Her Imperfection for Wifehood - Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Due to the various “misdeeds” of An Xi that had been widely circulated since his return to China, his image as a dandy in Tang Yunqing’s mind was not entirely whitewashed.
Tang Yunqing didn’t immediately agree to him and instead asked, “Tell me first, why are we going to the Wei house?”
Fu Wenjing was also worried that An Xi would take Tang Yunqing to do something strenuous. She stepped in between Tang Yunqing and An Xi: “Young Master Xi, Miss Tang is pregnant and should not be traveling.”
In the hospital, she could do her best to protect Tang Yunqing, but outside the hospital, she would be powerless.
“Why are you so wary of me?” An Xi chuckled self-mockingly. “Sister Yunqing, I… I’m just going to the Wei house to propose. My sister has also agreed to my proposal to the Second Miss Wei. I’ll tell you the details on the way. Let’s hurry. Sister Yunqing, please, just help me this once.”
Thinking of the news she had just seen in the newspaper that morning about the Yinghua spinning mill fire the previous night, Tang Yunqing couldn’t help but link An Xi’s action to that incident.
Were the siblings planning to take the lead while Kahn was preoccupied with other matters, had no mind for romance, and was unable to pay the 100,000 betrothal gift? Or… was the fire at the Yinghua factory related to the An Corporation in the first place?
To clarify the truth of the matter, she nodded: “Let’s go.”
“Miss Tang…” Fu Wenjing held her arm. She was the one who had “tricked” her into coming. If anything unexpected happened, how could she take responsibility?
“Doctor Fu, thank you for your help.” Tang Yunqing patted her hand in thanks. “An Xi will ensure my safety. If my mother returns before I do, please help me stall for a little more time. I’ll return to the hospital as soon as possible.”
An Xi also nodded to Fu Wenjing and guaranteed: “Doctor Fu, rest assured, there will be no risk on this trip. If we encounter any difficulties, I will be the first to step up.”
Leaving the hospital, An Xi drove straight toward the Wei house.
Tang Yunqing voiced the question in her heart: “The Yinghua factory was burned beyond recognition last night. Was that your handiwork?”
An Xi shook his head: “It has nothing to do with my sister and me, and nothing to do with the An Corporation.”
“Alright, let’s change the topic.” Tang Yunqing still believed him. “Since you said your sister agreed to you marrying Wei Yinxia, why didn’t you have her accompany you to the Wei house to propose? Why go to all this trouble to ask me to accompany you?”
“You’re my sister too.” An Xi smiled innocently, flattering her with sincerity: “My sister said she isn’t good at formal speech. Besides, since she already messed up my engagement with Wei Yinxia once, she’s also embarrassed to go to the Wei house for this matter again. To smoothly put my marriage on the agenda, I had no choice but to ask you, Sister Yunqing, to step in.”
To his surprise, Tang Yunqing suddenly looked stern: “An Xi, if you want my help, you must tell me the truth.”
“Uh…” Feeling the cold gaze shooting at him from the side, An Xi stopped being frivolous: “Alright, alright, I confess.”
“Hurry up and tell me.”
“Although my sister agreed to the marriage, she didn’t agree to me offering 100,000 as the betrothal gift. I’m afraid of complications arising over time. Now that the company is back on its feet and Kahn is in trouble, I figured it’s better to act first to prevent that old man Wei Zhengqing from changing his mind.”
Tang Yunqing was half-skeptical: “But I heard your sister say you have someone else you like?”
“Eh? She meant Qi Ruyue, right? Ruyue is a sister.”
“…” Tang Yunqing was speechless. Wasn’t Wei Yinxia also like a sister? What kind of game were these siblings playing?
Seeing her yielding, An Xi added more pressure: “Sister Yunqing, actually, I have my selfish reasons too. I hope that after this marriage is settled, Yinyin will side with our An family. I don’t believe Wei Zhengqing is honest and pure-hearted. I want to bring down the Wei family.”
The idea of making Wei Yinxia side with the An family and exposing Wei Zhengqing—they were on the same page. An Jing was reluctant to put Wei Yinxia in a difficult position, so they would do it.
She had to contribute something, didn’t she?
“The 100,000 betrothal gift is too high. Anyway, Kahn probably can’t afford that much money to compete with you right now. Try to lower the amount.”
“No need. I don’t want to haggle with the Wei family over the betrothal gift. Wei… Yinyin deserves it.” An Xi naturally understood that Tang Yunqing’s intention was not malicious, nor was it to belittle Wei Yinxia. “Sister Yunqing, this 100,000 is money from selling my private assets, it won’t affect the company. I’m a grown man now, surely I can make a decision for myself, right?”
