My Wife Always Wants to Run Away - Chapter 40

The three of them stood on the balcony, admiring the raging storm outside. Zhang Yueqi suddenly threw open the window, and in an instant, a gust of wind and rain pelted the unprepared trio.

Amid Tang Jinzhi’s startled cry, Zhang Yueqi frantically slammed the window shut. “I didn’t realize it was this terrifying out there!”

Tang Jinzhi smoothed her wind-tossed hair and glanced at Xie Xiangyi, who was hiding behind her.

A triumphant glint flashed in Xie Xiangyi’s eyes as she leaned closer and patted the water droplets on Tang Jinzhi’s shoulder.

“Stop opening the window for thrills. Let’s go back to the living room.”

She reached for Tang Jinzhi’s hand, but Tang Jinzhi swiftly twisted her arm, seizing Xie Xiangyi’s wrist and giving her hand a firm, playful tap.

“You didn’t even try to shield me,” Tang Jinzhi huffed, pulling Xie Xiangyi back into the living room.

Xie Xiangyi sat beside her, chuckling. “Do you like the rain?”

Tang Jinzhi had been completely lost in thought earlier, unlike Zhang Yueqi, who had been glancing around curiously. She seemed to be in a completely detached state.

Tang Jinzhi wagged a finger. “Not entirely. I only like rain this heavy. I hate the rest.”

Tang Jinzhi couldn’t explain it, but as she listened to the exaggerated sounds outside, her heart felt unusually calm. This extreme weather gave her the sensation that the heavens were venting her own madness on her behalf—it felt incredibly satisfying.

As if guided by some unseen force, Xie Xiangyi reached out and gently brushed her fingertip across Tang Jinzhi’s brow bone, wiping away a stray droplet of mist.

Tang Jinzhi glanced sideways at her, their eyes meeting. Xie Xiangyi relished this proximity, where she could lean in and press her lips against Tang Jinzhi’s cheek at any moment.

But this intimacy was contingent on Zhang Yueqi’s presence in the house.

If Zhang Yueqi weren’t here, Xie Xiangyi was certain she would have the courage to quickly kiss Tang Jinzhi’s cheek.

Alas.

Xie Xiangyi withdrew her hand and turned her cool gaze toward Zhang Yueqi, who was wiping her face with a tissue.

Before, she hadn’t minded having another person in the house. During the first few days of living with Tang Jinzhi, she had even hoped for a roommate to ease the awkwardness between them.

But now…

Xie Xiangyi glanced out the balcony. She still had some conscience left; she didn’t want to discard Zhang Yueqi like a worn-out millstone after using her.

Tang Jinzhi immediately saw through Xie Xiangyi’s little scheme—it was too obvious.

The desire in Xie Xiangyi’s eyes was impossible to hide when they met Tang Jinzhi’s gaze. Tang Jinzhi suspected Xie Xiangyi didn’t even want to hide it.

Before she could say anything, she noticed Xie Xiangyi’s gaze shift abruptly to Zhang Yueqi, then dart to the balcony outside.

Surely she wouldn’t just throw someone out in this torrential rain, would she?

Zhang Yueqi sneezed without warning.

Sniffling, she asked the two women huddled on the sofa, “Are you guys secretly cursing me in your minds?”

Tang Jinzhi chuckled softly, admitting she wasn’t, but Xie Xiangyi definitely was.

Xie Xiangyi denied it without hesitation. “No one’s cursing you. You’ve just caught a cold.”

Zhang Yueqi rubbed her nose and scurried over to Xie Xiangyi, extending her hand. “Then take my pulse!”

Xie Xiangyi glanced at Zhang Yueqi’s wrist, her peripheral vision catching Tang Jinzhi’s watchful gaze. Remembering their earlier encounter, her eyes flickered before she slapped Zhang Yueqi’s hand away.

“Get lost.”

Zhang Yueqi persisted, “Come on, just check it! You’ll examine Tang Jinzhi, why not me?”

