**Chapter 41 – Compassion for the Mortal World**

“Tonight.”

The man’s voice was clear and cold. The brief four words were unhurried, yet firm. As they sounded beside her ear, Qin Mang’s eyelashes fluttered quickly, and she instinctively stepped two meters away from him.

She lost.
Shamelessness—no one could compete with him.

When He Lingji said he wanted to replace the sofa, the action was swift.
Before long, someone arrived carrying a new one.

When Madam He came out, she didn’t even realize that Lou Tingdai had already left—let alone notice the workers moving the furniture.

“Why are you two standing so far apart, like strangers?”

She asked casually, then immediately took Qin Mang’s hand with a beaming smile.
“Mangmang, darling~”

“Come sign something for Mom!”

Qin Mang had originally planned to gossip with He Lingji a bit about Lou Tingdai—just what was her background, to make such a poised and elegant woman act so out of character?
Also, how could she come and go so freely in the He family home, treated as an honored guest?
Could she really be a backup plan?

But now her mother-in-law’s sudden enthusiasm had completely caught her off guard.

A little dazed, Qin Mang instinctively turned to look at He Lingji.
He reminded her lightly, “Mom’s been watching *Dreams of Old Beijing* lately.”

Madam He nodded, her noblewoman’s demeanor momentarily forgotten.

No matter the age, the sight of a beloved actor still makes one’s eyes sparkle.

Qin Mang looked down at the thick stack of posters handed to her—all meant for her to sign—growing even more surprised.

A little sheepishly, Madam He said, “A few of my friends are fans too.”

That part was true.
Thanks to Madam He’s enthusiastic recommendation and private screenings, nearly every wealthy socialite in the elite circle had watched the movie.

She then confided to her daughter-in-law, “This way, they’ll stop talking about grandkids every time we meet. They’re always bringing up their own—and ours too.”

Qin Mang was intrigued. “What have they been saying?”

Madam He snorted lightly, “They say with genes like yours and Lingji’s, you *must* have more children. The more, the better.”

Qin Mang thought this was some sort of new way to pressure someone into having kids.

For a brief moment, she imagined her own future—decades down the line. Would she also end up like that?

A bunch of women chattering endlessly about husbands, kids, grandkids…

Ugh—
The thought was terrifying!

When she got old, she wanted to talk about jewelry, collectibles, acting, and traveling the world—not petty family matters.

She parted her red lips, just about to speak, when her mother-in-law continued:

“Mangmang, don’t worry. Your dad and I are not the kind of annoying elders who nag about marriage or babies. Children should be the crystallization of love, a continuation of affection—not a burden passed down for the sake of the family name. It’s 2023; we’re not stuck in the past.”

That was exactly why, despite He Lingji being married for two years and Qin Mang being a rising star, Madam He hadn’t once pressured them about having children.

If the relationship is bad, children just become a burden.
But if the relationship is good, kids will come naturally.

More than that, Madam He emphasized:

“You’re so talented at acting, don’t waste it. Be sure to take more roles so I can watch more of your movies.”

“TV dramas are fine too. I like those as well.”

She didn’t see having an actress as a daughter-in-law as a disgrace to the He family. On the contrary, she was proud of Qin Mang.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be constantly handing out posters to promote *Dreams of Old Beijing*.

For the first time, Qin Mang truly felt what it meant to be unconditionally supported and trusted by a mother figure.

The thick walls built in the name of “business marriage” slowly began to crumble.

“Thank you.”

“Call me Mom.”

“…Mom.”

“Good girl.”

Later, after dinner with many of the still-unfamiliar members of the He family clan at the old estate, Qin Mang—who normally had no patience for such occasions—was smiling the whole time.

After the meal, she was dragged into a long gossip session by He Xucheng about entertainment industry rumors.

Last year, He Xucheng had performed exceptionally and was admitted to a top university. The family attributed her success to “absorbing top scholar energy” from He Lingji.

After hearing this, the other elders made sure their children—who hadn’t yet taken the college entrance exam—also got a chance to “absorb his celestial energy.”

Still, He Lingji was known for being hard to get along with, so a group of kids formed a wide two-meter-radius circle around him, using the single armchair in the living room as the center.

Qin Mang couldn’t help but be impressed.

On the way home—

A sleek black extended Pullman sped down the road faster than the softly falling snowflakes.

Inside the car, Qin Mang leaned over to He Lingji, her fair fingers poking the elegant wrist that looked like a work of art.

“Hey, I helped President He earn so much money. What reward do I get?”

He Lingji lazily twirled a strand of her black hair draped over his knee.

He replied casually, “Reward you… a few hundred million?”

Qin Mang immediately sat upright, looking completely serious, “It better be *real* billions.”

“I don’t want your… whatever kind of billions.”

The disdain was written all over her beautiful face.

He Lingji gave a faint smile, flicking her forehead lightly. “Coveting my body, are you?”

“In your dreams!”

Qin Mang stared at him in disbelief and was about to roll up her sleeves to fight back. “He Lingji! Stop twisting the truth!”

