After the Bankrupt Heiress Married into a Rich Family - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Drinking Together

“Drink up. Don’t worry, I didn’t drug you.”

Mingzhu walked toward the white sofa in the dim light.

Rong Zhao was sitting at one end of the long sofa; Mingzhu chose the armchair nearby to sit closer to her. Mingzhu and Rong Zhao had never been in the same class—they were always in the room next door—but sitting this close and smelling the rose fragrance on Rong Zhao gave her the illusion of being her seatmate.

Rong Zhao had always been He Chan’s seatmate. Mingzhu wondered if Rong Zhao had smelled this good back in school. He Chan was lucky.

Mingzhu sat up straight. Out of the corner of her eye, she peeked at the red wine. She hadn’t been thirsty, but seeing the wine made her crave it instantly.

Clearing her throat, Mingzhu looked at the wine and said, “Rongrong, I didn’t know you liked red wine.”

Rong Zhao’s profile looked fair and translucent under the reading lamp. “I prepared it for you.”

Mingzhu: “?!”

She looked up in surprise. Rong Zhao raised her eyes from her book, meeting Mingzhu’s gaze. Mingzhu had taken off her sunglasses; her eyes were no longer red, though they were still slightly swollen.

Suddenly being stared at, Mingzhu worried her eyes looked weird. She diverted her gaze to the wine, rubbing her hands expectantly. “Prepared for me? Rongrong, you’re too good, so thoughtful. I really wanted a drink tonight.”

“Mhm.”

Rong Zhao’s gaze slowly moved down from Mingzhu’s face.

Fresh from the shower, Mingzhu’s cheeks were a tender, watery pink, like a flower bud moistened by dew. This “bud” was now smiling so widely her eyes crinkled, showing no sign of the “frost” that had just hit her. Her fiery red curls draped over her shoulders, adding a bright spark of energy to the black, white, and gray living room.

In the pale pink silk pajamas Rong Zhao had provided—whether out of laziness or habit—Mingzhu had left the top button undone. The collar was loose, revealing a hint of pinkish-white skin, and she radiated the same rose scent as Rong Zhao.

Rong Zhao leaned forward slightly, sliding the tall wine glass toward Mingzhu between her long index and middle fingers. “Don’t you enjoy tasting wine with Jiang Jiang at French estates? He Chan brought this back from the estate you two frequent. A GSM blend. The tannins are soft and the fruit is intense. It should suit you. Try it.”

Mingzhu immediately picked up the glass, swirled it, and sniffed. The fruit aroma was indeed intense and familiar, reminding her of the leisurely times she and Jiang Jiang spent strolling through Southern France.

Just as she was about to take a sip, she hesitated. “Why are you treating me to wine?”

Rong Zhao was the only daughter of the Rong Corporation; everything she used was top-tier. The wine He Chan brought her certainly wasn’t cheap. While it was normal for Rong Zhao to be generous, they didn’t have much of a history. In Mingzhu’s eyes, Rong Zhao was her rival. Taking her in and giving her wine felt a bit like a fox greeting a chicken… were the elders pressuring her to marry really that hard to deal with?

Rong Zhao’s voice was cool and slow, possessing a characteristic, measured detachment. “It is the etiquette of a host. A host provides what the guest likes. Some like tea, some like wine…”

Rong Zhao’s tone suddenly shifted as her amber eyes locked onto Mingzhu. “Drink up. Don’t worry, I didn’t drug you.”

Mingzhu: “…”

She didn’t mean it that way, but now she felt like she was judging a noble heart with a petty mind. She only had a tiny bit of doubt!

Mingzhu put on her sweet, sensible act: “I’d drink it even if it were drugged. Thank you, Host… I mean, thank you, Sister Rongrong.”

Host what? Rong Zhao’s gaze paused for a microsecond before she started reading from the first line again. “Drink slowly. We’ll talk after you finish.”

“Okay.”

Holding the wine with both hands, Mingzhu unconsciously relaxed. She pulled her feet up onto the sofa, curling up lazily as if she were in her own home. She ran her fingers through her hair, stirring the fragrance, and sipped the wine while propping up her head.

She had been far too tense tonight—or rather, for the last three days.

Her parents had called her back to the country three days ago. After landing and taking a nap, her father told her a story. He said a girl in Nanyu City went to donate blood and discovered she wasn’t her parents’ biological daughter because of her blood type. The girl called the police to find her relatives. The police questioned her parents and determined it wasn’t a kidnapping; they suspected a baby swap at birth. They wanted to contact the hospital where the girl was born, but it was in Hong Kong and had since closed, making records hard to retrieve. The girl posted her photo and birth date online to find her biological parents… that girl’s name was Qin Yining.

After seeing the post, Mingzhu’s uncle thought the girl looked more like her parents than Mingzhu did. He stole samples of her parents’ hair for a DNA test. The result: Qin Yining was her parents’ biological daughter.

When her father told her this, both parents were crying, and she was crying too. It felt absurd, terrifying. But she still gave them hair and saliva samples to test herself.

