Using power to force marriage

Back at the Xiyue Manor, Ruan Fu got out of the car with light steps.

Zhao Jingnian followed behind her.

Upon entering the house, Aunt Sun greeted her and pointed to the delivery box on the coffee table in the living room, saying, "Miss, the package arrived this afternoon. It was sent by a wildlife conservation organization."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Fu couldn't wait to run over and open the package.

"My certificate has finally arrived."

Zhao Jingnian was originally going to go upstairs directly, but she stopped him.

"Don't rush off yet, let's witness my moment of glory together."

Ruan Fu opened the express delivery box, inside which lay a letter of commendation from a wildlife conservation organization and a certificate of honor.

She took out the letter of commendation and certificate from the box, proudly waved them in front of Zhao Jingnian, and then in front of Aunt Sun.

"Do you know what this is?"

Zhao Jingnian said calmly, "It's just a certificate."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Fu gave him a soft, reproachful laugh, "Hmph! It's just a certificate?"

She turned to Aunt Sun and gestured, "Aunt Sun, quickly tell him how amazing I am!"

Aunt Sun smiled broadly and said proudly, "This is no ordinary certificate; it's a national-level public welfare honor certification for our young lady's participation in wildlife rescue activities."

Zhao Jingnian raised an eyebrow slightly. "You've participated in rescue operations?"

He was clearly skeptical. Ruan Fu was a pampered young lady, spoiled and arrogant, and would even cry and fuss if the sheets weren't comfortable. How could she possibly endure this hardship?

"You still don't believe me, do you?" She opened the certificate and pointed to her name to show him.

Then he opened the letter of praise and read it to him.

"Comrade Ruan Fu has volunteered to participate in public welfare volunteer work for the rescue and ecological protection of rare and endangered wild animals in western China. During her volunteer service, she braved the harsh environment of the plateau..."

With enthusiasm and kindness, a heart full of love, a conscientious and responsible attitude, and selfless dedication…After review and evaluation by the World Wildlife Conservation Association, the title of Outstanding Young Volunteer for Ecological Conservation is hereby awarded, and this certificate is presented in recognition of their contributions.

The certificate bears the official red seal of the association and the signature of the head of the nature reserve, giving it a substantial feel.

The plateau environment was far harsher than she had imagined; the altitude was high, the ultraviolet radiation was strong, the temperature difference between day and night was extreme, and the environment was extremely harsh.

Here, she is no longer the pampered Miss Ruan; she is just an ordinary member of the rescue team, working towards the same goal as everyone else, protecting the same living beings.

During the rescue operation, Ruan Fu set off before dawn every day with the staff of the conservation station to hike deep into the grasslands and wetlands, patrol wildlife habitats, check for illegal hunting traps and fishing nets, and promptly clear away debris that threatens the safety of animals.

She encountered injured Tibetan antelopes. Ruan Fu was the professional veterinarian in this group. She treated the antelopes' wounds, fixed the broken wings of the Himalayan vultures, and even helped a mother wolf give birth to her cubs in a difficult labor.

"Zhao Jingnian, do you know how amazing I am?" she asked him enthusiastically, sharing her experiences and observations from the rescue operation.

Then he asked Aunt Sun to bring him a tablet so he could find the photos he had taken during the rescue operation.

"My altitude sickness was quite severe at first; I felt dizzy and weak every day, but I still managed to persevere."

She unfolded the certificate, held it up in her hand, and proudly showed it off to Zhao Jingnian, "I'm an outstanding volunteer!"

A twinkling smile played in her captivating, upturned eyes, and a smug smile curved her lips. "I'm amazing, aren't I! Praise me! Praise me!"

Staring at her playful expression as she begged for praise, Zhao Jingnian's eyes subtly twitched upwards.

She is really cute.

The man, who was usually indifferent and calm, was inexplicably attracted and stirred by her flamboyant and vibrant appearance, and a strange tenderness quietly rose in his heart.

Ruan Fu swiped her tablet and shared with Zhao Jingnian, "Look, these are all photos I took."

A Tibetan antelope grazing with its head down beneath the snow-capped mountains, a fox cub recovering in a rescue cage, and a photo of her holding a newborn wolf cub...

In the photo, she is without makeup, which is completely different from her usual appearance with exquisite makeup and beautiful clothes. Her hair is messy from the wind of the plateau, and her cheeks are flushed from the sun.

Who could have imagined that the girl in the photo was actually the spoiled and domineering Miss Ruan Er?

