Chapter 16 You'll Get Used To It

Rong Xi came downstairs, and Zhao Qingye went to greet her.

"You said it?"

Rong Xi shook her head, "They're so lovey-dovey, how could I possibly say anything?"

Zhao Qingye chuckled, "Zhong Yan is taking this seriously."

The smile didn't reach his eyes.

Rong Xi pursed her lips. "Let's go."

Zhao Qingye looked out the window and asked, "If the cooperation between Zhongheng Group and the Ji family in microelectronics goes smoothly, do you think state-owned assets will be involved?"

"Will Uncle Zhong rise to a higher level?"

Rong Xi walked forward and said, “It was a foregone conclusion. Originally, if things had gone smoothly, Shen Shan, the secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, would have been transferred to the central government. Now that the Zhong and Ji families have joined forces, the Ji family has been revived, but the credit will not be attributed to Secretary Shen. Instead, it will be attributed to Secretary Zhong in the capital.”

They not only promoted cooperation between the North and the South, but also brought the leading enterprises in the South into their camp. When Zhongheng Group entered the Southern market, the taxes were paid from Beijing.

In that case, it would be better to just go bankrupt.

Zhao Qingye said "Oh," and added, "The Ji family's previous predicament might have been caused by Zhong Yan, just to take advantage of their weakness."

Rong Xi's eyes flashed, then she smiled and said, "Who knows?"

The two got into the car, and Zhao Qingye didn't say anything more, and Rong Xi was also in no mood for anything else.

Rong Xi closed her eyes, but the figure in the room haunted her mind like a demon.

“Zhong Yan detests stupidity the most. How could he like a young lady who does nothing?” She didn’t know whether she was talking to herself or asking the person next to her.

Zhao Qingye thought she was standing up for Shuyun, "Does that girl Shuyun think she's smart? Just wait and see what happens."

On the other side

Cheng Gengxu and Gu Beiming took the same car back because they lived in the same neighborhood.

"Too many people are watching Yanzi's marriage."

There are those driven by self-interest, those driven by power, those driven by personal interests, and those driven by external threats.

"Fortunately, Ji Tanyuan is not an assertive person, otherwise it would be a case of both internal and external troubles."

Cheng Gengxu raised an eyebrow. "What do you think of Ji Tanyuan?"

Gu Beiming looked at him and said, "She's not my woman, why are you asking me? In the end, she's just a medium. The most important thing is what Ji Qing and his shareholder brothers are planning."

"They cannot completely side with the Zhong family, nor would they dare to seek personal gain from the government."

Just like the ancient practice of marriage alliances, who would care about the princess if a real war broke out? This is an obvious fact.

-

The next morning, Ji Tanyuan didn't know how she got back the night before. When she woke up, she was already in bed in the master bedroom.

I touched my face and found that my makeup had been removed.

She got up and went to the bathroom. Half an hour later, Ji Tanyuan, with her wet hair hanging down her back, came downstairs in a bathrobe.

The man behind the island counter downstairs was making coffee as usual.

The maid hadn't started work yet, so it was just the two of them at home.

Zhong Yan looked up and said, "Get ready, let's go to the old house for breakfast."

Ji Tanyuan walked over, sat on a high stool, and picked up an Americano. "Do you go every week? What if someone is away on a business trip?"

“Of course you don’t need to go if you’re not in Yanjing, but you should go if you can. It’s a way to strengthen your sense of belonging to your family,” Zhong Yan said.

Ji Tanyuan drank half a cup of coffee. She had no sense of belonging, only the fear of social conventions.

"This is the family dogma: everything is for the benefit of the family; we all prosper together and we all suffer together."

Ji Tanyuan smiled and said, "Of course."

Zhong Yan stared at her for a long time. "Did you listen to me?"

Ji Tanyuan smiled and said, "I already knew this principle. It was mentioned in your prenuptial agreement. You were supposed to be virtuous, gentle, and obedient."

For some reason, Zhong Yan felt uncomfortable seeing her like this, but then he thought that this was what they had agreed on, so he wasn't bullying her.

Afterwards, Ji Tanyuan changed her clothes.

Zhong Yan, still wearing the same white shirt and black suit pants, sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, waiting for someone.

Soon, the sound of high heels came from upstairs. Zhong Yan looked up and saw his wife coming downstairs wearing an exquisitely made blue long dress, her skirt swaying and her smile radiant.