The results came out tonight. She wasn’t their daughter; she was the daughter of the Qin family from Nanyu City. After her father told her and her mother the news, her mother fainted. She and her father rushed her to the hospital. Later, she went home to get clothes for her mother, and back at the hospital, she overheard her parents talking. After that, she came to Rong Zhao’s house.

Mingzhu didn’t dare think too much about it. She just wanted to drink comfortably at Rong Zhao’s place.

The first sip hit her palate—the sweet, rich flavors of blackcurrant and blackberry with a hint of spice. It was luscious and full-bodied. Mingzhu was so comfortable her toes curled.

Rong Zhao: “Is it good?”

“Delicious,” Mingzhu sighed. “As expected of He Chan copying my taste. Truly excellent.”

A soft sound of a turning page responded to her. “Miss Bai certainly knows how to praise herself.”

Mingzhu swirled her glass and laughed. “I’m alright.”

She said she was “alright,” but she looked happy enough to wag a tail. Mingzhu knew Rong Zhao didn’t drink much, so she drank on her own without offering. Then again, He Chan should know Rong Zhao didn’t drink much; why bring her wine?

Regardless, Mingzhu kept drinking. She tasted the acidity of black plum, the spice of black pepper and nutmeg, and the faint smokiness of oak. These sweet, sour, and spicy elements blended perfectly. The tannins were rich and structured, the finish lingering on her tongue.

She did prefer GSM blends; they had a summer-like vitality and heat, like her. Cabernet blends were a bit too heavy—like Château Lafite, with tannins so strong they felt like a heavily guarded aristocratic castle. Like Rong Zhao.

Mingzhu smacked her lips quietly, feeling utterly content. Why do so many people like to drink? Because you can use alcohol to drown your sorrows and escape reality. That’s exactly what she wanted to do. She hadn’t expected Rong Zhao to treat her to wine at just the right time.

Watching out of the corner of her eye, Rong Zhao saw Mingzhu’s squinty-eyed, smiling expression and felt a sense of relief. The usually joyful social butterfly, Miss Mingzhu, was finally no longer frowning.

Rong Zhao turned a page. “If you’re hungry, there’s ham and nuts on the kitchen island.”

Mingzhu immediately got up. She didn’t know where it was, but she found it after a few steps. Besides ham and nuts, there was pizza and fruit.

“Wow, this ham smells amazing!” Mingzhu called out from the island.

Rong Zhao’s lips twitched slightly. “Mhm.”

Mingzhu picked a bit of everything, arranged a plate, and sat back down to eat it with the wine. It tasted better with every bite. To Rong Zhao, the words in her book seemed to be replaced by the word “fragrant.” She underlined lines randomly.

Mingzhu ate and drank while stealing glances at Rong Zhao. It was an English book. She peeked at Rong Zhao’s cool silhouette, thinking she hadn’t changed at all—still the aloof, cold, top-tier student she used to glimpse when passing the classroom next door. Back then, Rong Zhao wore a neat school uniform; now, she wore a deep-V lace nude slip dress. She had such a sexy, lazy side…

Mingzhu didn’t forget they had business to discuss. Having eaten and drunk her fill, with the wine nearly gone, she put down her glass and leaned over the sofa arm toward Rong Zhao.

Mingzhu whispered, “Rongrong, after we register, do you only need me to occasionally act for your family? Do I need to do anything else? Should I memorize your group’s data or your family’s likes and dislikes? Should I study psychology to deal with them? Do I need to attend galas or chat with the elders often?”

She whispered for fear the housekeeper might hear. But she leaned too close; the scents of wine and her body drifted over.

Rong Zhao leaned back slightly, slowly placed the book on the table, and turned her whole body toward Mingzhu. She crossed her legs and tapped her knee. Her amber gaze fell on Mingzhu’s face through her lenses—quiet and deep.

Mingzhu began to feel strange, like a prey being watched by a hunter. Her hair stood on end, and she wanted to look away.

Rong Zhao suddenly raised her hand. Her smooth fingertip approached Mingzhu’s pinkish-white cheek, carrying a faint scent and a light breeze. Mingzhu’s eyes widened as she held her breath.

But Rong Zhao’s fingertip only touched Mingzhu’s hair, plucking at a strand as if strumming a guitar string. Mingzhu blinked rapidly.

Rong Zhao pulled off a short pink thread—likely from Mingzhu’s pajamas—and rolled it between her fingers. Her deep gaze remained fixed on Mingzhu’s face. She spoke slowly: “Mingzhu, you are very beautiful. Since we were kids, you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”

Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat. She swallowed. Why was Rong Zhao suddenly praising her beauty?

“Is… is that so?”

Rong Zhao’s beautiful lips parted: “And you, Mingzhu? Do you think you are?”

Mingzhu snapped out of it. She raised her eyebrows, puffed out her chest, elegantly brushed her hair back, and gave a confident smile. “Of course.”

Rong Zhao tilted her head slightly, a small curve appearing at the corner of her mouth. “Then don’t worry. Don’t worry about anything else. Just keep being beautiful.”

Mingzhu: “?”

Then, realization dawned: “!”

