Using power to force marriage

He Shu and Ruan Zhengyang came over to greet them. They were very pleased to learn that Zhao Jingnian had changed his schedule to attend the birthday banquet.

This shows that he cares a lot about Ruan Fu, and by extension, he also cares about her mother's birthday party.

Ruan Zhengyang was initially worried that Zhao Jingnian was busy with work and cold-hearted, fearing that his precious daughter would suffer if she married him.

It seems now that he, as the father, was worrying too much.

Zhao Jingnian gestured to his assistant Yu Ming behind him to present the birthday gift.

It is the masterpiece "Qingchuan Lanxiu Tu" by the famous Chinese painting master Zhu Shi.

"Mom! It's Mr. Zhushi you've been longing for." Ruan Fu couldn't hide her excitement when she saw the box containing the painting bearing Mr. Zhushi's seal.

Mr. Zhushi has long since retired from the art world, and his paintings are always highly sought after but rarely available. Even at auctions, it may take nine figures to buy one, let alone his most famous work, "Qingchuan Lanxiu Tu".

He Shu's relaxed smile vanished, replaced by surprise as she asked, "This painting disappeared from the market more than ten years ago. It's said to be in the hands of a private collector, and no one has ever seen it. How did you acquire it?"

Zhao Jingnian had inquired about He Shu's preferences beforehand and learned that she liked to collect calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, especially the works of Mr. Zhushi. So he thought of catering to her tastes.

When Zhao Jingnian gives a gift, he naturally has to give the most famous, rarest, and most valuable piece of his own; otherwise, it would be better not to give anything at all.

After asking around, Zhao Jingnian learned that the painting was in the home of Fu Yanzhe, the president of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce. During his trip to Shanghai, Zhao Jingnian proposed to Fu Yanzhe that he would buy it at a high price and asked him to part with it.

Fu Yan initially refused, but the Fu family matriarch also loved the painting, and it had been hanging in the main hall of the old house for over ten years. The Fu family, of such standing, was not short of money.

However, Zhao Jingnian was determined to get the painting. The Zhao family and the Fu family originally agreed to split the project 50/50, but to show his sincerity, he took the initiative to reduce the profit to 60/40.

The Fu family took 60%, while the Zhao family only took 40%.

With such deep sincerity, Fu Yan had no reason to refuse.

When He Shu asked about the origin of the painting, Zhao Jingnian casually replied, "A gift from a friend."

The cost behind it was not mentioned at all.

Zhao Jingnian took the brocade box containing the painting from Yu Ming and personally handed it to He Shu.

The man was dignified and composed. "Today is your birthday. I have prepared a small gift to express my gratitude. I hope you will accept it."

Standing behind Zhao Jingnian, Yu Ming couldn't help but sniff when he heard the words "a small gift." This gift was obtained in exchange for 10% of the profits from a multi-billion dollar project, yet his boss had described it as a "small gift."

The combined gifts from all the guests in the banquet hall might not even equal the value of this "small gift" from his boss.

He Shu accepted the brocade box and thanked him.

The elderly couple exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhao Jingnian, and the conversation mainly revolved around Ruan Fu.

Ruan Fu stood to the side, not interested in listening to their conversation, but only curious about the painting.

She walked closer to Yu Ming and asked, "Where did Zhao Jingnian get this painting? My dad and brother helped my mom look for it for a long time and asked many people, but no one knew which collector had it."

Yu Ming replied respectfully, "Shanghai."

"What a coincidence! He happened to be in Shanghai on a business trip, and you just happened to run into him?"

Ruan Fu then asked, "How much did Zhao Jingnian spend to buy it from a high-ranking collector?"

Yu Ming glanced timidly at his boss, not daring to say anything out of turn.

"Madam, you should ask the master. I don't know."

Ruan Fu gave him a long, sullen look. "If that's the case, it must have cost a lot of money."

Zhao Jingnian made a special trip back to attend her mother's birthday party, and even gave her such an expensive and thoughtful gift to please her.

Regardless, Ruan Fu should remember this one good deed he did for her.

-

After the birthday party, the guests were seen off.

Only the Ruan family of five and Zhao Jingnian remained in the hall.

"You'll have to wait a little while, because I need to take pictures."

Ruan Fu explained to him, "It's our family tradition to take a family photo on birthdays."

Every year on their birthdays, the Ruan family takes a family photo together. The family of five celebrates their birthdays five times a year and takes five photos.

"Fufu, come over here for a photo." Ruan Qian called to her.

