Zhou Jinbei said again, "We're not compatible. Sorry, I like straightforward men, you should go trick someone else."
Jiang Sicheng had indeed agreed to the marriage because his family was pressuring him too much.
He hadn't expected the other party to be such a unique individual, not only seeing through his disposition at a glance but also ruthlessly exposing it.
"I wasn't trying to trick you. I heard your family's situation isn't great right now, and this is at best a transaction between us."
"Miss Zhou, please don't talk to me in that tone, as if I owe you something."
Indeed.
The poor state of his family had spread to outsiders.
Especially to potential marriage partners.
How could Zhou Jinbei hold her head high?
She replied haughtily.
"My family's situation has nothing to do with you. There are plenty of talented young men in Nancheng who like women waiting for me. If it's a transaction, I wouldn't be looking for you."
"We're not compatible. Tell your aunt later that I wasn't interested in you. That's all, no more talk, bye-bye."
Less than half an hour after she put down her phone, her mother knocked on the door with a plate of fruit.
"How did your chat with him go, Beibei?"
Zhou Jinbei opened the door and gave her mother a perfunctory reply.
"He wasn't interested in me and didn't want to talk."
"That's impossible, right? When I had afternoon tea with his aunt, after showing him your photo, he said he was very satisfied."
"How could he not be interested in you? Could it be that you, you mischievous girl, are playing some tricks again, deliberately saying unpleasant things to him?"
"Show me the chat history."
Zhou Jinbei refused.
"Mom, don't you think this man looks a bit effeminate? Aren't you afraid that if he doesn't like women, I'll marry him and live as a widow for the rest of my life?"
Her mother immediately spat, "Peh, peh, peh."
"You little brat, at such a young age, do you even know what a widow means?"
"Of course, I know," Zhou Jinbei said.
"The internet is so developed now, I know much more than you do. Don't think that just because you're older, you know more than me. Actually, you're the silly one."
Her mother was speechless for two seconds, then tried to persuade her again.
"The Jiang family's business is closely linked to ours. Their eldest son refused to inherit the family business and ran off to be a rapper abroad, which made his father furious."
"That's why they're rushing the second son to get married at such a young age. If they weren't afraid of any accidents, they wouldn't offer such a generous betrothal gift."
"Jinbei, Mom knows that marrying in such a hurry is a bit of a compromise for you. But the Jiang family's wealth and Jiang Sicheng's appearance are more than enough for you."
"You don't have anyone you like outside, so what's there to compromise about?"
No wonder Jiang Sicheng was so arrogant.
So he was the crown prince of the Jiang family.
And would later control all the family's power.
Then he should have no shortage of women throwing themselves at him.
How could he possibly care about her?
"How much betrothal gift is their family giving?"
Her mother said, "Your cousin got married two years ago, and the groom's family gave a betrothal gift of 1.88 million, along with a villa and a sports car."
"The Jiang family is much better than them. From what his aunt said, the betrothal gift will at least double."
"Getting nearly ten million yuan from a marriage, and if it doesn't work out, you can still get a divorce. Don't you think this could help your father with his urgent situation?"
Is being pretty so valuable now?
Something that can earn nearly ten million yuan from a marriage?
Zhou Jinbei was suddenly speechless.
"You go out first. Let me think about it again."
Her mother left. Zhou Jinbei looked at Jiang Sicheng's moments, thinking it over and over.
She then proactively sent him a message.
"How many backup options like me do you have, Mr. Jiang?"
Jiang Sicheng was clearly bored as well and replied quickly.
"Many."
"So, have you found anyone you fancy?"
"My standards are quite high, so I'm still looking."
Rich people certainly speak with confidence.
"What are Mr. Jiang's requirements for your chosen candidate?"
Jiang Sicheng said, "Beautiful, intelligent, generous, and understanding of propriety."
"Since you've already seen through me, I won't hide it anymore. If we get married, it would be a typical marriage of convenience."
"I won't touch you. But you still have to fulfill the obligation of bearing me a child, and you'll do it alone at the hospital."
"My children, the children of Jiang Sicheng, cannot be ordinary. Therefore, their mother must be beautiful and intelligent."
"Even if we have no feelings for each other, you must give me face in front of others. No matter what I do, you have to pretend not to know."
"As long as you are understanding and dignified, I will ensure you have a sufficiently pleasant life in the Jiang family for the rest of your days."
It was entirely about buying a childbearing machine without emotional involvement.
She never expected to be tempted by such a thing one day.
Zhou Jinbei asked him again.
"Since you can do your own thing, can your wife also do her own thing after marriage, as long as it's not public?"
Jiang Sicheng replied, "Of course not. I'm marrying a wife to bring me honor, not to cause trouble."
"If she dares to cheat on me, I will never forgive her."
"Do you know how excessive these demands of yours are?"
Zhou Jinbei immediately became displeased.
"In other words, if a woman chooses to marry you, she chooses to sacrifice her emotional life for the rest of her days."
"How much are you willing to pay for her emotional life for the next half of her century?"
Jiang Sicheng had clearly made his plans.
"A betrothal gift of 3.88 million, and you can choose any car. This is before marriage."
"After marriage, once a son and a daughter are born, a villa in Xiangshan District is guaranteed."
"Plus lifelong service from nannies and housekeepers. Do you think this payment is enough?"
Zhou Jinbei said, "Not enough. I don't want a car. Increase the betrothal gift to ten million."
"Let's clearly state in our contract that after marriage, I will bear you a son and a daughter, and you will give me two villas in Xiangshan District."
"If you can agree to this condition, we can get married anytime."
A villa in Xiangshan District, priced at fifty million or more.
This meant one hundred million for two children.
This woman truly thought highly of herself.
But Jiang Sicheng did not refuse her.
Who wouldn't be tempted by Zhou Jinbei's beauty and intelligence?
Since money was involved anyway, it was better to find someone to keep secrets.
Giving money to an intelligent and sensible woman was better than giving it to a mere pretty face.
"Alright then. I'll have someone draft the contract now. We'll be boyfriend and girlfriend after signing it tomorrow."
"Before Chinese New Year, you'll come home with me to meet my parents. After the new year, we'll set a date for the wedding."
And so, in less than 24 hours, Zhou Jinbei brought home ten million yuan in cash.
And she herself became a woman with a fiancé.
Jiang Sicheng was very effeminate.
Zhou Jinbei wondered if the people around him were deliberately pretending not to notice or if they truly didn't see his nature.
In any case, the thought of cooperating with him and acting a part in the future made her stomach churn.
After signing the contract and returning home, Zhou's father and mother were beaming with joy.
Back in her room, Zhou Jinbei threw herself onto the bed, and tears instantly welled up.