Chapter 70: I’ll Go With You

But by the next morning, she had mustered every ounce of her willpower to drag herself out of bed. She had promised the Old Madam that she would join her for breakfast last night, and Tan Qingya had never been one to sleep in. If she couldn’t get up after spending the night with her wife, anyone with eyes would know exactly what had happened.

She couldn’t afford to lose that kind of face.

Fortunately, though the little dog went absolutely wild in bed, she still had some sense of proportion. There were no marks left anywhere they shouldn’t be, so Tan Qingya didn’t need to go out of her way to find a turtleneck to wear.

But when she tried to walk, that intense soreness made her legs almost give out. They felt so weak that she nearly tumbled to the floor.

“Sorry, I was wrong.”

Zhou Jianghao quickly steadied her and launched into another round of apologies.

Tan Qingya let out a cold laugh. “Heh.”

Little Dog was just like Little Beauty—after going wild and causing chaos, his attitude toward admitting fault was impeccable. And yet, he would dare to do it all over again next time.

“Next time… next time, you can pay me back, okay? I promise I won’t move a muscle. You can do whatever you want to me. Just don’t be mad.” Seeing that Tan Qingya seemed truly angry, Zhou Jianghao started to panic.

At those words, Tan Qingya narrowed her eyes. “Really?”

“Really!” Zhou Jianghao nodded vigorously.

“Fine, then. I’ll reluctantly forgive you.” Tan Qingya turned her head away, hiding the amusement in her eyes.

Next time?

The toys she had ordered should be arriving by then. They were bound to be a lot of fun. She was suddenly looking forward to it.

The Tan family members rose at different times, and the Old Madam was considerate enough not to insist that everyone eat breakfast together. So when Tan Qingya and the others arrived at the dining room, there were only a few people there.

Li Zhenyu and Li Yunyan, who had deliberately dawdled until late last night and refused to leave, had gotten their wish to stay over at the Tan family home. Hoping to make a good impression and pave the way for an early return, they had gotten up bright and early to keep the Old Madam company at breakfast. They showered her with pleasant words, but her expression remained impassive.

Just as they were growing anxious, the Old Madam’s face suddenly lit up. “Little Hao, Qingya—come here, quickly.”

Li Zhenyu and Li Yunyan exchanged a glance, their eyes dimming as they lowered their heads.

When the pair approached, the two of them obediently greeted them. “Little Aunt, Little Aunt Mom.”

Tan Qingya’s gaze landed coldly on the pair. “Finish your breakfast and go home. Don’t linger at the Tan family.”

“…Yes.”

Their hopes dashed, and afraid that sticking around would only make them an eyesore and invite more scolding, the two rose in unison. After a hasty goodbye, they left.

“How did you sleep last night?” The Old Madam said nothing more about the pair and instead asked Zhou Jianghao with concern.

“Very well.” Zhou Jianghao answered, a little embarrassed.

Tan Qingya elegantly took a sip of her milk. “That question should be…”

Before she could finish, she felt Zhou Jianghao’s hand brush against her thigh.

Catching the pleading look in Zhou Jianghao’s eyes, she held back a laugh. “It should be us juniors asking you that.”

As she spoke, her other hand slipped under the table to catch hold of Zhou Jianghao’s, which hadn’t yet withdrawn.

“Hmph.” The Old Madam Tan exposed her without mercy. “Since when do you care about an old bag of bones like me?”

Ignoring Tan Qingya’s attempt to argue, she turned a kindly gaze on Zhou Jianghao. “This is your home now. Make yourselves comfortable. Eat whatever you want, as much as you want.”

“Got it.” Zhou Jianghao nodded obediently.

“That child, Yangyang, still doesn’t have a name.” The Old Madam spoke up again, turning to Tan Qingya. “You’re the elder here. Put some thought into it and give the child a proper name.”

Tan Qingya’s eyes flickered slightly. “You’re taking a bit too much interest in this child, aren’t you?”

