She's Crazy, I Love Her - Chapter 29

No. 5 Little Tan Mountain was Zheng Qing and Qi Shouye’s marital home, built to the standards of a wealthy merchant. Located on a semi-open mountain within the city park, the estate spanned over ten acres and included all the amenities of a luxurious villa, with the central business district just below the mountain.

It was both tranquil and opulent.

Over the years, Zheng Qing and Qi Shouye had returned less and less often. Apart from birthdays and holidays, the family of four rarely gathered. Even when they were all present, the servants grew tense, and even the youngest, Zheng Yue, felt uneasy.

The dining table was quiet. The superficial harmony between the parents was never concealed from their children, the only pretense being that they never argued in front of them.

Qi You ate little and quickly put down her chopsticks, preparing to leave the table.

As Qi Shouye watched her wipe her mouth with a napkin, he casually remarked, “Xiao Qian mentioned you’ve built a hot spring pool in the garden?”

Qi You nodded. “Next to the greenhouse.”

“Nonsense,” Qi Shouye frowned. “Any ground disturbance on family property requires Feng Shui consultation. Did you have it checked?”

“Yes,” Qi You replied.

“By whom?” Qi Shouye pressed.

“Daoist Priest Cheng Yun of Gaojun Temple,” Qi You replied.

“Cheng Yun?” Zheng Qing interjected. “I haven’t heard of him. Is he Cheng Mingde’s junior disciple?”

“Yes,” Qi You turned her head. “It’s just a hot spring. I didn’t want to bother Cheng Mingde.”

Zheng Qing nodded. “Good.”

Qi Shouye’s brow furrowed and relaxed, then tightened again. Finally, he let out a cold snort. “At least you know your place.”

Qi You tilted her head to look at him.

Qi Shouye wasn’t genuinely concerned about such a trivial matter as a hot spring. Even if Qi You had forgotten about feng shui, the family steward would have reminded her and made arrangements. This was merely a pretext to find fault with her and launch an attack.

After all, Qi Qiuyang’s leg had been broken.

Qi Shouye continued, “Whatever you do at home is your business. But when you’re outside, remember to restrain your temper. Don’t act recklessly and make a laughingstock of us.”

Qi You feigned ignorance. “What laughingstock?”

Qi Shouye’s face darkened, his gaze turning icy as he glared at her.

Zheng Yue, sitting beside Qi You, stopped stirring her soup. Her lips pursed into a tight line as she observed the exchange.

“Alright,” Zheng Qing finally said after a long pause, clearing her throat and changing the subject. “Nothing happened anyway.”

Qi You looked at Zheng Qing.

Zheng Qing turned to Qi Shouye, her expression calm. “I heard you’ve arranged for Wang Bai’an to go abroad?”

This was now a work-related matter.

After dinner, Qi Shouye called Qi You to his study. He didn’t bring up the unpleasant topics from the dinner table, nor did he mention Qi Qiuyang’s broken leg. Instead, he spoke about Pei Man.

“The eldest daughter of the Pei Family has been stationed in Cuba for years.”

Cuba’s medical diplomacy is currently one of its most vital economic lifelines.

Perhaps because Qi You was too young, Qi Shouye didn’t elaborate, simply saying, “Pei Man is over a decade older than you. Since you’re interested, learn from her. It can’t hurt.”

“I understand,” Qi You nodded.

Qi Shouye continued, “If you don’t understand something, ask questions. Ask me, ask your mother—anyone in the family will help you.”

Qi You asked, “Do you know a company in Hong Kong called Yingrong Construction?”

Qi Shouye paused, surprised. “What do you want to do?”

“Buy some shares,” Qi You replied.

Qi Shouye frowned. “You’re just acting on a whim.”

Qi You replied, “Then I’ll ask Mom about it.”

“You…” Qi Shouye took a deep breath. “I’ve never heard of this small company. Ask Liu Fu tomorrow.”

Liu Fu was Qi Shouye’s secretary.

