Refusing Divorce After a Contract Marriage - Chapter 10.2

“Don’t work overtime until midnight again. It’s just an autumn show; it’s not that important.”

Jiang Chumian could only respond obediently.

As it turned out, she almost got too busy again at noon. When Shen Qingye asked her assistant, Jiang Chumian hadn’t even prepared to go to lunch yet. Shen Qingye called her directly via video call and asked point-blank: “Jiang Chumian, are you a three-year-old? Do you need someone to watch you just to eat?”

Jiang Chumian blinked innocently: “I was going to go as soon as I finished this little bit.”

“How do you know ‘about my schedule’?”

“What do you mean ‘how do I know’? I manage the entire Group; is it hard to find out about your little affairs?”

Looking at Shen Qingye, who was glaring at her with crossed brows, Jiang Chumian couldn’t help but start laughing.

“Okay~ I understand, President Shen. I’m going to eat right now, really.”

After hanging up, Jiang Chumian couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile. Shen Qingye had actually planted an “informant” by her side, and this informant was there just to supervise her eating. This version of Shen Qingye was truly cute and childish, but Jiang Chumian knew she was doing it for her own good, so her heart felt warm.

Some people might find this uncomfortable—being monitored. But Jiang Chumian was happy because it meant she was being cared for. With Shen Qingye supervising, no matter how busy she was, she didn’t dare act out again.

Fortunately, the affairs of the autumn show proceeded steadily and safely.

In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the show. In the morning, Jiang Chumian had breakfast with Shen Qingye as usual, but Shen Qingye unexpectedly told her she would go to the show venue with her. Jiang Chumian thought it was natural for the boss to want to inspect the results, so she nodded and agreed.

Upon arrival, Jiang Chumian arranged a seat for Shen Qingye. When the assistant came to find her and saw Shen Qingye nearby, she cried out in surprise, “President Shen!” This was the first time since she joined Shiguang that she had seen Shen Qingye somewhere other than the Shen Group headquarters. The first time was at a meeting with Jiang Chumian; this was the second.

Shen Qingye saw people arriving one after another. Knowing that Jiang Chumian would be very busy today—since this was a show intended to help Shiguang break into the mainstream and was very important to her—she said, “You’re busy, don’t mind me.”

Indeed, Jiang Chumian didn’t have much time to attend to Shen Qingye. After arranging her seat, she walked away.

Through the crowd, Shen Qingye watched her handle those who had come to show support with perfect social grace. She was very smart, had a good head for business, and was skilled at networking. In time, even without being tied to the name “Shen Qingye,” she would be remembered. Shen Qingye was certain she had that ability.

Seeing this side of Jiang Chumian, Shen Qingye began to feel pity for those few people in the Jiang family. They clearly had an excellent chess piece in their hands, yet they insisted on making the worst move possible. Shen Qingye couldn’t understand the obsession with having a son inherit the family business; based on Jiang Xiaofan, it was clear Jiang Chumian’s father couldn’t raise a good successor. One didn’t even need to compare her to Jiang Xiaofan; even the young master of the Jiang family already showed signs of being a future “good-for-nothing.” Fortunately, the Jiang family still had a Jiang Chumian, so they wouldn’t be swallowed whole until nothing was left.

This show, from the clothing to the models, was very eye-catching. Shen Qingye watched from below, and Jiang Chumian returned to her side when the show began. Sitting side by side—Jiang Chumian in a sharp, capable suit and Shen Qingye also in a white lady’s suit with a ribbon around her neck—they both possessed an extraordinary aura. They occasionally leaned together to whisper or looked at each other with a smile. In the eyes of others, they appeared to be a couple with very deep feelings.

“It was very well organized and very brilliant. President Jiang is indeed impressive,” Shen Qingye leaned slightly closer to Jiang Chumian and praised her in a low voice.

Jiang Chumian laughed softly: “Thank you for the recognition, President Shen.”

After the show ended, people came over to greet them or invite them to dinner. Jiang Chumian told them with regret that they had an appointment today and could only reschedule for another day. After the successful conclusion, Jiang Chumian finally felt a sense of relief; this was her first major event since taking office, and it was best that no mistakes occurred.

Shen Qingye asked who she had an appointment with, and Jiang Chumian pointed to a person walking toward them not far away: “A friend.”

“Are you very close with Amy?” Shen Qingye had wanted to ask the moment she saw Amy on stage. She was an internationally famous model; it was surprising Jiang Chumian could invite her.

