When the president of Wen Corporation personally poured her a drink, Ruan Tang felt both flattered and overwhelmed. Even Si Yan had never done such a thing for her.
“Thank you, President Xu,” Ruan Tang cooed her gratitude, her gaze still lingering on Xu Shi’an’s face.
As Xu Shi’an finished pouring the wine and looked up, his eyes met hers. The exchange felt subtly charged.
Wen Ran found the scene amusing. Without even glancing at Si Yan, she could imagine his face darker than soot.
Observing how Xu Shi’an looked at Ruan Tang, she noted that his peach-blossom eyes seemed inherently tender, even without any intentional charm.
“Last time we met, Secretary Ruan, the lighting was too dim for me to see your face clearly. Seeing you today, you’ve grown even more beautiful,” Xu Shi’an praised, prompting Ruan Tang to shyly lower her head.
Wen Ran thought his words were nothing but smooth talk—complete nonsense. As a seasoned playboy who had frequented every nightclub in the capital, Xu Shi’an had seen more than his fair share of beautiful women. Did he even believe the flattery he was spouting?
Even Zha Zha exclaimed in Wen Ran’s mind, “Has Ruan Tang’s protagonist aura leveled up again? Has Xu Shi’an been blinded by her radiance?”
Wen Ran chuckled. “More like his eyes are caked with shit.”
Si Yan, noticing Xu Shi’an’s frequent attentiveness toward Ruan Tang—and, worse, how she seemed to relish it—sneered, “Are you so starved for female company, President Xu? Should I spend some money and hire a few pretty wild models to broaden your horizons?”
Wen Ran was delighted. Was Si Yan implying that Xu Shi’an had never seen a real beauty, or was he insulting the other man while simultaneously demeaning himself? After all, Ruan Tang was his woman!
Ruan Tang snapped her head toward Si Yan. Was he comparing her to those low-class escorts?
She asked, “President Si, do you think I’m not good-looking?”
Wen Ran noticed her shoulders trembling—clearly, she was deeply offended. Was she really this fragile? So intolerant.
Xu Shi’an chimed in with his usual provocations, “Brother-in-law, that’s not right of you. Secretary Ruan is as lovely as a flower, with both looks and talent. What’s not to like?”
Wen Ran nearly burst out laughing. She pinched her thigh to keep herself composed. When it came to sharp tongues, this guy took the crown.
But Ruan Tang, still reeling from Si Yan’s remark, failed to catch the sarcasm in Xu Shi’an’s words. Instead, she thought he was being genuinely kind.
Not content to stop there, Xu Shi’an turned to Wen Ran and asked, “What do you think?”
“Huh?” Caught off guard, Wen Ran stared at him blankly. She had only intended to quietly enjoy the show.
Xu Shi’an pressed, “What’s your opinion of Secretary Ruan?”
Wen Ran glanced at Ruan Tang, who was also watching her. After a pause, she replied honestly, “I suppose Secretary Ruan must have other remarkable qualities.”
As she spoke, she cast a meaningful look toward Si Yan—after all, only he would know what those were.
Si Yan seemed to grasp her implication and retorted, “Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
Ruan Tang, seeing that he neither denied the implication nor defended her in front of Wen Ran, felt even more disheartened.
The rest of the meal passed in silence, but in that brief span, Ruan Tang’s mind raced.
Watching Wen Ran and Si Yan seated side by side, she felt increasingly bitter about her own position. They were the legitimate couple—what did that make her?
She had sacrificed so much for Si Yan, even risking public scorn. Had he ever truly valued her efforts?
If given a choice, who would willingly take on the role of the shameful other woman?Ruan Tang’s meal felt as tasteless as chewing wax. Just as her mind was wandering, Xu Shi’an perceptively placed the newly served prawns in front of her.
Sitting beside Ruan Tang, he could naturally sense her mood. “Secretary Ruan must work very hard normally,” Xu Shi’an said. “Eat more to keep your energy up.”
Feeling emotionally low, Ruan Tang instantly developed goodwill toward Xu Shi’an upon receiving this unexpected care.
In contrast, Si Yan was like a block of stone, completely indifferent to her.
