My Wife Always Wants to Run Away - Chapter 28

“Hello, hello.” Song Xiaoci greeted stiffly, her smile vanishing after barely two seconds, leaving her face pale as if she’d been startled.

Why is Tang Jinzhi’s arranged marriage partner my senior sister?! Aaaah! Could this world get any smaller?!

Forcing herself to remain calm, Song Xiaoci asked, “I heard you were recently discharged from the hospital, and that you’ve lost your memory? How are you feeling now?”

Seeing Song Xiaoci’s distracted demeanor, Tang Jinzhi glanced at Jie Xiangyi beside her, her lips twitching slightly. She nodded slowly and replied in a gentle voice, “Yes, I’ve lost my memory. I’m doing well now, thank you for your concern.”

The exchange was stiff and formal, making the conversation awkward and strained.

Jie Xiangyi lowered her gaze to her hand, which Tang Jinzhi had seemed to shake off earlier. Her fingers curled slightly, her expression unreadable.

She frowned slightly, studying the two women with a puzzled look.

Their interaction felt strange. Why did Song Xiaoci’s expression make it seem like this wasn’t their first meeting?

Song Xiaoci wore a bitter expression as she stole glances at Tang Jinzhi, then at her stern, overachieving senior sister. The more she looked, the more she pitied her own miserable fate.

She knew her senior sister was married, but who could have told her that the bride was Tang Jinzhi?!

The arranged marriage partner Tang Jinzhi had mentioned before had been right beside her all along.

What a chaotic wealthy family, she thought. I just want to go home.

But now that Tang Jinzhi had forgotten everything, she probably didn’t know Song Xiaoci’s true identity anymore, right?

Zhang Yueqi: “Doctor Xiao Song, why are you standing here daydreaming?”

Song Xiaoci hadn’t realized she was lost in thought until Zhang Yueqi waved his hand in front of her face, jolting her back to reality. She immediately recognized that her earlier expression had been impolite.

“Ah, I’m so sorry! I just got off work and I’m probably just too tired.”

Jie Xiangyi glanced at Tang Jinzhi, who was frowning and silent, then turned back to Song Xiaoci. Knowing Song Xiaoci had just finished a night shift and was genuinely exhausted, she didn’t invite her to join them for dinner. Instead, she simply reminded her, “Go get some rest.”

Song Xiaoci nodded and waved. “Alright, alright, I’m off then!”

Without pausing for even a second, she turned and bolted.

Zhang Yueqi chuckled, muttering, “She’s got quite the energy, doesn’t she?”

Jie Xiangyi raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tang Jinzhi, their eyes meeting.

“I think she knows you,” Jie Xiangyi said bluntly. “Her face changed the moment she saw you.”

Tang Jinzhi’s lips twitched into a wry smile. “You’re quite observant,” she replied. “But I don’t think her reaction was because she recognized me.”

She suspected Song Xiaoci’s reaction stemmed from seeing her, Jie Xiangyi’s “wife,” holding hands with Jie Xiangyi.

As this realization dawned on her, Tang Jinzhi’s fingers twitched, clenching into an empty fist. Something felt off.

Not because she recognized me? Then why did I feel so guilty that I let go of Jie Xiangyi’s hand?

I’m Jie Xiangyi’s legitimate wife now. Why did I let myself think so poorly of myself?

Tang Jinzhi felt a surge of anger at herself. What was wrong with my brain just now?!

Growing increasingly flustered, Tang Jinzhi lowered her head, grabbed Jie Xiangyi’s hand, pried open her fingers, and spread her palm. She then interlocked her fingers with Jie Xiangyi’s and squeezed tightly.

“Heh!”

Tang Jinzhi scoffed at her earlier insecurity. I’m a certified wife!

Certified and on duty—what’s there to be nervous about?!

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t resist squeezing Tang Jinzhi’s hand back, her eyes fixed intently on her.

Should I offer an explanation?

Tang Jinzhi simply turned her head and glared at Jie Xiangyi before completely ignoring her.

Seeing Tang Jinzhi’s little glare, though it was completely inexplicable, Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but smile.

Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Yueqi, who had somehow ended up behind them again, was already snapping photos with his phone, taking several close-ups of their intertwined hands.

The trio entered the restaurant Zhang Yueqi had chosen and settled into their seats. While waiting for their food, Zhang Yueqi quickly edited the photos and sent them all to their group chat.

Tang Jinzhi and Jie Xiangyi’s phones buzzed with notifications, then fell silent simultaneously.

They exchanged glances before picking up their phones to check. When they saw the group chat message, they looked up at Zhang Yueqi, then back down to read the messages.

The group chat was filled with photos of them.

Zhang Yueqi grinned. “I bet you two don’t have any photos together on your phones, so I reluctantly took a few for you. No need to thank me—just remember to save them!”

