Chapter 160 All the Bad Peach Blossoms Entangling
The voice was not unfamiliar to Director Jiang. Upon seeing the person and confirming her identity, she was even more surprised. Why had she come again? And why did she know Song Ni’s husband?
The man’s footsteps stopped. He turned and frowned, looking at the woman who had called him. Bai Xiyuan seemed to have rushed over, her face flushed with anxiety. Seeing Tan Zheng look her way, she stopped in her tracks, her hands nervously twisting together. Anyone seeing this scene would suspect some kind of intimacy between them.
Just as Song Ni had settled, Su Jingxi had, without anyone noticing, appeared by her side again. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, the truth is out. So Bai Xiyuan has a crush on your husband.”
Song Ni glanced at him, snorted, and lowered her head to fiddle with the seatbelt around her waist. No wonder Bai Xiyuan had said those strange things to her that day. It turned out it was all related to Tan Zheng. What was going on? First Bai Yunji, now Bai Xiyuan. Had Tan Zheng eaten a peach and then carelessly tossed the pit into the Bai family’s yard? It was a shame that Star City had such bad weather in recent years, giving rise to two such rotten peach blossoms.
Su Jingxi was curious. “Aren’t you jealous? You’re Tan Zheng’s wife.”
Song Ni shot him a sideways glance. “What’s there to be jealous of? You just watch closely later.” After all, she had seen with her own eyes how Tan Zheng had treated Bai Yunji back then.
As if on cue, Tan Zheng, who had been the focus of everyone’s attention, knit his brows. He gave Bai Xiyuan a dismissive glance and, before she could say anything further, walked back to Song Ni. The man was in a foul mood, his hands unsure where to rest. He didn’t understand the contraption around Song Ni’s waist and feared he might hurt her if he wasn’t careful. “How do I undo this?” His tone was not pleasant.
Song Ni looked up and saw the furrowed brow on his forehead, understanding that he was suppressing his emotions. Tan Zheng’s preferences were easy to discern; it depended on whether he was willing to engage with you. Dressed all in black, with a chilling aura, his lowered brows and evident displeasure could easily affect those around him.
Song Ni knew Tan Zheng well and understood why he was angry. She looked again at Bai Xiyuan standing not far away. She saw her expression shift from surprise to unwillingness, then to concealment. Another classic case of unrequited affection.
Song Ni’s eyebrows arched slightly. She was very pleased with Tan Zheng’s actions. She looked at Bai Xiyuan, a slow smile spreading across her lips, a smile of provocation and triumph. “Husband, it hurts so much!” Her eyes were a little red, her voice sweet and soft, as if she were on the verge of tears.
Su Jingxi: … Song Ni’s face changed far too quickly. It was a shame she wasn’t pursuing an acting career.
Chi Xia: … Here she goes again, Sister Ni is at it again. Brother-in-law definitely can’t handle this.
Chang Zi: … A brilliant tactic to deal with a lotus flower.
Liang Qian: … Who did Bai Xiyuan pick a fight with? She had to provoke Song Ni.
Director Jiang: … What is going on?
Song Ni’s voice was not at all restrained. Bai Xiyuan heard it clearly, her face instantly contorting with displeasure. When she looked over, Song Ni’s overt provocation was particularly jarring. Bai Xiyuan clenched her handbag tightly, suppressing the anger in her heart. She looked towards Tan Zheng, only to see him suddenly reach out and gently caress Song Ni’s nose.
From a distance, Tan Zheng couldn’t stand up taller. Bai Xiyuan had no idea what Tan Zheng said, nor what his reaction was. Only Su Jingxi, seeing that Tan Zheng knew Song Ni was faking it, still looked at her with doting eyes, saying, “How do you want me to cooperate?” Goosebumps rose on his skin. Su Jingxi couldn’t understand why Tan Zheng would fall for Song Ni’s act.
Su Jingxi, of course, wouldn’t understand. Because only from Tan Zheng’s perspective could he see the watery depths in Song Ni’s eyes. Even though Tan Zheng knew Song Ni was feigning innocence, he couldn’t remain indifferent to such beautiful, bewitching eyes.
Seeing that Tan Zheng was playing along, Song Ni beckoned him with a hook of her finger, signaling him to lean closer. The man complied. The closer he got, the more he noticed Song Ni’s pale face. Her lipstick was smudged, revealing her natural lip color, which should have been rosy but now appeared much lighter. “Have someone remove the thing around your waist.”
Song Ni blinked. In her sightline, Bai Xiyuan could no longer contain herself and took a step forward. Song Ni suddenly smiled. “If you kiss me, it won’t hurt anymore.” She had perfectly captured the essence of a woman’s coquettish charm.
Su Jingxi could no longer bear to watch. Chi Xia and Chang Zi retreated to the side, making space. Liang Qian, however, found this new side of Song Ni fascinating and couldn’t help but stare. Only Bai Xiyuan, upon hearing Song Ni’s words, had eyes filled with unadulterated anger and unwillingness. She looked at Tan Zheng’s back as if pleading, not understanding what she was begging for, only hoping he wouldn’t do as Song Ni said.
But then she saw the man lower his head, lean towards Song Ni, and bestow soft, comforting kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and eyebrows. The tenderness and pity in his actions were palpable to everyone present. Bai Xiyuan felt utterly humiliated. Humiliated that Tan Zheng was indifferent to her, seemingly not even recognizing her. Humiliated that Tan Zheng was so obedient to Song Ni.
Around them, small but numerous discussions began to bubble up. “Holy cow, Sister Ni can be like this?” “Sob, sob, a woman who knows how to act cute is truly blessed. Her voice is so sweet it could drip water!” “I always felt Sister Ni’s face was meant for being cute and soft, acting all sweet. Who could resist that? I certainly can’t!” “Don’t you guys think Sister Ni’s husband spoils her incredibly? His kisses made my legs go weak!” “By the way, what’s the relationship between the acclaimed actress Bai and Sister Ni’s husband? Do they know each other?” “I’m not sure, but why do I feel like Sister Ni’s husband doesn’t know Bai, the acclaimed actress, at all? He glanced at such a beauty once and walked towards Sister Ni without a ripple.” “Is this what unwavering love looks like?” “Sister Ni’s husband is so tall and has such a great physique. Even though Sister Ni is tall and slender, she looks so tiny in his arms, boo hoo, they’re so well-matched, I’m shipping them!”
The more Bai Xiyuan listened, the more her heart ached. A man like Tan Zheng had never looked at anyone with such regard. He was arrogant, and he had the right to be. His gaze was always indifferent, casual, as if nothing could enter his eyes except racing. But now, the boy she remembered, who cared about nothing, was holding a woman and coaxing her in a gentle tone. Bai Xiyuan couldn’t understand. Tan Zheng and Song Ni were merely in an arranged marriage. What skills did Song Ni possess to make Tan Zheng this way?
Song Ni saw Bai Xiyuan’s displeased expression and snorted. Tsk, how boring. First Bai Yunji, then Bai Xiyuan. Were the women of the Bai family so lacking in fighting spirit? She hadn’t even done anything yet, and they were already scared off? They truly were rotten peach blossoms, not even worthy of being her love rivals. Thinking this, Song Ni gently drew circles on Tan Zheng’s chest with her hand, a playful glint in her eyes. “Why do you attract all these rotten peach blossoms?” Given Tan Zheng’s charm, it really shouldn’t be the case.
(This chapter is finished)