Chapter 97 Signing a marriage contract signifies an agreement, and in ancient times, it also signifies possession.

Reading the gift list was tough on Aunt Cheng. Her mouth was dry and her voice was hoarse. She drank more than half a cup of water before going to the bedroom door, saying auspicious words, and inviting Xia Mian out.

The room was quiet and deserted, while the outside was festive and lively, like two completely different worlds. Xia Mian's mood was also completely different, from anxious and apprehensive to excited and thrilled, from frowning to radiant, like riding a roller coaster, her palms were so nervous they were sweaty.

He looked down and saw that the gift list, calligraphy brush, inkstone and other items had been set on the octagonal table in the center of the living room. In front of the octagonal table, Zhou Pingchuan, wearing the suit he had chosen, stood by the window, looking as if he were cutting and polishing jade.

"That big bad wolf, all he does is show off outside," Xia Mian thought.

"Come downstairs, Pingchuan is waiting for you."

Aunt Cheng called out and led Xia Mian to the octagonal table, where she stood next to Zhou Pingchuan.

The maid brought over a red bowl and spoon: "Time to eat glutinous rice balls!"

"May the young couple eat these sweet dumplings, and may they love each other dearly and live a sweet and happy life together forever." Aunt Cheng smiled as she handed the red bowl to the newlyweds. Zhou Pingchuan took it and ate one dumpling.

When it was Xia Mian's turn, Xia Mian was a little embarrassed. They hadn't gotten their marriage certificate yet, so how could they be called "the young couple"?

As he was struggling with this decision, he felt the spoon touch his lips.

Zhou Pingchuan actually scooped it up and fed it to him himself.

There are so many people here, they're not children, why are you feeding them? Xia Mian glanced at him sideways, her eyes and brows full of reproach.

Zhou Pingchuan originally wanted to pry his mouth open, but at the last minute, his hand went limp, and he patiently waited for Xia Mian to eat it with a seven-part elegance and a three-part affectation.

The next step, and the most important one, is for the Xia family to approve the betrothal gifts, and then the newlyweds to sign the marriage certificate.

Signing a marriage contract signifies an agreement, and in ancient times, it also signifies possession. Xia Mian agreed to marry Zhou Pingchuan, and Zhou Pingchuan, as agreed, took possession of Xia Mian.

The ink had been prepared beforehand. Aunt Cheng took out the marriage certificate, a bright red scroll with gold lettering, and placed it in front of the newlyweds. Zhou Pingchuan picked up the brush and neatly wrote his name at the end.

Perhaps outstanding people excel in everything, but Zhou Pingchuan even had beautiful calligraphy. Xia Mian looked at it, and then heard a whisper in her ear: "Need me to do it for you?"

His hand trembled, and he quickly signed the words "Summer Sleep".

Zhou Pingchuan was skilled in cursive script, while Xia Mian, under the tutelage of her maternal grandfather, excelled in the slender gold script. The two names, one bold yet restrained, the other elegant yet sharp, were a perfect match.

The marriage certificate was carefully put away, and it was time for the Xia family to return the gifts.

The Zhou family's sincerity was 100% genuine. The brocade, Suzhou embroidery, real estate, and other gifts that Xia Dongbo had originally prepared were like toys for children to play with in front of the Zhou family, and were simply not presentable.

He gritted his teeth and added another 5% of Xia's shares at the end. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; even if Xia's Group is losing money, its valuation can still reach four or five billion. You can imagine how valuable 5% of the shares are.

Of all the shareholders, Xia Dongbo only holds 22% of the shares. Giving up nearly a quarter of them is truly a huge investment.

He originally had no intention of giving out shares; he was forced into it by Zhou Pingchuan!

Even Xia Mian was surprised—this part wasn't in the original novel of "Love in the Palm of My Hand." Later, Xia Dongbo intended to groom his son to take over the family business, giving Xia Mingzhao shares, and the original owner even went mad.

