Chapter 23

Ji Jing: “…”

Before he could respond, Tang Ruan pointedly continued, “I’m your wife, aren’t I? You won’t let me touch the wine in your cabinet, fine, but now you won’t even share beer? If you’re like this, how do you expect to keep a wife? You’re too cheap!”

Her argument was scattered and contradictory, full of flaws.

Ji Jing was momentarily at a loss for words. He ignored the knowing looks from the others and calmly reminded her, “Aren’t you already my wife?”

Tang Ruan paused, replaying her words in her mind.

It seemed… she had misspoken.

She huffed indignantly, feigning nonchalance. “Fine, if you won’t give it to me, I’ll buy my own! I have plenty of money.”

Gu Tian and Ding Zerui couldn’t hold back any longer. Both stood up, gesturing toward the pair. “You two carry on; we’ll eat somewhere else.”

Lingering here any longer would mean losing their appetites. However, Ding Zerui couldn’t help giving Tang Ruan a curious look. It was incredible how much she had changed in just half a year.

Still, they didn’t mind the transformation. The previous Tang Ruan was too cold and aloof, making her difficult to approach. This version, while occasionally unpredictable, seemed far more likable.

…

Once the two had left, only Tang Ruan and Ji Jing remained in the corner. She turned toward him, biting her lower lip and blinking her eyes innocently. “Husband.”

Ji Jing: “…”

He admitted defeat.

“Fine, go ahead.”

“Thank you, husband!” Tang Ruan said with a grin, her tone dripping with sweetness. “You’re the best!”

Ji Jing let out a faint scoff, glancing at her. “No need to act drunk. Just drink.”

Two cans of beer wouldn’t intoxicate her—that much was clear to Ji Jing. But he chose not to call her out on her act because, at the end of the day, it made little difference. If Tang Ruan wanted to perform, she could entertain herself all on her own. Watching her now, Ji Jing shifted his focus back to his beer, mulling over the possibility of enlisting their housekeeper, Xiaolan, to help if Tang Ruan truly ended up drunk.

Tang Ruan stilled momentarily but decided not to argue.

Drinking was more enjoyable, after all.

She sipped her beer and nibbled on some food, letting the crisp autumn breeze brush against her skin.

It was odd. Standing outside the bar earlier, she had felt cold, but now, even with the stronger winds, she no longer felt the chill.

Perhaps her heart had warmed.

…

Tang Ruan exercised some restraint and didn’t push herself too far. After five cans, she stopped on her own. Sitting quietly, she listened as Ji Jing and the others discussed business, finding the juxtaposition strangely surreal.

She never imagined she’d one day sit in a noisy night market, surrounded by smoke and chatter, listening to prominent businessmen talk shop. The scene was bizarre, no matter how she looked at it.

By the time everyone had eaten their fill, it was already 11 p.m.

Tang Ruan yawned while scrolling through her phone on Weibo. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before and hadn’t had a chance to nap during the day. Now, drowsiness was setting in fast.

Still, seeing that the others hadn’t shown any signs of wrapping up, she refrained from saying anything.

…

Ji Jing was mid-conversation with Ding Zerui when he noticed the drooping head beside him. He coughed lightly and directed a question at the group. “Had enough to eat?”

“Mhm.”

Ji Jing gestured toward Tang Ruan. “Then let’s head back.”

Gu Tian and Ding Zerui exchanged amused smiles. “Alright, let’s call a designated driver.”

With that, they headed home.

…

As soon as they got into the car, Tang Ruan closed her eyes to rest.

She was genuinely tired. After drinking, the night always felt a little more sentimental. Her eyes closed as her thoughts wandered, unaware of the gaze fixed on her from beside her.

The two of them remained silent on the way home, walking one behind the other after getting out of the car.

The lights in the living room and the courtyard were still on, left by Butler Li.

As they entered the house, Tang Ruan glanced at Ji Jing, who still seemed perfectly composed, and softly said, “Thank you.”

Ji Jing turned to look at her. The light in the room illuminated her delicate features, making her face appear radiant. Tang Ruan had very fair skin, and under the light, it looked translucent and flawless. Perhaps because she had been drinking, her face carried a soft blush, giving her a pink, youthful glow, almost like a high school girl.

Ji Jing’s gaze darkened slightly as he turned his eyes away and asked in a low voice, “Would you like some water?”

“No, thank you,” Tang Ruan declined, pointing upstairs. “I’m going to bed. You should rest early, too.”

“Alright.”

“Oh, by the way,” Tang Ruan added, “let me know if there are any updates about Dai Jun’s situation.”

She looked at Ji Jing with a serious expression and said earnestly, “There’s really nothing between us.”

