Zhuge Rui, seated in the main position in the hall, had long anticipated the reactions of her two children. At this moment, her expression remained calm, and her voice carried no fluctuation.
"I am merely informing you, not seeking your opinions. It is my freedom to marry whomever I wish. All you need to do is know about it."
As the chairwoman of the Zhuge Group, she had entered into a marriage by taking in a husband earlier in her life, giving birth to this pair of children. Even after having children, she remained busy with the group's affairs. Unexpectedly, under the care of her ex-husband, both children had grown entirely devoted to him.
Later, discovering her ex-husband's infidelity, they divorced within less than a year. Zhuge Rui had thought she would never like any man again, but upon meeting Xiao Guanyun, she realized that she, too, did not have to remain perpetually strong—she could become a delicate woman in front of someone.
For the sake of the family group, Zhuge Rui knew she had to sign a prenuptial agreement with Xiao Guanyun, which she felt was unfair to him. She planned to compensate him generously before the marriage. As for the Zhuge Group, it was something Xiao Guanyun could not covet.
"Mom!!!" Zhuge Hui exclaimed in shock, looking at her mother, trying to discern something from her expression. Yet, from her mother's eyes and brows, she caught a glimpse of tenderness. It seemed her mother was thinking of that man, even showing a gentle demeanor.
"I won't agree! Mom, you're not twenty-four this year—you're forty-four. Do you still think you're young? What could someone marrying you possibly want from you as a person? Isn't it just the Zhuge Group and your money they're after? Can't you wake up?"
Zhuge Ming's brows furrowed into a tight knot, his irritation palpable. Without waiting for Zhuge Rui to respond, he continued.
"Besides, do you think you're a good mother? All these years, it was Dad who took care of my sister and me. And you? You were always busy with work. When I was sick, it was Dad who stayed with me. When there were parent-teacher meetings at school, it was Dad who attended. When I needed you the most, you were never there. And when Dad made just a small mistake, you divorced him without a second thought, completely disregarding how my sister and I felt!"
"A woman like you, who only cares about money—who would ever truly want you? That man is only after your money too, right? Do you really think someone could genuinely care for you, love you?"
On Zhuge Ming's fifteen-year-old, youthful face was a look of mockery. His appearance was identical to his father, Gao Baiyan's. At this moment, he wore rebellious shoulder-length hair tied back, with a black diamond stud in his right ear, giving him the air of a carefree, untamed artist.
"A Ming!!!" Zhuge Hui was also stunned by her brother's reckless words and immediately stopped him from speaking further. Half-shielding her brother, she apologized to their mother.
"Mom, I apologize on A Ming's behalf. He didn't mean it. In my heart, you have always been the best mother and the most capable person in the Zhuge family."
Zhuge Rui paid little mind to how her children were behaving. In her mind, she recalled the well-behaved siblings, Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren. According to her investigations, both siblings attended reputable private high schools in Jinghai City and were top students in their respective grades.
As for her own two children, they had been thoroughly corrupted by their worthless father.
"I don't care if anyone loves me, as long as he loves money." Zhuge Rui thought of Xiao Guanyun, and a long-absent flutter stirred in her heart.
"Back then, your father married into our Zhuge family because he was good-looking and wanted money. Now I've found an even more handsome man. If he likes money, I'll give him money. If he likes something, I'll give it to him. As long as he's willing to marry me and stay by my side, I don't care."
She looked at her stubborn son with a half-smile, tinged with sarcasm.
"As long as I give him enough money, he'll act as if he loves me more. I'll have his good looks—why bother about his heart?"
…
Zhuge Hui's expression was complicated. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Meanwhile, Zhuge Ming flushed red with anger and blurted out:
"A marriage without love won't be happy!!! Do you think money can buy everything??"
He hated his mother. All she ever talked about was money, money, money, as if she lived only for it. She didn't care about Dad, him, or his sister. Before, she was always busy with work. Now, less than a year after divorcing Dad, she was already looking for a new man. It was just… just…
Zhuge Ming felt terrible inside. He couldn't help but think Dad was right—Mom didn't care about him or his sister at all. Otherwise, why would she find another man to marry so quickly? If she had new children later, would she love them more?
He wanted to say something even more cutting, but Zhuge Rui had already stood up.
"Why can't money buy everything?"
She smiled brightly at her two children. The gaudy outfits she wore were something both siblings always despised, but at that moment, she seemed to radiate brilliance.
"I, Zhuge Rui, paid Gao Baiyan to marry into our family, and that's how I had the two of you. You two are essentially bonus gifts I bought with my money. If nothing goes wrong, your new father and I will be married in a month. I hope you two can be sensible about this."
…
Hearing this, Zhuge Hui and Zhuge Ming both looked even more upset. Zhuge Ming wanted to say more, but his sister Zhuge Hui held him back. They could only watch helplessly as Zhuge Rui walked upstairs and disappeared from sight.
After everyone had left the living room, Zhuge Hui turned to her brother and warned him in a low voice:
"What made you talk to Mom like that? Are you crazy?"
Zhuge Ming pouted, looking at his sister with a hurt expression.
"Isn't what I said true? She's always busy with the company and money. She never has time for us. Now she's met some random man and only tells us about the marriage now, without even introducing him to us. Can't I be angry?"
He muttered, and Zhuge Hui fell silent. Finally, she could only pat her brother's shoulder.
"A Ming, Mom and Dad are already divorced. If we make Mom angry again, there won't be a place for us in this family. What if Mom wants to have more children? What will you do then?"
Hearing this, Zhuge Ming's expression darkened even more. He snorted.
