Chapter 32

As soon as the words left her mouth, both of them froze.

Tang Ruan hadn’t expected herself to say something like that so easily, while Ji Jing… well, he hadn’t expected it from her either.

When it came to relationships, Tang Ruan wasn’t entirely clueless. Though she’d never been in one before, she had read plenty of novels and seen friends fall in and out of love. Even if she hadn’t tasted the pork, she had definitely seen the pig run. Ji Jing’s recent behavior hadn’t escaped her notice—it was just that she chose not to overthink it.

She didn’t believe Ji Jing liked her romantically, but at the very least… there was a hint of possessiveness.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have acted this way—getting upset over her chatting with a few guys and tagging along to watch Ji Ling’s sports day. Ji Ling had even teased her, saying her brother was overly protective of her.

When Tang Ruan thought about it during her nap that afternoon, she wasn’t sure if Ji Jing was protective of her, but she definitely knew when he was upset. Whether it was jealousy or simply possessiveness, she couldn’t quite tell.

But just now… the question had slipped out of her mouth so effortlessly. Oddly enough, she felt a sense of relief. If Ji Jing denied it, that was fine—she wouldn’t dwell on it and things could continue as they were.

What she hadn’t considered, however, was the possibility of Ji Jing admitting it.

Deep down, Tang Ruan instinctively believed that Ji Jing wouldn’t confess to anything. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she just felt that he wasn’t the type of man to admit something like that.

…

The car fell into a brief silence until the honk of another vehicle jolted Ji Jing back to reality. He drove off, staying silent for quite some time.

Tang Ruan smiled lightly and said, “Husband, I was just joking—why are you taking it so seriously?”

Ji Jing glanced at her, his voice low and hoarse. “Joking?”

“Yeah.” Tang Ruan blinked, turning to look out the window. “It was just a joke. How could you possibly be jealous?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Ji Jing let out a faint chuckle and countered, “Really?”

Tang Ruan pressed her lips together, nodded, and—quite cleverly—changed the subject. “I’m going to take a nap. If you get tired, wake me up, okay?”

Ji Jing cast her a quiet glance but didn’t call her out on her little evasive trick.

Tang Ruan had only meant to pretend to sleep, but before she knew it, she had genuinely dozed off. By the time she woke up, they were already home.

–

The moonlight was soft, and the surroundings were tranquil.

Streetlights cast their glow as the brightly lit house welcomed them. It was already late when they had left Ji Ling’s school, so by the time they arrived home, it was past 7 PM.

As soon as the car stopped, Tang Ruan stirred awake. She unbuckled her seatbelt and handed Ji Jing the jacket draped over her. “Thanks,” she said softly.

Ji Jing took it and replied in a low voice, “Go inside first.”

“Okay.”

Once inside, they found that Butler Li had prepared dinner and was waiting for their return.

“Young Master, Young Madam, you’re back!”

Tang Ruan smiled faintly and said, “Thank you, Butler Li. I’m starving.”

“Then sit down and eat while it’s still hot. I timed it perfectly,” Butler Li said warmly.

Butler Li couldn’t have been happier seeing the young couple together—loving, harmonious, and enjoying the food he had prepared.

Tang Ruan didn’t stand on ceremony, smiling as she said, “I’ll wash my hands and be right back.”

“Alright.”

Butler Li’s culinary skills were exceptional. Having worked for the Ji family for so many years, he knew their tastes inside and out.

Tang Ruan was genuinely hungry. She hadn’t eaten much at lunch, and hours had passed since then. She focused on her meal, completely ignoring Ji Jing across from her.

After dinner, Tang Ruan thanked Butler Li before sneaking back to her room, just barely avoiding Ji Jing. Only when she was inside her room did she finally feel a bit more at ease.

Sitting on her bed, Tang Ruan scratched her head, feeling an inexplicable sense of restlessness she couldn’t quite put into words.

After sitting there for a while, she decided to distract herself by playing on her phone.

Just as she pulled it out, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Ji Jing’s voice.

“Tang Ruan.”