This Xie Xiangyi is so frustrating! Can’t she just satisfy my curiosity?

Xie Xiangyi refused flatly. “You’re perfectly healthy. No need to check.”

Zhang Yueqi plopped down hard on the sofa beside them, her eyes sizing up Tang Jinzhi’s amused expression. She clapped her hands together, exclaiming as if struck by sudden insight, “I get it now!”

Noticing Zhang Yueqi staring at her, Tang Jinzhi casually asked, “What do you know?”

Xie Xiangyi also turned to look.

Zhang Yueqi pouted at them. “Xie Xiangyi only showed it to you because she wanted to flirt with you!”

Xie Xiangyi threw a pillow at her, her face flushing crimson. “Stop talking nonsense!”

Zhang Yueqi swiftly caught the pillow, unfazed. She held it up to shield her face. “It’s true! You two even kissed!”

Xie Xiangyi retorted, her cheeks still flushed, “And whose fault was that?”

Zhang Yueqi peeked out from behind the pillow, her eyes crinkling with laughter. “Hehe! No need to thank me!”

Tang Jinzhi sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. This was getting out of hand. The incident had clearly left a deep impression on Zhang Yueqi, who likely felt immensely proud of having orchestrated their kiss.

Zhang Yueqi was indeed thinking just that. What a thoughtful friend I am!

Tired of their bickering, Tang Jinzhi interrupted, “Time to make lunch, Assistant Xiao Zhang. Get to the kitchen and start preparing the ingredients.”

Zhang Yueqi glanced at her phone. It was almost half past eleven. Without Tang Jinzhi’s help, they wouldn’t eat until after noon.

“I’ll do it myself today!”

Annoyed, Tang Jinzhi waved her hand dismissively. “Fine, go ahead.”

After Zhang Yueqi rushed into the kitchen, Xie Xiangyi followed. The moment Xie Xiangyi glanced at her, Tang Jinzhi immediately glared back.

“What are you looking at?”

Xie Xiangyi blinked innocently. “Huh?”

Tang Jinzhi lay sprawled on the sofa, silent and clearly lost in thought. Xie Xiangyi had been trying to find an opening to chat with her, but to no avail.

Tang Jinzhi didn’t reply immediately. Feeling uncomfortable, she sat up and glanced behind her, adjusting her position before leaning back again. By chance, Xie Xiangyi had shifted closer, so when Tang Jinzhi reclined, she found herself with a human cushion.

Xie Xiangyi froze, then quickly reached out to steady her.

Tang Jinzhi also paused, glancing down at the tentative hand circling her waist—a hesitant embrace.

The room fell silent.

Both women knew this position was intimate, yet they remained wordless, tacitly pretending nothing had happened.

Xie Xiangyi appeared outwardly calm, but her heart was pounding. She worried that if she didn’t say something, Tang Jinzhi would pull away from her embrace. After a moment’s thought, she spoke, trying to divert Tang Jinzhi’s attention, “Why are you ignoring me?”

Tang Jinzhi blinked, her mind, which had nearly stalled, whirred back to life. Finally remembering Xie Xiangyi’s question, she replied casually, “I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular. I just realized that an idea I had before was probably wrong—and wildly off the mark.”

Leaning against the soft cushion behind her was comfortable, but Tang Jinzhi’s nerves were taut, most of her thoughts focused on Xie Xiangyi.

Both women maintained an air of nonchalance, as if nothing significant was happening, yet inwardly, they were intensely aware of the moment.

Tang Jinzhi glanced again at Xie Xiangyi’s hand. After a long pause, she decided to relax completely, surrendering her weight entirely to Xie Xiangyi.

It’s not like Xie Xiangyi is pulling away, she reasoned.

Xie Xiangyi’s heart, which had been racing with anxiety, finally settled as Tang Jinzhi relaxed against her. A smile spread across her lips, and her hands confidently tightened around Tang Jinzhi’s waist.

