Chapter 29: Calling You Baby

“Mistress of the house…”

Those three words carried too much weight. Zhou Jianghao pressed her lips together and straightened her back with effort. After a few quiet deep breaths, she awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth. “If she’s really unwilling to call it out, then don’t force her.”

At those words, Tan Qingya couldn’t help but lower her head.

The expression on Li Zhenyu’s face softened a bit as well. Hmph, at least this Zhou Jianghao knew when to back down. But just as the thought crossed her mind, Zhou Jianghao’s calm voice rang out again.

“After all, she’s not family.”

Not… family?!

And yet, her little aunt was nodding sagely beside her. “That’s true.”

Li Zhenyu’s face changed dramatically in an instant. To lose her status in the Tan family over someone like Zhou Jianghao? That would be far too unworthy! Throwing dignity to the wind, she blurted out quickly, “Little Aunt Mom! What on earth are you saying?!”

Her voice cracked from panic, her face burning hot under Zhou Jianghao’s mocking gaze. She nearly ground her teeth to dust but still had to force out a string of pleasantries. “Little Aunt Mom, we’re all family here—no need for outsiders. You’re the bigger person; forgive my past ignorance. But please don’t joke like that anymore. You’re scaring me half to death.”

Ignorance?

All the rotten things she’d done, brushed off with a vague “ignorance”?

The chill in Zhou Jianghao’s eyes deepened. She let out a cold scoff. “Heh.”

She showed no mercy, making no effort to hide her dislike for Li Zhenyu. Without sparing her another glance, Zhou Jianghao looked up at Tan Qingya. “I’m hungry.”

Tan Qingya glanced faintly at Li Zhenyu. “Why haven’t you left yet?”

There was no mistaking the dismissal in her tone. But at that moment, Li Zhenyu felt like she’d received a great pardon. She fled the scene in a daze.

The hallway fell quiet once more.

Zhou Jianghao stayed silent for a moment, then gently struggled free from Tan Qingya’s embrace. She didn’t dare meet her eyes. “Thank you.”

In front of Li Zhenyu, Tan Qingya had given her plenty of face. She knew full well Zhou Jianghao was throwing her weight around, yet she’d indulged her— even played along.

“Thank you for what?”

Tan Qingya was a little displeased at being used and discarded like that. And she didn’t understand the gratitude at all. Their marriage was a mutual convenience from the start—what was there to thank?

“For a lot,” Zhou Jianghao said earnestly.

Tan Qingya chuckled. “A lot? Saying ‘thank you’ once won’t cut it, then.”

As she spoke, she touched her lips with a hand, her eyes shimmering with amusement—a blatant hint. “Shouldn’t there be something more… tangible?”

Zhou Jianghao’s ear tips flushed red in an instant.

But she did seem to have only ever thanked her with words, never anything substantial. Clenching her fists, she took several deep breaths and stepped forward, leaning in to plant a kiss on Tan Qingya’s mouth.

Remembering the endearment Tan Qingya had just used, she put it to good use. “Thank you, baby.”

It was the first time she’d said it, and she’d mustered all her willpower against the embarrassment. But her face was already more than half red.

“Hm?” Tan Qingya grabbed her as she tried to pull away, her gaze darkening. “What did you call me?”

Baby?

Tan Qingya stared intently at Zhou Jianghao, the corners of her mouth curving up involuntarily. She’d lived so many years, and no one had ever called her “baby” before. Hmm, it was a bit corny, but the feeling wasn’t half bad?

Seeing Zhou Jianghao fall silent, Tan Qingya took her hand and led her inside. She closed the door leisurely, then turned and pinned her against the wall.

She leaned her forehead against Zhou Jianghao’s. “What did you call me?”

Their foreheads touched, noses brushing ambiguously, warm breaths mingling. She could clearly feel Zhou Jianghao’s breathing turn erratic.

Just as Tan Qingya thought she might clam up from shyness or change the subject stiffly like before, Zhou Jianghao suddenly lifted her gaze, her eyes soft and tender. “I called you baby.”