She always called his name when she was mad.

Thinking of the genuine way she’d called “Mom” earlier in the day—with admiration, surprise, and tenderness in her bright, transparent eyes—it was a far cry from her usual arrogant and aloof attitude.

“So… now that you’ve called her ‘Mom,’ what do you call me?”

He Lingji asked nonchalantly.

Qin Mang reacted instantly, her lively eyes twinkling as she deliberately drew out the word:

“I’ll call you—”

“…Gege.” (*Older brother*)

Her soft, sweet voice was like a sword forged from roses, slowly piercing the heart, then melting into brilliant floral pulp that coursed through every vein and bone.

Qin Mang opened her pale palm, “Gege, reward please~”

She was nothing if not adaptable!

The next moment, a black card was handed to her. He Lingji’s long fingers gently wrapped around her delicate ones, tightening slowly.

He gave a slight smile. “Your reward.”

“My supplementary card.”

**Supplementary card?!**

Ever since she maxed out her uncle-in-law’s supplementary card, her allowance had been fixed—and she’d never seen a truly unlimited one again.

Qin Mang’s eyes lit up, practically ready to kiss him right there.

She wasn’t seeing money—she was seeing a treasure trove of sparkling jewels!

One call of “gege,” and she’d call him that for life!

She tucked the supplementary card into her little pouch, then switched to holding He Lingji’s hand, kissing his fingertips.

“Gege, you’ve worked hard~ Muah!”

Seeing her greedy little expression and feeling the soft touch of her lips on his cold fingers, a faint smile flickered in He Lingji’s eyes.

But even though she got the card, she had no time to spend it.

Having money but no chance to use it—truly the most painful thing in the world.

In the photo studio—

Qin Mang wore a long, pale golden gown shimmering with gilded patterns. The radiant gold made her look like a Greek goddess. The cameraman’s shutter clicked nonstop.

During a break—

Meng Ting approached hesitantly. “Miss Qin, Lou Tingdai is outside.”

“She said she wants to talk to you.”

Lou Tingdai?

Qin Mang had almost forgotten about her.

The last time they met was two months ago, on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

After that dinner at the old estate, she had curiously asked her mother-in-law what Lou Tingdai’s deal was.

Qin Mang had always been straightforward—she asked what she wanted to know and never kept things bottled up.

She learned the truth.

And honestly, she didn’t feel sorry for her.

Lou Tingdai had already been luckier than most—chosen by Madam He, sponsored for years, given a top-tier education, and even promoted to a core position at the He Group. If she’d been content and grounded, who knows what her future might’ve looked like?

One’s background doesn’t determine their worth.

It was Lou Tingdai herself who stayed mentally stuck in that mountain village.

She may have climbed out—but her heart never left.

People like that never know when to be satisfied.

Qin Mang had no interest in her. She waved dismissively, “Not seeing her. We’re not close.”

She wasn’t stupid—why meet someone who once harbored malicious thoughts toward her?

She was a top-tier celebrity in her prime.

What if Lou Tingdai tried something shady?

Yuck. No thanks.

But what she didn’t expect—

Unable to see her in person, Lou Tingdai sent a long message instead.

Qin Mang opened it…

Her fingertip hovered over the delete key.

> [Starting today, I’ll be leaving Deep City. I won’t be an eyesore to you anymore. I didn’t lose to you—I lost to the fact that I don’t have a family background that can rival the He Group. Without the Qin family, do you really think a D-list actress like you could have become Mrs. He?
> He has always stood above the masses, aloof and proud, looking down coldly on the world, on people, love, and desire. He doesn’t get moved, much less fall in love. So even if you ‘won,’ what of it? All you gained was the hollow title of Mrs. He. He will never love you.]

> [He…]

Her gaze lingered on the screen for a few seconds.

Without a change in expression, Qin Mang decisively hit delete.

“What a load of crap.”

Meng Ting breathed a sigh of relief—he’d been worried this little firecracker would lose her temper and rush off to tear someone apart.

With sharp intuition, he swiftly changed the subject and opened a tablet for her to see. “Your husband’s gone viral.”

“What the hell?”

Qin Mang was successfully distracted. She lowered her gaze to the screen—

Right in front of her was this month’s finance magazine cover.

The man wore an elegant, noble suit. His gray-blue eyes were like a mysterious dark ocean, calmly gazing at the camera. His face, as always, was handsome and distant. Long, graceful fingers toyed idly with an incense burner, with smoke curling around him. On his ring finger, a faint glint of a blue diamond ring could be seen.

Refined, graceful, and composed.

The very image of a powerful figure in the business world.

It was exactly how people remembered He Lingji.

Qin Mang was momentarily stunned by how striking he looked, but quickly regained her calm. It wasn’t surprising he’d go viral—but were the netizens seriously this crazy? Some were even calling him “husband”?

She scrolled down to the top comments:

**#1 Hot Comment:** *The glacier has melted into the deep sea, the deity takes pity on the mortal world.*

**#2 Hot Comment:** *Everyone’s a Mrs. He today.*

What… was this?

