Mo Tingyan bent down and smoothly took the phone straight from Wen Zhi's hand, lifting it to his ear.
On the other end, Jiang Xian's voice was mid-sentence—
"…the CEO of Mingguang Group."
Mo Tingyan's eyes darkened slightly.
He didn't respond.
Wen Zhi waved at him anxiously and whispered,
"Don't act recklessly. Mr. Jiang still has business ties with Qiao Qiao's family. Just send him off."
On the phone, Jiang Xian assumed Wen Zhi had also been stunned by the revelation. Afraid she hadn't fully grasped the gravity of it, he repeated urgently,
"Mr. Mo is the CEO of Mingguang Group. That's why he looked familiar. I've only ever seen his side profile and back at the company's annual banquet. When he turned away just now, I recognized him immediately. It's him. There's no mistake."
Mo Tingyan let out a cold, disdainful chuckle.
The line fell dead silent.
After a long pause, Jiang Xian spoke hesitantly.
"…Mr. Mo?"
"That's right. It's me," Mo Tingyan replied calmly.
"What—was I not clear enough earlier? Then let me spell it out for you."
His voice turned icy.
"I am Wen Zhi's husband. We've been legally married for a long time. You trying to pry my wife out of my hands—are you tired of living?"
Jiang Xian froze.
"Y-You're… married?"
"Of course," Mo Tingyan said mercilessly.
"And if you dare to covet what's mine again, or say a single word of nonsense in front of my wife—
I'll make sure you can't survive in Jiang City."
The person on the other end didn't dare make another sound.
First love at first sight—
and the woman turned out to be his secretive, terrifying big boss's wife.
What could he possibly say now?
Mo Tingyan hung up.
Seeing both women staring at him in shock, he casually handed the phone back to Lian Qiao, wearing a lazy, roguish smile.
"Well, bestie," he teased,
"look at the trouble you caused. Did I look intimidating just now? Think I scared him enough?"
Lian Qiao felt guilty.
"I didn't know you two got married in secret! I was doing it for Xiao Zhi's sake!"
That said…
She couldn't deny it.
That aura just now—
that overwhelming pressure—
No way did it belong to some ordinary airline captain.
That was pure domineering CEO energy.
Wen Zhi, however, was thinking about something else entirely.
She frowned with concern.
"You were too arrogant. He works at Mingguang Group. What if you really anger him—"
"He already knows I'm a Jiang Airlines captain," Mo Tingyan said calmly.
"If I didn't threaten him, that's when he'd run his mouth. Now that he knows who I am—and his position is lower—he'll be even more afraid we'll cause trouble. Relax. He won't dare say a word."
Lian Qiao nodded vigorously.
"Exactly! Better to make it clear. Now he won't keep thinking about ruining your marriage. I'll talk to him again if I get the chance."
Hearing that Lian Qiao might still meet Jiang Xian, Mo Tingyan continued eating while pretending to scroll on his phone.
Under the table, he quickly typed a message to Huo Ze.
[Jiang Xian recognized me. Go warn him properly. Make sure he never opens his mouth again.
If he dares speak recklessly, I won't mind involving his family.]
[Received.]
After dinner, the three went their separate ways.
On the drive home, Wen Zhi noticed that when Mo Tingyan was alone with her, he had finally stopped sulking.
She tested the waters.
"You're not angry anymore?"
Mo Tingyan snorted.
"What's the point of being angry? You don't even comfort me."
Wen Zhi: "..."
"I treated you to a movie."
"Yes," he replied coolly.
"And you brought a third wheel—and a man who wanted to steal my wife."
Mentioning it reignited his temper. He shot her a glance.
"At dinner, when he said he wanted to talk to you, I only said one thing casually—and you actually went with him. What? Is he more attractive than me?"
Wen Zhi: "..."
"Stop twisting things," she said seriously.
"I could tell your tone was off back then. But I also guessed what Jiang Xian wanted to say. Some things are better cut cleanly—fast and decisive—so there's no lingering trouble."
Mo Tingyan understood her reasoning, but his expression still darkened.
"Your best friend said it herself—other than my face, every condition I have is worse than his. If I gave you another choice, between him and me… who would you choose?"
Here we go again.
Wen Zhi rolled her eyes, sat up straight, and ignored him.
Mo Tingyan: "..."
"Why aren't you answering? Does this even require thinking?"
"I choose being single," Wen Zhi snapped, glaring at him.
"Stop asking stupid questions."
Seeing that she was genuinely annoyed, Mo Tingyan finally smiled.
"Angry?" he coaxed.
"I just care about you. Don't be mad. Want me to make it up to you? When we get home, I'll use my Seventy-Two Techniques to Tame a Phoenix—"
"Shut up."
"Yes, ma'am."
Wen Zhi couldn't help laughing despite herself.
Give him kindness and he acts up—
he really was a shameless lunatic.
That Night — The Mo Family Home
After being discharged from the hospital, Mo Tingjue had moved back in with his parents.
For days, he'd shut himself inside, refusing to go out no matter how much his mother, Gu Nian, tried to coax him.
He was in agony.
Because he'd finally realized—
He truly, desperately loved Wen Zhi.
So much that when he took Wen Xue to confront her—and she didn't care—it broke his heart.
So much that even knowing Wen Zhi now belonged to Mo Tingyan, he still wanted to steal her back.
No—
he wanted to marry her.
He regretted everything.
He had once possessed her—
why hadn't he convinced his parents earlier and married her properly?
Seeing his hollow, defeated look, Gu Nian could only persuade him again and again.
"Son, there are plenty of good women in the world. Mom can find you someone even better."
Mo Tingjue snapped bitterly,
"There are many good women—but none of them can enter my heart like Wen Zhi. Mom, I really love her. I regret it. That day, I shouldn't have slept with Wen Xue on impulse. I miss Wen Zhi so much. I want her back. Mom, can you help me?"
Just thinking about how Wen Zhi had openly defied her for Mo Tingyan made Gu Nian furious.
"How can you be this useless, Mo Tingjue?!"
"I don't care!" he roared.
"If I can't have her, I'll die!"
Gu Nian thought he was just saying it—
Until he started a hunger strike.
This was the third day he hadn't eaten or drunk anything.
Looking at her son's pale, haggard face, Gu Nian's heart finally broke.
This child—
the doctors had declared her infertile for years, yet heaven had still gifted her this precious son.
How could she bear to let him suffer?
No matter how much she despised Wen Zhi—
for her son, she would bring her back first.
Once her son got tired of her,
she'd kick that woman out without mercy.
Her eyes narrowed with calculation.
"Son," she said gently,
"listen to Mommy. Eat this bowl of rice. I've thought of a way…
a way to help you steal Wen Zhi back."
Mo Tingjue's eyes lit up.
He forced himself upright and grabbed her arm excitedly.
"Mom—tell me! What way?"
A cold, cunning smile curved Gu Nian's lips.
"We'll use Mo Tingyan's bottom line."
Mo Tingjue thought for a long moment.
Suddenly, realization struck.
"You mean…?"