My Wife Always Wants to Run Away - Chapter 32

The woman who had previously complained about Jie Xiangyi taking advantage of her after being kissed on the cheek now felt a strange itch in her heart.

She had initially wanted to kiss Jie Xiangyi too, but Jie Xiangyi’s abrupt turn and departure had provoked her. That damned rebellious streak surged to the surface.

In just a few minutes, Tang Jinzhi had gone from nervous anticipation to eager anticipation.

She stared at Jie Xiangyi’s retreating figure, her gaze so intense it seemed she wanted to burn a hole through her back.

In the end, Tang Jinzhi didn’t kiss her.

She tossed and turned on the tatami mat, agonizing over whether to try seducing Jie Xiangyi. Before she could resolve her dilemma, she fell asleep.

She only woke up when Zhang Yueqi returned and Jie Xiangyi roused her.

Still groggy, Tang Jinzhi rolled over, turning her back to Jie Xiangyi and pulling the thin blanket that had been draped over her head. Clearly, she hadn’t slept enough.

She let out a sleepy hum of protest.

Jie Xiangyi bent down, swiftly and roughly scooped Tang Jinzhi up, blanket and all, into her arms.

Forced to sit up, Tang Jinzhi lifted her head in a daze. Before she could fully adjust, she heard Jie Xiangyi whispering something in her ear, seemingly mentioning Zhang Yueqi.

Tang Jinzhi squinted, reluctant to open her eyes.

As soon as Jie Xiangyi released her arm from around Tang Jinzhi, Tang Jinzhi began to sway backward, about to fall.

Jie Xiangyi: “……”

She pulled Tang Jinzhi back into her arms and used her free hand to gently rub Tang Jinzhi’s face until the latter frowned in annoyance. Jie Xiangyi then patted her lightly, saying, “Wake up, don’t sleep anymore.”

Forcibly roused, Tang Jinzhi slowly opened her eyes and stared fixedly at Jie Xiangyi, her gaze settling precisely on her lips.

Jie Xiangyi’s thin lips moved as she spoke, “Wake up, don’t be so dazed.”

The room had grown much darker; it seemed dusk was approaching. Only then did Tang Jinzhi realize Jie Xiangyi hadn’t turned on the lights, likely out of consideration for her sleep.

Tang Jinzhi thought for a moment, then finally lifted her head, her gaze meeting Jie Xiangyi’s before quickly shifting away. Her limbs felt soft and weak, still heavy with sleep.

She was now fully awake.

She glanced at Jie Xiangyi’s alluringly thin lips and hummed softly, tempted to suddenly lean in and startle her. But then she worried she might go too far. In the end, Tang Jinzhi pushed Jie Xiangyi away, unable to resist patting her shoulder.

“How long was I asleep?” she asked, her voice husky with the lingering drowsiness of sleep.

Tang Jinzhi felt no guilt whatsoever about falling asleep when she had promised to keep Jie Xiangyi company. If I didn’t keep her company, I didn’t keep her company, she thought.

Jie Xiangyi gently smoothed Tang Jinzhi’s disheveled hair, answering softly, “Almost two hours.”

Tang Jinzhi nodded. “Turn on the lights. It’s bad for your eyes in the dark.”

Jie Xiangyi switched on the lights, instantly brightening the room. The remaining sleepiness vanished from Tang Jinzhi’s eyes. She yawned, stretched her arms, and finally got up.

Jie Xiangyi’s calm gaze rested on Tang Jinzhi. Seeing her rise but stumble slightly, she reached out a hand to steady her, only relaxing when Tang Jinzhi regained her balance.

She turned to grab the fruit platter they had brought in earlier and followed Tang Jinzhi out.

As they walked out the door, Tang Jinzhi asked curiously, “What did Zhang Yueqi want?”

If it wasn’t important, Zhang Yueqi wouldn’t have woken her up while she was sleeping.

Jie Xiangyi glanced at her. “Let’s go hear what he has to say first.”

“Alright,” Tang Jinzhi replied.

Zhang Yueqi had been waiting in the living room for a while. Seeing them arrive, he immediately handed Tang Jinzhi the scripts on the table. “Take a look and see if anything’s off.”

