Сhарter 15: Thе Саlm Маdness.
What elsе сould it be?
Wаs there а bеttеr wау?
Givе her thе rоbоt, lеt it call hеr “Mom” everу dаy, аnd kеер hеr immersеd in thе рain of lоsing hеr child аt all times?
Jiang Siуe tоssed the robоt to Сaо Yingjun: “Кeeр it safe. Don’t lеt hеr sее it.”
“…” Xi Shang shооk his hеаd.
Toо autоcratiс.
But it was undеrstandablе.
The yоungеst sоn of thе Jiаng family, born with а silver sроon in his mouth, hаd been рamреrеd and indulgеd since сhildhood. If hе wаntеd the sky, the elders in the family wоuldn’t givе him the earth.
His diсtiоnary had nо wоrds like “compromise” or “concession.”
Nor did he need to figure out what the other person truly wanted.
The biggest setback Jiang Siye had ever faced was probably when Xi Shang, taking advantage of their childhood friendship, snatched the piece of land he had his eye on.
Just a piece of land—Jiang Siye gave it to him but forced him to endure three years away from home.
That was Xi Shang’s debt to him.
Xi Shang had wanted to help in their marital conflict, to lend Jiang Siye a hand. But seeing his friend’s domineering, stubborn, and unyielding aristocratic habits…
Xi Shang thought he needed a lesson.
In the past, Jiang Siye loved to play and wander, moving through crowds of women without ever frowning over any of them.
Years of habit had formed, and he probably hadn’t even noticed it, even if he faced a life-altering catastrophe.
Xi Shang calmly sat back down, stroking the little robot: “Want to join Junjun’s new company?”
Cao Yingjun: “Call me Junjun one more time and see what happens!”
Jiang Siye remained impassive: “Not interested.”
“Oh,” Xi Shang said, “I think your wife might be interested…”
Jiang Siye lifted an eyelid: “Do you want to go back again so soon after just returning?”
Xi Shang shrugged: “Shouldn’t you ask her first before deciding?”
Jiang Siye: “If she wants to play, I can start one for her. No need for others.”
Xi Shang: “Are you really not going to ask her?”
Jiang Siye: “Do you really not want to go back?”
“…” Cao Yingjun was on the verge of tears, “If you two keep arguing, I’ll die right here in front of you!”
He really had it tough.
Just like when his parents were always threatening divorce, and he was forced to choose which one to live with.
Lunch was lavishly prepared, and Xi Shang and Cao Yingjun naturally showered it with praise and flattery.
Jiang Sanyun stayed for lunch: “Xu Fang is coming tomorrow.”
Xu Fang was her soon-to-be husband.
Cao Yingjun joked: “With our Third Sister’s qualifications, that Xu guy should marry into your family.”
Jiang Sanyun glared at him, annoyed.
Duan Tianhua, however, seemed intrigued: “We’re still discussing it. I can’t bear to let Yun’er marry so far away.”
He Yang finished her nutritional soup without saying a word.
Jiang Siye immediately refilled her plate with food, whispering coaxingly, “Just drinking soup will leave you hungry. Eat a bit more.”
Duan Tianhua couldn’t stand seeing his son bowing and scraping for a woman, but he was afraid of Jiang Siye clashing with her, so he held his tongue.
Jiang Sanyun, with her impatient nature, couldn’t hold back at all.
She abruptly switched from Mandarin to the local dialect.
He Yang had only come to Yan City at the age of ten. Her uncle was a local, but her aunt wasn’t, so the family communicated in Mandarin at home.
Thus, He Yang didn’t understand the Yan City dialect.
After marriage, Jiang Siye had taught her a few phrases, but He Yang found the Yan City dialect too harsh, sounding like an argument, and refused to learn. Jiang Siye didn’t force her.
Now, He Yang was the only one at the table who couldn’t understand.
Jiang Sanyun spoke rapidly: “If she’s not eating, she’s not hungry. That bowl of soup she drank costs more than her monthly salary…”
Just as Jiang Siye was about to erupt in anger—
Suddenly—He Yang set down her chopsticks and asked, “What are you muttering about? Get me a bowl of rice and give me two hundred thousand yuan.”