Her voice brightened noticeably. “What’s on your mind? Care to share?”

After the earlier tension, Tang Jinzhi completely relaxed, drawing her legs up onto the sofa and leaning back against Xie Xiangyi.

In contrast to Tang Jinzhi’s apparent ease, her voice carried a deep weariness and complex emotion. “Sigh… This is hard to explain. I’m afraid it might scare you.”

Earlier, while questioning the world’s background, Tang Jinzhi had suddenly realized she’d overlooked a critical flaw in her thinking.

Why was she so certain she’d transmigrated into a novel world?

Why couldn’t this be a real world?

Tang Jinzhi realized she might have fallen into a trap—a trap born from her profession.

She could have read a novel about this world, but even if it was a transmigration, why wouldn’t she have transmigrated into a world she’d actually read about? That defied logic!

Yet the character introductions that had appeared in her mind remained unexplained.

Tang Jinzhi was reluctant to abandon her previous assumptions. Rebuilding her entire worldview would be a grueling task.

If this weren’t a novel, the future possibilities would be entirely unpredictable, making everything illogical.

This was deeply unsettling.

Yet Tang Jinzhi couldn’t help but let her mind wander.

If it were all just her wild imagination, then Xie Xiangyi wouldn’t be…

Tang Jinzhi scratched her head, feeling deeply frustrated.

Xie Xiangyi’s combined qualities were perfect—how could she not be?!

Xie Xiangyi patted Tang Jinzhi’s head, stopping her from scratching further. “What’s wrong?” she asked gently.

Tang Jinzhi’s voice was full of resentment. “You’re too perfect. It’s annoying.”

Caught off guard by the sudden compliment, Xie Xiangyi tilted her head to study Tang Jinzhi. “Why do you say that?”

Tang Jinzhi leaned back slightly, then reached out to pinch Xie Xiangyi’s cheek. The texture felt real, confirming she was indeed a living person.

Xie Xiangyi winced at the pinch but didn’t pull away. Instead, she turned her head to avoid Tang Jinzhi’s hand, rubbing the pinched cheek against Tang Jinzhi’s shoulder.

She continued to grumble, “Why do you always stop halfway through your sentences? Just say what you mean!”

Hearing Xie Xiangyi’s question, Tang Jinzhi tapped her forehead. “I don’t even understand it myself! How am I supposed to explain it to you?”

Xie Xiangyi took her hand, realizing Tang Jinzhi genuinely wasn’t refusing to answer on purpose.

She asked softly, “What part don’t you understand?”

Tang Jinzhi frowned, pondering for a long moment before speaking. “If something appears out of nowhere, and you desperately need it to be useful, how would you explain its existence?”

After a few seconds of thought, Xie Xiangyi replied, “Someone must know that thing would be useful to you and secretly gave it to you.”

Tang Jinzhi blinked, then patted her cheek. “I mean, its appearance was completely sudden.”

Xie Xiangyi didn’t understand. “How sudden?”

Tang Jinzhi hesitated, worried Xie Xiangyi might take her to the hospital to get her head checked if she told the truth. But she decided to be direct.

“It just suddenly appeared in my mind, forcing me to watch it. The information on it was exactly what I needed.”

Xie Xiangyi glanced at Tang Jinzhi. Was Tang Jinzhi writing her new novel?

“Does your novel offer any explanation for the existence of such things?”

Tang Jinzhi was speechless.

Yes, but it never shows up!

She’d always wanted a system herself. If she had one, everything would make sense.

Tang Jinzhi, her face expressionless, threw caution to the wind. “I never said I was writing a novel. I’m telling you the truth.” She pointed to her head.

Xie Xiangyi was taken aback.

She asked softly, “Should I believe you?”

Tang Jinzhi’s tone was indignant. “I’ve told you everything. Why wouldn’t you believe me?”

Xie Xiangyi nodded. “I believe you.”

Tang Jinzhi grew even more dissatisfied. “Stop pretending. I know you don’t.”

