Chapter 12 That kiss, you need me to help you get back...

After the press conference, the Wen and Jiang families stayed in the hall to discuss their future strategic cooperation plans. Compared to marriage, consolidating their interests was the core objective. When Wen Lingshuang and Jiang An entered the hall, they saw Jiang Hanyu and Wen Jinye chatting, while Yao Fei and Tan Yu sat next to them drinking tea. Other people surrounded them in twos and threes, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious and warm.

As I got closer, I heard them talking about the wedding. Their good fortune for the year was over.

If we want to have such good days again, it will be at least until February next year.

February is early spring, and temperatures are generally around zero degrees Celsius, making it almost impossible to wear a beautiful wedding dress while staying warm.

If February doesn't work, it will have to be postponed to July, which is in the scorching heat of summer, and I'm afraid we won't be able to handle it.

In short, you have to choose a good day and a time when the temperature is right.

Wen Lingshuang was overjoyed to hear her father defend her. She had thought that her father was only thinking about interests and cooperation in the marriage, but she did not expect that he still cared about her. He knew that she liked to dress up and looked beautiful, but did not want to suffer from wearing clothes that were too hot or too cold.

She turned to look at Jiang An and whispered, "Did you hear that? February and July are no good. It's too cold and I'll catch a cold if I wear a wedding dress. It's too hot and I don't want to go out."

Jiang An had met picky people.

I've never seen anyone so picky.

However, his request was reasonable, considering it was only once, and he wanted her to be comfortable.

"Let's take another look."

"Yes." Wen Lingshuang nodded vigorously and said proudly, "Anyway, remember this: I'm going to wear a very beautiful wedding dress."

"..." He chuckled to himself.

What does it mean to be very beautiful?

There's no limit to what she can wear.

When Wen Jinye saw her daughter arrive, she beckoned her over. Lifting her skirt, she moved like a noble kitten, her high heels giving her a bouncy and charming air. In no time, she was beside Wen Jinye.

Wen Jinye said with a smile, "I will have to trouble Chairman Jiang to take good care of me in the future. My daughter has a bad temper, so if she has offended anyone, I apologize on her behalf."

"Not at all." Jiang Hanyu was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with Wen Lingshuang's spoiled temper, but he couldn't deny that her family background, appearance, and figure were indeed a perfect match for Jiang An. Those minor flaws could be overlooked. "It's just that my Jiang An is busy with work, and he may not be able to take care of me in many ways in the future. I hope Lingshuang will be more tolerant."

"No, no," Wen Lingshuang said sweetly. "Uncle Jiang, Jiang An is out working, but I'm just as comfortable staying at home."

As soon as he said this, low laughter came from the surrounding area.

She's used to being straightforward.

I don't think there's anything wrong with being so straightforward.

If I could live apart from Jiang An after marriage, it would be like living in paradise.

Hearing the laughter, Yao Fei and Tan Yu, who were sitting not far away, turned around and saw that they were chatting familiarly. They got up and walked over, looking at Wen Lingshuang standing next to Jiang An, and said with a smile, "It's comfortable staying at home, but don't forget to come out and move around."

He then changed the subject, saying, "But since you're afraid of getting tired, I won't call you unless it's an important occasion."

There's nothing wrong with what you're saying.

But Wen Lingshuang was no delicate young lady; she quickly grasped the meaning behind her words.

The ancestral worship ceremony is approaching.

Is this considered an important occasion, or not?

Should we ask her to go, or not?

Wen Lingshuang's eyes flickered, and she was about to speak when she heard Jiang An's deep voice from beside her, "She is indeed not feeling well and has a fever. I've told her to rest at home next week for the ancestral worship ceremony."

"..."

"..."

The Jiang family's ancestral worship ceremony is a major event. Several branches of the Jiang family's direct relatives are engaged in politics and business overseas. They all have to put aside their current affairs and return for the ceremony. Wen Lingshuang, as the wife of the Jiang family's appointed head of the family, actually didn't come because of health reasons? Is she trying to intimidate the Jiang family before she's officially married into the family, or does she think the Wen family is superior to the Jiang family and is trying to show off her status as the eldest daughter?

