Ch. 1281..1290

Chapter 1281: 1280 is just joking

Tan Rou, however, said, “Don’t underestimate Liang Lu and Lu Qing; they’re not to be messed with either.”

Although Liang Lu had not been the big sister for many years, she had never given up her fighting skills. The experience she had gleaned during fights, she still remembered.

As for Lu Qing, there was even less need to speak of him, as he was the heir to the Lu family and had begun receiving training from a very young age.

Lu Qing and Liang Lu, one on each side, had Feng Jiao under control. Liang Lu asked with a laugh, “Young Master Feng, I really didn’t like what you just said; would you mind repeating it?”

Feng Jiao said with a lot of backbone, “There is nothing to talk about between you and me. If it were a normal time, you wouldn’t even be qualified to speak to me.”

Lu Qing’s hand pressed on Feng Jiao’s shoulder, and with just a little effort, Feng Jiao’s complexion changed.

But Feng Jiao had trained too; such a level of coercion he could still handle. Moreover, Feng Jiao was no fool; he wouldn’t just stand there and take a beating, and started to fight back the moment Lu Qing made his move.

However, he had only paid attention to Lu Qing and had not been aware of Liang Lu at his side. While he was focused on dealing with Lu Qing, Liang Lu swung a punch from behind. It hit his spine and caused such pain that he fell down instantly.

Tan Rou couldn’t help but laugh, “It seems Young Master Feng hasn’t trained his skills very well.”

Jiang Min saw Feng Jiao’s misfortune and laughed for a moment but then quickly pretended to be very worried, asking with concern, “Feng Jiao, are you okay?”

Feng Jiao initially wanted to curse, but before he could utter a word, that malicious couple started talking.

With a smile, Liang Lu said, “Senior Jiang Min, you don’t need to worry. We were just joking with Young Master Feng and didn’t use much force. Besides, with such a sturdy body as his, how could Young Master Feng be hurt by us?”

Lu Qing also said, “That’s right, Senior. We really didn’t use much strength, just a light touch. If you don’t believe it, you can ask Young Master Feng ourselves. Young Master Feng, did we really exert any force?”

Feng Jiao was someone who cared a lot about face. It was bad enough being taken down by a guy but being floored by a girl with one punch made it hard for him to retort, right?

“It’s nothing,” Feng Jiao coughed a few times and slowly got up from the ground, “They were just joking, and they didn’t hit hard. I fell just now because I tripped, it had nothing to do with them.”

“I knew Young Master Feng is really sturdy,” Liang Lu laughed heartily, and while laughing, she gave a hearty pat on Feng Jiao’s back, “Young Master Feng really is impressive. We were wrong to have upset you earlier; my boyfriend and I apologize to you.”

Liang Lu gave Lu Qing a look, urging him to come over quickly.

Right away, Lu Qing walked over to Feng Jiao, copying Liang Lu by patting Feng Jiao’s back, then said, “Who brought a camera? Take a picture for us as a memory. It’s not every day we meet a big shot like Young Master Feng; we shouldn’t miss this opportunity!”

Tan Rou sneered, “Heh, let me take the photo for you.” She was carrying the high-end camera Tao Zheng had given her. But since she wasn’t into photography and Zhuang Liu had his own camera, it had become a burden.

Now, finally, the camera could come in handy.

Tan Rou lifted the camera and then instructed, “Move a bit to the left; the view is better there.”

Immediately, Lu Qing dragged Feng Jiao’s arm toward the left. After they moved to the left, Tan Rou suggested, “I think the view on the right is also nice. Maybe you should move back to the right.”

Liang Lu yanked Feng Jiao’s arm forcefully, dragging him to the right.

Feng Jiao felt like his arms were about to fall off, “You… Don’t pull…”

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Qing dragged him back to the left, “The left side is better after all, it has a more open view.”

Liang Lu immediately pulled him back to the right, “The right side is nicer, the scenery is more beautiful.”

Li Li, feeling an itch to join in when she saw them tormenting Feng Jiao, added her part, “I think the photos will look nicer if taken from closer up.”

Choosing the perfect moment, Tan Rou clicked the camera, capturing the shot.

After seeing the photo, Feng Jiao almost passed out because he was not visible at all in it. Li Li stood in front of him, completely blocking him out.

Chapter 1282: Hand over to Tan Rou for processing 1281

After the photo shoot, Tan Rou put away the camera. She didn’t mention sending the photo to Feng Jiao, and Feng Jiao didn’t want it either, since he wasn’t in the photo anyway.

Feng Jiao rubbed his almost dislocated arm and asked, “Didn’t you say you wanted to look around inside the temple? Are we still going?”

“Of course we are going,” Li Li said with a smile, “Why don’t we split into two teams? There are a lot of us here. The men in one group and the women in another, okay?”

Li Li, being single, didn’t mind either way, but those with partners wanted to stick with their significant others, especially the men, who would have liked nothing better than to push everyone else aside and be with their wives alone.

Zhuang Liu disagreed with this suggestion and said, “Let’s all stick together.”

However, Tan Rou said, “I think Li Li’s suggestion is good. We have too many people, and it could bother others if we all swarm into the temple together. Let’s split up. The men can go together, and we women can go together. That way, we can all chat.”

Zhuang Liu asked, “Can’t we talk while all being together?”

