Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 33

Inside the Mercedes, Shu Yun also watched as the other car drove away.

Her eyes were red, whether from the alcohol or the emotional turmoil, it was hard to tell.

“All night, I felt like an outsider, pushed aside by them,” Shu Yun said, covering her face. “But they’re supposed to be my friends.”

Rong Xi glanced at her phone, her expression shifting. Qinghe Real Estate was about to be spun off from the Ji Group. She had vaguely guessed it during the Ji Group’s equity reform, but now it seemed her intuition was right.

Furong Real Estate had long had its eye on Qinghe Real Estate and was planning to acquire and restructure it once it went bankrupt.

She flipped her phone over and looked at Shu Yun beside her.

Patting Shu Yun’s shoulder, she said, “Don’t be upset.”

“Why don’t you go see Grandma Zhong? If you can make her happy, everything will be fine.”

Shu Yun hummed in confusion, “But A-Yan isn’t like Brother Zhong Jing. He’s the most rebellious.”

Rong Xi rolled her eyes, “Don’t compare yourself to Zhong Yan. Compare yourself to Ji Tanyuan.”

Shu Yun fell silent, then closed her eyes.

Rong Xi inwardly scoffed. At such a critical moment, she just didn’t get it. Zhong Yan would never truly turn against the Zhong family for Ji Tanyuan’s sake.

She started the car and said, “I’ve said all I need to say. Tonight, you saw it yourself, Qin Yini and Lan Fengsheng came specifically for Ji Tanyuan, trying to disrupt our social circle. If this continues, things will take a different turn.”

As the car gradually drove away, the manor returned to tranquility.

Zhong Yan sat in the passenger seat while Ji Tanyuan drove, simply because she hadn’t been drinking and neither of them felt like waiting for a driver.

Ji Tanyuan glanced at Zhong Yan and asked softly, “Do you have some issue with Yini?”

Zhong Yan replied coldly, “No.”

“Then why did you seem so annoyed with her today?”

Zhong Yan’s expression remained icy. “Why don’t you ask why she seemed so annoyed with me? Ji Tanyuan, I’m only letting it slide out of respect for you.”

Ji Tanyuan chuckled, “So my face is worth quite a lot. Don’t be angry, she’s just like that. Her nickname in the legal world is ‘the highly educated shrew.’”

She was talkative and sharp-tongued, which was why when Ji Tanyuan introduced Qin Yini to Zhang Zhang, the two hit it off instantly, their chatter loud enough to raise the roof.

“Do you like her?” Zhong Yan asked.

Ji Tanyuan hummed in acknowledgment, “Of course. Why would I be friends with her if I didn’t?”

Zhong Yan let out an “oh” and then closed his eyes, saying nothing more.

Ji Tanyuan rolled her eyes. Weirdo.

They arrived home a little past 11 p.m. Before they even stepped inside, they could hear the dog’s excited barks.

Zhong Yan’s face immediately darkened.

As soon as Ji Tanyuan entered, the dog leaped into her arms. She laughed, crouching down to rub its head. Seeing the dog eased the frustration she felt from Zhong Yan’s hot-and-cold behavior.

Zhong Yan walked ahead but paused halfway, turning back to look at her. “You’re not planning to let it sleep in the room again tonight, are you?”

Ji Tanyuan and the dog both turned to look at him. Her eyes lit up at his words, “Can I?”

Zhong Yan smirked slightly, “What do you think? If you dare bring it in, I’ll make sure it gets a front-row seat to our live show.”

Ji Tanyuan: “…”

She quietly raised her hand to cover the puppy’s ears.

Zhong Yan snorted, “Its ears are too big, you can’t cover them completely.”

Perhaps the dog understood something from his tone, as it started barking at Zhong Yan.

“Your dog is quite protective of you.”

Ji Tanyuan quietly grasped the dog’s tail, pressing down its excited wagging. This wasn’t about protection, it was an agreement settled.

After settling the dog, Ji Tanyuan went to the bedroom to bathe.

When she came out, she didn’t see Zhong Yan and didn’t think much of it.

In her drowsy state, she felt someone breathing heavily near her ear.

Ji Tanyuan raised her hand to pat his head, her voice low with sleepiness yet gentle, “What’s wrong?”

There was no trace of anger, her first instinct didn’t lie. Her emotions were steady, without any morning irritability.

Zhong Yan asked, “What if we have conflicting interests in the future?”

Ji Tanyuan drew out her reply, “Hmm… then we’ll handle it professionally.”

“Would we get divorced?” Zhong Yan pressed.

Ji Tanyuan, eyes closed, murmured, “If necessary.”

Zhong Yan: “Wouldn’t you feel even a little reluctant?”

But Ji Tanyuan had already fallen back asleep and didn’t answer.

…

After returning, Zhong Yan became busy, and the two only saw each other in the evenings.

During the day, he worked, while Ji Tanyuan sometimes attended meetings at home or went out.

Zhou Yanyu, aside from managing social engagements between families, also organized charity events, visiting orphanages, promoting organic living, and going to nursing homes.

Ji Tanyuan disliked it and found it exhausting. She had no experience in such matters; before marriage, she had truly never lifted a finger, rarely even fetching food from the fridge herself. However, after marriage, with the household staff gone in the evenings, she gradually started doing more herself.

Moreover, in August, the heat in Yanjing was unbearable.

She suggested making larger donations to the nursing home instead of going in person, or donating more to orphanages to buy air conditioners, surely that was better than her going to fan herself. Zhong Yan wasn’t in the system, and she wasn’t part of the women’s federation, why did she have to participate?

She had no skills to offer and worried her presence would just create extra work for the hosts. And in this heat, having children stand outside to welcome her, how exhausting.

But all her plans were shut down by Zhou Yanyu’s single remark: “You are the daughter-in-law of the Zhong family.”

Fine then, she’d go.

And what was Zhong Yan doing at the time? Playing indoor golf.

That evening, they met while having dinner at the Zhong residence. Zhong Yan arrived with Shu Yun, who brought gifts for the elders.

Seeing Ji Tanyuan looking weary, Zhong Yan expressed surprise, “What have you been up to?”

Ji Tanyuan tugged at the hem of his clothes, burying herself against his chest.

“I don’t want to go anymore. I’m so tired.”

Zhong Yan held her by the back and patted her gently. “What work could they possibly make you do?”

Ji Tanyuan: “I don’t like it. I stood under the sun for so long.”

It was hot and draining, and with Zhou Yanyu there, she felt too embarrassed to back out.

Zhong Yan chuckled and pinched her cheek, “Such a delicate young lady, aren’t you?”

Ji Tanyuan pursed her lips, “I am, and so what? Do you mind?”

Zhong Yan then noticed Wen Yi’an arriving with Zhong Jing and froze, staring at her:

“You didn’t go?”

Wen Yi’an looked puzzled, “Go where?”

Zhong Yan turned to Ji Tanyuan, who looked up and asked, “Mom said you went to another orphanage. So, you didn’t know anything about it?”

Wen Yi’an covered her mouth with her hand, appearing flustered as if she’d accidentally revealed a forgotten arrangement.

She smiled, “Oh, I did go. It was so hot today.”

Zhong Jing’s face darkened, Wen Yi’an had been with him all day.

Had the whole family set up Ji Tanyuan just to exhaust her?

They truly don’t wish for Zhong Yan’s marriage to go smoothly.