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

The air in the penthouse of Tomson Riviera was thick with an extremely subtle yet tense atmosphere. This tension didn't stem from any external enemy, but rather from the two women sitting on the living room sofa and the man chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

When Shen Qingge changed into her loungewear and came out of the bedroom, she was unaware of the brief exchange about the "fake ring" that had just taken place. She was currently immersed in the joy of reuniting with her best friend, her smile even brighter than when facing multi-billion dollar contracts.

"Ranran, how long do you plan to stay this time? Are you leaving again?" Shen Qingge sat down next to Chu Ran, holding her hand affectionately, without even glancing at her husband who was busy in the kitchen.

Chu Ran subtly pulled the hand wearing the "problem ring" behind her back, a flawless, refined smile on her face. Her gaze, however, drifted almost imperceptibly towards the kitchen, her tone tinged with a hint of probing: "I'm not leaving. The headquarters of LVMH Group's Greater China region is in Jianghai. From now on, I'll be your neighbor. What, aren't you welcoming this 'third wheel'?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I'm overjoyed you're back." Shen Qingge completely missed the implication in her words. She turned to Su Xiaoruan, who had just come out of the room to get water, and beckoned, "Xiaoruan, come here. This is your sister Chu Ran, who is also my best friend when I was studying in France. She's a top international designer."

Holding her water glass, Su Xiaoruan, wearing her pink bear pajamas, blinked her big eyes at the beautiful woman in front of her who had a powerful, even somewhat aggressive, aura.

Although she was young, after two months in the entertainment industry, she had become exceptionally perceptive of people's emotions. She instinctively sensed that this "Sister Chu Ran" was prickly, and that prickliness was directed at the people she cared about.

"Hello, Sister Chu Ran." Su Xiaoruan greeted her obediently, but her body betrayed her by taking a few steps toward the kitchen, like a little animal seeking refuge.

Chu Ran's critical gaze swept over Su Xiaoruan, a professional, slightly scrutinizing smile curving her lips: "Is this the 'national fairy' who's all the rage online right now? In person... she does look quite youthful. Qingge, your sister's style is still too student-like. I'll take her to my studio another day and give her a makeover. This pink pajama is too cheap."

Su Xiaoruan looked down at her beloved bear pajamas, which Jiang Che had bought for her, and immediately felt unhappy. She muttered under her breath, "I think they're pretty, my brother chose them."

"Your brother chose this?" Chu Ran chuckled softly, her voice just loud enough for Jiang Che in the kitchen to hear. "Most men's aesthetic sense is limited to pleasing themselves. This childish style is probably just a choice made by some men to satisfy their perverse 'nurturing' tastes."

In the kitchen, Jiang Che paused slightly as he brushed egg wash onto the Wellington steak.

This woman is really like a hedgehog, pricking anyone she can get her hands on. Wasn't being exposed for having a fake ring enough? Now she's starting to criticize his taste?

Jiang Che put down the brush, wiped his hands, and walked out with a composed gait, carrying the freshly made appetizer—black truffle scallop tart.

"Miss Chu certainly has a unique perspective on fashion."

Jiang Che placed the exquisite plates on the coffee table, a smile on his face, his tone impeccably gentle. But his next words were full of wisdom: "However, the essence of fashion is comfort and self-expression. What Xiaoruan wears at home is her own business. This set of pajamas is made of 100% Egyptian long-staple cotton, with top-notch breathability and skin-friendliness. As for whether it's cheap or not... I think, just like the ring on Miss Chu's hand, some things that look glamorous may not be truly good; some things that look simple and unpretentious may be made of high-quality materials."

"Pfft—" Su Xiaoruan, who was drinking water, almost spat it out and quickly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Although she didn't know the ring joke, she could tell that her brother-in-law was teasing this woman.

Chu Ran's face instantly froze, and she quickly hid her hand in her sleeve as if she had been burned. She stared intently at Jiang Che, her eyes blazing with fury. This gigolo dared to humiliate her with the ring time and time again!

