95: Chapter 95 The Proactive Sweetheart

The two of them walked out of the bar side by side.

Just as they stepped outside,

Zhi Tianzhen's phone suddenly rang.

The shrill ringtone was particularly jarring on the quiet evening street.

Zhi Tianzhen frowned, picked up her phone, and her expression changed upon seeing the caller ID.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice sounding somewhat unnatural.

Cao Kun keenly sensed the change, a faint suspicion forming in his mind.

Whatever was said on the other end of the line, Zhi Tianzhen's expression shifted from surprise to tension.

"Didn't you say you had a business dinner tonight and wouldn't be back?

"What? The dinner was canceled? You're already on your way home now?"

"Okay, I understand. I... I'll head back right now."

After hanging up, Zhi Tianzhen's expression became complicated.

She looked at Cao Kun, her eyes filled with reluctance and regret.

"I'm sorry, it was my husband," she said with a bitter smile. "He said the dinner was canceled, he's on his way home now, and asked me to leave the door unlocked for him."

Cao Kun cursed Zhang Wei for ruining things in his heart, but maintained his composure on the surface: "It's fine, business matters are more important."

"Tonight... thank you for your company." Zhi Tianzhen stood up, swaying slightly. Cao Kun promptly steadied her. "I haven't been this happy in a long time."

"Me too," Cao Kun said with a slight smile. "So... shall we exchange contact information? Maybe we can chat another day when there's a chance."

Zhi Tianzhen's eyes lit up, and she quickly nodded.

The two exchanged wechat and phone numbers.

"I really have to go now," Zhi Tianzhen said anxiously, checking the time. "Next time... definitely next time."

"I'll walk you out to get a taxi," Cao Kun said considerately.

The cool night breeze dissipated some of the alcohol's effects.

While waiting for a taxi by the roadside, Zhi Tianzhen couldn't help stealing a few more glances at Cao Kun.

"You're really interesting, Cao Kun," she said softly.

"You too, Tianzhen," Cao Kun said, calling her by her name for the first time, his voice gentle.

A taxi arrived.

Before getting in, Zhi Tianzhen suddenly turned around and quickly planted a kiss on Cao Kun's cheek.

"Goodbye," she said, her face flushed as she ducked into the car.

Cao Kun stood there, watching the taxi disappear into the night. He touched the kissed spot on his cheek, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Although he hadn't completed the task tonight, he had clearly made a good start.

Zhi Tianzhen's thirst and eagerness precisely proved Zhang Wei's inadequacy.

Cao Kun could almost foresee that the task would be successfully accomplished the next time they met.

He glanced at the newly saved contact in his phone, smiled with satisfaction, and turned to walk towards his own car.

The night was still long, the road ahead still far, but some things were already destined.

...

In the following days, Cao Kun kept himself busy.

Preparations for the new company were in full swing.

First, Ji Guangli demonstrated astonishing execution. Office space was quickly rented in a downtown office building—not large in area, but in an excellent location.

Zhang Fangfang handled the business registration smoothly.

Liu Chaopeng began posting recruitment ads on various job websites and through industry contacts, searching for talent.

Cao Kun, as the nominal boss, ironically became the most idle person.

Each day, he was only responsible for overall planning, listening to Ji Guangli's progress reports, offering some innocuous suggestions, and spending the rest of his time flirting with Zhi Tianzhen.

After all, successfully completing the task meant an extra ten million yuan reward.

Cao Kun knew very well which was more important.

However, ever since meeting Cao Kun, Zhi Tianzhen had become utterly infatuated with this handsome man.

Images of Cao Kun filled her mind every day.

Whenever she had a free moment, she would send him messages on wechat.

At this moment, Cao Kun was sitting on the sofa, smoking a cigarette while looking at the wechat interface on his phone.

The screen was filled with messages sent by Zhi Tianzhen.

"He tried to touch me again last night. So disgusting. I pretended I had my period, so he didn't. Aren't I great, baby?"