“Okay,” Qi You said.

Qi Shouye, trying to remain patient, asked about her recent business trip with Zheng Qing.

“It went smoothly,” Qi You replied.

After a moment’s thought, Qi Shouye said, “Next month, I’m attending an international forum on environmental protection and technology in the UK. Would you like to come?”

“No,” Qi You said.

Qi Shouye paused for two seconds before waving her off. “Go on, then.”

As she left the study, she saw Aunt Qian carrying several boxes onto the elevator, with Zheng Yue trailing behind her like a little tail.

“Xiao You, your deliveries are here!” Aunt Qian called out.

Qi You picked up the top box. They were all small items, and the shipping labels were clean, revealing nothing at a glance.

Aunt Qian placed the boxes on the cabinet by the entrance to Qi You’s room. “So many! Should I help you unpack?”

Having already remembered what was inside, Qi You shook her head. “No need, I’ll handle it myself.”

“Alright,” Aunt Qian said.

She reached for Zheng Yue’s hand. “Yueyue, come on, it’s time to go back to bed.”

Zheng Yue wriggled free. “I don’t want to go back yet. I want to talk to my sister.”

Aunt Qian was surprised to hear her call Qi You “sister.” She let out a soft “oh” and smiled.

Zheng Yue tilted her head up to look at Qi You, her expression serious. “I have something to tell you.”

Qi You glanced at her and said to Aunt Qian, “You can go rest now. I’ll make sure she gets back to her room later.”

“Just don’t fight,” Aunt Qian warned, her tone like she was scolding two children.

Zheng Yue pouted. “I wouldn’t fight.”

Qi You hummed in agreement.

As soon as Aunt Qian left, Zheng Yue fell silent. She looked around the room, her eyes wide with curiosity. Her gaze landed on an abstract resin whale lamp on Qi You’s desk, its colors and details exquisitely crafted. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out to touch it.

Qi You slapped her hand away.

Zheng Yue’s lips immediately drooped.

“What did you want to tell me?” Qi You asked.

Zheng Yue, dressed in a cotton nightgown with ruffled edges, stood there with teary eyes, clutching her small hand in a pitiful manner.

Qi You wasn’t buying her act. She sat down beside Zheng Yue, watching her with detached amusement.

Zheng Yue couldn’t keep up the pretense for long. She plopped down on the sofa and blurted out, “I want to ask you, do you think Mom will divorce Dad?”

Her tone was calm and casual, nothing like that of a six-year-old.

Qi You didn’t treat her like an ordinary child either. “No,” she said flatly.

Zheng Yue didn’t believe her. “But Dad has a secret son!”

And Mom has a secret daughter who’s already moved in, Qi You thought to herself.

Seeing Qi You’s silence, Zheng Yue assumed she was surprised by her knowledge. She lifted her chin, a smug look on her face. “I also know you broke that person’s leg.”

Qi You’s lips twitched into a wry smile. “Your sources are quite reliable.”

Zheng Yue grew even more smug. “I’m not a three-year-old. I know a lot more than you think.”

“Like what?” Qi You asked.

Zheng Yue actually knew nothing else, but she was too clever to show any weakness. She huffed, “I’m not telling you.”

Qi You watched her clown around.

It was truly remarkable how environment shaped people. Though both daughters of Zheng Qing, Chi Yue and Zheng Yue’s personalities were as different as heaven and earth.

“If they get divorced, who would you stay with?” Zheng Yue asked, propping her chin in her hand.

“They won’t get divorced,” Qi You replied.

“But if, if they did,” Zheng Yue persisted.

“I wouldn’t stay with either of them,” Qi You said.

“Oh,” Zheng Yue replied, unsurprised. “You’re all grown up now.”

The little adult sighed, then added, “I wouldn’t stay with either of them either. I’ll just stay with Auntie then. Don’t try to take her from me.”

Zheng Yue’s auntie was Aunt Qian, who had worked at No. 5 Little Tan Mountain for nearly twenty years. She had cared for Qi You as a child, and even more so for Zheng Yue.