Tang Ruan tightened her grip on her phone and hesitated. “Do you need something?”

“Open the door.”

Tang Ruan hesitated further. “Tell me what you need first.”

Ji Jing chuckled lightly and reminded her, “All the rooms in the house have spare keys.”

No response came from inside.

Ji Jing let out a faint laugh and said quietly, “The spare keys are all kept…” Before he could finish, the door swung open to reveal Tang Ruan’s annoyed face. She glared at him. “Were you seriously about to get the spare key to open my door? That’s outrageous! This is a woman’s room—you can’t just barge in, you know!”

Ji Jing smiled, his lips curling slightly. “Oh, is that so?”

“Yes!”

Ji Jing nodded thoughtfully, as if acknowledging her point. “If it were another woman’s room, you’re right—I shouldn’t go in. But what if it’s my wife’s room?”

Tang Ruan was speechless.

She faltered for a moment before forcing herself to respond, “Even if it’s your wife’s room, you still can’t just walk in.”

Ji Jing stared at her steadily for a few seconds. Just as Tang Ruan thought he was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her outside.

“Fine. Then let’s go to my room,” he said.

…?

…??

–

Standing in Ji Jing’s room, Tang Ruan was still in a daze.

How had she ended up here? Why had she gone along with it so obediently? It wasn’t like she couldn’t resist—surely Ji Jing wouldn’t actually force her.

Tang Ruan glanced around the room, feeling a bit stunned. This was her first time in Ji Jing’s room. Despite being married for so long, they had always stayed out of each other’s personal spaces. This was the first time she had ever stepped inside.

Ji Jing’s room wasn’t as minimalistic as Tang Ruan had imagined. Perhaps it was because this was meant to be their marital home—it exuded a surprisingly warm and lived-in vibe. She turned her head to glance at the bookshelf on one side. There were so many books in this house; she couldn’t help but wonder if Ji Jing had actually read them all.

After observing the room for a while, she turned to Ji Jing and asked, “Why did you drag me in here?”

Ji Jing raised an eyebrow, his tone laden with implication. “What do you think?”

Tang Ruan was speechless.

Hearing his ambiguous response, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. “How would I know?”

She pushed against the “wall of steel” before her and clicked her tongue. “If you have something to say, just say it. I need to go back and take a shower.”

After an entire day out, her skin felt sticky and uncomfortable.

Her expression was one of pure impatience. Ji Jing’s gaze lingered on her, intense and unrelenting, for a moment before he suddenly smiled. That smile sent a chill down Tang Ruan’s spine—it felt strange and unsettling.

“What are you smiling at?” she asked, her voice tinged with unease.

“You.”

Tang Ruan rolled her eyes dramatically and tried to push past him. “Ji Jing, can you move? I really need to go back and shower.”

But Ji Jing didn’t budge.

Tang Ruan pondered for a moment and decided to switch tactics. Softening her tone, she blinked her eyes, which were suddenly filled with a watery vulnerability, and looked up at him with a pitiful expression. “Husband, I really want to take a shower.”

Her voice was deliberately soft and sweet, a tone she reserved for coaxing people. Ji Jing’s gaze darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed, and he leaned in closer to her.

“Tang Ruan,” he said in a low voice.

“Yes?”

Without hesitation, Ji Jing closed the remaining distance between them. At such proximity, she could make out the fine hairs on his face. For a brief moment, Tang Ruan found herself marveling at how flawless his skin was.

Then, a warm breath brushed against her face, tickling slightly. Startled, Tang Ruan instinctively tried to turn her head, only for Ji Jing to catch her chin and hold her in place. His voice, laced with amusement, reached her ear. “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not!” Tang Ruan denied quickly, though her actions moments earlier had betrayed her.

She widened her eyes at him. “Why are you getting so close to me?”

Ji Jing paused, a word lingering on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back and changed the subject instead. “You were right.”

“Right about what?” she asked, caught off guard.

“Am I still mad?”

Tang Ruan pursed her lips and stared at him for a moment before saying, “No.”

