Hearing Jiang Yanxi say this, Sheng Qianling's heart tightened. She looked at Jiang Yanxi uncomprehendingly. He only gave her a smile and gripped her hand tightly, calmly facing Sheng Wenbo's scrutiny. Sheng Wenbo was stunned at first, then smiled and spoke. "What do you want to discuss with me?"
"Actually I've thought about this for a long time. I never came to visit Uncle formally before because I thought I didn't have the qualifications and wasn't worthy of Qianling." Jiang Yanxi explained with a smile. "After receiving Qianling's call, I suddenly realized—Qianling and I have known each other so many years. Uncle should know about this, yet you haven't objected. You must be giving me a chance to prove myself."
Sheng Wenbo didn't speak, only nodded. Seeing this, Jiang Yanxi continued, "Now I've finally earned my father's recognition through my own abilities. I think with my capabilities, I can give Qianling a future. If Uncle doesn't object, I hope to become engaged to Qianling first and formally establish our relationship."
"You think you're ready?" Sheng Wenbo asked. "Just because your father appreciates you now, you can give Qianling happiness, protect her from harm, and let her live a carefree, happy life? Young Jiang, what kind of situation your Jiang family is in—you know it, I know it. In your current position, if you really marry Qianling, you can't give her happiness. Instead, you'll drag her into a vortex."
"Uncle, that I dare speak of this today means I have absolute confidence I can protect Qianling." Jiang Yanxi had obviously anticipated Sheng Wenbo wouldn't agree directly. "To be honest, this time I secured a major project for Jiang Corporation. For this, my father gave me shares. As long as I continue, I can absolutely guarantee Qianling's happiness."
"I see..." Sheng Wenbo suddenly remembered a certain project the Jiang family had secured a few days ago. He'd been looking forward to Qianxue's return recently and really hadn't paid much attention to it. That project didn't involve the Sheng family, so they hadn't competed for it. "So you secured that project?" This time, he did view Jiang Yanxi with some admiration. The Jiang family's reputation wasn't great, but the Jiang children were indeed all quite outstanding—under fierce competition, they all worked hard to climb upward.
"To show my sincerity toward Qianling, on the day of our engagement, I'm willing to transfer half the shares under my name to Qianling's name." Jiang Yanxi spoke sincerely. Sheng Qianling was very moved and quickly said, "That's not necessary. I don't need those things. I just need you to care about me. I don't need to be too wealthy—I can support myself now."
Sheng Wenbo saw Sheng Qianling's eyes reddening, clearly extremely moved. He glanced lightly at Jiang Yanxi, who wasn't intimidated by his scrutinizing gaze. Seeing the two tightly holding hands, he couldn't say much more.
"Let's eat first. We can discuss these things after the meal."
Sheng Qianling's watery eyes stared at Sheng Wenbo, as if saying to him: agree. It's not marriage right away, just engagement. And Yanxi is so sincere—if you oppose, that would be too much of a betrayal of his sincerity. Doesn't it say that when a man likes a woman, he'll definitely spend money on her? Yanxi is willing to give her half his shares—this is already very difficult. Who knows how much pressure he's under from his father?
"Dad..."
Sheng Wenbo glanced at her. "Qianling, we'll discuss this matter later. Let's eat first. The food is ready. If we delay more, it'll get cold."
Engagement actually didn't matter, but he definitely couldn't agree so readily. Qianling looked desperate to marry—Sheng Wenbo felt heartbroken. When he saw Sheng Qianxue sitting to the side smiling, his heart found some comfort. Good thing his Qianxue didn't have a boyfriend. This girl was only twenty and had to take over his company. With her proud temperament, unless someone really caught her fancy, they'd never enter her eyes.
He'd heard that quite a few outstanding young men had all been rejected by her completely. Quite good—daughters didn't need to marry so early. Moreover, he thought it would be best if Qianxue found a live-in son-in-law. The son-in-law wouldn't need a big background—as long as Qianxue liked him, he was a good person with ambition and dared to work hard, that would be perfect.
Sheng Qianling was afraid of being too obvious and making Sheng Wenbo angry, so she didn't say more. During the meal, the two sat close together, occasionally gazing at each other affectionately. Sheng Wenbo expressed his headache.
It wasn't that he thought Jiang Yanxi wasn't excellent. Even if he truly liked Qianling, the Jiang family was too complex. Qianling's personality was really very pure. Though she'd grown a lot these years, this kind of innocent personality simply wasn't enough in the Jiang family. Most importantly, why didn't Jiang Yanxi bring this up at any other time, but specifically at this critical juncture? Even though the conditions he offered could indeed convince him, and he'd never doubted the other was sincere toward Qianling—
"Shorty, eat more."
