Trapped in a Tempting Love - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Marriage Alliance

“Ye Feiran? Why would she come here? Hurry, invite her in!” Su Jing thought for a moment, then hastily called back the butler. “Wait, I’ll go receive her personally.”

“Hubby, what could have brought her here? Wasn’t it the second branch of the Ye family we were negotiating with?” Jiang Manrong followed close behind Su Jing.

“How should I know?”

“Could it be she found out we were planning to ally with the second branch and got angry?”

“But… but even if we collaborated, it wouldn’t shake her position at all.”

“Do you still think she’s that little girl who just took power a few years ago? Of those who dared to cross her these years, which one had a good ending? Regardless of whether it threatens her or not, I’m afraid the Su family has offended her this time.”

“This… what are we going to do?”

“Who knew it would turn out like this? The second branch hasn’t given an answer, and instead, it’s drawn out this great Buddha, Ye Feiran. We should never have provoked the Ye family in the first place.” Su Jing’s complexion paled even further.

The Su family members hurried toward the entrance. Su Qianyi, who was already closer to the door than them to begin with, stepped outside first. Seeing the situation, she turned around and walked upstairs.

Ye Feiran had just stepped out of her car. Two people stood behind her: one holding many documents was likely an assistant, while the other wore dark sunglasses and a black suit despite the summer heat, looking formidable while considerately holding an umbrella for Ye Feiran—clearly a personal bodyguard.

Ye Feiran glanced at the people coming out of the door with an expressionless face. She remained silent, carrying an air of aloofness that made people hesitate to approach.

Su Jing, accompanied by Jiang Manrong and Su Wanwan, hurried forward with a warm smile. “President Ye, what brings you to our Su home? We were just dealing with a domestic matter and got delayed; I didn’t expect you to arrive. Please forgive me for failing to welcome you properly.”

Ye Feiran gave a faint acknowledgment. “Just passing by and had a matter to discuss. It’s fortunate that Mr. Su and the second Miss Su aren’t at the company.”

Su Jing and Su Wanwan were resting at home precisely because the Su Group’s capital chain had snapped; currently, the entire company was in a state of semi-suspension. Management like Su Jing had no important matters to attend to.

Even so, most people would avoid saying it so directly out of respect for the Su family’s reputation.

Su Jing’s face turned red then white; a breath caught in his throat, yet he didn’t dare to talk back.

“Then, President Ye, shall we go inside to talk in detail?”

Ye Feiran scanned the surroundings but didn’t see Su Qianyi. She replied, “Lead the way.”

Su Jing immediately turned around, enthusiastically leading the way in front.

In the living room, Ye Feiran sat in the main seat before the Su family could even speak. The rest of the Su family could only sit on the smaller sofas at her sides.

A servant quickly brewed flower tea and handed it to Ye Feiran. “I heard President Ye likes flower tea. We didn’t have time to prepare properly; please don’t be offended.”

Ye Feiran took a sip. The floral scent drifted around her nose. “It’s not bad.”

“As long as you like it, President Ye.”

“Mhm.”

“May I ask what brings you to the Su home today?”

“Is everyone not here yet?” Ye Feiran looked around. Even inside the house, Su Qianyi was nowhere to be seen.

Su Jing was somewhat puzzled. “You must be joking. I make the decisions for the Su Group, and my second daughter, my successor, is also here. You can discuss anything with me.”

Ye Feiran didn’t answer. The steam above the flower tea gradually dissipated, leaving both parties in a stalemate.

It wasn’t until the assistant beside Ye Feiran caught her look and stepped forward to negotiate. “Pardon me, President Su, does the Su family not have another daughter?”

Hearing this, Su Jing showed a look of hesitation.

The assistant asked again: “President Su?”

Jiang Manrong leaned forward and began to speak fluently: “Oh, this is a case of ‘domestic shame should not be aired abroad.’ But our eldest daughter… she’s someone about to get married, yet she used to play around as she pleased, and now she even stays out all night. We are truly very sorry.”

“Yes, just now Dad asked Sister where she went last night, and she said she just picked someone up randomly from the street.”

When Ye Feiran heard “picked someone up randomly from the street,” her eyes flickered slightly, and her brow furrowed.

In the eyes of the Su mother and daughter, this looked like Ye Feiran couldn’t stand such behavior, so they took the opportunity to state their position.

“President Ye, when your sister-in-law was negotiating with us earlier, we were also conflicted for a long time.”

“Even though we’re family and the company is in a crisis, Wanwan can share her father’s burdens, but Su Qianyi still hangs around with those shady people. It’s my fault as a mother for not teaching her well.”

“Once she marries into your Ye family, I don’t know what kind of trouble she’ll cause. We ask for your patience.”