Ji Jing chuckled softly and curled his lips. “Got it.”

After watching her disappear from the living room, Ji Jing went to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of cold water, drank it, and then headed upstairs.

–

The next morning, Tang Ruan woke up with a splitting headache. She lay in bed for a while, massaging her temples and feeling unwell.

It wasn’t until she picked up her phone and saw the time—11 a.m.—that she was startled. She hurriedly scrambled out of bed, washed up, and went downstairs.

In the kitchen, Butler Li was preparing lunch. Hearing her footsteps, he glanced at her and greeted, “Good morning, Young Madam.”

Tang Ruan awkwardly scratched her head and said softly, “Sorry for waking up so late today.”

Butler Li shook his head. “The young master also woke up late.”

Tang Ruan hesitated. “What time did he get up?”

“Seven o’clock.”

Tang Ruan was at a loss for words, deciding it was better not to address the concept of “waking up late” anymore. She mumbled an “Oh,” tiptoed downstairs, and asked, “Where is the young master?”

“In the study, working,” Butler Li replied, pointing the way. “Young Madam, have some of this. The young master said you both drank last night, so I made some hangover tea.”

“Alright.” Tang Ruan drank the tea before heading to the living room, where she sat on the sofa, fiddling with her phone.

She noticed she had received a message from Cheng Mushi earlier in the morning but hadn’t yet opened it.

Cheng Mushi: “Tang Ruan, you did it!!! I checked this morning, and your Weibo reposts have already surpassed 3,000!”

Tang Ruan smiled and replied: “It’s all thanks to your repost. Without it, I doubt I could’ve made it.”

Cheng Mushi: “Nonsense! You’re so talented—you’re bound to succeed. You’ll definitely blow up!”

Tang Ruan: “I still have to take it one step at a time. This time, it’s only because of your help that it worked so well.”

In reality, her follower count hadn’t increased significantly, though she had gained several thousand, which was already a good start.

After chatting for a while, Tang Ruan sat idly on the sofa, thinking about her content. She realized that besides creating videos, she might need to add product reviews, perhaps once a month or every two weeks. Foundations, cushions, lipsticks—they could all be reviewed.

Her attic was stocked with various brands of products, from luxury labels to niche and affordable options.

With this thought, Tang Ruan decided she would document her use of different products daily, take photos, and eventually compile the information into a summary to help her followers differentiate products.

As she was deep in thought, Ji Jing came downstairs unexpectedly.

Their eyes met briefly before both looked away in silence.

–

After lunch, Tang Ruan went to her attic to tinker with things.

In a good mood, she decided to give herself a youthful makeover. Before heading upstairs, she even returned to her room to change into a fresh outfit.

The secret to a youthful look lies in eyeshadow and blush. When applied correctly, blush can bring out an innocent, youthful charm. Achieving this look requires a clear, radiant base makeup, giving the skin a translucent, collagen-rich glow.

Since Tang Ruan already had naturally fair skin, she didn’t need filters for the camera to capture her complexion. She chose a soft pink primer—both the product and its packaging radiated a girly vibe.

Facing the mirror, she murmured softly to herself, “This primer works quite well. The texture is excellent, the price is reasonable, and the bottle design is adorable—perfect for today’s look. I’m using Shade No. 1, which is great for fair-skinned people. It’s light and natural with a brightening effect…”

She spoke calmly as she applied the product evenly to her face. She then moved on to foundation and continued her routine at a steady pace, exuding confidence and composure.

When it came to eyeshadow and lashes, Tang Ruan completed the look by taking out her final treasure: the Ladurée Aristocratic Portrait Embossed Blush in Shade 02. The blush had a delicate texture, didn’t flake, and created a translucent, youthful vibe. With a few gentle strokes, the desired effect was achieved.

…

After applying lipstick, Tang Ruan smiled at the camera. Her entire face lit up with youthful energy. Though her appearance hadn’t drastically changed, her overall vibe was now soft and romantic, like a young girl blushing in the throes of first love.

Once she finished, she reviewed the recorded video, feeling satisfied. Then, she carefully edited it. Since she had committed to a 100-day makeup challenge, she was determined to see it through to the end.

By the time everything was ready, two hours had passed. She transferred the video to her phone, uploaded it to her Weibo drafts, and scheduled it to go live at 7 p.m.

Since she’d already done her makeup, staying indoors seemed like a waste.

After some thought, she decided to go out, buy a few books, and pick up some things. While scrolling through Weibo earlier, she had noticed a new product launch from a particular brand and wanted to check it out.

–

When Tang Ruan came downstairs, Ji Jing happened to be on the phone.

