
Tuozhi joked around and asked Qichen, “God Xie, you agree, right?”
Xie Qichen lifted his eyes toward him and suddenly asked, “Are you done?”
His icy tone made the atmosphere suddenly tense.
Tuozhi froze.
“You already said something like this during the wedding in front of my wife, and you thought it was funny. Now you plan to do it again?”
The friends around could all tell today that Xie Qichen was still protective of Tan Mo. No one expected Tuozhi to walk straight into the line of fire. Seeing that the man was genuinely angry, Tuozhi immediately backed down: “God Xie, I was just joking…”
“I’m married now. This kind of joke isn’t appropriate anymore.”
“I’ll say it again: Song Ranxia and I are just ordinary classmates.”
Xie Qichen’s icy gaze fell on him: “If I hear this kind of gossip again next time, don’t blame me for disregarding our past classmate friendship.”
Tuozhi realized he had truly crossed Xie Qichen’s line with his joke and quickly apologized, then made an excuse to leave. The guys nearby scoffed lightly: “Same as back in university, he never thinks before he speaks.”
“Yeah, Achen, don’t get angry. Why bother with him?”
They joked around, shifting the topic.
After a while, Tan Mo also walked out. Composing herself, she headed toward the entrance and saw Xie Qichen outside the banquet hall.
The words of the two people in the restroom echoed in her ears again.
Tan Mo felt a sting in her eyes, lowered her gaze, and suppressed the bitterness in her heart.
A few seconds later, she calmed herself and walked toward them. When she arrived, the group momentarily paused their conversation. Xie Qichen noticed the redness of her nose and slightly furrowed his brows: “Why is your nose so red? Is it very cold?”
Tan Mo shook her head and gently rubbed her nose, keeping her tone natural: “My nose was just a bit itchy. It’s nothing.”
Xie Qichen took off his coat, draped it over her shoulders, and half-embraced her as he said to Lu Zian and the others beside him:
“I’ll take Tan Mo back first.”
Lu Zian agreed, “Okay, we’ll make plans again in a few days. I and Xun Huo will go find a good place first.”
“Alright, you decide.”
Tan Mo felt slightly confused. Lu Zian smiled at her and said, “Earlier we said we’d find a weekend soon to hang out. Tan Mo, you and Achen should come too.”
“Okay…”
At this moment, Song Ranxia and several female classmates who had been chatting nearby also approached with laughter, preparing to leave.
Song Ranxia looked at Tan Mo: “By the way, Tan Mo, let’s add each other on WeChat. We girls can hang out more often without always being with these guys.”
Tan Mo nodded slightly, “Okay.”
Xun Huo said, “Hey, goddess, did you forget who welcomed you back the other day?”
“Haha, just kidding…”
Finally, Tan Mo and Song Ranxia added each other as friends and then left with Xie Qichen.
At this moment, not far away, two young women sitting at a window table in a Western restaurant on the same floor of the hotel watched the scene unfold.
“Hey, today Tan Mo actually came with Xie Qichen. I thought Xie Qichen wouldn’t bring her here.”
After seeing Tan Mo and Xie Qichen disappear from sight, Chen Ning turned to the woman in front of her with a teasing smile: “Wanwan, I wonder what your sister would feel seeing Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia meeting again after a long time?”
Tan Zhiwan lazily leaned back in her chair, continuing to cut the steak on her plate, “Who knows? Let her be.”
“I’m telling you, she definitely will! Just from what we saw earlier—Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia on stage and the crowd cheering below—if I were Xie Qichen’s wife, hearing others say my husband was a good match with another woman, I’d rush up there and drag that host down!”
This afternoon, Tan Zhiwan and Chen Ning had come to the newly opened Western restaurant in this five-star hotel to try it out. When they passed by the entrance of the banquet hall earlier, they heard that there was a wedding being held inside. They casually glanced in and, to their surprise, saw Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia standing on the stage.
Everyone belonged to the upper circles, and among the daughters of wealthy families, they naturally knew of Song Ranxia.
Chen Ning, curious, took a photo of Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia standing together and casually sent it to her bestie group chat. As it turned out, the world was small. A girl in the group immediately recognized Song Ranxia, and coincidentally, she knew someone who had been in the same class as Xie Qichen back then. She shared in the chat that Song Ranxia and Xie Qichen had been particularly famous in school.
