My Wife Always Wants to Run Away - Chapter 26

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t understand her sudden surge of emotion. Perhaps it was anger at her increasingly distant sister for meddling, or perhaps it was Tang Jinzhi’s quick reply.

She felt irritated by Tang Jinzhi’s earlier attitude.

How could Tang Jinzhi answer so quickly, without even considering it?

It was true that she and Tang Jinzhi had no real affection for each other, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care.

Surprised by Jie Xiangyi’s anger, Tang Jinzhi paused, then quickly scooted closer and began stroking her back soothingly. The words of comfort came easily: “Ah, divorce? I was just trying to provoke her, to get revenge.”

Jie Xiangyi’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. She pressed her lips together in silence, refusing to look at Tang Jinzhi.

Tang Jinzhi cleared her throat softly, patted Jie Xiangyi’s back twice, and continued with a coaxing smile, “I’m sorry, okay? It was wrong of me to act on my own. Next time something like this comes up, I’ll definitely consider your opinion first.”

Jie Xiangyi turned her head sharply. “Next time?”

Does she want someone else to pressure us into divorce? Is this some kind of game?

Tang Jinzhi shook her head vigorously in denial. “Next time? What next time? There won’t be a next time.”

Jie Xiangyi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said in a slightly somber tone, “If she comes looking for you, please ignore her and don’t consider any of her requests. I have fifty million too.”

The “she” they were referring to was unspoken but understood between them.

To Tang Jinzhi, Jie Xiangyi’s words sounded like, “Don’t listen to her! Fifty million? I can give you that too!”

Rich.

So rich.

Jie Xiangyi was waiting for Tang Jinzhi to coax her, but when she turned her head, she found the other woman staring blankly into space.

“Tang Jinzhi! Did you hear me?”

Tang Jinzhi snapped out of her daze and nodded vigorously. “I heard you, I heard you! Even if you didn’t have fifty million, I wouldn’t pay her any attention. I’m definitely on your side!”

A little sycophantic, but not too much.

The easily appeased Jie Xiangyi’s anger vanished completely. Her tone softened, and she added, “No divorce.”

Tang Jinzhi paused for a moment before nodding. “Mm-hmm, no divorce.”

No divorce for now. Who knows what the future holds?

Jie Xiangyi nodded in satisfaction.

“Give me your hand.”

Tang Jinzhi obediently extended her hand. When she saw Jie Xiangyi’s hand resting on her wrist, a flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.

I almost forgot—Jie Xiangyi still needs to “treat” my “illness.”

Though Tang Jinzhi had no idea what illness she was supposed to have.

Not wanting to disturb Jie Xiangyi, Tang Jinzhi sat quietly, occasionally glancing at her own hands and then at Jie Xiangyi’s face.

In the now-silent room, Jie Xiangyi’s voice broke the stillness. “Have you been having a lot of dreams lately?” she asked.

Tang Jinzhi blinked, nodded vigorously, and looked genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected Jie Xiangyi to deduce that.

She quickly poured out her woes: “So many dreams! Sleeping is exhausting. Every night is filled with them, and even my afternoon nap today was a dream within a dream. It’s exhausting, truly exhausting.”

Meeting Tang Jinzhi’s pitiful, pleading expression, Jie Xiangyi shifted uncomfortably, lowering her gaze as she continued, “Any discomfort in your eyes?”

Tang Jinzhi pondered for a moment. “Well, staring at screens for too long makes them feel dry, right? Does that count?”

Jie Xiangyi nodded. “Give me your other hand.”

Tang Jinzhi tilted her head in confusion but obediently turned to face Jie Xiangyi. “So, you need both hands this time?”

Jie Xiangyi hummed in acknowledgment, offering no further explanation.

When Zhang Yueqi emerged, still holding her phone on a video call, she saw the two women facing each other. Tang Jinzhi was completely obscured by Jie Xiangyi, and from Zhang Yueqi’s perspective, it looked like they were… kissing!

A “wow” of amusement from her mother echoed through Zhang Yueqi’s headphones.

Zhang Yueqi’s face flushed crimson. “Augh! I didn’t see anything!”

Her words immediately drew the attention of the two women, who had been completely oblivious to her presence.

Tang Jinzhi looked genuinely puzzled. “See what?”

Seeing their serious expressions, Zhang Yueqi stammered, “Huh? Weren’t you two… kissing?”

