After recording the official statement, Zhao Jing continued with a video call to the major shareholders. There was a brief window of time between the two, allowing Zhao Jing to send a few reassuring messages to his other half, who was still asleep, updating him on his progress to avoid any worry.
As Zhao Jing had informed Wei Jiayi earlier, he had already reached out to most of the relevant parties, briefing them and preparing a solid crisis PR plan. After the shareholders reviewed his statement, the mood in the meeting was heavy but, as Zhao Jing had anticipated, still manageable.
Since it was already past midnight, Zhao Jing kept the meeting brief, primarily emphasizing the progress of negotiations with the regulatory agencies. He worked to reassure the shareholders, promising that the source of the leak would be identified as soon as possible.
While answering the shareholders’ questions, Zhao Jing noticed a habit he had unconsciously picked up: rubbing and twisting his wedding ring with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. It reminded him of Wei Jiayi’s hand—cold, soft, and exclusively shared between the two of them. The gesture gave Zhao Jing immense comfort, making him realize the happiness that only a married person who had built a real family could feel.
Though Wei Jiayi hadn’t been able to personally place the ring on his finger this time due to the rush, they would see each other again soon. Wei Jiayi would have the chance to put it on him properly. As Zhao Jing continued explaining the company’s strict confidentiality agreements to the shareholders, he was already making new plans in his mind.
After the third question had been addressed, someone sharp-eyed finally picked up on Zhao Jing’s big reveal. A shareholder first raised their hand to indicate they wanted to speak, hesitated briefly, and then asked with a hint of confusion, “What’s your ring?”
“It’s a wedding ring.” Zhao Jing lifted his hand to ensure everyone could see it clearly. He brought it closer to the camera, displaying it on both sides. “I got married yesterday.”
Everyone was stunned into silence. One irritable shareholder swore under his breath in a moment of panic. Zhao Jing, however, didn’t take offense. Understanding their concern, he calmly explained, “The marriage certificate hasn’t been issued yet, but I’ve already consulted a lawyer to draft a marital agreement. My spouse will have no stake in the company’s equity, ensuring no changes to the ownership structure and avoiding any disclosure requirements. In tomorrow’s interview, I’ll publicly confirm the marriage and emphasize it.”
Although the marriage hadn’t been planned in advance and was almost impulsive, Zhao Jing had carefully thought through every detail to protect his family. On the flight back, he had reached an agreement with a few lawyers on the most secure approach and had already informed his parents.
As the plane neared its destination, with just over an hour remaining, Zhao Jing finished explaining the situation. His mother’s expression was one he could read easily—she was furious. “How could you handle something so important so casually?”
“I already told you the last time I was home, didn’t I? I’m marrying Wei Jiayi.”
His father was more rational and focused on the key point. “Why didn’t you sign a prenup? A postnuptial agreement is far more complicated.”
“We didn’t have time; we were in a rush,” Zhao Jing said, recalling the moment in the church when Wei Jiayi’s lips had trembled as he said, “I do.” Even now, he felt as though he could reach out and pull Wei Jiayi’s slim body into his arms. Smiling softly at the memory, Zhao Jing turned back to his parents and added, “You don’t understand the situation. The registry office closed at midnight.”
After a few seconds of silence, his mother asked, “Does that mean it won’t reopen for ten years after closing?”
Zhao Jing felt as though his mother had poured cold water over him, and a flicker of annoyance passed through him. He chose not to respond.
“Whatever. I’m tired of arguing with you. You never listen anyway,” his mother sighed.
His father interjected. “What’s your plan for the postnuptial agreement?”
“I’ve made it clear that Wei Jiayi won’t have any rights to the company’s equity. My shares remain under my name and aren’t part of the marital assets,” Zhao Jing summarized concisely.
His mother frowned slightly. “I didn’t expect you to have some sense of reason. Does Wei Jiayi agree?”
