Using power to force marriage

The next day, early in the morning.

In the living room on the first floor, Zhao Jingnian was watering the houseplants with a small watering can in his hand.

He didn't sleep a wink last night; the woman lying next to him was just too noticeable, and he wasn't used to it.

The Xiyue Manor has a lot of green plants, both indoors and outdoors.

The large green plants in the courtyard are all maintained by professional gardeners, and Zhao Jingnian personally takes care of all the exquisite potted plants indoors.

Aunt Sun: "Sir, you're busy with work, so I'll take care of these flowers and plants."

Aunt Sun was the nanny that Ruan Fu brought from her home. Before that, Zhao Jingnian had been living alone in Xiyue Manor.

Zhao Jingnian refused, "No need, you just take good care of Ruan Fu."

He enjoyed tending to these flowers and plants; they seemed to bring some life back to his parched and desolate soul.

This was the only pleasure he had left in his mechanized life, and the only pleasure that his family could accept.

Ruan Fu's cats and dogs were confined to the living room on the first floor, with a separate open space surrounded by a fence.

The little ones were probably not used to being kept in captivity; they were quite restless and kept trying to "escape."

The little dog named Bubble was particularly noisy, its barking disturbing the man who was watering the plants.

Hearing the noise, Zhao Jingnian put down the water bottle in his hand and walked towards the little ones.

When Bubble saw him, its cries grew louder, and its two big eyes looked at him pitifully, trying to soften his heart by acting cute and charming.

And these two identical kittens, one a copy and the other a paste, have very humorous names.

Zhao Jingnian didn't get a good look at the three little creatures last night, but he stood by the fence and watched them for a long time this morning.

Like their owner, the three little creatures are quite mischievous and adorable.

The Xiyue Manor is magnificent and spacious, and it's great in every way, but it lacks vitality and energy.

Now that Ruan Fu has moved in with her cats and dogs, the once empty manor has instantly become lively.

She and these little creatures were so noisy that Zhao Jingnian originally thought he would feel repulsed and resistant, and wouldn't be used to it.

Surprisingly, it didn't happen.

-

10:00 AM.

Zhao Jingnian looked up from his work in the study, glanced at the time, and got up to go to the master bedroom.

I wonder if his new wife has woken up yet. It would be inappropriate for her to be late for the family banquet at the old house, which is the first time she has returned after the wedding.

The man walked slowly to the master bedroom door and gently pressed the handle.

The master bedroom was quiet, and Ruan Fu was still fast asleep.

He bent down, patted her shoulder, and whispered, "Time to get up."

Disturbed from her sleep, Ruan Fu's face was full of displeasure. "Go away~ You're so noisy~"

Her voice was sticky and drawn out, with a hint of coquettishness and whining.

Zhao Jingnian reminded her, "We have to go back to the old house for a family dinner today; it's already ten o'clock."

Ruan Fu's brain was still in a daze, immersed in sleep and unwilling to open her eyes. "I'm so sleepy. Damn family dinner, why couldn't it be in the evening?"

After saying that, she rolled up the blanket, turned over, and buried half of her head in it.

The man beside the bed calmly comforted her, "From now on, I'll schedule all family dinners for the evening, but I'm afraid that won't work today."

The time for today's event has already been set in advance, and it would be impolite to keep the elders waiting. Besides, this is the first family banquet after the wedding, and we cannot be impolite.

She stretched, still sleepy-eyed.

Zhao Jingnian's handsome and refined face came into her view. Ruan Fu hadn't slept enough and should have been grumpy when she woke up.

But the moment I opened my eyes, I saw such a handsome face with perfect bone structure and exquisite features, and my morning grumpiness vanished instantly.

For those who value appearance, good looks are practically a "hard currency".

It's already ten o'clock, and she needs to wash up, put on makeup, and choose clothes.

Time is limited.

After confirming that she was awake, Zhao Jingnian said, "Go wash up, I'll wait for you in the study."

Ruan Fu lingered in bed for a while before getting up. Thinking of what Zhao Jingnian had just said about scheduling family dinners for the evening from now on, she couldn't hide her joy.

The older man may seem cold, but he has a warm heart and is quite understanding.

In Zhao Jingnian's view, setting the family dinner time in the evening was a trivial matter, and there was no harm in going along with her wishes.

Ruan Fu is innocent and straightforward, a salted fish princess who only cares about eating, drinking and having fun. She has no interest in interfering in the company's affairs, which effectively avoids power struggles between husband and wife.

She was like a beautiful but difficult-to-care-for flower, requiring precious care and constant pampering.

Zhao Jingnian knew that Ruan Fu had no intention of marrying him; to put it bluntly, this marriage was actually forced upon her by him.