Shen Qingge looked at the two of them with some confusion: "What ring? What riddle are you talking about?"

"It's nothing, Mr. Shen." Jiang Che gently ruffled Shen Qingge's hair. "I was just saying that Miss Chu's ring is very unique and matches her temperament perfectly. Okay, wash your hands and let's eat. I made your favorite dish tonight."

To Chu Ran, the phrase "it matches her temperament perfectly" was the biggest irony—a fake ring with a fake socialite, a perfect match.

Chu Ran took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. She told herself she couldn't lose her composure at this moment, or she would appear petty. She had come to expose Jiang Che's true colors, not to argue.

"Alright, since Mr. Jiang is so confident, then I'd like to see just how 'hard' this so-called 'living off a woman' really is." Chu Ran stood up, elegantly adjusted her skirt, and walked towards the restaurant first.

Inside the restaurant, the long marble dining table was already set with tableware.

Jiang Che did not cook traditional Chinese food, but specially prepared an authentic French meal to take care of this "distinguished guest" who had just returned from Paris.

"Oh, French cuisine?"

Chu Ran looked at the plating on the table, her eyebrows raised high, her tone full of expert arrogance: "Mr. Jiang, you may be good at Chinese food, but French cuisine isn't just about frying a steak and calling it French. I lived in Paris for five years and ate my fill of Michelin three-star restaurants. If you don't make it authentic, don't blame me for being picky."

As she spoke, she took a bottle of red wine from the gift bag she had brought and placed it heavily on the table.

"I brought a bottle of fine wine specifically for this meal. It's an 82 Lafite that I personally carried back from a Bordeaux winery. It would be a waste not to pair this kind of wine with top-notch ingredients and cooking."

Chu Ran raised her chin triumphantly, looking at Jiang Che with a defiant gaze. In this family, when it came to money, taste, and knowledge, she was confident she could crush this "stay-at-home husband" to dust.

Shen Qingge's eyes lit up when she saw the bottle of wine: "82 Lafite? Ranran, you really went all out. Jiang Che, go get the decanter."

"Okay." Jiang Che glanced at the bottle of wine, his expression somewhat strange, but he didn't say anything and turned to get the decanter.

Seeing this, Chu Ran became even more smug and began to launch into a long explanation: "Qingge, you don't know, there's an art to drinking red wine. Especially with this kind of aged wine, the decanting time must be precise to the minute. Tell Jiang Che to be careful when pouring it later, so he doesn't pour in any sediment. I don't know if he can handle this kind of rough work."

Jiang Che returned with the decanter and skillfully opened the bottle. His movements were fluid and effortless; the angle and force with which the corkscrew entered the cork were perfect, and not a single piece of cork fell out.

"Bang."

Pull out the cork.

Jiang Che didn't pour the wine directly into the decanter. Instead, he picked up the cork, smelled it, and frowned almost imperceptibly.

"What? What are you pretending to smell?" Chu Ran scoffed. "Do you even know anything about wine tasting?"

Jiang Che removed the cork, looked at Chu Ran, and said calmly, "Miss Chu, I suggest we don't let this bottle of wine be undone."

"Why?" Chu Ran was taken aback, then flew into a rage. "Are you afraid of wasting time? Or do you simply not understand? This is a 82 Lafite! How can you drink it if you don't understand it?!"

"Because I can't drink it even if I wake up."

Jiang Che pointed to the cork and said calmly, "This bottle of wine was not stored properly. The cork has dried out and cracked, and air has long since gotten in. Moreover, it smells severely oxidized, and even has a vinegary smell. To put it simply, it's spoiled."

"It's broken?!" Chu Ran's eyes widened, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "You're talking nonsense! I put it in the wine cabinet... Although it might have been a bit bumpy during transport, how could it be broken?! You're clearly just jealous that I brought good wine and want to cause trouble on purpose!"

"Whether it's nitpicking or not, just pour some out and taste it, and you'll know."

