After Being Forced Into Marriage, I Became Very Successful - Chapter 14

14:

Jiang Yan didn’t need to see him to picture his sleazy expression, and she couldn’t help but curse him inwardly.

“I know what I’m doing. Let’s leave it at that for now.”

After hanging up, Jiang Yan planned to look up the current state of some old catering businesses online, but she was summoned by Jiang Daming.

He had just returned from a business dinner, reeking faintly of alcohol but looking more worn out than anything.

“You had dinner at the Xia family’s place today?”

“Yeah, I just got back not long ago.”

Jiang Daming tossed his tie aside and rubbed his temples, his voice low. “You’re getting along well with the Xia family. Keep it that way.”

Jiang Yan didn’t look at him, her gaze fixed on the floor nearby. She gave a soft hum in response.

Perhaps the evening’s business dealings had stressed or pressured him, because after a pause, Jiang Daming brought up the Xia family again. “The wedding is just over a month away. After you’re married, you’ll join Xia Corporation. Remember to keep a low profile and avoid conflicts with others.”

After graduating with her master’s degree, Jiang Yan’s family had never mentioned anything about her career, focusing solely on her upcoming marriage. Now, suddenly bringing up work, they were cautioning her not to offend anyone.

“I won’t cause trouble,” Jiang Yan said, thinking to herself, I’m not interested in stirring up drama, as long as others don’t provoke me first.

“Our company has two project loans due in the second half of the year, and we definitely won’t have the funds to repay them by year-end, so we’ll need to apply for an extension.”

Jiang Yan maintained a serious expression. His sudden mention of company matters was almost certainly tied to the Xia family. Sure enough, Jiang Daming shifted the topic to Xia Yining.

“After you two are married, treat Xia Yining well and put in a good word for the family. If those two loans can get support or a guarantee from Xia Corporation, all our problems will be solved.”

“Aren’t our families already collaborating?”

“That’s far from enough. With Xia Corporation’s strength, their previous investments were just a token gesture.”

Jiang Yan didn’t respond further. She knew the core issues at Jiang Corporation couldn’t be solved by money alone, but the immediate crisis indeed required a large sum to tide things over.

“If you don’t understand business matters, you can ask me or Dad. We’ll teach you how to approach Xia Yining.”

“She doesn’t have any decision-making power at Xia Corporation, so talking to her won’t be of much use.”

Jiang Daming let out a low chuckle, tinged with coldness. “It’s true that her two cousins call the shots at the company, but she’s so favored at home. If she speaks up, they won’t refuse her.”

Jiang Yan felt a wave of discomfort, worse than what she had felt during her call with Li Zifeng. So, in their eyes, her marriage to Xia Yining was just a money-printing machine, ready to meet their financial demands at any moment.

Back in her room, Jiang Yan felt a pang of melancholy, unsure whether she felt sorry for herself or Xia Yining.

The next day, Xia Yining invited her to check on the renovations for their wedding house. Jiang Yan guessed it was Xia’s mother’s idea. Xia Yining’s attitude toward her had always been lukewarm, but at least she never demanded anything from her. Compared to being at home, Jiang Yan actually preferred spending time with her “business partner.”

The designer was personally overseeing the site, striving for perfection in every detail. When he saw Xia Yining arrive, he greeted her with a smile.

“Miss Xia, the renovation is 10% ahead of schedule. Only some finishing touches remain. Feel free to look around and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to adjust.”

“Alright, we’ll take a look.”

Once the designer left, Xia Yining turned to Jiang Yan. “I checked the design drafts and visited during the early stages of construction. If there’s anything you’d like to add, just let me know.”

“I don’t have any special requests. It’s your house, after all.”

Jiang Yan spoke casually, clearly not treating the place as her future home. She didn’t seem disappointed, as if she didn’t care about the inevitable outcome of leaving one day. Xia Yining, however, was slightly surprised and puzzled by her nonchalant attitude.

“Even if it’s just for show, you’ll still be living here. I didn’t consider your input before, which was my oversight. Since Mom mentioned it, it’s better if you share some opinions.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yan knew she had to say something to give Xia Yining something to report back. In the eyes of their elders, discussing things together was a sign of a good relationship, which explained why Xia’s mother always emphasized her involvement.

