Chapter 44 Actually, marrying me was a disservice to her.

Zhong Yan opened the car door, and Ji Tanyuan grabbed his wrist, "Do you want me to go?"

Zhong Yan looked down at her bright eyes, bent down, and touched her face. "I don't want to."

The two entered the room, where an elderly woman was being surrounded and given her medicine.

Ji Tanyuan stepped through the door, and everyone turned to look at the two of them upon hearing the noise.

"You actually know how to come back?"

Zhong Yan stepped forward and said, "We've only been gone for a week, not a year. Why do you feel like a day apart is like three autumns?"

The old lady was wearing a blue cotton gauze jacket, her hair was completely white, she wore silver earrings, and her eyes were somewhat cloudy.

There was no smile in his eyes as he looked at Zhong Yan.

Zhong Yan didn't smile much either.

Zhou Yanyu said calmly, "You're back?"

Ji Tanyuan gripped Zhong Yan's arm and hummed in agreement.

Upon entering this home, all my emotions seemed to get stuck; it felt neither like a home nor a workplace, just a strange mix of both.

“Your grandmother isn’t feeling well. She loves being around people, so come and keep her company when you have time,” Zhou Yanyu said to Ji Tanyuan.

Zhong Yan said calmly, "Shouldn't one rest when sick?"

"..."

No one answered.

Ji Tanyuan sighed, "Grandma loves lively places, unlike the other patients. I've been enjoying opera lately. Grandma, do you like it? I'll hire an opera troupe."

They couldn't tell whether it was sarcastic or genuine anymore.

Both of them were quite annoying. Zhong Fangqi and Old Master Zhong were sitting in the study when the butler announced that Zhong Yan and his wife had arrived.

The old man looked at his son and said, "I've told you many times, if you don't break Zhong Yan's rebellious nature, things will go wrong."

Zhong Fangqi put away the chess set. "He just got married, things aren't stable yet."

The old man sneered, "Fang Qi, you spoiled him too much. When he went into business, you gave Zhong Heng to him directly, giving him wings when he was most rebellious, making him arrogant and ignorant. He's only 26 years old, has only been in society for 10 years, and is at the top. What experience could he possibly have?"

Zhong Fangqi disagreed, "As long as he has the ability, that's enough. I don't agree with deliberately suppressing him and making him climb out of the mud in order to help him grow, whether it's for A-Jing or A-Yan."

“If I don’t step down, they will naturally remain in high positions for life. If I fail, they will have to go even if they don’t want to. Why should they suffer on purpose?”

Old Master Zhong's face turned cold: "But your son doesn't understand your good intentions. Will he cooperate with you in acquiring the Ji family?"

Zhong Fangqi pondered for a moment, "Even if he cooperates, the Ji family won't. It's not easy for a state-owned enterprise to acquire a sunrise industry. Ji Qing is protecting everyone, so I can't find any loopholes."

Originally, it was thought that Ji Tanyuan would gain something from going to Shanghai, but unexpectedly, it only exposed her uncle's private moral issues.

"We'll have to rely on Tan Yuan on this matter."

Grandpa Zhong threw down the chess piece. "She's already a daughter-in-law of the Zhong family. Doesn't she understand the principle that we share both prosperity and adversity? Why are you still going to listen to her? I'll find an opportunity to talk to her."

Zhong Fangqi exclaimed, "Please don't. The cooperation between the two companies has just begun, and it needs to be stable. I know what I'm doing, so please don't rush me."

Old Master Zhong snorted coldly, "Your second daughter-in-law is very stubborn. She doesn't really respect your Zhong family."

Zhong Fangqi nodded, "You're right, I'll be careful."

"Your birthday is in a couple of days, and my second brother and the others will come directly from the Eastern Province."

Grandpa Zhong nodded without saying anything.

When the two went downstairs to eat, Zhong Yan was talking to Zhong Jing in the courtyard corridor. The old lady and Zhou Yanyu were talking, and Wen Yi'an was also chatting with them.

Ji Tanyuan sat to the side listening to their conversation, but didn't say a word.

Zhong Fangqi came downstairs. "Did the meeting at the Ji family go smoothly?"

Ji Tanyuan: "Not going very smoothly."

Zhong Fangqi paused as he went downstairs.

"Then stay in Yanjing with peace of mind. Your father and uncle will make their own decisions. You are still young and your identity is sensitive, so you may not be able to help much even if you go."

Grandma Zhong snorted coldly: "It's good enough that she didn't make things worse. A married woman should be a support for her husband in his family. Look at her, always showing her face in public and associating with disreputable people. What kind of behavior is that?"

Ji Tanyuan leaned back and looked at the old lady. She didn't seem sick; rather, she seemed to be using her illness to torment the younger generation.

According to Zhong Yan's experience, at this point, you should pretend you can't hear anything. Otherwise, if you resist and anger someone, it will be your fault, not yours.

When faced with an unreasonable elderly person, you have to treat them like they're crazy and accept your bad luck.

Attack power is 100% when the health bar is at 10%.

Ji Tanyuan asked him if this was an experience he had summarized, but Zhong Yan neither agreed nor disagreed, saying that the old lady had always been like this.

Outside the door, Zhong Yan stood with a cigarette between his fingers, his face pale except for his red lips. The smoke obscured his features.

Zhong Jing looked into the distance: "Are you having second thoughts?"

Zhong Yan laughed, "Where did you get the heart to do that? The Ji family is very united, I can't find an opportunity at all. Don't be fooled by their fierce internal strife, they're actually quite united in their dealings with outsiders."

Zhong Jing looked at Zhong Yan, not believing his words: "You and I both know that this plan was decided before the marriage. If you let your father know that you have changed, his direct action will not be so gentle."

Zhong Yan coughed twice, his voice a little hoarse, and for the first time wished time would slow down. "Ji Tanyuan is very smart. Just make sure Father doesn't make a mistake because of her."

Zhong Jing was surprised, not expecting Zhong Yan to really not be going to do it. "Are you serious? Where are you going?"

Zhong Yan's brows furrowed as he peered through the door at the person inside. She wore a cotton-linen dress, her fair arms glowing like milk, her face flawless, so beautiful she seemed like someone from a dream.

"I don't know, but brother, I want a future with her."

The future is a very luxurious word.

Zhong Jing never expected that someone who usually seemed unreliable but never actually messed up would actually mess up at this moment.

“Zhong Yan, did you understand what I said? If you really want a future with her, talk to her properly. Even if we merge, she won’t be treated unfairly and will have even greater security. Then you can be completely on the same side. That’s your future. She is the Zhong family’s daughter-in-law and your final destination.”

Zhong Yan hummed in agreement, "I know."

Zhong Jing watched as Zhong Yan stubbed out his cigarette, popped a mint into his mouth, crunching it loudly, and walked inside.

"Does Ji Tanyuan know?" he asked Zhong Yan.

Zhong Yan paused, and Zhong Jing added, "She doesn't know that she is the daughter-in-law of the Zhong family. Many people are secretly watching her, trying to find a weakness to attack the Zhong family."

Zhong Yan smiled and said, "Brother, actually marrying me is unfair to her."

"You've fallen for him?"

After a moment of silence, Zhong Yan said, "No, to be honest, she didn't get much benefit; she got all the dirty money from the elders of the Zhong family."