Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 21

The two of them didn’t need such a grand reception upon returning to Shanghai, but to the Ji family, Zhong Yan was nothing short of a golden son-in-law.

More often than not, Ji Tanyuan had to remind herself through the way others treated Zhong Yan that her husband was born with privileges others could only dream of.

In their daily interactions, Zhong Yan was surprisingly down-to-earth. He didn’t carry himself like someone from the upper echelons, aloof and surrounded by attendants waiting to serve him.

Apart from indulging in super-luxuries like yachts and private jets, as other wealthy families did, he would clean the master bedroom on Saturdays, occasionally cook a meal on a whim, and even ride his hundred-thousand-yuan mountain bike to a convenience store in the middle of the night to buy condoms.

So, Ji Tanyuan found him rather fascinating, yes, fascinating, with both remarkably high standards and surprisingly low ones, guided solely by his preferences, except for his obsession with cleanliness.

Gradually, she forgot that the man beside her was a central figure in Beijing’s elite circles.

But today, the entire Ji family had gathered, almost as if it were a post-wedding banquet. Ji Tanyuan glanced at the man beside her, dressed in a black shirt, a stark contrast to the flip-flops and shorts he wore at home while feeding koi fish. Now, he exuded an air of dignified detachment.

The private room was a high-end VIP suite at the Furong Club, with a large table surrounded by the Ji family.

As the server at the door was about to open it for them, a crack in the door allowed voices from inside to drift out.

Ji Tanyuan stopped the server by pressing her hand against his arm. Zhong Yan raised an eyebrow but didn’t object, eavesdropping was something he enjoyed too.

He casually moved Ji Tanyuan’s hand away from the server’s arm. The server kept his head down, not daring to make a sound.

So, the four of them stood there, listening to the voices from behind the screen.

First came a hoarse voice speaking in a dialect that Zhong Yan could barely understand, it sounded almost like a foreign language.

“Old Fourth, Tanyuan is married now. I don’t mean to overstep, but she’s someone else’s daughter-in-law now. You need to groom a proper successor for such a large company so our Ji family can continue to thrive.”

“You two haven’t had a son, and Tanyuan is just a girl, her abilities are limited. There are so many boys in the family; I think it’s a good idea to bring them into the headquarters for training. I can’t stand that Lu Ke, always showing off with his foreign language. Tanyuan is the same, having spent so much time abroad, her Westernized thinking just doesn’t suit a local family business.” Ji Tanyuan’s uncle, Ji Ting, rambled on, essentially implying that since Ji Tanyuan had married out, it was time to choose a suitable successor.

Then Ji Tanyuan heard her father’s voice: “Elder Brother, a professional manager would be better. Let the experts handle their expertise. None of us understand management, and we can’t keep up with the times.”

“How can we hire a professional manager? They’re outsiders! Are you out of your mind?” Ji Tanyuan’s second uncle chimed in.

“Old Fourth, you’re not thinking of handing the company to your daughter, are you? Be careful your son-in-law doesn’t take everything. I won’t allow it. Our Ji family has worked hard to get where we are, we can’t let it fall into outsiders’ hands.” Ji Ting continued.

Ji Qing remained silent, while the second uncle, as if performing a duet, added, “Fourth Brother, Elder Brother means well for the family. Now that Mom and Dad are gone, we have to rely on him as the head of the family.”

Ji Qing seemed to take it to heart. “I know Elder Brother means well, but Tanyuan is still my daughter, even after marriage.”

“When did I say she’s not your daughter? Giving her shares for dividends is one thing, but I’m saying we can’t hand over the company’s management to an outsider.” Ji Ting interrupted him, visibly displeased.

“She needs her family to back her up. Fourth Uncle, as her older brother, I must stand firmly behind Tanyuan, giving her a safety net to fall back on whenever needed.” Ji Ting’s eldest son, Ji Ziqian, spoke up.

Zhong Yan quietly fanned the flames by whispering in her ear, “They’re the ones trying to take advantage of her, aren’t they?”

As the tide of prosperity receded and the pie shrank, the waves of change washed away two extremes: those with too much conscience and those with none at all. Ji Qing belonged to the former.

Ji Tanyuan pushed the door open, causing a stir. The room fell silent abruptly.

Her calm voice broke the stillness, “Sorry, we’re late.”

