Jiang Chiyu only found out later that she was currently a student—a junior in college in the middle of her internship at a medium-sized company.
To prevent anyone from suspecting she had been possessed by another soul, Jiang Chiyu spent these days diligently working a nine-to-eight shift, which was ten times more exhausting than her original job.
Is this the corporate slave life of an intern? It had been so long since she had experienced it that she had almost forgotten what it felt like.
It was also after starting work that she realized her company was actually a subsidiary, and the owner of the parent corporation was surnamed Pei. Yes, the very same Pei she was thinking of—her future late husband’s company. It would soon be her property.
Every time Jiang Chiyu thought about this, she couldn’t control the corners of her mouth. Even trying to recall every sad memory from her past was useless against her grin.
Then, Wednesday arrived.
She didn’t have to go to work after Tuesday because, on Wednesday, the Pei family took her to try on wedding dresses. It was only then that she truly realized exactly what kind of wealthy family she was marrying into.
She saw half a lifetime’s worth of salary hanging on a single wedding gown, and Pei Jinnian, who had brought her there, paid for it without blinking an eye. In full. For a dress that would only be worn once, he spent eight figures.
To be honest, the moment she saw Pei Jinnian swipe his card, Jiang Chiyu felt an impulse to grab his hand and stop him—because tomorrow, he wouldn’t even be around to see her wearing it at the wedding.
But Jiang Chiyu held back. Evil deeds lead to self-destruction, and so does talking too much nonsense. She was here for the man’s money; why bother finding a conscience now?
So, Jiang Chiyu stood silently to the side, watching Pei Jinnian finish swiping his card and give instructions on where the dress should be delivered.
Once everything was settled, Pei Jinnian walked toward Jiang Chiyu step by step. “The decorations at the wedding site are finished. Do you want to take a look? If there is anything you are dissatisfied with, you can let me know.”
His tone was gentle and perfectly natural.
Jiang Chiyu initially wanted to refuse, but after some thought, she agreed. If she acted like she didn’t care about anything, would Pei Jinnian think something was wrong with her? For example—that she was only after his money. Even though that was the truth, she had to put on an act.
But the second after she agreed, Jiang Chiyu regretted it.
The reason was that Pei Jinnian suddenly grabbed her hand and naturally interlaced his fingers with hers. Forgive her, but she found this a bit hard to handle. Jiang Chiyu instinctively tried to pull away, but she stopped herself as soon as she began.
She simply reminded herself: she and Pei Jinnian had already registered their marriage. They were a legal couple. Well… yes, a legal couple. It was just holding hands. Compared to a ten-billion-dollar inheritance, what did this matter?
Thus, Jiang Chiyu simply treated her hand as if it were being held by a piece of meat, casting aside all other redundant thoughts.
Pei Jinnian, who had done this intentionally to see her reaction, frowned slightly.
No struggling or fear?
In Jinghai City, anyone who had heard the rumors of him being a “wife-curser” also knew of his “Lone Star of Misfortune” constitution. Anyone who got close to him, without exception, met a bad end—falling ill or meeting with tragedy. No one was spared.
So, was this person truly not afraid, or did she really not know?
Pei Jinnian’s gaze lingered on the side of Jiang Chiyu’s face for a moment. “Then let’s head over now.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Chiyu couldn’t find a single flaw or blemish in the wedding decorations. One look was enough to tell that a fortune had been spent on planners. Even the fresh flowers used for the site surprisingly matched her aesthetic.
After telling Pei Jinnian her thoughts, the two didn’t linger. They went their separate ways back to their homes to quietly await the next day’s wedding.
Jiang Chiyu was full of anticipation, while the atmosphere on Pei Jinnian’s side was tense.
“What did you say? You’re going to fake your death on the wedding day and go abroad?”
An exquisitely made-up middle-aged woman sat at the dining table, staring at her son with an expression of pure absurdity. “Since you are so dissatisfied with the marriage your uncle arranged, why didn’t you just refuse? Is it worth wasting so much energy playing along with him?”
Cheng Wanru put down her chopsticks. Thinking about the life her son had led these past few years, a look of heartache appeared on her face. “I know you want to catch your uncle red-handed and take him down once and for all, but this is too much for you…”
Listening to this, Pei Jinnian’s expression remained cold, even though the person sitting across from him was his biological mother. “I am not suffering. I have my own considerations.”
As soon as those words came out, Cheng Wanru knew she couldn’t change her son’s mind. She sighed softly and dropped the subject. “Then what about the girl? Her husband will be gone right after she marries in. What do you want her to do?”
The answer to her question happened to be the main reason Pei Jinnian had come to see her.
Pei Jinnian methodically picked up a piece of sweet and sour rib, his gaze focusing on the nearly untouched plate. “Let her inherit all my assets.”
Cheng Wanru’s eyes widened instantly.
What did she just hear?
Having finished speaking and perhaps anticipating her reaction, Pei Jinnian explained, “I have ten thousand ways to get it all back later.”