Zhang Yueqi was confident in his photography skills. Though he hadn’t captured any full-face shots of both of them, the photos of their backs and profiles were perfect. Besides, the two women were naturally photogenic.

Jie Xiangyi’s eyes flickered as she lingered on a photo of Tang Jinzhi turning to glare at her—it was unexpectedly cute. She hadn’t realized Zhang Yueqi had captured that moment.

After a two-second hesitation, she long-pressed the screen and saved the photo.

She scrolled through the rest, saving a few more.

Their phones didn’t just lack photos of the two of them together; they didn’t even have any photos of each other at all. Jie Xiangyi’s phone barely had any photos in general.

Tang Jinzhi’s actions silenced everyone who had been about to voice their opinions, the words catching in their throats.

Fine, the photos turned out pretty good. I’ll save them.

One by one, she selected each image and then checked the “save all” box, saving them all in one go.

Looking up at Zhang Yueqi, who was smugly gloating, she playfully poked him with her chopsticks across the table.

Zhang Yueqi’s grin widened even further.

Tang Jinzhi refused to engage in his childishness and turned to look at Jie Xiangyi. She noticed Jie Xiangyi was still looking at her phone, a smile playing on her lips. Curious, Tang Jinzhi leaned closer.

Her eyes immediately landed on the photo on Jie Xiangyi’s screen.

It was a shot of Tang Jinzhi holding Jie Xiangyi’s hand, her head bowed as she gently pried Jie Xiangyi’s fingers apart.

Tang Jinzhi: “……”

Only now, seeing the photo, did she realize how earnest and foolish she had looked at the time—stubborn, serious, and completely unaware that Jie Xiangyi had been watching her clumsy efforts with her head lowered.

Sensing Tang Jinzhi’s gaze, Jie Xiangyi turned to meet those resentful eyes.

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t suppress the upward curve of her lips. She casually handed the menu to Tang Jinzhi. “See if there’s anything else you want to order. You didn’t even look at it earlier.”

Tang Jinzhi stared intently at Jie Xiangyi’s smiling lips, her eyes unwavering, and randomly pointed at an item on the menu.

When Jie Xiangyi saw the dish Tang Jinzhi had pointed to, her gaze froze. She reached out with two fingers, pressed them against Tang Jinzhi’s jaw, and gently tilted her face until her eyes fell back on the menu.

“Are you sure you want to order stir-fried shredded potatoes with ginger?”

Hearing the absurd dish name, Tang Jinzhi visibly stiffened. Is this restaurant messing with me? Why would they even put this on the menu?

Forcing herself to maintain her earlier haughty demeanor, she let out a cold “hmph,” her tone stiff. “No, I don’t want it. I didn’t order it. What I ordered earlier is enough.”

She turned to glare at Jie Xiangyi, her eyes practically burning holes through her.

Jie Xiangyi chuckled softly, feigning innocence. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Tang Jinzhi narrowed her eyes. “Were you laughing at me just now? I’m warning you—delete that photo. The one you just took.”

Jie Xiangyi suppressed her laughter and reluctantly denied it. “Of course not. I’ll delete it right now.”

She pretended to take out her phone, secretly amused that Tang Jinzhi was still such a little tyrant, not even allowing her to keep a single photo.

Tang Jinzhi crossed her arms and glared at Jie Xiangyi, determined not to let her embarrassing moment become permanent history on Jie Xiangyi’s phone.

Under her watchful gaze, Jie Xiangyi deleted the photo and even removed the message record containing it.

Tang Jinzhi glanced at Zhang Yueqi and nodded. This one’s fine. I trust his character; he wouldn’t share our photos with anyone else.

Zhang Yueqi propped his cheek against his hand, staring out the window, his entire demeanor screaming, “Please pretend I’m not here.” He made no attempt to interfere with the couple’s interaction, though he overheard every word.

Suppressing a laugh, Zhang Yueqi lowered his hand, pulled out his phone with a serious expression, and texted Jie Xiangyi: Mute your phone.

Seeing the message, Jie Xiangyi paused her scrolling through her favorites, nodded, and obediently muted her phone.

Done. What’s up?

Zhang Yueqi remained silent, spamming photos.

Not knowing which specific photo Tang Jinzhi had asked Jie Xiangyi to delete, he privately sent Jie Xiangyi every photo he had just shared in their group chat.

Zhang Yueqi couldn’t contain a snort of laughter, mentally congratulating himself on his cleverness. But when he looked up, he found two pairs of eyes fixed on him.

Tang Jinzhi’s gaze was icy.

Jie Xiangyi held up her phone for Tang Jinzhi to see, a knowing smile playing on her lips as she looked at Zhang Yueqi.

Slowly, she said to Tang Jinzhi, “See? I’d never keep anything hidden from you.”

