Lin Yi waited all day, but failed to wait for Yan Hang to initiate contact.
Looking at the empty chat window, anxiety and unease churned in his heart.
Yan Hang had married another man, and even though Yan Hang claimed he didn’t like Jiang Yun, he still worried.
Jiang Yun was very handsome and a young master from a scholarly family, well-matched in social standing with Yan Hang. As for himself, he could only gamble on how long Yan Hang’s affection for him would last.
Lin Yi finally couldn’t wait any longer and sent a message to Yan Hang:
[Are you off work yet?]
[I miss you so much.]
Clutching his phone while waiting, he absent-mindedly pushed the supermarket shopping cart along.
Several scolding voices rang out around him:
“So lacking in class, taking advantage of even this little thing!”
“The vegetable bags used for weighing are all being snatched up by people like her.”
…
Lin Yi raised his head and saw his mother frantically pulling at a roll of produce bags in front of the vegetable shelf, stuffing them into her bag the moment she tore them off, completely ignoring the disdainful looks from those around her.
His face burned with a stinging heat, as if he had been slapped a few times, and he felt so mortified he just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
A supermarket staff member couldn’t stand it any longer, walked over, and advised, “Ma’am, you aren’t packing vegetables, why are you pulling off so many bags? You’ve yanked off this entire large roll of bags, how are the people behind you supposed to pack their vegetables?”
“Aren’t supermarket bags put here for people to take? What a busybody, mind your own business! It’s not your family’s bags, why are you so heartbroken over them? Just do your job well.”
With that, Wang Fengying pulled off a few more rounds of bags, stuffing every last one into her grocery bag.
The people around shook their heads in contempt:
“What kind of person, truly shameless!”
“Over a matter of a few cents, disgusting.”
“Sigh, there really are people like this…”
Listening to these criticisms and feeling those sidelong glances piercing his back like needles, Lin Yi grabbed Wang Fengying’s arm and said angrily in a low voice, “Mom, what are you taking these bags for! Aren’t you ashamed, put them back right now.”
Wang Fengying brandished the bags in her hand and shouted loudly, “What’s there to be ashamed of, the bags put here are meant for people to take. Such a big supermarket makes so much money every day, what’s wrong with taking a few plastic bags from them?”
Blushing, Lin Yi pushed the shopping cart away, wanting nothing more than to flee this place immediately and pretend that the person taking advantage of petty gains wasn’t his own mother.
In his heart, he prayed that Yan Hang would quickly take control of the Yan Corporation’s power and shake off Yan’s parents.
When that time came, he could live with Yan Hang in high society, and who would care about a few cents’ worth of food bags?
He used to be Yan Hang’s secretary, and after learning that Yan Hang liked men, he used various means to make Yan Hang notice him.
He was gentle, understanding, obedient, and clever with Yan Hang, until finally, one time when Yan Hang couldn’t hold back, he took him in the office.
Yan Hang was very responsible; after taking him, he began to take responsibility for him.
It was also during the time he was with Yan Hang that he witnessed the luxury and extravagance of high-society life, living as if in a wonderful dream he never wanted to wake up from.
It was a pity that Yan Hang’s mother did not accept him.
That elegant yet formidable wealthy matriarch operated with swift, decisive, and ruthless methods.
In TV dramas and novels, wealthy mothers-in-law, upon discovering their sons are dating ordinary people, always say:
“Here is one hundred million, leave my son.”
But Shen Yueling was nothing like that!!
As soon as Shen Yueling found out about their relationship, she unhurriedly and secretly controlled all the assets and credit cards under Yan Hang’s name, completely gripping Yan Hang’s economic lifeline.
Afterward, she struck his name from the Yan Corporation and utilized her network of connections across major corporate groups to place Lin Yi’s name on a blacklist.
From then on, he was unable to secure employment at any large corporate enterprise.
He was unwilling to accept this!
He sent another message to Yan Hang:
[Can we video chat tonight? I miss you so much.]
Where would Yan Hang be sleeping tonight? He wouldn’t be sleeping with Jiang Yun, would he?
Hearing the notification chime for Lin Yi’s message, Yan Hang only felt irritated and uneasy.