Tan Rou raised an eyebrow and laughed, “If we all stick together, we can’t talk about topics that are meant for girls only, so let’s split up.”

She winked at Zhuang Liu, who reluctantly agreed to separate.

The temple had more than one hall. After the men and women split up, they didn’t tell each other where they were going. They might try to meet up inside the temple or just leave it to fate.

Feng Jiao didn’t want to be separated from Jiang Min. He worried she might speak ill of him behind his back, but he also wanted to chat more with Zhuang Liu and his group to become more familiar with them, which would benefit his future inheritance of the Feng Family business.

When they were separating, Feng Jiao specifically called Jiang Min over and gave her a few instructions before letting her go with Tan Rou and the others.

Tan Rou and her group arrived at a side hall, which housed a Bodhisattva that wards off calamities, appropriate for them to pay respects to.

There were four cushions on the floor. Due to the crowd, they queued up on the side. Tan Rou, Shang Jin, and Jiang Min stood together, while Liang Lu and her group, pushing Lan Ning, stood on the other side.

“Am I not your friend anymore?” Shang Jin asked somewhat angrily, “Why didn’t you tell me about something as important as your marriage?”

Jiang Min was silent for a while before replying, “What’s the use of telling you? Can you prevent this marriage?”

Shang Jin held his breath but couldn’t respond to Jiang Min’s question. “As your friend, I think I should attend your wedding. Moreover, I want to know, why would you agree to this marriage? That man isn’t good at all, he doesn’t deserve you. Don’t you know that?”

Jiang Min gave a bitter smile, “You know he’s not a good person, how could I not know? But I can’t prevent it because our family needs his help.”

Shang Jin couldn’t imagine Jiang Min had become like this. “Who was it that told me to be brave and be myself? When I was hurt, you constantly called and messaged me, encouraging me to be strong, to strive to be myself, not to be downed by conventions! But what about you, what are you doing?”

Jiang Min calmly said, “Your issue is just of one person, but mine is about the whole family. If I don’t do it, my family will face great trouble.”

“What does that have to do with you?” Shang Jin couldn’t help but shout, “What kind of problem requires a woman to sacrifice her marriage to solve it?”

Jiang Min frowned, “Ah Jin, keep your voice down, don’t make noise in front of the Bodhisattva.”

The people praying beside them also showed their displeasure at their quarrel, “Hey, if you want to argue, take it outside. There’s a Bodhisattva here, we should keep it quiet.”

Shang Jin glared at the speaker, then took Jiang Min outside.

Tan Rou and Li Li waved off, “Li Li, you guys keep lining up, we’re going to talk outside.”

Li Li nodded and said, “Alright, have a good talk, and try not to fight.”

After Tan Rou and her group left, Lan Ning asked, “Aren’t we going with them?”

Li Li answered, “No need, we can’t help Jiang Min much with this. Let’s leave it to Tan Rou.”

 

Chapter 1283: 1282 quarrel

Shang Jin pulled Jiang Min to the small grove next to the side hall, where there were fewer people, making it convenient for them to talk.

“I want to hear your own thoughts,” Shang Jin said sternly, “You do not like that man, and he is not a good marriage partner. I do not think you would willingly marry him.”

Jiang Min spoke very calmly, “Ah Jin, I have passed the age of naivety, and I can now get married. Although Feng Jiao is not a good man, his family can help mine. I cannot live just for myself. I have to consider my own family as well.”

“Why should the fate of a family be placed on the shoulders of a girl?” Shang Jin asked. “Is there really no other way to solve this?”

Jiang Min continued calm, “Dong Da Real Estate is a well-known real estate company in the country, and my family has grown through the construction industry. But as you know, the past few years have been tough for the construction market, leaving many construction graduates either switching careers or laboring on construction sites. They have a hard life, and it’s even harder for those of us leading the line.”

Shang Jin, unfamiliar with the current construction market, thought simply, “But what does this have to do with your marriage? Could it be that Dong Da Real Estate is forcing you to marry Feng Jiao?”

Jiang Min shook her head, “No, to be precise, it is my family that wants me to marry into the Feng Family, and they have agreed. But initially, the husband chosen for me by the Feng Family was not Feng Jiao but his younger brother, Feng Ao.”

“What kind of person is Feng Ao?” Shang Jin pressed.

Jiang Min sighed, “Although Feng Ao is less popular than Feng Jiao, his character is indeed much better than Feng Jiao’s. At least he wouldn’t do something like seducing someone else’s wife.”

“Then why don’t you marry Feng Ao, why change?” Shang Jin continued to ask.

Jiang Min said, “It wasn’t my desire to switch, but the Feng Family decided to change. Feng Jiao somehow got a hold of my photo, and after he saw it, he told his parents he wanted to marry me. At first, his parents disagreed, but Feng Jiao insisted and they finally agreed to our marriage.”

“Don’t you think this is absurd?” Tan Rou, who had been quiet until then, also spoke up, “Whether it’s Feng Jiao or Feng Ao, you don’t know them, right?”

Jiang Min smiled, “Does it affect me? After all, I have to marry someone. Isn’t it the same no matter whom I marry?”

“Is this truly what you think?” Tan Rou could hardly believe Jiang Min would think this way, “Have you given up on yourself?”

