Chapter 50

Ji Jing had always known about Tang Ruan’s Weibo, though he rarely checked it.

His busy work schedule left little time for social media. After registering a Weibo account and following her, the only notifications he received were when she posted something. He hadn’t paid much attention before but had recently set special alerts for his wife.

That meant he’d be notified immediately whenever she posted.

However, Tang Ruan hadn’t posted anything tonight, so Ji Jing wasn’t aware of the commotion online until Gu Tian called him twenty minutes earlier.

Gu Tian, a man who loved surfing the internet, was a big shot in the entertainment industry. Naturally, he stayed on top of trending news. The manager in question was even from his company, so Gu Tian had been following him as well.

When Gu Tian casually browsed the internet that evening, he came across a post that surprised him: someone had rejected Qiu Bin’s offer.

Intrigued, he clicked into Tang Ruan’s Weibo and watched two videos. That was all it took for him to confirm the person in the videos was Tang Ruan. Shocked, he immediately called Ji Jing.

“Ah Jing.”

“What’s the matter?” Ji Jing rubbed his temples and closed his eyes for a moment of rest.

“Your wife is trending on Weibo! Did you know she’s been posting makeup videos there? Her face is stunning!” Gu Tian exclaimed. Then, he sighed. “I thought she was joking about learning makeup from An Xun, but after watching those two videos, I realize she’s got real talent.”

Ji Jing lazily responded, “What’s the trending topic?”

“Wait a second,” Gu Tian’s tone shifted, “You already know your wife posts makeup videos on Weibo?”

“I do.” Ji Jing chuckled lightly. “It’s her hobby.”

Gu Tian was speechless.

“And you’re okay with that?”

After a brief pause, Ji Jing replied concisely, “She can do whatever she wants.”

Gu Tian fell silent for a moment before switching topics. “So, someone contacted your wife about signing with a management company, and she rejected them. Twice.”

“That’s normal,” Ji Jing said. “She just likes doing makeup.”

Gu Tian choked slightly, muttering, “Why do you sound so proud about it?”

Ji Jing laughed. “Maybe I am a little.”

He knew Tang Ruan well. She wasn’t someone who wavered in her decisions. No matter how glamorous or fulfilling a career might seem, she wouldn’t pursue it if it didn’t interest her. Take acting, for example—her looks alone could easily attract a large fan base. But since she didn’t enjoy it, she wouldn’t even consider it.

She preferred to focus on her makeup skills, helping others, and enjoying her craft.

Gu Tian sighed. “Fine, I’ll send you the link so you can take a look.”

“Alright.”

After a moment, Ji Jing added, “Keep an eye on things. Let me know immediately if anything happens.”

“Got it.”

…

Tang Ruan listened as she sat on Ji Jing’s lap, feeling a bit speechless. “Where are these ‘rivals’ coming from?”

Ji Jing pinched her cheek, his deep gaze fixed on her. “You haven’t checked Weibo?”

“Just glanced at it briefly.”

Ji Jing made a faint sound of acknowledgment and handed her his phone. “See for yourself.”

Since the post had been shared, Tang Ruan’s popularity had skyrocketed. Many people visited her Weibo to watch her makeup videos. Initially, only female netizens were interested, but now her posts were flooded with comments from male followers, praising her beauty. Some lamented how such a gorgeous face wasn’t in the entertainment industry, while others outright declared her their goddess.

After scrolling for a bit, Tang Ruan quietly put the phone aside.

“These aren’t ‘rivals,’” she laughed. “Just netizens joking around.”

Ji Jing scoffed, his long fingers gripping the back of her neck as he leaned in to kiss her.

Knowing she couldn’t argue, Tang Ruan responded enthusiastically.

She wasn’t the shy or reserved type, though she could be occasionally. Most of the time, Tang Ruan was straightforward—if she liked something, she’d embrace it; if not, she wouldn’t. To her, relationships were simple. While she sometimes felt bashful, she was naturally more proactive.