Everyone: “…”
The fury that had surged to Jiang Siye’s forehead instantly dissipated, and a barely noticeable chuckle escaped his throat.
Duan Tianhua said unhappily, “Yangyang, we have guests.”
“And you,” He Yang shifted her gaze, “take my clothes and wash them—by hand.”
Duan Tianhua flared up, “How dare you!”
He Yang replied, “How about you give me two hundred thousand yuan too?”
Duan Tianhua was furious, “Jiang Siye, are you going to do something about this?”
The man leaned back in his chair, “Are you going to do something about your daughter?”
Suppressing his anger, Duan Tianhua stood up, trying to maintain his composure, “Xi Shang and Yingjun, please help yourselves. Don’t stand on ceremony. I’ll retire to my room first.”
Xi Shang and Cao Yingjun hurriedly saw him halfway to the door.
Jiang Sanyun gritted her teeth and left indignantly as well.
He Yang took a crisp bite of the summer squash, “They’re so rude. The guests are still here.”
“…” Jiang Siye swallowed his laughter, “Well, they are our guests. We’ll take care of them.”
“Right,” Cao Yingjun said awkwardly, “No need to worry about us at all. We’re not really guests. Please, make yourselves at home, haha.”
He Yang nodded, “I have work this afternoon. You can chat while you eat.”
They watched her go upstairs.
Cao Yingjun clicked his tongue, “Such stable emotions. I’d like to talk—”
Before he could finish, a pair of chopsticks flew through the air toward him.
Cao Yingjun immediately shut his mouth.
Xi Shang laughed, “It’s a calm kind of madness.”
Jiang Siye had a slight headache.
Compared to his headache, He Yang was even more frustrated.
She had already stirred up so much trouble in the Jiang family, so why hadn’t Jiang Siye made a move? Why wasn’t he annoyed? Why hadn’t he thrown the divorce papers at her yet?
Perhaps she hadn’t caused enough trouble—maybe she hadn’t crossed his bottom line.
But where was his bottom line?
He Yang felt exhausted.
She had work in the afternoon, so she quickly pulled herself together, changed her clothes, and put on makeup.
When she went downstairs, the three men were sitting in the living room drinking tea, discussing something.
Seeing her outfit, Jiang Siye’s face darkened, “What are you wearing?”
Xi Shang and Cao Yingjun tried their best to stay calm, so as not to seem like backward bumpkins from a feudal era.
They were different from Jiang Siye.
They were cool guys who kept up with the trends of the new era.
He Yang looked down, examining her attire.
Her long hair was braided into dreadlocks and tied high at the back of her head. She wore heavy smoky makeup, a tight-fitting crop top that revealed her midriff, wide-leg pants with sequins, and a woven leather belt hanging from her waist.
If he weren’t so familiar with her, Jiang Siye would have thought his wife had been possessed by a monster.
He Yang answered honestly, “There’s a store event, and they’re short-staffed. I’m going to help out and do some research while I’m at it.”
The employees at a trendy brand store naturally had to be dripping with style.
As a dedicated employee, she had to fit in.
Jiang Siye’s gaze fixed darkly on her midriff, “Go change.”
He Yang replied, “You might as well kill me.”
Jiang Siye gritted his teeth, “He Yang, don’t pull this trick!”
He Yang picked up her bag and headed for the door, “Then I’m leaving.”
“…”
“Sister-in-law,” Cao Yingjun quickly tried to smooth things over, “Let Xiao Si take you—”
Jiang Siye snapped, “Call me Xiao Si again and see what happens!”
Cao Yingjun nudged him, “Go take her.”
“No need,” He Yang refused, “We’re all young people. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to show up.”
Jiang Siye said darkly, “Am I old?”
“No,” He Yang replied slowly, “If you show up, my colleagues will ask about your identity, and I don’t want to tell them.”Jiang Siye: “”
He Yang said frankly, “The status of ‘married’ is really not something to be proud of. It makes me sound very unsophisticated.”
The entire room: “”