"Fifty thousand a month, a top graduate from a prestigious university wouldn't even get that salary. Little brother, you wouldn't earn this much in two years of delivering food, would you? Sometimes as a man, you have to take a gamble. You truly have nothing to lose. If you hesitate any longer, the opportunity will be gone."
Pei Kexin had been honing her skills at the Pei family enterprise for several years, and her negotiation prowess was undeniable.
After a barrage of words, Zhan Jingchen almost felt that refusing her offer would be ungrateful.
A fifty thousand a month windfall falling into the lap of someone who didn't need money?
He really didn't know how to react to this situation.
But on second thought, it was a bit amusing.
If he was destined to get married anyway, and didn't want a bland, unoriginal life like the common folk, why not do something out of the ordinary? It would be a good memento.
"The offer is good. I can consider it. But can I make a condition?"
Finally having persuaded him, Pei Kexin felt a sense of accomplishment. "You say."
"Since it's fake, and we'll divorce in a month, can we not register the marriage?"
"If we don't register, how can I prove I'm married to you?"
"There are plenty of places to get fake certificates. Spend fifty yuan on one, and you save yourself the ten thousand yuan divorce settlement. From what I see, your family doesn't care much about you and wouldn't even bother to check. Why not?"
Pei Kexin had originally called Gu Wei out today to discuss marriage. She had already prepared the contract.
The two quickly reached an agreement. Pei Kexin took out the contract and then remembered the most important question.
"What's your name?"
Zhan Jingchen raised an eyebrow. "Jiang Jingchen."
Pei Kexin signed her name and handed the contract to him.
"Take a look. If there are no issues, sign it now, and we'll handle the formalities tomorrow."
"I can wait for you until noon tomorrow at the latest. You must come home with me for dinner at noon."
The contract didn't have many clauses. The general content was:
The marriage would last for one month. The man would move into the woman's home as a live-in son-in-law, obeying all her commands.
They would sleep in separate rooms, only acting affectionate in front of others, and would not interfere with each other in private.
Without the woman's permission, the man would not bring anyone into the Pei residence.
The man must unconditionally obey arrangements and ask for leave if needed.
Upon discovery of any action that damages the woman's reputation, the contract would be automatically void.
In short, it was a contract of female superiority and male subservience.
For anyone else, let alone a mere two hundred thousand, even twenty billion yuan wouldn't have made Zhan Jingchen agree to such a humiliating matter.
But lately, he had been bored. He decided to play along with Pei Kexin.
Both signed the contract with a flourish and affixed their fingerprints.
Pei Kexin put away the contract with satisfaction and looked at Zhan Jingchen. "I've said all I needed to. Do you have anything to say?"
Zhan Jingchen looked back at her calmly. "Take a photo together. I'll find someone to handle the formalities tomorrow."
"Leave your phone number so we can contact each other tomorrow."
Pei Kexin scanned the room. "Let's take it here. Call someone to help."
"Aren't you afraid of revealing secrets?"
Pei Kexin smiled slightly. "If he dares."
She made a call, and soon Gu Wei came running up with a piece of red cloth.
Seeing that Pei Kexin had quickly settled the agreement, he was genuinely happy.
"Congratulations, congratulations! Happy wedding! May you have a hundred years of bliss!"
Pei Kexin retorted, "Congratulate my foot!"
Zhan Jingchen, however, was somewhat surprised.
This guy hadn't left? Was he that close to her? Then just now...
Gu Wei chuckled and explained.
"I'm just Pei Zong's assistant. At most, it's a relationship of utilization and being utilized. Don't worry, it's purely professional. Don't overthink it."
Pei Kexin exposed his secret. "Besides, CEO Gu isn't interested in me no matter how dressed up I am. He's just my sister."
Gu Wei was used to being teased and wasn't angry. He stuck the red cloth to the wall and brought over two small sofa stools.
"Come, come, the newlyweds sit here. Closer, and please smile."
The two sat down. One in a delivery uniform, the other in professional attire. The scene was extremely incongruous.
Gu Wei instructed them, "Take off your jackets. Don't you both have white shirts underneath? Show your shirts."
Pei Kexin readily stood up and took off her jacket, but Zhan Jingchen didn't move.
Gu Wei urged him, "Aren't you off work soon? Hurry up and take it off."
Zhan Jingchen had just finished a fight. Two of his shirt buttons were torn off, and there were wine stains on his chest.
He couldn't possibly undress in front of them.
"As a delivery person, how could I possibly wear a shirt underneath?"
"...It's not a white shirt? Then what's that peeking out at your neck?"
"Fake."
Gu Wei's eyes widened, his expression suggesting Zhan Jingchen was treating him like an idiot. "This is possible?"
"Of course. Poor people, to appear gentlemanly and attract the opposite sex, specially buy shirt collars to dress up. Haven't you seen it on TV? Alright, you've seen through me. Actually, I'm just a vain person who likes to pretend."
"..."
Pei Kexin didn't care. "Let's just take the photo like this. At worst, we'll photoshop it later. Gu Wei, stop babbling."
Gu Wei muttered as he took photos, "Still saying it's fake. They haven't even entered the house yet, and she's already protecting him. A woman's heart is truly an unfathomable thing."
The two posed for the photo. Zhan Jingchen added Gu Wei on WeChat with a secondary account. They exchanged photos and parted ways.
Pei Kexin put on her jacket, grabbed her bag, and took a final sip of red wine. Before leaving, she instructed Zhan Jingchen.
"The contract has been signed. Go back and get ready. Appear on time tomorrow. No backing out, or you won't be able to get by in Nancheng anymore."
Zhan Jingchen found it amusing in his heart. He said, "No need to threaten me. Don't worry, if not for you, then for the two hundred thousand, I wouldn't back out."
Pei Kexin was satisfied with his straightforward attitude.
"Tomorrow, just say you're my university classmate, a graduate of Nanda Law School's Class of '16, twenty-six years old, from Beicheng. Your parents died in a car accident two years ago, and you have no immediate relatives other than me. Can you remember that?"
How malicious, cursing someone's parents.
Fortunately, his life was fake, so Zhan Jingchen didn't mind.
"I can."
"Alright then. We're leaving. Be careful on your way back."
Zhan Jingchen nodded and watched as the imposing Pei Kexin, arm in arm with Gu Wei, gracefully departed.
Once they were out the door and confirmed no one was around, he took out his phone again and made a call.
"I won't be coming back to live for a while. Don't call me if there's nothing important. Don't ask where I am. I'll come back when I want to. Don't force me."
A deep, powerful male voice came from the other end. "Zhan Jingchen!"
"You want to discipline me again? If you have that kind of energy, you'd be better off educating my older brothers and sisters on how to behave."
"Why could Big Brother live in Sucheng for an extended period when he was studying and start dating Sister-in-law early? Second Brother entered the company before even going to college. Why can't I do anything?"
"If you continue to suppress me with their current achievements, I will never come back. You've looked down on me since childhood anyway. If I'm gone, you won't be embarrassed by me anymore!"
After speaking, he hung up the phone decisively and turned it off, not waiting for Zhan Beijue to say anything more.
Then he took out another phone and dialed another number.
"Why haven't you died and come over yet? Come pick me up quickly!"