He wasn’t making a decision for himself, but for An Jing. This was probably the last thing he could do for An Jing.
“Suit yourself.” Tang Yunqing didn’t want to waste more words with him, turning her head to look out the window. “If your sister beats you up later, take it like a man. Don’t expect me to mediate. I already feel bad for helping you with this crazy scheme behind her back today.”
An Jing had private assets. An Xi’s private assets would only be more than An Jing’s. After all, An’s father, mother, and An Jing wouldn’t let An Xi suffer.
An Xi said he had selfish reasons. Did Tang Yunqing herself not have selfish reasons?
Her selfish reason was that after Wei Yinxia married An Xi and they lived in harmony, Wei Yinxia would become An Jing’s legitimate sister-in-law. Surely, they wouldn’t be as intimately close as “lovers” anymore?
Once Wei Yinxia became the Young Madam of the An family, interacting with upper-class society alongside An Xi, driven by interests or seduced by family wealth, she might gradually distance herself from An Jing.
By then, there would be no “third party” between her and An Jing again.
After showing their passes to enter the villa area, An Xi first pulled over to the side in a secluded spot.
He took out the prepared marriage certificate from his briefcase in the back seat: “Sister Yunqing, please be our witness.”
He handed the marriage certificate and a fountain pen to Tang Yunqing.
Tang Yunqing took both items, looking at the large blank space on the marriage certificate and asked, “Birth characters?”
An Xi scratched his head, coughing awkwardly: “It was too rushed this morning. I’ll fill in both their birth characters and vows when I get back.”
Tang Yunqing didn’t doubt this explanation. She signed her name and stamped her personal seal below her signature without hesitation.
Handing it back to An Xi: “If you get married, treat her well and manage the family business properly. Your sister has managed the An Corporation for so many years. It’s time for her to have her own life.”
“Yes, it’s time for her to have her own life.”
At the Wei house. Upon learning that Tang Yunqing and An Xi had arrived together, Wei Zhengqing ordered his servants to open the gate and let them drive into the courtyard.
Madam Wei was staying at her daughter’s house and hadn’t returned. Wei Yinxia was melancholy because she couldn’t leave the house.
When the servant reported the visitors, Wei Zhengqing had the maid invite the Second Miss, who was reading in the open-air garden on the second floor, back into the house, instructing her not to leave the room without his summons.
Upon entering the house, An Xi directly stated his purpose.
“Boss Wei, does your statement at the party that 100,000 in betrothal gifts would allow me to marry Second Miss Wei still hold true?”
“Naturally.”
“Kahn already has a legal wife and children abroad. Boss Wei can check it if you don’t believe it.” An Xi didn’t mention the Yinghua fire because Wei Zhengqing was sure to know about it already.
Wei Zhengqing sat on the sofa, a cigar between his fingers. Although he invited An Xi and Tang Yunqing to sit, neither of them took a seat, standing about three meters away from him.
An Xi only approached Wei Zhengqing a little after taking out a check: “Boss Wei, here is a check for 100,000 as the betrothal gift from my An family to marry Miss Wei Yinxia.”
Tang Yunqing, standing still, spoke: “Boss Wei is in urgent need of funds. Whose betrothal gift isn’t a betrothal gift? Yinyin is my sworn sister. In my opinion, marrying into the An family as the Young Madam is far better than being an unnamed mistress to Kahn. The An Corporation has weathered the storm. With An Jing and An Xi working together, restoring its former glory is only a matter of time. The marriage between the two giants, Zhengqing Department Store and the An family, will be like adding wings to a tiger, bringing in vast wealth, won’t it? When my two younger siblings hold their wedding banquet in a few days, my parents and I will surely come to extend our congratulations.”
After all the twists and turns, the goal Wei Zhengqing had intended to achieve months ago was finally reached.
But this was not the end, nor the conclusion.
Daring to set fire to Yinghua, they had no idea what kind of grave trouble they had caused, nor whom they had provoked.
He didn’t even know if he could safely withdraw from this undercurrent of conspiracy.
Kahn was an outright lunatic. Lunatics constantly invited people onto their ship, and now this ship was leaking, with a huge hole. He decided to try going with the flow: “No one would turn down money. I accept Young Master Xi’s 100,000 betrothal gift.”
“Excellent.”