Now, Chen Ning, full of interest, analyzed with Tan Zhiwan: “If people say Xie Qichen is a good match with another girl, that’s one thing. But when they mention Song Ranxia, the one everyone once supported for him, isn’t that like a white moonlight figure?”
Tan Zhiwan scoffed lightly: “But back then, Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia didn’t end up together.”
“You don’t get it! It’s precisely because they didn’t end up together that it becomes more ambiguous and creates a sense of crisis. Won’t Tan Mo have to keep a close watch on her position as Mrs. Xie, fearing someone might take it over?”
Upon hearing this, Tan Zhiwan suddenly felt that being Mrs. Xie wasn’t so easy. If she had married into the family back then, she probably wouldn’t have been spared from such gossip either.
A strange sense of satisfaction welled up inside her, and she laughed as she replied to Chen Ning’s words: “Tan Mo? How could she ever compare to Song Ranxia? Song is a daughter of a prestigious family, while Tan Mo is just our family’s adopted daughter. When compared to Song Ranxia, anyone would know who to choose.”
“Exactly. So the more this spreads, the more embarrassing it will be for Tan Mo.”
Tan Zhiwan slightly raised her eyebrows: “What do you mean?”
Chen Ning leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I’ll tell you…”
Meanwhile, Xie Qichen and Tan Mo went downstairs and got into the Rolls-Royce.
Sitting in the back seat, Tan Mo was quiet and didn’t speak. Xie Qichen faintly sensed her low mood and asked softly:
“What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”
Tan Mo shook her head, “No…”
“You’re not being quiet like this without a reason. You haven’t spoken much today.”
Xie Qichen thought back to this morning when she had been in a good mood while changing clothes at home.
She paused and spoke softly, “It’s nothing. I just don’t know these classmates of yours well, so I didn’t know what to say.”
Xie Qichen knew Tan Mo disliked social occasions and tended to be reserved around unfamiliar people. He leaned closer, reached out, and ruffled her hair, “If you don’t want to come to such events in the future, I won’t bring you anymore, okay?”
Tan Mo softly responded, and Xie Qichen’s phone rang. After answering a few words, he turned to her: “There’s a meeting at the company. Should I send you back to the villa to rest first?”
“Okay.”
Xie Qichen went to handle business, while Tan Mo turned her gaze to the window, her eyes gradually darkening.
She tried hard to forget, but the words of those two girls kept echoing in her mind.
She finally realized herself today. Even after all these years, she was still sensitive and easily stirred by any girl who appeared near Xie Qichen.
The host’s words were just a joke, and those two girls’ words were also playful. If it were anyone else, she would have dismissed them as teasing. But she was so sensitive, so concerned, and dared not show it. She pretended to be composed in front of everyone.
Someone once said that the essence of love is pain, and the only cure is being loved in return.
The premise of being composed was having enough confidence.
She didn’t have the courage to ask Xie Qichen whether he truly loved her. She feared that if she were to break the thin veil herself, the result might be something she couldn’t bear.
Even when she was sixteen, and even now.
Facing Xie Qichen, she had never felt she had a chance to win.
She retreated and avoided, inevitably sinking into this bitter emotion.
She also hated this timid version of herself.
But from childhood to adulthood, she truly didn’t know how to be worthy of being loved.
Even in front of her parents, she had to constantly force herself to appear obedient because she feared being abandoned again, because she was afraid that the love others gave her came with conditions.
On the way back to the villa, Tan Mo sat quietly with her eyes closed, while the car was filled only with Xie Qichen’s voice as he discussed business.
After arriving at Jiayu Tiange, she got out of the car, walked back to the villa, went to her bedroom, and began working on her graduation project, trying to do something to distract herself.
School would start again in a few days, and this semester would be busier. Besides preparing for graduation, she would also need to enter the final planning phase of the school anniversary, which would likely keep her very busy.
In the afternoon, Tan Mo received another call from the staff of the D station, confirming the filming schedule for the program. It was also scheduled for next week, and she might need to ask for leave from school if there was something urgent.
Busy with work, the daylight outside gradually faded, and more clouds gathered in the sky.
The weather forecast had said there would be rain today. It was likely that after this rain, Licheng would take a long time before spring finally arrived.