At this moment, he was sitting in the small tea room, with his mother, Shen Yueling, opposite him, and Jiang Yun beside him.
If they were to discover Lin Yi’s message, the consequences would be disastrous.
Suppressing his guilt, he switched his phone to silent.
Shen Yueling picked up a delicate floral tea set with her slender hands, poured the fragrant herbal tea into a small teacup, and said,
“As for A-Chi, we truly haven’t had the time to properly discipline him, which is why we’ve spoiled him into having this kind of temper. It’s just that he’s rebellious in personality, but he isn’t unreasonable. If he respects you, he will listen to you in everything.”
As she spoke, she pushed a cup of brewed herbal tea toward Jiang Yun.
Her movements were elegant and unhurried, and her voice was composed without any hint of reproach.
Yet Jiang Yun could still hear that Shen Yueling was subtly reminding him that he shouldn’t have raised a hand to hit Yan Chi.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Taking the herbal tea, Jiang Yun replied calmly and without panic, “I have my own principles and bottom line. If Yan Chi were merely joking around, naturally I wouldn’t bicker with a child.”
“But when he crosses the line, I won’t swallow my anger either. After all, you wouldn’t want to hear gossip and rumors between me and my young brother-in-law in the household.”
Yan Hang instantly felt terrible. It was indeed true that Yan Chi had made frivolous moves toward Jiang Yun first.
Yet Jiang Yun’s phrasing made it sound as though green grass was already growing out of the top of his head and what’s more, cuckolded by his own younger brother.
Shen Yueling was likewise startled into a cold sweat, her bright and regal expression unable to maintain its composure any longer.
Seeing her eldest son’s greenish complexion, she finally understood that the bastard Yan Chi must have made some inappropriate jokes toward Jiang Yun.
“Uh, ah…”
Regretting that she had rushed to blame Jiang Yun without asking clearly first, Shen Yueling awkwardly said, “I will properly discipline him. This child really causes trouble everywhere he goes.”
Jiang Yun nodded silently, lowering his head to sip his tea.
It looked as though he were swallowing down grievances that could not be told to outsiders.
This sight made Shen Yueling’s face flush even hotter.
The situation made her, as a mother, look as though she were scolding Jiang Yun who had ‘married’ into the Yan family simply to protect her own son.
If word got out, wouldn’t she be saddled with the notoriety of being a wicked mother-in-law?
Putting down his teacup, Jiang Yun said, “Mom, since I’m married to Yan Hang, I’m also a member of the Yan family, and naturally I’ll treat Yan Chi like a younger brother in the future. However, I was indeed too impulsive today; in the future, I’ll try reasoning with him.”
Jiang Yun offered her a graceful out, and Shen Yueling felt much more at ease inside.
Thinking back on how fearless he had been when facing Sheng Yan, a few more shades of appreciation surfaced in Shen Yueling’s phoenix eyes.
Such a reliable child he was also a part of their Yan family now.
“Xiaoyun, you handled the matter with A-Chi and President Sheng very well, and I should thank you. Afterward, I’ll find a way to get in touch with President Sheng and completely clear up any estrangement between the two families.”
Jiang Yun nodded in agreement.
“Now that your father’s health is poor, not only do I have to handle all the big and small matters at the company, but I also have to take care of your dad. From now on, the household chores will depend on you to manage.”
Jiang Yun replied, “Mom, I’m glad you trust me. It’s just that I don’t know to what extent I can handle things around the house. For major matters, I’ll still need to consult you.”
Shen Yueling’s eyes curved into smiles: “I’ll instruct Uncle Zhao and the others to listen to your arrangements in everything from now on. I have one more matter to entrust to you both today.”
Pondering for a moment, she retrieved a bank card and a black file folder from her handbag, pushed them across the table toward Jiang Yun and Yan Hang, and said:
“You’re married now, and the expenses of this household should be managed by the two of you.”
“The finance department will transfer three million into this card every month to cover your daily expenses and pay the wages of the domestic workers and drivers. Of course, if there are higher expenses in any given month, finance will transfer extra funds over.”
“Originally, I wanted to hand this to Yan Hang, but…”
She cast a meaningful glance at Yan Hang and continued, “He’s busy most of the time, so leaving it with him really isn’t all that reassuring. After thinking it over, I decided to give it to you instead.”