"Good morning. Are you awake yet, baby? I'm already up, but I don't want to get out of bed. Do you think my new pajamas look good?"

Below was a selfie of her lying in bed, the neckline of the pajamas quite low.

"What are you doing, baby? Can't sleep in the middle of the night, thinking of you."

Cao Kun always replied just appropriately—not overly enthusiastic to seem cheap, nor too cold to make her lose interest.

He was like an experienced angler, patiently reeling in and letting out the fishing line.

He teased Zhi Tianzhen, making her heart flutter with joy.

She grew increasingly eager to have Cao Kun.

And increasingly disgusted with Zhang Wei.

...

Friday night, 8 PM.

Zhang Wei dragged his exhausted body home.

Xingchen Advertising had been having a streak of bad luck recently.

The overall business environment was already tough, making operations difficult.

To make matters worse, his capable right-hand woman, Ji Guangli, had resigned.

This forced him, as the boss, to personally handle all the work.

He was worn out all day long.

"I'm home," Zhang Wei said, tossing his briefcase by the entrance and loosening his tie.

In the living room, Zhi Tianzhen was curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone, the TV on but muted.

She glanced up at Zhang Wei, then looked back down at her phone, not even bothering to say "welcome back."

"Have you eaten?" Zhang Wei approached, trying to sit down beside her.

But Zhi Tianzhen shifted away: "I have."

Zhang Wei's hand froze mid-air, his smile faltering: "Why so cold today? I've been under a lot of work pressure lately, haven't been attentive enough. Don't take it to heart."

"Attentive?" Zhi Tianzhen sneered, finally putting down her phone. "

Zhang Wei, we've been married for three years. Have you ever cared about what I truly want?

Every day, it's just business dinners, the company, money, money, money.

I'm like a vase placed at home, waiting for you to occasionally remember to glance at me."

"Aren't I earning money to support the family?" Zhang Wei frowned. "You know the company's business isn't doing well right now. One of my key employees just resigned, and I have to handle many things personally..."

"Don't talk to me about your company's mess!" Zhi Tianzhen suddenly raised her voice.

"I don't want to hear it! I'm sick of hearing about it every day at home!"

Zhang Wei was stunned. He had never seen Zhi Tianzhen react so sharply before.

The air froze for a few seconds.

Zhang Wei suppressed his anger, trying to ease the tension: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this. Let's rest early tonight. I'm tired too." As he spoke, he reached out to put his arm around Tianzhen's shoulder.

But Zhi Tianzhen recoiled as if shocked: "Don't touch me!"

"You..." Zhang Wei's face darkened completely. "Zhi Tianzhen, what do you mean by this? I'm your husband!"

"Husband?" Zhi Tianzhen stood up, looking down at him.

"Zhang Wei, you know perfectly well in your heart. Have you been a competent husband? Besides giving me money, what else have you given me? Not even the most basic..."

She suddenly stopped, but the disdain in her eyes said it all.

Zhang Wei's face flushed red.

He certainly knew what Zhi Tianzhen was hinting at.

His inadequacy in bed was his deepest pain.

He had secretly seen many doctors.

But there had been no improvement at all, and he was deeply troubled.

"I've been a bit... lately, but I'm trying to find a solution!" Zhang Wei attempted to defend himself.

"Find a solution? You've been 'finding a solution' for years! You've been trying since we got married, and it still hasn't 'grown out' yet?"

Zhi Tianzhen turned and walked towards the bedroom. "I'm going to sleep. Don't come in. I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Zhi Tianzhen!" Zhang Wei shouted.

His answer was the heavy slam of the door and the distinct "click" of the lock.

Zhang Wei stood dumbfounded in the living room, staring at the closed bedroom door, a sense of powerlessness washing over him.

He slumped back onto the sofa, fished out a pack of cigarettes from under the coffee table.

The lighter's flame flickered in the darkness, illuminating a face etched with exhaustion and anger.

...