Tang Jinzhi patted her face, took the scripts, and sprawled on the sofa. “Okay, I’ll check them.”

By the time Jie Xiangyi returned after washing the platter, Tang Jinzhi had already finished a rough review.

“Everything looks fine,” Tang Jinzhi said. “They’re pretty good.”

Zhang Yueqi nodded proudly. As long as he didn’t mess things up, everything would be fine.

Tang Jinzhi put down the script and lightly massaged the back of her neck with a loose fist. “Why did you rush to wake me?”

“A friend told me someone’s investigating you,” Zhang Yueqi said, unlocking his phone and pulling up their chat history. “They found out about your marriage to Jie Xiangyi and started digging into her. Today, they actually tracked her down.”

Tang Jinzhi frowned, reviewing the conversation. She noticed the investigator had even uncovered the exact dates of her hospital admission and discharge.

Finding out about their marriage certificate wasn’t particularly difficult. News of their engagement had already spread throughout the industry, and Jie Xiangyi had recently posted a photo of their marriage certificate on social media.

But why was someone investigating her?

Tang Jinzhi’s first suspect was Jie Xiangyi’s sister, but her sister already knew where they lived and had no reason to investigate Jie Xiangyi herself.

So who could it be?

Tang Jinzhi suspected their location had been compromised.

“How many people know we live here?” she asked.

After all, Guan Qianqian had found their place on her own.

Jie Xiangyi nodded, her tone firm. “I’ve never hidden my address. I haven’t broken any laws or offended anyone, so there’s no reason to hide.”

“To investigate me so openly… this is the first time I’ve seen such brazenness,” Tang Jinzhi said. “Frankly, I’ve already asked someone to investigate. We’ll find out who’s behind this soon enough.”

Tang Jinzhi racked her brain, then pulled out her personal phone and turned it on. She hadn’t logged in for ages, having used only her work account recently. Her colleagues rarely contacted her outside of work hours.

The account was remarkably clean, with only Zhang Yueqi and Jie Xiangyi listed as contacts—the two friends she’d added while in the hospital.

Switching to her other personal account, Tang Jinzhi waited for the information to load. The two people sitting beside her choked at the sight of the screen.

Zhang Yueqi was speechless. “How long has it been since you logged in?”

Tang Jinzhi thought for a moment. “Not since the day I was hospitalized.”

She’d done it deliberately, wanting to avoid contact with her former friends. Even though the original Tang Jinzhi hadn’t had many close friends in her wealthy social circle, she’d inevitably crossed paths with people in that world.

During her recovery, no friends had called, but she’d turned them all down, citing her amnesia and poor health.

Jie Xiangyi silently watched the page load, then glanced at Tang Jinzhi. She didn’t speak, her mind racing to understand the purpose behind these inquiries about Tang Jinzhi.

The other party had clearly just learned about her marriage to Tang Jinzhi, meaning they hadn’t come because of her; their sole target was Tang Jinzhi.

But Tang Jinzhi hadn’t been doing anything lately. She hadn’t left the house, hadn’t replied to messages, and had completely cut off contact with the outside world.

As the messages refreshed, Tang Jinzhi meticulously tapped each red notification dot. After all, these were her private messages, and she didn’t want anyone around her to see them. The others could only watch her furrow her brow and jab at the screen with growing curiosity.

Tang Jinzhi wanted to roll her eyes. A bunch of bored people sending her equally boring messages.

But she soon noticed a pattern. Several people she rarely contacted, with only a few past chat logs, had suddenly invited her out or subtly inquired about her personal information under the guise of concern.

There were only a few of them.

Tang Jinzhi singled out the people who had contacted her more than once and asked, “Lin Ai, Luo Feiying—do you know these people?”

Jie Xiangyi shook her head. “Not really. I don’t make friends easily.”

Zhang Yueqi tilted his head in thought. “The Luo girl… I know a little about her. She runs some small company. She’s always trying to make friends everywhere. My mom warned me not to hang out with her, said she’d try to trick me. Though I can’t imagine how easily I could be fooled.”

Tang Jinzhi nodded after a moment’s consideration. Whether Luo Feiying’s “small company” was truly small remained to be seen, but she understood Zhang Yueqi’s mother’s concerns.