While Sheng Wenbo ate and pondered, he suddenly heard Sheng Qianxue say this. Looking up, he saw her serving A-Xin food. He couldn't help finding it both funny and exasperating. These two girls—after so many years, they were still the same as before. Their interaction hadn't changed at all.
"Home-cooked food is still the best, right?" Sheng Qianxue said quietly. "Auntie Chen's cooking is still so good, isn't it?"
After swallowing her food, A-Xin nodded and answered, "Yes."
Sheng Qianxue stared at A-Xin without blinking. So, Shorty, confess quickly! Once you confess, the Sheng family's Auntie Chen will be your Auntie Chen. You can eat such delicious food for a lifetime. But A-Xin was very seriously dealing with her food, completely not seeing Sheng Qianxue's thoughts. She felt especially frustrated.
An unfeedable Shorty. Looks like she could only use that method.
After the meal, Sheng Wenbo and Jiang Yanxi talked alone for half an hour. Then he called Sheng Qianling into the study.
"Qianling, do you truly want to be engaged to that Jiang family boy?"
Sheng Qianling answered affirmatively, "Yes, Dad. Are you dissatisfied with him?"
"It's not dissatisfaction. He is indeed a very capable person—in adversity, relying on his own abilities, he could earn his father's appreciation. But I'm very worried about the Jiang family's situation. Qianling, the Jiang family is different from the Sheng family. You should understand some of this these years, right?"
"Jiang Yanxi is good to you today, good to you tomorrow, but people's hearts—who can say when they'll change..."
"No, I believe him. He won't change. He said he'll always treat me well. And Dad, you might not know—actually Yanxi originally didn't want to return to the Jiang family. Later it was because of me that he had no choice but to go back. He's like me—neither of us likes a life of scheming and deception. But he's willing to work hard for me. He doesn't want us to be looked down upon. So Dad, I can't leave him and can't lose him."
After so many years, this was the first time Sheng Qianling had such a strong attitude in front of him. She'd never asked him for anything before. So this time, he could only not object and take things one step at a time.
"Fine, then Dad won't oppose this matter. However, you can be engaged first. As for marriage, you're only twenty now. There's no rush. What do you think?"
"Thank you, Dad." Sheng Qianling looked very happy, coming forward to hug Sheng Wenbo's arm with a pure smile. This innocent personality made Sheng Wenbo worry even more. He actually wasn't afraid of the Jiang family environment—he only feared this person Jiang Yanxi would change. Today he came with ninety percent sincerity, but the remaining ten percent of calculation still made him uncomfortable.
If he hadn't prepared early, he might have agreed today to let them get engaged. Seeing the conditions Jiang Yanxi offered, he also might not have been able to resist allocating some shares to Qianling. Fortunately, his mind wasn't muddled. He also planned to hand the company entirely to Qianxue to manage. Jiang Chongjun's calculations would only fail.
He only agreed to engagement because he vaguely sensed Jiang Yanxi's hostility toward Qianxue, and toward him wasn't as respectful as his words suggested. He'd lived several decades at least and met more people than roads he'd walked. Young people—sometimes still too impetuous. Perhaps he'd been too successful these years.
"Did Uncle agree?"
Sheng Qianling nodded happily. "He agreed. Dad already agreed to let us get engaged first. Yanxi, I'm really so happy. Before I thought you... had already forgotten these things."
"How could I? I was just too busy." Jiang Yanxi pinched her small face. "Getting engaged first is good too. This way everyone will know you're my person. No one will take you away. I can focus entirely on competing with those people. Qianling, I'll protect you. Everything I said today was sincere."
"I know."
Sheng Qianxue sat by the window, watching the two sweetly holding hands as they left. Her teeth felt especially sour. She glanced at A-Xin reading on the side and said sourly, "If I could transform, I wouldn't be human anymore."
This statement caught A-Xin's attention. "If you're not human, what could you be?" Impossible to be like her.
"A lemon spirit. If I transformed, I'd be an especially sour lemon spirit right now." Sheng Qianxue vigorously kneaded the doll in her hands, thinking: Shorty, Shorty, squeeze you to death, squeeze you to death. Making you not understand, making you not understand. Blockhead, blockhead...
"Qianxue, I remember this doll is already out of print. Are you sure you want to squeeze it to pieces?"
Sheng Qianxue went crazy but still squeezed the doll viciously. "I have many out-of-print dolls. I don't care." But there was only one Shorty, and she was a blockhead. Really making her die of anxiety.