She had been worried about why Rong Zhao chose her and not someone else, or why she had been invited in and given food and drink. It turned out Rong Zhao chose her as a marriage partner because she was beautiful! Rong Zhao acknowledged her beauty and thought she was presentable. Therefore, she had no requirements—she just had to stay beautiful. She didn’t have to learn or do anything!

Thank goodness the Qin family gave her a beautiful face, giving her the capital to be a “parasite”!

Mingzhu nodded happily, indicating she understood. Staying beautiful was her specialty. She also highly respected Rong Zhao’s high standards.

Then, she decided to test Rong Zhao’s limits. “But Rongrong, staying beautiful requires… that.”

“Requires what?” Rong Zhao took a sip of tea and turned to look at her.

Mingzhu: “You know, that!”

The tea made Rong Zhao’s lips very red. She raised an eyebrow at Mingzhu.

Mingzhu huffed and leaned in. “Beauty treatments, facials, hair, buying clothes, all that!” The more Mingzhu spoke, the more her voice trailed off in sheepishness. “…Of course, I’m not doing it for myself. I’m not greedy. It’s all for you. So it’s up to you. I don’t care either way.” The more she spoke, the more self-righteous she sounded, and her voice grew louder.

Rong Zhao suddenly reached out her hand, palm up. “Want to pay me back the hundred for the taxi first?”

“…”

Rong Zhao glanced at Mingzhu’s twitching lips, pulled her hand back, and turned a page. “Don’t worry, Miss Bai will get her benefits. After we register, I’ll give you a supplementary card for my credit card.”

Mingzhu: “!”

She knew Rong Zhao was a great person! She chose the right partner!

Mingzhu immediately downed the rest of her wine and stood up. “Then I’m going to bed. Early night tonight, registration tomorrow morning.”

Rong Zhao remained calm throughout, turning another page. “No rush. If you want more wine, have some.”

“No thanks, any more and I’ll feel bad. This is just right. I’m going to sleep.” Mingzhu feared she might overdrink and fail to get up tomorrow. “Goodnight, Rongrong.”

Rong Zhao: “Goodnight. Remember to brush your teeth.”

“I know!”

Mingzhu walked quickly toward the spiral staircase, stopping after two steps to look back. “Rongrong, what time do you usually go to sleep? Don’t you want to sleep too? It’s almost eleven.” She thought Rong Zhao was the “early to bed, early to rise” type.

Rong Zhao glanced at her. “I’m not an elderly person.”

Mingzhu laughed. “I didn’t say you were. Just asking.”

“You go ahead.”

“Okay then.”

Mingzhu continued toward the stairs, her red hair flying like fire. But after about ten steps, she thought for a moment and came back down to Rong Zhao.

Rong Zhao didn’t look up. “What now?”

Mingzhu sat on the coffee table opposite Rong Zhao and asked tentatively, “Rong Zhao, does your wanting a fake marriage with me have anything to do with my family background? I mean… if I weren’t the daughter of the Bai family, it wouldn’t affect your decision, right?”

Rong Zhao paused for a few seconds, looked up, and continued to admire Mingzhu. “No. It only has to do with us knowing each other for years, and your beauty.”

Mingzhu felt relieved. Then this wouldn’t count as a “fraudulent marriage.”

“One last question, Rongrong. About divorce… if you want one, or I want one… although I don’t think I’m the romantic type and won’t fall for anyone—I only love myself—but what if I meet someone I like? What if I become a complete ‘love-brain’? I couldn’t bear to cheat… Rongrong, we can divorce, right?”

Rong Zhao looked down at her book, but the words didn’t register. “Of course. Anytime. Freedom of divorce.”

Mingzhu had another question: “But what if we register tomorrow and you meet someone you like the day after? If you insist on a divorce, then I…”

“A three-year agreement,” Rong Zhao looked up. “I won’t divorce or cheat within three years. You can do as you please, except for cheating. How does that sound?”

Mingzhu was surprised and couldn’t hide her satisfaction. She put on an exaggerated expression. “Huh? I can do as I please? That… that’s not very good, not very fair…”

Rong Zhao: “It’s fine. I will be focused on my career these three years anyway.”

Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Then she realized something wasn’t right. Rong Zhao sounded so relaxed because after divorcing Mingzhu, she could just find a new person to act with, right? That wouldn’t do. she couldn’t let some newcomer benefit. No divorce!

Mingzhu leaned closer again. “Rongrong, if the three years are up and we’re still getting along, can we renew the contract?”

Rong Zhao’s breath felt slightly warm. “Of course.”

“Then next time I want to renew for five years.”

“As you wish.”

Rongrong was too good!

But Mingzhu had another concern. She asked nervously, “Rong Zhao, you’re being so good to me… it’s not because you… have a crush on me, is it?”

Rong Zhao’s expression froze for a moment. Then she looked up coldly. “Bai Mingzhu, you have too many questions. If you’re unwilling, I can find someone else.”

Mingzhu’s heart relaxed. This was the vibe! That “you’re annoying me, enough already” vibe!

Mingzhu finally felt completely at ease. She straightened up, brushed her hair, and gave a heartless, sunny smile, pretending to be obedient. “I’m willing! I’m willing! See you tomorrow, Sister Rongrong.”