Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 19

Shanghai

A forest of towering skyscrapers housed half of the nation’s financial institutions, teeming with elites.

Compared to the understated capital, this city pulsed with far more fashion and flair.

For Ji Tanyuan, arriving in Shanghai was like a parched fish finally diving back into water, she went straight to find her “partner-in-crime.”

In a high-rise office building, inside the editor-in-chief’s office of a magazine, Ji Tanyuan lounged on a soft cloud-like sofa, sipping the latest trendy coffee and nibbling on freshly baked macarons.

Zhang Zhang took off her glasses and glanced at the leisurely Ji Tanyuan. “So, how does it feel to be a high-society wife?”

The entertainment and fashion circles always attracted their share of wealthy patrons. Since entering the industry, Zhang Zhang had encountered plenty with influential family backgrounds, some purely for fun, others for money. But she had never met anyone with a background as formidable as Zhong Yan’s.

Or perhaps, at her level, she simply hadn’t had the chance. But now, her best friend had.

Ji Tanyuan sighed. “Bittersweet.”

“The bitterness comes from every family having its own troubles. The sweetness? Zhong Yan is pretty good in bed.”

Zhang Zhang nearly choked on her tea. “What did you just say?!”

Ji Tanyuan shot her a look. “Don’t be so dramatic. Married life boils down to two things: what happens outside the bedroom and what happens inside.”

Zhang Zhang stood up, walked over, and pulled her to her feet. “You’re not actually falling for him, are you?”

“Not at all. We’re just balancing each other out. Liking him in bed doesn’t mean I like him outside of it.”

Ji Tanyuan gazed up at the ceiling. “His family… they kind of scare me.”

Zhang Zhang let out a surprised “Huh?” and made a face. “Scare you? What are you afraid of?”

She’d heard of people disliking their in-laws, but being afraid of them? That was new.

Ji Tanyuan looked at her. “How do I put it? Maybe it’s their seriousness.”

Zhang Zhang nodded. “I get it. They’re different, after all. You’ve gone from mingling with rich second-gens to rubbing shoulders with those in power. No more roaring down the street in a Ferrari. Besides, with Beijing’s traffic, you wouldn’t get far anyway.”

Ji Tanyuan checked the time. “I should get going. Those uncles are getting impatient.”

Zhang Zhang nodded, then hesitated before finally asking, “Will you still be able to hang out with me in the future?”

Ji Tanyuan paused, her hand on her bag, and studied Zhang Zhang. With her long pink hair, Zhang Zhang was the youngest and most rebellious editor-in-chief the fashion world had ever seen, vivacious, eccentric, and fiercely strong-willed. Yet the two had always clicked, and Ji Tanyuan loved spending time with her. But now, Zhang Zhang seemed cautious, a side of her that hadn’t surfaced in ten years.

Ji Tanyuan smiled. “Did someone say something to you?”

Zhang Zhang froze, then waved a hand dismissively. “Of course not. My reputation for ‘mentoring’ young newcomers in the industry is well-documented. I just don’t want to affect you…”

Ji Tanyuan tossed her bag aside, pulled out her phone, and dragged Zhang Zhang over. “Come here.”

She opened the camera, mimicking Zhang Zhang’s usual antics as they snapped a few selfies. Then she crouched down and took pictures of the macarons.

Bending her head, she uploaded the photos, then snatched Zhang Zhang’s phone, deftly entered the password, and navigated to her account. Confirming it was the public one, she began typing. Zhang Zhang grabbed her wrist. “What are you doing?”

Ji Tanyuan dodged her, hit “share,” and added the caption: First reunion after my best friend married into the capital.

She shoved the phone back into Zhang Zhang’s hands. “Next time someone says something, slap them back. I’ve got your back.”

“Weren’t you always the feisty one? Why so timid now, Ms. Zhang?”

Zhang Zhang bit her lip. “I’m just afraid I’ll cause trouble for you.”

“What trouble could you possibly cause me? It’s just sleeping with a man.” Ji Tanyuan didn’t seem concerned.

Someone had been gossiping in front of Zhang Zhang, perhaps making sarcastic remarks, or perhaps trying to send her a message by targeting her friend.

“Zhang Zhang, you’re more important to me than anyone else, understand?”