“I’m concerned about you.” Old Madam Tan sighed. With no one else in the dining room at the moment, she spoke earnestly. “You two can’t just think about the present. You have to consider what happens after I’m gone. You’ll be the undisputed masters of the Tan family then, but in a few more decades, you’ll be getting on in years too. Who will you hand this vast Tan family over to?”

Zhou Jianghao’s heart tightened.

Tan Qingya looked up. “Are you trying to groom an heir for me ahead of time?”

“I’m just planning ahead. Tong An doesn’t have much attachment to the child right now. If you don’t object, I’ll raise the child by my side from now on. These old bones of mine can hold out for a few more years. You won’t have to worry about the child.”

She softened her tone. “Of course, that’s just my opinion. I respect what you two think. If you have other ideas, feel free to share them. No rush—take a few days to think it over.”

“Got it.” Zhou Jianghao nodded.

Old Madam Tan fell silent for a few seconds, then turned to Tan Qingya. “I hear someone’s been investigating your brother-in-law lately.”

“Is that so?” Tan Qingya’s expression didn’t change. “He must have done too many bad things. Even heaven can’t stand by and watch.”

The Old Madam chuckled but didn’t call out her daughter on it.

In just a few days, the house would be in an uproar again. This time, Li Ye probably wouldn’t get off so easily.

Because of the child’s situation, the two of them were unusually quiet on the drive back.

“No one can force you into anything you don’t like.” Tan Qingya broke the silence first, her tone casual. “If you don’t like it, just refuse. No need to agonize over it.”

“I… I’m just worried about future trouble.” Zhou Jianghao sighed. She had no objection to grooming the next heir for the Tan family—after all, the Old Madam would be raising the child. What concerned her was something else. “I’ve seen so many news stories where birth mothers come crawling back after the child they gave away rises high.”

“You don’t trust Li Tongan?”

“I don’t trust people’s hearts.”

Zhou Jianghao lowered her head. Human hearts were unpredictable. In the face of interests, no one could guarantee they wouldn’t change their original intentions.

“What about you? What do you think?” Zhou Jianghao looked up. She wanted to know Tan Qingya’s thoughts. As the current heir to the Tan family, didn’t Tan Qingya have a responsibility and obligation to groom the next one?

“Me?” Tan Qingya raised an eyebrow. “Of course I’m not willing.”

She let out a cold laugh. “If Li Tongan’s child really became the next heir, who do you think would be the happiest?”

“…Li Ye?”

Zhou Jianghao suddenly understood.

Though Li Tongan was out of favor now and despised by Li Ye, if her child became the next heir, Li Tongan’s status would rise with it. Li Ye’s attitude would undoubtedly change by then.

The entire Tan family would end up in his hands.

“I have nothing against Li Tongan, but the thought of it benefiting Li Ye makes my stomach turn.” Tan Qingya didn’t hide her thoughts from Zhou Jianghao. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I’d target the child. The child is innocent—I get that. But like you, I don’t want to invite a bunch of trouble.”

If it really came time to groom an heir, she would prioritize the Tan family’s own children.

“But talking about this now is jumping the gun. I’ll handle things with the Old Madam. You don’t need to worry about it.”

When it came to heirs, she could just pick the most capable one from the younger generation. Deciding too early would only stir up trouble. Besides, whether the child would even want the role or have the ability was still up in the air.

Moreover, she didn’t want some random kid popping up out of nowhere in her relationship with Zhou Jianghao.

“Won’t the Old Madam be upset?” Zhou Jianghao fretted. “She’s doing all this for you. It feels ungrateful of us.”

“She won’t.” Tan Qingya reassured her. “Mom isn’t petty. She’ll understand.”

Old Madam Tan truly wasn’t petty. Once she learned Tan Qingya’s stance, she didn’t bring it up again.