When could she also tell her dad and mom that she had someone she liked? Even if many people objected, as long as Shorty confessed to her, that would be enough. She wasn't afraid at all of being watched like a monkey or going against her dad. She was only afraid Shorty had no intention of confessing.
At this moment, her phone rang. Opening it, she saw a message from one of her friends: Qianxue, I've already given your number to certain people. I believe it won't be long before someone asks you out. Go for it! You'll get your beloved's confession soon.
Sheng Qianxue looked at the message, raised her eyes to secretly glance at the unmoved A-Xin, and sneered. Shorty, just you wait. Let's see what you do about this. Soon this miss will have a whole bunch of pursuers. Then you can hide in the corner feeling sad and crying.
A few days later, Sheng Qianling and Jiang Yanxi got engaged. Many people came that day.
The Jiang and Sheng families were basically all there. Among them, besides Sheng Qianling being very eye-catching, there was also Sheng Qianxue who'd just returned from abroad. Almost all of Jiang Yanxi's brothers had their eyes on her. Not just the Jiang family—young people from other families also surrounded Sheng Qianxue, communicating with her very politely.
Many thought they'd definitely be rebuffed, not expecting this proud young miss would actually acknowledge them. They looked at each other—could it be Miss Sheng was preparing to choose one from among them?
Some with slightly inferior family backgrounds, believing their family backgrounds wouldn't catch Sheng Qianxue's eye, inadvertently discovered a treasure—Ye Xin, who'd been constantly by Sheng Qianxue's side.
Supposedly this person was Sheng Qianxue's study companion, accompanying her from high school all the way abroad and back.
When these young people discovered A-Xin, their eyes all brightened. So beautiful. Except for not having any deep background, that beautiful young lady sitting there unconsciously attracted their attention. When Sheng Qianxue was surrounded by many talented young men, A-Xin's surroundings were also surrounded by many people.
"Ye Xin." A-Xin introduced herself. "Boyfriend? Really sorry, not interested."
"Oh... is that so?" Disappointed tone.
"Then making a friend should be okay, right, Miss Ye?"
A-Xin smiled faintly. "Sure."
Then A-Xin exchanged contact information with many people.
Someone invited her to dance. She shook her head. "I don't really like dancing. You should invite others. I only like sitting here eating, drinking, and watching them dance."
"What a coincidence! Actually I have the same hobby as Miss Ye. How about sharing a table and drinking together?"
"If you don't mind, sure." As A-Xin spoke, she opened a bottle of champagne, eating little snacks while watching people in the dance floor. In no time, the champagne bottle was empty.
Later she seemed to feel it wasn't strong enough and mixed in some beverage.
In just ten minutes, she'd drunk several bottles. Even if the alcohol content wasn't high, her face didn't flush at all.
The young men who'd planned to drink and chat with her: "..." They thought it was an excuse, not expecting she really had this hobby.
"Miss Ye, why not try the taste of red wine?"
A-Xin smiled faintly. "Sure."
She accepted everything offered.
The young men looked at each other and quickly helped her mix drinks. They didn't believe her alcohol tolerance was that good.
Ten minutes later, A-Xin's complexion remained normal, but the several who'd clinked glasses with her had flushed faces. They looked at each other and finally admitted defeat, their eyes full of reverence looking at A-Xin.
So this Miss Ye was the one who hid her abilities.
A-Xin drank while eating, her gaze also turning from the crowd toward Sheng Qianxue's direction. The people beside her noticed her gaze. Perhaps admiring her alcohol tolerance and straightforwardness, they said very quietly, "Miss Ye, you might have just returned from abroad and don't understand the current situation. If Miss Sheng is really planning to find a boyfriend, it's better not to look in the Jiang family. Currently the Jiang family..."
They all shook their heads, their expressions hard to describe.
Jiang Chongjun's actions obviously meant having his children fight each other, kill each other, and compete for the most outstanding candidate. During this period, whoever got too close to the Jiang family would be at risk, because these people would inevitably be used by the Jiang family.
Sheng Qianling and Jiang Yanxi getting engaged—even if legend said they'd known each other early and been together long ago—choosing this time to get engaged inevitably made people overthink.
Sheng Qianling stood above with a shy face, but she didn't know many people questioned her and Jiang Yanxi's feelings. However, in their circle, they were already used to it. Even the purest feelings would involve various interests. They'd long since stopped hoping for pure feelings. So people in this circle mostly played it loose.
"I see. Thank you." A-Xin smiled and nodded at them. "Then if I need to understand any information in the future, I'll find you. Is that okay?"
"Of course no problem."