He stood with his back to her, tall and upright, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, where the fragmented sunlight streamed in, casting a soft glow over his figure and stretching his shadow just a bit longer. Tang Ruan stared at him, her mind wandering for no reason.

…

Ji Jing had woken up a bit later than usual that morning. After breakfast, he went to his study to deal with work, while also addressing the Dai Jun situation.

The issue with Dai Jun was rather tricky. That man stubbornly insisted Ji Jing had assaulted him, claiming he was beaten up to such a state. After lunch, Ji Jing had gone to the police station to handle the matter.

Ji Jing was never one to shy away from trouble—or rather, no one in the Ji family was. Dai Jun’s vulgar and slanderous remarks at the bar were enough to ensure he stayed detained for a while. Of course, for anyone else, this might not have been achievable, but Dai Jun had offended Ji Jing, a member of the Ji family.

Ji Jing had instructed his team to dig into Dai Jun’s past, uncovering numerous unsavory acts. The man had used his looks to deceive several wealthy people and young women. Just this alone was enough to ensure Dai Jun’s detention would be well justified.

Before leaving, Ji Jing instructed his lawyer to inform him immediately once Dai Jun was released. He wanted to ensure there wouldn’t be any “what-ifs”—or worse, rumors being spread by Dai Jun after his release.

Once everything was handled, Ji Jing returned home.

As soon as he arrived, his father’s call came through, evidently having caught wind of the situation.

“Ji Jing.”

“Dad.”

His father’s voice carried a sternness laced with anger. “You caused a commotion at the bar last night?”

Ji Jing replied calmly, “It wasn’t a commotion. I hit someone.”

Father Ji was furious. “Do you think just because you have power and status, you can act recklessly? If I hadn’t intercepted the news, do you realize the internet would already be all over this? And you still had the audacity to get into a fight! Is this the kind of privilege the Ji family gave you?”

Ji Jing listened silently, offering no rebuttal.

Indeed, hitting someone was wrong. At his age, he wasn’t one to act on impulse, but last night… he really couldn’t hold back.

Father Ji continued to scold him while Ji Jing stayed quiet, letting the reprimands wash over him. Eventually, Father Ji asked, “Was Tang Ruan with you last night? I heard that man has quite a history with her.”

At this, Ji Jing’s eyelid twitched slightly. In a low voice, he replied, “It has nothing to do with Tang Ruan.”

He added, “That man just wanted to tarnish my reputation. Tang Ruan doesn’t know him well.”

Father Ji paused before his low voice came through again. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Ji Jing rubbed his temples and said, “Don’t overthink it. I know Tang Ruan well enough.”

Father Ji let out a scoff. “Hmph.”

Ji Jing: “…”

He knew his father wouldn’t have brought this up without reason—he must have heard or seen something. But Tang Ruan was his wife now. Even if Ji Jing didn’t have feelings for her, he wouldn’t let groundless rumors tarnish her reputation.

Father Ji gave a dismissive sneer. “I have no interest in meddling with your mess.”

“Understood.”

“There’s one more thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“That tea Tang Ruan sent me as a birthday gift—what was that about? Doesn’t she know it came from you?” Father Ji’s voice brimmed with irritation. That tea was something he had personally gifted Ji Jing, only for it to be re-gifted back to him as a birthday present by his daughter-in-law.

It was an experience that felt more absurd than receiving identical wristwatches year after year.

Ji Jing: “…”

He chuckled softly, recalling the incident. “She didn’t know.”

Father Ji snorted. “Hmph. I’m hanging up.”

–

Just as Ji Jing hung up, he noticed Tang Ruan standing at the staircase. The two of them locked eyes briefly before Ji Jing let out a faint chuckle, raising an eyebrow. His gaze swept over her carefully done makeup, scanning her from head to toe before he asked, “Heading out?”

Tang Ruan nodded. She had just gone back to her room to change into a white knit sweater and was holding a pastel pink box bag, her intention to go out obvious. Matching her outfit to her makeup… she thought to herself that being thorough was no easy task. But the lifestyle of the wealthy was indeed beyond her imagination.

If this had been in the past, there was no way she could afford to match an outfit or a makeup look to such a degree.

Not even in her dreams.

Her lashes fluttered slightly as she looked at Ji Jing. “You were on the phone with your dad?”

She couldn’t hear what Father Ji was saying, only Ji Jing’s side of the conversation.

Ji Jing nodded and casually sat down on the couch. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he suddenly felt like teasing her.

“That birthday gift you gave my dad—where did you get it from?”

Tang Ruan froze, assuming he was about to hold her accountable. She answered honestly, “I found it in the study. There were a lot of them.”

“Do you know who gave it to me?”

“Who?”

Ji Jing let out a low laugh, uttering two words: “My dad.”