The naming issue was settled too. Rumor had it the child hadn’t been given any other names and would go by Li Yang as her formal given name.

With the Tan family leaving her alone, Zhou Jianghao stopped paying attention to their affairs. But while the Old Madam didn’t seek her out, her own mother came knocking instead.

Literally knocking on the door.

Seeing Zhou Qiu standing at the doorstep with bags big and small, Zhou Jianghao’s expression slowly darkened. “How did you know I live here?”

She had never told Zhou Qiu her current address.

Zhou Qiu hemmed and hawed. “I… I just happened to see you get into a car after work…”

Zhou Jianghao’s gaze grew even colder.

So she had been followed.

“You’re not resting properly at the hospital, but you followed me here. What do you want?”

“Don’t make it sound so harsh, Little Hao.” Zhou Qiu sighed. “Mom’s illness is almost better. Staying cooped up in the hospital is so boring. I figured you and President Tan are both busy with work all day, so the house must need someone to look after it. I just wanted to do my part—come over and cook some meals for you.”

“No need.” Zhou Jianghao’s face was stony, her refusal blunt. “We have a housekeeper who comes regularly to take care of things. We don’t need you here. If you’re feeling better, go back to your hometown.”

“Hey! Hiring a housekeeper is such a waste of money!” Zhou Qiu frowned. “Sure, she has money, but you can’t just live so lavishly! You’re still too young—you don’t know how hard it is to earn money. You’re so clueless…”

“I know more than you do.” Zhou Jianghao cut her off and stepped back, gripping the door. “Whether I’m sensible or not is my business, not yours. Go home.”

With that, she slammed the door shut.

She truly couldn’t understand it. The hospital was providing Zhou Qiu with good food and care, so why was she coming to bother her now?

Fortunately, Tan Qingya was working late tonight. She didn’t want Tan Qingya dealing with Zhou Qiu matters.

Zhou Qiu had been recuperating for quite a while now and should have been discharged long ago. It was Zhou Qiu herself who had insisted on staying longer for observation, worried that medical care back home would be subpar and cause more hassle.

She just hadn’t expected that after only a few days, Zhou Qiu would set her sights on moving in with her and Tan Qingya.

People’s hearts were unfathomable.

The human heart was the most complex thing of all.

She flipped open the calendar. New Year’s Day was fast approaching, and she had two days off—just enough time to send Zhou Qiu back to her hometown.

“You’re personally escorting your mom back home?” Tan Qingya’s brows drew together at Zhou Jianghao’s plan, her face etched with disapproval. “I can arrange for someone to take her.”

Zhou Jianghao replied, “I want to go back myself and pick up some old things while I’m there.”

She had left in such a rush at age ten, taking hardly anything with her. Nearly all her belongings were still at the old house. There were items she wanted to retrieve—Zhou Qiu had assured her they remained untouched in her old room.

The odds of her ever returning to the Zhou family were slim, so she planned to take everything this time.

“I’m not vanishing for good.” Seeing Tan Qingya’s brows still tightly furrowed, Zhou Jianghao sighed and took her hand, giving it a gentle shake. “I want to go.”

This girl was acting spoiled again.

But she wasn’t doing it properly—her face so serious, who was she trying to charm? Tan Qingya grumbled to herself, reaching out to pinch her cheek. “Smile for your big sis, and you can go.”

Zhou Jianghao obediently curved her eyes into smiling crescents.

“A fake customer-service smile.” Tan Qingya covered her mouth, her tone cool.

“Are you letting me go or not?” Zhou Jianghao’s words came out muffled.

“If I say no, are you really going to stay?” Tan Qingya arched a brow.

Zhou Jianghao fell silent.

Of course not. Even if Tan Qingya disapproved, she would go anyway—it would just sour things between them a bit, leaving her uneasy about departing.

Tan Qingya’s expression said “just as I thought,” showing no surprise. She crossed her arms. “All right. I’ll go with you.”