He wants to adopt a younger sister, but his aloof wife disagrees.

The atmosphere at the dining table was strangely harmonious.

A crystal chandelier cast a soft glow, reflecting off the wine glasses. The air was filled with the rich aroma of black truffles and seared steak.

Shen Qingge cut a small piece of Wellington steak and put it in her mouth.

The crispy crust, the savory mushroom sauce, and the tender, juicy Wagyu beef exploded in her mouth. She had only intended to take a couple of bites, but the honest reaction from her taste buds made her involuntarily raise an eyebrow.

This tastes... even better than the Michelin-starred restaurants she frequents?

She glanced at Jiang Che subconsciously.

Although Jiang Che had cooked throughout the year, this was the first time she had tasted cuisine of this caliber. So this man had been hiding such culinary skills?

"So delicious! It's so delicious!"

A muffled sound of praise came from the other side.

Although Su Xiaoruan was wearing a high-end custom dress worth tens of thousands of yuan, her inner passion for food was undeniable. Her cheeks were bulging, like a little hamster eating, and her eyes were sparkling.

Even so, she always kept Jiang Che's teachings in mind, and did not smack her lips or spill any soup.

Even when she saw Shen Qingge stop using her knife and fork, Su Xiaoruan stood up with great awareness, picked up a serving spoon, and ladled a bowl of black truffle soup for Shen Qingge.

"Sister, have some soup."

Su Xiaoruan placed the soup bowl in front of Shen Qingge with both hands, revealing a standard sweet smile that she had practiced for a long time:

"I saw my sister rubbing her temples just now. Is she having a headache? My brother said this soup is very warming for the stomach. My sister works so hard, she needs to eat more to nourish herself."

These words were spoken flawlessly.

This not only demonstrated her obedience but also subtly praised Jiang Che.

Shen Qingge looked at the steaming bowl of soup in front of her, and then at Su Xiaoruan's face, which seemed to say, "I'm very good, praise me!"

You can't hit someone who's smiling.

Shen Qingge's defenses crumbled slightly. She picked up the soup and took a sip; the warm liquid slid down her esophagus into her stomach, indeed relieving the fatigue of the day.

"Thanks."

Shen Qingge uttered two words indifferently, which was taken as an acceptance of this gesture of goodwill.

Su Xiaoruan breathed a sigh of relief and secretly gave Jiang Che a "V" sign.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Shen Qingge put down her wine glass and elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin. She glanced at the clock on the wall, feeling that the groundwork had been laid and it was time to get to the point.

She took out the neatly folded document—the "Temporary Family Residence Agreement"—from the Hermès bag that was placed next to her.

"Jiang Che, Su Xiaoruan."

Shen Qingge resumed her businesslike CEO tone, lightly tapping her fingers on the table:

"Now that we've finished eating, let's talk business."

Su Xiaoruan was about to pick up the last piece of lobster when she heard this. She was so startled that she withdrew her chopsticks and immediately sat up straight, looking nervously at Shen Qingge.

Here it comes! The Empress's trial has begun!

Shen Qingge unfolded the agreement, her gaze sharp:

"Since Jiang Che insists on letting you stay to recover, I can compromise. But some rules must be established beforehand. This is a temporary residence agreement, which stipulates the duration, division of responsibilities, and..."

"No need to discuss an agreement."

A calm voice interrupted Shen Qingge.

Jiang Che put down his wine glass without even glancing at the agreement. He leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped on his knees, exuding an aura of composure.

"Qingge, put that thing away. It's for dealing with business rivals, not for dealing with family."

"family?"

Shen Qingge frowned, her voice instantly rising an octave: "Jiang Che, are you crazy? She's only been here a day, and she's already acting like family?"

"Whether it's temporary residency or whatever, I'm in charge of this!"

"It's not up to you."

Jiang Che's tone remained calm, yet he refused to budge an inch:

"Just now, I decided to officially sponsor her until she reaches adulthood, or until she is able to live independently."

"Sponsorship?!" Shen Qingge laughed angrily. "Jiang Che, what are you going to use to sponsor me? My money?"

"Take my own money."

