After Being Forced Into Marriage, I Became Very Successful - Chapter 23

23:

Jiang Yan sat on the new sofa to test it, finding it quite comfortable. From her position, she could only see the foot of Xia Yining’s bed, and if the lights were off, probably just a corner.

Not bad, it avoided the awkwardness of staring at each other if she couldn’t sleep. Thinking it over, she got up and moved to Xia Yining’s bed, intending to shift the footstool to block the view from the sofa entirely.

Just as she finished, she heard the door open, followed by Xia Yining’s voice from behind.

“What are you doing?”

Her tone was cold, much like last night.

Jiang Yan turned, pointing to her handiwork. “I moved this a bit.”

Xia Yining had been at the company that afternoon, checking details for a project nearing launch. The wedding preparations had kept her from following up for days, and she had gone in person to ensure everything was on track. Hearing from her mother that Jiang Yan was back, she wasn’t surprised to find her in the room, just not standing by her bed.

It was still early for bedtime, and even if it were time, Jiang Yan shouldn’t be in that area.

Xia Yining pinched her palm to steady herself. She was exhausted from the company and didn’t want a conflict.

“I had the sofa swapped. You’ll sleep there for now.”

Jiang Yan walked from the bed towards her, showing no trace of being caught off guard. Xia Yining studied her, finding no hint of guilt.

Passing by, Jiang Yan went to the sofa. “I tried it earlier. It’s the right size and it’s comfortable.” She seemed fine with the arrangement but asked, “How did Mom find out?”

“I’d like to know that too.” Last night, Xia Yining hadn’t let anyone else upstairs, it was just the two of them.

Seeing Jiang Yan deep in thought, Xia Yining suppressed her irritation and cautioned, “We should be more careful for now. Besides Mom and Dad, others in the house might be watching us.”

“Watching” was putting it mildly. Jiang Yan could imagine the prying eyes behind her back.

“Alright, I’ll cooperate as best as I can.”

Jiang Yan’s attitude had been good since last night, leaving Xia Yining little to say. But letting her stay in her room kept her guard up, especially after seeing her linger by the bed, even if just moving the footstool.

That night, Xia Yining lay in bed, unable to sleep for a long time. She wasn’t used to someone else in the room, so she hesitated to fall asleep first, and only drifted off after hearing Jiang Yan’s steady breathing.

The next morning, she forced herself to say to Jiang Yan, “I’ll arrange for us to move out soon.”

Sharing a room for three months would be unbearable, dark circles would ruin her. They needed to move to a separate place sooner.

—

The Xia family was true to their word and generous. The investment deal promised during the marriage talks arrived the day after the banquet. Compared to the pre-wedding funds, this was true salvation.

In his office, Jiang Chaohan reviewed the signed contract, highly satisfied.

Jiang Daming’s marketing department met its annual targets early thanks to these deals, but he wasn’t content.

“Dad, the Xia’s are so supportive. Why not push for a few more projects?”

Jiang Chaohan set the contract down, less optimistic. “The Xia’s might not agree. These were pre-arranged, so they delivered promptly. Asking for more now, they may not entertain it.”

“I’ve told Xiao Yan to work on Xia Yining. Get her to ask her dad. Even if they don’t agree now, they might later.”

“Daming, Xia Langyan dotes on his daughter, but don’t pin all our hopes on Xiao Yan. It’s uncertain if she can establish herself in the Xia family. Moving too fast might reveal our hand too soon.”

Jiang Daming knew not to rush, but with looming debts, they couldn’t afford to wait calmly.

“The bank loan can be deferred, but we must settle supplier payments by year-end. Plus, two bonds due early next year aren’t small sums.”

The numbers meant that without new Xia investments within three months, the Jiangs’ crisis would still erupt.

Jiang Chaohan’s head ached. The hole was massive, and he was anxious too.

“Keep an eye on Xiao Yan. There are some things I can’t handle directly.”

Jiang Yan had heard about the Jiangs’ crisis but didn’t dwell on it. She knew from the original story that the Jiangs’ were doomed to bankruptcy, and messily so.

She couldn’t single-handedly save them, nor did she want to clean up their mess. Their overambition had broken their cash flow. Using her as a tool to gain Xia support had bought them breathing room, but no amount of transfusions could revive a bottomless pit.

If she could see that, the Xia’s surely could too.