At the cake counter, Ruan Zhengyang and He Shu sat on chairs, with Ruan Qian and Jiang Qiyu standing behind them, leaving the empty seat in the middle for their younger sister.

When Zhao Jingnian saw the family preparing to take a family photo, a sudden surge of indescribable bitterness and envy welled up in his heart.

Ruan Fu: "We're here."

She had just taken two steps when she suddenly remembered Zhao Jingnian's existence.

Ruan Fu stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

"Let's go, let's take a family photo together."

Upon hearing this, a hint of barely perceptible helplessness flickered in the eyes of the composed man.

Why is he, an outsider, meddling in their family's photo shoot?

Seeing that he didn't react, Ruan Fu ran over and pulled him, "Why are you standing there?"

On He Shu's birthday, Zhao Jingnian gave her such a big gift. He is also the rightful son-in-law of the Ruan family. Although Ruan Fu doesn't like him, she still has to play the role of a loving couple in front of her family to avoid making them suspicious.

"You're my husband, my parents' son-in-law, we're a family, of course we should take a family photo together." Ruan Fu took his hand and led him towards the cake table.

He Shu and Ruan Zhengyang, their faces full of kindness, smiled and urged them to come over quickly.

"That's great! Our house is getting more and more lively. After Qiyu and Qianqian get married, we can take a family photo with all eight of us."

Ruan Fu ran over, squeezed Ruan Qian to stand next to her, and pushed her towards Jiang Qiyu.

"Mom, I think six people are enough for our family. Eight people are a bit too crowded."

The elderly couple chuckled at her words, "So you're married now, while your older brother and sister are destined to remain bachelors for life?"

She pouted, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she stared at Ruan Qian and Jiang Qiyu. "We didn't make them stay single, but six people are definitely enough."

Ruan Fu linked arms with Zhao Jingnian and leaned affectionately against his shoulder. "Thank you. My mother really likes that painting."

Zhao Jingnian gave a faint "hmm," and said, "Of course."

She is his wife, his life partner to spend his life with. Although there is no love between them, there is a responsibility.

Being good to her and her family are the responsibilities that Zhao Jingnian, as a husband, should fulfill.

-

On the way back to Xiyue Manor, Ruan Fu received a photo from Ruan Qian, a family portrait that had just been taken.

She brought her phone closer to share with Zhao Jingnian.

"Look, the photo is really good, I look so pretty."

Zhao Jingnian glanced down at the photo on her phone. In the photo, the five members of her family all had happy, pure smiles on their faces, but he was expressionless. It was obvious at a glance that he was not a family with them.

His voice was deep and indifferent. "Do you take family photos often?"

"Yes, we take photos five times a year on my birthday, and also on important days like Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, New Year's Day and Spring Festival."

While replying to Ruan Qian's message, Ruan Fu casually asked, "Don't you guys take pictures?"

After a few seconds of silence, Ruan Fu suddenly realized that she might have said something wrong.

His house... definitely doesn't look like the kind of place where you could take a family photo.

He had met his family members, including Ruan Fu, and the story was truly complicated.

"Hey, we just take pictures for fun." Ruan Fu's tone was relaxed and casual, and she changed the subject so as not to make Zhao Jingnian think too much.

"By the way, I didn't even have a chance to ask you, how much did you pay for 'Qingchuan Lanxiu Tu'?"

Zhao Jingnian: "Not many."

"Impossible, such a famous painting must be very expensive."

She thanked him again, "Thank you for giving my mother such a precious birthday gift. She really likes Mr. Bamboo and Stone."

"When it's your mother's birthday, I'll give her a gift too. That's called reciprocity." Ruan Fu's eyes crinkled, and her words carried a touch of childlike innocence.

When is your mother's birthday? What does she like to do?

"We don't celebrate birthdays in our family."

"Huh? How come someone doesn't celebrate their birthday?" Ruan Fu thought he was joking. "You're not looking down on my birthday present, are you?"

Ignoring her, Zhao Jingnian turned his head to look out the window, silently concealing the fleeting loneliness in his eyes.

So many years have passed, and he thought he had long since gotten used to it. But today, standing in the lively and warm family atmosphere of the Ruan family, watching Ruan Fu being pampered and loved by the whole family, and the family enjoying themselves, his heart involuntarily ached.

If he hadn't cried and insisted on going mountain climbing when he was 6 years old, Zhao Yuzhou wouldn't have been disabled, and the accident wouldn't have happened.

Perhaps, he will also have a happy and warm little family, and the three of them will celebrate birthdays together and take many family photos.