Zhong Yan and Ji Tanyuan emerged from behind the screen, both dressed head to toe in black. Everyone’s expressions shifted, and they instinctively rose to their feet.

Zhong Yan’s hand rested firmly on the small of Ji Tanyuan’s back as he stepped forward, greeting his father, “Apologies, we’re late.”

Ji Qing’s hair was graying, but his posture remained upright. Fine lines framed his eyes, his complexion fair, and his gaze gentle and refined. He smiled awkwardly, “It’s fine that you’re here. Please, take a seat.”

Zhong Yan pulled out a chair for Ji Tanyuan. There were no other women present, only her.

As Zhong Yan guided her to sit, Ji Ting smiled and said, “Huanghuang, why don’t you go next door? Your aunts and cousins are there.”

He then glanced at Zhong Yan to gauge his reaction but couldn’t tell if he was satisfied.

Ji Tanyuan smiled, “Is there something you’re discussing that I shouldn’t hear?”

“Not at all, it’s just that we’re smoking, and we’re worried about you…”

“Then don’t smoke.” Ji Tanyuan cut off her uncle.

She added coolly, “Just refrain from smoking, Uncle. If you can’t resist, use the smoking room.”

Ji Ting hadn’t expected Ji Tanyuan to be so blunt. It seemed she had overheard their earlier conversation. Was she angry?

But everything he said was the truth. How could a married woman expect to inherit the Ji Group? The company was named after the Ji family, how could they let an outsider take over?

The atmosphere grew tense. Ji Tanyuan’s second uncle, Ji Yu, stepped in to smooth things over, “Huanghuang is just concerned about the health risks of smoking. Big Brother, you should cut back.”

Present in the room were Ji Tanyuan’s father, her first, second, and third uncles, and four male cousins. In terms of appearance, it was like a swan born in a pond of toads. Ji Qing was the swan among them. Zhong Yan couldn’t help but suspect that Ji Qing wasn’t biologically related, if not, the genetic mutation was simply too extreme.

Ji Qing’s expression darkened. Before Zhong Yan arrived, he hadn’t noticed, but now, in the private room, the contrast with his nephews was stark. At 188 cm tall, Zhong Yan was handsome, poised, and carried himself with the grace of a true aristocrat from a well-bred family, no unnecessary gestures, no excessive arrogance.

For the first time, Ji Qing felt a sense of shame, for his daughter.

Ji Tanyuan, however, didn’t share the sentiment. After all, the Zhong family wasn’t much better either. Every family had its own troubles, and no one had the right to look down on others.

The waitstaff entered to begin serving the dishes.

Zhong Yan remained silent for a while, so Ji Tanyuan’s cousin, Ji Ziqian, broke the ice by asking how long the couple planned to stay.

Zhong Yan glanced at Ji Tanyuan, who was sipping water, and replied with a smile, “It depends on Tanyuan. We’ll head back once she’s finished her work.”

“Busy? Huanghuang, what are you so busy with? If there’s anything, just tell your brother and let him handle it for you,” said Second Uncle Ji Yu.

Ji Yu’s son, Ji Zhan, dressed in a fully printed shirt from a luxury brand with a silver earring in his ear, chimed in, “That’s right, just a phone call away. Why bother making the trip yourself?”

As if one phone call could make you voluntarily leave the Ji Corporation?

Ji Tanyuan set down her water glass. “Besides missing home, of course, I’m preparing to spin off Qinghe Real Estate from the Ji Corporation headquarters.”

The moment these words were spoken, the entire table truly changed expressions.

Ji Tanyuan hadn’t originally planned to mention it, after all, she just wanted to enjoy a proper meal. But upon arriving, she discovered not only were men and women seated separately, but they were also gossiping behind her back about some pipe dreams.

So, what if she got married? Getting married didn’t change the fact that she was still the heir to the Ji Corporation.

Even if she married eight hundred times, becoming Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Li, or Mrs. Zhang, the money that was rightfully hers would still be hers.

They came up with all sorts of excuses to exclude their daughter from the line of succession, she couldn’t even get into the family registry. As for family interests, who cared? This suited her just fine, since she only cared about her personal interests.

If it weren’t for inheriting the company, she would never have agreed to a marriage alliance to save the corporation.