Around four in the afternoon, Tan Mo received a call from her mother, asking her to come home for dinner that night.
Thinking she hadn’t been home for several days, Tan Mo agreed.
After finishing the tasks at hand, she took a car back to the Tan residence. On the way, Xie Qichen sent her a message saying he had an engagement tonight and couldn’t return for dinner.
Tan Mo lowered her eyes and replied: [Okay, I’m going to have dinner at my parents’ house tonight.]
Xie Qichen: [Okay, I’ll pick you up after I finish work.]
At half past five, Tan Mo arrived at the Tan residence.
Walking into the entrance, Zhang Ma heard the sound and came to greet her, “Jiaojiao is back.”
“Zhang Ma.”
Tan Mo put on her slippers and walked inside. In the living room, her mother and father were chatting. Seeing her return, they smiled: “We were waiting for you. Zhang Ma, you can set the table now.”
Tan Mo walked into the living room and placed the fruits she had bought on the coffee table, “Mom and Dad, I told you not to wait. You could have eaten first.”
“It’s okay. The meal is just ready.”
Her mother approached and held her hand, “What’s going on? You look thinner. Have you been dieting again? Are you sick?”
“No…”
Her father smiled as he stood up, “Your mother always worries about you, afraid you’re not eating or sleeping well.”
Tan Mo smiled faintly, “It’s nothing. Maybe I just didn’t sleep well these past few days.”
Her mother looked concerned, “You should go to bed earlier tonight, okay? We made chicken soup at home. Drink a few bowls. I should also tell Qichen to make some nourishing soups for you. Where is Qichen? Why isn’t he coming tonight?”
“He has something to do at the company, so he won’t be back for dinner.”
“Is he this busy even on weekends?”
“It’s the beginning of the year. There’s a lot going on…”
Beside them, Tan father patted Tan mother’s hand, “Alright, let’s eat first. Jiaojiao must be hungry.”
“Let’s go.”
The three walked toward the dining room. At this moment, Tan Zhiwan also came downstairs. Seeing Tan Mo alone, a hint of a smile flickered in her eyes as she sat opposite Tan Mo and leisurely began serving herself soup:
“The dishes today are so abundant. I’m getting an appetite.”
Tan father laughed, “It’s rare to hear you say that. You always complain about the food.”
“I’m in a good mood, so the food tastes better.”
“What’s making you so happy?”
“I’ve been getting to know the heir of Chonggan Technology. He’s been pursuing me, and he seems pretty nice. I might consider him.”
Hearing this, Tan father felt like the sun was rising from the west: “Didn’t I tell you? That boy is great. He has a good background and character. You should get to know him and have some fun.”
Tan Zhiwan smiled, “Yes, it’s quite enjoyable. But marriage is still far off. I must have a solid emotional foundation before getting married. Only when two people love each other can they build a stable marriage. Otherwise, if one party decides they can’t go on anymore, the marriage can collapse instantly, leaving no sense of security.”
Tan Mo paused with her chopsticks, her long lashes trembling slightly.
Tan Zhiwan: “Anyway, I will only marry someone who loves me. Mom and Dad, don’t you agree?”
“That makes sense too. But love isn’t always perfect. Sometimes you can build a relationship after marriage. Take your sister and Qichen, for example. Their relationship is quite good after marriage.”
Tan Mo was taken aback and looked up, meeting Tan Zhiwan’s smiling gaze:
“Indeed, if nurtured well, a marriage can last a lifetime. If not nurtured properly, then it might not last.”
Tan father: “Alright, you. Don’t worry about others. Focus on your own love life first.”
“Okay…”
Tan Mo lowered her eyes, looking at the rice in her bowl, having completely lost her appetite.
Eventually, the meal ended. Tan mother asked Tan Mo to stay and relax at home instead of hurrying back. Tan father and Tan mother went to rest in the second-floor living room, while Tan Mo went to her room to pack a few sets of clothes and some study materials she had left at home from last semester.
Tan Zhiwan went upstairs, bringing cut fruit with her, and entered the living room, asking her parents, “Where is Tan Mo?”
“She’s packing things in her room. Go call her out to have some fruit.”
Tan Zhiwan smiled slightly, “Mom, Dad, don’t you think Momo seems a bit down today?”