Jiang Yun was surprised, followed by a wave of self-mockery welling up in his heart.
In his past life, Shen Yueling had never once handed the housekeeping authority over to him.
Instead, only when she was truly too busy to cope would she have no choice but to pass it to Yan Hang.
Once Yan Hang possessed the money on this card, he immediately brought Lin Yi to City A and secretly kept him provided for by his side.
Yet Lin Yi was not someone willing to willingly play the part of a caged canary, and at the first opportunity, he would come provoke him to his face.
Having zero capability to parry, he had lost so miserably and wretchedly.
Yet in this lifetime, he had unhesitatingly slapped Yan Chi and played double-dealing games with Shen Yueling, and in return, he had gained her trust.
How laughable.
Seeing Jiang Yun hesitate, Shen Yueling assumed he was just being reserved.
So, smiling warmly, she took his hand, placed the card in his palm, and said:
“You’re also a child of the Yan family now. From now on, draw twenty thousand a month from this card for your own pocket money; if you want to buy other valuable items, just tell the finance department directly.”
“If there’s any surplus from the monthly expenses, it all belongs to you both. If it’s not enough, just have finance transfer more to you.”
The Yan family was indeed immensely wealthy; three million was used solely to support the monthly living expenses of him and Yan Hang in this household.
However, it didn’t mean he could squander the money on it arbitrarily, because the monthly statements would still be handed over to Shen Yueling.
Yet possessing this card was equivalent to holding the right to speak within this household.
Jiang Yun put it away and said, “Thank you, Mom. I’ve never done this kind of work before, and I’m afraid if I make a mistake, I won’t be able to account for it to you. Could you let your assistant help me manage it together?”
He didn’t monopolize power, which made Shen Yueling even more satisfied.
Watching the card in Jiang Yun’s hand, Yan Hang felt rather upset. Afterward, he pulled Shen Yueling aside privately and asked:
“Didn’t you say that as long as I married Jiang Yun, you would hand the household finances over to me to manage? Why did you give it to Jiang Yun?”
His monthly allowance was also drawn from that card. In other words, from now on, every month after Jiang Yun gave him one hundred thousand, he would need to turn around and pay that money back to Jiang Yun.
Did he even have any face left?!
“I was going to give it to you.”
Shen Yueling countered, “But I heard you’re sleeping in separate rooms from Jiang Yun?”
“I…”
“You’re married to Jiang Yun, you’re a family. What difference does it make whether he holds it or you hold it? Besides, if you give it to him, he’ll report back to me every month on where the money went. If I handed it to you, would it be so you could secretly keep that cheap wretch?”
“Mom!”
Shen Yueling: “Don’t think I don’t know you slept in the study last night? A child like Xiaoyun is clearly one who has depth of thought. Just because he doesn’t speak out doesn’t mean he’s willing to endure grievances silently.”
A knot tightened in Yan Hang’s chest.
Just as Jiang Yun had said, Uncle Zhao would report everything happening in the house to his mother.
“A young master brought up with scholarly family upbringing is fundamentally different from ordinary people. Just look at Xiaoyun’s temperament, magnanimity, and handling of matters, and you’ll know. That person Lin Yi is calculating, hypocritical, and deceitful he isn’t even worth a single finger of Xiaoyun’s…”
Irritated, Yan Chi interrupted her words: “Jiang Yun and I don’t have feelings yet, sleeping together feels awkward.”
“Then wait until you completely forget about Lin Yi and develop feelings for Xiaoyun before talking about it.”
“Mom! A-Chi gets fifty thousand a month in living expenses even as a kid, and I’m such a grown man…”
“You have food and board at home, the salaries of your assistant and driver are paid by the company, entertaining expenses are reimbursed by finance what on earth do you need to spend money on normally! Let me repeat: the moment you completely cut ties with Lin Yi, I’ll hand your authorities back to you.”
Resentment churned inside Yan Hang.
He was truly sick and tired of this life controlled by his parents. He had to infiltrate his own people into the Yan Corporation faster and hollow out his father’s power within the company so that he could break free from this suffocating existence.