Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 13

For the evening banquet, Ji Tanyuan wore a deep blue, silk satin, slim-fit long dress that perfectly showcased her waist-to-hip ratio.

Her hair was styled in an updo. The jewelry on her neck was jadeite, as was her bracelet, all of imperial green quality with superb translucency.

She twirled in front of a full-length mirror, then leaned closer to check her makeup. Her eyelashes were distinct and beautiful.

The eyeshadow was light but had a subtle shimmer, perfect. Her facial structure was already well-defined, so she didn’t need heavy contouring or highlighting. Thus, her makeup wasn’t heavy, but it was very beautiful.

Ji Tanyuan’s voice was soft and gentle, carrying the sweet charm of someone from the Jiangnan water towns. “Zhong Yan, I’m so envious of you.”

Hearing this, Zhong Yan lifted his eyelids. “Envious that I married such a beautiful wife?”

Ji Tanyuan hummed in agreement. “We do have some chemistry, don’t we?”

Zhong Yan stood up, bent down, and kissed her forehead. “You’re quite lucky yourself to have married someone as handsome as me.”

And so, the two narcissists found themselves in perfect sync on this matter.

The pieces Ji Tanyuan wore were all of considerable value.

Therefore, the Zhong family’s trusted aides were truly shocked when they saw her. This was far too extravagant. Didn’t Ji Tanyuan know what kind of family she had married into? How could the low-profile Zhong family allow their daughter-in-law to be so ostentatious and wasteful?

The bracelet on her wrist was practically priceless; its translucency was too good. The jewelry on her neck had once been a not-for-sale exhibition piece at an auction house, yet now it was worn around her neck.

Within two hours, word of this reached the Zhong family elders. Zhong Fangqi’s expression was grim as he looked at his wife.

“Do you think our youngest son played us? He must have had his eye on Tanyuan for a while to be able to indulge her in wearing such flamboyant jewelry.”

Could he call his daughter-in-law and ask her to take it off? He wasn’t that meticulous or cautious, but he just couldn’t stand this style.

Zhou Yanyu glanced at him. “He probably doesn’t dislike it. If Tanyuan were a bit uglier, your son probably wouldn’t have agreed.”

“Of course, if your son were a bit uglier, Tanyuan probably wouldn’t have been so willing either.”

Zhong Fangqi disagreed with this statement. “You’re wrong about that. Even if our son’s looks weren’t up to par, he could still get married. Do you think looks are more alluring than power and influence? With his family background, our son could get married even if his face were covered in pockmarks. Do you think their marriage alliance was based on mutual affection?”

Zhou Yanyu got serious, realizing that this man just didn’t understand what she was saying, even an old man like Secretary Zhong.

“Did I say he couldn’t get married? Of course I know power is good. I’m saying that it’s thanks to your son’s handsome face that his marriage is so harmonious instead of just a formality.”

“Otherwise, with his flaws, who could tolerate him? That sharp tongue of his, he gets it from you.”

Zhong Fangqi hadn’t expected to be insulted out of the blue. “Zhou Yanyu, you’re completely dragging an innocent party into this. What does it have to do with me? Why don’t you say he inherited his good looks from me?”

Shameless. Zhou Yanyu didn’t want to talk to him anymore. She walked to the bed, lifted the covers, and lay down.

“Time for sleep!”

Zhong Fangqi looked at his wife, who was lying with her back to him. “Make yourself clear.”

Her response was to pull the covers over her head.

Meanwhile, in the banquet hall…

Ji Tanyuan was holding Zhong Yan’s arm and talking to people. The loving couple, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a high-class and well-matched pair, were undeniably the main characters of the banquet.

Ji Tanyuan’s expression was gentle and friendly, yet it held a touch of arrogant nobility. This perfectly calibrated balance of approachability and distance was just right.

“What else would you expect from a young lady from Shanghai? So noble and stylish. She handles being a wealthy madam with such ease. Although she looks friendly, you always feel a kind of ingrained causticity and superiority.” someone in the crowd teased.

“Isn’t that a perfect match for our sharp-tongued Young Master Yan?”

Gu Beiming rubbed his chin and nodded in agreement. “Do you think when they’re together, they’ll get into heated debates about Shanghai versus Beijing?”

Cheng Gengxu was speechless. “Could you be any more bored?”

Gu Beiming threw up his hands. “Come on, how could a married couple at home only talk about serious topics? It’s not like they’re at work.”

Who knew what they were like behind closed doors.

These words stabbed right into Shu Yun’s heart. Her greatest fear was that the two of them would develop feelings for each other over time.

“Can you all just stop talking?” Shu Yun said, irritated.

“It’s endless. I already said it’s a marriage of convenience. Didn’t Zhong Yan say it? The divorce won’t be that quick, but it’s not like it won’t happen. How could he possibly waste his whole life on a person like that?”

Gu Beiming said, “Fine, I won’t say any more.”

He had tried to persuade this young lady once, but she wouldn’t listen, so he couldn’t be bothered anymore. Some people just had to learn the hard way.

Zhao Qingye tutted. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. ‘Fated but not destined’ is just an excuse.”

Cheng Gengxu glanced at him, smiled, and said nothing.

And so it was that in the face of personal interest, anything could be betrayed. Using a friend as a weapon was done without the slightest hesitation.

In this marriage alliance between powerful families, aside from the direct beneficiaries, no one wanted to see the couple live in harmony.