“What else can I do?” Jiang Min laughed through her tears, “I, too, wish I could do what I like just like you all, but I can’t be as free as you! Do you know? After last time, our company’s stock fell significantly, many partners cut off ties with us, saying that they dare not cooperate with a company like ours that cuts corners!”

Tan Rou was also familiar with the Jiang family’s situation, but she was not involved in construction, so she could not offer help to Jiang Min.

“Is the Feng Family the only business entity in the Capital?” Shang Jin placed her hand on Jiang Min’s shoulder, “Can’t we seek cooperation with other companies?”

“Why would other companies help us?” Jiang Min felt Shang Jin was still too young and had not experienced societal pressure, so her ideas were too simplistic, “This is about running a company, not playing house. If there are no benefits, why would anyone want to help us? In recent years, the traditional industries have all struggled. You can ask Zhuang Liu and Tao Zhi. If they hadn’t ventured into high-tech fields first, do you think they wouldn’t be anxious now?”

This, Tan Rou knew quite clearly. The Tao and Zhuang families had already been exploring new industries, even to the extent that the new industries were surpassing the old. Current comparisons aside, who could predict the circumstances in 10 or 20 years? No one could guarantee a business can last for centuries, so every industry must continuously rejuvenate itself.

Tan Rou nodded and said, “The issues Jiang Min sister mentioned are indeed critical for businesses. The Tao and Zhuang families are also continuously developing. Without development, even the strongest businesses will decline.”

 

 

Chapter 1284: 1283 marriage alliance

“Yes, if we don’t transform quickly, our businesses can only be eliminated,” Jiang Min said with a very sad tone. “Our Jiang family has made changes and invested a lot of money in the emerging technology industry, but the vision of the elders in the family is still too shortsighted. They tend to retain traditional industries, which has resulted in our research not producing very good outcomes.”

Tan Rou continued, “Once a concept is ingrained, it’s very hard to change. The old generation’s way of thinking is difficult to correct. Without real young people in control, the business will not be revitalized.”

“They’ve already decided not to hand over the company to me,” Jiang Min said with a mocking tone, “because they believe that men are more suited to manage a company than women. They’ll choose someone more appropriate to replace me in managing the company. As for me, I’m just a tool for them to expand the family.”

“So you’re content with being a tool?” Tan Rou asked.

Jiang Min was stunned, “I want to fight back, but I can’t fight back. After all, those people are my elders, and I can’t make enemies of them.”

“What a laughable reason,” Tan Rou said very mercilessly. “They’re arranging your marriage with Feng Jiao simply because they covet the strength of Dongda Real Estate, hoping to use the power of the Feng family to sustain the vitality of the Jiang family. Do you think they’re doing all this for you?”

“No,” Jiang Min was very clear about the reasons behind the arranged marriage, “I know they’re doing it for the benefit of the family, sacrificing one marriage of mine to secure a better future for the family is truly worthwhile.”

“Do they care about you?” Tan Rou laughed, “Perhaps your mom and dad care about you, but do those relatives care about your sacrifice?”

Jiang Min frowned and said, “My father doesn’t agree with this marriage, and he even fell ill because of this matter. My older brother also cannot prevent this marriage because he has to manage other companies and no longer has the energy to help me.”

The Jiang family owns numerous industries, and Jiang Min’s older brother has limited capabilities and cannot handle everything. Furthermore, it is said that the next head of the Jiang family was not Jiang Min’s older brother. If Jiang Min were to marry out, their family would lose the chance to manage the entire Jiang family.

“Your older brother and your father disagree with this marriage; why do you agree to it?” Tan Rou couldn’t bear to listen anymore, “You ignore the opinions of those who love you, yet you care about the opinions of those who don’t love you. Don’t you find that contradictory?”

“I just want the Jiang family to be well-off. If the Jiang family falls, neither my parents nor my brother will have good days ahead. Sacrificing one marriage for their future better life seems very worth it to me,” Jiang Min said.

“But I heard that your older brother has already been excluded from the position of head of the family,” Tan Rou said ruthlessly. “A few years ago, when the Jiang family was prospering, he might have had the capability to manage the family well, but now that the Jiang family is facing serious trouble, if he were to take charge, the family is likely to decline even faster.”

Although Tan Rou’s words were unpleasant, they were also the truth. The previous Jiang Min could do what she liked under the protection of the Jiang family because she had a brother and a father to shield her from the storm. But now that her father was ill and her brother’s capabilities were limited, she had to face reality on her own.

“You are a capable person; even if you don’t want to inherit the family company, you’ve managed it well,” Tan Rou said. “If you want to do something else, you will surely do well too.”

Jiang Min understood Tan Rou’s intention, which was nothing more than an invitation for Jiang Min to work at TR company. Although Jiang Min was keen to go, she couldn’t give up her own family. If the Jiang family were in good condition, Jiang Min would leave without hesitation. But the Jiang family was already showing signs of decline, and if Jiang Min left at this juncture, it would be extremely heartless of her.

“Tan Rou, I appreciate your kindness,” Jiang Min said with a smile. “If there’s a chance in the future, I will definitely come to you, but for now, I still want to continue with the original plan. What’s the big deal about marrying Feng Jiao, as long as I ignore him after the marriage.”

