After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Discussion

After a brief hesitation, Ji Wenxu got up from the sofa. “I’ll go talk to Grandpa and plead my case.”

But Song Tingyun called out to him again, “Young Master Ji.”

Ji Wenxu turned to look at him.

Song Tingyun withdrew his gaze and said unhurriedly, “If you go to him to plead your case, what do you plan to say?”

“Just say…!” The words on the tip of Ji Wenxu’s tongue were swallowed back. He realized something was wrong, but Song Tingyun continued, “Say that you don’t want to implicate others because of your own mistakes, say that he shouldn’t use past favors to force me to marry you…”

“…”

Seeing Ji Wenxu fall silent, Song Tingyun took a sip of coffee and continued, “In your grandfather’s eyes, I might just become the person with the intent to instigate.”

“My grandpa wouldn’t be that indiscriminating,” Ji Wenxu still spoke stubbornly, but he obediently sat back down on the sofa. Song Tingyun was right. After all, Song Tingyun had told him all this inside information. Ji Shuyi might very well misunderstand that Song Tingyun was stirring up trouble.

Song Tingyun smiled faintly and offered him advice: “You don’t want to marry me, and I don’t want to marry you either. So, I have a perfect plan I want to discuss with you right now…”

Ji Wenxu’s interest was immediately piqued. “What perfect plan?”

Song Tingyun raised his wrist, looked at the time, and smiled, “Let’s talk about it next time we meet.”

“Why?” Ji Wenxu was impatient. Hearing Song Tingyun postpone it, he immediately couldn’t sit still.

Song Tingyun didn’t answer him. The tightly closed office door was gently pushed open. It was Ji Chenghua who walked in.

Ji Wenxu gave a dry cough, realizing why Song Tingyun had stopped mid-sentence.

“Tingyun, I’m terribly sorry, have you been waiting long?” Ji Chenghua walked toward Song Tingyun as soon as he entered the room.

Song Tingyun quickly stood up to shake hands with him and said, “It’s alright, CEO Ji, I haven’t waited long.”

“Come, sit down and let’s talk.” Ji Chenghua’s eyes were full of appreciation for Song Tingyun. Ji Wenxu, on the side, bared his teeth like a puppy, leaning back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling.

Ji Chenghua sat down next to Ji Wenxu, slapped his waist, and scolded, “Can’t you see we have a guest? Sit up straight.”

Ji Wenxu had nowhere to vent his anger, so he sat up straight, fuming. “Got it.”

Then Ji Chenghua smiled and looked at Song Tingyun, saying, “I’m really sorry, did he make you laugh? This child has been spoiled by us, just look at how he’s dressed…”

Seeing the various cuts and bruises on Ji Wenxu and his plastered leg, Ji Chenghua showed a look of disappointment.

But his expression changed quickly. He immediately looked at Song Tingyun, smiled, and assured him, “But don’t worry, he only looks unruly, his nature is still good.”

Originally, they had asked around in their circle for suitable young masters or ladies, preferably with a strong temper, who could keep Ji Wenxu in check. As long as the other party liked Ji Wenxu, the marriage would be set.

Unexpectedly, a few days later, Song Tingyun actively contacted them.

The Ji and Song families’ relationship only dated back to the early years. Song Tingyun’s parents passed away when he was eighteen, and the Ji family had offered some help, but Song Tingyun’s own hard work was the main factor.

He took over the company from his parents when it was on the brink of collapse and revitalized the Song Group in just two years. Everyone praised and marveled at his business acumen.

After that, the two families only had business dealings and no private interaction, but Song Tingyun remembered that small favor, and thus took the initiative to approach them.

Ji Chenghua felt a little guilty because he had actually thought about having the two families intermarry before, but although their families were a good match, Ji Wenxu and Song Tingyun were not.

He wasn’t trying to belittle his own son. When he said they weren’t a match, he meant they weren’t compatible from head to toe, from personality to capability. One was hot-tempered and a scoundrel, the other was cool and easygoing. Moreover, his own son had always liked people younger than him, so he worried the two might be incompatible.