“What do you mean?”
Tan Zhiwan sighed worriedly, “I just heard something today about Xie Qichen. I wonder if Momo is upset because of it.”
“Eh? What happened?”
Five minutes later.
Inside her bedroom, Tan Mo finished packing her things when she heard a knock on the door.
She responded, and Zhang Ma opened the door, “Momo, your parents want to see you.”
“Okay.”
Tan Mo got up, pushed her small suitcase out, and walked to the living room. Her parents turned their heads when they saw her and quickly beckoned her to come eat some fruit.
Tan Mo sat on the chaise lounge to the side, ate some oranges, and her parents exchanged a glance. Her mother slightly moved her lips and asked casually, “Momo, how have you and Qichen been lately?”
“What?”
“I’m just asking casually. Has Qichen been treating you well lately? Has he made you feel upset?”
She hesitated slightly, “No, everything’s fine.”
“But why do I feel like you seem troubled today?”
Her mother hesitated before saying, “I heard something about Qichen today.”
“What is it?”
Tan Mo’s mother sighed, “I heard that Qichen seems to be getting close to a girl. She was apparently his college classmate, and I’m worried that you might be having issues with him because of that.”
Earlier, Tan Zhiwan had exaggeratedly told their parents about the rumors circulating regarding Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia, suggesting that perhaps there was a crisis in Tan Mo and Xie Qichen’s relationship.
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned, “Mom, Dad, where did you hear this from?”
“Oh, never mind that. We just want to know—surely Qichen isn’t interested in that girl, right?”
Tan Mo’s father, feeling anxious, added, “You know, Momo, Qichen is such an excellent person. It’s normal for girls to be interested in him.”
Tan Mo’s mind went blank for a moment before she looked up at them, “Mom, Dad, what exactly are you trying to say?”
“We’re just worried you might get hurt. You’re newly married and might not understand yet. As his wife, you must hold tightly to Qichen’s heart. After all, you’re the rightful Madam Xie. Our family’s alliance with the Xies…”
The words pierced Tan Mo’s ears like needles. Her throat tightened, and she suddenly interrupted her father.
“Dad, are you worried about me getting hurt, or are you more worried that my marriage to Xie Qichen might affect the development of our two companies?”
Caught off guard, Tan Mo’s father’s face stiffened, “I’m just thinking about you…”
“Thinking about me means I have to hold onto Xie Qichen’s heart? Then why haven’t you ever considered my feelings?”
Tan Mo’s father hadn’t expected her to say that and became emotional, “Momo, you’ve always been such a gentle girl. What’s with this attitude now?”
Tan Mo’s eyes reddened, and she clenched her fists, “What do you mean by gentle? Do I need to be a puppet to be considered gentle?”
Her mother hurriedly tried to explain, “Momo, your father didn’t mean that. Don’t be angry…”
“Did I say anything wrong? In your eyes, Dad, I’m just a marital bridge between our families. I must get along well with Xie Qichen to maintain the cooperation between the Xie and Tan families. And in other people’s eyes, I’m just a nominal Madam Xie, a tool that Xie Qichen might discard at any time. So, should I pretend to be happy about that?”
Her parents were momentarily speechless.
A few seconds later, Tan Mo softly said,
“I don’t know what Xie Qichen is up to with other girls. But I won’t argue with him about it because… our marriage is only for two years. After two years, our marital relationship will no longer exist. What he does won’t concern me anymore.”
“What?!” Her father’s pupils widened, “You’re only married for two years?!”
“That was the agreement between Xie Qichen and me from the beginning—only two years. We’ll separate after completing the cooperation between our companies. That way, we both remain free, and the interests of our companies are maximized. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted, Dad?”
Tan Mo smiled bitterly, “You didn’t actually think Xie Qichen and I were in love, did you? All of that in front of you was just an act.”
Completely unaware of this, Tan Mo’s father’s mind went blank, “Nonsense! This is sheer nonsense! Momo, I wanted you to marry Qichen in the first place hoping that you two could truly fall in love beyond this marriage! I even thought that Qichen treated you so well because you had developed feelings for each other after marriage! But it turns out it was all fake!”
Tan Mo’s nose tingled, murmuring to herself,
“Yeah… it was all fake.”
