The air fell silent for a moment. Meng Meiyun and Jiang Zhongyi didn’t even have time to pull back their expressions before they came face-to-face with Jiang Chiyu’s pale countenance. For a moment, their faces burned with embarrassment.
Jiang Zhongyi gave a couple of dry coughs, shifted his gaze from elsewhere to Jiang Chiyu, and spoke with deep meaning, “Xiao Yu… so you heard everything.”
You two were standing right at my door; were you afraid I wouldn’t hear?
Despite her thoughts, Jiang Chiyu spoke in a completely different tone. “Xiao Li is still young, she just turned eighteen. It’s only right that I marry first. As for those rumors about the Pei family… they’re just rumors. They might not be true. What if I marry in and stay perfectly safe? The Pei family is quite famous in Jinghai; marrying into their family is like climbing a high branch for me…”
Though her words said one thing, her expression was extremely strained. Anyone could see she was “unwilling.”
Jiang Chiyu lowered her stance, looking aggrieved and submissive. This served a dual purpose: it made her reluctant words seem genuine and lowered the guards of the Jiang couple.
Otherwise, if she looked too eager to sign the papers right now, wouldn’t they get suspicious? If they got suspicious, she wouldn’t be the one inheriting those ten billion dollars.
She wouldn’t stand for that. She had transmigrated into a book; who would want to work hard and wait for their wealthy biological parents to find them? Isn’t it better to be the wealthy household herself?
Listening to her, Jiang Zhongyi carefully observed her expression. He concluded that she only said this because she didn’t dare to defy them. However, he didn’t care if she was actually willing; he could easily distinguish the weight of four thousand yuan a month versus five million dollars.
If he could get his hands on a five-million-dollar bride price right now, why would he care about a measly four-thousand-yuan subsidy?
Don’t be ridiculous.
Jiang Zhongyi clenched his fist at his side. His bloodshot eyes stared intently at Jiang Chiyu as he spoke one word at a time, “Xiao Yu, then I’ll go contact Mrs. Zhang right now.”
He didn’t hesitate for a second, and he didn’t even bother to ask another question, fearing she would regret it and refuse to marry in the next second.
Meanwhile, Meng Meiyun gave Jiang Chiyu a deep look without saying a word, then walked straight toward Jiang Zhongyi, who was on the balcony making a call. Perhaps fearing Jiang Chiyu might overhear their conversation, Meng Meiyun even took the care to shut the balcony door behind her.
Jiang Chiyu watched the closed door with an expressionless face.
It was only then that the delayed realization hit her: she might have agreed a bit too hastily. What if that guy from the Pei family really was a wife-curser? If she really married him, would she actually die?
But didn’t the plot say he dies on the wedding day? Since he’s the one dying… the curse should be broken, right?
Jiang Chiyu agonized over it for all of thirty seconds before giving up. To hell with the curse. If he’s already dead and can still curse her, then she’d just accept her bad luck. As for this marriage… she absolutely had to go through with it. That was a ten-billion-dollar inheritance; even her biological parents might not have that much.
Jiang Zhongyi’s call didn’t last long. Including the time he and Meng Meiyun spent talking on the balcony, it took less than ten minutes. During that time, Jiang Chiyu had already inspected the house inside and out.
The apartment wasn’t large; even including the balcony, it couldn’t have been more than a hundred square meters. Yet, at least five people lived in this cramped space. Aside from herself, there were at least two other people around her age—presumably the couple’s biological children.
There were four beds crammed into the rooms. Not a single one looked like a guest bed; they all felt lived-in. The bed she had just been lying on was the smallest. The room was cluttered with junk, with only a few scattered items that seemed to belong to her.
It seemed the original owner’s life as an adopted daughter had been quite miserable.
Just as she thought this, the sliding balcony door opened. The couple walked back in, and Jiang Zhongyi spoke first: “The Pei family is coming over immediately. Bring your ID card; I’m going to get the household registration book now.”
Things were moving so fast that Jiang Chiyu was momentarily stunned. “Wait, why the ID and registration book? We’re registering the marriage right now?”
Good heavens, no matter how much of a hurry the Peis were in, they shouldn’t be this rushed, right? If she registered today, what if she died tomorrow? After all, the intro only said the Pei guy died on the wedding day. What if she didn’t survive until then?
Jiang Zhongyi paused and tilted his head toward her. “Didn’t you say you were willing? Since you’re willing, it shouldn’t matter when you marry, right?”
With that, he went into the bedroom. Soon, the sound of rummaging through drawers drifted out. Jiang Chiyu didn’t need a brain to know what he was looking for.
Damn. This was too hasty. Would she even live long enough to inherit the money?
Only Jiang Zhongyi went in to find the registration book; Meng Meiyun stayed outside. Looking at the beaming smile on Meng Meiyun’s face, Jiang Chiyu felt something was fishy. When she first said she’d marry, Meng Meiyun hadn’t smiled this broadly. But now—every wrinkle on her face was practically glowing.
Could it be… that the Pei family added more money?
Jiang Chiyu’s guess was spot on. The Pei family had indeed increased the price. Register today, and the bride price would be eight million. As soon as the marriage certificate was in hand, the money would be wired directly to Jiang Zhongyi’s account.
By the time she was whisked to the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Jiang Chiyu suddenly realized she might be a bit insane. One moment she was blinded by greed, the next she was having cold feet.
Looking at the entrance behind her, Jiang Chiyu spoke with a look of utter resignation, “Dad, if the Peis aren’t coming, let’s just go home first, okay?”
She felt that this certificate didn’t have to be signed today.
But as soon as the words left her mouth, a black Maybach suddenly appeared on the quiet asphalt road where no other cars were driving. It came to a steady halt right in front of her.
Through the rear window, she could see a well-dressed young man sitting inside. He wore a pair of semi-rimless glasses and had a gentle aura. He looked like someone easy to get along with. Unless there was a surprise, this was her future “wife-cursing” husband.
Jiang Chiyu withdrew her gaze and asked Jiang Zhongyi with a blank face, “Just asking… the person I’m registering with… what’s his name?”
Beside her, Jiang Zhongyi was as quiet as a corpse.
Jiang Chiyu asked again, “What is my future husband’s name?”
“Pei Jinnian.”
A deep, amused voice came from right beside her. Jiang Chiyu’s body instantly froze. She felt a powerful urge to find a hole in the ground and crawl into it. She turned her head mechanically to meet the smiling eyes of the man before her. Her own smile looked more painful than a sob. “Nice… nice name.”