"I appreciate your kindness!" Jiang Yi said. "I am just an outsider, not a member of your Dongfang family. How can I interfere in your family's affairs!"
"That's easy. You marry Dongfang Mei soon, and then you'll be one of us," Dongfang Teng said.
"Marriage is not a child's play. How can we get married just like that?" Jiang Yi continued. "Besides, I'm not capable of managing your Dongfang family. You know, I've even handed over the Tian Sheng Group to my mother to manage. I've barely been involved in the Tian Sheng Group's affairs."
The crowd showed looks of disappointment.
"Are you that unwilling to marry me?" Dongfang Mei asked Jiang Yi, sounding a little annoyed.
"That's not what I meant!" Jiang Yi explained.
Dongfang Mei burst into laughter. "Don't be so nervous. I was just kidding."
Jiang Yi felt helpless. Dongfang Mei was joking about such a matter. Could such a thing be joked about so casually?
Seeing that it was getting late, Jiang Yi left the Dongfang family villa with Shen Lu. As soon as they reached the villa entrance, they saw Dongfang Xun.
"How is my mother?" Dongfang Xun asked Jiang Yi.
"You can go in and see for yourself!" Jiang Yi said.
"I'm no longer a member of the Dongfang family. I don't want to go in," Dongfang Xun said. Although Dongfang Xun had left the Dongfang family in a huff, he was still worried about Liu Hong's condition. After all, Liu Hong was the one who had raised him.
"If you have any conscience, break up with Song Tong and apologize!" Jiang Yi said, then drove away. Jiang Yi felt that Dongfang Xun was beyond saving and didn't want to waste any more words on him.
Upon returning home, Jiang Yi slumped onto the sofa and took a sip of tea.
"There's something I've never been able to understand!" Shen Lu said.
"What is it?" Jiang Yi asked.
"Dongfang Xun is such a smart person, yet he's become so foolish now. Even Chen Kun is probably smarter than Dongfang Xun," Shen Lu said.
"Dongfang Xun's head has been clouded by love!" Jiang Yi took a deep breath and said, "Perhaps it's because Dongfang Xun loves Song Tong so much that he doesn't want to accept the fact that Song Tong is a liar, so he's deceiving himself. Men tend to become foolish when they meet someone they like."
"The latter part sounds like you're talking about yourself!" Shen Lu chuckled.
"That's right!" Jiang Yi said. "When I met Ye Yanran, I was the same. The whole world was Ye Yanran. For Ye Yanran, I feigned madness and foolishness. I didn't care about anything else. I even forgot about revenge. When Ye Yanran proposed divorce, my entire world collapsed."
"I understand!" Shen Lu said.
"You've never been in love, so how could you understand?" Jiang Yi laughed.
"Although I haven't been in love, I do have someone I like. I understand that feeling. Every word and action of his affects my emotions. I would even be willing to die for him," Shen Lu said.
"Who do you like?" Jiang Yi asked with a smile.
Shen Lu smiled and didn't say anything. The person Shen Lu was referring to was Jiang Yi. Jiang Yi had sensed Shen Lu's feelings long ago but had pretended not to know. He did this to avoid hurting Shen Lu. If this unspoken understanding were to be broken, it would only lead to awkwardness. Sometimes, one could only choose to play ignorant.
Just then, Li Ping and Dong Rui returned from work.
"I heard that something happened to the Dongfang family!" Li Ping's gaze fell on Jiang Yi. "The head of the Dongfang family, Liu Hong, expelled her adopted son, Dongfang Xun, from the family and then fell ill, leaving Dongfang Mei to handle all the Dongfang family's affairs."
Jiang Yi was stunned. He didn't expect his mother to know about this so quickly. But then again, it wasn't surprising. The Dongfang family was a prominent family in the Beijing business circle, and countless eyes were on them. Once something happened to the Dongfang family, the news would spread quickly, and everyone in Beijing would know.
"Are these rumors true?" Li Ping asked.
"Yes!" Jiang Yi nodded.
"Judging by your expression, you know everything that happened in the Dongfang family, don't you?" Li Ping asked.
Seeing Li Ping's curiosity, Jiang Yi recounted the entire incident. Li Ping frowned after listening.
"This Dongfang Xun is truly despicable. It's a good thing Liu Hong expelled him from the Dongfang family, otherwise, the entire Dongfang family would have been ruined by him."
"When did you start caring so much about the Dongfang family's affairs?" Jiang Yi couldn't help but ask.
"You'll be marrying Dongfang Mei in the future, so naturally, I have to pay more attention to the Dongfang family's matters. What's so strange about that!" Li Ping said.
Hearing this, Jiang Yi was taken aback. Jiang Yi remembered that his mother used to be against him being with Dongfang Mei. Now, judging by her tone, it seemed she was willing. He truly couldn't fathom his mother's thoughts.
Seeing Jiang Yi's expression, Li Ping said, "I was reluctant for you to marry Dongfang Mei before because I didn't want you to repeat the past. The Dongfang family is a prominent family in the Beijing business circle. If you were to marry Dongfang Mei, I worried you would end up living a subservient life like you did at Ye Yanran's home."
"Then why have you changed your mind now?" Jiang Yi asked curiously.
"Because I feel that Dongfang Mei is different from Ye Yanran, and the Dongfang family is different from the Ye family. Marrying Dongfang Mei is the best choice for you!" Li Ping continued, "Besides, you're not getting any younger. It's time for you to get married!"
Jiang Yi wore a self-deprecating expression. Dongfang Mei was indeed different from Ye Yanran. No matter what happened, Dongfang Mei wouldn't do something like forcing him to divorce her, as Ye Yanran had.
"I've decided. You and Dongfang Mei will get married in a week!" Li Ping's gaze fell on Jiang Yi. "I'll personally go to the Dongfang family tomorrow to discuss this matter with Liu Hong and the Dongfang family!"
Hearing this, Jiang Yi froze on the spot.
"This is too fast!" Jiang Yi said helplessly.
"In the current situation, the sooner the better. The earlier you get married, the more trouble you can avoid!" Li Ping said.
"What do you mean by that? I don't understand!" Jiang Yi said.
"I'm doing this for your own good. With the Dongfang family's recent events, this is a great opportunity for you!" Li Ping said with a serious expression. "Dongfang Xun has been expelled from the Dongfang family. Dongfang Mei will definitely become the head of the Dongfang family in the future. Once you marry Dongfang Mei, you will also be considered half a head of the family. After you get married, you won't have to suffer any grievances."
"After you and Dongfang Mei get married, Dongfang Mei will certainly have to have children and raise them. By then, won't all the Dongfang family's affairs have to be managed by you?"