“Mhm, sort of. We met when I was studying abroad,” Jiang Chumian didn’t explain too clearly.

Shen Qingye felt that the girl held quite a few surprises.

“Hello,” the blonde woman said as she approached Jiang Chumian with her assistant.

Jiang Chumian shared a hug with her: “Thank you for coming today.”

“No need for formalities; mainly the money was right,” the woman joked with Jiang Chumian. But everyone present knew that she wasn’t someone who could be hired just because “the money was right.”

Jiang Chumian didn’t bicker with her and introduced the two to each other.

“I saw the reports of your wedding. At the time, I was thinking that Chumian really knows how to pick a girlfriend. Seeing you two stand together, I felt you were a perfect match. Seeing it with my own eyes today, I still think so.” Amy winked playfully at Shen Qingye. Her personality was unexpectedly very lively, completely different from her public image.

Shen Qingye smiled and thanked her. Amy invited her to dinner, and Shen Qingye agreed. At the table, Amy had a lot of questions, ranging from how the two met to telling Shen Qingye she must take good care of Jiang Chumian—otherwise, she wouldn’t mind “stealing” her away. Shen Qingye could only smile and agree, while Jiang Chumian awkwardly smoothed things over.

After they parted, Shen Qingye teased Jiang Chumian: “President Jiang must have quite a few suitors, right?”

Jiang Chumian shook her head with a smile: “How could that be? Amy and I are really just friends; she’s just joking around.”

Shen Qingye didn’t think so. She could tell Amy was a smart person who truly liked Jiang Chumian, but not that much. Amy’s liking for Jiang Chumian was more akin to admiration and a desire for her to live well.

The fashion show was posted online and even made it onto the trending searches. Borrowing Amy’s fame, Shiguang truly became well-known this time. There were those looking for gossip and experts offering praise; overall, negative comments were few. The effect far exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Having finished the work for the show, Jiang Chumian felt relieved, but the subsequent series of tasks like investment promotion wouldn’t be easy. Although Jiang Chumian wasn’t as tense, she was still very busy. However, she had more time to go to the gym with Shen Qingye.

After the show, Mrs. Jiang sent Jiang Chumian several messages asking if she wanted to come home for a meal. Since the wedding, Jiang Chumian hadn’t returned at all except for that one time for Jiang Xiaofan’s birthday. Every time Mrs. Jiang invited her, she said she was busy. As long as her “dear father” didn’t personally invite her, Jiang Chumian refused. She looked like she was determined not to have any connection with the Jiang family. Mrs. Jiang was actually quite relieved.

However, after the autumn show, Jiang Chumian’s investment promotion went smoothly, and she effectively became a new rising star in high society. Wherever Jiang Wenyan went, he heard people praising his second daughter as smart and bold, usually followed by the phrase “a tiger father doesn’t have a dog daughter.” This earned Jiang Wenyan a lot of face, so he kept telling his wife to call Jiang Chumian home for dinner.

After being rejected by Jiang Chumian several times, Jiang Wenyan felt he had lost face and criticized Jiang Chumian several times at the dinner table. But every time he spoke of Jiang Chumian, he would always drag Jiang Xiaofan into it.

“Your sister is two years younger than you, yet she’s so much stronger. You only know how to play all day; you don’t know how to do anything proper.” He also said that “a doting mother ruins the child,” criticizing his wife as well.

Because Jiang Chumian showed no interest in Jiang’s business, Mrs. Jiang wasn’t that angry anymore. But Jiang Xiaofan now felt her heart flare with rage whenever she heard that name. She specifically went to watch the Shiguang autumn show Jiang Chumian had organized and had to admit it was indeed excellent. But the more excellent Jiang Chumian was, the more hateful she appeared in her eyes. Especially after seeing the video of Jiang Chumian and Shen Qingye participating in an interview together, she felt even angrier. That clearly should have been her marriage; why was it intercepted by Jiang Chumian?

Jiang Xiaofan was unwilling to admit Jiang Chumian’s excellence. In the end, she could only comfort herself by thinking that everything was taught by Shen Qingye; otherwise, with Jiang Chumian’s own ability, she could never have achieved that. People always give themselves psychological hints until they eventually believe their own lies. Such was Jiang Xiaofan; she didn’t want to admit Jiang Chumian’s excellence or her own incompetence, so she could only blame it on other factors.

