A biological brother and a cold, indifferent husband who seemed to feel nothing but aversion toward her, how could she possibly be trapped in a love triangle?
Yet none of the three spoke. The oxygen seemed to drain away slowly, and the air grew heavier, gradually solidifying.
Song Ting’an broke the silence first.
“Chief Judge Tan, hello. I apologize for my mother’s behavior. Also, Zhizhi is feeling unwell,” he said. “I’ll take her home to rest for two days.”
Tan Siyan’s voice was faint.
“I think protecting my wife is only natural, isn’t it?”
The man handed the prepared cold medicine to her.
“I have been busy with work and did not take good care of her, so I should apologize,” Tan Siyan said softly. “Song Shuangzhi should indeed go home to rest. However, the place she should return to…”
He picked up his coat. “…is our home.”
Song Shuangzhi could not quite understand the strange undercurrent between the two men.
【Male rivalry! A love triangle! Every word is sharp like a blade!】
【Zhizhi, he’s being so domineering toward you!】
【He’s jealous! You were so close with Song Ting’an that he’s about to explode!】
【Ahhh, he’s already in love, isn’t he!!!】
Song Shuangzhi: “? Is the plot still intact?”
The system: (｀・ω・´) 【Oh sorry, I just switched into sweet romance mode. You were in the abandoned wife cannon fodder mode… let me check…】
【Ahhh! Damn it! “I, Tan Siyan, whose ex-wife would dare to covet her?” He wants to cut off your future relationships!】
【Even if you divorce, he still wants you to remain faithful to him!】
Song Shuangzhi was furious and shot him a glare.
The man’s gaze pressed down on her at the same moment, overwhelming and oppressive.
Her little “antennae” immediately retracted again.
“The medicine is cold,” he said quietly.
She sighed helplessly, but still remembered him saying it wasn’t bitter, that it was imported medicine from The Hague, maybe even a pleasant surprise.
She drank it in one breath.
“Mmm…”
Her mouth scrunched into a bun-like shape. Forget “not bitter,” it was disgusting—far more bitter than traditional Chinese medicine.
Her watery eyes filled with a thin layer of mist as she looked at him pitifully.
Tan Siyan wiped the medicine residue from the corner of her lips with a tissue.
“Song Shuangzhi, swallow it.”
Somehow, her throat obeyed him without resistance.
Gulp! All of it went down.
【His gaze is a ruler, his voice is law!】
【Wuwuwu, restrictive-system romance really hits different… why does even “swallow it” sound like that…】
“Approved leave,” Tan Siyan said, draping her coat over her.
“Go home.”
He strode forward. His wide, striking black-and-gold judicial robe fluttered as he walked. Song Shuangzhi said a soft goodbye to her brother and hurried after him.
Everyone in the courthouse greeted him respectfully.
“Chief Judge Tan.”
No one found anything strange about the young intern following beside him. They assumed she was simply assisting with case materials.
But beneath his wide robe, their fingers briefly touched.
A piece of candy appeared in her palm.
Coconut matcha sweet cream flavor. Her favorite.
Unexpectedly granted half a day off, Song Shuangzhi planned to go home and recharge with her four cats.
She escorted Tan Siyan to his car, handed him his briefcase, and smiled like two crescent moons.
“Chief Judge Tan, thank you for approving my leave. See you tomorrow~”
He stood by the luxury car’s back seat.
“You are not getting in?”
“Huh?”
“Get in.”
She wanted to say, “Didn’t I already get leave? Why am I still accompanying you?” but swallowed it back, suppressing her frustration.
“Oh.”
Tan Siyan ignored her reaction and instructed the driver.
“Return to Litchi Bay.”
【Zhizhi! He’s personally taking you home?! And staying with you at your house?!】
She was slightly flustered. “Chief Judge, you should go handle your work. I can take a taxi. I’ll be fine after I sleep.”
Those clear, deep eyes of his locked onto hers, piercing through all hesitation.
“Song Shuangzhi.”
“Yes.”
“What is your relationship with me?”
“…Subordinate?”
“I do not allow subordinates in my car. I do not allow subordinates on my lap. And I would never…”
He paused. “…fly over ten hours from The Hague just to watch you take medicine.”
The driver quickly raised the partition, sensing danger.
Inside the spacious Rolls Royce, the presence of Tan Siyan made the space feel unexpectedly confined.
“Try again. What are you to me?”
He added, “Do not answer incorrectly.”
She nervously tugged at her clothes.
“W-wife…”
“Yes.”
Tan Siyan unwrapped the coconut matcha candy she had been hiding in her palm and placed it near her lips.
“You are Mrs. Tan. My car, my lap—only you can sit there. And only you should.”
The strict judge now sounded unexpectedly gentle.
As if he had become a completely different person.
She suddenly lifted her head, her forehead brushing his chin.
Their eyes met. In the quiet air, it felt like fireworks were falling.
He… was so handsome.
The way he called her “Mrs. Tan” sounded unbearably attractive.
Her thoughts felt slightly numb.
“Song Shuangzhi, being someone’s wife comes with certain duties.”
She swallowed.
His breath carried a faint fragrance. His dark eyes fell on her flushed cheeks and lowered lashes.
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.
【What duties?! What duties?! My mission hasn’t even unlocked anything like car-level romance yet!】
【Has the male lead been possessed?!】
【This is definitely not Tan Siyan!】
【Wait… or is he just a scummy man after all?!】
【Noooo don’t—he might seduce you and then abandon you…】
His gaze deepened, like a black hole capable of swallowing everything.
“Song Shuangzhi, are you willing to fulfill your duties as my wife?”
“I…”
“No refusal allowed.”
The system screamed in her mind: 【If he dares to hurt you, I’ll shock him to death!!!】
“Then your duty is simple,” he said, leaning back slightly as if releasing her from pressure. “Do not lie to me.”
“Huh?”
“Currently, that is your temporary duty.”
He turned a few pages of documents, then closed them again, pressing his fingers against his aching brow.
“Where is my ring?”
“Oh, here.”
She quickly took out the pair of white gold wedding rings from her bag and handed them to him.
The cool metal felt heavy in his palm. He looked at the rings, brows slightly furrowed.
【Clingy female supporting character mission triggered: personally put the wedding ring on him.】