“What if, after the marriage, you don’t get what you want?” Tan Rou inquired. “Although Dongda Real Estate is formidable, it’s also an old enterprise and cannot avoid facing survival pressures.”

 

Chapter 1285: 1284 is not worth it

“I have already studied it. Although DongDa Real Estate is also facing survival pressure, it has developed over many years and is deeply rooted in the domestic real estate industry. It won’t decline in the short term,” Jiang Min had learned quite a bit about the construction industry and understood some of the market conditions. After a simple analysis, she reluctantly agreed to the arranged marriage set up by her family.

“You also said it won’t decline in the short term, but what about the long term?” Tan Rou countered, “How long do you think DongDa Real Estate can last? Five years or ten years? Or maybe twenty years? At present, your sacrifice seems worthwhile, but in the long run, your sacrifice is uncertain.”

“As long as I get through the present, it’s enough…” Jiang Min said.

However, before she could finish her sentence, Tan Rou interrupted her, laughing, “Isn’t your goal to keep your family going indefinitely? If it only lasts ten or twenty years, is your sacrifice still worth it?”

Jiang Min had no answer, “Let’s talk about the future when it comes.”

“Since we are putting off future matters for later, why are you in such a hurry to marry Feng Jiao now?” Tan Rou said, “There might be new opportunities in the future.”

Jiang Min shook her head, “There will be no new opportunities. In these past few months, I have made many efforts, but very few companies are willing to cooperate with us. For a company, credit is extremely important; once it loses others’ trust, it receives a fatal blow. The development of my company was already tough and incidents related to the government have led to even bigger crises, making the company’s development even more difficult.”

“Does your company lack money or connections?” Tan Rou asked directly, “Or is it a lack of new construction projects?”

Jiang Min gave a bitter smile, “What if I said my company lacks everything?”

“Then go find new partners,” Tan Rou said, “Though I don’t have any projects to offer you, my older brother and Zhuang Liu definitely will. Regarding the funds you need, I can lend you as much as you need, but I can’t lend them to you for nothing. Just pay me back when your company recovers.”

Jiang Min did not want to trouble Tan Rou further, and Tan Rou wasn’t someone she could ask for help; she needed to seek help from Zhuang Liu and Tao Zhi. Jiang Min was not familiar with Zhuang Liu, nor did they have any business dealings, so she had no idea how to cooperate with them.

Moreover, the Zhuang family and the Tao family were too powerful for Jiang Min; she didn’t dare do business with them.

“Let’s just drop it. I’ll figure something out by myself,” Jiang Min rejected Tan Rou’s kindness.

“Alright, since you’ve rejected it, I won’t say more,” Tan Rou said, “I hope you get along well with your husband in the future.”

Jiang Min’s face showed a brief sense of discomfort, but she still accepted Tan Rou’s blessing, “Yes, I will.”

Seeing Jiang Min’s current state, Shang Jin was furious and wanted to rush up and give Jiang Min a punch, but Tan Rou stopped her, advising, “Shang Jin, it’s Jiang Min’s own choice; we have to respect her decision. If she thinks sacrificing her marriage to save her family is worth it, we can only wish her well.”

Shang Jin looked puzzled, “Tan Rou, what are you talking about? Weren’t you out here to persuade Ah Min?”

Tan Rou spread her hands, “Shang Jin, it’s not that I didn’t want to persuade her, but she simply doesn’t want to listen to our advice, so we should just leave it be rather than annoy her by saying too much.”

Shang Jin glanced at Jiang Min, then back at Tan Rou, unsure where to direct her anger, she stamped fiercely on the ground several times, “I don’t care anymore. Marry whoever you want to marry; after all, I have no money to give you.”

With that, she ran away angrily.

Jiang Min watched her departing figure, wanting to call her back but not knowing what to say.

“I know you all don’t approve of me marrying Feng Jiao, but I’m already in this situation, and calling off the wedding would definitely bring major trouble to the Jiang family,” Jiang Min said to Tan Rou, “Let’s not talk about this anymore, I hope we can still be friends in the future.”

Tan Rou said, “We will definitely be friends, but whether we can maintain a good relationship, that I cannot guarantee.”

 

Chapter 1286: 1285 loses face for men

Jiang Min and Tan Rou’s conversation was not pleasant. Jiang Min felt that Tan Rou didn’t understand her difficulties, while Tan Rou insisted on her own ideas, not wanting Jiang Min to marry someone with bad character in a daze.

On the other side, Li Li and the others also finished praying to the Bodhisattva. As soon as she stepped out, she encountered Tan Rou and Jiang Min.

“Tan Rou, Liang Lu and the others are lining up for you, you should hurry and pray.” Li Li said happily, “I feel that praying to the Bodhisattva really works. Just now, my advisor sent me a message saying that my last paper won an award.”

Tan Rou was happy for her, “You must eat a bit more when we go eat, as a celebration.”

Li Li was in a good mood, but when she turned her gaze to Jiang Min, she found that Jiang Min’s expression was unnatural.

“Senior Jiang Min, do you feel unwell?” Li Li asked with concern.

Jiang Min shook her head slightly, “It’s nothing.”

Li Li did not ask further and looked towards Tan Rou, “Tan Rou, are you still going to pray to the Bodhisattva?”

