Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 40

Ji Tanyuan had to return to her own home in her pajamas early in the morning because Zhong Yan’s place lacked spare clothes and makeup. This also revealed to Zhong Yan that they actually owned properties in the same residential complex.

Ji Tanyuan’s home was a spacious single-level apartment spanning over 1,000 square meters. The moment one stepped inside, the decor greeted them with a blend of warm white and soft pink, infused with a hint of a Monet garden aesthetic. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning view of the Bund, with the Oriental Pearl Tower standing so close it felt within reach, a vista even better than the one from Zhong Yan’s side.

Ji Tanyuan mentioned that this was a gift from her father for her coming-of-age ceremony, which explained the youthful, girlish touch in the interior design.

Zhong Yan asked, “Do you live here long-term?”

Ji Tanyuan hummed in affirmation. “My mother lives a nomadic lifestyle, and my father is always busy, so I live alone.”

Zhong Yan thought to himself, no wonder she said her family wasn’t complicated, there was practically no one around.

The live-in housekeeper, upon seeing Ji Tanyuan’s husband, was genuinely struck by his striking appearance. Standing at 188 cm tall, he wore a black shirt and tailored black trousers, his broad shoulders and narrow waist accentuating his tall, well-proportioned frame. He reminded her of the Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities she had adored in her youth, every feature distinct and handsome, with perfect facial proportions that made him an ideal match for the young lady. She had previously worried that such an exceptional young mistress might end up in an arranged marriage with someone unattractive, but clearly, her concerns were unfounded. In terms of appearance, the two were exceptionally well-suited.

Bowing slightly, she asked, “Sir, what would you like for breakfast?”

Zhong Yan walked further inside. “Just an Americano and a sandwich will do, thank you.”

By the time Ji Tanyuan had changed her clothes and finished her makeup, forty minutes had passed. When she emerged, she was dressed in a black suit and a silk blouse, accessorized with gold earrings. Her hair was styled in a center-parted low ponytail, and she wore a pair of 10 cm black high heels with red soles.

Zhong Yan looked up and asked, “Do you have a meeting today?”

Seating herself at the dining table, Ji Tanyuan replied, “Yes, and there might be some news breaking. Hubby, could you handle the PR for me?”

Zhong Yan took a sip of coffee, lifted his eyelids lazily, and glanced at her. “Have you ever considered that the board might take issue with your married status?”

Ji Tanyuan raised an eyebrow. “But my husband is Zhong Yan. Do you think they’d dare?”

At the very least, until the project stabilized, no one would openly treat her as an outsider. Her marriage was tied to the interests of the group’s collaborative projects. If she were displeased, she could leverage her status as Mrs. Zhong to investigate them, no one would emerge unscathed.

Zhong Yan chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. “You really don’t hold back, do you?”

Ji Tanyuan might be delicate, but she wasn’t pretentious. When it came to claiming what was rightfully hers, she showed no hesitation.

Of course, Zhong Yan was cut from the same cloth.

Around 9 a.m., Assistant Liang stood waiting at the entrance of the building with his team, his expression turning serious as the car approached. Gone was the casual demeanor and unrestrained urge to complain from their private interactions. The previous night, he had received a sudden notification to lead the team to Shanghai for urgent work.

If the Ji family was focused on rooting out internal corruption to maintain stability, then Zhong Yan aimed to disrupt the market during this period, seizing the opportunity to expand his influence.

As the car door opened, Zhong Yan stepped out wearing large black sunglasses. The assembled team stood ready to greet him. He tossed the car keys to a bodyguard and strode forward.

“Are all the senior executives of Huaxin Technology here?”

“Yes, they are.”

Zhong Yan moved to the front. “Has the representative from the Ji Group arrived?”

“They’re here.”

Zhong Yan acknowledged with a hum. “Understood.”

“First, have the PR team prepare the updates on Zidian Technology and await my instructions.”

Zidian Technology is the joint venture project company between the Ji family and Zhong Heng, with the Ji family holding a 50% equity stake and Zhong Heng Group’s Huaxin Technology Company holding the remaining 50%.

The conference room door opened, and Zhong Yan appeared at the entrance. Ji Ying stood up, looking at the person before her and recalling her father’s instructions. In the quiet atmosphere, she was the first to speak, addressing him as “brother-in-law.”

Zhong Yan sat down, let out a light chuckle, completely unaffected by the serious atmosphere, and spoke in a relaxed, almost lazy tone: “During work hours, Miss Ji, please be mindful of how you address me.”

