Chapter 44

Hearing this, Zhou Jianghao’s eyes widened slightly, her heart leaping into her throat. “Is there something that’s not suiting you?”

In just a few short seconds, she had already reflected several times in her mind on where she might have fallen short.

“Before we got married, I never imagined you’d be so perfectly suited to being my wife,” Tan Qingya said with a soft sigh. “Ours was a shotgun wedding. We didn’t know each other at all beforehand, so I had no idea you were this kind of Zhou Jianghao. Suddenly, it feels like I stumbled upon a real treasure.”

Tan Qingya’s affirmation had come completely out of the blue.

Zhou Jianghao’s heart pounded wildly. Amid the overwhelming tension, she gradually calmed down, refusing to let the rush of joy cloud her senses. She mumbled awkwardly, “We haven’t spent much time together yet. We still don’t know each other all that well.”

She left the second half unsaid.

If the two of them truly opened up to each other, Tan Qingya would realize that Zhou Jianghao might not be quite as wonderful as she imagined.

So there was no need to hold her in such high regard.

“Is that so?” Tan Qingya’s lips curved into a smile. “Then we’ll just have to spend more time together from now on and get to know each other better.”

“President Tan?”

A voice rang out abruptly.

Their conversation halted for the moment. Tan Qingya looked up. Not far away stood a girl who was also walking a dog—and she looked vaguely familiar.

“What a coincidence. You’re out walking your dog too?”

The girl smiled at her, delight shining in her eyes.

With a stranger present, Zhou Jianghao instinctively tried to pull her hand free. But Tan Qingya only gripped it tighter, refusing to let go.

The girl’s gaze lingered on their clasped hands for several seconds. Her smile faltered for a moment before she recovered and turned toward the big dog, reaching out with a grin. “Hello there.”

Unfortunately, Little Beauty wanted none of it. It not only refused to be petted but backed away warily, glaring at both her and her dog.

The girl’s dog grew agitated as well, barking furiously and lunging forward as if eager to attack.

She owned an Alaskan Malamute, a massive breed. The girl struggled to restrain it, softly scolding until it finally settled down.

“Don’t touch my dog,” Tan Qingya said, clearly displeased. Petting her dog without permission like that—if it bit someone, would she have to deal with the fallout?

The girl clearly hadn’t expected such a cold reception from both the person and the dog. Being rebuffed so sharply left her expression stiff, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seeing her like that jogged Tan Qingya’s memory.

She was the daughter of one of her business partners. They’d crossed paths once at a banquet, where the girl had pretended to be drunk and tried to throw herself into Tan Qingya’s arms. Tan Qingya had dodged just in time, or it might have turned into a real hassle.

With that recollection, she took a large step back, pulling both Zhou Jianghao and Little Beauty with her.

To her surprise, the motion only made the tears in the girl’s eyes glisten more fiercely. She said nothing, simply gazing at Tan Qingya with wide, pitiful eyes.

“My wife and I are going to walk the dog. Carry on,” Tan Qingya said curtly. She had no patience for coddling a stranger. With that, she tightened her hold on Zhou Jianghao’s hand and continued on her way.

But upon hearing those words, the girl suddenly grew agitated. “Wife?! You’re married?!”

Her reaction was far too intense. Clearly, she was one of Tan Qingya’s admirers.

Zhou Jianghao pursed her lips and spoke up first. “Yes, we’re married.”

Then she fixed the girl—who couldn’t hide her feelings—with a cool stare. “Was there something else? My wife and I are walking the dog.”

She had echoed Tan Qingya’s words, but delivered them with a straight face that made her seem rather unapproachable.

The girl didn’t dare press further. She shook her head in a daze. “N-No… nothing.”

She stood there rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the pair’s retreating figures. Her gaze drifted to the back of Tan Qingya’s head. She had actually noticed right away that President Tan had her hair tied up, which made her wonder at first if she’d gotten the wrong person and held back from speaking.

She had followed for a stretch of the path before confirming it really was Tan Qingya.

She just hadn’t expected anyone to be at her side.

Even less had she anticipated seeing the aloof, sharp, and stunning Tan Qingya from the office and banquets—with her hair tied back in a childish scrunchie, hand in hand with her wife as they walked their dog, her features softened with unmistakable tenderness…

She had harbored a crush on Tan Qingya for years, pulling every string she could to learn that she’d bought property in this very neighborhood. Eagerly, she’d trailed after her. Knowing Tan Qingya owned a fierce large dog, she’d gotten one herself—a big breed—and made a point of walking it every day, all in hopes of engineering a “coincidental” encounter where she could say just those words…

But now, a single “we’re married” had shattered every one of her dreams. With her schoolgirl infatuation crushed, the tears came unbidden.

Meanwhile, Tan Qingya was in high spirits, still savoring those two sentences Zhou Jianghao had uttered. She couldn’t quite suppress the smile in her eyes.

Unable to hold back, she volunteered an explanation. “I’m not close to that girl at all. She’s just a business partner’s daughter. We’ve only met twice, at networking events.”

Zhou Jianghao glanced at her in mild surprise. She hadn’t expected Tan Qingya to offer an explanation unprompted. Seeing the seriousness in her expression, Zhou Jianghao matched it. “Mm. Got it.”

Only then did it belatedly dawn on her: in a healthy relationship, the moment that girl had spoken up, alarm bells should have gone off. She should have shown some concern over the interaction—instead of coming off as indifferent, the way she had.

Determined to make amends, she added, “She seems to like you.”

No, it was more than that.