The Xias’ help wouldn’t be endless. Already “given” by the Xia’s, if she shamelessly asked for more, she’d likely be kicked out eventually.

Do what your ability allows, Jiang Yan wouldn’t stop the Xia’s from helping as agreed, but she refused to beg for more.

She chose to ignore it, focusing on what she loved, finding joy in hardship. The old shop and her small apartment became her sanctuary. She learned from Boss Qian when free and practiced with ingredients at her apartment.

The shop’s business boomed, even during slow hours, far better than before. Boss Qian hired two more servers, bustling about, making the place feel lively.

“Knead the dough again, like I showed you.”

Before learning, Jiang Yan hadn’t realized how much went into a simple dough—water, force, fermentation time, and kneading strength weren’t haphazard.

“Remember what I stressed: when to add what. Miss a step or get the order wrong, and the flavor changes.”

Boss Qian’s tone was calm, but his standards were strict. Initially, Jiang Yan was rusty, and he didn’t expect mastery in one go.

She followed his instructions carefully from kneading, but still made occasional mistakes.

Yet her patience and resilience shone. Spotting an error or omission, she’d restart or fix it before Boss Qian could say anything.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. Everyone’s like this at the start,” he reassured her later.

But Jiang Yan smiled, unfazed. “It’s fun, and I’m improving each time. I enjoy the process.”

Boss Qian saw her vibrant enthusiasm, more relaxed than his own when he’d apprenticed, and felt a mix of nostalgia and envy.

“Good. Keep going. Call me if you’re unsure.”

He went to greet Tian Sheng, who had been visiting almost daily, sometimes chatting for hours.

Tian Sheng came to check the shop’s changes and nudged Boss Qian to make a comeback.

“Xiao Jiang’s really learning, huh?”

“Yeah, and she’s serious about it.”

Tian Sheng waved through the glass at Jiang Yan, who nodded back, and he turned away.

“What do you think of her?”

Boss Qian was teaching her partly to thank her for the opportunity, but Tian Sheng knew it wasn’t just that.

“She’s got some talent, but we’ll see.”

Tian Sheng refilled their tea, saying meaningfully, “She’s a rich heiress. Even with talent, she might not join the trade. Our kids grew up watching us and still won’t take over, let alone someone like her.”

Boss Qian smiled wistfully. “I’ve made peace with that. When Xiao Lai and her brother refused to take over, I was upset, but not anymore. Young people have their own paths. Forcing them is pointless.”

“Then you…”

“I can tell Xiao Jiang loves cooking. She gave me a chance, so why not give her one? What happens next depends on fate.”

Tian Sheng understood Boss Qian’s reasoning and brought up the Li family acquisition.

“Since word spread about you cooking for the Xia wedding, nearby shops are holding off.”

“What do you mean?”

“Several shops that were ready to sign are now stalling, like me.”

This surprised Boss Qian, who’d been focused on his shop and hadn’t paid attention to others.

“You’re the toughest nut, but also the first to see a turnaround. Selling out is the last resort, who wants to let go of years of hard work?”

Usually, Boss Qian would just nod, but today he asked, “What kind of hope are you all looking for from me?”

“We’ve hoped and been disappointed too long, unsure if it will work. But as long as there’s a chance, we want to hold on a bit longer.” Tian Sheng sighed deeply, his past ambitions battered by market changes, leaving only stubborn persistence.

“We want to see if plain, authentic food, without packaging or marketing—still has people who remember and support it.”

Boss Qian patted his shoulder, saying little. Over the past decade, they’d exchanged too many words of encouragement.

When Li Zifeng learned the acquisition delays were due to Boss Qian, whose shop gained attention from the grand wedding, he was furious and called Jiang Yan repeatedly.

She was practicing scallion pancakes in her apartment, as Boss Qian had advised starting with the simpler dish before crab shell pastries. Satisfied with the fragrant result, she noticed the missed calls.

“What’s so urgent?” she asked, swallowing the last bite and brewing a cup of Kuilong tea.

Li Zifeng’s tone was accusatory, full of anger. “What’s your deal, Jiang Yan? I offered you a golden investment opportunity, and you stab me in the back? You are too despicable!”

Jiang Yan frowned, growing more annoyed with him. Xia Yining was right, keeping such people around only polluted her circle. Best to distance herself quickly.

“Explain yourself clearly. How am I despicable?”