A-Xin raised her wine glass. "Then I won't be polite." She glanced at the several young people chatting with Sheng Qianxue. "Can you send me their information? Whether it's public or private, I want it all."
"Of course no problem. But Miss Ye, just look at these yourself. Don't spread them around." Saying this, they'd already pulled out their phones to compile the information, planning to send it early to this straightforward Miss Ye. If it had been earlier, they still had thoughts of developing something with her. After interacting this while, they completely lost that notion.
"I won't. I'll only look myself."
One engagement banquet—Sheng Qianxue met many people.
"Shorty, today I met quite a few talented young men. What do you think about me choosing one of them as a boyfriend?" Sheng Qianxue asked.
A-Xin glanced at Sheng Qianxue. "When Qianxue plans to date someone, can you tell me?"
The reaction was different from what she imagined?
Sheng Qianxue wondered inside—could it be Shorty didn't believe she'd find a boyfriend? Hmph, then she'd find one to show her. "I don't know who's good either. I'll date a different one each day, meet them all, chat. With my status, I should pick the best one no matter what."
"Don't you think?"
A-Xin nodded very seriously. "Mm, meeting them all is good."
Still no reaction?
Pretend, keep pretending. Sheng Qianxue huffed inside. Must be feeling really bad inside right now, right? Going to close the door and cry later? This time, too late. If she didn't teach this Shorty a lesson, she wouldn't be Sheng Qianxue. Making her not confess, making her not confess—now she was going to date other people.
But A-Xin had no reaction.
Returning to her room, she didn't cry either. Instead, she browsed those young men's information, carefully looking through them one by one.
The next day, Sheng Qianxue indeed went on a date. This person was from the Jiang family, slightly older than Jiang Yanxi—counting up, he was his half-brother. As for which number, she wasn't clear.
Sheng Qianxue dressed very beautifully, with A-Xin accompanying her. For this scene, she naturally had to bring Shorty along. She especially wanted to see Shorty's aggrieved appearance.
"How was it? I think he's not bad—handsome, can talk, quite capable." Sheng Qianxue elbowed A-Xin. "What do you think?"
Be jealous quickly.
Say this person is no good.
Or cry.
Cry and this miss won't look for others.
A-Xin pulled out her phone, opened a page, and said quietly, "Qianxue, are you sure? This person broke up with his three girlfriends simultaneously two months ago. One girlfriend is even pregnant. You know the Jiang family tradition—that girl is currently settled by him in a small county town to have the baby." She showed Sheng Qianxue the photos on her phone. "Look, this is their photo together. Look at this big belly—him touching his son, how happy he looks."
Sheng Qianxue: "..." Hehe...
She glared at the man before her and sneered. "Get lost!"
"Miss Qianxue, what do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" Sheng Qianxue grabbed A-Xin's phone and showed what she'd just seen to the other. His face darkened at a visible rate. Finally, he glared viciously at A-Xin and turned to leave.
A-Xin snatched her phone back and instructed, "Qianxue, your judgment is bad. Remember, tomorrow you also need me to come along."
Sheng Qianxue: Currently very irritable.
The third day, Sheng Qianxue met another legendary talented young man also surnamed Jiang. The other's appearance was very refined. After chatting a while, okay.
"Shorty, what about this one?"
A-Xin pulled out her phone and flipped to this person's information. "Yesterday he had his ex-girlfriend get an abortion."
Sheng Qianxue: Get lost!
The fourth day, no matter how Sheng Qianxue looked at the person before her, she didn't find him pleasing. The person before her had a kind face and said, "Miss Qianxue, to this day I've never had a girlfriend, never gotten a girl pregnant, and never made anyone get an abortion. I'm not from the same world as those two half-brothers of mine. I'm completely serious about Miss Qianxue."
"Is there a problem?" Sheng Qianxue was already uncertain. How did she feel now that everyone surnamed Jiang was bad news?
She felt some regret—she shouldn't have used this method of attracting romantic rivals to make someone jealous. Not only unsuccessful, it disgusted herself and let Shorty watch the joke. So frustrating.
A-Xin pulled out her phone and flipped to a page of information. Seeing this familiar action, Sheng Qianxue felt desperate.
Sure enough, there was a problem, right? The Jiang family—they really opened her eyes.
"What's his problem?"
A-Xin answered, "Indeed no girlfriends. Quite a few boyfriends though."
Sheng Qianxue: "..."
That talented young man with many boyfriends: "..."
That day, Sheng Qianxue posted on social media: "I, Sheng Qianxue, swear—when finding a partner, I absolutely won't find anyone surnamed Jiang."
The Jiang family's young people: "..." What was this supposed to be?