Chapter 18

Green hat???

Cheng Mushi was stunned. Her impression of Tang Ruan had completely changed. Not only did she seem different in demeanor, but her words had become startlingly bold and far more down-to-earth.

Before she could process it further, Tang Ruan looked at her expectantly. “So, can you introduce someone to me?”

Caught off guard, Cheng Mushi responded instinctively. “Sure! What kind of person are you looking for? Any specific requirements?”

Tang Ruan thought for a moment. She didn’t have a fully developed plan yet. “I just want to give it a try. Do you know how to do live streaming?”

“I do. I’ve done it before.”

“Can you teach me?”

“Of course! But you’ll need some equipment.”

“No problem.” Tang Ruan, now a wealthy woman, waved her hand dismissively. “Just tell me what we need, and we’ll buy it all today.”

She was a woman of action.

Cheng Mushi: …

She was momentarily stunned, then stammered, “Okay… sure.”

Who could refuse a beautiful woman? Certainly not her.

The rest of the morning, Tang Ruan followed Cheng Mushi’s guidance, purchasing various streaming tools and arranging for them to be delivered to her home. She also picked up some less luxurious makeup products. Cheng Mushi had pointed out that starting with high-end items might alienate viewers, making them feel the content wasn’t relatable.

Even the more modest set cost several thousand yuan—not exactly cheap.

After shopping, they had lunch together.

By the end of the morning, Cheng Mushi had a newfound respect for Tang Ruan. She finally believed that Tang Ruan had some genuine knowledge of makeup.

“I’ll head back now,” Cheng Mushi said.

Tang Ruan nodded with a warm smile. “Thanks for spending the morning with me.”

Cheng Mushi shrugged playfully. “No problem. We’re classmates, after all. Besides, you’re nothing like the person I used to know.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

Cheng Mushi chuckled. “Hard to say. But now, you seem more like someone I could be friends with.”

The old Tang Ruan had been someone to admire from afar—out of reach for ordinary people like them. Even if they interacted, it was nothing more than a polite nod.

Tang Ruan smiled without dwelling on it. She understood the kind of person the original Tang Ruan had been. She appreciated Cheng Mushi for setting aside past judgments to meet and spend time with her.

—

When Tang Ruan returned home, Ji Jing was out, and it was still early in the day.

After some thought, she picked up her phone and sought out Butler Li. Since all the equipment she bought came from the same shopping mall, it could be delivered together.

Before long, she and Butler Li headed to the third floor. There was a small attic that had remained unused. Although called an attic, it was quite spacious—more than enough for Tang Ruan’s plans. The natural light was fantastic, with sunshine flooding the room through the upper windows.

Butler Li cast a curious glance at her and asked respectfully, “Young Madam, what do you need the room for all of a sudden?”

Tang Ruan turned to him and replied softly, “I have a project I want to work on.”

He nodded. “The room is mostly filled with old things. If you’re in a hurry, I can have it cleared out later today.”

Tang Ruan considered this, then said, “You can tidy it up, but leave the items inside for now. I’ll figure out what to do with them later.”

“Of course.”

Though he agreed, Butler Li remained mindful of his other master’s preferences. “Do you want me to inform the Young Master about this?”

Tang Ruan put a finger to her lips and smiled mischievously. “Let’s keep this a secret for now, okay?”

Butler Li’s curiosity deepened, but Tang Ruan’s expression was so genuine that he could only comply.

“I want to surprise him.”

“Understood.”

And so, they came to an agreement to keep the attic project confidential for the time being.

—

That morning, Ji Jing had made a brief visit to his office. Although it was Sunday, as the company’s head, he often dropped in to handle urgent matters once he’d had enough rest.

The Ji Group had an extensive business empire, spanning commercial real estate, cultural tourism, the hospitality sector, and retail chains. Each venture thrived, and under Ji Jing’s leadership, new technologies and advancements in the internet sector were being developed.

He was truly busy.

Despite the numerous managers and employees below him, his schedule remained packed.

After handling several urgent contracts at the office, Ji Jing left promptly at four o’clock to head home.

Just as he got into the car, his mother called again to confirm. Ji Jing glanced at the screen before answering.

“Mom.”

His mother’s voice was gentle. “Ah Jing, are you sure she’ll come back with you?” she asked softly. “It’s your father’s birthday today. If you’re not certain, don’t say anything. If she doesn’t show up, your father will be upset again.”

Ji Jing chuckled. If it had been before, he wouldn’t have been confident about Tang Ruan attending, but now, with the current Tang Ruan, he was sure.

“Don’t worry, I asked her this morning. She agreed to come.”