A few seconds later, she stood up and looked at her parents, “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken out my bad mood on you today. I’ll go back now. Please don’t contact Xie Qichen either. It might get awkward later.”
Tan Mo turned to leave. Her mother’s eyes turned red, “Momo…”
Tan Mo didn’t stop walking. As she went downstairs, she saw Tan Zhiwan standing at the foot of the stairs on the first floor.
Given the volume of their previous conversation, Tan Zhiwan had probably heard everything.
Tan Mo suppressed her emotions and continued walking forward. As she passed Tan Zhiwan, she heard her sigh,
“Momo, I feel so sorry for you. I never imagined that things would be like this between you and Xie Qichen.”
Tan Mo paused, turned to look at her, her eyes slightly trembling,
“So, it was you who told Mom and Dad about this?”
Tan Zhiwan blinked innocently, “Mom and Dad just noticed you were in a bad mood today. I was worried, so I told them. After all, the rumors about Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia were all over campus back then. I just didn’t expect that you and Xie Qichen had this two-year marriage agreement.”
So all those times Xie Qichen had defended Tan Mo in front of others were just pretense. She had actually thought that Xie Qichen had loved Tan Mo all along. What a huge joke!
Tan Zhiwan sighed, “Momo, I suddenly feel that you’re so pitiful. You don’t actually expect Xie Qichen, a cold and heartless man like him, to truly love you, do you? If he really liked you, why would he agree to only marry you for two years? For Xie Qichen, once the cooperation between the two companies is successfully completed after two years, you’ll have no more value to him and will be cast aside.”
Tan Zhiwan looked at Tan Mo, a smile playing on her lips,
“Although, it might not even last two years.”
Tan Zhiwan took out her phone from her pocket and held it in front of Tan Mo.
Tan Mo looked at the screen. It was a photo. The background appeared to be the Qianshui Club. Xie Qichen and Song Ranxia were together in the picture, engaged in conversation. The latter wore a gentle smile on her face.
“A friend of mine happened to take this at Qianshui Club tonight. Xie Qichen didn’t come back with you for dinner because he was with Song Ranxia.”
Tan Zhiwan smiled, “So, between you and Song Ranxia, who do you think he’ll choose?”
Tan Mo looked at the photo, her red lips tightly pressed into a thin line. Her eyes were pierced with pain, and she was completely speechless.
Tan Zhiwan hummed a tune and turned to walk upstairs.
Tan Mo lowered her gaze. A few seconds later, she walked toward the entrance.
Eventually, she walked out of the villa, pushing her suitcase alone through the empty villa area.
The path ahead was dim, like a black movie screen. Memories began to play in her mind like a movie in rewind.
She remembered that summer when she was eighteen. That day, Tan Mo saw the admission score for F University online. The first thing she wanted to do was tell Xie Qichen.
She had finally been admitted to the same university he attended. She had always been striving to close the gap between them.
Suddenly, she had the courage to stand in front of him as his peer, no longer being treated like a child.
Perhaps that was the most courageous moment of her life, like a child standing in front of a claw machine. She only had one coin in her hand, but she desperately wanted the hardest-to-grab toy in the machine—the one she had wanted for a long time. She wanted to take that chance, even if it ended in nothing.
That afternoon, Tan Mo specially changed into her favorite dress, put the letter she had written for him and her admission notice in her bag, and went to his house to knock on the door. Finding no one inside, she called him, but he didn’t answer. Then she went to the university, but couldn’t find him in his class or in the basketball court where he often went.
Tan Mo ran all over F University, drenched in sweat, her eyes filled with bitterness, but she couldn’t find him anywhere.
Finally, she called Tan Yuanzhou. There was a brief silence on the other end before he spoke in a hoarse voice:
“Momo, Ah Chen’s flight leaves at 3 p.m. today. He’s going abroad after finishing his postgraduate studies this year.”
Tan Mo stood frozen, all her beautiful hopes instantly vanishing into thin air.
Slowly, she walked out of the teaching building. Suddenly, her phone received a few voice messages.
She opened them, and a familiar, low, gentle male voice came through:
“Momo, I’m flying to the United States this afternoon. I plan to develop my career overseas for the next few years. Sorry, everything was arranged in a rush, so I couldn’t tell you beforehand.”