Tan Qingya’s breath hitched.

The next second, Zhou Jianghao added in a gentle murmur, “Is that okay?”

Tan Qingya could hold back no longer. She tilted her head and claimed her lips.

One hand on Zhou Jianghao’s waist, she pulled that soft waist closer into her embrace, savoring her sweetness, her yielding softness, trying her best to keep the kiss gentle.

But she clearly failed.

The moment she recalled those two words coming from Zhou Jianghao’s mouth, she couldn’t help but kiss her harder.

Practice makes perfect. Her softest tongue pressed forward skillfully, invading without restraint, licking, nipping, sucking.

Thud—

The bag in Zhou Jianghao’s hand dropped to the floor. She instinctively tried to push Tan Qingya away, but as she raised her hands, her wrists were caught.

It was strange—Tan Qingya’s hands weren’t large, yet they effortlessly held both of hers.

“Tan…”

The syllable had barely escaped when she felt her tongue captured. A numbing tingle spread through her body, leaving her legs unsteady. She could only lean her full weight against Tan Qingya.

Her tongue root went numb from the sucking.

“What did you call me?” came a heated whisper in her ear.

In her daze, she considered begging off but racked her brain for the right answer. Finally, between gasps, she managed, “…Baby. I called you baby.”

Unfortunately, it only earned her a deeper, lingering kiss.

And that kiss didn’t stay confined to their lips. When Zhou Jianghao could barely endure it and tried to dodge, the kiss trailed slowly downward.

Scorching lips pressed against her collarbone. Zhou Jianghao flinched back from the heat, only to meet the cold wall behind her. Nowhere to escape, she could only let that vulnerable hollow be ravaged by the burning touch.

But that was as far as it went.

When Tan Qingya finally released her, Zhou Jianghao was still a bit dazed. She grabbed her arm, her flushed face showing a hint of surprise. “You… you’re not going to continue?”

“Baby, tempting your partner to keep going at a time like this… isn’t a smart move.” Tan Qingya pecked her lips. “Go take a shower. I’ll make dinner.”

With that, she bent down to pick up the bag from the floor.

But another hand reached faster.

Still half-crouched, Tan Qingya looked up to see Zhou Jianghao—face aflame, lips swollen—say stiffly, “I’ll do it.”

Hm, quite the tough front.

Tan Qingya silently counted down in her mind:

Three—two—

“…You’ve been doing it these past few days. Let me today, okay?”

Tan Qingya couldn’t hold back a laugh. Was this Zhou Jianghao always this adorable?

She reached out and pinched her cheek, rubbing away the forced seriousness. “Listen to your big sister. Be good and go shower.”

Zhou Jianghao looked up at her then, those pretty eyes always so expressive with her feelings. Tan Qingya smiled. “‘Baby’ is my pet name for you. You can call me big sis.”

She was several years older, after all. If Zhou Jianghao called her “baby” out in public, where would she put her old face?

After a pause, she winked at Zhou Jianghao. “Of course, in bed… anything goes.”

Finally, watching Zhou Jianghao stumble awkwardly into the bathroom, Tan Qingya’s eyes curved in a smile as she turned away.

Zhou Jianghao had bought a lot of groceries—probably unsure of her tastes, so she’d picked up a bunch of odds and ends. But they all looked fresh, clearly chosen with care.

Zhou Jianghao was always so diligent.

Remembering the serious look on her face last night as she lay atop her, Tan Qingya raised a brow with a faint smile. The girl was too innocent, unaware that some things, once started, were hard to stop.

So she didn’t dare begin easily.

Besides, the best dishes should be saved for last.

Work at the dessert shop wrapped up, and Zhou Jianghao had thought Tan Qingya might bring up moving back to the apartment. But even into the next day, she said nothing. With her foot still not healed, Zhou Jianghao simply rested at home.

It was then that she noticed how, unbeknownst to her, the house had filled with Tan Qingya’s things.