“Wenxu, this is CEO Song, whom I mentioned to you a few days ago. Sit properly…” Seeing Ji Wenxu about to slouch again, Ji Chenghua slapped his leg and said sternly, “Tingyun is only four years older than you, but in terms of ability, even your father is not as good as him. After you get married, you have a lot to learn from him.”

“You flatter me, CEO Ji,” Song Tingyun’s lenses concealed a very faint smile.

He looked almost like an old fox.

Ji Wenxu was not in a good mood, firstly because of the arranged marriage, and secondly because of Song Tingyun’s unfinished sentence. He said coldly, “I know, we just talked a few words.”

“You’ve met? That’s good, then I won’t say much more.” Ji Chenghua turned back to Song Tingyun, his tone and expression amiable and kind. “Tingyun, about the wedding date, let’s tentatively set a month first. We’ll find someone to choose a suitable day, and then the two families will quickly arrange the wedding, alright?”

“CEO Ji, I have no specific thoughts. Perhaps we should ask Young Master Ji’s opinion?” Song Tingyun flashed a kind, shallow smile at Ji Wenxu.

Ji Wenxu snorted, crossed his arms, and said sulkily, “How could I dare to have an opinion? Haven’t you already made all the arrangements for me?”

He wasn’t mad at Song Tingyun, as he knew the other party was also being forced into this marriage. He was just annoyed at Ji Chenghua.

Ji Wenxu’s attitude angered Ji Chenghua. He sternly scolded in a cold voice, “Ji Wenxu, adjust your attitude!”

The next second, he pulled a quick face change, immediately putting on a humble and warm expression to look at Song Tingyun, saying, “Tingyun, although this boy is my son, he truly cannot bear the title ‘Young Master Ji’ from you. Since you two will be registered as a couple eventually, if you don’t mind, just call him Wenxu like we do.”

Song Tingyun nodded and said fine, but he didn’t call out the name.

“Regarding the wedding date, if you have any ideas, just discuss them directly with me. If you genuinely don’t have any, I’ll ask someone to pick an auspicious day. How about that?” Ji Chenghua suggested again.

“Okay, I’ll think about it when I get back,” Song Tingyun replied.

Ji Chenghua finally relaxed upon hearing this. He then asked, “Tingyun, aren’t you going to see someone? I intercepted you halfway, can you still make it?”

Song Tingyun checked the time. “It’s just the right time now.”

“Alright, I’ll walk you out.”

“CEO Ji, please stay,” Song Tingyun smiled warmly. “You’re busy with work. Just have the assistant walk me down.”

“How can I do that…”

“It’s no trouble. I’m the junior; there’s no reason for an elder to specifically see me off.”

Ji Wenxu watched the two of them.

According to Ji Chenghua, Song Tingyun was only four years older than him. Why did he have to act so meticulous?

It was like a handshake between a big fox and a small fox.

Ji Wenxu pulled out his phone, opened a game, and stopped looking at them.

After exchanging pleasantries, Song Tingyun left the office. Ji Chenghua followed him out, saw him into the elevator, and then returned.

When he came back and saw Ji Wenxu sprawled on the sofa playing a game, his anger flared up again.

“Ji Wenxu!”

“Lower your voice, I can hear you,” Ji Wenxu didn’t even look at him.

Ji Chenghua sat down beside him. “Sit up straight, I have something to say to you.”

Ji Wenxu obediently sat up.

Ji Chenghua: “Whether you agree to this marriage or not, your marriage to Song Tingyun is now a done deal.”

“I don’t like him, and he doesn’t like me. Do you think this marriage can be happy?” Ji Wenxu countered.

Ji Chenghua was very open-minded: “Feelings can be cultivated slowly. Didn’t your mother and I have an arranged marriage? Look how loving your mother and I are now.”

“I don’t like people older than me.”

“He’s only four years older than you. Doesn’t that round down to the same age?”

“Is that how you round numbers?” Ji Wenxu was so angry that his hand slipped, and the game screen immediately turned gray.

“Alright, I know you can’t figure it out. Actually, I haven’t quite figured it out either. After all, with Song Tingyun’s credentials, aren’t there plenty of people in this circle better suited for him than you? But this is an order from the Old Man, and I’m just the messenger,” Ji Chenghua lit a cigar and said slowly.

