Chapter 4 "I heard you're currently lacking a wife..."
Jin Huan never expected that they would meet again so soon.
She memorized his license plate number after only two encounters. She didn't mean to memorize it; the numbers were already etched in her mind by the time she realized it. It was strange, though. If she had had this kind of memory when she was in school, she would have been able to remember everything she saw.
Zhong Yan had something to discuss with his uncle, and the two talked in the study. Jin Huan stayed in the living room, poured a glass of water for his aunt next to him, and asked her about it intentionally or unintentionally.
Fang Shuyun laughed and called her a little lackey.
She's always trying to curry favor with everyone she can, as if she's afraid no one will know what she's thinking. Besides, when she tries to curry favor, she doesn't even offer anything nice, like pouring a glass of water. At least be a little more generous.
Jin Huan sat down next to her aunt and smiled at her.
Fang Shuyun said, "I can talk about anything about my own family, but I really can't say much about other people's business." She took a sip of water and said a few words.
Jin Huan could glean some insight from her words.
Mr. Zhong is in a hurry to get married recently. His family has given him a deadline, which is around this month. His uncle has a friend who is a good match for him in age and appearance. If Mr. Zhong agrees, they can get to know each other.
Jin Huan didn't understand those family matters, but she could roughly guess from the descriptions and her own observations that Zhong Yan was a very demanding person, and this demanding nature was reflected in many aspects.
Jin Huan only has one thing on his mind... Will he have any age restrictions?
Well, age is a bit difficult to determine. She's a little over twenty-three this year, and using the traditional Chinese age reckoning, she could barely be considered twenty-four. Zhong Yan is most likely the same age as Teacher Tan, so she's probably around 32 or 33.
According to calculations, oh... it's roughly a ten-year gap.
Ten years...that's a long time.
This means that he graduated from university while she was still in elementary school, representing a significant age gap.
She hadn't even entered the workforce yet, but he was already adept at business. The gap between them was large enough to be an insurmountable chasm.
Jin Huan knew that sometimes people her age were considered too young, and only elders liked children.
That makes sense.
But... it's not always like that.
How will you know if you don't try?
Jin Huan has always dared to try, and she won't regret it if she fails after trying. She doesn't want to limit herself.
While the elders were talking in the study, she seemed the most restless. Fang Shuyun was used to taking a nap at this time, so she went back to her room first, leaving Jin Huan alone in the living room.
I went home to get something today, and I was just going to leave, but now I'm wondering...aren't they thirsty from talking? Why didn't they call someone to bring them water? And who is this "suitable friend" my uncle mentioned? Could it be someone she knows?
I searched my memory, but nothing seemed right.
Overthinking makes people more anxious.
Half an hour had passed.
Hearing a sound coming from the study, she immediately got up to see what was happening. She saw her uncle seeing Zhong Yan off, and after a moment, she picked up her bag and followed him.
Just then, her uncle saw her about to leave and hurriedly asked her why she didn't stay for dinner. Jin Huan quickly declined.
She jogged a few steps to catch up with Zhong Yan.
Zhong Yan was about to get into the car when he saw her following him. He figured the young lady must have something on her mind, so he stopped to listen to her.
"Mr. Zhong, I'm sorry to bother you again." Jin Huan pointed down the mountain. "I'm going back to school. Could you give me a ride?"
It was a rather presumptuous request—asking a guest to give her a ride—something Jin Huan would never have done in the past, especially since her aunt had emphasized that this was a distinguished guest and that she shouldn't upset them.
Jin Huan subconsciously felt that Mr. Zhong wouldn't be unhappy.
He seems like a very tolerant person.
Besides Zhong Yan, there was also a driver in the car. He wouldn't hesitate to give her a ride, but he still asked her to confirm, "Are you sure?"
Jin Huan nodded affirmatively.
"Do your aunt and uncle know?" Zhong Yan asked again.
Jin Huan paused for a moment and nodded.
She felt a little guilty and subconsciously looked away.
Zhong Yan noticed her unusual behavior. It didn't matter if she told a little lie or not. He replied casually, "Then get in the car."
Zhong Yan then opened the car door for her.
"Thank you," Jin Huan said softly, remembering her aunt's advice to be polite in front of Mr. Zhong.
After getting into the car, Zhong Yan sat inside and closed his eyes to rest.
Jin Huan sat on the other side, some distance away from him, and only after a while did she secretly look at him.
The car was very clean, with a faint scent of incense and leather. I didn't know if it was from the car or from him, but it smelled very nice, the kind of pleasant scent that would make Jin Huan blush.
Saying he would give her a ride really meant he would. It was only a ten-minute drive from the villa to the bottom of the mountain. They had already reached the bottom of the mountain when Zhong Yan, without opening his eyes, said, "Let me know when we get there."
“Mr. Zhong, I actually have something to say to you,” Jin Huan asked tentatively. “Would you mind getting out of the car for a cup of coffee?”
Zhong Yan opened his eyes.
He said slowly, "If I remember correctly, I drank two cups of your coffee."
Jin Huan nodded shyly, thinking that the coffee last time probably wasn't good. But it wasn't about the coffee; she just couldn't find any other excuse. She simply wanted to find a quiet, private space to talk to him.
Her tone sounded so sincere that it was impossible to refuse.
.
In the coffee shop, Zhong Yan sat opposite Fang Jinhuan.
His expression was calm and composed. His cashmere coat was of excellent quality and the fabric was crisp. He leaned back slightly in his chair, and his tall and broad figure gave off an invisible pressure. He looked at her with indifferent eyes.
