After the White Lotus Drops the Act

Tang You suspected there was something wrong with her ears.

How shameless did this man have to be to say something so utterly deranged?!

What kind of devil was he?!

Ignoring her shock and disbelief, Xiao Zexing said indifferently, “The matter is already settled. I don’t want to see this kind of behavior from you again.”

Tang You: “……”

So, this meant he wasn’t planning on canceling the engagement and was also asking her to change her personality?

Ojbk.

At least she confirmed one thing—it seemed like ‘Xiao Weijing’ really hated her fake, delicate act.

Xiao Zexing didn’t say another word to her. Tang You took the same car back.

Through the glass, she saw Xiao Zexing light a cigarette. His handsome face was shrouded in a hazy mix of smoke and shadows.

Not a hint of a smile.

That night, as Tang You reflected on her performance, she came to a delayed realization—

Her antics that afternoon must have earned a ton of disgust points, but she also got thoroughly scolded by “Xiao Weijing.”

Riding a horse in a skirt was not a pleasant experience. Tang You’s skin was naturally delicate—so delicate it was practically unreasonable.

Even though she had only ridden for about ten minutes, she had already felt sore and swollen when she first got off the horse. Now, her fair skin was covered in large patches of bruises.

When she finally returned home, her awkward walking posture startled Miao Jiaxi so much that she jumped off the couch.

“Girl, did you just open the door to adulthood?!”

Tang You was silent for two seconds before saying, “Honestly, I think it’s less like becoming an adult and more like becoming a spirit.”

Miao Jiaxi snorted. “And how exactly did you ‘become a spirit’?”

“Xiao Weijing got back at me by making me ride a horse in a skirt.”

Seeing Miao Jiaxi’s increasingly shameless grin, Tang You corrected her: “Clean out the dirty thoughts in your head. It was just riding a horse—no bouncing.”

Miao Jiaxi exploded: “That motherf—!! What kind of beast is this guy?! I didn’t expect Xiao Weijing to be so vicious! He’s even this ruthless to a girl! I curse him to get corns on his feet and hemorrhoids on his—”

Tang You sighed. “Jia Jia, how could we curse him like that? That’s too cruel.”

The moon was bright that night, its glow soft on the balcony. Tang You hobbled over, lit two sticks of incense for the God of Wealth, and prayed with utmost sincerity:

“Your humble believer is willing to eat vegetarian for life in exchange for Xiao Weijing gaining 30 pounds, losing 10 centimeters down there, growing two cup sizes bigger in the chest, and losing half his hair.”

Miao Jiaxi: “……”

Wow. Such a gentle and merciful curse.

After offering her heartfelt prayer, Tang You knelt down and fumbled through the medicine box for some bruise cream.

The box was placed low and hard to search through. As she leaned forward, her injured skin scraped against the floor, making her gasp in pain.

Miao Jiaxi hesitated before suggesting, “You know what, maybe we should just let it go, Youyou. As the saying goes, ‘More exes, more paths. More husbands, more homes.’ If you and Xiao Weijing have a contract marriage, you can both do your own thing and never interfere with each other. Wouldn’t that be great?”

Tang You firmly rejected the idea: “No way.”

Her parents’ failed marriage had already been a lesson.

A marriage without love was just torture—and for any future children, it would be even worse.

She refused to live that kind of life.

_

After applying the medicine for two consecutive days, the bruises on Tang You’s legs finally faded a little.

There was no helping it—her skin was just too delicate. Normally, even the slightest bump would make her eyes well up with tears, let alone this time, when she had endured prolonged friction. She needed some proper recovery time.

Zhao Manlan called, her voice gentle as she apologized, explaining that Xiao Weijing had only acted on impulse and that he had already been properly educated.

Tang You listened quietly and reassured her softly, “It’s okay, Auntie.”

After hanging up, Tang You carefully noted down Xiao Weijing’s dislikes in her phone’s memo app:

– Delicate little white flowers
– Childish behavior

Not far away, Amai called her name, asking her to check the freshly taken photos.

The arched glass dome overhead let streams of golden sunlight pour in. Tall green plants stretched their leaves outward, vibrant flowers bloomed in the corners, and the air was filled with a fresh, pleasant fragrance. The fountain’s water sparkled crystal clear, and from a distance, the faint sound of a violin could be heard.

They were at a resort garden hotel in Xijing. Tang You had recently accepted a collaboration with a new domestic fashion brand, which had already sent over the clothes along with a request for an outdoor shoot.

Amai, however, had severe social anxiety. Even after emerging from seclusion, he still avoided social interaction whenever possible.

This hotel’s garden was beautifully designed, and Tang You had chosen it for that reason.

Amai was adjusting the camera, his tall, thin frame wrapped up from head to toe despite the hot weather, wearing a mask and hood.

Whether indoors or outdoors, he was always like this.

Tang You tiptoed slightly to look at the camera screen with him.

Amai said, “Looks pretty good.”

Tang You reviewed the shots one by one, then casually asked, “Want to grab lunch together?”

“No,” Amai carefully removed the lens, meticulously wiping it clean before placing it in his camera bag. “Too many people. Not used to it.”

The two had been working together for years and didn’t need to say much to understand each other.

Just as Tang You was about to pick up her bag, Amai got to it first and slung it over his shoulder. “It’s a bit heavy. I’ll carry it for you.”

“Thanks.”

Tang You never expected that as soon as she stepped into the hotel lobby, she would run straight into Tang Xiao and his family.

Jiang Tao was holding onto Tang Xiao’s arm, with Tang Nan standing beside them. The three of them were chatting and laughing, the atmosphere harmonious—

—until they saw Tang You.

Tang Xiao stared at her and Amai in shock.

Tang Nan covered her mouth, stepping back in exaggerated surprise. “Sis, didn’t you say you had a date with Mr. Xiao today? Why are you…”

Glancing at the silent Amai, Tang Nan suddenly shrieked, “No wonder you don’t want to marry Mr. Xiao—you already have a boyfriend!”

Before Tang You could respond, Jiang Tao gently tugged on Tang Xiao’s arm. “Don’t be angry. Maybe Youyou didn’t mean to…”

That last “didn’t mean to” was spoken with a delicate lilt, full of hidden meaning.

Tang You sighed inwardly. Now this—this was a true white lotus.

She would need a few thousand years of practice before she could pull off that kind of performance.

If she had Jiang Tao’s skills, Xiao Weijing would have dumped her at least 800 times by now.

There would have been no need to drag things out this long.

The warm fatherly smile on Tang Xiao’s face vanished completely. His expression darkened as he demanded, “Youyou, what’s going on?”

Tang You introduced Amai, her tone light and innocent. “I’m just here taking photos with a friend.”

As she spoke, she discreetly pinched her palm, forcing a few tears to well up in her eyes. “And Daddy, are you here for a meal with Auntie and Nan Nan? Why didn’t you tell me? Do you… not see me as family anymore?”

Her words instantly shifted the mood.

_______

Translator’s Note:

“More exes, more paths” implies that each relationship, even if it ends, opens up new directions, lessons, and choices for personal growth and future relationships.
“More husbands, more homes” suggests that each marriage brings a new home or life experience, possibly hinting at financial stability, new beginnings, or adaptability.