In terms of family power and status alone, the Jiang family is indeed more powerful than the Wen family. Not only the Wen family, but among the five major families in the circle, no family is more powerful than the Jiang family. Even if Wen Jinye is so strong and loves his daughter so much, he would not dare to say to Jiang Hanyu that he would not go to worship his ancestors.

Wen Lingshuang also knew that what she said was wrong.

Last time, Jiang An promised her that she wouldn't have to go to the ancestral worship ceremony. She said she was satisfied, but she knew in her heart that this was a big deal and couldn't be taken lightly.

Moreover, in front of so many elders.

She was about to make amends when Jiang An spoke up again: "If you have any objections, you can raise them now."

I'm going to die.

Wen Lingshuang thought to herself, if there are any other opinions, they can be raised... She wouldn't dare to talk to her parents like that... It's clearly a superior attitude.

She tilted her head to look at Jiang An.

It wasn't an exaggeration; she had a feeling that Jiang An was exuding an aura of dominance and overwhelming power.

In just a few seconds, Yao Fei broke the ice in the tense atmosphere. She smiled and said, "So Ling Shuang wasn't feeling well. You should have said so earlier. What's wrong?"

He then took Wen Lingshuang's hand affectionately and said, "I'll have the family doctor go and take a look. He's been brought back from abroad and his medical skills are exceptional."

Wen Lingshuang forced a smile, "No need, it's just something bad I ate. I'll be fine after a few days of rest."

"Since you're not feeling well, then rest well and we'll talk about it when you're better."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Jiang."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Jiang An excused himself and left, citing Wen Lingshuang's poor health.

As the two walked towards the door, they felt several blinding beams of light falling on their backs.

The words my best friends said came to mind, and only this sentence truly reflects my current state of mind.

Neither Yao Fei, with her forced smile, nor her two menacing brothers, were as gentle and humble as she had previously perceived them to be.

Perhaps marrying Jiang An would truly mean marrying into a grand mansion, where once the door is closed, no one will care about the joys and sorrows within.

She was a little angry.

Having enjoyed a glamorous life for most of her life, there's no reason for her to lower her standard of living just because she gets married.

Her puffed-up face looked cute and charming. Before she could speak, Jiang An said in a low voice, "Is it my fault for bringing up the ancestral worship earlier?"

"You still know that?" Her voice was filled with anger.

Jiang An explained with a smile, "It's the same whether we say it today or tomorrow."

"It's different, it's different!" She stamped her foot. "Weren't you afraid your dad would embarrass me by saying those things? I've never been insulted by anyone in my life! What if your dad thinks I instigated you to say those things behind your back? How am I supposed to live my life then!"

Jiang An caught the important information in her words.

Somewhat surprised, "Who dares to insult you?"

He didn't even dare to curse.

Who has the guts?

Wen Lingshuang felt he was doing it on purpose, wanting to see her make a fool of herself. She pursed her bright red lips into a thin line and glared at him fiercely. "Your father, Ms. Yao!"

"..."

Jiang An felt she was overthinking things. "They wouldn't dare."

"Why wouldn't they dare! They are elders, and there were so many people there just now. You're making them lose face!"

That's Jiang Hanyu! The previous head of the Jiang family, and Yao Fei, who is not only Jiang Hanyu's wife, but also the eldest daughter of the Yao family.

Looking at her wide, round eyes, she resembled a cat with its fur standing on end.

But he really didn't know what was wrong with doing that.

It might be possible if it happened when you were a teenager.

“Miss Wen.” His eyes lowered, concealing his previous imposing demeanor, and his tone softened, “You may need to get used to the fact that your fiancé is the head of the Jiang family.”

The implication is that the Jiang family is his personal fiefdom.

That's right, and some people agree.

If he said something wrong, someone would defend him.

The most beautiful thing about power is that it has no boundaries between right and wrong, and only interests have varying degrees of importance.

Wen Lingshuang was speechless after hearing his words, and the words "person in power" echoed in her ears.

After a while, her arrogance gradually subsided, and she lifted her skirt and walked towards the elevator.

Once inside the elevator, she turned to look at him and said, "Take me to my car and then go back."

"I'll take you home."

The tone left no room for argument.