The person opposite him sat upright, as well-behaved as a good student listening attentively to the teacher in class. The reflection of the window glass made her eyes appear even cleaner and clearer, like gentle white moonlight. She looked at the person in front of her with such eyes, only her slightly clenched fingers betraying her nervousness.
It feels like you're about to be called on by the teacher to answer a question.
Zhong Yan didn't think about what she had to say; it wasn't important to him, just some trivial matter.
Jin Huan slowly took a deep breath.
She needed to muster a lot of courage to say those words, but opportunities were rare for her, and she could only seize this one chance.
She was prepared to get straight to the point, and spoke softly, "I heard you're currently looking for a wife. Do you think I'm suitable?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere in the dimly lit café froze. Zhong Yan clearly hadn't expected her to say that. He slightly raised his eyelids, showing a moment of surprise, and asked in a deep voice, "What?"
When a friend's child, whom he had only met a few times, offered herself to him in such a self-recommendation manner, Zhong Yan's gaze darkened. Seeing that she was becoming more nervous, he lowered his voice to explain.
"I urgently need to get married right now." It's something everyone around him knows, so it's not a secret. It's not surprising that she knows. He doesn't deny that he needs a marriage to secure his family inheritance rights, and it's a relatively urgent marriage.
It would be difficult and slow for him to find a partner freely, so the best approach he can think of so far is an exchange of benefits.
Zhong Yan truthfully stated, "But my marriage was probably more of a transaction."
A transaction is... what the other party needs, he can provide her with the same, and each gets what they need.
This is a transaction.
So what does she need?
A student still struggling with papers and experimental data.
What could she possibly want from him?
It can't be because of studying, right?
"Why?" Zhong Yan took a sip of coffee and asked her seriously.
Even though she said she wanted to be his wife like it was child's play, Zhong Yan still asked her why, without saying anything like "children shouldn't make trouble."
Jin Huan unconsciously bit her lip.
How could she answer? She found it hard to lie to him; being stared at by his eyes was too stressful. But she also couldn't tell him the whole truth. Should she tell him it was because she thought he was like her daddy?
Jin Huan has never told anyone that she likes men like her daddy, older than her, mature and tolerant, with shoulders as steady as Mr. Zhong's, and hands as strong as his. She is occasionally a little sensitive and intermittently insecure. She needs praise, and she is certain that she likes Mr. Zhong's praise.
Not to mention that he looks exactly like her.
It is in appearance, physique, and voice.
She had never met anyone more perfect and to her liking than him.
Ironically, he also desperately needed a marriage.
Jin Huan thought she could give it a try.
On the way here, she kept telling herself not to regret it, that she couldn't regret it. Even if she didn't say it, others would have done it anyway.
After all, she has always liked to be the first and the best in everything since she was a child.
“I like men like you…” Jin Huan blurted out, nervous but sincere. She looked at him intently as she spoke, trying to tell him that she was telling the truth, not lying.
Zhong Yan's gaze was like an invisible net, gently enveloping her. He talked about a deal, but the girl in front of him was saying she liked him. Zhong Yan began to re-examine her. Her face was full of life and vitality. It was this vitality that initially attracted him to her.
People are easily attracted to things they don't have.
Throughout his life, many people had told him they liked him, but this was the first time he had met a girl who had to muster all her courage to say those words, and he could tell that she meant it.
“Miss Fang, I am thirty-three years old this year.” Zhong Yan stated his age frankly, telling her, “I am much older than you.”
Jin Huan nodded knowingly: "I know."
If it's daddy... he's this age.
She bit her lower lip. Today she was wearing lip gloss, a light milk tea apricot color, which made her lips look rosy. She tentatively asked, "Do you think I'm too young?"
No... It's only the younger generation that looks down on the older generation, not the other way around. How could she have such a thought? A faint smile appeared in Zhong Yan's eyes as he denied it, saying, "I didn't look down on her."
It's hard to say whether I dislike it or not, I haven't been here yet.
Upon hearing this, Jin Huan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled shyly.
That's good.
"If you're too nervous, drink some water first." Zhong Yan pushed a glass of water toward her. He placed his palm on the table, his fingers tapping unconsciously. "Even if it's a transaction, I really need a wife."
His family situation is a bit complicated. He's not just looking for someone to fool his grandfather and the others. For him, a stable marriage and a harmonious marital relationship are essential. This would allow him to accomplish many things more efficiently. There would be no so-called agreement or contract; it would be a genuine marital relationship in the conventional sense.
Zhong Yan also told her this point carefully and seriously, in a gentle tone, as if he wanted her to back down.
It's a bit strange that two people who only know each other's names are now sitting here talking about marriage, not to mention that they are so different in every way.
Jin Huan nodded: "Of course it's true."
She was embarrassed to admit that she had never even been in a relationship because she couldn't meet someone she liked. For many years, her life had revolved around studying, and she rarely thought about anything else.
If she were to marry someone without dating first, she might find it difficult to cope, because she doesn't know how to be someone's wife.
However, this does not prevent things from continuing to develop.
You may not be able to now, but you will be able to sooner or later.
Jin Huan and Zhong Yan's eyes met. Her gaze was sincere and clear. Their eyes met as if in a silent test and fusion. Her already thin face slowly turned red, but she still insisted on looking at him.
Her persistence made her look adorable.
Zhong Yan did not immediately refuse. Girls of this age are most proud. He said, "I suggest you think carefully before you say this to me."
A note from the author:
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