In truth, she didn’t think it was a matter of anger. Whether or not Ji Jing admitted his jealousy, she didn’t feel she had a valid reason to be upset. But she couldn’t shake off this strange feeling that had taken root within her—an emotion she couldn’t quite name.

She had always been firm in her desire to divorce Ji Jing, but now… she was starting to waver.

It wasn’t that her determination had completely vanished; it was just that the idea of continuing this marriage didn’t seem so bad anymore. Ji Jing was an exceptional man, after all. Beyond his accomplishments, there was an undeniable charm about him. Even someone as resolute as Tang Ruan, who had been so adamant about the divorce, was beginning to falter.

Still—

Her hesitation didn’t change the fact that she couldn’t live her life with a man who didn’t love her.

For now, everything was fine. But what about the future? Was she truly willing to spend the rest of her life in a relationship like this?

She didn’t know.

–

Ji Jing reached out and pinched her nose, his gesture both intimate and teasing.

“Are you sure you’re not mad?”

Tang Ruan, growing impatient with the repeated questioning, stomped on Ji Jing’s foot in frustration. “Why are you so annoying? I said I’m not mad!”

Ji Jing hummed in acknowledgment, furrowing his brows slightly. “But I am.”

“What are you mad about?”

The moment the words left her mouth, realization dawned on her. She froze, staring at Ji Jing in disbelief. “You’re mad?”

Ji Jing shot her a pointed look, silently urging her to figure it out for herself.

Tang Ruan blinked in confusion before exclaiming, “Wait, why are you mad?”

She should have been the one upset—or maybe not, since she didn’t feel she had much reason to be angry. But Ji Jing being mad over something as trivial as her talking to a boy? That seemed utterly ridiculous to her.

She stared at him, utterly perplexed.

Ji Jing chuckled, his voice tinged with sarcasm as he pinched her earlobe. “Who’s your husband?”

“You are.”

“And what did you do today?”

Tang Ruan fell silent.

She wasn’t stupid. She immediately understood the source of Ji Jing’s irritation. A sly smile spread across her face, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Oh, you’re mad about me talking to a guy? Or is it because I said you like to act all aloof and mysterious?”

Tang Ruan chattered on without pause. “I wasn’t wrong, though. You do love to act deep and serious. You’re only thirty, yet you act like some fifty-year-old man…” She rambled on. “Besides, your mood swings are so unpredictable, like you’re going through a midlife crisis or something.”

Ji Jing let her prattle on without interruption. Her voice filled the room, alternating between complaints and accusations.

After a few minutes, Tang Ruan finally ran out of steam. Looking at Ji Jing, she asked sincerely, “I wasn’t wrong, was I?”

Ji Jing paused, seriously considering her words before responding in a low voice. “You think I’m going through a midlife crisis?”

Tang Ruan made a soft sound of acknowledgment and, seeing his expression, blinked and nodded cautiously. “Maybe just a little? What do you think?”

Her response made Ji Jing laugh in exasperation.

He gave her a perfunctory smile before asking, “Do you remember what you said to me a few months ago?”

“What?”

“You said you wanted us to take things as they come and go with the flow.”

Tang Ruan nodded, unsure why he suddenly brought up this topic.

“I remember… yeah,” she said. After all, it was her own words, so naturally, she remembered.

“What’s the first step to harmonious coexistence between husband and wife?”

Tang Ruan was momentarily stunned but answered honestly, “Not quarreling?”

“And the second step?”

“Not fighting?”

Ji Jing: “…And the third step?”

Tang Ruan shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Seeing the man approaching her, she instinctively backed away. “Hey, can you not get so close to me?”

Tang Ruan looked up at him, threatening, “If you get any closer, I’m going to call for help.”

Ji Jing laughed. “Call who?”

“Call… harassment!” Tang Ruan glared at him, though her tone betrayed her unease. “Ji Jing, if you have something to say, just say it properly. Don’t… mmph.”

Before she could finish, Ji Jing leaned down and kissed her.