Chapter 34.1- The CEO’s Wife – Transcendental Translations

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Chapter 34.1

Zhao Yi walked over and picked up the bouquet of roses, taking a few quick steps to Tian Tian. “These flowers are for you,” he said.

Tian Tian hesitated, looking at him but not taking them. She knew that accepting the flowers would, in a way, mean agreeing to his feelings. Zhao Yi had been nothing but kind and helpful to her throughout the semester, yet she still felt uncertain deep inside.

“Zhao Yi, why don’t we set the flowers aside for now and eat first?” she suggested, needing more time to think.

Zhao Yi nodded and casually placed the bouquet on a nearby table. “Alright, let’s eat first.” He walked over to her seat and pulled out the chair for her. “Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you,” Tian Tian said as she sat down. The room was warm and cozy, and she took off her down jacket, placing it on the chair next to her.

Zhao Yi returned to his seat and gestured toward the menu. “Order anything you like.”

“Okay,” Tian Tian replied with a smile. She flipped through the menu and selected her favorite dishes: steak, mushroom soup, and a dessert. “I’m done. It’s your turn.”

The waiter came over enthusiastically, and Zhao Yi simply said, “Whatever the lady ordered, double that for me.”

“Of course, sir. Please wait a moment,” the waiter responded with a polite smile and left.

During the meal, Zhao Yi didn’t say much. The two ate in silence. Although Zhao Yi had things he wanted to say, he could sense Tian Tian’s hesitation when he offered the flowers earlier. He didn’t want to say anything inappropriate that might spoil their lunch.

After the meal, Zhao Yi once again picked up the bouquet of roses. This time, he walked up to Tian Tian with a red velvet box in his other hand. Opening it gently, he revealed a pair of rose gold earrings with tiny diamond accents. “Tian Tian, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend? After spending this semester with you, I think you’ve come to understand me. I may not be the ideal partner you imagined, but I promise—everything I have will be yours.”

Tian Tian looked into Zhao Yi’s sincere eyes, momentarily unsure how to respond.

To be honest, Zhao Yi was handsome, gentle, and had helped her tremendously. She couldn’t say she didn’t feel anything for him—such a claim would be dishonest.

But at the same time, his unpredictable temperament and the rapid changes in his behavior made him unsuitable as a romantic partner, let alone as a husband. Even if his promises now seemed earnest, she worried about how he might act in the future if they faced real challenges. The memory of his earlier indifference, which he had justified as being “for her own good,” was still vivid in her mind. That period of uncertainty had left her restless and upset.

Rationality told her that she couldn’t agree to this. Remaining friends would allow her to guide him in the right direction and then gracefully exit.

Just as Tian Tian opened her mouth to speak, Zhao Yi, sensing her impending rejection, interrupted her. “Tian Tian, don’t say anything yet. Let me take you somewhere first.” With that, he held the bouquet in one hand and took her hand in the other, pulling her along.

Tian Tian had no choice but to follow, clutching her down jacket as they exited the restaurant.

While Zhao Yi settled the bill, she put on her jacket. Together, they hailed a taxi and got in.

In the car, Tian Tian watched the scenery outside the window flash by and couldn’t help but ask, “Zhao Yi, where are you taking me?”

Zhao Yi smiled mysteriously. “You’ll find out when we get there.”

Tian Tian stopped asking questions and turned her gaze back to the passing view.

Around 2 p.m., the sky grew overcast with thick clouds, making the city much darker than usual.

About ten minutes later, heavy rain began to pour, with dense raindrops pounding against the car and filling the air with a rhythmic pattering sound.

After another ten minutes, the taxi came to a stop at the entrance of a high-end residential complex called Yujing Haoting.

“We’re here. Let’s get out,” Zhao Yi said as he started removing his jacket.

Tian Tian looked at him in confusion, but Zhao Yi was already out of the car. He draped his suit jacket over her head. “It’s hard to find umbrellas here. Use this to cover yourself.”

Before Tian Tian could protest, Zhao Yi grabbed her hand and led her quickly into the complex.

“Zhao Yi, where are we going?” she asked as rain poured around them.

“You’ll see when we get there,” Zhao Yi replied, running with her through the rain.

Tian Tian noticed that Zhao Yi was completely drenched within seconds and called out, “Zhao Yi, come under the jacket with me!”

He shook his head. “I’m fine.” The jacket was barely large enough to keep her dry; if he joined, they’d both be soaked.

After a three-minute dash through the rain, they entered Building 3. Water dripped from their clothes, leaving a trail across the pristine white tiles of the lobby.

At the elevator, Zhao Yi pressed the button and turned to Tian Tian. “Are you okay?”

Tian Tian looked at him, soaked like a drowned rat, and shook her head. “I’m fine.” Thanks to his jacket, she wasn’t nearly as wet as he was.