“I knew you’d definitely get into F University, so keep working hard during college, but don’t overwork yourself. Make more new friends. If you want to date… your Uncle Tan will have to vet the guy, okay?”
Xie Qichen chuckled softly on the other end, “Since I won’t be able to see you often from now on, Momo, you must take good care of yourself and not make me worry, okay?”
Tan Mo stood in place, repeatedly listening to Xie Qichen’s voice message, over and over again.
As if trying to constantly confirm that this was real, not a nightmare.
The sunlight above was too intense, stinging her eyes painfully. She didn’t know how long passed before she suddenly realized that she was already crying uncontrollably.
She crouched under a tree, sobbing bitterly, ignoring the astonished glances from passersby.
He was gone…
Just when she had gathered the courage to confess her feelings to him, he had taken away her last bit of hope…
From that day on, she restrained herself from contacting him as much as possible. Even after meeting again years later, she told herself that she absolutely couldn’t fall for him again.
She had imagined that Xie Qichen might gradually come to love her after marriage, but it seemed like the heavens were reminding her in every way possible—
Everything was the same as before, just a fleeting, illusory fantasy of hers.
Tan Zhiwan was right. To Xie Qichen, she might only have two years of usefulness.
Only she herself was once again sinking into the mud, foolishly expecting an impossible outcome…
Tan Mo walked forward alone, her vision gradually becoming blurred.
A few rumbles of thunder came from above, and soon, a few raindrops fell on her head.
In an instant, the raindrops fell faster and faster, finally pouring down like a waterfall.
The umbrella Tan Mo had brought was still left at the Tan family villa. The rain poured down on her head, instantly soaking her clothes and chilling her to the bone.
Tan Mo walked to the shelter of a tree slightly blocking the rain, when suddenly her phone vibrated.
She took it out and saw it was a call from Tan Yuanzhou.
She answered. On the other end, unaware of what had happened, his voice was drawn out and filled with laughter: “Momo, what are you up to? It’s been a while since we last had a meal together. When can we meet up?”
Hearing Tan Yuanzhou’s voice, Tan Mo couldn’t help but choke up:
“Uncle… Tan…”
The night was heavy like a dark vortex, and the torrential rain covered Licheng with a suffocating atmosphere.
Half an hour later, a Bugatti Veyron quickly pulled into the underground garage of Li Jing Mansion.
After parking the car, Tan Yuanzhou got out and opened the passenger door, pulling Tan Mo out and saying gently, “Come on, take it slow.”
Tan Mo was led by Tan Yuanzhou and finally arrived at the top-floor apartment.
After entering the house and changing her shoes, Tan Yuanzhou led her to the guest room, gave her a clean towel, and then went to the closet to get her some clothes. His voice was slightly hurried and filled with concern: “First, dry off the rainwater on your body so you don’t catch a chill. Then quickly dry your hair.”
“Okay… thank you, Uncle Tan.”
Tan Yuanzhou sighed, ruffling her hair, “Thank me for what? If you keep being so polite, I’ll beat you up.”
Tan Mo took the clothes and walked to the bathroom. Tan Yuanzhou looked at her back with a heavy expression, then walked out of the guest room and closed the door.
As he walked toward the living room, Tan Yuanzhou took out his phone and made a call.
A few seconds later, the call was answered, and the deep, magnetic male voice of Xie Qichen came through: “What is it?”
“Where are you now? Your wife has been caught in the rain and is soaked to the skin.”
On the other end of the phone, in his office, the man handling work immediately furrowed his brows upon hearing that: “Caught in the rain?”
“Just now, I called her and happened to catch her outside in the rain without an umbrella. I’ve picked her up here. Also… she seems to be in a bad mood. You should come over and see her.”
Xie Qichen’s eyes darkened, “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Prepare some ginger soup for her first.”
He hung up the phone, stood up, immediately stopped his work, and ordered Wen Cheng, “Get the car ready.”
“Yes.”
Wen Cheng followed him out of the office, hesitating, “Then, Mr. Xie, what about Zhang’s call later to the club…”
“Cancel it. I’m busy.”
The man walked toward the entrance of Qianshui Club. In the middle of his walk, Song Ranxia, who had just finished entertaining guests from a private room, saw him, “Hey, Qichen, you’re done already?”