She kept scrolling—

> “Ahhhh he’s so handsome I’m dying! Rough, hot, dangerous—how can a man be this complex?”
> “Good afternoon, fellow Mrs. Hes. So, who’s sleeping with President He tonight?”
> “I never noticed his eyes are gray-blue. OMG, I’m dead. Absolutely dead.”
> “Who on earth has the connections to land President He on a magazine cover?!”
> “Oh my god, there’s even an Easter egg!”
> “I’m losing it. I’m totally obsessed with this man now. Starting today, I’m Mrs. He too!”
> “The army of Mrs. Hes is growing stronger—let’s go, sisters!”
> “President He’s dormant Weibo account gained a million followers in just an hour. Let’s hit 100 million so he gives us fan benefits!”
> “He didn’t show much skin, but I’m still crying tears of thirst.”
> “Those legs, that waist, that face, those hands—I’m in!”
> “Divine one, please show mercy on your loyal followers~”
> “Those ocean-deep eyes—they’re drowning me!”
> “Now I see this man’s true charm. No wonder he kept a low profile—afraid we’d all thirst to death…”

What… what even is all this?

Wasn’t this a bit too much?

It was just a magazine cover, wasn’t it?

Hadn’t they all seen He Lingji before?

“He didn’t buy bots or anything, did he?”

“Trying to get famous, huh?”

Qin Mang knew perfectly well that He Lingji had always been low-key and would never do such things, but she still snorted coldly on purpose.

The next second.

Meng Ting flipped the page.

Qin Mang’s previously calm eyes widened instantly!

There, on the inside page, was a photo of He Lingji piloting a helicopter.

He was wearing her favorite outfit—black T-shirt and camo pants—perfectly outlining his long, powerful legs and narrow waist with a dangerous allure.

Her *precious* seductively perfect waist had now been exposed to the entire world!

No wonder…

Everyone was calling him “husband”!

Just then, the photographer called her to resume shooting.

Qin Mang took one last look at that helicopter photo. Her eyes turned cold—truly like a deity, unmoved even by mortals’ prayers.

Even if the masses begged, he would never descend into the mortal world.

In her mind, she couldn’t help but recall Lou Tingdai’s final message:

> [A man like him is incapable of loving any woman. Don’t be delusional. The only reason he treats you differently is because of your family background and the arranged marriage. That’s all.
> If it weren’t you, it would be someone else. I lost—but you didn’t win either.]

“Miss Qin, we’re ready to shoot!”

The photographer called again.

Qin Mang closed her eyes and forced herself not to dwell on those messy thoughts.

Why should she care about love or not love?

Love or no love—what did it matter?

In the end, He Lingji was hers now. No one else could lay a finger on him.

Qin Mang pushed down her emotions and regained her usual composed elegance. Lifting her skirt slightly, she gracefully walked into the shoot. “Coming~”

—

After the shoot.

Qin Mang truly understood how popular her husband had become.

Everywhere she went—

People were talking about that magazine cover.

Scrolling through the comments below the article—

They were all calling him husband.

She had worked all day—tired and sleepy—and the more she tried to brush it off, the more her mind replayed Lou Tingdai’s messages.

“Anyone can be Mrs. He.”

“She’s not special at all.”

And now?

The whole damn world was calling themselves Mrs. He.

Qin Mang walked out of the studio.

Most of the staff had a copy of He Lingji’s magazine in hand, commenting excitedly.

And it wasn’t just women calling him “husband”—the men were doing it too.

Meng Ting, heart pounding, was on edge, terrified that his little ancestor was about to do something drastic.

Walking beside her, he opened a digital wooden fish app and began chanting:

> *Dong dong dong.*
> “Qin Mang.”
> “Calm down.”
> *Dong dong dong.*
> “Qin Mang.”
> “Stay calm~”

Please—*please* stay calm!

Thankfully—

They were just about to step out of the studio—

Meng Ting let out a silent sigh of relief.

But then—

Two male staff at the entrance, holding copies of the magazine, were chatting excitedly:

> “President He really is the nation’s husband.”
> “Starting today, he’s my husband too.”

Men playing with cars was nothing—piloting helicopters was the real deal!

Qin Mang suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her radiant eyes, full of repressed emotion, gazed coldly at the staffer who had just spoken. All the frustration she’d bottled up finally burst.

Half a second later—

“What do you mean *your* husband? That’s *my* husband!”

She declared boldly, then stormed off in her high heels, stomping out the studio with righteous fury.

It had only been two months since she last went home.

And now they were trying to steal her man?

The staff blinked in confusion. “Is Miss Qin… fangirling these days?”

Meng Ting, holding his breath—

Nearly passed out.

“Yes!”

“She’s all about looks.”

“Just look at how handsome *our* husband is!”

Meng Ting shamelessly pointed to the magazine and called him “husband.”

Just then, Qin Mang, standing by the nanny van, overheard—

“Meng Ting!”

Whose husband, your ass?!