Chapter 36

As the elevator doors closed behind them, Tang Ruan finally let out a laugh, unable to hold it in any longer.

Ji Jing squeezed her hand, glancing down. “Happy now?”

Tang Ruan grinned. “Happy? What do you mean? I didn’t say anything wrong just now, did I?”

Ji Jing pinched her cheek gently. “Nope.”

“Exactly.” She giggled uncontrollably.

When she finally composed herself, she gave him a sidelong glance. “Do you think your employees think their boss married a crazy woman?”

Ji Jing chuckled, patting her head. “No, they don’t.”

Tang Ruan reflected on her behavior. Okay, maybe she had been a little over the top, but at least Ji Jing didn’t seem to mind. When she chose to act dramatic, she could really go all out. And when it came to being coy, it felt as though she was born knowing how to do it.

She had never used it before because she’d never had someone to indulge in such behavior with. But now, with Ji Jing, it came naturally.

With life experience came a little more wisdom, making her just a bit more mature than others in certain matters.

“Now that I think about it,” she laughed, “I really did look like a lunatic back there.”

Ji Jing said nothing, unable to deny it as he stood beside his very own “lunatic” wife.

When they had first married, he hadn’t been used to her sudden playfulness. But now, he found it delightful.

When you truly like someone, everything they do feels endearing. That saying had never felt truer.

–

By the time they reached his office, it was lunch break.

Ning Ming, seeing his boss accompanied by his wife, resigned himself to a lonely meal with the other assistants in the cafeteria.

Inside, Tang Ruan looked at Ji Jing. “Are you hungry?”

Ji Jing raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Do you want to eat lunch?”

He paused thoughtfully, then shook his head on purpose. “Not particularly hungry.”

Tang Ruan frowned and quickly hid the insulated lunch box behind her back. “Really? Then how about skipping lunch today?”

Ji Jing let out a helpless chuckle and looked up at her. “What do you need help with?”

“There is something.”

Tang Ruan answered honestly, “A small favor—could you gather some information for me? Just a little inquiry; nothing more is needed.”

All she needed was confirmation on whether An Xun would be working as the makeup consultant for that drama. Whether or not she could secure the role herself was a matter of personal effort, and she preferred to rely on her own ability rather than others.

While she wasn’t exceptionally skilled, she had her pride and was willing to work hard for opportunities.

Ji Jing listened and nodded slightly. “Go ahead.”

“Do you know An Xun?”

“Not familiar.”

Tang Ruan replied, “But Gu Tian definitely does.”

Ji Jing raised a brow. “Why’s that?”

The drama Great Tang was being financed by a media company under Gu Tian’s control. Even if Gu Tian wasn’t personally involved, he could easily find out. Tang Ruan felt awkward about asking Gu Tian herself, so she wanted Ji Jing to handle it. After hearing Cheng Mushi mention the project, she had looked it up and learned that Great Tang was indeed under preparation, with a hefty investment from Gu Tian’s company. Given the significance of the project, the boss would be aware of its details.

After hearing her reasoning, Ji Jing nodded. “I’ll ask him for you.”

“Great!”

Tang Ruan grinned and opened the lunch box. “Try my cooking. What do you think?”

“So if I didn’t help, you wouldn’t let me eat?”

“Of course not!” Tang Ruan pouted playfully. “It’s just better to handle business before lunch, don’t you think?”

Ji Jing smirked silently, fully aware of his wife’s playful tricks.

–

Ji Jing had already realized from a previous meal that Tang Ruan was a decent cook, but he was still surprised by the quality of the dishes she prepared today.

“So much food?”

“It’s not that much.” Tang Ruan looked up. “What kind of luxury do you have at home?”

Their household did tend to be wasteful—common in wealthy families—but Tang Ruan often felt it was excessive. Many people in the world still struggled with basic necessities, while they lived surrounded by abundance.

Having grown up with hardships, she was keenly aware of others’ suffering.

She didn’t expect to become a charitable savior, but at least she could avoid unnecessary waste. At home, for instance, it was just the two of them, so she believed three dishes and a soup were enough. Yet the butler, Li, always prepared a lavish spread, most of which went untouched and ultimately discarded.

Tang Ruan had always aspired to a wealthy lifestyle, but not one filled with mindless waste.

Ji Jing, having been raised in luxury, had never given it much thought.

He paused, eyes flashing with surprise, and asked, “You think it’s wasteful?”

“A little.” Tang Ruan admitted. “Even when I buy makeup, I feel it’s a bit much. It’d be hypocritical to criticize you for wasting when I’m guilty of it too. Honestly, we’re both a bit wasteful.”

She laughed. “Maybe we could ask the butler to cut down on the dinner spread. What do you think? He and Xiao Lan work hard enough as it is.”

Ji Jing nodded. “We’ll do it your way.”