Meanwhile, on Jiang Chumian’s side, as she worked, another month passed. In the blink of an eye, it was already the end of November. The end of December would be the year-end inspection of all Shen Group subsidiaries. Jiang Chumian looked at the calendar and was startled to realize she had been busy for a year. When her studies had just ended, she had other plans, but then she suddenly received Shen Qingye’s email. Then, she mysteriously married Shen Qingye and entered the Shen Group—none of which were part of her previous life plan. Yet, unexpectedly, it was easier to approach her goals than her previous plan, and she lived more comfortably. All of this seemed to be because the source of the change was Shen Qingye. She was very glad that, by a stroke of luck, she had made a friend in Shen Qingye. Not only had she gained a friend, but also a better career and even the care and love of her elders.

While driving back, it suddenly started to rain, and the weather had turned cold again recently. Jiang Chumian arrived home, and Shen Qingye hadn’t finished work yet. She didn’t call Auntie Zhang over to cook; she sat on the sofa with the TV on. Having finally finished her busy work, Jiang Chumian wanted to relax. Doing nothing and just emptying her mind was a very good way for her to relax; usually, there were too many things to consider.

As she watched, she unconsciously fell asleep. When Shen Qingye returned, she saw the figure curled up on the sofa asleep. She was leaning against a cushion, curled into a ball. Neither the sound of rain outside nor the sound of the TV in the living room prevented her from sleeping. She looked truly sleepy, or rather, exhausted. The girl’s face was soft, and the dark circles under her eyes were visible to the naked eye; she had indeed been very busy these past few months.

Shen Qingye watched her for a long while and finally chose to gently nudge her awake. The girl rubbed her eyes and opened them dizzily. Not until Shen Qingye’s silhouette became clear did she slowly wake up a bit. She blinked hard and murmured a few times, looking more and more like a cat.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why are you sleeping here? What if you catch a cold?” Shen Qingye’s gaze was like water. Jiang Chumian actually felt a clear sense of concern in her eyes, which still made her a bit unaccustomed.

“Um, it’s not cold.” She sat up hugging the cushion, her pajamas slightly disheveled.

“Have you eaten?” Shen Qingye looked away and asked in a low voice.

Jiang Chumian was still a bit sleepy and slowly shook her head: “Not hungry.”

Shen Qingye saw her rest her head on the cushion, looking somewhat lazy and cute. Yet she couldn’t help but poke her forehead: “Your stomach is bad, and yet you don’t eat on time.”

“I was sleepy,” Jiang Chumian muttered softly, sounding a bit aggrieved.

Shen Qingye couldn’t do anything about her. In the end, she made a call to have food delivered. Ever since she found out Jiang Chumian had a bad stomach, she hadn’t allowed her to eat common takeout; she basically had large restaurants or hotels deliver food directly.

“I ordered food; we’ll eat together in a bit. I’m going up to change clothes first.” Before leaving, she also pinched Jiang Chumian’s small face.

Jiang Chumian gave a hum, clearly not fully there. Shen Qingye went upstairs to shower and change. Jiang Chumian fell back asleep. Fortunately, Shen Qingye had anticipated this; before going upstairs, she had turned up the living room air conditioning so she wouldn’t freeze.

When Shen Qingye came downstairs, she saw her slumped on the sofa asleep again. She laughed for no reason; she wasn’t someone who knew how to take care of people at all, but after knowing Jiang Chumian, she was like an old nag. Or more accurately, ever since she found out Jiang Chumian’s health was very poor, she couldn’t help but pay more attention, and then she unconsciously took on the role of caring for her. In truth, Jiang Chumian cared so little for her own body that Shen Qingye occasionally even felt a sense of world-weariness from her—a sense of “if I’m alive, I’m alive; if I’m dead, I’m dead.” Shen Qingye disliked that feeling very much. At some point, Shen Qingye found she had a desire to keep her in the world.

Not long after, the food was delivered. Shen Qingye then woke Jiang Chumian up. Jiang Chumian sat up dizzily and looked at Shen Qingye with an innocent face. To this, Shen Qingye just tapped her forehead: “Time to eat. Were you some kind of Sleep God in your past life?” Shen Qingye discovered Jiang Chumian was very persistent about sleeping; she would rather starve than not sleep. To Jiang Chumian herself, if she was asleep, she wouldn’t be hungry.

Jiang Chumian rubbed her forehead: “Oh, okay. What are we eating?”