Luo Feiying’s extensive network likely stemmed from her desire to cultivate connections for profit. The fact that she had so many friends, including Tang Jinzhi herself, proved how wide her net was cast. With such a vast network, she must be adept at navigating social situations and likely harbored plenty of hidden agendas—otherwise, Zhang Yueqi’s mother wouldn’t have specifically warned him.

Luo Feiying’s sudden invitation to hang out likely came at someone else’s behest, given that she knew Tang Jinzhi was on her friend list.

As for Lin Ai…

Tang Jinzhi was completely baffled. The earlier introduction hadn’t mentioned either of these women, clearly indicating their lack of importance.

Just when she assumed Zhang Yueqi wouldn’t know anything either, he spoke up.

Zhang Yueqi gave them a peculiar look. “As for Lin Ai… uh, do I even need to introduce her?”

Tang Jinzhi and Jie Xiangyi exchanged a glance. Why wouldn’t they need an introduction? They didn’t know this person at all. How could Zhang Yueqi assume they would?

Zhang Yueqi rolled his eyes. “She’s the actress who played the main character in the movie we saw the other day.”

He glanced at Jie Xiangyi, his tone dripping with disdain. “Tang Jinzhi doesn’t know because she has amnesia, but how could you not know? She’s a major star who was trending all the time recently. Even if you’re busy, you must have heard of her.”

Jie Xiangyi fell silent. She hadn’t paid much attention to celebrities, only catching snippets here and there. That’s why she hadn’t recognized the name when Tang Jinzhi mentioned it earlier.

Now that it was brought up again, she did recall something.

Tang Jinzhi interjected, “Jie Xiangyi’s been busy. It’s normal she wouldn’t notice. She doesn’t spend much time online.”

Jie Xiangyi nodded. “Yeah, I don’t know her, but I remember hearing about her. Didn’t she have a lot of scandals before?”

Zhang Yueqi nodded emphatically. “But it all turned out to be a setup. Someone was trying to ruin her.”

Tang Jinzhi raised an eyebrow. That must have been quite the drama if even Jie Xiangyi had heard about it.

Zhang Yueqi pressed, “How did you become friends with her?”

Tang Jinzhi shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Lin Ai is an actress who studied acting. It’s not surprising that she’s Tang Jinzhi’s friend, since they’re both in the same industry. The only difference is that Tang Jinzhi hasn’t officially entered the entertainment circle yet.

Lin Ai didn’t invite Tang Jinzhi out for fun; she said she wanted to discuss something important, though she didn’t specify what it was.

Now that Tang Jinzhi knows Lin Ai’s identity, she can guess what it might be about.

It’s likely about some rare opportunity. If Tang Jinzhi were truly desperate to enter the industry, she wouldn’t miss this chance and would definitely accept the invitation.

But who would go to such lengths to find her?

And insist on meeting in person?

After a moment’s thought, Tang Jinzhi sent a direct message to Lin Ai: “Who asked you to invite me?”

She put down her phone and crossed her arms, deep in thought. She meticulously reviewed everything she had learned since arriving here, piecing together the clues. Suddenly, her expression hardened.

The introduction of the original owner had disappeared some time ago, but she remembered one particularly unusual detail.

Tang Jinzhi pursed her lips, her face grave. “Do you guys know someone named Sheng Yanzhi?”

Zhang Yueqi’s eyes widened, his voice nearly cracking with shock. “Sheng Yanzhi? What’s that about? Are you connected to her?”

Tang Jinzhi had never heard of Sheng Yanzhi before. How could her social circle be so complicated?

Zhang Yueqi felt like he was seeing a completely new side of Tang Jinzhi today.

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but glance sideways. “I know her. She’s the second daughter of the Sheng Group. You can’t not know her. She’s mentally unstable—don’t associate with her.”

If even Jie Xiangyi spoke of her this way, Tang Jinzhi dared not underestimate her.

Tang Jinzhi sighed deeply, pressing her hands to her forehead. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

She suspected that Sheng Yanzhi was the one looking for her.

How could she have forgotten? The introduction had mentioned Sheng Yanzhi, and the description was particularly vivid, clearly tinged with emotion—especially regarding her personality.