But since they are already husband and wife, he will definitely treat Ruan Fu well and try his best to satisfy her in these little things, so that he will not wrong her.

His family wanted him to marry a wife who was his equal, capable both internally and externally, and who could help him in business.

However, Zhao Jingnian believes that marriages where both partners are evenly matched cannot withstand the test of time, just like his grandparents did back then, where husband and wife turned into bitter enemies.

The two disagreed on the family business, leading to a confrontation between the close relatives, with each other engaging in scheming and cold-blooded conflicts of interest.

Ultimately, they ended up on the path of rivalry and enmity, their vast family business was torn to pieces, and what was once an evenly matched power relationship was reduced to nothing more than "enemy".

He had seen too many powerful alliances in the business world, and marriages based on weighing the pros and cons were full of suspicion and erosion. What love and family affection could they possibly have? In the end, they would be devoured by ambition.

Zhao Jingnian was unwilling to repeat the same mistake. He believed that he was strong enough and therefore did not need to gain benefits from marriage. The role of a wife was not originally part of his life plan.

However, getting married and having children was a task he had to complete as the heir of the Zhao family. When he saw Ruan Fu, Zhao Jingnian felt that she met his requirements in every way. She was the perfect wife he was looking for.

It's less like getting married and more like bringing home a beautiful and exquisite lucky charm to worship.

As long as she doesn't cause trouble or bother him, she can have whatever she wants; Zhao Jingnian can afford it.

-

Around midnight, Ruan Fu looked at herself in the dressing mirror, admiring her exquisitely made-up, bright and charming face with satisfaction.

"What more can I say? I am simply Nuwa's most outstanding masterpiece."

She wore a well-tailored champagne-colored haute couture suit, her deep, lustrous eyes slightly upturned, exuding a free and unrestrained youthful energy.

"Miss Masterpiece, we can set off now."

She was completely absorbed in her own beauty when Zhao Jingnian's deep, cold voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.

Ruan Fu turned her head and glanced at him.

The older man was still dressed in a full dark suit, with not a single bright color in sight, and exuded a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.

Wearing such a dull dark brown suit, you should have paired it with a slightly brighter tie or a glittering gold brooch.

But he didn't.

She curled her lips, a sly glint in her eyes, her words carrying a clear sense of disparagement.

"She's already old, and she's dressed so old-fashionedly. How could she be a match for someone as young and beautiful as me?"

By the way, the old man just called her "Miss Masterpiece," doesn't he think he's being funny?

Seeing that she remained rooted to the spot and showed no sign of moving, Zhao Jingnian reminded her again, "It's really time to set off."

"They're here."

-

The carriage was quiet. Zhao Jingnian leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.

When Ruan Fu got into the car, she took some selfies with her phone and admired her own stunning beauty. Then she began to secretly glance at the man next to her.

"This old man doesn't seem old at all!" Ruan Fu thought to herself.

Although Zhao Jingnian possesses a maturity and composure beyond his years, his appearance does not appear overly mature, and his eyes always inadvertently reveal a clear and sharp air of self-satisfaction.

Ruan Fu actually approves of his face, but because the attempt to annul the engagement ten days ago failed, she harbors resentment towards Zhao Jingnian, which is why she deliberately calls him an old man.

She was seven years older than him; she was a vibrant, passionate, and carefree radiant sun, while he was a desolate, frozen winter.

She couldn't understand Zhao Jingnian's loneliness, nor did she understand why this man always had a stern face, giving people the feeling that he kept everything at arm's length.

The car slowly drove into the Zhao family's old house, and the man beside her slowly opened his eyes.

The old mansion was extremely luxurious, with carved beams and painted rafters, and a secluded courtyard, showcasing the Zhao family's absolute wealth and supreme status in the northern part of the city.

Ruan Fu loved luxurious and beautiful things the most, so logically, the Zhao family's mansion should have suited her taste. However, as she looked around through the car window, she felt that the old mansion exuded an extremely oppressive coldness and rigidity.

"I need you to cooperate with me in playing the role of a loving couple."

Ruan Fu gave an "OK" sign. "Don't worry, my acting skills are top-notch."

The 300 million last night wasn't taken for nothing; it's only right to give some feedback to the "automated teller machine."

The car came to a stop, and the two of them got out.

"Honey~"

She gets into character quickly, her voice soft and sweet.

The sudden use of the word "husband" startled Zhao Jingnian. Her voice was sweet and coquettish, and the way she addressed him touched his heart, sending a tingling sensation through him.

"Honey~ Do you like me calling you that?" she asked, knowing the answer already.

Zhao Jingnian stretched out his long arm and naturally put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her into his territory with a deliberately intimate gesture.

"what ever."