After Shen Qingye mentioned the dishes she ordered, Jiang Chumian suddenly looked at her pitifully: “I want to eat hotpot. This is so bland.”

“With your stomach, you still want to eat hotpot?” Shen Qingye asked her crossly.

Jiang Chumian pulled her sleeve: “I’m nursing it well now. Can we go eat some this weekend?”

Hearing the soft, coquettish voice, Shen Qingye was a bit surprised. It seemed that unconsciously, Jiang Chumian had developed a bit of dependency on her. Realizing this made Shen Qingye quite happy; she was naturally glad to have Jiang Chumian depend on her more. It made her feel a sense of achievement. Like raising a small pet that gradually started to develop feelings for her. When Shen Qingye was a child, she really wanted to raise a pet, but she couldn’t because of a cat allergy. She didn’t want to raise a dog because she didn’t want to walk it every day. Plus, her grandmother didn’t agree to raising a dog, so she hadn’t had a pet until now.

“Please~” Jiang Chumian asked again.

Shen Qingye truly couldn’t resist her like this and finally nodded in agreement: “But you can’t eat it too spicy.” Jiang Chumian nodded along.

Shen Qingye pulled her up from the sofa, and the two sat facing each other to eat. Looking at Jiang Chumian’s appearance, Shen Qingye suddenly felt that Jiang Chumian’s trust was actually very easy to obtain. Just as she had thought initially, as long as you showed her a little bit of kindness, she would even depend on you, just like now. Although Jiang Chumian’s dependency on her would only show when she hadn’t fully woken up or was drunk—and she was still cold and detached normally—it was already enough.

After eating, Jiang Chumian’s sleepiness dissipated quite a bit.

“Finished with your busy work lately?” Shen Qingye asked her.

Jiang Chumian nodded while drinking water: “Mhm, but I have to prepare for the year-end inspection.”

Shen Qingye smiled: “What is there to be nervous about?”

Jiang Chumian rested her chin on her hand and glanced at her, her eyes curving like a new moon in the sky. Those eyes seemed filled with a galaxy of stars.

“President Shen probably doesn’t know she has a nickname. In the group chat for subsidiary general managers, they call you ‘Yama Shen’ [King of Hell].” Jiang Chumian’s words carried a bit of teasing.

“Oh? Am I that terrifying? Calling me Yama—do I want your lives?” Shen Qingye’s appearance was simply that of someone completely unaware of her own strictness. “Why would they fear me if they don’t make mistakes? Only those who aren’t serious enough about their work are picked out for criticism every year.” Shen Qingye truly didn’t feel she was that strict.

Jiang Chumian blinked at her: “They’re afraid exactly because they can’t guarantee they won’t make mistakes.”

“You too?” Shen Qingye asked with a smile.

Jiang Chumian nodded: “Of course I’m afraid. Every company always has some small, difficult-to-handle problems. It’s not strange for me to be afraid, is it?”

Shen Qingye also blinked at her: “Then prepare well, President Jiang.”

Jiang Chumian let out a mock sigh of sorrow.

Shen Qingye laughed: “I’m not going to nitpick. Relax~”

“Then President Shen must show mercy when the time comes; it would be best if you let me through the back door.”

After spending a long time together, Shen Qingye discovered Jiang Chumian wasn’t actually that silent. The girl could tell jokes, though it was limited to people she was familiar with. Just as Jiang Chumian felt Shen Qingye wasn’t actually cold and aloof—similarly limited to familiar people.

The TV in the living room was still on. Shen Qingye glanced at it; it seemed to be a foreign drama with a good reputation recently.

“Are you sleepy?”

“I’m okay.”

“Did you not watch the beginning seriously either? You were busy chatting with the Duke of Zhou [dreaming], weren’t you?”

Jiang Chumian was a bit embarrassed; she had indeed watched only a little bit before falling asleep. However, this was the perfect time to start over together. It was a French drama; neither of them understood French, so they had a good time watching the subtitles.

After watching for a while, Shen Qingye suddenly saw the female lead shooting arrows. Shen Qingye had a sudden thought and turned to look at Jiang Chumian.

“Do you want to go to the archery range this weekend? A final relaxation,” Shen Qingye asked her in a low voice.

Jiang Chumian thought for a moment and nodded: “Okay.”

“Is it a date then?”

“Mhm. We’ll go after eating hotpot.”

Shen Qingye laughed helplessly; she truly was obsessed with that hotpot.