A psycho who tries to keep you, harasses you at every turn, and is a stumbling block on your career path. Avoid her at all costs! If you see her, run! Otherwise, she’ll kidnap you and lock you up. Yes, you guessed it—she’s the full-blown yandere type. If she catches you, you’re done for. You’re her sole target now, supposedly because you resemble some white moonlight figure from her past. She’ll probably kidnap you to be his substitute. Be extremely careful! I can’t stress this enough: Ignore her! Ignore her! Ignore her!

Tang Jinzhi was practically tearing her hair out. Her head was spinning! How could the life of a fake heiress be so dramatic?

Her attention had been focused entirely on Jie Xiangyi, and she hadn’t paid much attention to Sheng Yanzhi, mainly because the woman hadn’t been around. She wasn’t foolish enough to approach her proactively. Besides, she had already decided to cut ties with the original owner’s friends.

Now, Tang Jinzhi’s imagination was running wild. She automatically filled in the gaps in the plot after the True Daughter returned and she left. Would Sheng Yanzhi try to capture her again?

How tragic!

Seeing the shifting expressions on Tang Jinzhi’s face, Jie Xiangyi looked concerned. “What’s wrong?”

Tang Jinzhi’s voice turned grave as she shifted the pressure onto Jie Xiangyi. “You need to work harder,” she said solemnly. “Otherwise, you’re going to lose your wife.”

Jie Xiangyi blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Why?”

Tang Jinzhi shrugged, adopting a half-dead demeanor. “Sheng Yanzhi used to try to ‘adopt’ me. She wanted to kidnap me and lock me up.”

“If she’s the one investigating you now, and she’s the one who tried to take you away before, then if the case gets solved, she’ll probably try to arrest you and make you lose your wife right after you get married.”

Jie Xiangyi’s expression darkened.

If anyone else had said this, she might have dismissed it as a joke. But this was Sheng Yanzhi—someone who had actually done such things before.

If she didn’t guard against it, she really might lose her wife. Sheng Yanzhi was the type to act recklessly when she went mad.

Zhang Yueqi stood frozen in shock.

“What the heck… How do you know all this? Aren’t you supposed to have amnesia?”

Tang Jinzhi paused for a moment, then quickly came up with an explanation. “I have notes on dangerous people like her in my phone. She’s currently on my contacts blacklist.”

She successfully dodged the question. What she said was also true—she had seen Sheng Yanzhi’s name on the blacklist when she blocked Tang Wan before. She just hadn’t added any notes.

Tang Jinzhi only felt melancholy for a moment before patting Jie Xiangyi’s shoulder. “To keep your wife, you need to be more vigilant. Come on, pay attention!”

Jie Xiangyi: “……”

Why are you acting like it’s my problem? You’re the one they’re trying to catch, you know.

Anticipating Jie Xiangyi’s thoughts, Tang Jinzhi quickly explained, “She doesn’t care about me, and you’re always around when she shows up.”

So who else would I pressure but you?

Jie Xiangyi nearly laughed out of sheer exasperation. “She’s not trying to catch me.”

“But she’s after your wife,” Tang Jinzhi countered.

Jie Xiangyi crossed her arms. “What does that have to do with me?”

Tang Jinzhi clicked her tongue. “You’re such a clingy thing. I’m worried you’ll secretly cry if you can’t see your wife.”

Jie Xiangyi froze. She had only been momentarily stunned, but remembering Zhang Yueqi was still present, her cheeks flushed crimson. She gritted her teeth, glaring indignantly at Tang Jinzhi.

Zhang Yueqi was utterly speechless.

“Could you two stop flirting and bickering for a moment? I just went through a breakup, you know.”

A one-sided heartbreak is still heartbreak…

Jie Xiangyi glanced at her, wanting to say they were just flirting, but Tang Jinzhi was being too mischievous.

Tang Jinzhi’s phone buzzed, breaking the tension. All three women looked at the screen simultaneously.

It was a reply from Luo Feiying.

Luo Feiying: I knew this sudden invitation to hang out felt too deliberate.

Luo Feiying: But I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.