“I haven’t talked to him about it yet, but he listens to me about everything. He proposed to me, and he loves me so much that he definitely won’t oppose it. Besides, this isn’t really about being rational,” Zhao Jing replied honestly and told them, “He studied photography and doesn’t understand any of this. Every time I’m in a meeting or call him, he falls asleep almost immediately. As long as I’m alive, he won’t need any company shares. If I die first, should I leave the company to him and let him be taken advantage of? I plan to set up a trust for him, where my personal assets and yearly dividends will be deposited.”
His parents remained silent. Zhao Jing reminded them, “Isn’t this what you taught me? Being with me will affect his career and freedom. Once our marriage is publicly disclosed, how could he continue working? Is he supposed to photograph celebrities on the street with ten bodyguards trailing behind him?”
Zhao Jing had thought it all through. Wei Jiayi’s love for him was unconditional, like something out of a dream. While rushing into marriage may have been reckless, Zhao Jing knew the real world wasn’t so simple. As the older one in the family, he understood the importance of staying clear-headed and carefully managing any potential changes in reality.
He thought about how scatterbrained Wei Jiayi could be, unable even to organize his own wardrobe. Wei Jiayi never told Zhao Jing how much was left on his mortgage, always diverting the conversation. It was clear he didn’t remember the exact amount. Having a partner who wasn’t good with finances meant that all financial matters would have to be handled by Zhao Jing himself.
Fortunately, Zhao Jing handled everything with ease, being both mature and reliable. He was confident that he could protect Wei Jiayi’s interests perfectly.
At first, his mother seemed upset, her attitude less than favorable. But after Zhao Jing finished speaking, her expression softened considerably. After a moment, she said, “Since you’ve arranged everything, when Jiayi has some free time, bring him over to meet us. I’ve met him, but your father hasn’t. You’ve never brought him home. What if he thinks we’re opposed to it?”
His father didn’t say much after that, only advising him to handle his business properly.
Zhao Jing shared more details with his parents, but with the shareholders, he felt he had already explained everything clearly. Still, the company was at a critical juncture, and the shareholders had trouble accepting his decision, which Zhao Jing understood. So, he waited patiently. After a period of silence, someone finally took the lead, and gradually, others joined in, offering sparse congratulations.
Zhao Jing nodded and thanked them, then continued elaborating on his plans, including the possibility of reaching an early settlement with the regulatory authorities once the news broke.
Amid the varied expressions of those present, Zhao Jing maintained a confident demeanor as he concluded the meeting.
Since he had an interview with a tech journalist the following morning, he decided to rest in the company’s suite. After taking a shower, he sent Wei Jiayi a message, asking if he was awake.
“I just finished sorting out my luggage.” Wei Jiayi told him: “I’m watching your public statement.”
Zhao Jing called him, and Wei Jiayi quickly picked up. Zhao Jing asked, “Does your lip still hurt?”
After their wedding kiss, Zhao Jing had tasted blood and realized he’d accidentally bitten Wei Jiayi’s lip. The memory made him feel a pang of guilt.
“It doesn’t hurt—it’s already scabbed over. But don’t bite so hard next time. Xiao Chi saw it earlier and kept glancing at me.” Wei Jiayi’s voice was so gentle that it slowed down Zhao Jing’s reactions. It was like tasting fruit with dulled taste buds just before recovering from an illness—first noticing the fragrance, then slowly savoring the flavor.
“Got it,” Zhao Jing promised, his voice dropping a notch.
“Zhao Jing, I saw you wearing the ring.” Wei Jiayi asked, “Is it okay for you to wear it? Will it cause problems? I remember taking a finance elective in university, and I think we covered something like this, but I can’t quite recall.”
“It’s fine to wear it,” Zhao Jing reassured him, then remembered something. “We’ll need to sign a postnuptial agreement clarifying that you won’t hold any shares in my company. That way, we won’t need to disclose our marriage publicly.”
As Zhao Jing had anticipated, Wei Jiayi immediately responded, “Okay. Is it urgent? Do you need me to come back tomorrow to sign it?”