They didn’t know how long they kissed, but when Ji Jing’s phone rang again, they finally pulled apart.

Tang Ruan pushed against his shoulder, muttering, “Your phone.”

Ji Jing took a deep breath, one arm still wrapped around her as he grabbed his phone with the other. Taking a sip of water from a nearby glass, his voice, now hoarse, answered the call.

–

“Hello.”

“Ah Jing,” came the voice of Ji Jing’s mother. Hearing something off in Ji Jing’s tone, she asked suspiciously, “Do you have a cold?”

Ji Jing’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he played with Tang Ruan’s earlobe. “No. Why are you calling so late, Mom? Is something wrong?”

Ji’s mother sighed. “It’s been ages since you and Ruan Ruan came home. Your grandfather has been talking about you two all night. I understand that work keeps you busy, but you should come home to see him occasionally. He’s stubborn and misses you but won’t admit it.”

She had just helped the housekeeper tuck the old man into bed when she decided to call Ji Jing.

When people grow old, they start yearning for their family. Ji’s mother and father lived close by, so the old man wasn’t as lonely for them. What he missed most were Ji Jing and Tang Ruan. Ever since their last visit months ago, during Ji’s father’s birthday, the couple hadn’t been back.

Ji Jing listened quietly before glancing at Tang Ruan and locking eyes with her.

“I’ll find time to visit with Ruan Ruan,” he said.

“What’s there to find? Can’t you come tomorrow?” Ji’s mother asked, her tone carrying a hint of irritation.

“I can,” Tang Ruan chimed in softly before Ji Jing could reply. “Ji Jing is busy with work, but I can come tomorrow.”

Ji’s mother paused, surprised. “Wait. Are you two… together right now?”

Tang Ruan: “…”

Ji Jing: “…”

They were husband and wife. Was it strange for them to be together at night? From his mother’s tone, it sounded like she found it odd that they were in the same place.

Realizing her words might have come off wrong, Ji’s mother coughed lightly and awkwardly added, “That’s not what I meant. Alright, I’ll contact you tomorrow. You two should rest early.”

Before either could respond, she hung up abruptly.

It wasn’t that Ji’s mother was genuinely surprised. During their last visit, while the couple had acted loving, she could tell it was mostly a performance. As a mother, she naturally hoped they would develop genuine affection for each other, but she wasn’t the type to force them.

Still, in just two or three months, the relationship between the two seemed to have significantly improved, which truly astonished her.

Clutching her phone, Ji’s mother eagerly went to share the good news with Ji’s father. Who knows? Perhaps it wouldn’t be long before she became a grandmother.

…

Back in the study, Ji Jing’s previous intentions had cooled.

He held Tang Ruan in his arms for a while before asking, “Are you sure you’re going tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Tang Ruan nodded. “Don’t you have a banquet to attend tomorrow?”

“Mm.”

That was why Ji Jing couldn’t join her for the visit.

Tang Ruan chuckled and patted his back in reassurance. “I get off work at five, but I might ask An Xun for permission to leave early. If your banquet ends on time, you could also visit Grandpa. It’d be nice to spend more time with him.”

“Alright.”

The matter was settled. After hugging for a bit longer, Ji Jing shooed Tang Ruan off to the bedroom to rest. He still had a video conference to attend. Tang Ruan, understanding his schedule, didn’t disturb him. She made him a cup of coffee and quietly returned to the bedroom.

–

The next morning, Tang Ruan, still adjusting to her work routine, lingered in bed for an extra ten minutes before reluctantly getting up.

After washing up and having breakfast, she left the house. Her car had arrived the day before, and all the necessary paperwork was already completed.

Tang Ruan drove to work. When she arrived at the parking lot, Xu Ya happened to pull in as well. Noticing the car Tang Ruan was driving, Xu Ya raised an eyebrow in surprise and greeted her. “Ruan Ruan, driving today?”

Tang Ruan smiled. “It’s just more convenient than having someone pick me up.”