Zhang Zhang’s eyes reddened. The two had lived abroad together for ten years. When she encountered difficulties and was too poor to afford food, it was Ji Tanyuan who shared a meal with her, marking the beginning of their decade-long friendship.

A psychologist once said that if a friendship lasts beyond seven years, it faces another test: the partners of each friend. That’s why she always worried, worried that after Ji Tanyuan got married, they would drift apart. She didn’t even dare ask too much about her husband, afraid of crossing boundaries.

Ji Tanyuan patted her back. “Silly, why would you believe what others say? Stop crying.”

Zhang Zhang hung her head, looking like a wild child being told by a parent to stay away from their precious offspring.

Ji Tanyuan’s expression darkened. Some people were just despicable, deliberately trying to provoke her.

She felt she had been quite restrained, she hadn’t used the Zhong family’s privileges to target her opponents despite her newfound status. Even so, some still had the audacity to come at her.

What trouble could Zhang Zhang possibly be? It was clearly just a ploy to get under Ji Tanyuan’s skin.

“Tell me, who was it? They’re not targeting you, they’re targeting me.”

…

Ji Tanyuan arrived at the company with a grim expression, where her secretary was already waiting.

Tang Xin and Hao Jiajia had been working under Ji Tanyuan from the start. Many assumed that Ji Tanyuan, as a vice president, was just a privileged young lady passing time, and her two assistants were merely hired to keep her company, mediocre in performance, neither outstanding nor lacking.

This was all at Ji Qing’s specific instruction. He called it “hiding one’s brilliance,” worried that as a young woman, standing out too much would make her a target, especially since they were operating in plain sight.

Ji Enterprises was founded by Ji Qing, but building a vast business empire from scratch alone was impossible.

From the initial financing phase, numerous shareholders large and small joined in. With equity dilution, compounded by financial crises and corporate sieges, Ji Enterprises’ growth into one of the major conglomerates in the south involved complex dynamics and multiple major capital players.

Moreover, Ji Qing had three older brothers. After his business success, they rode his coattails to prosperity. Over time, however, these relatives began scheming to take over Ji Enterprises, especially since Ji Qing only had one daughter.

With a chaotic equity structure and family turmoil, Old Mr. Ji was stretched thin. His trusted aides were no match for those with ulterior motives, and thus Ji Enterprises began its decline.

Zhong Yan once summarized it in one sentence: “Your father is too principled and values relationships too much.” Yet in the dog-eat-dog world of fame and fortune, having too much conscience doesn’t lead to great wealth. That Ji Enterprises had achieved its current status was already fortunate; its decline was hardly surprising.

“The company’s operational struggles are due to multiple factors. His success alone proves his capability, but under societal rules, sustaining a company long-term requires considering human nature.” Zhong Yan remarked.

Such as forming alliances to exclude outsiders.

What is society? It’s social discourse, cliques, collectives, and harsh reality.

Wealth and power are the highest standards of success in the secular world.

Integrating into the collective is the first step. Failure to do so brings numerous complications, unless one starts at the pinnacle of the pyramid, like Zhong Yan, where others vie to socialize with him, not the other way around.

When the Ji family crisis struck, Ji Qing was the only one tormented by the desire to save the enterprise he had built from the ground up. The others were merely scheming to embezzle funds and flee, while rival companies eyed this lucrative opportunity like vultures circling prey.

In a final desperate move, Ji Qing forged an alliance with the northern Zhong family by arranging a marriage between Ji Tanyuan and the Zhong’s. The Zhong family injected capital to fill the financial gap and alleviate the crisis, yet those very people took it for granted to treat Ji Tanyuan as water already spilled, discarded and forgotten.

“President Ji, Mr. Zhong also arrived an hour ago.”

Tang Xin caught up and whispered in her ear, pulling her from her thoughts.

Ji Tanyuan acknowledged with a hum as the automatic sensor doors slid open. The receptionist, spotting her, gave a slight bow and said, “Young President Ji.”

Originally striding forward, Ji Tanyuan halted at the address and fixed her gaze on the woman. “What did you call me?”

Previously, she had been addressed as President Ji, with her father as Chairman Ji. How did a simple trip outside result in this sudden addition of “Young” to her title upon return?