Even a stranger like President Xu showed more concern than Si Yan. Ruan Tang’s tears suddenly overflowed beyond her control.
Wiping her face, she said, “I’m full. I’m leaving first.”
Grabbing her bag, Ruan Tang stood up from her chair. Hearing the sob in her voice, Si Yan immediately chased after her.
Wen Ran stared in stunned silence. She truly couldn’t understand what Ruan Tang had to feel wronged about. Shouldn’t she be the one crying?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” A teasing voice chimed in. “The domineering CEO has gone chasing after his delicate wife. How pitiful that someone else only deserves to dig for wild vegetables!”
Xu Shi’an shook his head as he spoke, looking utterly mischievous. Wen Ran could clearly tell he was mocking her for being love-struck.
“When did you secretly read domineering CEO novels behind my back?” Wen Ran asked. “You know quite a lot.”
“I just researched your specific symptoms online. They say you have what’s called ‘abusive novel female lead syndrome,'” Xu Shi’an explained, having even created a forum post to consult netizens about her condition.
Perhaps because their lives were too comfortable, the netizens below accused him of writing brainless tragic stories. So he investigated further and was shocked by what he found.
Wen Ran’s current symptoms perfectly matched those of female leads in tragic novels – still desperately in love even when her husband cheated, even willing to donate a kidney for the other woman.
He told Wen Ran, “Good thing I checked – that Ruan Tang doesn’t have any major illnesses that would require your kidneys. Otherwise, you might die without a complete body in the Si family.”
Wen Ran felt exasperated hearing this. Was she really that kind of person? But this confirmed she was acting well – in Xu Shi’an’s eyes, she was indeed a brainless woman obsessed only with love.
“Shi’an, you care about me so much!” Wen Ran stated affirmatively.
“I just don’t want your dowry to benefit others. Those are all the Wen family’s assets,” Xu Shi’an said with slight awkwardness in his tone, which Wen Ran didn’t point out.
……
After the meal, Xu Shi’an took Wen Ran shopping at the mall.
In the clothing store, Wen Ran had just finished trying on an outfit when Xu Shi’an shook his head upon seeing it. “This one won’t do. Change again.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Wen Ran stood before the mirror, feeling it looked quite acceptable. She had already tried on several pieces.
“Your taste in clothes needs work,” Xu Shi’an said, rising from the guest sofa. He circled the store, pointing at whichever pieces caught his eye, with staff following behind to collect the selected items.
After completing his round, he told Wen Ran, “Try these on first.”
Looking at the small mountain of clothes in the attendant’s hands, Wen Ran said, “Trying on clothes is exhausting too…”
Trying them one by one would be troublesome, especially since he had chosen so many.
The store manager immediately offered, “President Xu, we can arrange models to do a fashion show for you. You can directly select any pieces you like. However, since you came unexpectedly without prior notice, we’ll need some time to arrange for models.”Xu Shi’an was a top VIP at these luxury boutiques, receiving only the most exclusive services. Whenever he visited, the store would be cleared for him.
The fitting model collaborating with their brand would take some time to arrive. Seeing that Wen Ran no longer wished to try on more clothes, the store manager suggested, “Perhaps you could wait a little while?”
Coincidentally, Wen Ran’s phone rang at that moment. It was Si’s mother calling to ask when she would return.
After hanging up, she said to Xu Shi’an, “It’s already very late. I need to go back.”
Xu Shi’an glanced at his wristwatch and remarked, “It’s still early—are they rushing you home already? What, does the Si family have a curfew?”
After getting married, couldn’t she even have any personal space?
Seeing her insistence on leaving, Xu Shi’an had no choice but to tell the staff, “Just pack all the clothes I selected earlier. There’s no need to try them on.”
The store manager promptly nodded and directed all staff to help pack the garments. Several employees then accompanied Wen Ran and the others from the mall to the underground parking garage.
However, Xu Shi’an’s modified sports car had no trunk. The store manager then arranged for someone to drive her own car, following them all the way to deliver everything to the Si residence.
Si’s mother watched as several luxury store employees carried in numerous shopping bags. Without commenting, she smiled warmly and asked, “Did you have fun today?”