After her bath, Tan Qingya received a complete file on a certain Little Pitiful—one that covered everything from birth to the present.
Zhou Jianghao, this Little Pitiful, didn’t come from a great family. Yet she had a bold mother who knew how to leverage favors. Sure, it was annoying, but marrying into the Tan Family would catapult her from rags to riches.
The Old Madam placed far too much stock in appearances. She certainly didn’t want whispers from some dark corner accusing the Tan Family of ingratitude. Besides, she had a favorable view of Zhou Jianghao, who had been raised in the Tan household since childhood. Marrying into the family wasn’t such a stretch.
It just so happened that Tan Qingya had returned to the country, so the Old Madam handed the matter over to her.
Reflecting on the Tan Family juniors’ attitudes toward Zhou Jianghao earlier that day, Tan Qingya let out a sigh.
They had likely heard the rumors and gone to lash out at her in retaliation. Forcing these two together in marriage would probably just breed a pair of bitter spouses.
No wonder the Old Madam had dumped this hot potato in her lap.
Tan Qingya gazed at the file with some distraction.
She had to admit, Zhou Jianghao was genuinely stunning. From childhood onward, there wasn’t a single phase of her life where she hadn’t been beautiful.
Without thinking, Tan Qingya raised her hand. Her fingertip trailed across the screen, over the stern face of Zhou Jianghao staring into the camera.
Why had this girl always pulled such a serious expression, even as a child?
She looked just like a little grown-up.
It was her elementary school graduation photo.
Zhou Jianghao wore a faded, threadbare uniform. Her face still held that childish innocence, but her eyes were strikingly clear and pure as she gazed straight into the lens. It was utterly adorable.
Scrolling further, the photos showed a change in her clothing. Now she sported the custom uniform of Duyang High School—exquisite and costly. Her features had shed some of their baby fat, gaining instead a melancholy that no girl her age should carry.
Yet her eyes remained as clear as ever.
Tan Qingya found herself lost, staring into those eyes.
This was the first student ID photo taken after her arrival in Duyang. The records from the prior twelve years were sparse, but from then on, the details grew more abundant.
It was clear that life in the Tan Family had transformed Zhou Jianghao’s once-simple existence into something far more intricate.
After a few moments of contemplation, she deleted the file.
The only way to truly understand someone was to hear it straight from them.
But looking at it objectively, none of the Tan Family juniors seemed worthy of this girl. She was too pure—and from her behavior today, far too stubborn. Things wouldn’t stay peaceful in the Tan household for long.
Tan Qingya despised chaos.
She pondered for a long while.
Her fair, slender fingers curled slightly as she tapped idly on the desk. Her gaze drifted to Little Beauty, who was sprawled at her feet, dead to the world in sleep. Suddenly, Tan Qingya huffed a laugh tinged with exasperation.
“Silly Dog, look at the mess you’ve gotten me into.”
If not for searching for this Silly Dog, she never would have ventured into that storage room. She wouldn’t have crossed paths with the girl. She could have faked the marriage arrangements and washed her hands of it, letting the future sort itself out.
But now, Zhou Jianghao’s face kept surfacing in her mind—those beautiful eyes, that stubborn yet helpless expression. An inexplicable sense of responsibility welled up inside her, refusing to let her brush the matter aside.
What a headache.
Agreeing to the Old Madam’s request had been a whim. But after meeting Zhou Jianghao, Tan Qingya was fully invested. The very next day, she had Little Wang drive her to the girl’s workplace.
The car pulled to a gentle stop.
Surveying the endless line snaking out the door, Tan Qingya couldn’t help frowning. Was this really where Zhou Jianghao worked? If memory served, the girl had excellent grades and attended the prestigious Duyang University. She should be graduating soon. Why wasn’t she job-hunting properly instead of slinging milk tea?
Her eyes fixed on the heavily bundled figure who was impossible to make out in the summer heat. Tan Qingya’s eyelid twitched.
“Is that Zhou Jianghao?”
“President Tan, the employee in the mask is indeed Miss Zhou,” Chen Chen replied, steeling herself against her boss’s icy aura.
After a pause, she rephrased carefully. “Should I contact the store owner to let Miss Zhou off early?”
“No need.”
With a sigh, Tan Qingya stepped out of the car.
She was dressed casually today—a simple halter top paired with wide-leg pants. It was the most approachable outfit in her wardrobe. Yet it did nothing to diminish her striking beauty and effortless poise.
The moment she emerged, heads turned.
Tan Qingya stood calmly at the tail end of the line.
The sun blazed overhead, its rays bouncing off her milky skin.
The luxury car slipped away silently, and the queue behind her swelled dramatically.
Emboldened, someone approached with an umbrella in hand. “Miss, could I get your autograph?”
Tan Qingya arched a brow. “I’m not a celebrity.”
The person’s eyes lit up even brighter. “Then… could I add you on WeChat?”
“No.”
Growing impatient, Tan Qingya shut it down crisply. Only then did she glance up and notice the line had ground to a halt. Everyone was craning their necks to stare at her. Some were even snapping photos.
“…”
Suspicion dawning, she peered toward the front. Sure enough, there was Zhou Jianghao, frowning right at her.
Tan Qingya went quiet.
Did she look like some kind of monster?
Why the grimace?
Since Zhou Jianghao had already spotted her, Tan Qingya left the line and strode to the counter. The girl had her head down, so she rapped on the surface to draw her gaze.
“Miss Zhou, do you have some time later?”
Before Zhou Jianghao could respond, someone shoved forward from behind, nodding vigorously on her behalf. “Absolutely! I’ll cover her shift!”
It was the store manager.
The same store manager who was usually sharp-tongued and miserly, now beaming with sycophantic smiles.
Zhou Jianghao hesitated.
She didn’t dare contradict the store manager. Pursing her lips, she said, “Please give me a moment.”
“Mm.” Tan Qingya nodded. “I’m in no rush.”
Zhou Jianghao didn’t dare believe that. She had no idea why Tan Qingya had shown up out of the blue, but she packed up her things at top speed, slung her bag over her shoulder, and stepped out of the milk tea shop.
“I’m not familiar with the area,” Tan Qingya said first, a smile playing on her lips. “Miss Zhou, could you recommend a spot for lunch?”
They had put some distance between themselves and the crowd. Zhou Jianghao harbored no illusions that a visit from the Tan Family could mean anything good. She stopped in her tracks and asked warily, “What do you want from me?”
Her eyes drifted to the other woman’s arm.
The bite mark had faded somewhat, but in its place sprawled a nasty, spreading bruise. It looked ghastly.
Zhou Jianghao’s face drained of what little color it had.
Her already pale complexion turned ashen—a change so stark that Tan Qingya couldn’t ignore it.
She really was like the Silly Dog back home.
Such a timid little thing.
After a moment’s thought, Tan Qingya chose her words carefully. “I wanted to ask which member of the Tan Family catches Miss Zhou’s eye.”
Zhou Jianghao blinked. “What?”
Seeing her genuine confusion, Tan Qingya softened her approach. “You haven’t heard? The Old Madam in my family is quite fond of you. Your mother holds the Tan Family in high regard as well. Both sides are considering a marriage alliance.”
Zhou Jianghao’s expression shifted. Unhurried, Tan Qingya continued, “The Tan Family has plenty of juniors around your age. Of course, if there’s someone else you prefer, feel free to say so. Anyone from the Tan Family—you can have your pick.”
