Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 32

Zhong Yan withdrew his gaze and sat motionless on the black leather sofa. His short sleeves were slightly loose, making him look like a young college student. His collarbone was faintly visible, marked by a vivid red blemish.

Against his cool, pale skin, it looked particularly provocative and eye-catching.

Gu Beiming walked over from a distance and spotted it at once. He clicked his tongue. “Zhong Yan, why are you so provocative?”

Zhong Yan replied lazily, “Are you jealous?”

“Judging by your look, have you fallen for someone?”

“What does that even mean? Do you like every woman you sleep with?”

As luck would have it, Ji Tanyuan happened to overhear this from around the corner. Then, as if nothing had happened, she followed the maid into the guest bathroom.

Gu Beiming clicked his tongue again. “Isn’t that obvious? If I didn’t like them, would I have some kind of masochistic preference?”

“Same here.”

It was only a physical kind of liking.

Zhong Yan’s expression remained indifferent, with no intention of delving deeper into the topic.

Gu Beiming didn’t press further either. This person was notoriously private, and the fact that he had said this much was already extraordinary, proof that Ji Tanyuan had quite an impact on him.

“Shu Yun will be here soon.”

Zhong Yan frowned. “Didn’t I say to keep them from crossing paths when Ji Tanyuan is around? That girl Shu Yun flares up at the slightest provocation. Every time, it’s chaos.”

Cheng Gengxu responded flatly, “You tell her yourself.”

Zhong Yan said coldly, “I’ve told her more than once. When has she ever listened?”

The problem was, the Shu family wasn’t some minor clan. If he really did something to Shu Yun, he was afraid the Shu family would come after him.

Fortunately, Ji Tanyuan had a gentle temper.

Ji Tanyuan washed her hands in the bathroom, water flowing over her wedding ring.

The diamond on the ring wasn’t large, suitable for everyday wear.

Its clarity was VVS2, with top-tier cut, polish, and symmetry, much like her marriage: impeccably dignified, perfect, and expensive, but cold.

She sighed, then dried her hands.

Downstairs was lively, as if a few more people had arrived.

Cheng Gengxu was the founder of Gengxu Capital. Among the top ten asset restructuring cases in the mainland industry, five were projects he led, proof of his considerable skill.

Naturally, his social circle leaned more toward business professionals.

As a result, there was some overlap with Ji Tanyuan’s acquaintances.

Among them was Lan Fengsheng, the young master of the Lan family.

There was also Qin Yini, a lawyer. The two were close friends, and she was a typical social butterfly.

Then there were others like Rong Xi and others from Yanjing.

Tanyuan appeared at the top of the stairs. Qin Yini was in the middle of telling someone about a recent odd encounter when she looked up and saw the person descending.

Instantly delighted, she exclaimed, “Huanghuang! I just saw Mr. Zhong and wondered if I’d run into you. I didn’t expect you to be here.”

She set down her coffee, went over, and hugged her, cheek to cheek. “Darling, I’ve missed you so much.”

Lan Fengsheng sighed. “Alright, that’s enough, Ni. Her husband is right here. Rein it in a little.”

Zhong Yan turned to him. “Rein what in?”

Lan Fengsheng was startled, then rubbed his nose. “Just the excitement of reuniting with an old friend, of course.”

Rong Xi and Shu Yun exchanged a glance, then Rong Xi asked with a smile, “You two know each other?”

Lan Fengsheng replied, “We’re from the same hometown. Isn’t it normal that we know each other?”

“Ah, it’s just that it feels a bit unbelievable that Yini and Tanyuan know each other.”

Who was Qin Yini? The youngest partner at an internationally top-tier law firm. Coming from a family of lawyers, she began handling cases at 20 and, by 27, had already made a name for herself.

With a brilliant mind, top-tier resources, a reputation on Wall Street, and expertise in litigation and arbitration, the most adversarial types of cases, within the elite “red circle” law firms, she had seamlessly navigated her way from Hong Kong to the mainland, thriving wherever she went.

Seeing such a legal prodigy being so intimate with a socialite felt like breaking through the dimensional wall.