When the elevator arrived with a soft chime, Zhao Yi led her inside and pressed the button for the 16th floor.

Once they arrived, Zhao Yi stopped in front of Unit 1601 and unlocked the door.

“Come on in,” he said.

Tian Tian glanced at him in confusion. “Is this your place?”

Zhao Yi nodded. “Yes.”

Tian Tian followed him inside.

After closing the door, Zhao Yi handed her a pair of pink fluffy bunny slippers from the entryway. “Try these on. See if they fit.”

Tian Tian stared at the slippers in surprise. Seeing women’s slippers in his home raised several questions. Did another woman live here? If so, why had he brought her?

Looking at the brand-new condition of the slippers, she wondered if they had been specially prepared for her.

A swirl of questions clouded her mind.

“You’re soaked,” Zhao Yi said. “Wait here. I’ll grab you a change of clothes.” He quickly disappeared into another room.

Left alone in the living room, Tian Tian began to take in her surroundings.

The apartment was spacious, about 200 square meters, with a large living room decorated primarily in pink and white. The furniture, including the sofa, carpet, and coffee table, was pastel pink, creating a cozy and warm ambiance.

If Zhao Yi hadn’t personally brought her here and claimed this was his home, she would have found it hard to believe that someone with his typically serious and stoic personality would favor such a soft and welcoming aesthetic.

Moments later, Zhao Yi emerged with a white set of women’s loungewear. “Tian Tian, see if this fits.”

Tian Tian couldn’t help but ask, “You’re just giving me these clothes? Won’t the owner mind? Most girls don’t like lending their personal clothing to others.”

“There’s no other girl here,” Zhao Yi stated plainly.

Tian Tian’s confusion only deepened, but Zhao Yi cut her off. “Get changed first so you don’t catch a cold. The bedroom is over there. We can talk later.”

“Alright, thank you. But you’re drenched too. Go change into something dry yourself,” Tian Tian replied, taking the clothes from him.

Zhao Yi nodded and left her to change.

Tian Tian went into the bathroom. As soon as she stepped inside, a faint, pleasant fragrance greeted her. Scanning the space, she noted the decor was distinctly feminine. The bathroom was equipped with both a shower and an oversized bathtub. On the shelves were neatly arranged bottles of shampoo, body wash, and aromatherapy oils. A large full-length mirror hung by the sink, adding an extra touch of luxury.

It was the kind of bathroom any woman would love.

Tian Tian quickly removed her wet clothes and changed into the loungewear Zhao Yi had given her. The clothes were soft and plush, with a great texture. Even without wearing undergarments, nothing showed through. The faint fragrance of laundry detergent from the freshly washed fabric was comforting.

Her underwear was partially wet, so Tian Tian placed it in a basin, intending to wash it immediately. However, after searching for a while, she couldn’t find the laundry detergent. Left with no choice, she opened the door to ask Zhao Yi.

The living room was empty. Tian Tian called out, “Zhao Yi,” but there was no response. He was probably in the bedroom, she thought, and walked toward it.

The bedroom door was ajar. As she approached, she saw Zhao Yi standing by the bed, shirtless, changing clothes.

Tian Tian’s eyes widened in shock—not because he was shirtless, but because of the horrifying scars on his body. She couldn’t help but gasp at the sight.

Zhao Yi’s side was turned toward her, and she could clearly see both his back and chest. His torso was covered with scars of various sizes. The three long, jagged scars extending from his shoulder to his chest were especially terrifying.

From her perspective, his scars looked like uneven centipedes crawling all over his body, grotesque and chilling.

Zhao Yi noticed Tian Tian had seen him. He quickly finished putting on his shirt and stepped out. “Tian Tian, did you call me just now?”

Tian Tian nodded. “I want to do some laundry, but I couldn’t find the laundry detergent. Where do you keep it?”

“I’ll get it for you.” Zhao Yi walked past her, heading straight to the bathroom. Opening a cabinet, he pulled out a bottle of detergent. “There’s a washing machine here. Just toss your wet clothes in—it’ll wash and dry them quickly.”

Tian Tian felt a bit awkward. “I’m washing my undergarments.”

“Oh.” Zhao Yi coughed lightly, set down the detergent, and left the room in a hurry.

Images of the scars on Zhao Yi’s body lingered in Tian Tian’s mind. She quickly washed her underwear and then put her down jacket, long dress, and stockings into the washing machine before deciding to confront Zhao Yi about what she’d seen.

If her mission was to succeed, she needed to understand Zhao Yi’s past.

Walking to the living room, Tian Tian saw Zhao Yi in the kitchen boiling water. “Tian Tian, have a seat. I’m boiling some water,” he said. The apartment was newly renovated and unoccupied, so there wasn’t much in the kitchen. The best he could do was make some hot water for her.

