"This is the young master's room, and this one is yours," An Yi said, opening the door to a well-decorated bedroom. "The young master specifically instructed me to have you stay here."
Huh? He was actually this considerate?
The two rooms were adjacent, separated by just a single wall.
The arrangement gave Tang Mianmian a small sense of relief—at least they weren't sharing a room.
"Madam, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. The young master doesn't like having a housekeeper or too many servants around, so I handle everything myself. Regular cleaning is done by hourly workers, so you don't have to worry about it."
"There's nothing I need right now," Tang Mianmian replied. What could she possibly need at this point? She lacked for nothing anymore.
"What about clothes?" An Yi hesitated, his tone awkward.
Tang Mianmian pouted. "Yeah, my clothes are pretty unpresentable, aren't they?"
"That's not what I meant."
"I know," she said, cutting him off. "But I think they're fine for now."
"You've misunderstood me," An Yi clarified carefully. "What I mean is, if the young master needs you to attend an event or take you home to meet the family, it might be better to have something more suitable."
An Yi wasn't sure if his suggestion was appropriate, but it seemed like necessary advice.
Tang Mianmian froze for a moment, suddenly realizing she might have overlooked some significant issues.
As his wife, she would undoubtedly have to meet many people in that capacity. When that time came…
The more she thought about it, the more complicated it seemed, and regret started to creep in. Nervously, she looked at An Yi. "If I said I wanted to leave now because I've changed my mind, would you let me go?"
"If I let you go, I'd probably end up farther away than you," An Yi replied stiffly, forcing a polite smile.
"Well, I figured as much." She sighed, resigning herself to reality.
After providing her measurements, Tang Mianmian told him not to buy too many clothes—just one or two pieces would be enough.
Her modesty left An Yi surprised. Most women who interacted with the young master couldn't wait to milk him for all he was worth.
"Madam, you can actually ask for more," he suggested. Such a small request might be difficult to justify to the young master.
Tang Mianmian groaned at the title. "Could you stop calling me 'madam'? It feels so strange. You can call me Tang Mianmian, or just Mianmian, or even Tangtang!"
An Yi hesitated. No matter what he called her, the young master might not take it well.
After some thought, he settled on a safe option. "How about Mrs. Long?"
Thud!
Tang Mianmian dramatically collapsed onto the floor.
Meanwhile, in the executive meeting room of Jue Corporation, Long Yejue sat impassively as department heads reported on their progress.
Each presenter was on edge, fearful of making even the slightest mistake and facing the wrath of their icy CEO.
But today felt oddly different.
Though Long Yejue maintained his cold demeanor, he didn't critique anyone as he usually would. Even when the finance director made a mistake in his report, he let it slide without a word.
The room was abuzz with confusion.
"Mr. Long, Mr. Long…" His secretary, Cyndi, called softly when she noticed he was zoning out.
She had never seen him distracted during a meeting before.
What could have happened? The sky hadn't fallen, had it?
Everyone was utterly baffled.
"Is the meeting over?" Long Yejue asked as he snapped back to attention, his tone as calm as ever.
The attendees were stunned. Had the CEO just been daydreaming?!
Cyndi leaned closer and whispered, "The reports are done, but you haven't given your summary yet."
He nodded slightly, his deep voice finally breaking the silence. "The departments have performed well this time. I have no further comments. Keep up the good work."
With that, he stood gracefully, collected his documents, and strode out of the meeting room, leaving everyone in a daze.
"Cyndi, what's going on with the boss?" the still-nervous finance director asked.
Cyndi smirked faintly and adjusted her glasses. "I'd say he's fallen in love."
Crash!
Someone's laptop clattered to the floor in shock.
Without missing a beat, Cyndi raised her gaze and said in a monotone, "Damaging company property will be deducted from your salary."
"Cyndi, noooo…"
Long Yejue was, indeed, in a good mood. Having resolved a persistent issue, he no longer needed to endure endless blind dates.
When his mother's call came through, he answered promptly—something he rarely did before.
This surprised Zhu Wenyi. "Done with work already?"
"Almost. Why are you calling?"
"Remember the blind date you skipped yesterday? She agreed to meet again today. Make sure you make a good impression this time," Zhu Wenyi said straightforwardly.
For her son's sake, she had lost countless nights of sleep.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the family's second branch was already expecting a baby, while her own son showed no signs of settling down. It was enough to make her sick with worry.
"Mom, it's not necessary anymore," Long Yejue replied confidently for the first time.
"What do you mean by that? Are you planning to skip it again? Do you ever think about how I feel? You're not young anymore! Even Xi Zi, who grew up with you, has a child who's already calling her mom and dad, and here you are, with nothing to show for it. Are you trying to drive me to despair?"
Zhu Wenyi launched into a tirade, years of pent-up frustration spilling out.