Jiang Che looked directly into Shen Qingge's eyes. "You've seen it too. I have the ability to write novels that make money (with the system as cover), I have the ability to buy her clothes, and I have the ability to support her. I don't need to use a single penny of your Shen family's money."

"As for why we're providing funding..."

Jiang Che turned his head, glanced at Su Xiaoruan who was trembling nervously beside him, reached out and patted her head reassuringly.

"System, retrieve Su Xiaoruan's background information," Jiang Che silently instructed in his mind.

[Ding! Data has been transferred.]

Jiang Che took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth, his voice deep and magnetic:

"Su Xiaoruan's father ran away when she was six due to gambling debts, and her mother died when she was ten. She was abandoned by her distant uncle, but he was an alcoholic who would beat her at the drop of a hat."

"When she was thirteen, in order to avoid being sold by her uncle to an old bachelor to pay off his debts, she ran away alone and became a homeless person on the streets."

"Over the years, she has slept under bridges and scavenged for garbage. In order to avoid being bullied, she could only paint herself to look like a ghost and pretend to be tough with that group of thugs."

As Jiang Che spoke, he felt Su Xiaoruan's body trembling violently beneath his palm.

Su Xiaoruan lowered her head, large tears falling onto the tablecloth. She never dared to tell anyone about these things; she thought that as long as she acted fierce enough, no one would know how miserable she was.

Jiang Che raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Shen Qingge:

"Qingge, I am an orphan too."

"If no one had lent me a hand back then, I might be in the same situation as her now, or even dead."

"Now that I have the power, I see a part of my former self lying in the rain. You want me to kick her out? Sorry, I can't do that."

These words struck Shen Qingge's heart like a heavy hammer.

A deathly silence fell over the living room.

Only Su Xiaoruan's suppressed sobs could be heard.

Shen Qingge looked into Jiang Che's deep and determined eyes, then glanced at Su Xiaoruan, who was crying her eyes out beside her.

Although she was proud and aloof, she was not heartless.

More importantly, Jiang Che mentioned, "I am also an orphan." This is Jiang Che's biggest scar, and also the reason why Shen Qingge has always felt guilty towards him—because it was precisely because Old Master Shen valued Jiang Che's "cleanliness" and "honesty" that he took him in as a son-in-law.

Shen Qingge's fingers, which were gripping the agreement, gradually loosened.

She knew that the agreement would not be signed.

If she forcibly kicks people out, she will not only drive away Su Xiaoruan, but also Jiang Che's last sense of belonging to this family.

"call……"

Shen Qingge let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She rubbed her temples, her voice tinged with helplessness and resignation:

"Alright, stop playing the victim."

She picked up the agreement, tore it in half in front of the two of them, and threw it into the trash can.

Su Xiaoruan suddenly raised her head, her large, tear-filled eyes filled with shock and hope.

"You can stay."

Shen Qingge resumed her queenly demeanor, crossed her arms, and coldly swept her gaze over Su Xiaoruan:

"Since Jiang Che wants to be this pushover, I won't stop him. But he's just the guardian; I'm still the mistress of this house."

"Therefore, we need to agree on three rules."

Jiang Che's lips curled slightly: "Go ahead."

Shen Qingge held up one finger:

"First, you're not allowed to bring any shady characters back. No matter what kind of friends you've had before, cut them all off completely. If I find out even once, you're fired immediately."

"It's all gone! All gone!" Su Xiaoruan raised her hand to swear, "My brother threw away all my phone cards today!"

Shen Qingge glanced at Jiang Che, somewhat surprised by his decisiveness, then extended her second finger:

"Secondly, this family doesn't support idlers. Since you're not yet an adult, you must go to school. I'll arrange for you to repeat a year of high school, and if you don't get into university, you can work as a cleaner for me at the company to pay the rent."

"Ah? Going to school..." Su Xiaoruan said with a bitter face; it was her nightmare.

"What? You don't want to?" Shen Qingge raised an eyebrow.

"I do! I do!" Under Jiang Che's piercing gaze, Su Xiaoruan could only nod with tears in her eyes.

"third."