Meanwhile, at the Ji Group building, almost at the same time, Ji Tanyuan stepped into the conference room.

The people inside were almost all older, with very few young faces. She was the youngest among them and also the only woman in a male-dominated setting. Now, she had to face off against multiple people and drive them out, just thinking about it was exhausting.

Assistant Liang didn’t have time for internal complaints, but Ji Tanyuan did. She even felt a bit like she was acting in a play.

At this moment, she was playing the role of a domineering CEO. Other domineering CEOs were cold and imposing, so she dressed the part, bold red lips, aiming to visually overpower those middle-aged men, most of whom either had large bellies or receding hairlines.

But once she was actually in the room, Ji Tanyuan couldn’t hold back. She felt like laughing, and she allowed herself to do so.

“Good morning, everyone.” she greeted softly.

At first glance, it was like a little white rabbit wandering into a pack of wolves.

Ji Qing watched his daughter’s cheerful expression and was reminded of her personality growing up.

Gentle yet resilient, she always appeared good-natured, greeting everyone with a sincere and friendly smile. But deep down, she was strong-willed and decisive.

His expression darkened. He knew his daughter’s intentions, to clear out all the connections and restore the company to its core purpose as a high-tech production group, allocating funds to technology and bringing in more professional talent.

None of this was a problem, but his surname was Ji, and the future successor had to be a Ji as well. Ji Qing glanced up at his confident older brother and tapped the table.

“Regarding the main topic of today’s shareholders’ meeting, I assume everyone is already aware.”

Ji Ting, seated to Ji Qing’s left in the first seat, nodded and said, “Separating Qinghe Real Estate from the Ji Group, I’ve thought about it for a long time and still can’t understand the reasoning. The Ji Group was built on real estate. Is this a case of forgetting our roots?”

Ji Tanyuan responded, “The Ji Group may have started with real estate, but that doesn’t mean we have to remain in real estate forever, especially in the current environment. A downturn in real estate could easily impact the Ji Group’s operations in other industries, particularly in semiconductors and new energy, which now make up the core of our business.”

Ji Ting chuckled coldly. “So, niece, what you’re saying is that you want to push us old-timers into a declining industry with no future, while you stay behind in the sunrise industries?”

Ji Tanyuan opened a file. “No, Uncle, you can also choose to stay with the Ji Group. In that case, Qinghe Real Estate will no longer have anything to do with you.”

“If you agree to this proposal, your team will need to explain to the board in advance why the company’s non-performing assets have become so severe.”

“And while you’re at it, please explain why your three illegitimate children, while working at Qinghe, used their positions to acquire large amounts of property at below-market prices.”

Ji Ting’s face turned pale with rage. He slammed the table, stood up, his jowls trembling as he shouted, “Ji Tanyuan, how dare you! Now you’re trying to hold me accountable? Who do you think you are?”

Ji Tanyuan crossed her legs casually. “Uncle, don’t be impatient. Isn’t it better for me to ask you these questions than having the Housing Bureau, Market Supervision Administration, Audit Office, or the bank come knocking?”

Ji Ting took a deep breath, looking at his young niece. “You have no right to question me now. If anyone should be asking, it should be your father.”

“Ji Ying just went to Zhong Yan’s side. The Zhong family doesn’t necessarily need you anyway. Besides, I’ve recently heard news that your brother is still alive. So, Ji Tanyuan, you’d better just continue playing the part of the young lady.”

Ji Tanyuan’s smile faded. Ji Qing’s expression suddenly changed sharply: “What did you say?”

Ji Ting sighed. “Since Zhihe left, I could see how much it pained you both. So, I never gave up searching, and finally I’ve found some leads. Fourth Brother, your son is alive.”

Ji Qing was visibly emotional, taking a long time to compose himself. “This is a private matter. Let’s focus on the meeting first.” He hadn’t forgotten this was a shareholders’ meeting.

Ji Tanyuan glanced at her father, noticing the poorly concealed excitement in his eyes, and felt her heart grow cold.

Meanwhile,

Ji Ying stayed behind to intercept someone. Biting her lip, she called out, “Brother-in-law.”

Zhong Yan lowered his gaze. “Miss Ji, is there something you need?”

Seeing that he was finally willing to acknowledge her, Ji Ying quickly said, “Are you troubled by the deadlock in Zidian Technology’s 1:1 equity split resolution mechanism? My father said we could sell part of our Zidian Technology shares to make you the majority shareholder.”

Zhong Yan’s expression shifted. “What did you say?”