An Xi placed the check on the coffee table, then sat down, professionally pulling out the marriage certificate from his briefcase again. “Then please ask the Second Miss to come out and sign this marriage certificate.”
He spread the marriage certificate flat in front of Wei Zhengqing, placing the pen beside it: “Also, please sign in the Principal Witness column, Boss Wei.”
The marriage certificate was a bifold. The right side, where the couple’s birth characters and vows should be written, was blank. The spaces below “Couple” and “Introducer” on the left side were also blank. Below “Witness,” Tang Yunqing’s signature and seal were centered. Below “Principal Witness,” An Xi’s Eldest Uncle had signed and sealed on the left, and the space on the right was reserved for Wei Zhengqing.
“Last time, before we could even offer the betrothal gift, the engagement certificate was torn up by my sister. This time, the betrothal gift has been given, so signing the marriage certificate directly is reasonable and justified.”
Wei Zhengqing didn’t question the details of the marriage certificate. He took the pen and signed his name with a flourish, then unfastened his personal seal from his waist and stamped the marriage certificate.
He took the check, stood up, and called out toward the stairs: “Xu’er, why don’t you invite the Second Miss down to greet our guests?”
As his voice faded, the door opened.
Wei Yinxia and her maid, Xu’er, entered the living room with small steps.
“Sister Yunqing, Young Master Xi.” Wei Yinxia looked even thinner after a few days of not seeing them.
An Xi waved, his expression gentle: “Wei… Yinyin, come here. Your father has agreed to you marrying into our An family. Sign this marriage certificate, and you will be a member of our An family.”
A member of the An family. Not his person.
Wei Yinxia would certainly understand.
Tang Yunqing just lifted her foot when Wei Yinxia took a few more steps and reached out to hold her arm. She glanced back, and it seemed Wei Zhengqing had already gone upstairs.
“Xu’er, go to my room and get my personal seal.”
“Yes, Second Miss.”
Wei Yinxia helped Tang Yunqing sit down: “Sister Yunqing, don’t stand for too long.”
“An Jing is hospitalized.”
“Hospitalized?” Wei Yinxia’s expression and voice were filled with anxiety. “Injured or sick? Is it serious?”
“Whether it’s serious or not, you can see for yourself.” Tang Yunqing hadn’t seen An Jing either. She revealed this news only to gauge Wei Yinxia’s reaction.
“I…”
“Second Miss, your seal.” Xu’er was genuinely happy for Wei Yinxia. “Congratulations, Second Miss and Young Master Xi, on your happy union.”
“Give it to me. Xu’er, please wait outside. I want to speak with Miss Tang and Young Master Xi.”
“Yes.”
Wei Yinxia looked at the marriage certificate, her eyes moist.
The “Couple” field was blank. Her fingertip gently stroked those three characters, her heart stirring: “Young Master Xi, thank you.”
This was her and her marriage certificate.
She hadn’t dared to dream of this, and she hadn’t expected the day her beautiful dream would come true.
“We are family now. Why the talk of thanks?” An Xi handed the pen to her. “Sign first. I will fill in the rest of the content later.”
After Wei Yinxia signed and sealed it, An Xi carefully put away the marriage certificate: “As of today, you are the legitimate wife of my An family. It’s just that now is not a good time for a wedding. You will have to bear with this for a while. Do you… want to return to the An house with me today, or should I come pick you up in a few days?”
She wanted to see An Jing, right now.
Looking up at Tang Yunqing, she said to An Xi: “Young Master Xi and Sister Yunqing’s kindness, Yinxia holds deeply in her heart. Today, I want to visit Boss Jing first. Then, I ask Young Master Xi to give me three days to say a proper farewell to my father.”
Three days?
Wei Yinxia’s three days, in the understanding of Tang Yunqing and An Xi, was probably the transition period for her to formally “break away” from the Wei family.
“Fine.” Tang Yunqing readily agreed. “Yinyin, then we await your good news in three days.”
“When you’re ready, call the house. I will explain the situation to Uncle Li and the others. Even if my sister and I aren’t home then, someone will definitely come to pick you up.” An Xi also promised, “Protect yourself.”
Having received Wei Zhengqing’s consent, Wei Yinxia got into An Xi’s car.
“I have other matters to attend to. I won’t go in when I drop you off at the hospital. When you see my sister later, don’t mention what just happened. I’ll tell her myself tonight.”
An Xi reserved his only “cowardice” for An Jing. If An Jing knew where his money came from, a “storm” was inevitable.
The round trip took an hour.
