Chapter 3

The man standing before her had a deep, intense gaze, devoid of any visible emotion. His expression suggested complete indifference, as though the woman who had just been cooing sweet nothings on the phone wasn’t his wife at all.

Tang Ruan froze for a second, not expecting Ji Jing to come over. Or maybe, she thought, he hadn’t followed her here deliberately. It might have just been a coincidence.

Opening her mouth hesitantly, she glanced at Ji Jing, who had now taken a seat nearby. “Why are you here?” she asked, biting her lip.

Ji Jing gave her a brief look, his tone tinged with faint mockery. “Just thought I’d check in.”

To be honest, he hadn’t originally planned to come. It was his grandfather who, catching wind of certain rumors, had paid a visit to the company that morning. After questioning Ji Jing about his relationship with Tang Ruan, his grandfather even scolded him.

That reprimand had left Ji Jing pondering: Could Tang Ruan’s desire for a divorce truly stem from how much he had neglected her?

But Ji Jing didn’t think so.

Their marriage had always been devoid of affection. To Ji Jing, it didn’t matter whom he married. Tang Ruan was simply a familiar choice. Years ago, when his grandfather, wanting to repay an old debt of gratitude, suggested their marriage, Ji Jing had resisted initially but eventually accepted it.

After all, if he had to marry someone, why not someone familiar? Ji Jing saw no value in romantic feelings—they were utterly unnecessary to him.

As for Tang Ruan, Ji Jing didn’t know her deeply, but he knew enough. She had always been a spoiled and willful young lady, difficult for anyone to please. Even after her parents passed away and her family business went bankrupt, she hadn’t changed her behavior. If anything, her entitled attitude had grown worse.

She was sharp-tongued and often mocking, treating him as though he didn’t exist despite them living under the same roof.

Then, some time ago, Ji Jing heard rumors that she had gotten involved with another man. His first reaction was anger—not because he had any affection for her, but because they were still legally married. Even so, his anger was fleeting, and he chose to turn a blind eye.

When she eventually brought up divorce, Ji Jing neither agreed nor disagreed. It wasn’t entirely up to him, after all.

–

Today, Ji Jing had come to understand his wife’s motives. If she still insisted on divorce, it wasn’t impossible to arrange.

Tang Ruan nodded slightly and shifted her gaze to him. “Have you eaten?”

Ji Jing raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question. “Yes,” he replied.

He glanced at her. “You haven’t?”

“No,” Tang Ruan admitted, scratching her head. “I just woke up.”

Her gaze cautiously returned to Ji Jing. Divorce was one thing, but having her husband walk in on her flirting with another man was… inappropriate, to say the least. She had no idea how long he’d been standing there or how much he’d overheard.

Still, she thought, now was the time to act decisively.

First, she needed to get rid of the man from the phone call. Then, she could deal with her current husband.

“I need a favor from you,” she said.

Ji Jing leaned lazily against the backrest, lifting his gaze slightly to look at her. “A favor? Let me guess—divorce?”

Tang Ruan faltered, her hand moving instinctively to touch her neck. “No, it’s not that. Are you free tonight?” She quickly added, “If you are, could you come with me somewhere?”

Before he could refuse, she deliberately added, “You’re my husband, after all. You can’t even spare me an hour?”

Hearing that, a flicker of emotion finally appeared in Ji Jing’s eyes, though it disappeared just as quickly. His lips curled into a faint smirk as he looked at her. “Alright.”

–

That night.

The autumn breeze swept softly through the air. Tang Ruan changed into a different outfit before heading out.

Though there was a hint of coolness in the wind, early autumn still allowed for light clothing. She deliberately chose a white short dress that reached her knees, accentuating her curves. The original host’s figure was excellent, with a face that bore about fifty percent resemblance to Tang Ruan’s own, though this body’s complexion was far fairer and smoother—like porcelain. It gave off a tantalizing allure that made people want to touch it.

Tang Ruan couldn’t help but admire the original body’s impeccable self-care.

After changing into the dress, she applied a delicate peach-blossom makeup look that made her appear both playful and alluring, like someone deeply in love. Though she had been poor in her previous life, her passion for makeup had been unshakable. No amount of poverty could suppress her love for beauty.

In fact, her lack of wealth had only fueled her determination to study cosmetics. She’d dreamed that one day, if she suddenly became rich, she’d buy every makeup product she had ever wanted and fill her house with them. Even if she never used them, just looking at them would bring her joy.

Now—

By some twist of fate, her old dream of overnight wealth had come true. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

But since she was already here, and there was no going back after all these days, she accepted the situation with composure.

The original owner of this body had an astounding collection of makeup. There was even a room dedicated entirely to storing her vast array of foundations, cushion compacts, lipsticks, eyeshadows, blushes, and more. Tang Ruan spent an entire afternoon in that room and managed to craft her current “peach blossom” look.

It was the first time she had ever applied such a stunning makeup look, and it was also the original owner’s first attempt at this style.

…

When Ji Jing arrived from the company, he stepped out of the car and immediately noticed Tang Ruan standing by the door. Dressed up carefully, the woman stood not far away. He tugged at the corner of his lips in a faint, silent smile and walked toward her.

