Another Day of Pretending for the Wealthy Couple - Chapter 62

When Ji Tanyuan returned, Zhong Yan had already tidied up the bedroom, leaving only the final vacuuming to be done.

It saved her from having to exercise early in the morning.

Zhong Yan, freshly showered, was downstairs instructing the servants to prepare breakfast.

Hearing the commotion, he turned his head to look. “Go take a shower. From now on, the dog is not allowed in the bedroom.”

Ji Tanyuan exchanged a glance with the dog and then gently rubbed its head.

Zhong Yan raised an eyebrow. “You’re not thinking of letting the dog in when I’m not around, are you?”

Ji Tanyuan withdrew her hand, looking slightly embarrassed. “No.”

Halfway up the stairs, she suddenly realized something was off and turned back to look at Zhong Yan. “Aren’t we sleeping in separate rooms?”

Zhong Yan looked up at her words. “Who said that?”

Ji Tanyuan replied matter-of-factly, “I did.”

“I didn’t.” Zhong Yan retorted without changing his expression.

Leaning against the railing, he said, “Couples don’t sleep in separate rooms. That’s not good, dear.”

“No one in the Zhong family will bother us anymore. As for the usual family gatherings, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

Ji Tanyuan smiled faintly. “See how easily rules can be broken.”

Even if she had nearly cost the old man his life, the Zhong family, for the sake of their interests, would have to swallow their grievances.

But when the time for reckoning came, they would surely seek retribution.

Zhong Yan lowered his head and turned toward the kitchen, saying as he walked, “Because this is just one of the methods of discipline.”

“Clans are a legacy of the past, and one way to maintain clan influence is to adhere to traditions.”

“This exists in both the north and the south. Isn’t your place also particular about clans? No matter how intense the internal conflicts, they unite against outsiders, emphasizing that one family’s prosperity benefits the entire clan.”

Ji Tanyuan replied, “I’m not on the family register. What does that have to do with me?”

Zhong Yan: “…”

Ji Tanyuan turned and went upstairs. “I agreed to this marriage alliance for the sake of my Ji family. If the Ji family weren’t mine, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

Zhong Yan suddenly turned around and watched Ji Tanyuan’s figure disappear around the corner. Her silhouette was both upright and slender, and only one word came to his mind: resilience.

The old man was right, Ji Tanyuan appeared soft on the surface but was tough at heart. She was easy to deal with as long as her bottom line wasn’t crossed, but when it came to fundamental interests, she would never yield.

He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. Well, he could afford to step back a little.

For the sake of family harmony, making appropriate concessions was entirely reasonable. After all, Ji Tanyuan had previously compromised to accommodate the Zhong family.

Zhong Yan took out his phone and made a call. “I’ve made up my mind. I disagree with your proposed merger plan for the Ji family. If anyone has the ability, go find them. Your grandson here has no such ability.”

Holding the phone with one hand and operating the coffee machine with the other, Zhong Yan chuckled at whatever was said on the other end. “What else would I be if not your grandson? Being anything else would be downright rebellious.”

The response was the sound of something shattering, followed by the call being disconnected.

Zhong Shuqing’s face turned livid as he smashed his phone to pieces, his coughing gradually intensifying.

The moment Zhong Fangqi entered, he saw his agitated father. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

With no outsiders around, Zhong Shuqing said coldly, “That fine son you raised!”

Zhong Fangqi glanced at the shattered phone and thought to himself, It’s Zhong Yan again.

“Don’t take it to heart, Dad.”

“Making him agree to that marriage alliance was a mistake. That disobedient brat.” Zhong Shuqing cursed.

Zhong Fangqi stepped forward to pick up the phone. “Dad, if he were obedient, that’s when you should worry.”

“It’s just that he’s never been in love and is interested in Tanyuan. Let him have his fun. We’ll do what we need to do.”

He never expected Zhong Yan to always obey the family’s wishes. As long as the Ji family could be pulled into the Yanjing camp, dismantling the political and business matrix in the south would be enough.