It was almost noon when they arrived at the hospital. Wei Yinxia accompanied Tang Yunqing to Fu Wenjing’s office to find her.
Fu Wenjing was at her desk studying a case file. A male doctor had brought her food: “Doctor Fu, the cafeteria food is good today. I got you a few dishes. Food is fuel for the body. You walked back and forth this morning and used a lot of energy. You should eat something.”
The male doctor was a minor leader. Looking at the meal box placed on the table, Fu Wenjing was hesitant to refuse or accept.
“Doctor Fu,” Wei Yinxia called out at the office door, “are you available now?”
Hearing the voice, Fu Wenjing looked up. Seeing the person, her mood brightened instantly. She quickly stood up and apologized to the male doctor: “I’m sorry, Director Xiao. My appointment has arrived.”
Stepping out of the office, Fu Wenjing sighed in relief: “You came at just the right time and saved me.”
Tang Yunqing’s face was stern: “I saw that person looked kind and decent. His character shouldn’t be too bad, although he seems a bit old. Doctor Fu, you’re in your late twenties, aren’t you going to consider him?”
Fu Wenjing: !!!
Wei Yinxia interjected: “Doctor Fu, it’s almost noon. Take Sister Yunqing to lunch. I’ll go visit Boss Jing.”
An Xi had given them An Jing’s room number before leaving.
Without waiting for a response, Wei Yinxia turned and left. Fu Wenjing would take better care of Tang Yunqing than she could.
After Wei Yinxia left, Tang Yunqing asked: “Did my mother and Xiaoyu return to the hospital?”
“Miss Tang, you have a sharp eye,” Fu Wenjing linked arms with Tang Yunqing, smiling like a fox. “That’s the director of our department. He’s ten years older than me.”
“Ten years older is still acceptable.”
“That’s not acceptable. I only accept someone within five years of my age.”
“I don’t care about the age difference. That’s not the point. Fu Wenjing, answering my question is the point.”
“Oh~ Madam Tang and Xiaoyu came back, but little Xiaoyu is clever. I told her that Mommy and I still hadn’t finished our private talk, and asked if she could help us again. Guess how Xiaoyu helped us?”
“Fu Wenjing, how old are you? Aren’t you being childish? I’m not in the mood to guess. Get to the point.”
“I’m going to tell Xiaoyu that her Mommy is mean.”
“???”
“Alright, I won’t make you guess. Xiaoyu spilled water on her clothes while drinking and cried for Grandma to take her home to change. It was warm water, so she wasn’t scalded.”
Having gained more time, Tang Yunqing walked toward the patient rooms but was stopped by Fu Wenjing: “If you don’t eat, the baby in your belly will be hungry. I promised Madam Tang I wouldn’t let you starve at noon, and I even listed several nutritious prenatal meals I could take you to eat.”
“!!!”
“If you go to see Boss Jing on an empty stomach, she will also worry. We’ll just take half an hour for lunch.”
“Lead the way.”
On the other side, when Wei Yinxia found An Jing’s VIP room, Lu Cheng was standing rigidly by the door. He was always vigilant. As soon as Wei Yinxia turned the corner, he was staring straight at her.
Was this woman… the boss’s woman?
As Wei Yinxia approached, before she could speak, Lu Cheng respectfully said: “Second Miss Wei, please wait a moment.”
He knocked on the door and asked for An Jing’s permission: “Miss, Second Miss Wei is here.”
There was no sound inside. After two or three minutes, Wanyun opened the door from the inside, carrying a food container: “Second Miss Wei, please come in.”
Wei Yinxia smiled and nodded politely. As soon as she stepped into the room, Wanyun closed the door and patted Lu Cheng: “The Miss wants you to guard further away.”
“…” Lu Cheng quietly walked away.
Wanyun collected a pair of chopsticks and a bowl from a chair by the wall into the food container and then left.
—Wanyun, quickly put all this away. It’s too messy.
—Shush, be quiet.
—Wanyun, give me the mirror. I don’t look unkempt, do I? How’s my complexion?
—Wanyun, quickly give me mouthwash.
—Wanyun, you and Lu Cheng both guard further away. I… have something to discuss with Second Miss Wei. I’m afraid she’ll be cautious if you’re here.
—Wanyun, don’t guard the hospital anymore. Go home and bring me that jade Guanyin.
Wanyun’s expression was complicated, thinking about the Miss’s sudden panic and excitement. Did the Miss care about Second Miss Wei that much? So, was that jade Guanyin also a gift the Miss wanted to give to Wei Yinxia?
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