She twirled in front of him. "How about it? The skirt is below the knee and has sleeves. Is that considered appropriate?"

Zhong Yan's expression remained calm, but his heart was in turmoil. No matter what the future held for him and Ji Tanyuan, he knew that Ji Tanyuan was no longer a forgotten passerby in his life.

He then laughed and praised, "Perfect score. If the Empress Dowager is still not satisfied, then it's her fault."

Ji Tanyuan hummed in agreement. "Let's go."

The Zhong family's old house is located in an inconspicuous alley. After retiring, the old man of the Zhong family did not continue to live in the cadre compound, but moved out to live elsewhere. Zhong Yan's father, due to disciplinary requirements, could not live here often and lived in the residence provided by the government, only returning here occasionally.

Cars must be parked in public parking spaces. Even the highest-ranking officials have to walk through this crowded alley, through the bustling streets, listening to the noisy crowds, and eventually turn into the alley entrance where private residences are off-limits to tourists, and walk through a mahogany gate.

After crossing the high threshold, the interior is quite spacious and not as crowded as the outside.

Zhong Yan's elder brother, Zhong Jing, and his wife Wen Yi'an had arrived long ago and were chatting with people. Looking again, an elderly man with gray hair, Zhong Shuqing, was sitting in the old chair. At 80 years old, he did not look old and was still full of energy. Ji Tanyuan thought that this old man was also one of the generals who played the bar in the park.

Unlike the sternness of the old lady Jiang Qiufen, this retired man looked very kind and approachable. Of course, Ji Tanyuan was not foolish enough to actually think he was kind and benevolent.

Some people are hidden beneficiaries, like the men in this family.

As Zhong Yan entered, he greeted everyone, "Grandpa and Grandma."

Grandpa Zhong nodded, and smiled when he saw Ji Tanyuan, "Second daughter-in-law, are you getting used to it?"

Ji Tanyuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Grandfather. I'm fine."

“You’ll get used to it. I was worried that you wouldn’t be used to this old Beijing city since you’re from a new city. We’re all a close family. Zhong Yan is busy with work and can’t take care of you. If you don’t understand something or are unfamiliar with something, ask your mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They are locals.”

"I know you received the kind of elite education from the West, but don't forget our fine traditions. Filial piety is the most important virtue. The reason why our Zhong family has been able to survive for so many generations is inseparable from our cohesion. Only when everyone is of one mind can we prosper for a long time."

Ji Tanyuan knew this was a warning about her refusal to serve tea to the old lady.

Ji Tanyuan held Zhong Yan's arm tighter and tighter, even though Zhong Yan's surname was Zhong and they were family.

That nauseating feeling returned; a rotten, dark, damp smell of ancient wood lingered in her mind, and Ji Tanyuan would never be able to look at the courtyard house again.

The old man stood up. "You guys chat, Xiao Jing and A Yan, you two come to the study."

Zhong Yan smiled and said, "Grandpa is right, this is filial piety..."

Zhong Jing interrupted him in a deep voice, his tone carrying a warning, "Ayan."

Zhong Yan looked at her brother's eyes, which were filled with disapproval. They both knew that this was just a way to discipline someone from another family. If they couldn't even tolerate this, Ji Tanyuan would face other troubles in the future.

Ji Tanyuan watched as Zhong Yan ruffled her hair and whispered in her ear, "I'll kneel before you tonight, but now's the time to show your virtuousness."

Then I watched helplessly as he went upstairs.

Ji Tanyuan felt a coin stuck in her throat, a rusty, astringent feeling that she couldn't swallow.

Wen Yi'an held her hand tightly, "You'll get used to it."

At first, she couldn't accept it either, but the discomfort only lasted for a short while. Then everything was fine, and Zhong Jing wouldn't have to be caught in the middle. Otherwise, there would be all sorts of trouble, so it was better to avoid trouble.

Ji Tanyuan looked at Wen Yi'an, "Sister-in-law, are you used to it?"

Wen Yi'an has a face that looks intimidating, with fox-like eyes and an oval face, and a somewhat aloof demeanor. However, once she gets moving, her aura softens, and she becomes gentle and humble. "Actually, there's nothing wrong with it."

Zhou Yanyu helped the old lady out, and upon seeing her two daughters-in-law, said indifferently, "You've arrived?"

When the old lady saw Ji Tanyuan, she looked her up and down and said with a forced smile, "It seems that Aunt Zhang taught you quite well."