The floor was covered in soft, expensive rugs. The modest closet brimmed with exquisite dresses. The bathroom was no exception—stocked with logo-less but clearly luxurious bath products that filled the space with fragrance.

A scent much like the one on Tan Qingya.

Zhou Jianghao zoned out for a moment. She thought of Tan Qingya’s lips—so perfect on someone so unattainable, just the right thickness, soft to kiss, and sweetly scented.

She unconsciously licked her own lips, rubbing them lightly.

Tan Qingya…

Tan Qingya hadn’t kissed her today.

At the thought, Zhou Jianghao turned to look. Tan Qingya was working from home again, dressed in a lovely skirt with impeccable makeup, yet curled up on the garish bright-pink tatami mat she’d bought on the cheap. Her serious expression clashed hilariously with it.

Suddenly, Tan Qingya turned her head.

Zhou Jianghao hadn’t dodged in time and was caught red-handed.

“Come here.” Tan Qingya gave her a radiant smile, then crooked a finger, a hint of allure in her eyes.

Zhou Jianghao’s heart stirred. She walked over obediently.

Tan Qingya had just drunk some water, her pretty red lips glistening and vibrant. Zhou Jianghao’s gaze fixed on them unwittingly, and she swallowed quietly.

She thought Tan Qingya was going to kiss her.

But unexpectedly, Tan Qingya did nothing of the sort. She merely hooked Zhou Jianghao’s trailing pinky finger and spoke quite seriously.

“I’ll head back to the apartment this afternoon.”

She was talking about herself.

Zhou Jianghao’s heart plummeted. She couldn’t adapt to the sudden drop, left in a daze. “You?”

“Yes, me.” Tan Qingya nodded. “You’ll be busy from here on out. There’s an apartment of yours near the city hospital—you can stay there for now.”

“City Hospital?” Zhou Jianghao’s breath caught in her throat.

“I remember your internship was at City Hospital, Doctor Zhou?”

Hearing Tan Qingya call her Doctor Zhou once more, Zhou Jianghao felt a flush of warmth creep across her face. It took her a long moment before she nodded faintly. “Yes.”

“You’ll be graduating soon, Little Doctor Zhou. They say City Hospital is every med student’s lifelong dream.”

With the graduation matter settled, Zhou Jianghao let out a quiet breath of relief, her eyes lighting up with a touch more amusement. “Mm. It’s mine too.”

City Hospital was home to the most expert and authoritative specialists around. Zhou Jianghao knew she still had plenty to learn, which was why she’d applied there in the first place. She’d aced the written exam—ranked first, in fact—but her delayed graduation had kept her from getting in.

“Good.” Only then did Tan Qingya tug Zhou Jianghao down to bend at the waist. Like a reward, she leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips, her smile warm and gentle. “I saw City Hospital posted a new round of hiring announcements. Here’s to my Little Doctor Zhou chasing her dreams—and catching them.”

Tan Qingya had no intention of meddling too much in her partner’s career.

Even before their marriage, she’d told Zhou Jianghao as much: she would always give her wife the basic respect she deserved.

If Zhou Jianghao ever needed a leg up, Tan Qingya wouldn’t hesitate to smooth the path. But it was clear Zhou Jianghao was fiercely independent, with a deep-seated pride. Push too hard, and she’d only stir up rebellion.

Of course, Tan Qingya also had a touch of strategy in mind—playing hard to get.

Now that Zhou Jianghao had grown addicted to her, a little distance might just spice things up and draw them even closer.

In the meantime, it gave Tan Qingya time to sort out the Tan Family mess. She’d let the Tan Family juniors run wild for far too long, and Li Zhenyu’s uninvited visit had been a blaring wake-up call.

She needed to whip the Tan Family into shape before Zhou Jianghao set foot in the Old Mansion—lest some fool without eyes offend her.

To that end, she’d carved out time for a trip back to the Old Mansion.

And, inevitably, joined the Old Madam for dinner.

“You still remember an old bat like me, do you?” The Old Madam sniped with her usual passive-aggressive flair, making her displeasure plain.