Zhou Jianghao let out a soft sigh of relief. “Okay.”
She felt undecided and inexperienced. She had no idea what the Old Madam might like, but with Tan Qingya’s help, she could relax a lot more.
At three in the afternoon, Tan Qingya sent someone to pick her up—the driver Little Wang, whom she’d met many times before. Little Wang wasn’t much of a talker, so the two of them sat in the car in silence.
The car finally pulled up in front of the Tan Corporation building.
Zhou Jianghao turned her head to gaze up at the towering skyscraper, then looked over at Little Wang. “Are we waiting in the car for President Tan?”
Little Wang looked utterly baffled. His only job was to pick her up and deliver her here.
Fortunately, Chen Chen appeared soon after, her face full of apology. “I’m so sorry, Madam. President Tan had to jump into a last-minute meeting. You’ll need to wait just a moment longer.”
The word “Madam” made Zhou Jianghao frown in discomfort, a flush of heat rising to her face.
“No problem.” She took a few seconds to compose herself and let out a gentle breath. “Then I’ll just wait in the car for her.”
“Oh, no, no—President Tan instructed me to take you up to her office first.” With that, Chen Chen opened the car door. “Please, right this way.”
The temperature had dropped today, and as soon as the door swung open, a gust of cold wind rushed inside. Zhou Jianghao suppressed a shiver and quietly followed Chen Chen toward the entrance.
This was the headquarters of Tan Corporation, a sprawling complex where the entire building was dedicated to offices. Sharply dressed professionals hurried about everywhere, making Zhou Jianghao—clad in her hoodie and straight-leg pants—feel conspicuously out of place.
It didn’t help that she was standing right next to President Tan’s secretary, Chen Chen.
Plenty of people were stealing glances at her.
Chen Chen was always at President Tan’s side, and plenty of folks wanted to win her favor. But no matter how they tried, she handled everything with cool professionalism. She seemed approachable on the surface, but there was a proud edge to her that kept her from bending easily. This was the first time anyone had seen her show such deference to someone other than President Tan.
The company’s private group chat lit up instantly:
—Who’s this? Some little miss from the Tan Family?
—OMG, canvas shoes? Not even designer, and they don’t look custom-made!
—Ugh, who gets it? She’s drop-dead gorgeous. Facecon heaven, slurp slurp!
—Newbie actress or something? Company collab?
…
The chat buzzed with excitement, but Zhou Jianghao’s heart was still pounding. Those stares felt far too intense, and she wasn’t used to it at all. It wasn’t until they stepped into the private elevator that the gazes were finally shut out.
She let out a quiet breath of relief.
“You weren’t too startled, were you, Madam?” Chen Chen turned to Zhou Jianghao, who had kept her head down the whole time. “It’s your first visit, so people are bound to be curious. If it bothers you, I can handle it—just say the word, and I guarantee it won’t happen again next time you come.”
The moment she heard Chen Chen offer to “handle it,” Zhou Jianghao shook her head at once. “No, really, it’s fine. I don’t mind.”
She was an office drone herself; there was no need to make life harder for her fellow workers. Besides, Tan Qingya drew every eye in any room she entered. As Tan Qingya’s wife, she would naturally attract attention too.
She had to get used to it.
She couldn’t hide behind Tan Qingya like a scared turtle forever.
“Understood.” Chen Chen nodded.
They rode up in silence all the way to the top floor. There were very few people up here, and the space was so quiet that their footsteps echoed faintly.
As they passed one particular door, Chen Chen paused and said to Zhou Jianghao, “This is President Tan’s conference room.”
Zhou Jianghao glanced over.
Nothing to see—the door was solid, and the soundproofing was excellent. Not a single noise leaked out.
At last, they reached Tan Qingya’s office. There was a secretary’s desk just outside, and a pretty woman was sitting there. The moment she spotted them, she stood up. “Hello, Madam.”
“This is Yana,” Chen Chen said by way of introduction.
“Hello.” Zhou Jianghao gave her a nod.
For some reason, she had the odd feeling that Yana was looking at her strangely. But before she could get a better read, Yana had already returned to her seat and started sorting through some documents.
“Yana’s on the shy side—doesn’t talk much. But she’s incredibly capable.” Chen Chen was still explaining as she led Zhou Jianghao into the office.
“Mm.” Zhou Jianghao nodded.
The office was huge, and the adjoining lounge was even bigger than her entire rental apartment—like something out of a luxury hotel, complete with a bathroom, a king-sized bed, and a walk-in closet.
There were even snacks laid out.
“You can relax in the lounge if you’d like.”
“Okay.”
Chen Chen left soon after, leaving Zhou Jianghao alone in the vast office. She didn’t head into the lounge; it felt too personal, and without Tan Qingya’s permission, she didn’t want to intrude.
She had stayed up late the night before and gotten up too early that morning, though. She hadn’t been on the sofa for long before drowsiness started to creep in.
Her eyelids fluttered in a half-hearted struggle before finally sticking shut.
When she woke, she was in a bed, blinking in confusion at the unfamiliar surroundings. It took her a good while to realize she was in the lounge.
She had distinctly fallen asleep in the outer office. How had she ended up here?
There was the sound of pages turning nearby.
She turned her head and saw Tan Qingya lounging on the sofa, reading through some documents. Her beautiful face was etched with focus. When Tan Qingya concentrated like this, she looked entirely different from the playful version who teased her—distant and coolly aloof, as if keeping the world at arm’s length. It was nothing like the warm sparkle in her dark eyes when she was in a teasing mood.