Tang Jinzhi was satisfied with Jie Xiangyi’s honesty.

Zhang Yueqi’s heart turned ice-cold.

Retrieving her phone with the deleted photos, Zhang Yueqi felt utterly betrayed. Jie Xiangyi had stabbed her in the back!

How dare she sell her out to curry favor!

It was unbelievable. Tang Jinzhi, who usually seemed indifferent to everything, was most offended by others keeping unflattering photos of her.

The problem was, the photos Zhang Yueqi had taken weren’t even unflattering!

Ignoring Zhang Yueqi’s accusatory glare, Jie Xiangyi reopened her gallery and meticulously reviewed the photos, finding none missing.

Tang Jinzhi’s earlier one-click save had reminded her to select all the photos as well, though she had chosen to save them to her favorites.

Since no one had noticed, Jie Xiangyi didn’t plan to mention it.

With all the dishes served, Jie Xiangyi put down her phone, maintaining her perfect smile, and began savoring the freshly arrived food with contentment.

For a moment, she felt childish, but she didn’t mind. Her good mood was what mattered most.

Normally confined to the hospital, Jie Xiangyi rarely ventured out even during her breaks. While her primary goal today had been to drag Tang Jinzhi out, she was also relishing this rare moment to breathe freely.

Free from constant tension, Jie Xiangyi was in remarkably high spirits.

If this counted as stress relief, she decided she could get used to it.

Perhaps her good mood had stimulated her appetite, because Jie Xiangyi ate more than usual tonight, occasionally checking on Tang Jinzhi to see how she was enjoying her meal, carefully observing what she liked and disliked.

She was making a conscious effort to understand Tang Jinzhi.

Tang Jinzhi, in turn, keenly sensed Xiangyi’s changed attitude toward her.

This shift hadn’t begun with this meal; the first clear signs had emerged the night they decided to punish Zhang Yueqi.

Since then, Jie Xiangyi had noticeably relaxed around her, shedding some of her usual tension.

If before, Jie Xiangyi had been trying to treat Tang Jinzhi as her wife out of a sense of obligation due to their marriage, now she seemed to be subconsciously convincing herself that the person before her truly was her wife.

Jie Xiangyi was gradually opening her heart to Tang Jinzhi, even attempting to integrate her into her life.

This was all happening on a subconscious level; Jie Xiangyi might not even have realized it herself.

The change was so sudden and so pronounced.

Tang Jinzhi felt somewhat overwhelmed. This unexpected shift was beyond her control; she could only let herself drift along with Jie Xiangyi’s actions, too afraid to speculate about the consequences.

Tang Jinzhi could only attribute this change to their conversation that night about Zhang Yueqi. Perhaps her concern for Zhang Yueqi had altered Jie Xiangyi’s perception of her.

Tang Jinzhi glanced up at Zhang Yueqi, who was eating with a bright smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

Perhaps this sister, unrelated by bl00d to Jie Xiangyi, was the true family in Jie Xiangyi’s heart.

“Let’s go,” Zhang Yueqi said, putting down her spoon after finishing the last bite of ice cream. Tang Jinzhi and Jie Xiangyi had already finished eating and were waiting for her.

As they left the shop, the three of them headed into the mall.

Tang Jinzhi stayed by Jie Xiangyi’s side without mentioning going home. The two beside her were in high spirits, and she didn’t want to spoil the mood. Since they were already out, a little shopping wouldn’t hurt.

Jie Xiangyi glanced at Tang Jinzhi, her hand twitching at her side. As they stepped off the escalator, she took Tang Jinzhi’s hand.

Unlike Tang Jinzhi’s earlier attempt to interlock their fingers, Jie Xiangyi simply held her hand. She didn’t expect Tang Jinzhi to refuse, after all, Tang Jinzhi had initiated the contact.

As expected, Tang Jinzhi merely glanced at her without saying a word.

The three of them strolled through the mall, hoping to walk off their meal. The mall was crowded, and Jie Xiangyi kept half her attention on Tang Jinzhi, only relaxing when she saw no signs of fear or discomfort.

Tang Jinzhi didn’t need to buy anything, but she stopped at a lottery booth. They bought three scratch-off tickets, each costing ten yuan.

Zhang Yueqi loved playing these games, even though the grand prize was less than her monthly allowance. Tang Jinzhi told her she could keep any winnings.

“Big win! Big win! Big win!” Zhang Yueqi chanted as she scratched, leaning over the ticket. Jie Xiangyi couldn’t stand the noise and moved away.

Tang Jinzhi finished scratching her ticket and exclaimed, “Hey! I made ten yuan!” She’d always been notoriously unlucky, usually losing money.

Jie Xiangyi walked over and handed her ticket to Tang Jinzhi. “Mine was a wash. No win, no loss.”