Jiang Che stopped talking nonsense, poured a little bit into the bottom of the glass, gently swirled it, and then handed it to Shen Qingge: "Wife, you can try it."

Shen Qingge took the cup with a puzzled look and took a small sip.

The next second, her usually elegant features scrunched up in a grimace, and she almost vomited.

"It's so sour...it really tastes like vinegar." Shen Qingge put down her cup and looked at Chu Ran somewhat awkwardly. "Ranran...this wine seems to have really gone bad."

Chu Ran was completely dumbfounded. She stubbornly grabbed the cup and took a sip, the intense sour taste shooting straight to the top of her head, almost making her spit it out on the spot.

It's really broken!

She spent a fortune on that fancy wine, and it's gone bad?!

"This...how is this possible..." Chu Ran's face flushed red, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground. Did she forget to check the almanac before going out today? First, her ring was exposed, and now even the wine she brought has gone wrong!

Seeing her embarrassed state, Jiang Che did not kick her while she was down. Instead, he turned around and walked to the wine cabinet.

"Since Miss Chu can't drink your wine, then try mine."

Jiang Che took out a bottle of red wine without any label from the most inconspicuous corner of the wine cabinet. The bottle was covered in dust and looked unremarkable.

"Tch, what a piece of junk, it doesn't even have a label." Chu Ran tried to regain some ground. "Could it be some cheap, cheap liquor you find in supermarkets?"

Jiang Che didn't explain; he simply opened the bottle skillfully and let the wine breathe.

As the red liquid was poured into the decanter, a rich and complex aroma instantly filled the restaurant. It was a blend of blackcurrant, violet, and a hint of truffle, so rich and intoxicating that just one whiff was enough to make you feel drunk.

Chu Ran's nose twitched, and her expression changed.

As someone who frequents high-end drinking parties, she was very familiar with this aroma.

"This...this is..."

"Burgundy, Romanée-Conti, 1990." Jiang Che calmly introduced the wine as he poured it. "This is one of the best vintages of the last century from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. It was a gift from a friend, and I've been reluctant to drink it. Today, I'm presenting it to Miss Chu to welcome her back to China."

Romanée-Conti!

It's from 1990!

This bottle is currently worth at least 300,000 yuan, and there's no market for it!

Chu Ran stared at the ruby-clear liquid in her glass, utterly speechless. The so-called 82 Lafite she had brought (even if it wasn't spoiled) paled in comparison to this bottle.

And this guy she called a "gigolo" just casually pulled it out? And he even said it was a gift from a friend? What kind of friend would give hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of wine to a stay-at-home husband?!

"Come on, let's eat." Jiang Che poured a glass for everyone, as if what he had just taken out was just a bottle of cola.

The rest of the mealtime turned into Jiang Che's personal showcase of skills.

The first appetizer was a caviar-infused soft-boiled egg.

Chu Ran originally wanted to nitpick and say that the caviar was not of a high enough grade, but after taking a bite, the fresh and salty taste of the top-grade Beluga caviar bursting on her tongue instantly shut her up.

The second soup was truffle cream of mushroom soup.

Rich, silky, and perfectly temperature-controlled.

Main course: Wellington steak.

This is the dish that truly tests one's skills. The puff pastry must be crispy and not collapse, the mushroom sauce must be dry and not soggy, and the filet mignon must be tender and juicy.

The moment Jiang Che cut into the steak, the perfect pink cross-section made Chu Ran, a seasoned gourmand who had eaten her way through Paris, swallow hard.

She cut off a piece and put it in her mouth.

The aroma of buttery pastry, the salty fragrance of ham, the savory aroma of mushrooms, and the rich juices of beef create a symphony in your mouth.

too delicious.

It's so delicious!

Chu Ran wanted to cry. She wanted to nitpick, to say "too greasy," "not authentic," but her taste buds wouldn't allow her to lie. She could only curse in her heart, "How can that damn gigolo cook so well," while uncontrollably eating bite after bite.

