QTIMP -Chapter 196 Character Persona – Overachiever (Part 28)

Under Tang Chaoyun’s cold, piercing gaze, the man looked at Si Qiu with expectant eyes.

“Sis-in-law… Sister Si,” he started carefully. “Um… I just wanted to ask… have you been in contact with Sister Xinyuan recently?”

Si Qiu looked him up and down before finally nodding.

The guy immediately broke into a grin. “Then, Sister Si, next time you meet Sister Xinyuan, could you bring me along?”

Si Qiu couldn’t help but laugh when she heard his request. He really was good at reading the room—he had already adjusted his way of addressing her. Even during dinner earlier, he had deliberately tried to ease the atmosphere and get closer to them.

Si Qiu’s impression of him was slightly better than the others, but even so, he still ranked behind her close friends and business partners.

So she said calmly, “I’ll have to ask the person involved.”

The guy immediately got excited. “Okay, okay, I get it. As long as Sister Si is willing to help, that’s enough. Sis, let’s add each other on WeChat.”

He completely ignored the scrutinizing gazes from behind him and added Si Qiu on WeChat.

After that, he cheerfully said goodbye to everyone and turned back toward his room.

Tang Chaoyun held Si Qiu’s bag in one hand and wrapped the other around her waist. After greeting a few acquaintances along the way, he lowered his head to look at her.

“Why are you getting involved in something like this?” he asked.

Si Qiu sent a message to Dong Xinyuan, then locked her phone screen. “It’s not really meddling. Qian Ruifeng is slightly better than the others.”

Tang Chaoyun’s arm tightened around her slightly. Feeling the delicate softness beneath his arm, the faint jealousy from earlier eased a little.

“Mm. He’s the second son in his family—no inheritance rights, living quite freely. He’s not a bad person, but he also doesn’t have much ambition.”

His tone sounded like praise, but carried an underlying sense of dismissal.

Coming from his best friend, it made Si Qiu want to laugh.

Still, considering his behavior today, she patiently nodded in agreement.

Seeing her perfunctory response, Tang Chaoyun continued casually, “Si Qiu, I know you’re focused on your career right now. But career development depends on capital accumulation and expanding your network.”

Si Qiu raised her eyes to meet his. His throat moved slightly as he continued, “The Tang family is one of the best in this regard—even in all of H City.”

He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We’re married. In some ways, the Tang family’s resources are also your resources. So—”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Si Qiu already understood.

However, everything in this world followed a kind of conservation of energy—whatever you gained always came with a price.

The Tang family’s resources were indeed excellent, but the price Tang Chaoyun wanted… she couldn’t afford it.

Si Qiu straightened his suit collar. “Husband, you should understand why I started my company.”

Then she turned and got into the car.

After returning home, she video-called Dong Xinyuan while still working on her computer.

“Just what did you feed that guy? Even with Tang Chaoyun’s cold face staring him down, he still insisted on getting me to meet you today,” Dong Xinyuan said teasingly.

“I didn’t expect him to be so clingy,” she added with a tsk.

“Huh? You already ate?” Si Qiu asked.

Dong Xinyuan replied carelessly, “It was already at my lips, so I just tried a bite. Who knew he was actually pretty innocent.”

“Gives off the vibe of a spoiled rich kid.”

“You run an entertainment company, yet you’re so old-fashioned,” Dong Xinyuan teased while doing her skincare routine. “Come out sometime—I’ll show you the real world, sister.”

The two of them chatted for quite a while before hanging up. After that, Si Qiu continued working. Short videos and TV dramas were already arranged; next on her list was the big screen.

Her ambition, combined with the traits of her current life, didn’t allow her to just coast along. She intended to use the cultural knowledge brought by her spatial ability to build her own entertainment empire.

However, the wider the path became, the busier she got.

“I’m back! Our son got another little red flower award at kindergarten today. To celebrate—and since tomorrow is a day off—we should go to the amusement park.”

Tang Chaoyun was dressed in casual clothes. He took the bag from her hand, smiling as he planned out the Sunday itinerary.

Si Qiu changed her shoes and walked toward the bedroom as she spoke, “This week really won’t work. I need to go visit the set of The Return of the Condor Heroes. I really don’t have time. You can take our son yourself.”

With that, she had already entered the bedroom and closed the door to change.

Left outside the door, Tang Chaoyun felt a brief moment of disappointment. After the three of them moved into this house, for the first two weeks—even when both were busy—they still followed a regular work-life rhythm.

On Sundays, their days off, they would also participate in the family activities he arranged—going out together, shopping, eating, living a seemingly normal and ordinary life.

But after those two weeks, she first had Song Huaiyi take over picking up and dropping off their child. Then she stopped coming home for dinner.

Now, she didn’t even participate in Sunday family outings anymore. His gaze lingered on Song Huaiyi, who was placing her handbag away.

Tang Chaoyun softened his voice. “Just postpone Saturday for one day. Can you leave a day later? I’ll arrange a private plane to take you there.”

Si Qiu, now changed into indoor shoes, walked toward the sofa. Passing by Tang Che, she ruffled his hair.

“If you want to go out and play, you need to finish your homework first. Go do it now while there’s still time before dinner.”

His assignments were all given by private tutors; kindergarten work was mostly craft tasks that required parental cooperation.

Tang Che’s gaze moved between the two adults, then he nodded and returned to his room.

Si Qiu sat on the sofa and took the water cup Song Huaiyi handed her, taking a sip.

“I can’t move Saturday’s schedule. But I’ll be back Sunday afternoon. I’m planning to take Che’er to see a psychologist.”

“You know how your mother treated the child. He’s smart—but the smarter a child is, the more likely he is to develop psychological issues.”

“Better to check it—if there’s a problem, we treat it; if not, we’ll just feel reassured.”

“So the amusement park will have to trouble you as his father. Once the company relocation is done, my schedule will be a bit freer.”

“Then Sundays can be my time with him again.”

Si Qiu stood up and went back to her room to change clothes. From the bathroom door, Tang Chaoyun continued speaking.

“Your older brother called me today.”

There was a pause in the rustling sounds from inside. “What is it?”

“He said the company has a project recently. An investor withdrew and wants me to inject capital, otherwise the project can’t continue. The Si family might be in trouble.”

After he finished speaking, the rustling in the bathroom resumed, along with the faint sound of running water.

A long time passed without any response. Tang Chaoyun thought for a moment and continued, “I haven’t formally replied yet. I wanted to hear your opinion…”

Before he could finish, the bathroom door was suddenly pulled open.

Si Qiu’s face still carried droplets of water, making her look delicate and striking.

But her eyes were filled with a chilling coldness.