His mother sighed in relief. “Good. Are you on your way now?”

Before Ji Jing could answer, someone called for his mother in the background. She hurriedly added, “Alright, drive safely. I have to go.”

“Okay.”

After ending the call, Ji Jing paused for a moment before calling Butler Li to confirm if Tang Ruan was home.

Their relationship had improved, but not to the point where he could contact her casually.

“Young Master.”

“Is Tang Ruan home?”

Butler Li glanced toward the stairs, covering the phone as he spoke quietly. “Madam returned at two. She’s in her room now.”

“Good. I’ll be home shortly.”

–

In Tang Ruan’s fragmented memory, her impressions of Ji’s family were sparse. There were more members than she had initially thought, but her interactions had mostly been limited to the old master, Ji Jing’s parents, and his younger sister.

Ji Jing did indeed have a sister. However, when Tang Ruan lived with the Ji family, she hadn’t been staying at the main residence, so their encounters were infrequent, making things simpler. Back in high school, Ji Jing’s parents had lived separately from the old master. It wasn’t until Ji Jing took over Ji Corporation that his parents moved into the main house, increasing the frequency of family gatherings.

And frankly, Ji Jing’s sister was far more amusing than he was.

Every time Tang Ruan teased her, Ji Ling would bristle with indignation, her eyes burning with frustration yet unable to retaliate. Calculating her age now, that fiery young lady would be in college.

Tang Ruan rummaged through her cabinet, gathering various items she wouldn’t personally use, but given the rare occasion of her return—regardless of Ji Jing’s insistence that no gifts were necessary—she wanted to bring presents for everyone.

…

By the time Ji Jing arrived home, Tang Ruan had already finished her makeup and changed into her outfit.

He came up the stairs just as she opened the door, and their eyes met unexpectedly.

Ji Jing paused, his gaze resting on her face. The makeup seemed to transform her—just for a fleeting second, it felt as though she had become someone entirely different.

Tang Ruan waved playfully and called out sweetly, “Husband? Stunned?”

She giggled, the corners of her mouth curling upward as she stood before him with a radiant grin. “Am I overly gorgeous today?”

Ji Jing snapped out of it, lowering his eyes to study her more closely. There wasn’t a single flaw to be found.

Her makeup was immaculate, and the warm-toned dress suited her perfectly, exuding a soft, feminine charm he had never associated with her before—a kind of gentle, blissful sweetness.

“Let’s go downstairs. I need to grab something,” he said, glancing at the items in her hands. “What’s that?”

“Just some gifts for your mom and sister,” she explained. “It’s been a while since I’ve been back, so I thought I’d prepare something, even if you said it wasn’t necessary.”

“Alright.”

–

The street scenery zipped past the car window, transforming with the shifting autumn landscape. The golden hues of fallen leaves seemed to blend into the sunset, creating a picturesque view.

Tang Ruan sat quietly in the car, feeling a twinge of nervousness. She had little experience with close familial interactions. In her past, she had always been a guest, an unwanted presence among relatives. Naturally, she stayed out of sight to avoid their scorn. But this was different.

These were Ji Jing’s parents. In a way, they were also the ones who had taken her in. She had limited interactions with them, though she knew Ji Jing’s father was stern and prone to anger. His mother, however, was gentle—extremely so—and had treated her kindly. Even then, they had shared only a few meals together, hardly enough to establish familiarity.

The thought of it all gave Tang Ruan a headache.

How should she behave? She could be playful and dramatic with Ji Jing—after all, her objective was clear: push him toward divorce. But with his parents, she felt it necessary to show respect and restraint.

Hearing her sigh, Ji Jing remarked, “Relax. My parents don’t bite.”

Tang Ruan shot him a glance. “Why the sudden invitation to dinner, anyway?”

Ji Jing hesitated before replying, “It’s my dad’s birthday. Just a family dinner.”

Tang Ruan blinked.

In that moment, her mind filled with a cascade of expletives.

Why had no one told her it was Ji Jing’s father’s birthday? Why had Ji Jing only now mentioned it? Would he have just let her show up unprepared if she hadn’t asked?

Staring at Ji Jing in disbelief, she coughed. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

She hadn’t bought a proper gift!

Ji Jing glanced at her. “I thought you knew.”

As far as he was concerned, despite their strained relationship, she had always kept track of important dates. In the past, she had sent gifts for his parents’ birthdays, even if they were lackluster and unchanged year after year. At least the effort had been made.

That morning, when Tang Ruan had asked if they needed to bring a gift, Ji Jing had genuinely been taken aback. He figured that since she clearly wanted a divorce, she wouldn’t even bother with the usual formalities. It hadn’t crossed his mind that she had actually forgotten.

