Volume One, Chapter 13: Slap Him Across the Face

After Zhong Yidan and Li Ye finished their meal, they took their leave.

Zhou Manhua had to rush off to a mahjong game and scolded Jiang Yunmiao before storming out with a dark expression.

Sister Xu was busy in the kitchen, leaving only Jiang Yunmiao and Duan Yixiao in the living room.

“Can you consult me before making decisions from now on?” Duan Yixiao’s tone was cold, tinged with dissatisfaction.

Jiang Yunmiao replied, “Would you even agree if I did?”

Duan Yixiao frowned, “Am I unreasonable in your eyes?”

“You’re not. But right now, I don’t want to reason. I want to rest.” Jiang Yunmiao took a stance of shutting down communication and stood up to head upstairs.

Her sudden defiance left Duan Yixiao stunned, frozen in place. After a moment, he quickened his pace to catch up and supported her as they went upstairs.

At the bedroom door, Jiang Yunmiao stopped him before entering.

He raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

She blocked the doorway, expressionless, and said, “Don’t you prefer staying in the study and sleeping in the guest room?”

Duan Yixiao frowned but then cracked a slight smile, “Are you sulking?”

Jiang Yunmiao, too tired to explain, snapped the door shut and locked it with a bang.

Duan Yixiao nearly bumped his nose on the door and stepped back hastily.

He gazed thoughtfully at the door and stood there for quite a while. Since she came back from outside, she seemed like a completely different person.

Was she really just exhausted? Or had she sensed something?

A few dark flickers sparkled in his deep eyes. Turning around, he made a call. “Those emerald earrings from the last auction apparently didn’t sell. Contact the seller and buy them. Have them delivered to me soon.”

Jiang Yunmiao woke up near four in the afternoon.

“Yunmiao, are you awake? We’ll be leaving soon,” Duan Yixiao’s voice came from the door, probably worried she’d overslept.

She changed into a comfortable, casual sweater and pants, lightly touched up her makeup, and immediately looked refreshed.

When she opened the door, Duan Yixiao was waiting outside. Seeing her flawless complexion, his eyes brightened. Despite her prominent seven-month pregnancy, her beauty remained undiminished.

“By the way, didn’t you say you liked these earrings? They suit your understated outfit perfectly.” He opened the box he held, presenting the elegant, high-end earrings to her.

Jiang Yunmiao looked at them in surprise, her eyes shining with joy.

Duan Yixiao must have gone all out because he was worried she might stand him up.

Those earrings truly were her favorite—there was no reason for her to refuse.

The venue for entertaining clients was a private restaurant known for its serene ambiance and exquisite dishes.

Jiang Yunmiao had been there three times: the first was when she and Duan Yixiao registered their marriage; the second, their first wedding anniversary.

They had since agreed to celebrate every anniversary there.

But sadly, now in their third year, their marriage bore mottled cracks.

Soon enough, the clients arrived.

Though they had seen their profiles and knew the couple was young, Jiang Yunmiao still blinked in surprise upon meeting them. They looked far too youthful, radiating a boyish charm, and with their mixed heritage features, they seemed like protagonists stepped out of a comic—truly enviable.

“Jiang Jie, I heard you’re over seven months pregnant and still look so well,” said Fanny, who grew up abroad but spoke with a soft rising tone that sounded light and charming.

Jiang Yunmiao was impressed. “Your Chinese is excellent! I would have thought you grew up in China.”

Fanny beamed with pleasure, her lovely eyes lighting up as she smiled brightly. “Thank you. My dad is Chinese and has always taught me Chinese.”

“I heard from Lucien that you and Mr. Duan built the company from scratch in just three years. That’s amazing! I really admire the way you two share hardships together,” Fanny said warmly, warmly engaging Jiang Yunmiao as if they were old friends.

Jiang Yunmiao forced a smile. Half a month ago, she might have agreed that this was life’s most precious experience.

But now, it was hard to put into words.

She cast a meaningful glance at Duan Yixiao, their eyes meeting—his gaze gentle and affectionate, almost intoxicating.

“Yes, without my wife, there wouldn’t be me today,” Duan Yixiao said tenderly, holding her hand. “With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?”

Jiang Yunmiao was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected he still had some flair for acting.

He performed so convincingly she almost believed him.

The meal proceeded fairly pleasantly.

Though she felt weary and weary of pretending, having spent years in the business world, she managed the occasion with relative ease.

Moreover, the couple across from them looked so sweet and intimate—it was easy to root for them.

But without comparison, there is no pain.

Jiang Yunmiao couldn’t help but review the years she had spent with Duan Yixiao and came to a chilling yet undeniable conclusion—Duan Yixiao didn’t love her, or at least not as much as she had believed.

Perhaps their being together from the start was a mistake.

On the way home, Jiang Yunmiao remained silent.

Sensing her mood, Duan Yixiao asked concernedly, “What’s wrong? You seem upset. Is the baby bothering you?”

Jiang Yunmiao lifted her eyelids lazily, her expression indifferent. “Are you looking forward to his arrival?”

Reflecting carefully, during this long pregnancy, the care she and the baby received from him was scarcely countable.

Duan Yixiao felt guilty. “Of course. He’s our child.”

He tried to reach out and soothe Jiang Yunmiao’s belly, but she quickly covered it with her hands first. Joking aside, it would be disastrous if he noticed anything unusual.

“What’s wrong?” Duan Yixiao furrowed his brows, sensing her resistance.

“You can’t touch the belly carelessly in late pregnancy—it could cause contractions,” Jiang Yunmiao said seriously.

Duan Yixiao said “Oh” and withdrew his hand awkwardly.

Just then, his phone rang.

After hearing the other side, his expression suddenly darkened like ice.

“Yunmiao, sorry, I can’t take you home anymore. Take a taxi back yourself.” His face was cold as he told her, then said to the driver, “Pull over.”

Jiang Yunmiao was stunned. Suppressing thin anger, she looked at him sharply. “What happened?”

Duan Yixiao’s tone was anxious. “Nianke was harassed by a client at a bar and drank a lot.”

Even Jiang Yunmiao, usually composed, was infuriated. Fury blazed in her eyes.

As the saying goes: Enough is enough—there’s no need to endure further!

Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped him hard!

Duan Yixiao was dumbfounded and furious. “You… are you crazy?”