They actually gave it to him first; I wonder what Xia Mingzhao is thinking.

Xia Mingzhao didn't think much of it; he wasn't even in the living room.

On the third floor, in the piano room with a transparent roof, Xia Mingzhao sat in front of the piano, playing his favorite piece of music.

Standing in the crowd, Zhou Pingchuan, ten armed escort vehicles, and boxes of betrothal gifts being carried into Xia Garden... countless scenes intertwined before his eyes like musical notes, eventually forming a chaotic musical score.

He unconsciously continued playing according to the score, but the more he played, the worse it sounded, the more jarring it became. It was so bad that he wanted to cut off his ears, but his hands, out of control, kept pressing the keys.

The bedroom door was pushed open, and Zhou Ting came in: "Mingzhao, what are you doing here?"

"If not here, where should they be? Downstairs watching the commotion and making a scene?"

Xia Mingzhao has a gentle personality and prefers quiet to noise. Zhou Ting thought he was annoyed by the noise downstairs: "They've already finished returning the gifts and are currently performing the ancestral rites. We'll go to the hotel together after that."

"Oh, you've returned the gifts. What did you give?"

“Some standard items, as well as shops and five percent of Xia’s equity.”

...equity?

With a sharp "thud" from the piano keys, Xia Mingzhao abruptly stood up, his face clouded with gloom.

Zhou Ting knew Xia Mingzhao well and knew that he was the kind of person who didn't compete or fight for anything, so he found his reaction quite strange.

Are you feeling unwell anywhere?

“No,” Xia Mingzhao scoffed, “With such a large dowry from Third Uncle, it’s only right that Mom and Dad give up shares.”

Zhou Ting frowned: "What do you mean? You think my family is giving too little?"

"Not a small amount?" Xia Mingzhao countered. "Compared to today, is it one-twentieth?"

Perhaps due to emotional distress, Xia Mingzhao's face was somewhat distorted as she spoke, coupled with a mocking upturn of her lips. Zhou Ting suddenly felt as if he didn't recognize this person anymore.

He took a deep breath: "Mingzhao, I admit that my family didn't give much when we got engaged, and I also admit that my father didn't really approve of us at the time. But I'm trying to change his perception. As long as we behave well enough, one day he will give us everything, won't he?"

"Wait, wait, wait. All you ever tell me to do is wait. How long am I supposed to wait?"

“My dad is old-fashioned and might need some time to recover. Besides, my third uncle is the head of the Zhou family, and they already have a strong financial foundation. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to him.”

"You mean I deserve not to get the shares because I didn't seduce Zhou Pingchuan?"

Xia Mingzhao became increasingly agitated, speaking without thinking. Zhou Ting was already in a bad mood today, and Xia Mingzhao's outburst only made him lose control of his emotions: "What do you mean by 'flirting'? That's awful. And why are you always comparing yourself to Xia Mian? You're family!"

Don't you know what I always compare myself to Xia Mian?!

Xia Mingzhao wanted to shout and tell the other person that she actually knew everything, but she swallowed the words back down.

If Zhou Ting's true intentions are exposed, and setting aside the issue of equity, he will truly end up with nothing.

Zhou Pingchuan is the head of the Zhou family, and it is estimated that he offered such an exorbitant dowry in order to save face for himself and the Zhou family.

But what good is more? — Zhou Pingchuan doesn't like summer hibernation.

At least for now, he still outwardly enjoys Zhou Ting's love, and he and Zhou Ting are still considered a perfect couple by everyone.

He has something stronger than summer sleep.

No matter how much material wealth one acquires during summer hibernation, it is nothing more than an empty shell built upon riches.

In fact, Zhou Ting was right about one thing: Xia Mingzhao could wait. What he really wanted wasn't the equity; he just didn't want the culprit who had taken everything from him to be living a better life than him.

"Let's go," Xia Mingzhao said, slamming the piano lid shut. "Let's go eat."