Seeing that the time was about right to go eat, Tan Rou said, “The main reason for this visit was to have you guys pray to dispel the bad luck, so whether we pray or not doesn’t matter. We’re running short on time, let’s meet up with Zhuang Liu and the others first, and then go eat.”

Li Li was feeling a bit hungry too, “Oh, okay, then I’ll go call Liang Lu and the rest.”

When they came out, Tan Rou noticed that Shang Jin was not inside, so she asked, “Shang Jin hasn’t come back?”

Li Li wondered, “No, didn’t she go out with you?”

Jiang Min said worriedly, “Ah Jin just split up from us, I thought she was going to come back and find you all.”

Li Li said, “Maybe Shang Jin went to the bathroom. I’ll message her to ask.” She messaged Shang Jin, who did not reply, “She probably hasn’t seen her phone, I’ll call her.”

Her call was cut off almost immediately, but shortly after, Shang Jin’s message came in. Shang Jin said she was shopping and told Li Li not to worry; she would join them in a bit.

Tan Rou found Shang Jin’s behavior a bit strange. Just a moment ago, she looked angry; how did she suddenly go shopping? Based on Shang Jin’s mood at the time, she should have been somewhere fuming, not shopping.

A while later, Zhuang Liu and the others came over. Their atmosphere was not as pleasant as that of the women. It seemed a bit somber.

Upon seeing Tan Rou, Zhuang Liu quickened his pace, “Tan Rou, have you finished what you needed to do?”

Tan Rou nodded and said, “Yes. What about you guys?”

Zhuang Liu’s expression was odd, but he replied, “Yeah, we’ve finished what we had to do. Now it’s just time to eat.”

Tan Rou sensed something was amiss and leaned closer to Zhuang Liu, whispering, “What happened on your side?”

Zhuang Liu whispered back into her ear, “There’s been trouble between Feng Jiao and Xu Yan, they almost came to blows.”

“What?” Tan Rou was very surprised, “The class rep and Feng Jiao almost fought? How is that possible?”

In Tan Rou’s mind, Xu Yan had always been a rather quiet person, methodical in his approach, and seldom involved in conflicts. Even when faced with provocation, Xu Yan typically just smiled it off. That’s why Tan Rou was so surprised to hear there had been a conflict between Feng Jiao and Xu Yan.

“You can’t blame Xu Yan for this; Feng Jiao is just too annoying.” Zhuang Liu frowned and said, “At the beginning, a few of us were discussing where to hang out. Feng Jiao wanted to go to one place, Xu Yan to another. He said he needed to buy something for Shang Jin, or else she would create a fuss when she got back, so he wanted to split up from us.”

Tan Rou said, “That sounds like a reasonable excuse. It’s fine as long as you all meet up in the end. There’s no need to stick together the whole time. I guess you wouldn’t want to sightsee with them either, right?”

Zhuang Liu responded, “Then why did you let me go with them?”

Tan Rou chuckled lightly, “If we hadn’t separated, how could I have spoken with Senior Jiang Min?”

Zhuang Liu knew this was true; his previous remark was just an expression of dissatisfaction and didn’t truly blame Tan Rou.

“You haven’t finished telling me, why did they almost fight?” Tan Rou inquired.

Zhuang Liu answered, “Because Feng Jiao felt that Xu Yan buying things for Shang Jin was too damaging to his male pride.”

 

Chapter 1287: 1286 teaches a lesson

Tan Rou really couldn’t understand Feng Jiao’s thinking. Why did it matter to Feng Jiao if Xu Yan was buying something for his girlfriend? Couldn’t he just keep his mouth shut for a while?

“So what happened next?” Tan Rou asked, “Did the class president argue with him just because of that?”

“Not exactly,” Zhuang Liu replied, “At that moment, Xu Yan didn’t bother to respond to Feng Jiao, probably because he found him too annoying. Moreover, I could tell that Xu Yan didn’t want to walk with Feng Jiao, so that’s why he suggested buying something for his girlfriend. But when Feng Jiao saw that Xu Yan was ignoring him, he immediately got angry. He said Xu Yan was just a student, and insisted that he could get Xu Yan expelled from school within minutes.”

Tan Rou said with exasperation, “Is there something wrong with Feng Jiao?”

Zhuang Liu laughed and said, “Coincidentally, that’s what Xu Yan said too. You’ve known Xu Yan for a long time, so you should know what kind of expression he shows when facing people he dislikes. Feng Jiao saw Xu Yan’s expression and was very upset. He asked Xu Yan if he was looking down on him. Do you know what Xu Yan said?”

Imagining the scenario, Tan Rou then said, “The class president definitely had his hands in his pockets, nodded without any expression, and then said yes.”

If the timing hadn’t been inappropriate, Zhuang Liu would have applauded Tan Rou, “You got it right.”

Following this, Tan Rou could guess the rest. Xu Yan’s attitude irritated Feng Jiao, who then wanted to hit Xu Yan. Although Xu Yan wasn’t talkative, he was quite fierce in a fight, so the two of them definitely had a physical altercation.

“In the end, it was Director Lu who stopped them,” Zhuang Liu said, “Director Lu has been working out these past few years, and his temper has improved a lot. He speaks so eloquently that he managed to calm the two of them down in just a few words.”

