“You can’t have that now. When you grow up, someone will buy it for you,” Zhou Lingjing had said to her back then, his tone indifferent.
But she wouldn’t listen, stubbornly insisting she wanted it. Her chubby little body tugged at his hand, pulling him toward his mother, looking as if she wouldn’t give up until she got it.
Seeing his reply, Su Zhaotang realized she hadn’t actually been trying to remind him about buying something—she was just using it as an excuse to shut him up.
Tang Xiaotang: “Oh, oh, I almost forgot to tell you—your mom invited me to a tea ceremony event tomorrow.”
Su Zhaotang had nearly forgotten to bring up the main point.
Zhou Lingjing: “No problem, just go. It’s just meeting those few people anyway.”
His mother, Mrs. Liang, liked to get together with those people when she had free time. Having Su Zhaotang show her face now wasn’t a bad thing.
Hearing this, Su Zhaotang felt relieved. After all, it was her first time attending something as Zhou Lingjing’s wife.
Tang Xiaotang: “Okay, got it.” She added a sticker of Black Cat Detective saluting.
“Such a little imp,” Zhou Lingjing murmured softly.
“Then I’m going to get ready for beddy-bye. If you have things to do, go ahead and keep busy.”
Su Zhaotang sent another message.
It was already past nine o’clock in China, with a six-hour time difference from Germany, so it was just after three in the afternoon for Zhou Lingjing.
Seeing Su Zhaotang’s reply, Zhou Lingjing chuckled softly and muttered to himself, “Little ingrate.”
He saw right through her.
“It’s only just past nine in China, right? Can you really fall asleep this early?”
“Can’t I get an early start on my beauty sleep today?”
Su Zhaotang replied, knowing full well Zhou Lingjing wouldn’t believe it. But there was no helping it—the two of them weren’t exactly the type to engage in awkward small talk.
“Alright, alright, go to sleep then. I’ll get back to work.”
Zhou Lingjing didn’t drag it out either, as he had to meet with a business partner soon.
Zhou Lingjing put away his phone, rubbed his stiff neck, and stretched. His height gave him a commanding presence as he stood up from the sofa.
He walked to the window, looking out at the scenery as he contemplated his next steps. He wore a simple white casual blazer and trousers, showcasing his elegant and athletic build.
His hair was neatly combed back, revealing his resolute forehead. With no hair obscuring his face, his features appeared even more defined and handsome.
Seeing the conversation had ended, Su Zhaotang casually opened Zhou Lingjing’s social media feed to take a look, only to find it completely bare—except for one repost from a few years ago about an Asian economic forum.
“How boring,” Su Zhaotang muttered under her breath.
“Who are you chatting with so animatedly?”
Her mother suddenly asked, having noticed the lively expressions on Su Zhaotang’s face earlier, which had genuinely piqued her curiosity.
Her mother’s question startled Su Zhaotang.
Her whole body jolted, and she placed a hand over her chest, saying in a coquettish tone, “Mom, you scared me!”
“I wasn’t chatting with anyone—just discussing something with Zhou Lingjing.”
“Oh? You two chat privately often?”
Su Mom hadn’t expected this, having assumed the two were still somewhat distant.
Hearing this, Su Zhaotang quickly explained, “Not often! I only contact him when there’s something to discuss.”
“Anyway, don’t worry about what it’s about.”
She hastily added, knowing full well that her mother would indeed dig to the bottom of things if left unanswered.
“Alright, alright, I won’t ask. Young people need their privacy—I understand,”
she said, winking at Su Zhaotang with an expression that said, “I get it.”
Su Zhaotang thought to herself, She must have jumped to conclusions again.
But she couldn’t be bothered to explain. After bidding her parents goodnight, she hurried back to her room.
The next evening, Su Zhaotang changed into a qipao she had designed herself. Made from premium silk, the fabric was delicate and soft, with an elegant yet vibrant style.
The diagonal front closure was adorned with several exquisite sapphires,
making it shimmer with brilliance.
The collar, cuffs, and hem of the qipao were embroidered with intricate patterns, complementing her graceful demeanor and accentuating her slender, elegant figure.
Her long, dark hair gently brushed against her cheeks, elegantly styled into a bun secured with a delicate jade hairpin. Her face was lovely, with a slight upward curve at the corners of her lips, giving her a gentle and poised appearance.
“What a graceful and fitting look for a daughter-in-law,”
Su Zhaotang remarked to herself.
Then, slinging a new small white Chanel bag over her shoulder and stepping into a pair of black stiletto heels, she went downstairs and asked the driver to take her to the location sent by Zhou Lingjing’s mother.
When she entered, the hall was already filled with quite a few people.
As soon as Su Zhaotang stepped inside, the crowd turned their attention to her, their gazes filled with admiration. They whispered among themselves about her attire and demeanor.
After all, they had been in these circles for a long time, yet none had seen this young woman before.
Once inside, Su Zhaotang glanced around, searching for her mother-in-law, Liang Zhiruo.
“Hey, Zhaozhao, over here!”
Mrs. Liang’s call caught Su Zhaotang’s attention.
Su Zhaotang smiled sweetly and waved to signal that she had seen her, then gracefully made her way over.
Her posture was upright, her steps light, like a blooming flower standing out prominently in the crowd.
“Mom, sorry I’m late,” Su Zhaotang said apologetically.
However, her use of “Mom” startled several of the ladies nearby.
They looked astonished, as Liang Zhiruo only had one son—meaning this could only be Zhou Lingjing’s wife.
One of them, Mrs. Chen, hesitantly asked,
“This… this young lady is your Lingjing’s wife? When did this happen?”
Mrs. Liang replied with a smile, “Yes, let me introduce you all—Lingjing’s wife, my daughter-in-law, Su Zhaotang,”
her tone brimming with pride.
“Liang-jie, you’re not being fair keeping this from us for so long!”
“Well, they just got their marriage certificate not long ago. Tonight, I invited her here so you could all meet her. From now on, if our Zhaozhao ever runs into any trouble, you aunties mustn’t stand by and do nothing,”
Liang Zhiruo joked.
Truthfully, with the Zhou family’s influence, there was little they couldn’t handle. She said this partly to show them respect—after all, pleasantries were easy to exchange.
Mrs. Chen quickly chimed in, “What are you saying? Of course, we’ll look out for Lingjing’s wife. We’ve watched him grow up, after all.”
“Then I’ll thank you aunties in advance for taking care of our Zhaozhao,”
Mrs. Liang replied on Su Zhaotang’s behalf, while Su Zhaotang nodded along.
“Thank you, aunties,”
Su Zhaotang said cheerfully, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms.
In fact, several of these ladies had considered introducing their own daughters to Zhou Lingjing. After all, given the Zhou family’s status and position, who wouldn’t want their daughter to marry into such a household?
Moreover, the eldest son of the Zhou family was known for his integrity and restraint, keeping his distance from women—a trait far superior to many other young masters from wealthy families.
But there was no helping it. Even though Zhou Lingjing was now married, they still had to cling to the right connections.