The Su family assumed Ye Feiran was here to break off the wedding because she was dissatisfied with the Ye-Su alliance. To avoid further blame, their words were filled with disparagement of Su Qianyi to show their stance on the alliance and please Ye Feiran.

Just as the Su mother and daughter were slandering her with gusto, a casual, nonchalant voice came from behind them: “What kind of ‘shady people’?”

Turning around, they saw Su Qianyi slowly walking downstairs, holding a document bag.

Jiang Manrong’s expression froze, and she advised earnestly, “You’re about to get married; you can’t act out like you did last night anymore. It’s not just the Su family’s face you’re losing, but the Ye family’s as well.”

Unexpectedly, Su Qianyi’s eyes darted toward Ye Feiran sitting on the sofa. “You’re a member of the Ye family?”

“Su Qianyi, this is President Ye Feiran. Do not be rude.” After scolding Su Qianyi, Su Jing turned to apologize to Ye Feiran anxiously. “My daughter speaks without thinking and has offended you. Please, don’t mind her.”

He turned back to urge Su Qianyi, “Su Qianyi, apologize quickly!”

“Oh, sorry.” Su Qianyi was extremely perfunctory.

“It’s fine.” Ye Feiran was very magnanimous. After taking a sip of tea, she asked casually, “I heard Miss Su randomly picked someone up from the street last night?”

“Mhm.” Su Qianyi saw there was no seat for her, so she simply stood to the side.

Fearing that Su Qianyi would continue to say something reckless as she had before, Su Jing quickly interrupted their exchange and asked Ye Feiran fawningly, “May I ask what instructions President Ye has for visiting our humble home?”

Ye Feiran set down her cup, her voice cold: “There is indeed something I want to discuss with President Su.”

“Please, President Ye, enlighten me.”

“President Ye, are you here for the ‘Sky City’ project?” Su Wanwan sat up straight and asked softly.

Ye Feiran didn’t answer that, but mentioned of her own accord: “I heard the Su family intends to form a marriage alliance with the Ye family.”

“Yes, we do intend to seek out the Ye family. After all, you see our Su family currently…”

Ye Feiran raised her hand to stop Su Jing’s words and smiled. “To show the Ye family’s sincerity, as the head of the family, I naturally had to visit in person.”

Because the Ye family had been hesitant to give the green light, the original host had been required by Su Jing to please Ye Jingchen. But now, Ye Feiran had directly stated the alliance was on, making Su Jing overjoyed. The gloom that had been weighing on his heart for days finally vanished.

“You… you mean, the Ye family agrees to this marriage?”

“Correct. However, I want to change the person involved in the alliance. I wonder if President Su has any objections?”

Su Jing exchanged a look with Jiang Manrong and asked tentatively, “Could it be you want Wanwan to marry in?”

Su Wanwan shouted anxiously, “Dad! I’m the one who will take over the Su Group in the future. How… how can it be me marrying in?”

Jiang Manrong also advised, “Exactly, hubby. The Su Group must have a successor; don’t just point fingers randomly.”

Su Jing patted Jiang Manrong’s hand reassuringly and said to Ye Feiran, “President Ye, to be honest, the one our Su family intended for the alliance is my eldest daughter, Su Qianyi.”

Standing to the side, Su Qianyi heard this and plucked a red grape from the fruit plate, leaning against the side of the sofa in a comfortable position to watch the show.

The seedless red grape was plump; a single bite filled her mouth with sweet fragrance, making Su Qianyi’s mood much better.

At that moment, Ye Feiran glanced toward Su Qianyi. Su Qianyi held up a grape to her. “Want one?”

Ye Feiran restrained herself and pulled her gaze back, looking at the family again.

It was as if she had rejected Su Qianyi.

Ye Feiran sighed. “Then that’s a pity.”

Su Jing persuaded her, “President Ye, my eldest daughter has studied art since she was a child and is a well-known artist in the entertainment industry.”

“Mhm.” Ye Feiran’s expression was cold, seemingly uninterested.

Su Jing beckoned to Su Qianyi. “Don’t look at her being in the entertainment industry; she never participates in those messy drinking parties, nor has she ever been in a relationship. She’s very sensible and obedient.

Look how beautiful she is. After the marriage, our two families can develop ‘Sky City’ together; it will be a win-win situation.”

“Pfft…” Su Qianyi finally couldn’t help it and burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I just suddenly felt that being a CEO is a waste of your talent; you should be a matchmaker. With your skills, which marriage wouldn’t go through?”

“Shut up.” Su Jing desperately suppressed his anger and shot Su Qianyi a look.

“Forget it, Dad, don’t over-praise me. Have you forgotten that just a moment ago, your good wife said I was a shady person who fools around all day? On the other hand, your second daughter is so well-behaved and sensible—much more suitable for a marriage alliance. If it were me, I’d choose Su Wanwan too.”