Tang Jinzhi wanted to say, “Yours is yours, mine is mine,” but she couldn’t bring herself to. After all, they were truly in this together—she’d paid for all the tickets.

“Well, my luck’s just better than yours,” Tang Jinzhi said.

Jie Xiangyi smiled. “You could say that. Want to play again?”

Tang Jinzhi shook her head. “No, let’s cash out. Quit while you’re ahead, or we’ll lose.”

She had already learned from her own “cursed hands” how to quit while she was ahead.

Zhang Yueqi, however, hadn’t given up. After winning ten yuan, he immediately started scratching a second ticket, only to win another ten yuan.

Undeterred, Zhang Yueqi grabbed a third ticket.

Tang Jinzhi leaned closer to him. “Why are you still going? Quit while you’re ahead! As long as we didn’t lose money, that’s enough. It’s about the experience, not the win.”

Could a ten-yuan scratch-off really change her fate for the entire month?

Zhang Yueqi, surprisingly receptive to advice, nodded. “One last ticket. Watch me scratch it.”

Jie Xiangyi glanced at the two friends huddled together scratching tickets but didn’t join them. She stood aside, wiping her hands with a wet wipe, having gotten some of the scratch-off residue on them earlier.

“Ahhh! Five hundred! Five hundred yuan!” Zhang Yueqi screamed, excitedly grabbing Tang Jinzhi’s arm.

Tang Jinzhi, equally incredulous, double-checked the scratched ticket. It was real! They had actually won!

He’s a lucky charm!

Zhang Yueqi had never thought five hundred yuan was a big deal before, but now it felt different. It was almost as much as the credit limit on the supplementary card Tang Jinzhi had given him! This was a real fortune!

Jie Xiangyi also leaned in to take a look, confirming the win.

But her surprise lasted only two seconds. As the two friends celebrated their win, she calmly took Tang Jinzhi’s hand, held her fingers, and lowered her head to wipe them clean.

Tang Jinzhi was utterly bewildered.

What? Why is she doing this?

“Hmm?” Jie Xiangyi glanced up at her, then at the light. Finding herself backlit, she simply turned Tang Jinzhi around to face the light and continued wiping her hand.

Tang Jinzhi: ?

Jie Xiangyi explained tersely, “Scratches on your hand. Dirty.”

Tang Jinzhi glanced at her own surprisingly clean hand, then at Jie Xiangyi. After a moment’s hesitation, she didn’t pull her hand away, letting Jie Xiangyi continue wiping it.

Fine, whatever. I heard doctors are a bit of germaphobes anyway. I can understand.

Zhang Yueqi excitedly exchanged his winning ticket for five hundred yuan, then turned around to witness the scene.

He let out a smug laugh, deliberately teasing, “Aww, even wiping your hand needs your wife’s help, huh?”

Tang Jinzhi froze. She’d momentarily forgotten she could do it herself, and now…

Her fingers twitched, wanting to pull away, but she realized that doing so now would only make it look like she was trying to hide something. She forced herself to remain still.

Jie Xiangyi cast Zhang Yueqi a cold glance and casually tossed him a wet wipe. “Wipe your own hands clean,” she said, her voice icy.

With that, she lowered her head and resumed wiping Tang Jinzhi’s hand, not for any particular reason, but simply because this was the hand she wanted to hold.

Tang Jinzhi’s hand had a beautiful shape, and Jie Xiangyi unconsciously squeezed her knuckles.

The sensation transmitted through their fingertips was too vivid. Tang Jinzhi licked her dry lips, the tips of her ears flushing slightly.

When she saw Jie Xiangyi still playing with her fingers after wiping them clean, Tang Jinzhi finally couldn’t hold back any longer. She withdrew her hand and urged, “Okay, let’s go.”

Flush with newfound wealth, Zhang Yueqi strode ahead, brimming with ambition. She was treating!

No longer aimlessly wandering, Zhang Yueqi now had a clear destination. First, she bought three milk teas from a nearby shop, then led the trio toward the cinema.

Tang Jinzhi was quite excited about seeing a movie. This was her first time experiencing a film with two female leads in a theater, and she was genuinely curious.

Actually, Zhang Yueqi had already seen this movie. She glanced at Tang Jinzhi with a complicated expression, hoping she wouldn’t find it too cheesy after watching it.

After all, the film was cloyingly sweet, perfect for young couples. Its online ratings weren’t high either; critics complained it felt unoriginal, with overly saccharine leads. But at this time, Zhang Yueqi couldn’t get tickets for any other movies.

She didn’t know how to explain it. The tickets were already purchased, so they might as well watch it.

Jie Xiangyi, who had been busy at the hospital, hadn’t had such leisure time in ages. She glanced at Tang Jinzhi beside her, who was practically vibrating with anticipation, and felt a sense of peace settle over her. Perhaps this wasn’t a waste of time after all.