“Alright.” Tian Tian sat on the sofa, scrolling through TikTok on her phone.

A short while later, Zhao Yi brought over two steaming cups of water. “You were caught in the rain earlier. There’s no ginger here, but this hot water should warm you up.”

“Thank you.” Tian Tian smiled. “The heater in the living room is on, so I’m not cold.”

Zhao Yi sat down beside her. Tian Tian turned off her phone and set it aside, holding the cup to sip carefully. She glanced at him. “Zhao Yi, can I ask you a personal question?”

Zhao Yi nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I accidentally saw the scars on your body just now… What happened? How did you get such severe injuries?” She still couldn’t believe her eyes. In this day and age, how could anyone suffer such injuries?

Zhao Yi blew on his hot water, took a sip, and said calmly, “Those scars are from my childhood.” He pressed his lips together, pausing briefly before continuing, “They were caused by my mother.”

Tian Tian knew from the original host’s memories that Zhao Yi had been abused by his mother as a child, but she hadn’t realized the extent of it or that his own mother could be so brutal.

“You’ve probably heard about my identity as an illegitimate child,” Zhao Yi began, lowering his head, reluctant to revisit his past. But looking at the girl he cared for, he decided to open up. “When my father met my mother, she was still a university student. To pursue her, he hid the fact that he was married. Back then, technology wasn’t as advanced, and information didn’t flow as freely. My mother was deceived.”

He paused for a moment and then continued, “After they got together, she naturally became pregnant with me. My mother wanted to get married, but my father said he’d take her abroad to do so. Once abroad, he kept delaying until I was born, but he still didn’t fulfill his promise. Later, when my father’s wife found out, he coldly abandoned both my mother and me.”

Zhao Yi’s tone darkened as he spoke. “My mother, once a promising university student, became his mistress and bore his child, a source of scorn and ridicule for everyone. She was devastated and heartbroken. After returning to the country, she repeatedly tried to confront my father, but he had moved on to someone else and ignored her. When she caused a scene at his company, they had a complete falling out. My mother gained nothing and only made my father despise her more.”

Zhao Yi looked straight at Tian Tian. “I’ve heard from my grandmother that I resembled my father a lot as a child. My mother, consumed by love turned to hatred, directed all her resentment at me. From my earliest memories, she never once smiled at me. Raising me was like raising a dog. Whenever she was upset, she’d take it out on me. I cried, begged, and rebelled, but nothing worked. Once, she even nearly beat me to death. If my grandmother hadn’t found me in time and rushed me to the hospital, I wouldn’t be here now.”

By now, Tian Tian’s heart ached unbearably. He had been so small and innocent, yet his mother had inflicted such cruelty.

“When I was four, she died of cancer. For the first time, I felt relief,” Zhao Yi said. “After that, no relatives wanted me. My grandparents passed away one after another. My father hated me because of my mother, so he abandoned me too. I was shuffled around until I ended up in an orphanage. It wasn’t until I turned eighteen that I was brought back, but even then, my father still didn’t care for me. The family mansion had no room for me, and I was forced to stay in the maid’s quarters.” Zhao Yi’s voice was filled with bitterness as he mentioned the maid’s quarters.

Tian Tian’s heart clenched painfully. The disputes of one generation had been forced onto a child to bear. The Zhao family was immensely wealthy, yet they let him live in the maid’s quarters. It was no wonder he had disconnected Zhao Haifeng’s oxygen in his previous life.

Growing up in such a dark and painful environment, how could he not harbor resentment?

Zhao Yi gave a bitter laugh, looking at Tian Tian. “Tian Tian, I’m twenty-two years old, and I’ve never had a home. I don’t even know what it means to have one. Until I met you. I want to give you a home, a home for us.” He looked around the room. “I bought this apartment this year, after deciding to pursue you. I used all my savings and designed and decorated it myself. This is my dream home—one with you and me. And, I hope, our future children.”

He reached out and held Tian Tian’s hand. “Tian Tian, will you be my girlfriend? I’m serious about you. I’ve never been so certain about someone. We haven’t even graduated yet, but I’ve already started planning our life together.”

Tian Tian’s heart ached for him, but reason held her back. She hesitated.

Zhao Yi added, “Everything in this house, all the women’s items, I bought specifically for you. The bathtub and full-length mirror in the bathroom—I researched online because I learned girls like these things. Tian Tian, I may not be your ideal partner, but I’m willing to change and grow for you. Don’t judge me by one mistake. Please, give me a chance.”

“Alright,” Tian Tian finally said. “We can try dating for a while. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll choose to break up.” She couldn’t find a reason to refuse him. She already had some feelings for him, and after hearing about his childhood and seeing how much effort he’d put into creating this home for her, she couldn’t help but be moved. The apartment’s design clearly showed how much thought he had put into it—it was exactly her style.