Long Yejue held his phone away from his ear, waiting for his mother's tirade to end. When she finally quieted, he calmly said, "What I'm saying is, you don't need to find me a girlfriend anymore. I already have one."
And not just a girlfriend—she was already his wife.
"You have a girlfriend? Really?" Zhu Wenyi sounded skeptical. "Don't tell me it's one of those disreputable women. I won't approve of that."
Her first thought was that he was trying to placate her. Over the years, his numerous rumors and scandals had made her cautious. The Long family's rule was clear: no one from the entertainment world or anyone publicly flaunting themselves could become a Long family wife.
"That's not the case, Mom. I know what I'm doing. I'll bring her to meet you this weekend," Long Yejue assured her, deliberately withholding the fact that they were already married. He didn't want her rushing over and scaring the little woman. She needed time to adjust.
"This still feels unbelievable," Zhu Wenyi muttered suspiciously.
"Mom, have I ever done anything that you couldn't trust?" he replied, slightly exasperated.
"Well… alright then," she relented. Her son had always been reliable—except for this one area of his life. "Just don't forget to bring her to the family estate this weekend."
"Got it. Now go finish your spa appointment," he said, ending the call with a sigh of relief.
No more nagging calls about blind dates.
Feeling liberated, he immediately dialed An Yi.
"Where are you?" he asked curtly.
"Out buying the things you requested," An Yi replied, puzzled by the sudden call.
"And her?"
"Her?" An Yi was momentarily confused.
Long Yejue's tone grew colder. "Are you going to keep playing dumb?"
An Yi stiffened, realization dawning. He was currently buying things for the young master's new wife. This call must be about her. "She said she wanted to look around on her own. We're meeting up later."
"Where is she now?" Long Yejue demanded, his urgency apparent even if he didn't realize it.
"She's at Lan Yun Luxury Shopping Center," An Yi reported the address.
Before he could say more, the line went dead, replaced by the sound of a busy signal.
What's going on?
Shouldn't the young master be in a meeting? An Yi shook his head and returned to his task.
"Miss, please prepare one of every item in this size from your collection," he instructed the store clerk, his tone decisive.
Meanwhile, Tang Mianmian wandered aimlessly through the luxurious shopping center, feeling overwhelmed by the extravagance.
The items An Yi had already purchased left her speechless.
Who buys things in bulk like this?
Everything was absurdly expensive, and it seemed as though he was shopping for a lifetime's worth of clothes.
Lan Yun Luxury Shopping Center was essentially a paradise for the rich, offering everything from designer clothing and jewelry to high-end cars and fine wines.
Now she was certain—the man she married was outrageously wealthy.
Her ex, Su Shijie, had seemed rich to her before, but compared to Long Yejue, he wasn't even in the same league.
A nearby television wall caught her attention, displaying a news report:
"Breaking news: Jiang City's business tycoon and fourth-generation heir of the Long family, Long Yejue, has successfully secured the JR international project, which is set to begin construction by the end of the month. Experts predict this will positively impact the stock prices of the Long Financial Group and its subsidiaries, making this an ideal time to invest."
Normally, such news wouldn't interest Tang Mianmian, as she couldn't make sense of stock market talk.
But today, her gaze lingered.
On the screen was a strikingly handsome man—Long Yejue.
The man on her marriage certificate. The man she had somehow married.
Had she really married into Jiang City's most prominent family?
She was stunned. If fate intended to compensate her, wasn't this a bit too much?
Pulling out her phone, she prepared to search for more information about him.
But before she could type, a sharp voice called out, "Tang Mianmian?"
Her hand tightened around her phone. She hadn't planned to respond and was about to walk away.
However, the voice persisted. "Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital? What's this? Playing the pity card to make Shijie feel sorry for you so I won't press charges?"
It was the last person Tang Mianmian wanted to see—Yan Youlan.
Why did this woman keep showing up, like a ghost haunting her?
Tang Mianmian turned around, her expression cold.
This time, Yan Youlan wasn't alone. She was accompanied by two others.
On her left was Su Shijie's mother, a face Tang Mianmian recognized from photos. The resemblance between mother and son was undeniable.
On her right was an unfamiliar middle-aged woman, but her demeanor and attire exuded superiority.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tang Mianmian replied icily. Her gaze was sharp. "And I have nothing to do with Su Shijie."
Zhu Wenyi, who had been invited out shopping by Su Shijie's mother, looked curiously at Tang Mianmian. "Who is she?"
Yan Youlan sneered, her lips curling in mockery. "Aunt Zhu, she's the mistress who ruined my wedding. I nearly drowned because of her."
"Is that so?" Zhu Wenyi's face immediately hardened, her tone dripping with disdain. "Women like that always have those seductive faces."