Tan Rou chuckled and said, “Being a former actor, Director Lu definitely knows how to sweet-talk. Besides, his acting skills are not bad either. Just now, he and Liang Lu were performing from either side, almost killing me with laughter. Watch, Director Lu will definitely continue to deal with Feng Jiao. Feng Jiao is out of his mind and really needs someone to teach him a lesson. You shouldn’t get involved; it would lower your status.”

Zhuang Liu smiled gently, “Alright, I won’t intervene. But you should avoid any interaction with him in the future, to prevent his madness from biting you.”

“Why would I have any dealings with him?” Tan Rou suddenly thought of Jiang Min, “If he actually marries Senior Sister Jiang Min, I might indeed have to deal with him in the future.”

Zhuang Liu said, “My advice is to avoid this marriage. Even if it happens, it won’t benefit Jiang Min. Rather than the Jiang family forming a marital alliance with the Feng Family, they would be better off with the Zhuang family. It just so happens my second brother doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

Zhuang Liu’s second brother, Zhuang Xi, had been doing very well recently, and he was wholeheartedly focused on developing the Zhuang family business, without causing trouble for Zhuang Liu as rumored. Hence, Zhuang Liu still regarded him as his brother. Just last month, they had dinner together.

Zhuang Liu was just speaking off the cuff, but Tan Rou took his words to heart. If Jiang Min ended up with Zhuang Xi, that would indeed be a good match. However, since they hadn’t met each other yet, it was better not to discuss it further.

“Tan Rou, what are you two whispering about?” Liang Lu called out to Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu, “The restaurant here is both expensive and not very good, so we are planning to drive into the city to eat. What do you think?”

Tan Rou replied, “Didn’t you have it all arranged?”

Liang Lu pursed her lips and said, “I did have a dinner planned today, but someone insisted on treating us, and I couldn’t stop them.”

Tan Rou quickly realized who wanted to treat them and said with a smile, “It doesn’t matter, whoever wants to treat us is fine, as long as we get to eat.”

Feng Jiao wouldn’t miss this opportunity to curry favor with Tan Rou, and said diligently, “Miss Rou, wherever you say we should eat, that’s where we’ll go.”

As for why he would ask Tan Rou’s opinion, Feng Jiao thought this way: since he saw Tan Rou as the sister of Tao Zhi and as Zhuang Liu’s fiancée, beloved in both the Tao and Zhuang families, pleasing her would surely satisfy both Zhuang Liu and Tao Zhi.

Moreover, Tan Rou was very pretty, and Feng Jiao enjoyed talking to beautiful women. If it weren’t for her being Zhuang Liu’s fiancée, Feng Jiao would have liked to marry her himself. He really hoped that Zhuang Liu and Tan Rou’s engagement would be called off, giving him a chance.

While Feng Jiao thought this, his intense gaze irritated Zhuang Liu, who said sharply, “Young Master Feng, what are you looking at?”

 

Chapter 1288: Shang Jin’s Plan 1287

Feng Jiao chuckled and answered, “I was asking for Miss Tan Rou’s opinion, naturally, I had to look her way.”

Tan Rou turned her face away and said indifferently, “I’m fine with anything.” She liked good food, but she wasn’t picky when it came to eating. Back in the lab, it was an issue to even get a meal, so what right did she have to be choosy?

Later, when she was in a better position, Tan Rou would choose to eat what she liked, but if others invited her for a meal, she wouldn’t pick and choose.

Li Li, however, had no intention of letting this opportunity slip by. Since Feng Jiao was treating, she was not going to hold back.

“Since it’s Young Master Feng treating, then we can order anything we want, right?” Li Li asked with an admiring look, “Young Master Feng, you’re so wealthy, you’ll surely treat us to the most expensive dishes, right?”

Feng Jiao loved being praised, and his vanity was satisfied when he heard Li Li call him wealthy. With a grand gesture, he patted his chest and declared, “Order whatever you want, anything you’d like to eat.”

Li Li revealed a sly smile, “Young Master Feng is so nice, thank you Young Master Feng!”

Feng Jiao was delighted and said, “Then let’s head out now, discussing what to eat on our way down the mountain.”

“Hold on, Senior Shang Jin hasn’t returned yet.” Tan Rou spoke up, “Let’s wait for her before we leave.”

Feng Jiao seemed unwilling to wait for Shang Jin and suggested, “Let’s go ahead. She can meet us at the foot of the mountain. We can’t delay our plans because of one person.”

Xu Yan said, “You guys go ahead. I’ll wait for her here.”

Feng Jiao greatly approved of Xu Yan’s decision, “Right, he should wait for his girlfriend. Let’s hurry and not waste time here.”

“Why is Young Master Feng in such a hurry?” Shang Jin had returned and, even before she got close, she began to oppose Feng Jiao, “To those who don’t know better, it would seem like there’s a beauty waiting for Young Master Feng at the foot of the mountain.”

Everybody fell silent. They were all too clear about what kind of person Feng Jiao was, but knowing was one thing; saying it out loud was another. Shang Jin had bluntly pointed out Feng Jiao’s foibles—was she trying to embarrass Jiang Min?

Feng Jiao sneered and replied, “There isn’t a beauty waiting for me; what awaits me is a feast. I said we should gather; why have you come so late? Are you intentionally trying to delay others, or do you want to show off how different you are?”

Everyone was shocked by Feng Jiao’s words. No wonder he had connections with so many people. Apparently, there were other reasons besides wealth.

Shang Jin hadn’t expected Feng Jiao to be so sharp-tongued. She had intended to expose him, but she ended up being lectured instead, which annoyed her.

“Fine, I was late. I apologize to everyone.” Shang Jin said perfunctorily, “Now that everyone’s here, we can go down the mountain.”

Feng Jiao continued, “If we hadn’t waited for you, we would have already left.”

Shang Jin didn’t have a temper that could withstand such provocation. Being called out once was enough, but a second time was too much, and she retorted to Feng Jiao, “Are you picking a fight on purpose? If you don’t want to walk with me, just say it. Anyway, I don’t want to walk with you either! My friends haven’t even said anything. As an outsider, what right do you have to criticise me?”

Tan Rou grabbed Shang Jin and dragged her away, “We’ll go ahead. You guys follow; don’t forget to bring Ning Ning along.”

Shang Jin said, “Tan Rou, let go of me. I have to set this guy straight today!”

Tan Rou urged, “Just drop it for now. Senior Jiang Min is still there.”

Upon the mention of Jiang Min, Shang Jin calmed down a bit. She stopped struggling and let Tan Rou pull her away.

“I just can’t get over it,” Shang Jin complained while walking down the mountain. “Do you know what I went to do just now?”

Tan Rou guessed, “You must have been thinking of a way to deal with Feng Jiao.”

Shang Jin smiled, “Tan Rou, they say you’re very smart, and they’re absolutely right.” She took out a bunch of small red berries from her pocket. “I saw these berries when I was going up the mountain. I ate them by accident when I was little. After eating them, I got red spots on my body. They were red and itchy, really uncomfortable.”

Tan Rou could almost guess Shang Jin’s plan, “You want to give these to Feng Jiao to eat?”

“Yep.” Shang Jin put the berries back in her pocket, “I’ll find a chance to pour the berry juice into Feng Jiao’s drink.”

 

Chapter 1289: Poison him with 1288

“Are you planning to poison him?” Tan Rou did not quite approve of Shang Jin’s approach, “It’s very dangerous because you don’t know what Feng Jiao’s constitution is like. If he drinks the juice and dies, what will you do then?”

Shang Jin said, “I’ve already tested this fruit, and it only causes red spots, it won’t kill anyone.”

Tan Rou said, “I just said, everyone’s constitution is different. Perhaps the fruit only causes red spots for you, but you can’t guarantee it will do the same for others. So it’s better not to poison him.”

“I can’t stand it,” Shang Jin said angrily and irritably. “Did you see his attitude towards Jiang Min? Once they get married, he definitely won’t treat Jiang Min well. By then, they can’t get divorced, and Jiang Min will just have to suffer his torment.”

Tan Rou calmly said, “That’s Jiang Min’s own choice, and we shouldn’t interfere.”

Shang Jin became very agitated. “Is that really her choice? She only has one option, what is there to choose? Jiang Min doesn’t like him, and he doesn’t seem to like her much either. Why are they being brought together at all?”

“But poisoning him won’t help either,” Tan Rou pointed out a very realistic problem. “If he’s poisoned, he can be treated. As long as he doesn’t die, the wedding will definitely continue.”

Shang Jin said with great conflict, “I also wanted to poison him to death, but that would be illegal, and it wouldn’t help Ah Min at all but would only cause trouble for myself.”

“It’s good that you understand that,” Tan Rou threw away the red berry in her hand. “Stop feeding him red berries, let’s think of something else.”

Suddenly, Shang Jin had an idea. “Tan Rou, can’t you make medicine? Could you make a drug for Feng Jiao that will make him unconscious for a while? That way, we’d have more time to help Ah Min.”

Tan Rou felt that this medicine sounded familiar; wasn’t it the same one that Zhuang Liu’s third uncle had used on Zhuang Liu’s father? That medicine was no good, and Tan Rou wouldn’t make it.

“No, I can’t make that kind of harmful poison. Stop thinking about it,” Tan Rou rejected Shang Jin’s suggestion.

Shang Jin said dejectedly, “So we can only watch him bully Ah Min?”

Tan Rou thought for a moment, then said, “Maybe we could administer a different kind of poison, one that won’t harm his body, but won’t make him feel good either.”

“That works.” Shang Jin didn’t care what it was, as long as it made Feng Jiao uncomfortable, she was happy. “Give him a bit more poison, make him uncomfortable all the time.”

Tan Rou knew that Shang Jin and Jiang Min were close, but for Shang Jin to risk breaking the law to seek justice for Jiang Min indicated that their friendship was really strong.

“Shang Jin, why do you hate Feng Jiao so much?” Tan Rou asked. “Logically, today is your first meeting with Feng Jiao. Your hatred for him, is it merely because you are friends with Sister Min and want to help her?”

Shang Jin wasn’t afraid of the question and replied to Tan Rou, “Yes, I just feel that Ah Min should not marry him. Ah Min is such a good person, she should marry someone who truly loves her, not someone unsightly and of bad character.”

Seeing the inquisitive look on Tan Rou’s face, Shang Jin laughed a little and told her a story.