“Where do you live?” Xu Ya asked.

Tang Ruan gave a general area. “The subway gets really crowded.”

Xu Ya chuckled, glancing at her car. “A new ride?”

The car was brand new, and it was obvious at a glance. Tang Ruan didn’t think much of it and nodded. “Yes.”

The two chatted and laughed as they walked to the studio together.

–

At four o’clock, Tang Ruan asked An Xun for permission to leave early to visit Ji’s family.

The Ji residence was far from the city center, and Tang Ruan wanted to avoid traffic. During her lunch break, she even went to a nearby mall to pick out gifts. She didn’t want a repeat of last time, where she had ended up gifting something Ji’s father had given Ji Jing. Thinking about that incident still made her feel embarrassed.

Driving alone to the Ji residence, Tang Ruan realized that if it weren’t for her recognizable face, the gatekeeper might not have let her in.

She glanced at her car and thought it wasn’t bad enough to warrant that reaction.

When Ji’s mother heard that Tang Ruan had arrived, she rushed over. Upon seeing the car, she frowned slightly. “Are there no cars left at home?”

Tang Ruan sighed with a wry smile. “Mom, I’m not very skilled at driving. I was afraid of damaging the other cars.”

Ji’s mother waved dismissively, looking indifferent. “So what if you damage them? Those cars have better safety features anyway.” She couldn’t help but complain, “The guard at the gate almost didn’t let you in because of your car—it looks a bit cheap.”

Tang Ruan: “…”

She was utterly speechless.

Why did wealthy families even look down on cars worth hundreds of thousands of yuan?

“Don’t take it the wrong way,” Ji’s mother quickly clarified, noticing Tang Ruan’s expression. “It’s just that your father-in-law cares about appearances. If he finds out you drove this car here, he might scold Ji Jing.”

Tang Ruan smiled understandingly and nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll explain it to Dad later.” Then, looking warmly at Ji’s mother, she asked softly, “Is Grandpa inside? I’d like to go see him.”

“Go on, he’s resting in the living room.”

“Alright.”

The arrival of his granddaughter-in-law filled Old Master Ji with joy. He genuinely adored Tang Ruan. Even though she had done some unforgivable things in the past, his affection for her had never wavered, not even a little.

Tang Ruan, in turn, enjoyed spending time with him. She liked chatting and keeping him company. Having lacked close family bonds like this before, she now cherished these moments deeply.

“Why didn’t Ji Jing come back with you?”

Tang Ruan chuckled and explained, “Ji Jing has a banquet to attend today, but he’ll come by later to visit you.”

Old Master Ji snorted lightly. “If he doesn’t come back, then he might as well not come at all.”

Despite his words, he smiled warmly at Tang Ruan, sighing, “The weather’s been so unpredictable lately. Ruan Ruan, make sure to take care of yourself and don’t catch a cold.”

“I won’t, Grandpa. Don’t worry.”

Sitting in his chair, the old man gazed at Tang Ruan for a moment, his satisfaction growing the more he looked at her.

“How are things at home for you now, Ruan Ruan?”

“Pretty good,” she replied.

“Ji Jing hasn’t been bullying you, has he?”

Tang Ruan couldn’t help but laugh at the question and shook her head. “No, Grandpa. He treats me very well.”

Old Master Ji nodded, his expression softening as he studied her. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, “Why don’t you watch some TV with Grandpa?”

“Of course.”

Tang Ruan agreed to every one of the old man’s requests without hesitation.

The two of them sat on the couch watching a family drama—a story about four generations living under one roof. Tang Ruan watched quietly, unsure of what message the old man was trying to convey through the show.

As they watched, Old Master Ji suddenly sighed while looking at the screen. “I’ll be eighty in two years.”

Tang Ruan’s heart skipped a beat as she waited for him to continue.

He stared at her with a faint melancholy. “Who knows how much longer I’ll live?”

Tang Ruan: “…”

She understood immediately.