Zhan Bei Jue was watching Zhou Jin Xiu stir up trouble in the group chat when Gong Bei Bei knocked on his study door from the outside.
"A Jue, may I come in?"
Dropping his phone, Zhan Bei Jue pinched his brow. "Come in."
Gong Bei Bei, wearing a beautiful black silk nightgown, walked in and stood opposite him.
Due to her fair skin, enchanting scent, and the "beautiful" scene, Zhan Bei Jue felt an involuntary discomfort.
She smiled faintly. "Aunt Zhou sent me up."
"She said since everyone now knows about our engagement, it's time to pick a date. A Jue, when are you free? Can you talk with me?"
Zhou Jin Xiu was still boasting volubly in the group chat, praising his girlfriend.
Hearing his buzzing phone, Zhan Bei Jue suddenly made up his mind.
"Since you're all so eager for me to get engaged, it's going to happen sooner or later. Might as well settle it early and have peace of mind."
"Next Friday, on the 100th anniversary of Zhan Corporation's founding, why not choose that day?"
Zhan Bei Jue was actually planning to combine his engagement date with Zhan Corporation's centenary?
He valued himself too much!
Gong Bei Bei was overjoyed by his words.
"Are you sure? Don't you want to think about it more, A Jue?"
Zhan Bei Jue glanced at her. "Aren't you ready yet?"
"No, no, no, I'm ready anytime. I'm already prepared."
One might even say she was eager. Gong Bei Bei's joy was evident.
Zhan Bei Jue said calmly, "An engagement is fine, but I have one condition you must agree to before we proceed."
Gong Bei Bei blinked her large eyes. "Of course. We'll be husband and wife soon anyway, so whatever you say goes. A Jue, feel free to ask anything."
She thought Zhan Bei Jue would ask about raising a family or giving birth to a successor for the Zhan family soon.
Instead, he said, "I will not have any more children. Even after marriage, I will not touch you. Do you have any objections?"
"..."
"If not, then go and discuss the date with Aunt Zhou. I still have work to do, so I'll leave the engagement matters to you two."
Gong Bei Bei walked out of the study with mixed feelings.
At the door of his room, Ge'er and Rui Rui exchanged glances and gloomily entered Zhan Bei Jue's room.
"Daddy." The two children decided to have an honest talk with Zhan Bei Jue today.
"Are you really going to marry Aunt Gong? What about Mommy?"
Zhan Bei Jue frowned at them.
"It's so late, and you two came to talk to me about this? Adult matters are not for children to interfere with."
"Didn't I tell you not to mention that woman in front of me anymore?"
"But..."
"Your mother is dead. She died six years ago. Don't mistake a stranger's kindness for maternal affection just because she's being nice to you."
"Having someone with a questionable character as your mother will only have a negative influence on you. I'm doing this for your own good."
"So, Daddy and Mommy can never be together, and Daddy is definitely marrying Aunt Gong?"
Rui Rui looked at Zhan Bei Jue with a serious expression, making his final summary.
Zhan Bei Jue felt that the little fellow was being provocative.
It was as if if he didn't listen to him, he was prepared to resist.
Zhan Bei Jue felt he had been too lenient with them, making them unruly and disrespectful of seniority, wanting to meddle in everything.
They even wanted a say in whom he married. Did the Zhan family have any rules?
"Marriage is my business, and I have the right to make decisions about my own affairs. As children, you have an obligation to respect me, not the right to stop me. No more nonsense, understand?"
Daddy was truly disappointing.
Mommy was so good, a hundred times better than Aunt Gong, yet he insisted on labeling her as bad.
He suddenly felt like a stranger.
Back in the room, Ge'er sat on the bed sadly, looking at her brother.
"Brother, I suddenly don't like Daddy anymore. If we have to live like this with him and Aunt Gong every day, I think I'll go crazy."
"Why don't we leave him? Let's go find Mommy together!"
Rui Rui also felt that Mommy was very pitiful.
"She clearly loves us so much and wants to be with us. But Daddy insists she didn't want us."
"Being misunderstood feels terrible. I think we should help her."
Thus, the two children quickly reached an agreement.
They secretly packed their luggage, preparing to sneak out of the Zhan family again when everyone was asleep.
However, before leaving, they needed to call Mommy to confirm their meeting point.
After scolding the children, Zhan Bei Jue felt even more restless and depressed.
Looking at the smug Zhou Jin Xiu in the group chat, he found Gong Bei Bei's WeChat and added her to the family group.
Then he tagged his uncle and aunt.
"Miss Gong Bei Bei and I plan to hold our engagement banquet next Friday. We welcome Uncle and Aunt to grace us with their presence."
"Jin Xiu, you should be feeling better by then. Bring your girlfriend along."
Damn it.
He was getting engaged next Friday? And inviting him?
This was clearly an attempt to outshine him in every way!
Zhou Jin Xiu, who had intended to show off in the group chat, had his spotlight stolen by Zhan Bei Jue. Enraged, he threw his phone aside.
"What the heck! So unlucky! How did I end up with such a second brother!"
Jiang Nan Fang, who had just finished cooking the porridge and brought it out, happened to overhear this.
"What's wrong? Who upset you again?"
"Your former boss is holding his engagement banquet next Friday and wants me to bring you along."
Zhou Jin Xiu showed her the chat history.
"He already has a fiancée but still wants to exploit you. When that didn't work, he sought revenge. How could such a scumbag be my second brother?"
Jiang Nan Fang looked at Zhan Bei Jue's familiar avatar and the words spoken beneath it, feeling the world spin.
He was getting engaged next Friday. He said it himself.
Inviting everyone to send him blessings.
Recalling the events in Bali, she felt like an idiot again.
"I'm not going. He's a scumbag. I feel disgusted just seeing him. I wouldn't send him blessings even if I were beaten to death."
Jiang Nan Fang returned the phone to Zhou Jin Xiu.
"You two eat first, I'm going to the restroom."
Unable to control the sting in her nose, she would start crying if she didn't go to the restroom, and she would make a fool of herself.
Jiang Nan Fang had to hide.
After a period of sadness, she looked at her haggard and pathetic reflection in the mirror, wiped her eyes, and silently encouraged herself.
Don't be sad. There's no need.
This trash is getting married, and from now on, she would completely cut ties with him.
This is a good thing, Jiang Nan Fang. Don't cry, you should smile!
But what about the children... It was easy to cut ties with him, but what about the children?
While she was worrying, her phone vibrated.
Taking it out, she saw it was Rui Rui calling.
Jiang Nan Fang's hands trembled with joy as she quickly answered.
"Hello, my darling."
"Mommy." Rui Rui's voice sounded very wronged.
"Sister and I have packed our luggage and are planning to come find you later so we can leave Nan Cheng together. Where are you now?"
"What? You and Sister are coming to find me and leave with me? Really?"
"Really. Daddy is going to marry another woman, and we hate him now. We don't want to be with him anymore. Mommy, do you still want us?"
"Silly child, of course, I do. If it weren't for you and your sister, Mommy might not have lived to see today."
Jiang Nan Fang was overjoyed and tearful.
"Mommy has been waiting for this day for a long time. You're finally willing to come with me. When can you come out? I'll drive to pick you up."