Earlier in the evening, the man had come to Qianshui Club after finishing work at the group. Coincidentally, Song Ranxia was here entertaining others tonight, and the two had met and chatted for a while before going their separate ways.
“Thanks again tonight. Turns out this club is yours. I’ll come here more often in the future to support your business.”
Song Ranxia smiled playfully.
Xie Qichen kept walking forward, not responding. His mind was already elsewhere.
Song Ranxia walked out with him, her eyes catching the scene outside, “Wow, it’s raining outside?!”
She turned to the man beside her and asked, “Qichen, which way are you going later?”
“What’s up?”
“Do you happen to pass by Jingang Street? If so, can I hitch a ride? My apartment is near there, so I won’t need to take a taxi.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen replied with polite yet distinctly cold words, his thin lips barely moving, his eyes calm and emotionless:
“Sorry, I’m in a rush to pick up my wife. It’s inconvenient. You can ask the doorman to call a taxi for you.”
Song Ranxia saw his slightly furrowed brow, hesitated for a moment, and quickly said, “Oh, okay, no problem then. I’m fine on my own anyway.”
Xie Qichen didn’t respond. He quickened his pace, walked ahead of her, exited the club, and got into the Rolls-Royce before saying in a deep voice, “Head to Lijing Mansion.”
…
The car drove through the heavy rain.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the sky overhead turned into a mix of dark red and black.
Ten minutes later, at the top-floor villa, Tan Yuanzhou had just finished talking to his mother on the phone. He poured out the ginger soup he had prepared, placed it into a cup, and carried it toward the bedroom.
He lightly knocked on the door, and after hearing a response from inside, he pushed it open. He saw Tan Mo sitting on the edge of the bed, her back facing the door.
The young girl curled slightly, her silhouette lonely and solitary, enveloped in deep thoughts.
Tan Yuanzhou softly closed the door behind him, walked over, and reached out to touch her hair, making sure it was dry before feeling reassured.
“Come on, drink this ginger soup.”
Tan Mo took it, and then heard him ask, “How are you feeling? Any discomfort? Should I make you another packet of cold medicine?”
He chuckled lightly, “I’m a grown man who rarely gets sick. That half piece of ginger was left over from when I cooked a couple of days ago. I just made do with it.”
“It’s okay, Uncle,” Tan Mo lowered her head, speaking softly, “I’m not cold anymore. I’m much better now.”
“You call this ‘much better’? You look so down.”
Tan Mo tightened her grip on the cup bitterly. A few seconds later, Tan Yuanzhou said, “Earlier, I spoke with your mother on the phone. I know what happened now.”
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned before he asked in confusion, “You and Xie Qichen actually made a two-year engagement agreement? I just found out. Was it his idea or yours?”
After a few seconds, Tan Mo finally spoke, her throat dry:
“It doesn’t matter who suggested it. Anyway, it suits both of us just fine.”
Tan Yuanzhou closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the words rising in his heart, then asked, “Do you really think there’s absolutely nothing between you and Xie Qichen?”
“Besides mutual benefit, what else should there be?”
Tan Yuanzhou was momentarily at a loss for words: “I thought you might develop some feelings for him. Are you saying there’s really nothing between you two?”
Tan Mo felt a sting in her nose, letting out a bitter laugh:
“What feelings can there be in an arranged marriage? How could I possibly believe that any feelings involved in this marriage would be real? Uncle, I’m not stupid. It’s an arranged marriage, plain and simple.”
After Tan Mo finished speaking, Tan Yuanzhou didn’t know what else to say:
“I’ll go get you some medicine then.”
Tan Yuanzhou walked toward the door, pulled it open, and suddenly saw Xie Qichen standing there.
The man stood behind the door, his eyebrows deep, his eyes cold. His face was shrouded in thick moisture, his coat sprinkled with raindrops, and in his hand, he held several medicine bags.
Seeing Xie Qichen, Tan Yuanzhou was momentarily taken aback:
“Xie Qichen, when did you get here…”
Hearing his voice, Tan Mo quickly turned her head, only to immediately lock eyes with Xie Qichen’s dark, stormy gaze.
The man’s eyes fixed directly on Tan Mo, his black pupils devoid of any emotion.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage