After Being Forced Into Marriage, I Became Very Successful - Chapter 3

3:

Jiang Yan returned home, planning to catch up on sleep. The morning’s whirlwind of events had left her exhausted. When a servant asked if she wanted something to eat, she waved them off, saying she had no appetite.

The Jiang family’s business empire was substantial, but recent enthusiastic expansion had plunged it into crisis. Most of her peers in the family held positions in various company departments. According to the original plan, Jiang Yan was supposed to join the family business, Jiang Corporation, after completing her master’s degree abroad.

But whether due to the company’s struggles or the priority of securing her marriage alliance, no one in the family mentioned her joining the company anymore, a topic they tactfully avoided.

She had a brother, five years her senior, who was now the marketing manager at the company. He was generally kind to her, but only in terms of personal life. Jiang Yan had never been shortchanged financially, and she had been quite generous during the years she courted Xia Yining.

Her friends often remarked that if the Xia family weren’t even wealthier, a few could resist Jiang Yan’s “money offensive” trait. But the person she set her sights on was Xia Yining, a woman wealthier and more beautiful than most.

Her circle watched with amusement as Jiang Yan pulled out all the stops to win a smile from Xia Yining, while behind her back, they mocked her for dreaming of “catching a swan” without weighing her own worth.

Same-s3x marriage had only recently been legalized, and while it was recognized by law, it hadn’t yet become mainstream in people’s minds. Xia Yining’s sudden decision to marry was shocking enough, but choosing to marry a woman, and one five years younger—left everyone dumbfounded.

It was unbelievable, impossible to explain rationally. The only conclusion was that Jiang Yan had stumbled into absurdly good luck. Why her? Beneath the surface of their seemingly harmonious, privilege-sharing second-generation elite circle, jealousy simmered. Many forced their smiles and congratulated Jiang Yan’s face while inwardly seething.

Jiang Yan brushed off these congratulations with perfunctory responses, not taking them to heart. But her family’s attitude left her uncertain. If the Jiang’s were truly banking on this marriage to leverage Xia family resources and escape their financial troubles, choosing a man would have been a far more strategic move.

As she slowly climbed the stairs, she passed her brother’s study and noticed the door slightly ajar, a thin sliver of light spilling out.

She instinctively wanted to reach out and close the door, but she was attracted by the voice from inside, because she heard her own name. She stood outside the door and listened for a few words. It turned out that her brother was talking on the phone. Judging from the tone, it should be a close acquaintance.

“Yeah, the wedding date is set for late September. Are you coming back for it?”

Late September’s wedding could only be hers and Xia Yining’s.

Jiang Yan frowned, recalling the morning meeting in the study with her grandfather and father. She suspected this marriage was about more than just trading vows for resources.

“Luckily, Xia Yining agreed to choose Jiang Yan. Otherwise, it would have been a headache. None of the eligible men in the family would’ve wanted it.”

Whatever the other person asked, her brother chuckled dully before explaining, “Marrying in means giving up any claim to inheritance rights. Even your position in the company can’t be too high. It’s basically sacrificing your future in the Jiang family to serve the Xia’s. Sure, the wife’s gorgeous, but the cost is steep, you’d have to think twice.”

Jiang Yan’s expression darkened. The calculating nature of elite marriages was no surprise, and Xia Yining’s proposal for a contractual marriage had been devoid of any affection. But she hadn’t expected her own family to treat her as a pawn for securing resources.

The conversation continued, each word more infuriating: “She’s a woman anyway, so she was never in line for inheritance. She made a fool of herself chasing Xia Yining for years, embarrassing the family. This marriage is a chance to save some face. It’s a win-win, nobody loses.”

Jiang Yan gently pushed the door open a bit more, catching sight of her brother’s back as he stood by the window. She didn’t need to see his face; his silhouette and the rising tone of his voice were chilling enough.

She quietly returned to her room, sitting on the bed, her desire to sleep was gone. She had never cared about fighting for inheritance, but her family’s scheming and wariness stung. From what her brother said, once she married into the Xia family, there’d be no place for her in the Jiang’s.

Joining Jiang Corporation was likely off the table too. At best, she’d get a nominal role and periodic dividends from the family fund.

And in the Xia family? There’d be no place for her either. This was a contractual marriage, set to dissolve after three years. Where would she go then? Unlike the original owner, whose world revolved around Xia Yining, Jiang Yan had to start planning for her own future.

