"If stabbing me twice will appease you, will make you forgive me, then I am more than willing."
"I don't ask for anything now, I only hope you can let me tell you the secret!"
"Nan Fang..."
Jiang Nan Fang rushed to him, flicking her wrist, and the knife fell fiercely.
But there was still a trace of reason left.
As the blade was about to pierce his shoulder, she trembled and restrained herself.
"Don't think I really won't do it! Zhan Bei Jue, don't force me!"
Looking at her red eyes, her face trembling slightly from suppressed anger, Zhan Bei Jue met her gaze without flinching.
"I'll say it again, if stabbing me twice will make you feel better, I am more than willing."
"Ah!"
Jiang Nan Fang closed her eyes, raised her arm again, and brought it down fiercely.
The fruit knife was firmly embedded in Zhan Bei Jue's right shoulder.
"This stab is your payment for your father's affairs. I can keep quiet about it."
"But I must give Ke Teng the truth."
"Leave. From now on, we are strangers, with no further connection."
"What I do in the future is none of your business, and I won't interfere with what you do. We will go our separate ways, owing each other nothing!"
---
This was the most ridiculous New Year Zhou Jin Bei had experienced since turning twenty.
Because after returning home from her aunt's house on the eve of the Little New Year, her father suddenly dropped a bombshell on her at the dinner table.
He had already chosen a husband for Zhou Jin Bei, and they would have their wedding after the New Year.
"What? Am I hallucinating?"
"Or have you suddenly been stimulated? I'm only 20, and who is this person you're talking about? I don't even know him, and you're making me marry him?!"
Zhou's father was clearly prepared and had already enlisted her mother's help beforehand.
Although her mother was reluctant, she stepped forward to explain to Zhou Jin Bei.
"I didn't tell you many things about the family before because I thought you were too young and didn't understand."
"Now that you've grown up, your father's health is deteriorating, and it's time for you to know some things."
"Business has become increasingly difficult over the years, with more competitors and a richer variety of new products, as you know. It hasn't been easy for the company to survive until today."
"In the past two years, we've lost money on several projects, and your father has already mortgaged all our family's properties and cars."
"If it weren't for two projects making a little money this year, we might not even have a home."
"A while ago, your second brother, Zhan Bei Jue, joined one of our projects and provided your father with fifty million yuan in working capital. Now there's a good opportunity he wants to seize, but this fifty million isn't enough."
"As a member of this family, it's time for you to contribute."
"As long as you marry into the Jiang family, we will form a kinship, not only gaining their investment but also saving a significant amount on raw materials."
"If we can revitalize this project, our family will surely recover to its former glory."
"Your father is planning for your and your brothers' long-term future, you must understand him, Bei Bei."
Zhou Jin Bei couldn't understand.
If the family was so poor that they had to rely on their daughter's arranged marriage to get by, why did her father have the leisure to keep a mistress outside?
If she wasn't afraid that revealing that fact would cause a huge scene at home.
And shock her mother.
Zhou Jin Bei really wanted to confront her father with the issue on the spot.
But for the sake of her innocent and pitiable mother, and for her brother who had just started to get ambitious, she could only grit her teeth and endure.
"Even if you're that desperate for money, you can't sacrifice the happiness of my later life."
"Since the difficulty is temporary, if the money isn't enough, you can ask my second brother to invest a little more. Or my brother has many friends, he can borrow some."
"Why must you force me to marry? I'm only 20, and I have no emotional foundation with that person. Aren't you afraid of ruining me?"
Her mother patiently explained to her.
"No, do you think your parents are stupid? You are our treasured pearl, raised with all our care. How could your parents harm you?"
"Although the second young master of the Jiang family is young, he is well-known in the circle for his excellent character and studies. Your mother has been observing him for many years."
"He is usually low-key and diligent in his work, and your parents are also well-known for their good character in the circle."
"If it weren't for the fact that I have some acquaintance with his aunt, this good fortune wouldn't have fallen upon you. How could we harm you?"
Zhou Jin Bei didn't believe such good fortune would fall upon her.
If he was so young, handsome, wealthy, and had good character, and his parents had a good reputation in the circle, how could he not have a girlfriend?
"Have you clarified this? Perhaps he already has someone he's dating behind his parents' backs..."
Her mother interrupted her: "Oh dear. If he had someone he was dating, his parents wouldn't be urging him to marry, and I wouldn't have gotten this opportunity."
"Silly girl, this is your lifelong event, how could your mother not carefully look out for you! His aunt said that he keeps a very clean circle, almost no women around him, guaranteed single!"
Zhou Jin Bei believed it even less.
So handsome, good character, rich, and so clean that there were no women around him, yet his family was pushing him to marry.
There must be something wrong.
"Do you have photos? Don't just brag, show them to me."
Her mother took out her phone and found some photos for her.
"Look, the boy is tall and slender, fair-skinned, handsome, and dresses with taste. How suitable is he for you?"
Zhou Jin Bei took the phone and clicked on the pictures.
She almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
This was suitable for her?
This was fair-skinned and dressed with taste?
He looked like a complete gay person, wouldn't you say?
His hair was neatly combed, and his clothes were clean.
But the foundation on his face, the eyeliner he wore, the lipstick he applied.
He looked like a good sister to her!
Zhou Jin Bei was truly impressed by her own mother.
At her age, how could she still be so naive and sweet?
Forcing her daughter into a fiery pit, what could she say to her?
"Alright, alright. Since you say so, give me his contact information, and I'll try dating him first."
"Let's be clear beforehand. We'll talk about marriage if we can make it work, and if not, then forget it. You can't force me."
"How could it not work? Unless you intentionally don't want it to work."
Her mother said with certainty.
"This boy is so good. He's definitely more reliable than your brother. It's definitely going to happen!"
After the meal, Zhou Jin Bei got the contact information of Jiang Si Cheng, the second young master of the Jiang family.
Back in her room, she proactively added him on WeChat.
Jiang Si Cheng quickly accepted.
Zhou Jin Bei didn't beat around the bush and asked directly: "Do you want to get married?"
Jiang Si Cheng, not understanding, replied with a question mark.
Zhou Jin Bei then said: "Are you tired of being urged by your family, so you plan to find a girl to marry? Does your boyfriend know about this?"
Jiang Si Cheng replied with another question mark.