“I won’t take her from you,” Qi You assured her.

“Promise?” Zheng Yue insisted.

“I promise,” Qi You replied.

Zheng Yue visibly relaxed.

“Are you done talking?” Qi You asked.

“I’m done,” Zheng Yue said.

Pretending not to notice Zheng Yue’s lingering expression, Qi You said, “Go back to sleep.”

Zheng Yue murmured an “oh,” stood up, and shuffled toward the door. Just as she was closing it, she poked her head back in and said, “Good night, Sister.”

The girl clomped away, and Qi You rose to take a shower.

In all of Qi You’s memories, Zheng Qing and Qi Shouye’s marriage had always seemed rock-solid. The thirty years they had known each other coincided with the rapid expansion of their careers, their interests so deeply intertwined that divorce had long been relegated to a distant second place behind their professional ambitions.

The only real crisis in their marriage had been caused by Zheng Yue. Zheng Qing’s unexpected pregnancy, and her refusal to terminate it, presented Qi Shouye with an impossible choice: divorce or accept Zheng Yue as his own.

Qi Shouye loved his career above all else.

After her shower, Qi You began unpacking the packages from the cabinet. The sharp box cutter sliced through the tape with effortless precision.

This was her first time buying such things. She randomly grabbed one and tore it open to examine. The translucent, milky-white material felt slightly moist and was unscented, with no noticeable latex odor.

Qi You tried one on her index finger. The thin latex clung to her skin, not too tight, but still with a distinct sense of restraint.

She peeled it off and tossed it into the trash can, then pulled out her phone to start a video call as she went to wash her hands.

The call took a while to connect. Half a minute passed before someone answered on the other end.

“Qi, President Qi—” The voice was slightly breathless.

Qi You, drying her hands with a towel, glanced back at the counter. The phone screen showed Chi Yue’s face.

She was wearing makeup, still quite striking.

Qi You picked up her phone and stared at the screen. It struck her for the first time that Chi Yue possessed a face equally suited to both heavy and light makeup. In her natural state, she resembled a mountain lily, pure and delicate; with bold makeup, she transformed into a rose-like begonia, vibrant and alluring.

Qi You paused before asking, “What are you doing?”

“I’m… on set, filming.” Chi Yue lowered her voice as she spoke, adjusting the camera. The lighting and framing shifted rapidly before settling on a dimly lit corner, with only a dark, backlit profile visible.

But her face was close to the phone, the camera magnifying her skin to reveal its flawless, translucent whiteness. The coral blush around her eyes resembled a dreamy sunset, her upturned eyes framing pupils as dark as the night sky, flecked with starlight.

She was like a shapeshifting spirit from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

“President Qi,” Chi Yue called out.

“Where are you hiding?” Qi You asked.

“I’m not hiding,” Chi Yue replied. “I’m just over here.”

“Let me see.”

Chi Yue hummed and lifted her phone, revealing a chaotic film set. In the foreground, half a vehicle was visible, while the background was bleached white by bright lights. People hurried back and forth, their shouts and calls mingling with the whirring of machinery.

After panning around, Chi Yue’s face reappeared in the frame. “This is what a film set is like.”

“Mm,” Qi You replied, having already left the restroom and leaned back against the sofa. “I just wanted to see you.”

Chi Yue let out a soft “Ah.” “I’m wearing my costume…”

Qi You remained silent.

Chi Yue gently pursed her lips, the camera capturing her subtle expression—a faint shyness in her eyes and brows, as if she were embarrassed.

Still, she held the phone high and slowly lowered it, showing Qi You everything from the hairpin in her hair to the tips of her shoes beneath her silk robes.

“Since it’s a fantasy drama,” Chi Yue explained, “the costumes are a bit modern.”

“They look beautiful,” Qi You said.

Chi Yue’s eyes curved slightly at the corners. “Thank you,” she murmured softly.

Qi You gazed at her quietly for a moment.