Chapter 134: Overtime Is Truly the Root of All Evil

Jiang Zao pulled her feet away from Zhou Lichuan’s lap and said with a displeased expression, "You never mentioned before that you had a fiancée."

Zhou Lichuan looked intently at Jiang Zao’s face and then chuckled, "Is my dear wife feeling jealous?"

Jiang Zao replied with an emotionless "Mhm," and added, "Continue. I’m listening."

It was rare for Jiang Zao to be jealous, and Zhou Lichuan was so delighted he felt like he was floating on air. He leaned over and showered her with kisses, only pulling away after he had finally had his fill.

Looking a bit breathless, he said in a husky voice, "I was only eight or nine then, and she was six or seven. The elders from both families were hanging out and, out of boredom, suggested a 'childhood betrothal.' There were no formal engagement gifts or tokens—it was just something said in passing."

"And then?" Jiang Zao asked.

"And then... around the time I started middle school, their family moved away, Li Shu'an went with them, and we lost touch. I never saw her again. My dear Zaozao, give me your foot back; I haven't finished trimming your nails."

Jiang Zao hesitated for a moment before extending her half-trimmed foot back toward him, letting Zhou Lichuan cradle it in his palm.

"Childhood sweethearts, innocent and pure. If it weren't for me, she would probably be the young mistress of the Zhou family by now."

Zhou Lichuan was practically bursting with pride. "That’s not necessarily true. I didn't feel anything for her when I was a kid; who knows if that would have changed when we grew up?"

Jiang Zao’s tone turned icy instantly. "Say that again."

Zhou Lichuan broke into a cold sweat and gave a sheepish laugh. "Uh... I will always remain chaste, waiting for my Zaozao to sweep down on a colorful auspicious cloud to claim me."

Jiang Zao looked away. "Zaozao doesn't know how to ride the clouds. Go find your childhood betrothed."

Zhou Lichuan’s voice instantly deflated. "Wife, I was just joking! Even if Li Shu'an were perfect, could she ever compare to you? My wife is the absolute best in the entire world."

Jiang Zao wasn't easily mollified. She pressed on, "Li Shu'an and her mother appeared at the old mansion the other day, and it was clear they were gunning for you, trying to probe through your parents to see if you’re currently unattached. After Zhao Luyi got out of detention, she likely cut ties with her, so she came to the house because she wasn't sure about your situation."

Zhou Lichuan continued trimming her nails, looking a bit aggrieved. "Since you already know, don't be angry or jealous. Being angry is bad for your health; you won't sleep well at night."

Once one foot was finished, Zhou Lichuan switched to the other. Jiang Zao squinted her eyes, enjoying the service of the great CEO.

"I’m just curious why Zhou Jiayan acted that way. Meng Qiaoyuan seemed to know something too. Is this childhood betrothal common knowledge?"

Zhou Lichuan said, "Well... in high school, the Li family sent someone to our house to propose a marriage, bringing formal engagement gifts. At that time, the head of the Li family had run into trouble and their empire was on the verge of collapse. My father provided some assistance, and they wanted to return the favor by sending their daughter over. But my mother didn't agree; she said I still had to finish school and that those matters could wait until I was older."

Jiang Zao scoffed, "Back then, they wanted to use marriage to bind the Zhou family’s influence. That way, no matter what problems arose, they would have a backer, and their branch of the family could hitch a ride to vie for the position of head of the family."

Zhou Lichuan finished the nails, his eyes filled with fawning adoration. "My wife is just so brilliant; you grasp everything instantly and can see through anything."

"Has Li Shu'an tried to contact you since then?"

"No, but it seems she’s occasionally tried to ride the coattails of our popularity online. Zhou Jiayan mentioned it twice, but I didn't pay it much mind."

The purpose of this confession was to clear the air, not to stir up trouble. Seeing Zhou Lichuan’s open and honest demeanor, Jiang Zao no longer had the heart to tease him over such trivialities. She had him throw away the nail clippings, put the clippers away, and then lay down comfortably between two large pillows.

Just as they were about to turn off the lights and go to sleep, a thought struck Jiang Zao, and she sat up, nudging Zhou Lichuan.

"Zhou Lichuan, do you think... could Li Shu'an be with Lin Rui?"

Zhou Lichuan put down his phone, which he had been using to browse the news, and stared steadily at Jiang Zao. "Why would you think that?"

Jiang Zao sat still, tracing the logic of her suspicion.

"Lin Rui systematically clears out anyone who has designs on you, and his methods are vile and unspeakable. Li Shu'an reappearing at this exact moment happens to align perfectly with Lin Rui... Lin Rui is currently being hidden by Zhou Kuan. If they have reached some sort of agreement... I don't know, I’m just guessing."

Zhou Lichuan followed her line of reasoning; such a possibility could not be ruled out. He had been searching for Zhou Kuan’s associates within the company recently and had already cleared out most of them; he believed the company would be completely clean in another two or three months. If Zhou Kuan were pushed into a corner and decided to bite back, colluding with Li Shu'an through Lin Rui was not impossible.

Although they were certain Lin Rui was in Zhou Kuan’s custody, they lacked hard evidence. Everything remained mere speculation, hanging over them like a guillotine blade that could drop at any moment.

"Don't think about it," Jiang Zao said, taking Zhou Lichuan’s hand. "We'll face whatever comes. Since we’re just guessing, there’s nothing we can do other than increase our precautions."

Zhou Lichuan turned to look at her. "My wife is so smart. Why don't we plan something and take the initiative ourselves for once?"

Jiang Zao lay back down, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Something to consider. We’re idle anyway."

...

Overtime is truly the root of all evil.

At least, that’s what Jiang Zao thought.

In order to go to Country Y with Zhou Jiayan, Du Bin specifically adjusted his annual leave, dumping a mountain of tasks onto his boss to handle.

Jiang Zao stared blankly at her phone screen, checking Zhou Jiayan’s social media updates. With Du Bin there, her return to school to finalize her graduation had turned into a sweet vacation. She looked down at her rounded belly and couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

Meanwhile, the overworked CEO, Zhou Lichuan, held a different view.

Zhou Jiayan had a free-spirited nature. For her to stay in the country peacefully for so long—especially after the incident with Li Mingyi—was already quite an accomplishment. Having Du Bin with her would at least ensure her safety; she was young, so she might as well enjoy herself.

One day, Zhou Lichuan returned home unusually late. It was past three in the morning when he finished washing up and climbed into bed. Jiang Zao was awakened by the mattress sinking; opening her eyes, she saw deep exhaustion etched onto that handsome face.

"You’re only back now? Are you still going in tomorrow? It’s the weekend."

"I have to," Zhou Lichuan said. "I need to go to Nancheng one more time, but I'll be home to keep you company in the afternoon."

He leaned down and kissed Jiang Zao on the forehead.

Jiang Zao followed his movement, turning over and snuggling into his arms. "The matter of taking the initiative that you mentioned a couple of days ago? I’ve already set it in motion. I’m just waiting for the fish to take the bait."

Zhou Lichuan gently stroked Jiang Zao’s back, his voice dropping low. "Go ahead and do it. It doesn't matter if you make a big scene; I can handle whatever comes of it. Just one thing: you are not allowed to tire yourself out. Do you hear me?"