After waiting in the waiting area for a while, it was finally their turn. Jie Xiangyi led Tang Jinzhi inside, and they found the couple’s seats Zhang Yueqi had specially reserved for them. Jie Xiangyi didn’t let go of Tang Jinzhi’s hand even after they sat down.

It was Jie Xiangyi who refused to release her grip.

Tang Jinzhi couldn’t figure out what had gotten into Jie Xiangyi today. She seemed to really enjoy holding her hand.

She tentatively curled her fingers, and Jie Xiangyi quickly squeezed them.

Speechless, Tang Jinzhi turned to Jie Xiangyi, her eyes questioning what she meant. Doesn’t she feel embarrassed?

Jie Xiangyi leaned close to her ear and explained, “I’ve gotten used to it.”

Tang Jinzhi was confused. “Used to what?”

This is so random.

Jie Xiangyi shook their clasped hands. “Holding hands.”

Tang Jinzhi choked. So Jie Xiangyi had been holding her hand so often to get more used to it? To become more comfortable with it?

What’s next? Practicing kissing?

Tang Jinzhi abruptly slapped Jie Xiangyi’s hand away, her voice dripping with exasperation. “So you were just practicing holding hands? I thought you had some weird fetish.”

To spare Jie Xiangyi embarrassment, Tang Jinzhi had refrained from pulling her hand away the entire time, indulging her hand-holding all the way.

Jie Xiangyi took a sip of her fruit tea and turned to face the large screen, her tone calm. “It wasn’t exactly practice. You were the one who held my hand first.”

Tang Jinzhi was immediately silenced by her retort, her momentum to tease Jie Xiangyi vanishing instantly. She turned to stare at the screen as well.

The little tagalong didn’t want to be a third wheel, so she hadn’t sat with them. The surrounding seats were filled with couples, and as the lights dimmed, occasional giggles and whispers drifted through the air.

The film opened with a scene of two people kissing.

The moment the scene of kisses on the nose and chin appeared, Tang Jinzhi heard Jie Xiangyi choking on her milk tea beside her.

Tang Jinzhi: “……”

It wasn’t Jie Xiangyi’s fault for reacting so strongly. Tang Jinzhi herself was reminded of their own kissing scene from the previous day.

To put it mildly, the scene on screen was far too intimate, even bordering on erotic.

It was absurd.

Jie Xiangyi’s coughing only made the situation more awkward.

Tang Jinzhi, taking pity on her, reached out to pat Jie Xiangyi’s back to help her clear her throat.

Jie Xiangyi covered her mouth and coughed a few more times. Thankfully, the dim lighting hid the heat that had surged from her neck to her cheeks, but she could only imagine how red her face and neck must be.

“Cough, are you okay?” Tang Jinzhi whispered, leaning close to her ear.

Warm breath brushed against Jie Xiangyi’s ear, causing her to flinch involuntarily. Her voice remained steady as she said, “I’m fine. Let’s keep watching.”

Tang Jinzhi hummed in agreement, but as she straightened up, Jie Xiangyi added, “Maybe I’ll get used to it eventually.”

Tang Jinzhi: “……”

I get it, I get it! I know you’re trying to adjust to our relationship, but could you please not say it out loud?! Tang Jinzhi thought, gritting her teeth inwardly.

For the next hour and a half, neither of them uttered a word. They simply didn’t dare to make a sound.

Jie Xiangyi was on the verge of fidgeting out of her seat.

The movie was too explicit, and the couples around them were too brazen. Not only were there kissing and panting sounds on screen, but also… everywhere else.

She finally realized this film was practically an invitation for couples to flirt.

Sensing the commotion around them, Tang Jinzhi also found it somewhat unbearable, but half her attention remained on the movie, making her less “distracted” than Jie Xiangyi.

As the end credits rolled and the theater lights came back on, Jie Xiangyi’s heart finally relaxed. She felt the air around them thick with a sticky, ambiguous tension and was desperate to leave.

The audience gradually filed out of the theater, but Tang Jinzhi remained seated, listening to the familiar yet unfamiliar voice in the end credits song, her emotions a tangled knot.

Zhang Yueqi approached them, pointed at the screen, and said to Tang Jinzhi, “This singing voice sounds just like you!”

Tang Jinzhi’s eyebrows twitched. Zhang Yueqi was surprisingly observant; this song had indeed appeared on the “Tang Jinzhi” playlist.

Jie Xiangyi glanced at the screen as well. She had been so focused on leaving earlier that she hadn’t paid attention, but now she realized it did sound like Tang Jinzhi’s voice.

Under their scrutinizing gazes, Tang Jinzhi shrugged. “Yes, it’s a song by ‘Tang Jinzhi,’ but not me.”