Had she misunderstood? But they were still holding hands.

Jie Xiangyi glanced down at their clasped hands, then recalled her earlier request for Tang Jinzhi to stick out her tongue. Her close examination could easily have been misinterpreted.

Turning her back to Zhang Yueqi, Jie Xiangyi’s ears, already flushed from their earlier proximity, now burned even more conspicuously red.

Tang Jinzhi, facing her, noticed everything.

Observing Jie Xiangyi’s reaction, Tang Jinzhi chuckled inwardly at her thin skin.

Leaning forward to explain to Zhang Yueqi, she said, “Doctor Xie was just taking my pulse. You’re imagining things.”

Then, deliberately teasing Jie Xiangyi, she leaned closer and winked. “You’ve checked my tongue. Should I let you examine my eyes too?”

Since you asked earlier, you should probably take a look, right?

Dazzled by Tang Jinzhi’s smiling eyes, Jie Xiangyi wanted to say no, but Tang Jinzhi had already leaned in close.

They were barely a fist’s distance apart, their faces almost touching. As if possessed, Jie Xiangyi reached out and gently cupped Tang Jinzhi’s cheek with one hand.

Their breaths nearly mingled. Jie Xiangyi immediately softened her breathing, and just as she was about to examine Tang Jinzhi’s eyes, she noticed Tang Jinzhi had frozen in place.

Jie Xiangyi was puzzled. Didn’t she say she wanted me to look? Why is she staring blankly?

Inside, Tang Jinzhi was screaming internally: Ahhh! Jie Xiangyi is cupping my face!

She mentally apologized for her recklessness, now feeling utterly flustered.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yueqi’s earpiece buzzed with identical, frantic excitement. The voice berated him while urging him on: “Yueyue, you don’t even know how to ‘head-press’? This is the perfect position, the perfect opportunity! Get over there and head-press them! What are you afraid of? They’re practically wives! Head-press them and they’ll be kissing! Do it!”

Hesitating for less than half a second, the now-hypnotized Zhang Yueqi tentatively took a step forward. When he realized no one was paying attention, he quickly dashed forward two more steps.

She didn’t dare press Jie Xiangyi’s head down, so she shoved her back forcefully. Seeing the two girls draw close, she immediately turned and fled to her room without looking back, like a child who had just pulled a prank.

“You brat! How could you do such a thing? Don’t you dare mention I’m your mother when you’re out there, understand? Hanging up now. Don’t call me again unless it’s an emergency.”

Zhang Yueqi ducked into her room, but before she could even catch her breath, she heard her mother’s accusatory rant. She was completely stunned.

Wait, what? Say that again?

She sent a voice message to her mother, who had already hung up: “Mom, check the call logs! Who called whom?”

This was blatant lying!

Mom: Read, but no reply.

Outside the living room:

Jie Xiangyi’s mind went blank, her cheeks flushing crimson.

With that shove, her lips had pressed directly against Tang Jinzhi’s nose. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat.

Because they were so close, Tang Jinzhi’s soft chin had brushed against her lips.

Tang Jinzhi’s face also flushed instantly. The fact that Jie Xiangyi had kissed her, and she had kissed Jie Xiangyi in return, felt surreal.

They really just kissed…

Tang Jinzhi’s mind was too muddled to even consider whether Zhang Yueqi deserved to die.

She exhaled softly, trying to brush it off. “Have you… finished looking?”

Jie Xiangyi opened her mouth, her grip on Tang Jinzhi’s wrist instantly loosening. Her mind was blank; she couldn’t recall anything she had just seen.

“I… I…”

The already awkward pair now stammered over their words.

Tang Jinzhi touched her wrist, cleared her throat, and extended her hand again, offering Jie Xiangyi a way out. “How about we look at it again?”

Jie Xiangyi simply needed to calm down, but when Tang Jinzhi’s hand reached out, her own hand instinctively reached out to meet it.

Her mind was in chaos, making it impossible to focus. Even with Tang Jinzhi’s hand, it was no use…

Fortunately, Tang Jinzhi quickly withdrew her hand.

Tang Jinzhi hurriedly clasped her wrist, her gaze darting around. “I don’t think we need to look anymore.”

Could a pulse reading reveal her racing heartbeat?

She wanted to salvage what little dignity she had left.