The forced marriage wasn’t originally the Old Man’s true intention; initially, they just wanted to scare Ji Wenxu.

But after Song Tingyun actively sought out the Old Man and spoke with him privately in the hospital room for an hour, Ji Wenxu’s marriage was truly finalized, and the spouse was indeed Song Tingyun.

Ji Wenxu used his crutch to stand up. “Then I’ll go ask Grandpa myself! I’m not getting married, no matter what!”

“Come on, your grandpa is still lying in the hospital bed. Don’t go there and make his condition worse,” Ji Chenghua said to his back. “Besides, what did you promise your grandpa at his bedside? Are you going back on your word now?”

At the time, the hospital had issued a critical notice, and when Ji Shuyi was giving his final instructions, Ji Wenxu personally promised to agree to whatever request the Old Man made.

Later, Ji Shuyi turned a corner and was out of danger, and then he made the request for an arranged marriage.

Ji Chenghua’s words reminded him, so going to Ji Shuyi was probably not going to work.

He suddenly remembered the “perfect plan” Song Tingyun had spoken about mysteriously. Song Tingyun said he would tell him next time, but when was “next time”? They didn’t even have each other’s contact information yet.

He reluctantly sat back down on the sofa. “Dad, do you have Song Tingyun’s contact information?”

Ji Chenghua looked at him. “Why? Have you come around? Or are you planning to threaten him?”

“Me threatening him? Right now, I’m like a tiger whose might is compromised, so anyone can step on me, right? Who can I threaten?” Ji Wenxu pointed at his leg.

Ji Chenghua took out his phone and sent Song Tingyun’s contact information to Ji Wenxu, saying casually, “You’re still not satisfied. If the other party hadn’t overlooked your flaws, do you think anyone would want to marry you in your current state?”

Ji Wenxu was provoked by this comment, like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on. “What’s wrong with me now? Only my legs are inconvenient, but my other parts are fine!”

As he spoke, he untied his pants, intending to pull out his ‘goods’ to prove his sexual function was intact.

Ji Chenghua slapped him on the back of his hand, making him yelp in pain.

“What are you going crazy about in front of your old man?”

“Didn’t you look down on me first?” Ji Wenxu obediently tied his pants back up.

“Your easily provoked nature needs someone to cure it.”

“No need,” Ji Wenxu scoffed.

Ji Chenghua checked his watch. “You can go back now. I have a meeting soon and don’t feel like supervising you.”

“You should have let me go back earlier.” Ji Wenxu was waiting for this exact sentence. He immediately used his medical crutch and hopped out of the office.

Two bodyguards followed him out the door.

After getting back into the car, Ji Wenxu realized his friend request hadn’t been accepted yet, so he sent it again.

Less than half a minute later, the other party accepted.

Ji Wenxu didn’t rush to greet him. He clicked on Song Tingyun’s profile picture. It was a picture that didn’t suit his age at all: a distant view of Mount Fuji, with cherry blossoms and the sea.

If he hadn’t known who the person was, just based on this profile picture, he would have thought the person was a thirty or forty-year-old entrepreneur.

Looking at the moments, there were only a few reposts from the company’s official accounts. The background picture was a ginkgo tree.

Such old-fashioned young people were rare.

Ji Wenxu exited his moments and proactively sent a message: [I am Ji Wenxu]

[Song Tingyun: Mm]

[Ji Wenxu: What exactly is that perfect plan you mentioned to me today?]

[Song Tingyun: ^^ It’s not easy to explain on WeChat. Shall we meet offline sometime?]

Ji Wenxu was even more annoyed by being teased. [I’m free anytime, when are you free]

[Song Tingyun: [^]-[^] Hard to say, I’m quite busy]

Even though it was just an emoticon, Ji Wenxu could guess the other party’s expression now. This was why he didn’t like people older than him—they always looked like they were plotting, like a bunch of smiling foxes!

Hypocrite! Ji Wenxu cursed inwardly.

[Ji Wenxu: Give me a rough time at least? I’m in a hurry!]