As they walked out together, Zhang Yueqi, still processing Tang Jinzhi’s words, exclaimed, “It really does sound like you! But… you are Tang Jinzhi, right? Is there another one?”

She added, “And you sing so well! I didn’t know you were a singer!”

Tang Jinzhi smiled. “You’re too clever. There are two Tang Jinzhis, but I’m not a singer.”

Jie Xiangyi’s gaze lingered on Tang Jinzhi’s face for a moment, a hint of confusion in her eyes. She casually took Tang Jinzhi’s hand, refraining from immediately offering an opinion.

Zhang Yueqi walked backward in front of them, facing them with a tilted head and a grin. “I get it now! It’s the Tang Jinzhi before the amnesia and the Tang Jinzhi after the amnesia, right?”

Tang Jinzhi’s long lashes trembled slightly as she lowered her gaze and replied with utmost seriousness, “No, that’s not the right way to understand it.”

She’s so dramatic, Jie Xiangyi thought. She only wants to be herself.

“Huh?” Zhang Yueqi looked puzzled.

Hearing a faint sigh beside her, Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but study Tang Jinzhi’s expression. Was it disappointment or loneliness?

How could this be?

Without waiting for Tang Jinzhi’s explanation, Jie Xiangyi lowered her gaze in contemplation. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice filled with uncertainty. “So, by ‘two Tang Jinzhis,’ you mean one is the Tang Jinzhi who sings, and the other is the Tang Jinzhi who writes novels. You’re referring to the latter, right?”

Tang Jinzhi’s eyes lit up, and she nodded emphatically.

She’s decided! Today, Jie Xiangyi can hold her hand for as long as she wants!

Tang Jinzhi’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Jie Xiangyi, her smiling eyes dancing into Jie Xiangyi’s heart. She praised without reservation, “Clever! You’ve never misunderstood my intentions.”

Jie Xiangyi was led out of the cinema in a daze.

She felt utterly bewildered. Though she had voiced the words herself, she hadn’t truly thought them through.

Some things become terrifying upon closer examination, but in Tang Jinzhi’s case, even a cursory glance was terrifying.

Jie Xiangyi began to doubt whether her way of thinking was flawed. Should she really follow Tang Jinzhi’s line of reasoning?

She sensed that something was deeply amiss, and she dared not delve further.

“Ouch!”

Zhang Yueqi, walking backward, bumped her head. The startled cry momentarily snapped Jie Xiangyi out of her reverie.

Frowning, Jie Xiangyi snapped, “Can’t you walk properly?”

Zhang Yueqi clutched the back of her head, indignant. “Why don’t you tell yourself to stop daydreaming while walking! Just because you have someone to hold your hand?”

Tang Jinzhi chimed in with a mischievous grin, “Exactly! You don’t have anyone to hold your hand, do you?”

Her mood was exceptionally buoyant.

Zhang Yueqi rolled his eyes, clutched his head, and walked over to Tang Jinzhi with a “tsk.” He suddenly asked, “What did you think of the movie?”

Tang Jinzhi nodded. “It was pretty good.”

Zhang Yueqi paused his rubbing of the back of his head and asked tentatively, “Didn’t you find it a bit… cheesy?”

Tang Jinzhi pursed her lips. “It was a little, but it’s forgivable.”

The scenes she had imagined while reading the script were quite different from what she saw on screen. Besides, those were two beautiful women—how could it be the same?

For Zhang Yueqi, this type of movie was commonplace, nothing special. But for Tang Jinzhi, it was entirely different.

Someone made a yuri film with so many suggestive scenes just for you to watch, so you should be secretly thrilled! How dare you complain?

Perhaps she’d find it ordinary later, but not now. For Tang Jinzhi, it was like a mouse finding a rice bin—she hadn’t gotten tired of it yet, and everything still felt fresh.

Zhang Yueqi scoffed, “You’re such a hypocrite.”

Tang Jinzhi chuckled softly, sighing under her breath, “It’s because you don’t know how impoverished the world I come from is.”

Zhang Yueqi: “I don’t understand.”

Jie Xiangyi didn’t fully grasp it either, but she sensed the wistfulness and melancholy in Tang Jinzhi’s tone.

They left the shopping mall.

Zhang Yueqi still had three hundred yuan left in her pocket. Knowing Tang Jinzhi’s beautiful singing voice, she suggested taking them both to a karaoke bar. But Tang Jinzhi immediately vetoed the idea.

Tang Jinzhi: “Aren’t you supposed to be showing your visiting friend around in a few days? Shouldn’t you save some money for that?”

With tickets already purchased, three hundred yuan should be enough for Zhang Yueqi to cover her meals and drinks for two or three days, especially since she could stay at home and wouldn’t need to pay for a hotel.

Tang Jinzhi’s reminder only fueled Zhang Yueqi’s resentment. Whose fault is it that I have no money to spend?!

