Chapter 5 "A good match."

Jiang Yao was so frightened that he even stuttered at the end of his voice.

The room suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Duan Zhuxian's father, Duan Song, had seen a lot of things, so he was the first to react and said with a smile, "Is it Xiao Jiang? He's quite casual and seems like an easy-going kid."

Haha, you have a really high EQ.

Jiang Yao forced himself to regain some sanity and squeezed out a stiff smile from his out-of-control expression.

The chaotic and confusing dream that had just suddenly come to his mind was also forcibly suppressed by him.

He gritted his teeth and greeted Duan Song and the fashionable middle-aged woman beside him.

Yuan Li didn't expect Jiang Yao to know Duan Zhuxian. She looked at him in surprise and said, "Zhuxian, so you know our Yaoyao?"

"Well, we are old acquaintances."

Duan Zhuxian walked forward naturally, personally invited the two elders to the dinner table, and very gentlemanly pulled out chairs for them and brewed a cup of freshly brewed Dahongpao for each of them.

Upon learning that Jiang Yao and Duan Zhuxian already knew each other, the Jiang couple's confusion that had lasted for many days eased a little.

Jiang Yao's face, however, was like the sky before a storm, visibly darkening.

After the elders sat down, Duan Zhuxian turned around and waved to Jiang Yao, who was still standing at the door: "Come and sit down."

Jiang Yao was putting his hands in his trouser pockets, pretending to admire the calligraphy hanging on the wall of the entrance hall. Hearing this, he turned his head and his eyes met Duan Zhuxian's.

Duan Zhuxian was wearing a thin black suit today, paired with a blue diagonal striped tie, and his hair was meticulously groomed. It looked like he had taken time out from the company to come here.

This man sat beside several elders with an imposing manner. His every move was full of gentleness and elegance. Even the curve of his lips was probably calculated.

It's simply hypocritical and a complete hypocrite.

Jiang Yao snorted softly, overcame the many obstacles in his heart, walked to the table, and found that the only seat left was next to Duan Zhuxian.

He hesitated for a while, then sat down under everyone's gaze.

Before the dishes were served, the elders of the two families had already started talking about Huayan's investment in Jiangli.

Duan Zhuxian added that he was both humble and experienced as a businessman, and his conduct was impeccable.

Only Jiang Yao sat straight as if he had been hit by a club. Occasionally, when his name was called, he would open his lips and respond dryly.

The presence of someone next to him was too strong, so Jiang Yao wanted to divert his attention, so he glanced at the macadamia nuts on the table, but couldn't find the shelling tool. He had to give up and took out his mobile phone to start browsing.

He first perfunctorily replied to Chen Yiqi's message asking about her blind date, then logged into his email and clicked on the work content he hadn't finished reading.

Suddenly, the tip of my nose felt a slight movement of air.

He raised his eyes slightly, and a bony hand appeared in front of him, holding a small porcelain plate. With a slight tilt, a few peeled milky white macadamia nuts rolled into his plate.

"What are you doing?"

Jiang Yao moved his butt to the side as if he was pricked by a needle, and stared at Duan Zhuxian with a vigilant look.

Duan Zhuxian still had that calm expression. Taking advantage of the two middle-aged men, Duan Song and Jiang Qingtian, talking loudly, he whispered, "In a formal occasion, let's put aside personal grudges for now."

"I don't need you to teach me."

Jiang Yao raised his eyelids and replied unhappily.

After that, he no longer tried to avoid Duan Zhuxian, but closed his shell even tighter like a clam, and exuded the aura of "demons and monsters, please leave quickly."

The purpose of this dinner was to discuss marriage, but the actual focus was on the "alliance" rather than the "marriage".

From the conversation among the elders, Jiang Yao roughly understood the whole story.

Since its founding, the Duan family-run Huayan Group has focused its investments on commodities and real estate. Although Duan Zhuxian's grandfather, the founder, has stepped down from company management for many years, his thinking remains up-to-date.

The old man looked at the current situation and saw that Internet technology has developed by leaps and bounds in recent years, and artificial intelligence is even more poised to take off. Those who got in on the action have made a fortune, so he also wanted to get a piece of the pie. After much research, he set his sights on his family's company. However, his parents were determined not to give up the controlling stake, and it eventually turned into a marriage.