Shen Qingge paused, her gaze shifting between Jiang Che and Su Xiaoruan before finally settling on Su Xiaoruan, her tone becoming exceptionally stern:

"And that's the most important point."

"No matter how much Jiang Che spoils you, you must remember your place. You are my sister, and I am his wife."

"In this house, my word is law. Do you understand?"

This is the bottom line. It is also her last vestige of dignity as the official wife.

Su Xiaoruan was stunned by this aura, and subconsciously stood up and bowed again:

"I understand! Don't worry, sister, I'll definitely be good! I won't cause you any trouble!"

Although what I was thinking was: "Hmph, I'll listen to you on the surface, but I'll listen to my brother behind your back," I still had to say sweet words.

Looking at her obedient (even if it was just an act) appearance, Shen Qingge's anger finally subsided.

"Let's eat."

Shen Qingge picked up her knife and fork again, and the smell of gunpowder that had been lingering on the table finally dissipated.

【Ding! 】

[Task Completed: Establishment of Family Status.]

[Congratulations, host, on successfully getting Shen Qingge to accept Su Xiaoruan.]

[Reward: Family Harmony Aura (Basic). When worn, the probability of bloodshed among family members is reduced by 50%, and the speed of reconciliation after an argument is increased by 30%.]

[Achievement: "Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me."]

As Jiang Che listened to the notification in his mind and looked at the two women with very different personalities who had to sit at the same table to eat, he felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

This is life.

……

After dinner.

Su Xiaoruan very tactfully volunteered to wash the dishes (even though there was a dishwasher, she had to maintain the proper attitude), giving the couple some alone time.

Jiang Che went out onto the balcony and lit a cigarette.

The night breeze was slightly cool, but the lights on the Bund were still dazzling.

The sound of a sliding door came from behind me.

Jiang Che knew who it was without even turning around.

Shen Qingge walked to his side, not minding his smoking, but standing shoulder to shoulder with him, looking at the river view in the distance.

The two remained silent for a long time.

Jiang Che.

Shen Qingge spoke first, her voice much gentler than it had been at the dinner table:

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

Jiang Che turned his head to look at her.

Shen Qingge looked at the neon lights in the distance, her eyes flickering slightly: "It was our wedding anniversary. I was so busy I completely forgot. By the time I realized it, we were already in a meeting."

"And... I didn't realize that the fact that you're an orphan would have such a big impact on you."

This was the first time in a year that she had formally apologized to Jiang Che.

In the past, she always felt that Jiang Che was dependent on her and it was only right that he suffered some grievances. But Jiang Che's outburst today made her realize that this man was also a flesh-and-blood man with dignity.

Jiang Che looked at her delicate yet slightly tired profile and stubbed out his cigarette.

"It's over."

Jiang Che smiled faintly and reached out to tuck a strand of her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind, behind her ear.

This intimate gesture made Shen Qingge stiffen slightly, then a blush rose on her cheeks, and she didn't dodge.

"Just don't treat me like a decoration in this house in the future."

Jiang Che's voice was soft, yet it carried a powerful force.

Shen Qingge turned her head and looked into Jiang Che's eyes. In those deep eyes, she saw a light she had never seen before—confidence, ambition, and a kind of charm that made her heart race.

"No more."

Shen Qingge said softly.

Just when the atmosphere was just right.

"Bang!"

A sudden, sharp cracking sound of a plate shattering came from the kitchen, followed by Su Xiaoruan's exclamation:

"Oh dear! May everything be peaceful and safe! May everything be peaceful and safe!"

Shen Qingge's lips twitched, and the budding romantic atmosphere instantly shattered.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "Jiang Che, are you sure this girl isn't sent by heaven to torment me?"

Jiang Che suppressed a laugh and patted her shoulder:

"Just bear with it. After all... you promised to stay."

Shen Qingge glared at him, turned and went into the house, calling out, "Su Xiaoruan! Those are Hermes plates! Five thousand yuan each!"

Jiang Che stood on the balcony, watching the chaotic scene inside the house, and his smile gradually widened.

The mansion was finally no longer cold and impersonal.