Wen Lingshuang pouted and didn't say anything.

I hate Jiang An like this; when he unleashes his full aura, his intimidating power is astonishing.

The elevator slowly descended, and upon reaching the parking lot, Jiang An personally helped her into the car by gathering her skirt.

As the car pulled out of the parking lot, the towering Xining Group building and other famous landmarks like the Guomao Building came into view. Several buildings displayed scrolling text: [Congratulations to Jiang An of Xining Group and Wen Lingshuang of Wen's Group on their marriage.]

wish……

Happy marriage...

Wen Lingshuang stared in disbelief at the scrolling text. After a few seconds, Ah Shui, who was sitting in the front seat, handed her his phone and then tactfully activated the central locking system to separate the front and back seats.

Wen Lingshuang took the phone and found it was full of news releases from various rankings and media outlets.

#AmazingPhotos! A Stunningly Beautiful Couple!#

#Finally, a model couple in China with similar looks and family backgrounds!#

#Heining Group's Head Announces Marriage Partner!#

#Who married the most beautiful heiress in the entertainment industry!?#

A series of related terms topped the trending lists on various search engines.

Opening any software reveals content from the press conference, and the screenshots and videos show her whispering in Jiang An's ear.

The chat messages kept pouring in, with countless friends and family members sending her their blessings.

Anne: [Congratulations! You've married into a super-rich family! Even more luxurious than before!]

Grace: [Congratulations to my baby, you're finally getting married!]

Claire: [I couldn't be there in person today, but she looks so beautiful in the video! Jiang An is so handsome!]

Wen Lingshuang: "..."

Jiang An tilted his head slightly and saw Wen Lingshuang looking down at her phone, which was filled with blessings.

When you open someone's chat window, they immediately send over a dozen emojis, all of them cartoon images of oversized condoms.

Wen Lingshuang rolled her eyes and replied, "[What if I don't need the large size?]"

I had just sent it when I heard a slight cough from beside me.

Her body stiffened abruptly, she gripped her phone tightly, and with difficulty turned her head to look, only to be met with a pair of dark, deep eyes.

It's over.

She thought to herself.

He struggled to speak: "I wasn't talking about you."

As soon as she finished speaking, she sensed a hint of danger; she clearly felt Jiang An's dark eyes darken. "Then who are you talking about?"

Wen Lingshuang bit her lip, feeling as if she had shot herself in the foot.

My heart was pounding, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Friend."

"Oh," Jiang An drawled slightly, "friend."

"Take me to meet him next time."

After speaking, he placed his right hand on his crossed thighs and tapped it lightly with his index finger.

Wen Lingshuang snorted coldly and did not answer.

I won't take him.

The car slowly drove forward and arrived at the old house half an hour later.

The sky was getting a bit overcast.

A few drops of light rain fell.

After Jiang An personally escorted her to the lobby, he reached out and touched her forehead. The cool touch clearly indicated that her fever had subsided.

His sudden touch made her heart beat a little fast.

"Take a rest," he said.

"Um."

The rain intensified, with large raindrops pattering heavily against the window. Friends and family were also present at the press conference. Jiang An gave a few instructions to the servants before turning to leave. As he got into his car, Lon handed him recent contract documents and the findings of his investigation.

Jiang An took the information, flipped through several contract documents, and then picked up the blue folder.

Looking at his serious expression, Lon said, "You mentioned before that the young lady seemed to be suffering from an illness. After investigating for a long time, only this Miss Xu matches the information you needed."

Jiang An slowly opened the folder, and what came into view was a front-facing photo of 'Miss Xu'.

She's a bit different from the girl I remember.

But it's normal for things to change a lot since it was childhood.

"She is currently receiving treatment at the Municipal Hospital of Jiang District. Would you like to go and see her?"

Lon asked cautiously, "Sir has been investigating for so long and has finally made some progress. Logically, we should go and see him. However, he just announced the marriage with Miss Wen, and the Jiang family is keeping a close eye on things. He's afraid that if he makes any moves now, they might manipulate him."

Jiang An carefully read through the documents; the information was mostly the same.

I grew up in a tea plantation, specifically a tea plantation in the Jiangnan region. My grandfather owned a tea shop. I have suffered from asthma since childhood and now I have bone cancer and am being treated in the hospital.