Jiang Yan walked into the bedroom and looked around. She genuinely liked the renovation but couldn’t find any major flaws. Xia Yining noticed she’d seen the bedroom and study and was about to head downstairs to the living room, so she spoke up. “You haven’t checked the guest bedroom.”

Jiang Yan turned back, her eyes clearly confused.

Xia Yining gestured with her eyes toward the door directly across from the master bedroom.

“That one. It will be your room after the wedding.”

Jiang Yan suddenly understood, they would be sleeping in separate rooms after marriage, and the guest bedroom would be her space.

She opened the door and took a look around. It was nice, though a bit stiff and cold. She called the designer over and pointed out a few areas for adjustments. The designer glanced at Xia Yining, and after receiving her approval, noted everything down.

“Miss Jiang, don’t worry. I’ll have the changes made within a week.”

“Anything to add regarding the furniture?”

“No, I’m not particular about furniture.”

Xia Yining paused, then said pointedly, “I saw Liu Xinyi’s post on her Moments. She mentioned you were shopping for furniture. I thought you might have a preferred brand.”

Jiang Yan nodded inwardly. I do have preferences, but I’ve already furnished my little apartment. This is just a temporary stay, so I won’t bother with these details.

“I was just passing time that day. I’m not picky about these things,” Jiang Yan said, then headed downstairs to the living room, followed by the dining room and kitchen. Xia Yining watched her back, recalling what Ye Chenchen had said to her the previous night.

“Cousin, I’ve noticed Jiang Yan has really changed a lot. She’s still good to you, but she’s not constantly clinging around you anymore. Honestly, I think she’s much more likable now.”

Xia Yining walked over and stood behind Jiang Yan, saying softly, “I never got the chance to properly thank you for helping with the photos last time.”

Jiang Yan was studying a set of kitchenware, wondering if it could be used to make scallion pancakes at home.

She turned around, momentarily surprised, then smiled. “Mutual help, right? If you had gotten frostbite, I would have been in trouble too.”

Xia Yining’s lips curved slightly, pleased that Jiang Yan didn’t take the opportunity to get overly close.

After leaving the wedding house, Xia Yining said she needed to return to the company. Jiang Yan drove her there before heading to the old shop.

Qian, and his daughter were there too. Before Jiang Yan even stepped inside, she overheard their conversation.

“Dad, you’re not being scammed, are you? This wedding banquet is a major event among Haicheng’s elite. How did it fall to you?”

Qian spoke in his usual calm and composed tone, with an added touch of affection for his daughter. “They didn’t ask for an entrance fee or any benefits. They just want me to make some crab shell pastries. What could they scam me for? You said it yourself, they’re from a prominent family. Would they care about my labor costs?”

His daughter remained cautious but found his reasoning somewhat convincing.

“Did the person mention their connection to the Xia or Jiang families? You should be careful in case it’s a scam for nothing.”

Qian paused. He only knew Jiang Yan’s surname was Jiang and that people called her Xiao Jiang. He hadn’t asked about her specific ties to the two families.

“Look at you, not even clarifying something like this. What if it’s a scam? Dad, times have changed. There are so many bad people now, you can’t just trust someone because they sound convincing.”

Qian’s tone grew somber, and he sighed softly. “Things aren’t like they were back in our day. We didn’t have much money then, but people didn’t need to be so guarded with each other.”

Jiang Yan listened outside for a bit before walking in with some neighbors who had come to eat.

“Boss Qian, I’m back!”

She greeted him with a smile and sat at the table closest to his daughter.

The daughter, who had been lecturing her father, froze when she saw Jiang Yan. It took her a moment to process, her mouth agape.

“You… you’re…?”

Photos of Jiang Yan and Xia Yining had already been sent to major media outlets. Mr. Qian doesn’t go online often, and even when he did, he didn’t pay attention to such news. Plus, the photos showed them with makeup, so he hadn’t recognized Jiang Yan. But his daughter, a streamer, was quick to pick up on these things and immediately knew who Jiang Yan was.