Now, the largest comprehensive enterprise in Shanghai was tied to the Zhong family in the north. That was sufficient.

Thinking this, he added, “As for other plans, it’s still too early.”

“Don’t worry too much. You’ve seen the Ji parents, after all the commotion, it’s time to let things settle down for now.”

Zhong Shuqing retorted, “Commotion? Your son has already started shifting assets to build a second nest, and you call it commotion?”

“Even if he builds 108 nests, he’s still a Zhong. The benefits he’s entitled to will come to him whether he takes them or not, and the risks he must bear will find him no matter how far he runs. He’s still young, why bother holding a grudge against two youngsters?”

Zhong Fangqi was also troubled. The older the two elders got, the more confused and restless they became, as if determined to make a grand final stand in their last few years.

Those family precepts were insignificant compared to tangible interests. Even without the constraints of family rules, Ji Tanyuan wouldn’t dare betray the Zhong family now.

Having observed this half-year-long farce, he realized his second daughter-in-law was quite capable. She had the skill to handle heavy matters with ease, the ruthlessness to cut ties decisively, and the emotional intelligence to navigate complex situations. No wonder A-Yan was fond of her.

If she could endure family conflicts, she would understand that impatience could ruin major plans, yet she also had her limits.

From this incident, it was clear that family ties were her weakness. Someone who valued relationships was easiest to control.

Zhong Fangqi poured a glass of water for his father. “Father, the discord between Tanyuan and the Zhong family must not leak out now.”

He paused thoughtfully. “As for the rest, I have it under control.”

Zhong Shuqing sounded weary. “Are you saying I’m too old?”

“Not at all. You’re overthinking it. I’m just advising you to take it easy and not overexert yourself. The doctor also said someone your age shouldn’t worry too much.”

Zhong Shuqing’s expression turned cold. “You’re in charge now. Your father was pushed into a pond, and you just swept it under the rug.”

Zhong Fangqi sighed. What could he do? The one who pushed him was his own daughter-in-law. If word got out, where would he put his face?

Zhong Shuqing felt stifled. It was the first time he had suffered a loss without being able to speak up, and to a young girl at that.

“Get out.”

Zhong Fangqi stood up. “Then rest well. I’ll take my leave.”

With that, he promptly “got out.”

Once in the car, Zhong Fangqi rubbed his temples.

His secretary, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to him and said, “Secretary, the people in Shanghai report that Ji Ting has made progress in finding the person he’s looking for.”

“They say it’s Ji Qing’s eldest son, Second Young Madam’s biological brother.”

Zhong Fangqi frowned. “Wasn’t he dead?”

“He was reported missing after drowning at sea. The police searched for several days but never recovered the body.”

Zhong Fangqi tapped his knee. “So, he’s come back to life.”

Now there are two heirs.

When Zhong Yan received his father’s call, he was holding his dog’s ears to keep them from drooping into the food bowl, it was just too messy.

Holding the dog’s ears and wrapping Ji Tanyuan’s silk hair tie around them twice, he answered the phone.

“Hello, Dad.”

“Your brother-in-law is coming back to life.” Zhong Fangqi said bluntly.

Zhong Yan frowned, taking a moment to realize he was referring to Ji Zhihe, Ji Tanyuan’s brother.

At the same time, Ji Tanyuan also received a call.

Her expression turned cold. So, her uncle had actually managed to dig up a son.

“Keep following him. Report to me as soon as you find him, and I’ll send someone. If there’s an opportunity, arrange a paternity test first.”

Ji Tanyuan’s hand trembled slightly. She clenched her fist to suppress it, yet her gaze remained resolute. Her thin lips parted as she spoke each word deliberately, her tone so composed it seemed anything but impulsive:

“If there’s no opportunity, then don’t let him live any longer.”

Mother can’t withstand any more shocks.

She didn’t care what the truth was, whether he was an illegitimate child or not, he simply couldn’t be allowed to appear. A suddenly emerging eldest son was undoubtedly a noose tightening around her neck.