Chapter 39

Tang Ruan: “…”

She couldn’t help but chuckle, bringing the bouquet to her nose and inhaling. “It smells really nice.”

The flowers were still fresh, with delicate droplets of water glistening on the petals, swaying slightly with every movement, as though if she weren’t careful, the droplets might fall and splash.

Each petal was perfectly opened, and every flower seemed to have been carefully selected.

Tang Ruan didn’t need to count the flowers to know how many there were. Though Ji Jing was usually indifferent, he seemed to know quite a bit about this kind of thing. Many men, in fact, weren’t incapable of such gestures; they simply didn’t care enough when it came to someone outside their circle.

She kept admiring the flowers, which seemed to bother Ji Jing a bit.

“Are the flowers really that beautiful?”

Tang Ruan blinked, then looked at him in surprise. “Do you want me to look at you instead?”

“Not that it’s impossible.”

Tang Ruan smiled, glancing around. She lowered her voice and murmured, “Everyone is staring at us. Why did you buy flowers now? Was this prearranged?”

Ji Jing nodded. “I arranged it earlier. They were delivered here.”

The flowers hadn’t come from a local flower shop—this area didn’t have such fresh, beautiful flowers. Ji Jing had made arrangements beforehand, and only just now did he leave to retrieve them after receiving a call.

Tang Ruan was taken aback. She hadn’t expected it to be this thoughtful.

She smiled, a small curve forming on her lips. “Thank you.”

Ji Jing glanced at her and handed her something from the table. “Eat something first, we’ll go for a walk later.”

“Okay.”

–

The city was still under development, so there were many natural scenic spots. But with the onset of early winter, the scenery had become a bit barren, and fewer things caught the eye.

Still, every season had its own charm and beauty.

Instead of heading out to the famous outskirts, Tang Ruan and Ji Jing wandered around the city center, visiting a couple of landmarks. By the time evening arrived, they hadn’t yet returned home.

At night, the wind began to pick up. The temperature here was much lower than in Beicheng, and the cold breeze made Tang Ruan shiver. Ji Jing took off his coat and draped it over her.

“What about you?” Tang Ruan protested. “You keep it on.”

Under his coat, Ji Jing only wore a white shirt, the same one from the morning. Originally, he had been in a suit, but since they were out for a walk, it felt too formal. Tang Ruan had picked out a simple, black coat for him, which suited his tall frame and refined aura perfectly.

It turned out Tang Ruan had a good eye—over the course of the day, many people had glanced at Ji Jing.

Ji Jing gently held her hand, then draped the coat over her shoulders, half-squatting in front of her to fasten each button, his voice low. “I’m fine.”

Tang Ruan: “…”

She glanced around, slightly distracted, and suggested, “How about we buy you a jacket?”

Ji Jing chuckled and looked at her. “You want to buy one?”

Tang Ruan nodded. “Just a jacket. I don’t want you catching a cold. If you get sick, it might affect your work, and I’d feel responsible.”

Ji Jing patted her head affectionately, then ruffled her hair. “No need to buy anything. We’ll get you something when we go back. You wouldn’t like anything here anyway.”

The stores around them were small and didn’t carry much variety, with the nearest mall quite far away. By the time they went back, most stores would likely be closing.

Tang Ruan lowered her gaze for a moment, watching the man in front of her. She was momentarily lost in thought. If this had been any other time, she would never have imagined that Ji Jing would be the kind of person he was now. The sudden shift in his behavior left her feeling both surprised and unprepared.

Yet, despite her discomfort, this was the real Ji Jing.

She sighed softly, still unwilling to buy a jacket.

“You only have one, what if you catch a cold?”

“I won’t,” Ji Jing squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’m a man.”

Tang Ruan: “…”

She almost choked on her words, then retorted, “Men can catch colds too.”

Ji Jing: “…”

“What else do you want to eat?”

“Let’s just order takeout when we get back to the hotel. I’m not hungry.”

She had wanted to shop around, but now wasn’t the right time for that. Tang Ruan insisted on returning to the hotel, and Ji Jing, though not eager to stop her, couldn’t argue either, especially since it was getting late, and resting in the hotel was perfectly fine.

The two of them took a taxi back to the hotel and ordered takeout.

Normally, Ji Jing wouldn’t have eaten barbecue or any late-night snacks at this hour, but since Tang Ruan enjoyed it, he decided to go along with it.

–

Ji Jing glanced at Tang Ruan, who was happily eating, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

Tang Ruan lifted her head and met his gaze. She froze for a moment, chewing her food before asking, “Why are you staring at me?”

Ji Jing shook his head and handed her a glass of water. “Nothing. Just watching you eat.”

Tang Ruan nodded, then lowered her head to continue eating.

She felt… that Ji Jing must have noticed the changes in her, but he hadn’t asked about them. Tang Ruan thought about how bizarre it would sound to explain the whole “book transmigration” thing, and figured no one would believe her. So, she had no intention of telling him—certainly not now.

Besides, she suspected that Ji Jing wouldn’t ask. His manners were evident in many ways. He respected people’s privacy and thoughts, even when it came to his own wife. She could have her secrets, and he would respect them. This was one of the things Tang Ruan understood about him.

After finishing their late-night snack, they tidied up the room and opened the windows to let in some fresh air. Thankfully, they had eaten in the living room, so the smell wasn’t too strong inside the bedroom.

After eating and drinking her fill, Tang Ruan felt like doing nothing but sleeping. She thought she had become lazier recently. Ever since coming here a few months ago, her life had been anything but busy, and now she couldn’t help but grow idle. All she wanted was to lie on the couch and not move a muscle.