“How’s the food?”

“Very good.”

Tang Ruan chuckled. “You’re exaggerating. It’s just average home-cooking.”

Ji Jing thought for a moment before replying, “No one’s cooking can compare to my wife’s.”

“You’re flattering me too much because you’re biased!”

Though she knew he was teasing to make her smile, the praise still delighted her. That’s how it is for most women—whether the compliment is sincere or wrapped in a bit of bias, it’s always nice to hear.

–

After lunch, with no urgent matters to attend to, Tang Ruan had no plans to leave right away.

She grabbed a book from Ji Jing’s office shelves and settled in to read for a bit before resting.

“Hey, Tang Ruan.”

“Hmm?”

“Want to go out for a bit?”

She looked at him curiously. “Right now?”

“Not exactly.” He came over and sat beside her. “There’s an event in the neighboring city, which happens to be a tourist destination. Interested in spending a couple of days there?”

Tang Ruan blinked, surprised. “When?”

“Tonight.”

She laughed. “So you already made the decision and now you’re asking me?”

Ji Jing touched his nose, slightly sheepish. “I figured you’d say yes.”

“Then let’s go!”

Tang Ruan had been feeling cooped up at home for months, and the idea of visiting a new place sounded exciting.

She shot him a teasing glance as she agreed.

…

By the afternoon, both of them were busy. Tang Ruan dozed off on the office sofa with a book in her hands. When she woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket, but Ji Jing was nowhere in sight.

She lay there for a while, figuring he had gone to handle some work, and didn’t feel in any rush to get up.

Tang Ruan glanced at her phone; it was already 3 p.m.

There were several new messages on WeChat. She tapped to open them—it was Gu Tian.

Gu Tian: [Sister-in-law, are you asking about An Xun? Yes, she’ll be working as the makeup director for Tang Dynasty. She’ll be the lead makeup artist, but this was just confirmed recently and hasn’t been made public yet.]

Tang Ruan immediately responded, full of excitement:
Tang Ruan: [Really? When does Tang Dynasty start filming?]

Gu Tian: [Probably in about a month. They haven’t finalized the cast yet.]

Gu Tian: [Are you planning to enter the entertainment industry?]

Tang Ruan: [No, I just really like An Xun and want her autograph or something.]

Gu Tian: [… Are you sure?]

Tang Ruan grinned as she typed.
Tang Ruan: [By the way, does your Tang Dynasty crew still need makeup artists?]

Gu Tian: [I’d need to check. I’m not too clear on that.]

After a short chat, Gu Tian got back to her with a precise answer: they were indeed short on makeup artists—two, in fact. An Xun wanted to personally mentor a couple of fresh faces. Many established makeup artists, confident in their own fame, didn’t want to work under her, so An Xun preferred to find new talent she could train from scratch to ensure the best makeup quality for the production.

–

When Ji Jing returned from his meeting, he found Tang Ruan glowing with happiness.

“Husband!”

Ji Jing blinked. “… What’s the matter?”

Tang Ruan beamed as she got up from the sofa and walked toward him. “Thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow, quickly catching on. “Gu Tian contacted you?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Problem solved?”

“Yep.” Tang Ruan grinned playfully and exaggerated, “You’re amazing! Such hard work.”

Ji Jing chuckled, pinching her cheek, his voice dropping teasingly, “Well then, don’t you think I deserve a proper thank-you?”

Tang Ruan blinked. “And what kind of thank-you do you have in mind?”

Ji Jing didn’t answer right away. He simply looked at her mouth, his gaze so pointed that she couldn’t possibly ignore the obvious hint.

She coughed and gave him a sidelong glance, feigning exasperation. “Don’t you think you’re being a bit much?”

“Am I?” He leaned in closer, his breath brushing her ear as his nose gently nuzzled her reddened earlobe. Then he nipped it lightly, his voice husky. “How exactly?”

Tang Ruan pushed him gently. “You call this courting? Who demands benefits while wooing someone?”

It didn’t feel much like he was pursuing her at all—they seemed more like a regular couple, always hugging and kissing, and he even asked for ‘benefits’ just for doing a favor. The thought alone made her blush.

Ji Jing chuckled softly, tilting his head to look at her. “You don’t like it?”

Tang Ruan: “…”

She did like it—more than a little—but he was pushing his luck.

“You’re being a bit presumptuous.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” Tang Ruan said seriously, but despite her words, she obediently wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “There. Thank you.”

“Wrong spot.” Ji Jing scooped her up effortlessly and held her close.

Tang Ruan, exasperated, glared at him. “Don’t overdo it!”

Laughing, Ji Jing cupped her chin and kissed her thoroughly before setting her down and returning to his desk to resume working.

Tang Ruan stood by the door, her face flushed. She reached up to pinch her burning earlobe, feeling flustered.