Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 28

The earlier parts were quite good.

Diligence in learning, humility and courtesy, loyalty and trustworthiness, frugality to cultivate virtue, cautious speech and prudent action, with filial piety and fraternal duty as priorities.

Okay, fine.

She now understood why Zhong Yan wasn’t favored by the old lady, he didn’t embody any of these traits.

Honestly, it made sense.

Ji Tanyuan flipped further, and her pupils contracted slightly.

[Family gatherings require full attendance; leave must be approved.]

[Dress appropriately: women are not to wear revealing short skirts, and men are not to wear shorts.]

[After childbirth, women must prioritize their husbands and children.]

[At the dining table, do not start eating first; follow the order of seniority and gender.]

[All must prioritize the family’s interests (wives must prioritize their husband’s family). Violators will be stripped of all family privileges.]

[Do not frequently interact with the maternal family; social circles must remain clean.]

[Kneel and pay respects to elders, offering greetings morning and evening.]

Ji Tanyuan: “…”

“Tanyuan, tell me, how many of these have you followed?” Old Lady Zhong asked, looking at Ji Tanyuan.

Ji Tanyuan pursed her lips. “Do I have to follow them?”

Old Man Zhong’s voice was stern. “What kind of question is that? You are Mrs. Zhong, unless you no longer wish to be Zhong Yan’s wife.”

Zhong’s father sighed. “I know you might not be used to it, but these rules aren’t harsh. What the elders want is simply your attitude.”

“The approval for Tongji High-Tech’s new energy project has come through. Just letting you know.” Zhong’s father added.

Ji Tanyuan smiled. “That’s fine. As the saying goes, the wife follows her husband. Since I married A-Yan, I’ll naturally follow his lead.”

“What about the kneeling and morning-evening greetings?” Wen Yi’an, sitting on the other side, asked.

Ji Tanyuan finally understood why Wen Yi’an, who appeared strong and domineering, actually wore a bitter expression, she had brought it upon herself!

They had just gotten past this hurdle, and now it was being brought up again!

Ji Tanyuan forced an awkward smile. “Of course, another day. When A-Yan returns, we’ll do it together.”

As always, kneeling was fine, as long as everyone did it together.

Old Lady Zhong glanced sideways at Ji Tanyuan, snorted coldly, and stood up to leave.

Before departing,

Zhou Yanyu asked Ji Tanyuan to stay behind alone. Wen Yi’an bit her lip, unable to accept that her mother-in-law had kept Ji Tanyuan back without including her.

Zhong Jing got into the car and, knowing his wife was highly sensitive, tried to reassure her. “Don’t overthink it. Ji Tanyuan has been too close to people in the entertainment industry in Shanghai, and the family’s public opinion monitoring team reported it. Mother kept her back to advise her because it doesn’t reflect well on the Zhong family.”

If it were just because of a photo with Zhang Zhang, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But later, Ji Tanyuan completely let loose, attending parties left and right. Although she didn’t post anything on social media herself, she appeared in many group photos with elites and celebrities, completely disregarding the need for discretion.

In the tea room of the Zhong family’s sunroom,

Zhou Yanyu slammed a tablet in front of her. “Look at the mess you’ve made. If Zhong Yan doesn’t say anything to you, you just…”

“He did.” Ji Tanyuan said.

Ji Tanyuan swiped through the tablet. “We even argued about it. We haven’t spoken in over half a month.”

Zhou Yanyu choked. “Wh-what?”

Ji Tanyuan smiled, resting her elbows on the tea table and squinting at her mother-in-law. “Yes, he warned me. He said if I keep messing around, we’ll divorce.”

“Ah, well… that might be a bit too extreme.” Zhou Yanyu replied.

No sooner had she spoken than she realized something was off. “Wait a minute, then you’re still going!”

Ji Tanyuan shrugged. “Come on, Mom, do you always listen to Dad?”

Zhou Yanyu was momentarily speechless before retorting, “Why drag me and your father into your affairs?”

Ji Tanyuan pouted. “I’m just saying I’m angry that he was so harsh with me. You don’t know, that night, he didn’t even go with me to see my mother. He went to the Bund to ride a yacht instead, flew to Hong Kong the next day, and didn’t answer my calls.”

Zhou Yanyu snorted coldly. “That’s just how he is, unlikable.”

“You can’t be like that! It gives a bad impression!” she said.

Ji Tanyuan didn’t see anything wrong with those people. In her eyes, people were either useful or useless. Those who could provide emotional comfort and indulge her were certainly useful. In that regard, even Zhong Yan wasn’t as useful as they were.

Zhou Yanyu’s face turned cold. “Did you even hear what your father-in-law just said? The honor and future of the Ji family rest on you.”

Ji Tanyuan fell silent.

Zhou Yanyu continued, “Tell those people to delete your photos, or I’ll have them banned.”

“You need to keep a low profile. Do you remember or not?”

Ji Tanyuan replied, “I remember.”

Yeah, right.

But for now, Ji Tanyuan was forced to play the game of feigned compliance, what Zhong Fangqi called “attitude.” She had to show the right attitude.

Ji Tanyuan walked out of the tearoom and headed outside.

The summer in Yanjing was stifling and hot. She wore a beige, sleeveless maxi dress with wide straps, tied at the waist with a simple, thick white cotton rope that reached her ankles, revealing only her delicate collarbones and two slender, pale arms. Her hair was pulled into a bun, and she wore sunglasses and an expensive-looking jade pendant around her neck.

She hadn’t noticed it before, but the jade seemed overshadowed by her presence.

Zhou Yanyu watched the young woman’s retreating figure and felt a sudden pang of realization. Ji Tanyuan is only 23. This girl who had married into the family from Shanghai is just 23 years old.

She sighed, rubbing her forehead with a troubled expression. She didn’t like either of her daughters-in-law.

Wen Yi’an was calculating and sensitive, much like her eldest son, quiet but sharp.

Ji Tanyuan appeared obedient and easygoing, but deep down, she was arrogant and defiant, just like Zhong Yan.

Thinking of this, she let out a cold laugh. Birds of a feather really do flock together.

Ji Tanyuan stepped out of the main gate and casually tossed the family rules into the trash.

Trash.

Zhong Yan returned home from Hong Kong the next day. After half a month away, he felt somewhat disoriented upon his return.

This was the longest he and Ji Tanyuan had been apart since their marriage, and they hadn’t even been in contact, except for him cleaning up one of her messes before it spiraled out of control.

He stepped inside, loosening his tie. His tall frame stood stiffly in the entryway.

He stepped back out to check the door. Yes, it was his house.

So, how did the interior end up looking like it had been ransacked by thieves?

Had Ji Tanyuan completely let herself go?

Just then, he heard a dog barking. A dog emerged from behind the sofa, its ears tied up with carrot-shaped hair ties, holding a slipper in its mouth.

Man and dog locked eyes. Any thoughts of newlywed awkwardness, the tension and strangeness of reuniting after a fight, vanished. Seeing the state of his home, Zhong Yan felt an overwhelming urge to tear the dog apart.

He strode further inside and shouted upstairs, “Ji Tanyuan!”