Zhang Yueqi huffed, “No karaoke! Let’s go home!”

Jie Xiangyi raised an eyebrow, suddenly looking forward to hearing how Zhang Yueqi would rant about her and Tang Jinzhi after her friend’s visit.

On the way home, they stopped at a supermarket to buy snacks and groceries for the next day. Since Jie Xiangyi was covering the expenses, Zhang Yueqi shamelessly loaded up her cart.

After lugging everything home, Zhang Yueqi collapsed on the sofa, utterly exhausted.

She lay sprawled out, panting heavily and muttering angrily, “You… you guys… have absolutely no humanity!”

Tang Jinzhi, putting away the refrigerated groceries without looking back, retorted, “Who told you to buy so many drinks? We already have plenty at home. You knew how heavy they’d be—who else is to blame?”

Jie Xiangyi walked over and nudged Zhang Yueqi with her foot. “I told you to exercise more, but you never listen. Now you’re as tired as a dog.”

Zhang Yueqi rolled over on the sofa, looking up at Jie Xiangyi. “I just realized you’ve changed. You’re not as aloof anymore.”

Jie Xiangyi was taken aback by this sudden observation.

“You’re just noticing now? When was Doctor Xie ever aloof?” Tang Jinzhi finished putting things away and joined them, pulling Jie Xiangyi down to sit beside her.

Zhang Yueqi sprawled out on the sofa, propping her feet up on the backrest. “Before you two got married,” she said.

Otherwise, why would she only be noticing Jie Xiangyi’s change now?

Jie Xiangyi: “You’re overthinking it.”

She didn’t want them to dwell on this topic. She didn’t feel she had changed at all. The only difference was that Tang Jinzhi had entered her life, bringing a new vibrancy to it.

“Exactly! You’re just too cute,” Tang Jinzhi agreed, pouring herself a glass of water. After taking a sip, she continued, “Doctor Xie has always been such a lovable, smiley little darling since she was a child.”

Jie Xiangyi’s face stiffened.

Zhang Yueqi burst into laughter, “Pfft! Hahahaha!”

She was beside herself with amusement, “Yes, yes, yes! Hahahaha!”

Jie Xiangyi closed her eyes briefly before turning to Tang Jinzhi. “What’s your point?”

Tang Jinzhi, unable to suppress her laughter any longer, couldn’t resist poking Jie Xiangyi’s rigid cheek.

She shamelessly betrayed her friend, “Zhang Yueqi told me all about it earlier.”

Jie Xiangyi snorted coldly, grabbed the finger poking her cheek, and glared at Zhang Yueqi with a chilling intensity.

Betrayed yet again, Zhang Yueqi flew into a rage. She flipped herself up into a sitting position, but under Jie Xiangyi’s oppressive gaze, her anger quickly fizzled out.

Gritting her teeth, she hissed, “You two will never have any friends acting like this!”

Tang Jinzhi sighed helplessly. “I don’t want to, but you’re my only source of information about Doctor Xie. Even if I didn’t say anything, she’d figure it out.”

Zhang Yueqi paused, realizing Tang Jinzhi had a point.

Jie Xiangyi shook her head, took the water glass from Tang Jinzhi’s hand, and stood up to leave.

Xiangyi knew she didn’t have to rely solely on Zhang Yueqi to learn about Tang Jinzhi. She remembered telling Tang Jinzhi before that she could simply ask her directly.

Jie Xiangyi sighed deeply. Fine, if she doesn’t want to ask, she doesn’t have to.

Tang Jinzhi stared blankly as Xiangyi snatched her water cup. Why is she taking my water? she wondered. Did my teasing warrant denying me water?

“Where are you going?” Tang Jinzhi asked.

Jie Xiangyi ignored her and walked away with the cup. When she returned, the water had been replaced with a tea so bitter it made Tang Jinzhi’s face twist in agony.

What a vengeful Jie Xiangyi! Tang Jinzhi thought, her expression mournful.

Though the tea was bitter, it worked.

With Jie Xiangyi’s help, Tang Jinzhi only had one nightmare in the first two nights. After that, her sleep became sound and peaceful.

But that nightmare… it was quite something.

The dream itself wasn’t particularly special. Tang Jinzhi dreamt that Jie Xiangyi was cradling her face. Just as she thought Xiangyi was about to kiss her, Xiangyi produced a cup of Gentiana tea, pinched her cheeks, and forced her to drink it.

When Tang Jinzhi woke up in a fright, she couldn’t resist giving Jie Xiangyi a sneaky kick. To her surprise, she discovered Xiangyi wasn’t asleep at all.

Learning about this dream version of herself left Jie Xiangyi utterly speechless.

That day, Jie Xiangyi had just returned from her night shift and showered in the guest bathroom to avoid waking Tang Jinzhi. But barely two minutes after lying down, she was kicked by Tang Jinzhi.