Su Xiaoruan, who was sitting next to her, was already eating without any regard for her image: "Waaah! Brother-in-law! This beef is amazing! I want two pieces!"

Seeing her best friend's expression of "clearly enjoying it but stubbornly refusing to praise it," Shen Qingge couldn't help but kick Jiang Che under the table and give him a "well done" look.

"Jiang Che, I didn't expect you could cook such authentic French cuisine." Shen Qingge took a sip of her Conti, her face flushing. "It seems I really underestimated you before."

"As long as you like, I can learn all the cuisines in the world." Jiang Che smiled and wiped the corner of her mouth.

This display of affection was so intense that it practically filled Chu Ran's mouth.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Chu Ran put down her knife and fork. She knew that in terms of quality of life, she had completely lost today. The ring was fake, the wine was bad, and even her most prized culinary skills had been defeated by the other person's cooking.

However, she was not willing to give up.

No matter how good a man's cooking is or how refined his taste is, if he has no career, he's still just a high-class nanny.

Mr. Jiang.

Chu Ran wiped her mouth, readjusted her posture, resumed her haughty demeanor, and began the second round of her offensive:

"The food was excellent, and the wine was very good too. It seems you really know how to enjoy life."

"but……"

She abruptly changed the subject, her eyes sharpening: "I heard from Qingge that you're running some kind of investment company now? And making movies? As far as I know, all this money came from the Shen Group, right?"

"It's good for a man to have hobbies. But if you use your wife's money to pursue these hobbies and lose money, have you thought about the consequences?"

"Although the Shen Group has recovered somewhat, its money didn't come from thin air. Can you really live with yourself after squandering it like this?"

These words were a clear indication of his true intentions, directly accusing Jiang Che of being a spendthrift who "eats a woman's rice and then refuses to work for her."

Su Xiaoruan couldn't stand it anymore and was about to slam her hand on the table in rebuttal.

Shen Qingge spoke first.

She put down her wine glass, her face slightly cold, and looked at Chu Ran: "Ranran, you've misunderstood."

"A misunderstanding?" Chu Ran pleaded earnestly, "Qingge, you've been blinded by love! That bastard Gu Yanzhi used the same sweet talk to deceive you back then! What does Jiang Che have besides being handsome and a good cook? Where does he get the capital to dabble in investing?"

"He has me."

Shen Qingge's voice was not loud, but it was firm and resounding.

She grasped Jiang Che's hand, which was resting on the table, and looked at Chu Ran with unwavering eyes:

"Besides, you underestimate my husband."

"Although I provided the initial funding for Clear Entertainment, but..."

Shen Qingge paused, her tone filled with undisguised pride:

"In just two months, by shorting the Zhao Group, he not only paid off all his principal but also brought the Shen Group a return of 3 billion yuan in working capital."

"As for that film, 'Green Snake'."

"The box office has now exceeded 3.5 billion, and Clear Entertainment's revenue share is expected to exceed 1.2 billion."

"Ranran." Shen Qingge looked at the dumbfounded Chu Ran and smiled.

"I'm not the one supporting him now."

"In a sense, he was the one supporting me."

boom--!

These words struck Chu Ran like a bolt from the blue, leaving her completely stunned.

Shorting the Zhao family? Made 3 billion?

The movie grossed 3.5 billion?

How...how is this possible?!

According to the information she investigated, Jiang Che was clearly an orphan, a college dropout, and an unemployed bum! How did he suddenly become a financial tycoon?!

Chu Ran looked at Jiang Che.

At this moment, Jiang Che still maintained that faint smile, swirling his wine glass in his hand, as if the astronomical figures Shen Qingge mentioned had nothing to do with him.

This composure and calmness are not feigned.

This is the confidence to control everything.

Chu Ran suddenly realized that she might have really misjudged him. This man was unfathomable.

"Cough cough..."

Chu Ran coughed awkwardly twice, trying to ease the tension. She knew that her offensive today had completely collapsed. Continuing to question her would only make her appear ignorant and ridiculous.