The twists and turns are quite complicated, but in short, marriage can maximize the interests of both parties.

The beautiful woman who came with Duan Song was called He Lu, Duan Zhuxian's stepmother. Her narrow and long phoenix eyes glanced at the two juniors from time to time.

Seeing Jiang Yao's mouth being spicier due to the spicy crayfish, Duan Zhuxian poured him a bottle of mineral water. She said with a smile, "Zhuxian and Young Master Jiang have a really good relationship."

Auntie, blindness is a disease and needs to be treated.

Jiang Yao looked at her with a smile, moved his butt, and put some distance between himself and Duan Zhuxian again.

Seeing that neither Jiang Yao nor Duan Zhuxian responded, He Lu continued with her gentle demeanor, "No wonder when Old Duan wanted to arrange for Fei Yi and Young Master Jiang to get married, Zhuxian tried desperately to stop it and even volunteered himself."

Duan Feiyi was born to He Lu, Duan Zhuxian's half-brother. It is said that he is only half a year younger than Duan Zhuxian. There is no need to guess how he came to be.

Seeing He Lu trying her best to maintain her elegance but unable to hide her secret joy several times, Jiang Yao roughly figured out the inner relationship between Duan Zhuxian and his stepmother.

But he was too lazy to delve into these grudges and calculations.

What he cared about was He Lu's last words.

During the meal, the parents of both sides had half-jokingly and half-seriously discussed the time to get the marriage certificate, and then choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding, so that the in-law relationship could be confirmed to the outside world.

After finishing dinner, the two elders prepared to move to the tea room to chat.

Jiang Yao stood up suddenly and smiled at the people at the table who were looking at him.

"Sorry everyone, Duan Zhuxian and I have to excuse ourselves for a moment."

He said something very politely, then grabbed Duan Zhuxian's wrist, pulled him up from his seat, and rushed to the small garden outside the private room at lightning speed. He pushed him into the corner fiercely, and the sharpness in his eyes could not be hidden at all.

"Explain what your stepmother meant?"

"Literally."

The indifferent tone made Jiang Yao want to beat someone up.

He frowned, took a small step forward with one leg, pressed his knee against Duan Zhuxian's leg, and lowered his voice: "You know I don't have much patience with you."

Duan Zhuxian said, "I forgot that you have never been good at Chinese since you were a child."

Jiang Yao glared at him: "Will you die if you don't confront me?"

Duan Zhuxian lowered his eyes and looked at him without comment.

After a few seconds of face-to-face stalemate, Jiang Yao stepped back two meters, turned around irritably, and kicked the edge of the flower bed.

I accidentally used too much force and my toes started to hurt so much that they were trembling.

"You should have understood what I heard at the dinner table just now. Given my grandfather's attitude, he will definitely choose someone from the eligible younger generation to marry you."

Just as Jiang Yao curled up his toes and hissed secretly, Duan Zhuxian behind him suddenly spoke.

"When my uncles heard about this, they all tried to shirk responsibility, fearing that the heavy responsibility would fall on their own children. My father was the only one who was different. He wanted to use this opportunity to curry favor with the old man. As the eldest son, I took the initiative to help my father solve his problems. What's wrong with that?"

"What kind of bullshit logic is this! You're being a filial son and a grandson, and you're sacrificing me in the process?"

Jiang Yao turned around and glared at Duan Zhuxian, noticing that his expression had become indifferent.

"Even if it's not me, you will marry someone else." Duan Zhuxian's expression did not change, but his tone became a little colder.

Jiang Yao was stunned for a few seconds, then laughed: "What the hell does it have to do with you if I marry someone else?"

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhuxian walked step by step to stand in front of Jiang Yao, with his dark and unfathomable gaze pressed under his brow.

"At least we know each other well, so we're a good match."

Jiang Yao: "?"

His Chinese grades are indeed not as good as Duan Zhuxian's, but is this how the word "good match" is used?

【Author’s words】

Jiang Yao: Someone who is good at Chinese, please explain it to me.