But both sides were equally captivating.
Zhou Jianghao found she couldn’t tear her gaze away.
Suddenly, Tan Qingya seemed to sense it. Before Zhou Jianghao could look away, their eyes met.
Tan Qingya reacted quickly, a smile blooming across her face. “Awake?”
The aloofness from moments ago felt like nothing more than an illusion.
Zhou Jianghao sat up, her ear tips burning red. “Sorry I fell asleep. Have you been waiting long?”
“No, the meeting just wrapped up.”
Tan Qingya drew closer, her gaze lingering on those flushed ear tips. Unable to resist any longer, she reached out and pinched one, savoring the warmth against her fingertips. She curved her lips into a smile, not holding back her affection in the slightest. “Why do they turn red so easily? It’s adorable.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the flush spread beyond her ears.
Seeing that tender, pale face turn bright red as well, Tan Qingya stifled a laugh and leaned down to press a kiss to her ear. “Want to take a stroll?”
The gesture was so intimate.
Zhou Jianghao wasn’t sure if it was the heat of her own ear or the coolness of Tan Qingya’s lips, but the temperature difference made the sensation crystal clear—almost ticklish.
Pretending to stay calm, she nodded. “Sure.”
They stepped out of the elevator, and once again, they drew stares from all around. But with Tan Qingya at her side this time, Zhou Jianghao’s tension eased considerably.
She couldn’t help sneaking glances at Tan Qingya.
Tan Qingya walked with such elegant poise, utterly unaffected by the attention around her. She had a natural aura about her—or perhaps it was simply that she was used to being the center of everything.
Suddenly, her hand was clasped.
Gasps rose from every direction. Zhou Jianghao looked up in shock. “We’re just… doing this out in the open?”
Tan Qingya chuckled. “This is out in the open? Besides, Little Doctor Zhou, we’re legally married. We have nothing to hide—even if we were being blatant, it wouldn’t matter.”
They chatted as they climbed into the car.
“If word gets out that you’ve married someone like me with no background at all, won’t it affect the company?”
“There will be some impact, sure—but it’s within acceptable limits. Don’t worry. I’m a businesswoman; I don’t make losing deals.”
With that, she handed over the item she’d prepared. “Our wedding rings. Make sure you wear yours tonight.”
Only then did Zhou Jianghao notice the ring already gracing Tan Qingya’s finger—a simple, clean band. On her slender, elegant fingers, though, it looked utterly distinctive.
A little nervous, Zhou Jianghao opened the box. Inside lay a matching ring.
“Want me to put it on for you?” Tan Qingya asked, seeing her staring at it.
“No, thank you.” Face warming, Zhou Jianghao slipped it on in a hurry.
She had no idea how Tan Qingya had managed it, but the fit was perfect—not too loose, not too tight. The design was simple, but it had real weight to it and a strong presence. Most importantly, Zhou Jianghao loved this low-key style that didn’t scream for attention.
Truth be told, she’d been worried Tan Qingya might pick something flashy and over-the-top. There was precedent, after all—like that ornate necklace from before.
This ring was perfect. Completely wearable every day.
The contrast made it feel all the more precious, and the delight showed plainly on Zhou Jianghao’s face.
“You really like it that much?” Tan Qingya smiled, picking up on her mood.
Of course she wouldn’t repeat the same mistake.
This time, she hadn’t left the ring selection to Chen Chen. She’d chosen it herself.
To keep it from gathering dust, she’d gone with a plain, everyday band—nothing fancy, and reasonably priced. She’d even hesitated at the store. But judging by Zhou Jianghao’s reaction, it had been the right call.
“Thank you. I love it,” Zhou Jianghao said sincerely.
“If you love it, wear it often. Don’t let it sit in a box and gather dust.” Tan Qingya took her hand, adjusted their position slightly, then suddenly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of their rings.
She showed the picture to Zhou Jianghao. “Mind if I post this on social media?”
On the screen, both their hands looked beautiful. Tan Qingya’s grip was firm and intimate, and the matching rings made their connection unmistakable.
Blushing, Zhou Jianghao shook her head.
With that, Tan Qingya tapped casually at her screen—who knew what she typed—before setting her phone aside.
Zhou Jianghao couldn’t hold back. While Tan Qingya rested with her eyes closed, she carefully opened WeChat and scrolled through Moments. Sure enough, there was Tan Qingya’s new post.
It was just a photo of the two of them holding hands—no caption—but it spoke volumes.
They didn’t have many mutual friends, so Zhou Jianghao couldn’t see any comments below it.
She turned her head and saw that Tan Qingya had opened her eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she still asked, “Are you… officially announcing it now?”
“You can think of it that way,” Tan Qingya replied casually with a nod. She had never intended to keep their marriage a secret in the first place. But since Zhou Jianghao had asked, she patiently added, “If it bothers you, though, I can delete the post.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind.” Zhou Jianghao shook her head again. If anything, she was the one who should worry about Tan Qingya minding.
Hearing that response left Tan Qingya at a loss. “Little Doctor Zhou, sometimes you don’t have to be quite so agreeable.”
She spoke earnestly. “I’ve told you before—our marriage is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Lately, I’ve been hounded by people urging me to get married. Now Li Tongan is about to have her baby, and here I am, her little aunt, still flying solo. That just puts even more eyes on me. I really need you.”
“So stand tall. You don’t owe me anything.”
With that, she pinched Zhou Jianghao’s chin and leaned down for a soft kiss. Her smile deepened. “If anything, you’re young and beautiful. I’m the one taking advantage here.”