“It’s not urgent. I’ve already shortlisted a few lawyers with good reputations. Wu Rui will send you their details so you can choose one. If you’re not satisfied with any of them, you can find someone else,” Zhao Jing replied.
After listening, Wei Jiayi thought for a few seconds before saying, “I don’t really understand this,” making Zhao Jing feel that he was hopeless.
“If it’s too much trouble, just pick one at random. It doesn’t matter much,” Zhao Jing advised.
Wei Jiayi obediently agreed.
Having said what he needed to, Zhao Jing didn’t want to end the call, but Wei Jiayi was heading to the airport, had work to deal with, and needed to make some calls. He had no choice but to end the conversation.
Zhao Jing asked, “Did you put on your ring?”
“I did,” Wei Jiayi replied.
“Send me a picture,” Zhao Jing requested, satisfied with the answer.
“Ah, Xiao Chi is here to see me,” Wei Jiayi suddenly said. “I’ll send you the photo as soon as I’m done. You should go to sleep. Goodnight.”
Zhao Jing, being a considerate husband, could only listen to his partner’s wishes.
After hanging up, Wei Jiayi first removed the ring and tried to wear it on his ring finger. However, the ring he had bought for himself was perfectly sized for his middle finger. After putting it on, he tried several angles to take a photo, but the slightly loose fit was impossible to hide. In a hurry, he ran downstairs to find a jewelry store that sold the same brand of rings.
Fortunately, the nearest jewelry store wasn’t far, but it was still too early, and the store wouldn’t open for another ten minutes. Wei Jiayi stood by the door. As he waited, his thoughts wandered to the postnuptial agreement and the lawyer Zhao Jing had mentioned in passing, leaving him feeling confused.
Zhao Jing had spoken so smoothly as if it were only natural. Wei Jiayi trusted that Zhao Jing wouldn’t do anything to harm him, but the phrase “you won’t hold any shares in my company” sounded odd. His emotions fluctuated, but he forced himself not to overthink it. Whatever Zhao Jing asked him to sign, he would sign. After all, getting married had been his own decision. Though, now that he thought about it, he wasn’t entirely sure which part of his brain had malfunctioned at the time.
As he mulled over everything, he began to feel resigned. As soon as the jewelry store opened, he rushed inside to buy a new ring.
The saleslady noticed the ring Wei Jiayi was wearing on his middle finger and looked surprised when she learned he wanted a smaller size. She checked the stock and told him, “Sir, we have it in stock. But may I ask if you’d like to exchange the size or purchase a second one?”
Wei Jiayi explained that he only needed one that would fit his ring finger. The saleslady enthusiastically offered, “We can resize the ring for you, and it will be ready in about four weeks.”
“Never mind.” Wei Jiayi smiled at her. “I’ll just buy one.” Four weeks? Zhao Jing probably wouldn’t even have the patience to wait forty minutes.
He paid for the new ring and slipped it on, putting the old one in the box. Then, he headed out to meet Xiao Chi and catch his flight. By now, the overcast city had begun to drizzle.
No one on the street was holding an umbrella. Some wore hats, while others walked briskly through the rain.
Wei Jiayi had dressed lightly, so the wind felt chilly. He dashed between the awnings of boutique stores. After a while, he remembered to take a photo of his left hand and send it to Zhao Jing.
Wei Jiayi’s hands were a part of him that he didn’t dislike too much. His fingers were relatively long, and the joints weren’t very prominent. Many people had complimented his hands as beautiful. Before, his hand had been bare, but now it was adorned with a silver ring—a symbol that, through his impulsiveness and recklessness, he had gained an embrace where he could bury himself whenever he felt lonely.
Zhao Jing must have been asleep but woke up at the sound of his message. He sent a voice note, his words mumbled and dreamy: “It looks good.”
Wei Jiayi didn’t want other people to ask about it, but he missed Zhao Jing deeply. He wanted the ring to stay on his finger, to feel connected to the one he had legally become family with. When he reached the hotel door, Wei Jiayi still reluctantly took the ring off, placed it on the necklace he wore, and tucked it around his neck once more.