The little ingrate’s kick was so deliberate that it was impossible for Jie Xiangyi to pretend she hadn’t noticed.

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory.

Tang Jinzhi glanced at Jie Xiangyi curiously, wondering what she was laughing about. Zhang Yueqi was out with friends today, leaving Tang Jinzhi feeling rather bored.

Even when Jie Xiangyi was home, she only came back for lunch at the usual time.

“Shouldn’t you be heading back to the hospital soon?” Tang Jinzhi asked.

Jie Xiangyi checked the time. “Almost.”

Tang Jinzhi nodded and swiped through her phone to find the calendar app. “When’s your next day off?”

“The day after tomorrow,” Jie Xiangyi replied. “Why?”

Tang Jinzhi hesitated before saying, “I want to go back home before the engagement.”

She needed Jie Xiangyi to accompany her. After all, she still needed to secure that fifty million yuan. She hoped it wouldn’t be too much trouble.

Their engagement banquet was scheduled for June 6th, and with the current date being April 18th, they had plenty of time.

Jie Xiangyi considered her schedule and decided that the day after would be better. She said directly, “Let’s go the day after tomorrow. I’ll accompany you back.”

Tang Jinzhi: “Thank you.”

Jie Xiangyi smiled. “No need to thank me. You should come with me too.”

Tang Jinzhi was slightly surprised. “Huh? When?”

In the nearly one and a half months they’d known each other, Jie Xiangyi had never mentioned her family. Now, suddenly asking her to go back made Tang Jinzhi feel nervous.

“Relax,” Jie Xiangyi said. “We’re not going to my house. We’re taking Zhang Yueqi to her home. Her mother wants to meet us.”

Tang Jinzhi nodded blankly.

Well, it seems our marriage involves meeting the parents of others.

Jie Xiangyi: “There’s no rush. We’ll go after I finish up here.”

The place was quite far, and they’d likely need to stay overnight. Jie Xiangyi didn’t have that much time off.

Tang Jinzhi said nothing, trusting Jie Xiangyi’s arrangements.

After Jie Xiangyi left, Tang Jinzhi returned to her study. She spent most of the day reviewing her million-word backlog of drafts, fixing bugs before finally refocusing on her scriptwriting.

Zhang Yueqi mentioned that the friend she’d invited would be arriving soon, but she remained vague about whether it was one of her roommates, keeping it mysterious.

Tang Jinzhi wasn’t particularly concerned about who was coming to play; she was simply eager to see someone experience her scenario.

She was currently writing a new, short but captivating scenario. She had no ulterior motive, only wanting Jie Xiangyi to play it. She wanted to give Jie Xiangyi a truly shocking experience.

Tang Jinzhi’s smile turned wicked as she typed with increasing fervor, already anticipating Jie Xiangyi’s dramatic reaction when she received the script.

As for whether Jie Xiangyi would find the time to play, Tang Jinzhi wasn’t worried at all. There would always be time; she wasn’t in a rush.

The afternoon passed quickly. When Jie Xiangyi returned from the hospital, Tang Jinzhi was still at her desk, typing furiously.

Tang Jinzhi glanced up at Jie Xiangyi standing in the doorway and asked, “Do you need the study?”

“Yes,” Jie Xiangyi replied, “but I brought my laptop back. You can keep working; I’ll just sit over there.”

She gestured toward the tatami mat in the corner, indicating that Tang Jinzhi shouldn’t mind her.

Tang Jinzhi raised her hand in an “OK” gesture and stopped paying attention to Jie Xiangyi.

Jie Xiangyi took out her laptop and walked over to the desk to grab her notes and books. Tang Jinzhi, who had previously ignored her, now watched her with a wary expression.

“What’s wrong?” Jie Xiangyi asked, confused. She glanced at the laptop and noticed the writing page had been closed.

Is she guarding it? Afraid I’ll see?

Jie Xiangyi felt a little annoyed. She hadn’t even intended to look.

Tang Jinzhi’s face turned serious. “You’re not allowed to look. No spoilers! I wrote this specifically for you to play.”

Jie Xiangyi blinked, her voice light and airy. “Specially written for me to play?”

The annoyance in her heart vanished instantly.

Her lips curled upward uncontrollably. Alright, since it’s specially written for me, I won’t hold Tang Jinzhi’s earlier behavior against her.

Tang Jinzhi nodded earnestly. “So you really can’t look right now.”

Jie Xiangyi smiled, promising, “I definitely won’t look. I’m really looking forward to playing the scenario you wrote.”

Tang Jinzhi coughed out a laugh. “Mm, good.”

She had added some potent twists to her little workshop. She hoped Jie Xiangyi would still maintain this nonchalant expression after playing through it.