Tang Ruan glanced at him with a mix of grievance and curiosity, then suddenly perked up with interest. “Husband, am I completely unimportant to you?”

Ji Jing: “…?”

Tang Ruan huffed, her tone full of playful arrogance. “You didn’t tell me today is Dad’s birthday. Was it on purpose? You really don’t care about me at all.”

Ji Jing: “…”

How had this somehow turned into his fault?

Still, Ji Jing had come to learn one thing about Tang Ruan: if he answered, she would act all the way to their destination. Since he had to focus on driving, silence seemed the safer option.

Sure enough, when he didn’t respond, her enthusiasm for theatrics quickly faded.

“What gift did you prepare?” she asked.

“You’ll see.”

“Fine.”

Ji Jing, noticing her crestfallen expression, added, “My father doesn’t really care about these things.”

Tang Ruan thought about it and nodded in agreement. It was true—families like theirs lacked for nothing.

–

The Ji family’s old estate lay in a remote area, with sprawling grounds that resembled a kingdom unto itself. As the original author would have put it, there were multiple courtyards scattered across the property, each containing several houses. Though not far apart, it would take a ten-minute walk to get from one area to another. All of it belonged to the Ji family.

When Ji Jing and Tang Ruan arrived, a few servants were already waiting at the entrance.

Ji Jing got out first and walked around to her side to open the car door. The servants bowed neatly and greeted them in unison, “Young Master, Young Madam.”

Tang Ruan’s first thought was… this felt straight out of a palace drama. Not exactly a crown prince, but more like a wealthy scion from a dynastic family. She wasn’t used to it.

Ji Jing nodded and handed the gifts to the waiting staff. Together, he and Tang Ruan stepped into the house.

The moment they entered, Ji’s mother greeted them with a warm smile, her eyes soft as she looked at Ji Jing. “You’re back. You drove yourself?”

“The driver had a personal matter today.”

She smiled again, not pressing further. Her gaze shifted to Tang Ruan, and her eyes brightened. Despite her daughter-in-law’s difficult temperament, her appearance was impeccable.

“Ruan Ruan, you came back too.”

Tang Ruan curved her lips into a gentle smile, her voice soft. “Mom, it’s been a while.”

Ji’s mother froze, her eyes instinctively darting toward Ji Jing for an explanation.

Ji Jing merely shrugged and patted his mother’s shoulder. “We’ll go greet Grandpa and Dad first.”

Suppressing her curiosity, Ji’s mother pointed in the right direction. “They’re over there. Go ahead. I’ll check on the kitchen.”

“Alright.”

The two walked side by side, their striking appearances like a perfect match from a fairy tale. Their harmonious pairing caught the attention of everyone in the main hall, leaving many speechless.

Ji’s father’s birthday had brought in extended family—uncles, aunts, and cousins—all of whom were gathered in the spacious hall. When Tang Ruan walked in, several relatives were visibly surprised. Rumors of her difficult personality had certainly reached their ears.

“Ah Jing, you’re back,” someone greeted.

Ji Jing nodded politely. “Dad, we’re here.”

Ji’s father glanced briefly at Tang Ruan, his tone neutral. “Ruan Ruan, you came too.”

Tang Ruan offered a graceful smile. “Of course. It’s your birthday, Dad. I wish you a very happy birthday and many blessings.”

Her composed demeanor caught Ji’s father off guard. He nodded with faint approval. “Not bad.”

An aunt nearby, however, couldn’t resist sniping, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, well. Since when has Ruan Ruan been so obedient?”

Tang Ruan maintained her pleasant smile and looked at the woman as if puzzled. “When have I ever been disobedient?”

The aunt was momentarily stunned into silence.

Tang Ruan turned to Ji Jing, raising her brows playfully. “Husband, am I not well-behaved?”

Her words left everyone in the room gaping. Were they hallucinating? Was this really the infamous Tang Ruan who was known for being unruly and spoiled? The woman standing before them, all sweetness and charm, was acting as if she was completely devoted to her husband.

The crowd’s eyes were glued to Ji Jing, waiting for his response.

Tang Ruan, however, was not done. She pouted, stamping her foot lightly. “Husband, am I not good?”

Ji Jing, despite himself, couldn’t resist the soft, sweet tone of her voice—a voice that seemed to wrap around his senses. Clearing his throat, he gently placed a hand on her head, his tone indulgent but composed. “Of course. Our Ruan Ruan is the best.”

The collective reaction was a stunned silence.

Everyone present looked as if they had just swallowed a lemon.