Xie Xiangyi shook her head. “No, I do believe you. Isn’t that why I’m examining you?”

Tang Jinzhi glanced at her wrist, which Xie Xiangyi was still holding, and clenched her jaw.

So Xie Xiangyi actually believes me, but she just thinks I’m mentally ill and that all this is just a figment of my imagination?

Tang Jinzhi twisted her head to glare at Xie Xiangyi, gritting her teeth. “Are you just being deliberately annoying?”

Xie Xiangyi looked genuinely innocent. “I’m just taking your pulse.”

Tang Jinzhi slapped Xie Xiangyi’s hand away, snapping, “I don’t need you to take my pulse!”

She was furious, not a single word Tang Jinzhi had said seemed to have registered with Xie Xiangyi.

Seeing Tang Jinzhi so angry, Xie Xiangyi panicked. She tightened her grip on Tang Jinzhi’s arm and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I was just teasing you. I won’t actually take your pulse. I heard everything you said, but it really does sound strange.”

She quickly dismissed her absurd thoughts and refocused on Tang Jinzhi’s words, analyzing them seriously. “If it’s true, then for now, that presence doesn’t seem to be harming you. But having something extra in your brain is dangerous no matter how you look at it.”

Tang Jinzhi crossed her arms, finally calming down.

Xie Xiangyi cautiously asked, “Not angry anymore?”

Tang Jinzhi pushed away Xie Xiangyi’s head, her expression still stiff.

Xie Xiangyi leaned back in, her voice deflated, “Then let me think about it for a while.”

Tang Jinzhi: “……”

“Enough. Let’s not talk about this anymore.”

She decided to stick to her original plan.

Xie Xiangyi nodded. “Okay.”

A wave of relief washed over her. Finally, it’s over, she thought. This was the first time she had nearly angered Tang Jinzhi. She could sense how important this matter was to Tang Jinzhi—something not to be taken lightly.

Tang Jinzhi remained silent for a moment, then poked her own cheek. Xie Xiangyi was right; this thing likely wouldn’t harm her.

Xie Xiangyi, who had been watching her every move, felt her heart leap.

She was beginning to believe Tang Jinzhi’s words were true.

Tang Jinzhi grasped the hands that were tightening around her. “Loosen up a bit,” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “You’re squeezing too hard.”

Xie Xiangyi thought for a moment and relaxed her grip slightly.

Tang Jinzhi nearly laughed. “…I’m not angry anymore. Let go already.”

Xie Xiangyi loosened her hands completely. Seizing the moment Tang Jinzhi turned to look at her, she leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Tang Jinzhi’s cheek.

Tang Jinzhi instantly sat up straight. She could tell Xie Xiangyi had been planning this for a while—otherwise, how could she have executed such a swift and decisive kiss?

Xie Xiangyi had indeed been mentally preparing for this moment since Zhang Yueqi left the living room.

She turned her head away, avoiding Tang Jinzhi’s gaze. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her after the kiss.

Tang Jinzhi was about to tease Xie Xiangyi when a sudden ringtone interrupted her.

It was Xie Xiangyi’s phone.

Xie Xiangyi, disappointed that Tang Jinzhi had pulled away, reluctantly opened her phone to check the notification.

“Who is it?” Tang Jinzhi asked curiously.

“Ji Li, the one who asked for wedding candy,” Xie Xiangyi replied before answering the call.

The moment she answered, an urgent voice burst through the line, speaking rapidly, “Are you okay? Is everything alright over there?”

Xie Xiangyi’s expression turned serious. “What’s wrong? My shift was changed, so I’m resting at home today, not at the hospital.”

There was a noticeable pause on the other end. “Thank goodness! I’m so relieved you’re not there! I was terrified! Why haven’t you checked your messages? I sent you so many! I thought something had happened to you too!”

Xie Xiangyi’s face grew grave, her mind racing to guess what might have occurred at the hospital. “I’m sorry, I just woke up. What happened at the hospital?” she asked in a low voice.