But who is she? She is Chu Ran, the ruthless businesswoman of LVMH. How could she possibly admit defeat so easily?

Since we can't win with either "soft power" or "hard power," then... let's try a different approach!

"Well, it seems Mr. Jiang does indeed have some tricks up his sleeve."

Chu Ran took a deep breath, her eyes darting around, and an idea came to her:

"Since Mr. Jiang is so outstanding, he probably wouldn't mind accompanying Qingge on a trip to Paris, would he?"

"Paris?" Shen Qingge was taken aback. "What are you going to Paris for?"

"Next week is Paris Fashion Week." Chu Ran regained her confident smile. "As a senior executive at LVMH, I have invitations to several top fashion shows. Qingge, you haven't been to Paris to relax in a long time, so it's a good opportunity to take your 'all-around' husband with you to broaden your horizons."

Chu Ran looked at Jiang Che, a hint of provocation flashing in her eyes:

"Mr. Jiang, since you're so knowledgeable about rings, wine, and food, you must be quite familiar with fashion as well, right?"

"When I get to Paris, that's my home turf."

"I wonder if Mr. Jiang dares to go? That's the world's most prestigious and prestigious place, not something you can just coast through by cooking at home."

She's got a good plan.

In Jianghai, Jiang Che has Shen Qingge protecting him and the support of local capital.

But once she arrived in Paris, in the fashion world, that was Chu Ran's domain. It was filled with French-speaking aristocrats, discerning designers, and all sorts of top-tier circles that a "country bumpkin" like Jiang Che could never access.

She refused to believe that Jiang Che could keep up the act once they got there! She was determined to tear off this man's disguise completely in Paris!

Jiang Che put down his wine glass when he saw Chu Ran's "come at me if you dare" expression.

Paris?

Fashion Week?

In the past, he might have refused. But now...

The system panel quietly appeared before his eyes:

[Ding! New mission triggered: Conquer the Parisian fashion scene.]

[Rewards: Exceptional design talent, top-tier fashion sense, and fluency in French (Master level).]

Jiang Che smiled.

This isn't a trip to suffer; it's a trip to buy goods.

"Since Miss Chu has extended such a warm invitation..."

Jiang Che gripped Shen Qingge's hand tightly and raised his glass to Chu Ran:

"Then we'll accept it without hesitation."

"Perfect timing, I also want to go to Paris to see if the so-called 'fashion capital' can really meet my expectations."

"You..." Chu Ran was so angry that she gritted her teeth when she saw his arrogant appearance.

Good! You're arrogant!

Wait till you get to Paris, then we'll see how you cry!

……

Dinner is over.

Chu Ran was angrily led to a guest room. She had suffered too much tonight and needed to calm down and, incidentally, devise a "Paris Revenge Plan."

Inside the master bedroom.

After taking a shower, Shen Qingge lay on the bed, watching Jiang Che drying his hair.

"Are you really going to Paris?" Shen Qingge asked with some concern. "You've seen Ranran yourself. She has a lot of connections there and will definitely try to make things difficult for you."

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Jiang Che threw away the towel, got into bed, and pulled her into his arms:

"With you here, who dares to make things difficult for me?"

"and……"

Jiang Che's fingers gently traced her back, his voice becoming deep:

"I also want to go to Paris and buy you some really nice clothes."

"Those designs Chu Ran created... to be honest, they're too ugly. They don't do justice to you."

"You dare say she's ugly?" Shen Qingge laughed. "She's a designer who won the Golden Top Award."

"So what if it's the Golden Top Award?"

Jiang Che kissed her lips:

"In my eyes, you are the only standard."

"Go to sleep, honey. Get some rest, we're going to Paris...to blow up the place."

Outside the window, the moonlight was as clear as water.

In the next room, Chu Ran was staring at the ruby ​​ring on her hand, which Jiang Che had identified as a "fake," in front of the mirror, gritting her teeth:

"Jiang Che...see you in Paris!"

"I'll show you that the fashion world is a deeper quagmire than the Pacific Ocean!"