The cold truth chased away her drowsiness. She reviewed her current assets and realized the original owner had blown nearly all her personal savings on pursuing Xia Yining.

The spending wasn’t even enough to cover it—otherwise, the Jiang’s wouldn’t have found it so humiliating. Looking at the total of her expenses over the years, Jiang Yan felt a pang of regret. Wouldn’t that money have been better spent buying a few small apartments to rent out and appreciate? Or investing in stocks, mixing long-term and short-term trades for bigger profits? Or even pursuing something she enjoyed for fulfillment and joy?

She couldn’t fathom the thrill the original owner got from throwing all her money to Xia Yining. If you’re going to win someone over with wealth, at least pick someone poorer.

Jiang Yan resolved to tighten her purse strings. She had less than five million yuan left in her account. With only about 300,000 yuan in monthly allowance, she needed to be frugal, especially since wedding-related expenses were bound to pile up.

—

As Xia Yining had mentioned, the closer the wedding date got, the more interactions there were between the two families. Beyond choosing dresses and trying on wedding gowns, there were tasks like sampling banquet dishes and visiting the wedding venue. Jiang Yan was also formally introduced as Xia Yining’s fiancée to the public.

The Xia family’s charity gala was her first appearance in this role. When Xia Yining walked into the banquet hall arm-in-arm with her, they drew countless gazes. Both maintained the calm, elegant “elite heiress smile” ingrained in them since childhood.

Those gazes carried complex emotions. Jiang Yan knew that while the Jiang’s were eager to push her into this marriage, full of anticipation, the Xia’s hadn’t fully accepted her.

Xia Yining was the apple of the Xia family’s eye, but she didn’t hold a leading role in the company. Though she worked at Xia Corporation, she wasn’t part of the core management.

Jiang Yan stood by her side, fielding a stream of congratulations. Most were directed at Xia Yining, with Jiang Yan receiving only perfunctory remarks in passing. If she weren’t thick-skinned, the blatant disregard would’ve infuriated her.

But people were pragmatic. The original owner was a simp, and their marriage was one of “marrying in,” which inherently placed Jiang Yan in a lower position. At the Xia family’s event, not being openly mocked was already a courtesy thanks to Xia Yining.

Suddenly, someone suggested, “Ningning, why don’t you dance? Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you shine tonight.”

Jiang Yan noticed a questioning glance from someone who hadn’t paid her much attention all evening. It seemed Xia Yining instinctively saw her as a dance partner.

She shook her head awkwardly, and Xia Yining understood without pressing further.

Jiang Yan was still thinking of how to explain when Xia Yining responded, “I won’t steal Sister Xie’s spotlight tonight.”

She was referring to Xie Zhiyun, the guest of honor and a celebrated actress who’d won her third Best Actress award at a major international film festival last month.

The crowd chuckled lightly, praising her humility, but since she was firm, no one pushed further. As the commotion died down, Jiang Yan said softly, “Thank you.”

Without Xia Yining’s quick save, Jiang Yan would’ve been the one facing curious and skeptical stares.

Xia Yining, focused on the dancers gliding across the floor, didn’t acknowledge the thanks.

“You should practice more. I can’t always miss out because of you,” she said.

Fortunately, she didn’t say anything more humiliating, and Jiang Yan didn’t take it to heart. But inwardly, she wondered what the original owner saw in her to be obsessed for four years.

Was it just her looks? Her stunning figure?

Superficial. So superficial.

Jiang Yan admitted Xia Yining’s appearance was flawless, but her personality left nothing much to be desired. Being around her didn’t exactly feel like a breath of fresh air. When it came to a suitable spouse, comfort in companionship trumped visual appeal every time.

The gala’s grand finale was a jewelry auction, with all proceeds going to charitable organizations. Most pieces were private donations, with some classic designs from Xia Corporation’s jewelry line.

Though no one said it outright, everyone was waiting to see how extravagantly Jiang Yan would bid to present Xia Yining with a lavish gift.

Round after round, the available pieces dwindled, and people grew curious, surprised by Jiang Yan’s restraint.

The final two items, both rare treasures, had starting bids above three million. Some began betting privately on which one Jiang Yan would choose. To everyone’s shock, when the auction ended, Jiang Yan hadn’t raised her paddle once, remaining a mere spectator.