Chapter 27: A One-Hundred-Dollar Transfer and These Three Words

After finishing their drinks, Tang Yuan got into the car with Shen Zhou. Jiang Nian was in the driver's seat.

Having indulged in a few drinks that evening, Shen Zhou rested his head on one hand, his peripheral vision catching the hair clip atop her head. It was quite pretty; the aesthetic sense of a stuffy man like Tang Shangxu wasn't half bad. He reached out, plucked it off, and tossed it into a narrow corner of the car. Before Tang Yuan could stop him, he said, "We have plenty of those at home."

Tang Yuan remained silent, staring out the window. It was fine for him to buy sports cars and houses for his mistresses outside, but she could not accept gifts from any other man. It was a matter of a man's pride. She wasn't good at arguing with Shen Zhou, nor was there anything worth arguing about.

When the car stopped at Shuiyue Bay, Shen Zhou watched her get out and head upstairs without a word. He stood behind her, arching a brow. This little dumpling actually had a temper? A spark of interest flickered in his eyes as he told Jiang Nian, "Go buy a few more of that hair clip." Jiang Nian didn't ask why; the President had always been whimsical in his actions.

Tang Yuan returned to her guest bedroom and sprayed her ankle again with the spray Fu Yansheng had given her. Hearing footsteps at the door, she looked up to see Shen Zhou. He was undoing his shirt buttons with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping across the room. It was the smallest room, furthest from the master suite. She grabbed her pajamas, intent on showering, but he caught her arm.

"What are you doing?"

He scooped her up into his arms and walked toward the bed, his voice mild. "After we're done."

Tang Yuan found it laughable; he had spent the morning with Song Qianqian, yet he still had the energy for this at night. In their two years of marriage, Shen Zhou had never been particularly tender with her; he preferred passion in bed. Tang Yuan, bound by her own strict principles, could only beg for mercy in a soft voice when she couldn't take it anymore, unlike the bold and uninhibited Song Qianqian.

"I'm not feeling well today. I don't want to." Tang Yuan covered herself with the quilt, her expression cold. In the past, whenever Shen Zhou showed such intent, she could never hide the love in her eyes. Shen Zhou sat on the edge of the bed and tilted her chin up with his fingertips. "It’s just a hair clip. Are you really that angry?"

Tang Yuan lowered her lashes. After a moment, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck. "If we finish, are you going to leave again to work overtime?"

He raised an eyebrow, his heart softening inexplicably. "I'll stay home with you tonight."

No sooner had he spoken than his phone rang. It was his custom ringtone—a call from Song Qianqian. She slowly released his neck, her tone indifferent. "A work call. Go ahead and answer it."

Shen Zhou stood up and took the phone. Song Qianqian’s sweet, coquettish voice came through. "Brother Zhou, I sent you a photo. See if you like it."

Shen Zhou lowered his eyes and opened the image. It was in her usual hot and bold style, and it was the set he had bought for her. Song Qianqian also sent a message: *I'll wait two hours for you, don't be late. I was frightened today and want to rest early.*

Shen Zhou found it amusing; the little tricks she occasionally played were quite cute—at least much cuter than his uptight, unimaginative wife. He grabbed his coat from the side. "It's an overseas meeting. I've asked Jiang Nian to buy those hair clips for you. Get some rest early."

Tang Yuan said nothing. Once he was gone, she slowly took out her own phone. She had two SIM cards, one of which she rarely used and Shen Zhou didn't even know about. She had gotten Song Qianqian’s contact information from Chen Sen and sent a friend request on WeChat.

Song Qianqian, having just sent the photos to Shen Zhou and knowing he would definitely come over that night, was feeling smug when the request popped up. The note read: *Shen Zhou's wife.*

Song Qianqian was startled, but quickly regained her composure. She knew the President's wife had no status at home. This was a perfect opportunity to make her back down! She accepted the request and waited for the other side to speak. However, Tang Yuan simply added her and then went to take a shower with peace of mind. This Song Qianqian would be useful.

Song Qianqian waited until Shen Zhou had already arrived, and the so-called "Mrs. Shen" never said a word. It seemed she really was a spineless coward. As soon as Shen Zhou walked in, she threw herself at him passionately, and they tumbled into a kiss.

They were at it until the middle of the night. Dazed, she watched him put on his clothes by the bed. "Brother Zhou, are you leaving?"

"Yes. Be good, and don't stir up trouble like you did this morning."

Song Qianqian’s eyes reddened as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's all that Tessa's fault. Brother Zhou, will you help me deal with her?"

Shen Zhou’s fingers paused. Why was it that name again? He remembered that Tang Yuan had asked about this person earlier, saying she wanted to sign her to the studio, and he had agreed casually. He took out a bank card containing ten million. "Yuanyuan wants her. Don't go looking for trouble with her again."

A sinister look flashed across Song Qianqian’s face, realizing that this "Yuanyuan" was his wife at home. She forced a smile. "I see. I didn't realize Tessa actually knew Mrs. Shen. I thought she was lying to me when she said they were friends. Brother Zhou, I'm sorry, I won't go after her again."

Shen Zhou liked Song Qianqian’s submissiveness off the bed. He pinched her chin and kissed her. "Good girl."

*

In the middle of the night, Tang Yuan’s phone pinged with several photos sent by Song Qianqian—intimate shots of her and Shen Zhou. In the photos, Song Qianqian’s neck was covered in marks, and a manicured hand rested on Shen Zhou’s chest. The scene was ambiguous; one didn't need to guess that the two had just been through an intense encounter.

Tang Yuan clicked on Song Qianqian’s Moments and saw she had indeed posted a new update: *He just left. You can see the fireworks from here; they're quite beautiful tonight.* The image was a blurred silhouette of a man.

Tang Yuan guessed that the post was likely set to "Visible to her only," intended to stab at her heart. She transferred one hundred yuan to her with the message: *Thank you for your hard work.*

Song Qianqian had thought she was winning this round, but upon seeing the one-hundred-yuan transfer and the three-word message, a surge of fury flared in her heart. *Bitch! That damn bitch! This so-called Mrs. Shen is just like that Tessa—both huge bitches! I won't let either of them off easily!*