Zhao Jingnian maintained his usual cool and composed demeanor, his expression indifferent, suppressing the emotions quietly welling up in his heart.

Yet he couldn't help but be moved by that gentle yet resolute figure in the vast highland wilderness, whose small frame contained an admirable and boundless love.

I thought Ruan Fu was just a spoiled little princess, that she was shallow, flamboyant, loved beauty, loved to laugh, loved to cry and make a fuss, and loved to be unreasonable.

Zhao Jingnian thought he had thoroughly analyzed her when he first met her.

Seeing these photos and hearing her story, Zhao Jingnian realized how terribly wrong he had been.

He prided himself on his wisdom and intelligence, but he never truly understood her.

The main reason for choosing to marry her was that he felt she had a beautiful and glamorous family background, but was shallow, arrogant, foolish, and naive, and would not pose a power struggle with him after marriage.

Simply put, he married her only to fulfill his family mission. He felt that Ruan Fu was an easy-to-control mascot and his most satisfactory wife candidate.

But now it seems that Ruan Fu is not a delicate bird kept in a gilded cage, but a free and fearless female eagle soaring in the vast sky.

"Who says heiresses can only do glamorous jobs? I refuse to!"

Ruan Fu pouted and said stubbornly, "They said I deal with sick animals all day long, how dirty is that? When I chose to study veterinary medicine, I was laughed at by those socialites and young masters who didn't get along with me."

But she stuck to her choice.

Zhao Jingnian's heart was churning with emotion. His gaze toward Ruan Fu was filled with admiration and appreciation, and even a hint of envy that he himself was unaware of.

People are always attracted to the qualities they lack, and Ruan Fu's free, fearless, pure, and passionate nature successfully touched his heartstrings.

At this moment, Zhao Jingnian felt a ripple in his heart that he had never experienced before.

Ruan Fu possesses the purest kindness at her core; she is gentle yet strong, passionate yet unrestrained.

This unbridled freedom is precisely what Zhao Jingnian has longed for his entire life but could never possess.

He was bound by family rules from a young age, burdened with responsibilities and expectations, and had to proceed cautiously and be constrained at every turn, never able to be himself as he pleased.

But Ruan Fu is different. She doesn't need to cater to anyone or hide her emotions. She dares to show her true self without reservation. She does whatever she wants and lives a clear and free life.

She embodies the qualities he most desires and wants to become.

Zhao Jingnian suddenly felt that he needed to get to know this incredibly capable Miss Ruan again.

"I've thought about it. I want to participate in a rescue operation every year from now on. I think it's very meaningful."

While taking photos of the certificate from various angles with her phone, Ruan Fu told him about her ambitions.

"I enjoy working with animals, which is why I chose veterinary medicine. I returned to Beicheng to open a rescue station so that stray animals could have a warm and sheltered haven."

She couldn't stay on the plateau forever, so she returned to Beicheng to protect the lives she wanted to protect in another way.

"When I proposed opening a shelter, I initially thought my parents wouldn't agree, but I didn't expect them to be so supportive."

Ruan Fu laughed out loud, "To tell you the truth, I didn't tell anyone when I participated in the wildlife rescue activity. My parents and they didn't know either."

She didn't tell anyone, and everyone assumed she went on a graduation trip with her classmates.

"After I returned to Beicheng, I told my parents that I had done something dangerous but also great. They just scolded me a little, saying that I shouldn't have acted first and then informed them, but should have communicated and discussed it with them beforehand."

Ruan Zhengyang and He Shu were not angry about this; they were both proud of their daughter.

"I told them I wanted to go again in the future, and my parents, older brother, and older sister were very supportive."

She wants to be the protector and savior of small animals.

"I support you too."

Zhao Jingnian's voice was gentle yet powerful: "Ruan Fu, you are amazing, incredibly amazing."

Upon hearing this, she suddenly looked up, her eyes brimming with surprise, "It's not easy to gain Mr. Zhao's approval."

At first, I didn't take it seriously, saying it was just a certificate.

"I have treated antelopes, foxes, and wolves. I will go to the African savanna to treat lions and zebras. My rescue station has already taken in the first batch of stray cats and dogs. I, Ruan Fu, hereby declare that I will make sure that all stray cats and dogs in Beicheng have a home."

Ruan Fu raised an eyebrow and gently nudged Zhao Jingnian's shoulder with her own. "Now you know how powerful I am, don't you?"

His eyes softened. "I've seen it all."