Su Jing frowned and stammered an explanation, “That… that was all a misunderstanding. Qianqian, how can you say that about yourself?”

Su Qianyi shrugged and continued eating grapes.

Ye Feiran: “Young people liking to play around is nothing.”

Su Jing let out a breath. Seeing there was still room for negotiation, he asked, “Then, regarding this matter…?”

“That depends on Miss Su’s intentions.” Ye Feiran’s gaze finally landed on Su Qianyi. “Miss Su, are you willing to come with me?”

“Wait… wait, come with you?” As soon as these words were spoken, the Su family members, who had been immersed in joy, all changed their expressions. Su Jing asked immediately, “Isn’t the marriage alliance with Ye Jingchen?”

Ye Feiran looked puzzled, as if the Su family had completely misunderstood. “To show the Ye family’s sincerity, my personal visit is naturally for myself. Does President Su have some misunderstanding about this?”

“No, no, no.” Su Jing was utterly stunned, stammering and not knowing what to say.

“Does President Su have some objection to me?”

“No, it’s not an objection to you, it’s… it’s…”

“Then there are no objections?”

Su Jing didn’t know how to argue back. Beside him, Su Wanwan looked at Su Qianyi with bloodshot eyes of envy.

If Ye Feiran had stated from the beginning that she was here for her own marriage, forget Su Wanwan inheriting the Su family—even if they had to send Su Wanwan along with the entire Su family as a dowry to Ye Feiran, they would have been perfectly willing.

Previously, the Su family wanted to ally with the second branch of the Ye family hoping to get money for an emergency. But the second branch was only a side branch after all; although they could solve those problems for the Su family, there were limitations.

That was why Su Jing wouldn’t let Su Wanwan go for the alliance.

But if they could latch onto Ye Feiran… the Ye family sat at the very top of City A. After a marriage alliance, the Su family would directly gain all of the Ye family’s resources. It was a ladder to heaven that countless people scrambled for; the massive benefits went without saying.

Forget sending someone for marriage—countless people wanted to send their children to Ye Feiran just to play around, but no one had ever succeeded.

Now that this great opportunity was right in front of them, Su Jing hesitated. He knew Su Qianyi wasn’t close to him, so he had originally planned to marry her to Ye Jingchen to get a one-time payment for his urgent needs.

But if he could marry his daughter to Ye Feiran, how could he be content with just one transaction?

Before Su Jing could speak, Su Wanwan was the first to volunteer herself: “President Ye, I studied business in college and am currently taking over the Su Group. Why don’t you consider me? I can help your career much more than my sister can.”

Su Qianyi stood to the side, watching the Su family’s changing faces with cold eyes. But hearing Su Wanwan’s comment about “career help,” she couldn’t help but curl her lips. Ye Feiran’s position as the head of the family was pushed by her; who in this novel world could help her more?

But she couldn’t expose her secret identity, so she just pouted.

Noticing Su Qianyi’s subtle movement, Ye Feiran spoke slowly: “I don’t lack elites who passed into top-tier domestic universities or returned from studying overseas. If the second Miss Su is interested, she can submit her resume to the Ye Group’s HR department.”

In short: No matter how good you are, I don’t want you.

Su Wanwan’s face turned pale. Then she heard Ye Feiran speak again: “And besides, it was you, second Miss Su, who rejected me first just now. Have you forgotten so quickly?”

“I… that was because…”

“President Ye, why don’t you reconsider? Wanwan, she…”

“Yes, please reconsider.”

Just as the three members of the Su family were trying to persuade her, Su Qianyi quickly took a few steps forward, crossed her arms, and laughed loudly: “What is there left to consider?”

Su Jing grew anxious: “Su Qianyi, stop messing around and get over here!”

This time, the pleasantness in Ye Feiran’s eyes vanished, and her face darkened. “I don’t think Miss Su is messing around. On the contrary, it’s you, President Su—why do you repeatedly oppose my proposal? Does the Ye family look so lowly to you?”

Su Jing hurriedly stated his position: “I don’t! President Ye, it’s our Su family that is reaching too high.”

Ye Feiran asked again: “Then there are no more objections?”

“Yes, yes. Everything is as you decide.”

Ye Feiran nodded and walked in front of Su Qianyi. “President Su has agreed. I wonder what Miss Su… thinks?”

Looking at the faces of the Su family, a sense of satisfaction surged in Su Qianyi’s heart.

When they abandoned and tormented the original host, they probably never imagined such a day would come, right?

Thus, under the anxious yet silent gazes of the Su family, Su Qianyi stepped forward quickly, took Ye Feiran’s arm, and asked in a sweet, cloying voice:

“Sure! So, when are we going to get our marriage certificate?”