The girl was head over heels for Tan Qingya. The affection in her eyes had been plain as day, and the heartbreak on her face when she learned Tan Qingya was married had been impossible to miss.

“As your wife, I didn’t handle that very well, did I?” she asked hesitantly.

The girl was second-guessing herself again. Tan Qingya gave her hand a squeeze and nodded with exaggerated gravity. “You didn’t, no.”

Affirmed in her suspicions, Zhou Jianghao frowned. But she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. With her usual eagerness to learn, she pressed on. “So what should I have done?”

“The moment she called out with that ‘what a coincidence,’ you should have looped your arm through mine and told her to quit dreaming—this is your wife.”

Zhou Jianghao smacked her lips. “She would’ve thought I was nuts.”

Tan Qingya burst out laughing.

Zhou Jianghao knew full well that Tan Qingya was just teasing her. Still, she took it to heart, convinced she ought to observe others and learn how to be a proper wife.

The chance came sooner than expected.

Their matching scrunchies were far too flashy, drawing stares left and right. Zhou Jianghao didn’t pay it much mind, but Tan Qingya was deeply uncomfortable with the attention.

She was accustomed to striding along in her cool, commanding style. The pink piggy scrunchie atop her head utterly clashed with her image, sapping her usual aura and leaving her ill at ease. She even found herself stepping awkwardly.

They hadn’t even finished one full loop with Zhou Jianghao and Little Beauty in tow before she came up with an excuse to head home.

On the way back, Tan Qingya’s phone rang. It was Chen Chen.

Zhou Jianghao was standing close, and Tan Qingya made no effort to step away, so she overheard the whole exchange. Chen Chen’s wife had twisted her ankle and needed the day off to look after her.

“When did Assistant Chen get married?” Zhou Jianghao couldn’t help asking.

“Why the sudden interest in her?” Tan Qingya arched a brow. Even so, she answered the question. “Her wife is her first love from seven years ago. They tied the knot last year, and they’re very happy together.”

She put a touch more emphasis on that final bit.

Unfortunately, Zhou Jianghao completely missed the hint. Her head was swimming with thoughts of their “seven-year romance” and “happy marriage.” Looking up tentatively, she ventured, “Assistant Chen’s been working with you for a while now, right?”

It was clear she had more on her mind.

Tan Qingya shot her an impassive glance but played along. “Quite a while, yes.”

Just as expected, Zhou Jianghao seized on it. “Then with her wife injured, I think it would be nice to pay them a visit.”

Hm?

The conversation had taken an odd turn.

Before Tan Qingya could puzzle it out, Zhou Jianghao barreled ahead on her own. “But you’re swamped with work. You don’t have time for little things like that.”

“I’m free today. As your wife, it should be fine for me to drop by and offer your regards on your behalf, don’t you think?”

Tan Qingya came to a halt.

Don’t you think?

Hardly.

Why was Zhou Jianghao so invested in Chen Chen’s affairs?

She narrowed her eyes. Suddenly, it clicked: Chen Chen was only two years older than Zhou Jianghao and rather attractive to boot. Tan Qingya had been tied up with work lately, leaving Chen Chen to handle all the communication with Zhou Jianghao.

Chen Chen had managed a seven-year long-distance romance that ended in marriage, so clearly she had a knack for winning over young women.

And with Zhou Jianghao at an age when such feelings could easily blossom, it wasn’t out of the question that she’d developed an interest in someone else.

A chill crept into her gaze. Holding back any sign of displeasure, she replied evenly, “It’s just a sprain. She’s the one making a fuss because she dotes on her wife and their relationship is so solid. It’s hardly worth a visit.”

But to her surprise, Zhou Jianghao wouldn’t let it go. “I… Assistant Chen has done so much for me, and Auntie Chen has always been kind too. I just want to check on them.”

“…”

Tan Qingya fell silent.

Zhou Jianghao rarely asked for anything. Ever since they’d married, she’d been nothing but compliant. To shoot down this one small request would be going too far.

But if Zhou Jianghao truly had feelings for Chen Chen, what did that make this? Handing her a green hat herself?

Tan Qingya’s silence stretched on too long. Zhou Jianghao bit her lip and finally relented. “If it’s too much trouble for you, then never mind.”

Her brows and eyes drooped, looking utterly pitiful. Tan Qingya took a deep breath and finally relented: “Let’s call Assistant Chen and let her decide, okay?”

“Okay.”

Zhou Jianghao quickly stopped. Actually, even if Tan Qingya had agreed to her, she still needed to get Assistant Chen’s permission first before she could go over.

Tan Qingya had originally harbored a sliver of wishful thinking, pinning her hopes on Chen Chen, but unexpectedly, the other party agreed right away and even asked if they should come pick her up personally.

So clueless.

Tan Qingya gritted her teeth in secret, interrupting these two: “No need, I can drive.”

It was only then that Chen Chen reacted with surprise from her end: “President Tan is coming too?”

“What, not welcome?” Tan Qingya’s gaze darkened, though her tone remained as usual.

It’s just that Chen Chen can’t see Tan Qingya’s gaze from her side; otherwise, she would have been scared silent by now and wouldn’t dare to respond.

“Of course not. Your presence graces my humble abode.”

Chen Chen smiled and agreed.

It wasn’t until the call ended that Zhou Jianghao couldn’t help but say, “I can go by myself. You don’t need to come with me.”

“It’s not specifically to keep you company,” Tan Qingya said without changing her expression. “Chen Chen has been my assistant for so many years, and we grew up together since childhood. Plus, Auntie Chen has worked in my family for decades—they’re more than family. Now that her family member is injured, I have to visit in person, both out of sentiment and propriety.”