Zhong Yan, who had been lounging lazily on the sofa, immediately stepped forward and pulled Ji Tanyuan out of Qin Yini’s embrace.

“If you’re going to talk, then talk. Isn’t it too hot to hug so tightly?”

Ji Tanyuan’s wrist was gripped, but her eyes remained fixed on Qin Yini. “Why didn’t you call me when you came to Beijing?”

“It’s all because of that damn girl Zhang Zhang. The night before I came, I went drinking with her, and she said you’re mostly a full-time housewife now, so idle you could crow at dawn, but also busy serving…”

Ji Tanyuan covered Qin Yini’s mouth with her other hand. “Speak properly.”

Qin Yini glanced at Zhong Yan, who was also watching her. Shameless, marrying such a gentle wife and still acting so high and mighty, not knowing how lucky he was.

Then she looked at Ji Tanyuan, who was smiling faintly. Ever since this “Huanghuang” became a wife, her charm had only grown.

“I really regret being one step too late.”

“What?”

Ji Tanyuan didn’t understand, but Zhong Yan actually did.

He sneered, “She regrets not going to Thailand to complete the final step. Sawasdee ka, welcome to you, Miss Qin.”

Ji Tanyuan frowned and elbowed the person beside her. “What are you talking about?”

Qin Yini said, “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Zhong Yan clicked his tongue. “She’s my wife. I should be the one saying I don’t mind.”

Shu Yun couldn’t stand it anymore. He said he didn’t care, but he was clearly jealous.

Her eyes reddened instantly, but she knew Zhong Yan didn’t like it when she made a scene, so she could only hold it in.

Lan Fengsheng glanced a few times at the silent onlookers and Zhong Yan’s displeased expression.

Ji Tanyuan shook off Zhong Yan’s hand and pulled Qin Yini along. “Tell me what you’ve been busy with.”

Zhong Yan looked at his empty hand, now bearing only a wedding ring, and felt an indescribable emotion.

Logically, there was no need to be jealous of a woman. No, he shouldn’t be jealous at all, but he had been inexplicably drawn over just now.

He hated this feeling of being out of control.

Like a fool.

…

Dinner wasn’t served at one large table. Instead, everyone had their own tray and sat scattered around the hall, chatting as they ate.

Cheng Gengxu was so angry his head throbbed. It was his birthday, and he had originally planned to have a simple meal with them before sending them off to spend time with Xin Gan.

But who would have thought, Xin Gan wouldn’t come downstairs, and they wouldn’t leave.

“I mean, it’s already 11 o’clock.”

Zhong Yan pulled Ji Tanyuan away from Qin Yini for the third time. Earlier, Lan Fengsheng had mentioned that Qin Yini was into both men and women, and he’d said his sixth sense was accurate, that “Sawasdee ka” remark hadn’t been misdirected.

“It’s 10 o’clock. We should head back.”

All evening, Qin Yini and Lan Fengsheng had been social butterflies, so adept at livening up the atmosphere that Gu Beiming wasn’t even needed. The two of them were like a comedy duo, single-handedly keeping the party going.

And the result of all the excitement was that Ji Tanyuan wasn’t sidelined.

Watching the car drive away, Qin Yini and Lan Fengsheng leaned against each other and high-fived.

“Huanghuang was never much of a talker before, but at least no one would outright ignore her. Now, there are people deliberately using their familiarity with others to systematically exclude our Huanghuang.”

The topics they discussed were all about their shared memories, wasn’t that obvious? If the two of them hadn’t forcefully steered the conversation toward common ground, who knows how awkward it might have become.

“I’m very dissatisfied with the Zhong’s” Qin Yini said.

Lan Fengsheng scoffed, “He’s not your husband. What use is your dissatisfaction?”

Qin Yini paused briefly before replying, “I can help her get a divorce.”

And secure a larger share of the assets in the division of Ji Zhong’s interests.

“You still don’t understand the Zhong family’s influence in mainland China.” Lan Fengsheng cautioned.

Qin Yini gazed out the window. Ji Tanyuan had never considered filing a lawsuit domestically. She had been steering the company toward international expansion precisely so that, in case of future conflicts, they could resort to international commercial arbitration.