“When I first got admitted to Capital University, I was very scared,” Shang Jin recalled the past. “I was afraid of encountering hard-to-get-along-with roommates, afraid of meeting teachers with bad temperaments. But the first person I met when I entered was Ah Min. She smiled at me all the time, introduced me gently to the school, and even gave me her contact information to help me if I ever had any troubles.”

“Later she formed a research group, and the second person she invited was me. She said I was amazing and could join her group specially. For this, she was even scolded by the school leaders, but she said the money she spent on establishing the research group wasn’t the school’s, so the school had no right to interfere with her choice of people. After that, we stayed in her group until the end.”

After completing the story, Shang Jin emphasized again, “Tan Rou, you have to add a bit more poison for Feng Jiao. I want to make him uncomfortable every day, so he doesn’t have the energy to bully Ah Min ever again!”

 

Chapter 1290: 1289 implementation plan

Tan Rou’s lips twitched as she reminded, “Senior Shang Jin, the medication I’ve arranged for Feng Jiao will only cause him to have diarrhea for a few days and won’t render him powerless. Of course, if the diarrhea is severe, it could make him weak.”

“Then give him more of the diarrhea medicine!” Shang Jin said, “Let him get dehydrated from all the diarrhea—that would be best!”

Tan Rou verbally agreed with Shang Jin, but in her heart, she still had her own ideas. She could give Feng Jiao laxatives, but not too much, just enough to have him suffer from diarrhea for a week at most.

If she wanted to make sure he would only have diarrhea for a week and it wouldn’t be too serious, she would need to adjust the proper dosage. Tan Rou hadn’t brought the medication with her, and now she had to go back to get it. Fortunately, she and Shang Jin had left early, and since she had driven, she could go back to mix the medication first.

However, she had come with Zhuang Liu in the same car, and Li Li and Lan Ning had also come in her car. What would happen to them if she left first?

“Let Ah Yan take them,” Shang Jin urged, “We have to go back and get the medicine quickly, or we’ll miss our chance.”

Tan Rou shook her head helplessly; she shouldn’t have suggested giving Feng Jiao laxatives in the first place.

“Alright, I’ll message Zhuang Liu, and you tell the class leader; let the two of them take one car,” Tan Rou texted Zhuang Liu, making her plans clear.

Upon receiving the message, Zhuang Liu immediately expressed his willingness to help her drug Feng Jiao and told her not to involve herself in this matter.

Tan Rou replied, “It’s okay, Senior Shang Jin will handle this. If she doesn’t do it herself, I bet she won’t be able to sleep tonight without getting up to curse at Feng Jiao.”

Knowing that Tan Rou wouldn’t be the one putting the drugs in the drink eased Zhuang Liu’s worries. He only cautioned her to drive carefully, and not too fast.

Tan Rou glanced at the message from Zhuang Liu but didn’t plan to heed his advice. Since the car accident last time, Zhuang Liu always nagged her a bit when she drove. Although he was concerned about Tan Rou, she, having heard it so often, preferred to remain silent.

Tan Rou and Shang Jin drove back to Tan Rou’s place in the university town, where they just happened to run into Aunt Zhou and a maid cleaning wine bottles.

Aunt Zhou asked, “Miss, why have you returned so soon?”

Tan Rou replied, “I came back to grab some things. What are you doing?”

Aunt Zhou answered, “These bottles have been on the shelf for a long time, and they’ve gathered dust. I asked someone to take them down and clean them.”

Tan Rou eyed the wine bottles and thought of a good plan. She had just been discussing with Shang Jin how to get the laxatives into the food without detection. If Shang Jin were to put the laxatives in the food in front of Feng Jiao, it would be too risky. The only way was to do it out of his sight.

Shang Jin initially planned to mix the drugs into the food before serving it to Feng Jiao, but that would require cautioning the others not to eat that particular dish. Even though doing so posed a risk of exposure, Shang Jin had no other options.

“We could mix the drug powder into the wine,” Tan Rou suggested while preparing the drugs, “I’ll pick out a nice bottle of wine to bring over, and you pretend to apologize to Feng Jiao. Say that you were too harsh earlier and want to say sorry, then offer him a drink.”

“Put the laxative in the glass?” Shang Jin asked, “What if he doesn’t use the glass I provide?”

“Put the drug into the bottle when you open it; then once the wine has breathed, you can pour it for him,” Tan Rou arranged, “But before that, you need to take the antidote to counteract the effects of the drugs in the wine.”

“Will only the two of us drink this wine?” Shang Jin felt that if it was just the two of them drinking, it would be too obvious.

Tan Rou said, “No, I will inform Zhuang Liu and the others in advance to take the antidote before they start drinking. As for Senior Jiang Min, we just have to prevent her from drinking.”

Shang Jin nodded and said, “Right, you’re not good with alcohol, so you don’t drink then, and we’ll also find a few others to abstain. This way, Ah Min won’t drink either.”

Tan Rou said, “Tian Tian is also not good with alcohol, so let her skip drinking, and Ning Ning is still recovering from a leg injury, so she shouldn’t drink either.”

Shang Jin’s face revealed a sly smile, “I’ll drink more at the time, doing my best to ensure no one but me and Feng Jiao drinks the wine, minimizing any unnecessary trouble.”

Tan Rou added, “I’ll arrange for you to have an emetic, so if you drink too much, remember to go out and induce vomiting early.”