Tang Jinzhi tentatively typed: Sheng Yanzhi, right?

Luo Feiying: …Well, I didn’t say that.

The other woman had seen through her probing and clearly hinted at the answer.

Tang Jinzhi shoved the phone at Jie Xiangyi like she was dumping a mess. “Here, look. Think of something quick.”

Jie Xiangyi pushed the phone back. “Just take bodyguards with you when you go out for a while.”

Having to go through such trouble just to leave the house irritated Tang Jinzhi. She might not enjoy going out often, but that didn’t mean she never wanted to. She couldn’t accept such restrictions.

Constantly being on guard wasn’t a sustainable solution; it was disrupting their normal lives too much. They needed to find a way to eliminate the root of the problem.

“Call the police! We need to call the police!” Tang Jinzhi insisted.

Jie Xiangyi stared at her as if she were a fool.

Even Zhang Yueqi looked skeptical.

But Tang Jinzhi hadn’t fully committed to action yet. What good would calling the police do?

Tang Jinzhi thrashed around on the sofa, bumping into Zhang Yueqi on either side. “Aaaah!”

Jie Xiangyi: “……”

Zhang Yueqi: “……”

Tang Jinzhi stopped thrashing and sat up abruptly. “I need to talk to her!”

Since this woman was disrupting her normal life, she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Jie Xiangyi immediately rejected the idea. “Absolutely not. She’s not someone you can reason with.”

She refused to let Tang Jinzhi meet with her.

Tang Jinzhi suddenly remembered the three urgent warnings: “Don’t engage with her!”

Zhang Yueqi timidly raised his hand. “Tang Jinzhi is married now. She wouldn’t stoop to being a mistress, would she? She’s a CEO, after all.”

Jie Xiangyi nodded slightly. “Indeed, Sheng Yanzhi isn’t completely brainless. Under normal circumstances, she’s usually quite rational. It’s only in exceptional cases… Tang Jinzhi is one such exception. We can’t apply normal logic to this situation. But this time, it’s not just Tang Jinzhi involved; too many others are implicated.”

Tang Jinzhi pondered for a moment before slowly nodding. There was some truth to that, but she couldn’t be sure such a madwoman would care about logic.

And what if Xiangyi and I get divorced later?!

Tang Jinzhi turned to Jie Xiangyi. “You seem to know her well?”

Jie Xiangyi’s lips twitched. “Not at all. I’ve only seen her a few times at banquets. She’s the type who goes out of her way to provoke people.”

Tang Jinzhi understood. Sheng Yanzhi was someone Jie Xiangyi had cursed out before.

If Jie Xiangyi had stamped her with the “brainless” label, then it was definitely true. It must have been serious to make Jie Xiangyi resort to cursing.

After a long moment of contemplation, Tang Jinzhi nudged Jie Xiangyi’s arm and suggested, “Since she’s investigating your wife, why don’t you investigate her too?”

This Sheng Yanzhi has a white moonlight, right? Investigate her!

Whoever wants to be a substitute can be one—I certainly won’t!

I need to resolve this completely before the True Daughter returns!

Jie Xiangyi watched Tang Jinzhi’s sincere display of affection, a faint smile curving her lips. “I’m investigating.”

Tang Jinzhi urged, “You absolutely have to find out who her white moonlight is!”

They needed to find the real deal ASAP.

Jie Xiangyi looked puzzled. “What white moonlight?”

Tang Jinzhi’s face flushed with indignation. “You think she actually likes you? Get a clue! Your wife was kidnapped to be a substitute!”

Jie Xiangyi: “……”

Zhang Yueqi couldn’t help but clap. “Six! That’s a six!”

“What a dramatic plot! Reality is even more exciting than novels.”

Hearing Tang Jinzhi repeatedly call her “your wife,” Jie Xiangyi felt a strange sense of familiarity. Glancing sideways at Zhang Yueqi, she realized, Oh right, Zhang Yueqi always calls her that.

Sure enough, after getting close, their ways of speaking had begun to converge.

Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but wonder if Tang Jinzhi’s increasingly childish behavior lately was also a result of Zhang Yueqi’s influence.

Noticing Jie Xiangyi’s gaze, Zhang Yueqi looked back, confused. “What’s up?”