As their gazes met, Tang Ruan stared at the man in a tailored suit and screamed inwardly. She had read the author’s description of Ji Jing before, knowing that he was handsome enough to make anyone’s knees go weak—especially when dressed formally. The fitted suit hugged his frame perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders, slim waist, and sculpted posterior, enough to make women swoon and want to pounce.

Back then, there was no real-life image to attach to the words, and she had only marveled at the author’s adoration for him.

But now—

Seeing the man in person, walking toward her in that composed and deliberate manner, Tang Ruan finally realized the author hadn’t exaggerated at all. Ji Jing’s current look could stir any woman’s heart based solely on his appearance.

She was no exception. She had to admit he was good-looking, but that was it.

The divorce was still necessary, and she still needed the money.

“You’re here,” she said.

“Mm.” Ji Jing gave her a brief glance. “Let’s go.”

For the first time, the two of them were out together, just the two of them, without a driver.

–

The bar was lively and bustling. The energy inside could already be felt at the entrance.

Tang Ruan and Ji Jing stepped out of the car, one walking ahead of the other, as they made their way in.

This was the “old spot” Dai Jun, the scheming pretty boy who had tricked the original owner out of her money and affection, had mentioned. They had met in this very bar. Back then, Tang Ruan had been in a bad mood, and Dai Jun happened to step in to resolve a conflict for her—a clichéd hero-saves-the-damsel trope. After that, their relationship gradually progressed, ultimately leading to Tang Ruan wanting to divorce Ji Jing for Dai Jun.

Ji Jing wasn’t entirely sure what his little wife was planning, but when she asked him for just one hour of his time, he could spare it.

He glanced at the bar ahead and roughly guessed her intention: Was she planning to flaunt her romance with another man in front of him? Or did she want him to witness her relationship with this man and propose the divorce himself?

Ji Jing smirked faintly, showing no real emotion.

…

Inside the bar, Dai Jun was sitting at a table wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded jeans—his “poor but charming” look. It was the same outfit he had worn the first time he met Tang Ruan. She had complimented his style, saying it made him look like a college student.

A few people approached him to chat, but he brushed them off.

“Hey, Dai Jun, are you meeting that rich young lady today?”

Dai Jun swirled the drink in his glass, took a sip, and replied, “What do you think?”

A friend chuckled and teased, “Not bad, not bad. Is the young lady hard to handle?”

Dai Jun didn’t respond.

The people in the bar were no strangers to such insinuations. His silence only added fuel to the laughter of the surrounding men, whose chuckles carried a sleazy undertone.

Dai Jun, with his soft, boyish looks, smiled faintly at his friends. Knowing Tang Ruan’s habit of being late, he figured she wouldn’t have arrived yet, so he humored the banter.

“Not at all. She’s just a little bunny.”

“And how does she taste?”

Dai Jun paused before answering with a smirk, “Pretty good.”

One man speculated, “I bet it is. That young lady’s skin is flawless. It must feel incredible to touch.” He threw Dai Jun a knowing look, clearly intending to continue the crude conversation, but suddenly, a bottle flew through the air and hit him squarely on the head.

“Ah, damn it! Who’s the blind bastard who threw that?!”

He clutched his head and turned toward the direction the bottle had come from.

Tang Ruan stood there, her gaze cold and her head slightly lowered. She glanced at the bottle that had rolled back to her feet, then raised her eyes to glare at the group.

Dai Jun’s expression stiffened as he noticed her. A moment later, he forced a smile and walked toward her. “Ruan Ruan, you’re here.”

He gestured toward his friends, speaking in a gentle tone, “They were just joking. Don’t take it to heart.”

He wasn’t sure how much Tang Ruan had overheard. Based on her personality, if she had caught the earlier parts of his conversation, she wouldn’t have kept quiet for so long without reacting. So, Dai Jun assumed she had only heard the last part.

Tang Ruan dodged Dai Jun’s outstretched hand and stepped back. “Is that so?”

She smiled faintly. The peach blossom makeup on her face shimmered under the bar’s lighting, making her look stunningly radiant. She was so captivating that several men nearby couldn’t take their eyes off her.

“Of course! I can explain,” Dai Jun said, reaching out, trying to pull her into a hug.

But Tang Ruan took another step back and glanced at him with a sly smile. “No need.” She paused, her smile deepening. “I didn’t come here to listen to your explanations today.”

“Then…?” Dai Jun’s face lit up, and he eagerly stepped closer, grabbing her hand. “Is it about that thing we discussed? Did it work out?”

The moment Dai Jun’s hand touched hers, Tang Ruan instinctively took a step back and called out sweetly, “Husband, someone’s harassing me!”

Ji Jing: “…”

He froze mid-step, then quickly composed himself. Playing along with Tang Ruan’s act, he strode over, yanked Dai Jun’s hand off her, and pulled her into his arms. With a cold, menacing glare, he asked through gritted teeth, “Where did he touch you?”

Tang Ruan slumped weakly into Ji Jing’s arms, forcing out a few tears to appear particularly heartbroken and aggrieved. “My hand,” she sobbed.

“Which hand did he touch?”

…?

Ji Jing’s tone was calm and unhurried. “Cut it off.”

Author’s note:
Tang Ruan: I just wanted you to play the role of a domineering CEO, but what kind of ridiculous character are you acting as?
Ji Jing: Never done this before. This is how they act on TV.
Dai Jun: …?