Pei Jinnian was someone whose decisions Cheng Wanru had never been able to influence. Although she still held a heart full of opposition, she stopped showing it in front of him.
Allowing a newcomer who had just married into the family to inherit all of Jinnian’s assets? Where would that leave her own dignity?
Cheng Wanru’s hand tightened around her chopsticks. As she watched Pei Jinnian walk further away, the breath she had been holding in her chest finally escaped in a long sigh. Ever since Jinnian’s father passed away, the relationship between her and her son had been strained. Jinnian believed from the bottom of his heart that she was the one responsible for his father’s death. When he was young, they could barely manage to maintain a semblance of peace, but once he reached adulthood, she could no longer control him.
It wasn’t until his ambition was laid bare that she truly realized how terrifying her son could be. Within just five years, Jinnian had not only reclaimed everything taken from his father after his death ten years ago, but had even more than doubled the family’s industrial holdings. Throughout this entire process, she had functioned as nothing more than a witness. She had tried more than once to have a proper talk with him, but he had no interest in it, always using various excuses to brush her off.
Her current life depended entirely on Jinnian; without him, given her own limited abilities and her husband’s passing, she didn’t dare imagine how wretched her situation would be. However, that didn’t mean she wanted someone else to snatch away everything she currently had, even if it was only temporary.
In truth, Cheng Wanru wasn’t afraid of Pei Jinnian getting married. After more than twenty years together, she knew better than anyone how cold-blooded her son was. The smile that often graced his face was more artificial than anything else. If anyone told her such a man would fall in love, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from laughing out loud. It would be funnier than being told that the person who discovered gravity wasn’t Newton, but some fellow named Marton.
Since Jinnian was so insistent on this, she would simply have to develop a bit of a “disagreement” with him. When the time came and he was far away abroad, what could he possibly do to her? After all, she was his biological mother.
The wedding Jiang Chiyu had been wishing for finally took place on Thursday. Contrary to her expectations, she didn’t catch a single glimpse of Pei Jinnian the entire day. The man seemed to have vanished into thin air.
The original schedule to pick up the bride from the hotel at 2:00 PM was forced to delay until 4:00 PM because the groom failed to show up. It wasn’t because they had found the groom by four o’clock, but because if they didn’t pick up the bride by then, the wedding would be considered void. Few people held weddings at night, and the Pei family was no exception.
Dressed in a snow-white wedding gown, Jiang Chiyu was led out of the hotel. Her thin, light veil allowed her to see clearly that the person walking beside her was not Pei Jinnian, but the man who had accompanied him during the dress selection—likely his assistant.
So… did something happen to Pei Jinnian this early?
Jiang Chiyu’s fingers tightened on the fabric of her gown. Her lips moved for a long time, but not a single word came out.
“Today is the anniversary of the young master’s father’s death,” a crisp male voice suddenly reached Jiang Chiyu’s ears, cutting through the noisy chatter around them.
Her footsteps faltered, and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes. So… Pei Jinnian got into a car accident on the very day of his father’s death anniversary? Also, Pei Jinnian was from a single-parent home?
Chen Mo gently gripped Jiang Chiyu’s wrist and escorted her into the black Maybach, while he took the driver’s seat. Jiang Chiyu sat alone in the quiet back seat, looking at the scenery outside the window. “Do you know where your young master is right now?” she asked, feigning indifference.
Only after starting the car did Chen Mo answer. “He told me to pick him up later.”
The meaning was clear: he knew, but he wasn’t telling her. The words of caution about driving carefully that had been dancing on the tip of Jiang Chiyu’s tongue remained unspoken even as they reached their destination. If she started feeling sorry for the man now, who would feel sorry for her later? If she really were cursed to death, crying to the King of Hell wouldn’t do her any good.
Consequently, she didn’t say another word before being sent to the bridal chamber. The bronze-colored solid wood door blocked out all the noise from outside. A moment before the door closed, she caught a glimpse of an exquisitely dressed, elegant middle-aged woman wearing a sophisticated, light-colored qipao. From how others addressed her, Jiang Chiyu was certain this woman was Pei Jinnian’s biological mother—her mother-in-law.
She didn’t look like someone easy to get along with. Jiang Chiyu reached this conclusion because of the cold gaze Cheng Wanru had directed at her. Their eyes met for a split second before both looked away simultaneously.
After inheriting my late husband’s fortune, am I going to have to start a life of wits and courage against his mother? The thought alone made her blood boil with excitement.
The wedding was held at the Pei residence. There was no need to rent a venue because the estate was massive. However, since the groom was late, it was impossible to make Jiang Chiyu wait outside. They settled on a compromise: she would wait in her and Pei Jinnian’s bridal chamber until the groom returned.
She waited for five or six hours until her legs felt numb. Finally, the door opened. It wasn’t Pei Jinnian, but Chen Mo. The white shirt under his black suit was stained a ghastly crimson, and there were tears of various sizes all over his clothes. His face bore a look of grief-stricken trance. Seeing Jiang Chiyu sitting on the edge of the bed, he rushed forward.
“The young master… the young master got into a car accident!”
Although she had expected this development, hearing the truth from someone else’s mouth still gave Jiang Chiyu a jolt.
“How is he now?” Jiang Chiyu had never dealt with such a scene before. Even though she knew this was coming, it was hard to remain completely rational.
“Young master… he didn’t make it until the ambulance arrived…” After saying this, Chen Mo slumped down and buried his head in his hands, appearing utterly devastated. Just as Jiang Chiyu was wondering how to comfort him, he suddenly stood back up with a look of determination in his eyes, staring directly at her.
Jiang Chiyu couldn’t understand how his emotions could switch so effortlessly, but she struggled to speak. “You—”
“Before the young master left, he said a few words to me. I don’t understand why he wanted to do this, but since it was his dying wish, I will respect it.”
He cut her off before she could even start. Jiang Chiyu didn’t feel like speaking anymore; she was waiting for the punchline. Ten-billion-dollar inheritance, here I come.
“The young master felt he had wronged you and intended to transfer all assets under his name to you. To prevent anyone from doubting it, I recorded his words. I know the bank card passwords and where the keys to his properties are… The only requirement is that you cannot remarry. You are a member of the Pei family in life, and you shall remain a ghost of the Pei family in death. Can you do that?”
Jiang Chiyu replied without a shred of hesitation, her voice firm and decisive: “I can! In life, I am Pei Jinnian’s person; in death, I am his ghost!”
Pei Jinnian, who had been on the line with Chen Mo the entire time, heard the girl’s resonant voice through the receiver and arched an eyebrow.
Is that so?