Tang Jinzhi couldn’t hear the conversation clearly, but she could tell from Xie Xiangyi’s expression that something was wrong. She patted Xie Xiangyi’s tense back and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance.

After a moment’s thought, Xie Xiangyi put the call on speakerphone.

Ji Li was explaining to Xie Xiangyi.

“I was just about to come get something from your place, but I got scared off before I even got close. A patient’s family member came running at you guys with a knife, hacking at anyone in a white coat.”

The background noise on Ji Li’s end was chaotic. She was panting as she spoke, clearly having been running. “The hospital’s a mess. We don’t even know which patient’s family it was. They just took the guy away, and we still don’t have the full story. I’m rushing over there now. I heard a lot of doctors were injured—it’s terrifying.”

“It’s total chaos here. I’ll talk to you later. You’re so lucky to be home.”

Her last words carried an unmistakable note of relief.

Hearing that many doctors had been injured, Tang Jinzhi’s expression turned grave. This was a severe and malicious case of medical violence. If Xie Xiangyi had been at the hospital today…

The two women exchanged a glance, both silently imagining the possible consequences.

Xie Xiangyi took a deep breath. “Okay, you go handle things. I’m heading over there now.”

Ji Li immediately protested, “What are you doing? It’s pouring out there! Just stay home. Don’t come if you can avoid it—this place is a madhouse.”

Tang Jinzhi also pressed her hand over Xie Xiangyi’s, shaking her head firmly. She didn’t want Xie Xiangyi to go.

Xie Xiangyi thought for a moment and nodded.

Ji Li didn’t waste any more time. “Gotta go, gotta go.”

Xie Xiangyi opened her messages. The hospital group chat was flooded with messages, many asking about her. Some were genuine concern, while others were just nosy under the guise of concern.

Apparently, it was a random attack. Xie Xiangyi’s department had been targeted for no apparent reason.

After Xie Xiangyi finished replying to the messages, Tang Jinzhi reached out and took her phone.

“No more looking. Just wait for the results.”

Xie Xiangyi tilted her head, her gaze lingering on Tang Jinzhi’s slightly pale face. Her heart softened, and she wrapped her arms around Tang Jinzhi, comforting her, “Don’t be scared.”

Tang Jinzhi’s throat tightened. She mumbled, “I’m not. You’re the one who’s scared.”

Xie Xiangyi sighed softly. “You don’t need to worry about me. To be honest, I’m actually okay. It’s just hearing about this incident made me feel a bit down, but also incredibly grateful I wasn’t there today.”

She didn’t feel a strong sense of responsibility or concern for the hospital’s affairs. She was just an ordinary student who hadn’t even graduated yet. She hadn’t voiced it earlier, but she had been thinking: if she had been at the hospital today and gotten injured, Tang Jinzhi would have been terribly worried.

Just hearing the news while sitting at home, Tang Jinzhi was already terrified.

She pressed her lips together, holding back her emotions for a long moment before finally letting out a long sigh. “Your luck is truly extraordinary.”

Xie Xiangyi grinned. “Right? I’m starting to think so too. Maybe we should buy some scratch-off tickets.”

Knowing Xie Xiangyi was trying to cheer her up, Tang Jinzhi didn’t dwell on it. She tossed the phone back to her. “You’ve used up all your good luck. If we buy scratch-offs, I’m definitely going to lose money.”

Xie Xiangyi caught the phone and pulled Tang Jinzhi into another hug. “Good thing some people targeted me and deliberately changed my schedule.”

Tang Jinzhi chuckled at her, letting her hug her. Being held made her feel much more secure.

Over the next while, Xie Xiangyi’s phone kept ringing.

Her advisor, in particular, called twice in a row, clearly panicked. First, he asked if she was at the hospital. After confirming she wasn’t, he hung up, only to call again two minutes later, urgently instructing her not to come to the hospital.

Xie Xiangyi found it strange. Why was her advisor so frantic today?