After reading it, he overwrote the document, shook his head, and said, "Go back in a few days. You can handle the rest yourself."

Lon nodded. "Yes."

The road down the mountain was difficult to drive on. Jiang An crossed his legs, closed his eyes and pretended to doze off. When they were almost at the foot of the mountain, he said, "Yao Fei talked a lot today."

Lon turned to look at Jiang An and said, "She's been quite active lately, secretly investing in several projects and bypassing the guild."

Jiang An remained expressionless, his hands clasped over his lower abdomen. "Keep a close eye on things. We'll make our move once JR's project is finished."

Lon: "Understood."

*

After removing her dress and makeup, Wen Lingshuang lay on the bed in her nightgown. Tan Zhu didn't return until 3 PM. When she came back and saw Wen Lingshuang lying on the bed looking up information, she crawled over to her side. The screen above clearly displayed Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi's information.

Tan Zhu's heart tightened.

I thought to myself, no way. At the press conference, Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi did look respectable, but they were not even in the same league as Jiang An.

Anyone with eyes can see which one to choose.

Is the young lady being blinded by a ghost?

Did you develop a liking for those two brothers after the press conference?

"What are you doing?" Tan Zhu asked cautiously. "Why are you investigating Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi?"

Wen Lingshuang lay on the pillow and said, "I suddenly feel that they are two-faced. I want to find out the truth. What if I marry into their family and get devoured alive?"

Tan Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest. "You scared me to death. I thought you'd fallen in love with those two brothers at the opening press conference."

"..." Wen Lingshuang turned to look at Tan Zhu, "Please, with Jiang An standing there, who can see anyone else?"

"Wow, you admit it." Tan Zhu pointed at her teasingly, "You admit Jiang An is very charming."

Wen Lingshuang blushed slightly and grabbed her fingers, "You talk too much."

Tan Zhu chuckled twice, then lay down on the pillow with her and said, "I think you're right. Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi are two-faced. There are so many bad rumors about Jiang An outside, but neither of them has spoken up for him. Even saying something like 'it's not true' would be better than remaining silent."

"I think that with the Jiang family's immense wealth and power, suppressing public opinion should be as easy as snapping their fingers, so why have they allowed public opinion to develop to this point?"

Tan Zhu looked at Wen Lingshuang's profile and smiled happily, "So you're thinking from Jiang An's perspective?"

"I'm speaking from my perspective." Wen Lingshuang rested her chin on her hand, gazing out the window. "I married Jiang An, so I'm his person. If Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi are going against him, isn't that the same as going against me?"

The young lady has a very clear understanding of right and wrong, advantages and disadvantages.

However, the information found was not very useful. From a business perspective, Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi are quite capable. Although there were a few cases of misjudgment, they are still better than the average rich second generation. As long as they are not compared with Jiang An, they are more than capable of supporting a company.

From a personal perspective, he is quite humble and polite, and there is nothing wrong with him.

She probably only found out how deep the waters were after marrying into the Jiang family.

Thinking too much makes my mind a jumbled mess.

I lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but I vaguely heard the phone ring. My memory was still stuck on checking Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi's information. I picked up the phone in a daze, pressed a few buttons randomly, and said, "Investigate to death. Find out if they're keeping women... or hotel records... and cash flow... I want to see if the money is spent on women... If so, I'll have something on them."

The person on the other end of the phone fell silent.

He glanced at Lon beside him.

Lon suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. After looking at Jiang An, he realized he didn't know what he had done wrong.

"I don't keep women."

Wen Lingshuang mumbled, "He may not have kept a mistress, but he must have done it, booked rooms with women. I don't believe someone that old can be so chaste."

At that age.

Jiang An's temples throbbed as he heard those words.

31 years old, that's not that old, is it?

It just looks a little bigger than hers.

After trying to quit smoking for a long time, he suddenly had a craving. He took out the cigarettes he had left in the drawer next to him with one hand, lit one, held it in his hand, flicked the cigarette butt twice at the table, and slowly put it in his mouth, saying, "You know whether I did it or not."

"Yangyang, do you need me to help you remember that kiss?"