Ji Jing came out of the shower to find her still lounging on the sofa.

“Wife.”

Tang Ruan half-opened her eyes and replied lazily, “What is it?”

“Tired?” Ji Jing reached over, half-lifting her into a seated position.

Tang Ruan nodded, rubbing her temples. “A little.” She stood up and said, “I’ll go shower and then sleep.”

“Alright.”

That night, the two of them finished their evening routines early and went to bed, preparing for a trip to the outskirts the next day.

…

Tang Ruan and Ji Jing spent two days in a neighboring city before returning to Beicheng on the morning of the third day.

Ji Jing’s work was incredibly demanding, and it was already a rare treat for him to take two days off to accompany her.

Back home, Ji Jing immersed himself in his work while Tang Ruan returned to creating makeup videos. She had a pile of materials that Cheng Mushi had given her, detailing the requirements for makeup artist interviews. Tang Ruan had even consulted Gu Tian to gather additional information, though she didn’t mention that she was preparing for an interview with An Xun. She simply said a friend was interested.

Fortunately, Gu Tian didn’t fall into the usual trap of assuming “my friend” actually meant “me” and provided detailed and useful information.

Later that day, Cheng Mushi came over after finishing her minor role in a production. The two of them huddled in the attic, chatting while doing makeup. Cheng Mushi couldn’t contain her curiosity. “Are you really planning to interview with An Xun?”

While applying makeup with a small brush, Tang Ruan replied, “I want to try, but I’m not sure if I’ll pass. I don’t have much expertise in ancient-style makeup, so I’m worried I won’t make it.”

Cheng Mushi sighed, keeping her eyes closed as Tang Ruan applied eyeshadow. She spoke softly, “An Xun does have high standards. This time, she’s personally conducting the interviews, so you’ll have to put on an impressive display in front of her. I heard from some friends in the industry that many people dream of becoming her apprentice. Even if they don’t get to be her student, just working under her for a single drama would give them instant recognition.”

An Xun was that influential. Her name was known to almost every director and producer. In television and film, makeup played a crucial role, and in historical dramas, the attention to detail was even more demanding. Audiences appreciated perfection, and directors couldn’t afford mistakes in these areas. An Xun, with her deep research into makeup styles across various dynasties, was the go-to expert.

Anyone who trained under her would find themselves in high demand across over 90% of production crews, often earning competitive salaries.

An Xun’s name alone was a brand.

Tang Ruan finished the first layer of eyeshadow and moved on to the second, paying extra attention to the corners of the eyes to ensure a smooth, polished look. She replied casually, “I’ll give it a try. Even if it’s difficult, I want to see what happens. What if I succeed?”

She smiled and added, “The most important thing is to pursue what you want. If I don’t make it despite trying my best, it just means I’m not skilled or hardworking enough. I’ll improve and try again next time.”

Tang Ruan had always been optimistic, not one to fret unnecessarily.

She believed that if you truly wanted to accomplish something, you had to put in the effort. If you failed the first time, there was always a second chance. As long as you stayed persistent and on the right path, success would eventually follow.

Cheng Mushi nodded. “I support you. You’ll need to bring a model to the interview, though.”

“Why not you?”

Tang Ruan grinned. “What do you think?”

Cheng Mushi burst into laughter. “If I’m not shooting anything, sure. But if I’m busy, you’ll need a backup model.”

Tang Ruan nodded, understanding. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

“Good. If you’re stuck, I’ll introduce you to someone.”

“Sounds great.”

Their conversation soon drifted to other topics.

–

Tang Ruan gave Cheng Mushi a traditional makeup look she had recently learned. It was a delicate and elegant style, complete with a new eyebrow shape—slightly curved at the head and tail, resembling a crescent moon. The overall look was light and subtle, unnoticeable from a distance but refined and graceful up close.

It was a technique Tang Ruan had picked up from watching historical dramas.

“What do you think?”

Cheng Mushi examined herself in the mirror, her eyes filled with approval. “Not bad at all! You always say you’re not great at this, but based on my experience with historical dramas, this is definitely up to standard.”

Tang Ruan chuckled, not overly swayed by the praise.

“I’ll keep working on it. It still doesn’t feel perfect.”

“How would you rate yourself?”

“Out of ten?”

“Yes.”

Tang Ruan considered for a moment, stroking her chin. “Six.”

Cheng Mushi: “…”

She finally understood why Tang Ruan hadn’t stopped improving—her self-expectations were too high. When you set such a high bar, you naturally pushed yourself to achieve more.

“I’m amazed. I think this deserves at least a nine.”

“Generosity points?”

The two bantered back and forth, the attic filled with laughter and good spirits.

Amid their chatter, Butler Li entered.

Tang Ruan was surprised and looked at him. “What is it?”

In a low voice, Butler Li said, “Young Madam, there’s a guest here to see you.”

Tang Ruan was completely baffled. Since moving in, the only visitors to the house had been the elder and Ji Ling. Other than that, no one else from the Ji family had come, let alone any random guests. This space was essentially a private sanctuary for her and Ji Jing, rarely disturbed by others.

She froze for a moment before hurriedly asking, “A relative?”

The butler thought for a moment, then lowered his voice to clarify, “No, it’s a woman.”

Tang Ruan: “…”

Her brows arched instinctively. “One of Ji Jing’s flings?”

Butler Li choked at her bluntness, clearly at a loss for how to respond. After a pause, he carefully replied, “More like a rival in love for you, Madam. But rest assured, our young master only has you in his heart.”