Jie Xiangyi shook her head. “Nothing. Just thinking my wife’s been corrupted.”

Zhang Yueqi clicked his tongue, utterly bewildered.

Tang Jinzhi was wasting too much energy worrying about things that hadn’t even happened yet. It was a terrible waste of time and a real mood killer.

Besides, if Sheng Yanzhi hadn’t managed to catch her before, it would be even harder now.

She firmly believed Jie Xiangyi wouldn’t stand idly by.

After all, Jie Xiangyi had been sitting there calmly, completely unfazed.

Tang Jinzhi couldn’t help but wonder if the reason their fake heiress had agreed to the arranged marriage was still because of Sheng Yanzhi’s pressure. If that were the case, it would be truly tragic.

Jie Xiangyi’s value as a pawn was only increasing.

Hearing Tang Jinzhi’s assessment, Jie Xiangyi couldn’t help but glare at her. Using me is one thing, but did you really have to say it out loud?

Tang Jinzhi insisted this was just her being honest, and that Jie Xiangyi should appreciate it. There aren’t many people as straightforward and generous as me, you know.

Jie Xiangyi was so choked by her narcissism that she couldn’t even retort. Tang Jinzhi always had a way of twisting things to her advantage, arguing with such logical precision that it was impossible to refute her.

The next day, they needed to go to the hospital for a follow-up appointment.

Tang Jinzhi didn’t see the point in going, but since her wife was a doctor, she didn’t dare disobey.

When Jie Xiangyi dragged her out of bed early that morning, Tang Jinzhi felt like her soul was floating away.

Zhang Yueqi declared he couldn’t get up and refused to join them.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, it was already 9:30 AM. Tang Jinzhi assumed Jie Xiangyi would leave for work after accompanying her to the check-up, but Jie Xiangyi stayed by her side the entire time.

Tang Jinzhi tugged at their linked hands. “Aren’t you going to work?”

Jie Xiangyi looked at her and smiled. “You think you can handle this check-up alone?”

She needed me to hold her hand just to go outside. Now she’s suddenly fearless?

Tang Jinzhi lifted her chin. “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m not a child anymore, and I know this hospital like the back of my hand.”

She had been admitted to the hospital on her very first day here and had spent so many days there. She didn’t mind it at all—aside from the occasional boredom, it wasn’t so bad. Besides, she was going to see Dr. Qiu, so what was there to worry about?

Jie Xiangyi nodded slightly but insisted, “I’m staying with you. My shift doesn’t start until noon today.”

She had brought Tang Jinzhi here early precisely because she worried about her being alone. After the check-up, they could have lunch together, and it would be just about time for Jie Xiangyi to head to work—perfect timing.

Tang Jinzhi felt a slight twinge of annoyance at Jie Xiangyi’s overprotective care. It made her feel like she was too clingy.

She couldn’t resist leaning in to whisper in Jie Xiangyi’s ear, who listened with a smile, occasionally teasing her back. The smile vanished only when they reached the elevator.

Jie Xiangyi’s face turned cold and alert, and Tang Jinzhi quickly sensed something was wrong.

As Tang Jinzhi tried to follow Jie Xiangyi’s gaze to see what had caught her attention, Jie Xiangyi abruptly pulled her behind her, shielding her.

Tang Jinzhi peeked out from behind Jie Xiangyi, her curiosity and confusion instantly transforming into terror. She whispered urgently, “It’s Sheng Yanzhi! It’s her, isn’t it? She actually followed us to the hospital!”

Yesterday, Tang Jinzhi had studied Sheng Yanzhi’s photo—Jie Xiangyi had specifically instructed her to memorize the face so she could recognize it and run if she ever saw someone resembling her. Without knowing what Sheng Yanzhi looked like, Tang Jinzhi would be an easy target.

Jie Xiangyi nodded grimly. She felt weary, never imagining she’d have to worry about her wife being kidnapped one day.

After this morning’s scare, Tang Jinzhi couldn’t help but remark, “With that kind of persistence, she could succeed at anything.”

Jie Xiangyi rarely teased, but this time she quipped, “Even kidnapping you?”

Tang Jinzhi: “……”