"It's so embarrassing! We're fifteen already, almost adults. Can't she just not get married for our sake? She has to find a man—it's humiliating. The divorce was embarrassing enough. Now if we have a stepfather, I won't be able to hold my head up at school…"
He was still young and seemed not to overthink things, but Zhuge Hui's gaze was gloomy, and in the end, she remained silent.
Zhuge Rui went upstairs, accompanied not by Lei Ting but by Jiang Wan, her life assistant of eighteen years. Unafraid of offending her employer, Jiang Wan sighed and advised, "A Rui, some things shouldn't be said so bluntly in front of the children. They might resent you for it."
Zhuge Rui was already resting in her massage chair, eyes closed and completely at ease. "Let them resent me then. I raised them, and now they act like creditors demanding repayment. Must I listen to them in everything?"
Her style in business had always been decisive and swift. She had already been exceptionally gentle with these two little ones. If it had been her younger self discovering her ex-husband's infidelity, she would have kicked these two useless burdens out of the house along with him.
"After all, they are your own flesh and blood. Their misguided thoughts were influenced by others. If you guide them properly from now on, they will surely become obedient and sensible."
Jiang Wan supported Zhuge Rui's pursuit of a second chance at love but also believed the children were equally important. Zhuge Rui, however, did not share this view. "I don’t have time to teach them how to be obedient, sensible, or good children. If it weren’t for my late parents, I would have kicked them out of the Zhuge family long ago to keep them from sullying our home."
Her words were even more heartless, leaving Jiang Wan shaking her head, unsure how to persuade her further, and she fell silent.
But Zhuge Rui’s thoughts drifted back to Xiao Guanyun’s family. Not only was Xiao Guanyun’s appearance to her liking, but even Shen Zhaoyue was a feast for the eyes. Their children were both clever and beautiful. The concept of "affinity at first sight" was truly mysterious—Zhuge Rui felt an instant fondness for this family. "Sister Jiang, do you think Shen Zhaoyue would agree to me marrying Xiao Guanyun?"
Jiang Wan thought of the gifts she had prepared and the exceptional beauty of the Xiao family, and she couldn’t help but smile. "She definitely will. According to my investigations, they have each divorced eight times and have had contact with wealthy individuals in between. If not for marrying into wealth, why would they keep divorcing and remarrying?"
As the two discussed Xiao Guanyun’s family, the heavy atmosphere lifted. The sight of beautiful people always brought joy.
Xiao Guanyun and Shen Zhaoyue’s pasts were easy to investigate, and their intentions were plain to see. Anyone could tell they wanted to marry into wealth, but it was precisely this transparent ambition that put Zhuge Rui at ease. "True, their marriage is just a means of mutual support. They’re pitiable, but their foolishness is rather endearing."
Zhuge Rui recalled Shen Zhaoyue’s "surprised" tears and couldn’t help but laugh, thinking it would be quite entertaining to keep meeting the Xiao family in the future.
She was waiting for an answer, and her determination to marry Xiao Guanyun was unwavering.
Little did Zhuge Rui know that, from the moment they returned home that evening, Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren had already begun to accept the idea of their father marrying into wealth. Shen Zhaoyue, in fact, wished she could bring her children along and marry into the Zhuge family as well.
On Saturday morning, Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren followed their fixed biological clocks, waking up at six and heading to the study to silently memorize English vocabulary. By seven o’clock, they were having breakfast.
Seeing their parents' bedroom door still closed, Xiao Changyan and Shen Jiaren knew the two hadn't gotten up yet, so they went out together to find something to eat.
As soon as they opened the door, they spotted Cao Ziming lurking outside with a sneaky look on his face.
Cao Ziming lived right across from the Xiao family. The moment he saw the two, he immediately grew excited.
"Changyan! Jiaren!"
He jogged over, looking quite pleased with himself.
"I knew your parents wouldn't be up today. Are you heading out for breakfast now? I'll join you."
The three of them could be considered childhood friends, though after middle school, Cao Ziming and Xiao Changyan attended Diyi Shiyan Gaozhong together.
"Mhm, good morning, Ziming-ge~ Let's go together~"
Shen Jiaren wasn't wearing her black-framed glasses, and her smile now was as sweet as a ripe peach. She had swapped her school uniform for a pink tracksuit, radiating the carefree energy of youth.
Xiao Changyan remained aloof, merely nodding without a word.
Cao Ziming was long used to this and happily followed them downstairs.
The three of them wordlessly made their way to a breakfast shop downstairs from their building. After buying their food, they sat together to eat. Cao Ziming glanced at the siblings repeatedly, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately held back because of the crowd around them, swallowing all the questions he was dying to ask.
After breakfast, driven by curiosity, Cao Ziming was bursting with enthusiasm.
"Are you full? How about I treat you to milk tea?"
It was only 7:30 a.m.—what kind of milk tea was this? Xiao Changyan shot Cao Ziming a look and was about to refuse when Shen Jiaren immediately nodded, tugging at her brother's sleeve.
"Sure, thank you, Ziming-ge~ I was just craving milk tea~"
Xiao Changyan had no choice but to agree. The three of them went to a nearby milk tea shop. It was still too early, and there wasn't a single customer inside.
After placing their orders, Shen Jiaren held the warm milk tea, taking small sips, while Cao Ziming finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Changyan, tell me the truth—are you and Jiaren actually a young master and young miss from a wealthy family?"
Author's Note:
See you tomorrow! New chapter comments will receive red envelopes~
Thanks for the support~
Sining threw 1 landmine at: 2026-04-14 21:46:49