A thought struck her, and she called Song Xiaoci. The phone rang until it hung up automatically, but no one answered.

Xie Xiangyi frowned deeply and tried calling again.

Tang Jinzhi emerged from the kitchen to find Xie Xiangyi’s expression had turned serious once more.

She couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”

“My junior, Song Xiaoci—the one we ran into last time we went out—I can’t reach her,” Xie Xiangyi replied.

Tang Jinzhi froze, her gaze fixed on Xie Xiangyi’s face. She was taken aback, opening her mouth to speak but finding no words.

She didn’t know the nature of Xie Xiangyi and Song Xiaoci’s relationship. She wanted to comfort Xie Xiangyi, but the words caught in her throat, refusing to come out.

Her earlier suspicions resurfaced: Xie Xiangyi and Song Xiaoci…

Yet within seconds, she dismissed the thought. Tang Jinzhi felt conflicted, unsure whether this rejection stemmed from her rational mind or from wishful thinking, unwilling to accept the possibility.

After all, Xie Xiangyi had never truly belonged to her.

Tang Jinzhi drifted into deep thought.

Xie Xiangyi listened to Tang Jinzhi for a long moment before looking up. Seeing Tang Jinzhi’s expression darken again, she couldn’t resist slapping herself mentally, her face filled with regret.

I already brought up the topic earlier. Why did I have to mention it again?

Xie Xiangyi quickly stood up, reached out to pull Tang Jinzhi closer, and gently reassured her, “It’s okay, let’s not think about it anymore.”

Tang Jinzhi snapped out of her daze, her gaze landing on Xie Xiangyi’s slightly anxious face. She teased, “You’re really something. Why are you comforting me? Aren’t you the one who should be worried?”

“I’m not worried,” Xie Xiangyi insisted. “I just wanted to understand the hospital’s situation better.”

Xie Xiangyi was telling the truth. While she was concerned about Song Xiaoci, dwelling on it would only worsen her mood without offering any practical solutions.

Tang Jinzhi lowered her head and muttered casually, “Your hospital is terrifying.”

She dared not tell Xie Xiangyi that she had been mentally berating her just moments ago.

Xie Xiangyi cupped Tang Jinzhi’s face in both hands, lifting her chin to force eye contact. Her gaze was serious, her tone utterly earnest as she said, “Stop overthinking. Seriously, stop. Thinking too much will only make you feel worse.”

“And you won’t have nightmares tonight.”

Xie Xiangyi’s words cut through Tang Jinzhi’s scattered thoughts. Tang Jinzhi had indeed been lost in her own mind, though Xie Xiangyi mistakenly believed she was dwelling on hospital matters.

Tang Jinzhi froze, staring fixedly at Xie Xiangyi. For a fleeting moment, she feared Xie Xiangyi had somehow glimpsed her true thoughts, causing her heart to skip a beat.

“Uh, uh, I’ll stop thinking about it…” Tang Jinzhi’s voice came out dry and strained.

Their faces were now pressed intimately close. Xie Xiangyi swallowed, assuming Tang Jinzhi’s awkwardness stemmed from shyness.

A faint blush crept across Xie Xiangyi’s cheeks; she felt a little flustered herself.

The sudden silence, combined with their proximity, made Tang Jinzhi feel like she couldn’t breathe. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension, Xie Xiangyi’s gaze burning too intensely.

Xie Xiangyi’s eyes were now completely fixed on Tang Jinzhi’s lips, an indescribable emotion exploding in her chest. She leaned forward, unable to resist the pull.

Tang Jinzhi’s eyes widened as Xie Xiangyi’s face drew closer, her gaze filled with panic.

Was this really happening so suddenly?!

“Should I start cooking now?” A sudden voice called from the kitchen.

The person Xie Xiangyi had been holding had already turned away.

Kiss attempt: failed.

Xie Xiangyi’s expression froze in stunned disbelief.

She gritted her teeth in frustration.

Zhang Yueqi!