Chapter 6: Sometimes, Youth Holds Greater Strength

At ten o'clock in the evening, Shen Zhou arrived home, expecting to find someone waiting for him in the living room. It had always been like this for the past two years. But tonight, the living room was empty. He threw his coat to a nearby servant. The sharp-eyed servant noticed the lipstick mark on it and hurriedly covered it up, pretending not to see.

Everyone in the villa knew that Shen Zhou kept a mistress outside, but no one dared to speak of it openly.

“Where is she?” Shen Zhou asked.

“The lady went out this afternoon and hasn’t returned,” the servant replied.

Shen Zhou hummed in acknowledgment and was about to go upstairs when the living room door opened and Tang Yuan came back. Her hair was a little messy, and as she bent down to change her shoes, her long, fair legs were exposed. Shen Zhou looked at her and noticed the flush of drunkenness on her cheeks. His brows knitted tightly. “Have you been drinking?”

This was something that never happened before. The Tang family would never teach a woman to drink outside; if she drank, it was only in front of her husband.

Tang Yuan was now sober. Seeing the time, she felt a bit anxious. The ingrained schedule in her bones made her drive back quickly, but when she reached the door, she found it amusing. Whether she came home early or late, no one really cared.

She passed by Shen Zhou, and he caught a faint scent of alcohol on her. He reached out and pulled her close.

“Drowning your sorrows in wine? What troubles can’t you share with your husband?”

That was Shen Zhou—always so nonchalant. He never spoke harshly to her, but he would never take the initiative either. Even when he cheated outside, he made sure to preserve her dignity.

Both of them had been raised in prominent families and understood there were certain things best kept under wraps. This was for the best; at least when she needed to request resources elsewhere, others would treat her well out of respect for being Shen Zhou’s wife.

She pushed him away. “It’s about the studio.”

Actually, she didn’t need to push him; Shen Zhou let go as if by habit. He never liked to touch her much. The last time they were intimate was two months ago.

Tang Yuan had a stunning face—pure, cool, and alluring all at once—but she was too rigid.

There were too many women like her in their circle, all shaped from the same mold, and Shen Zhou had grown tired of them long ago.

“Your little studio hasn’t collapsed yet?” he asked flatly as he walked upstairs, pulling out his phone and seeming to reply to a message.

Tang Yuan felt a tightness in her chest. Upstairs, entering the bedroom, she saw the smile in his eyes as he spoke gently on the phone.

No need to guess—it was definitely Song Qianqian.

Seeing her enter, his smile faded slightly, and he ended the call. “Something you need?”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone gentle. “There’s Fenghua Entertainment under Shen Corporation. I want to get some resources from there.”

His fingers pinched the phone while his gaze rested on her. She rarely made requests, and now she seemed a bit awkward, but at least more lively.

For some inexplicable reason, his lips curved slightly. “Sure, just don’t play too recklessly.”

“Thank you,” she said softly and turned to fetch clothes from the cabinet to shower.

His hands wrapped around her waist from behind, and he kissed her neck. “Being so polite tonight? Asking your husband for a little favor should be a given.”

She stiffened, her heart beating faster at his words, but the next moment she caught the scent of another woman on him.

Shen Zhou was never stingy with sweet talk.

Playing women was as easy to him as playing with dogs.

She should have seen through it long ago.

His phone rang again, the screen flashing “Qianqian.”

She saw it but pretended not to notice.

He kissed her cheek. “Work stuff. I have to go out for some overtime.”

She said nothing and lowered her head to enter the bathroom. Probably afraid he’d change his mind, she repeated herself.

“I want to meet some directors from Fenghua Entertainment tomorrow.”

He didn’t stop walking, thinking these were trivial matters. Shen Corporation was huge; Fenghua Entertainment was just a tiny division.

“Alright, my wife just don’t learn those other women’s tricks—like keeping little starlets on the side.”

After saying this, he seemed to realize something; after all, he was that kind of person himself.

Women in bed needed to be passionate to be fun.

He chuckled lightly. “But sometimes the young ones are more energetic. You could try that too.”

His jokes were always like this—half-smiling, half-scornful, utterly humiliating her feelings.

He knew perfectly well that Tang family women never played the cheating game.

Once Shen Zhou left, she picked up her phone and contacted Director Chen at Fenghua Entertainment.

“Director Chen, it’s me, Tessa.”

That was a stage name she had prepared in advance when she decided to enter the entertainment circle alongside Chen Meng, as the Tang family had too many rules.

The directors who knew her identity also wisely kept silent.

“I want to bring someone for an interview tomorrow. Thank you.”

After hanging up, she looked out at the scenery and took a deep breath.

She had known Shen Zhou for fifteen years. His habits and name were etched into her bones. Pulling them out would be as painful as skinning and dislocating muscles.

She could indeed pretend to be deaf and mute, just living the shell of a wealthy wife.

But she would despise herself for it.

She asked Chen Meng for Fu Yansheng’s contact information and added him on WeChat.

He replied quickly but flatly refused.

She thought for a moment and realized she forgot to say who she was, so she sent the request again—Yansheng, this is Tang Yuan.

He accepted.

“Come with me tomorrow morning to meet a director. He’s casting for a male second lead.”

“Okay.”

Tang Yuan looked at the message. The boy was handsome but too cold, too individualistic.