The jewelry designer left Tingshan with a face full of smiles.
Zhong Ziyan calculated today's expenses in her head: Hmm, almost enough to treat half the nation to milk tea.
Five minutes later, the butler led another group of people inside.
Feeling her schedule was getting a bit packed, Zhong Ziyan, seated on the sofa, crossed her legs the other way.
"This is the wedding dress designer," Fang Nan explained softly to Zhong Ziyan as he bent down.
Zhong Ziyan glanced up at him, curious. "Will there be a wedding venue designer later too?"
Fang Nan adjusted his glasses. "Since your residence hasn’t been fully renovated yet, I took the liberty of postponing that arrangement."
Zhong Ziyan: "..." So there really was one. Typical of you.
Like the jewelry designer before him, the wedding dress designer carefully inquired about Zhong Ziyan’s preferences.
"Vintage styles are quite trendy now," he said. "Last year, the British prince and princess opted for a retro design for their wedding... But after meeting you in person, inspiration has already struck me."
"Inspiration?"
"Every wedding dress is a romance crafted for one woman alone," the designer, clad in a flamboyant suit, elaborated eloquently. "Each of my brides possesses a unique beauty, and I strive to amplify that through my designs... And you, my lady, could be the muse for the vast majority of designers in this world."
Zhong Ziyan ignored the lengthy, flowery flattery. "Then go with your inspiration."
After all, anyone Fang Nan selected was likely a master who couldn’t be easily hired with money alone—just like the previous one.
"Thank you for your trust." The designer smiled gracefully, lifting Zhong Ziyan’s hand to place a kiss on it. "I will ensure you are the most radiant at your wedding."
Wei Hanyun tilted his head slightly to glance over.
The designer blinked, quickly releasing Zhong Ziyan’s hand and offering a playful aristocratic bow. "My romantic interests lie with men, so please don’t misunderstand."
Zhong Ziyan turned to look at Wei Hanyun, who was quietly conversing with Fang Nan, and felt utterly baffled.
Misunderstand what? That the designer had taken a liking to Wei Hanyun?
The male designer soon took his leave with elegant poise, his lingering cologne permeating the living room long after he departed.
"They all seem like they make a fortune," Zhong Ziyan mused, thinking of the three designers she’d met recently.
Wei Hanyun, who had just finished some work, handed his tablet to Fang Nan and capped his pen. Hearing her remark, he chuckled. "Clients like you are rare."
"Clients like you," Zhong Ziyan corrected seriously. "Wedding props can’t be reused—they’re one-time expenses."
She recalled that once the "female lead" appeared, Wei Hanyun would host another grand wedding for her.
...Wait a minute.
In the "original story," there was no mention of Wei Hanyun holding a wedding with his contractual wife.
Zhong Ziyan frowned.
"You’re not interested in gemstones," Wei Hanyun remarked.
Zhong Ziyan turned to him, eager to share her preference. "Gold is a more reliable asset. It feels safer to hold onto."
—Well, the world won’t break over this, Zhong Ziyan thought.
If it does, she’d just make the system clean up the mess.
"Gold?" Wei Hanyun considered it, then nodded. "Alright."
Fang Nan, who was rapidly typing out emails, twitched at the corner of his mouth: Alright what? After registering at the civil affairs bureau, he’d already gifted companies, planes, yachts, and a mountain of other things. Now, after the wedding, was he going to commission a solid gold statue?
The capable assistant was full of silent complaints, yet once he finished his emails, his fingers disobediently began searching for gold artworks.
"This weekend, we’re returning to Yandu," Wei Hanyun said casually, taking a sip of water.
"The capital?" Zhong Ziyan picked up the last macaron from the table. "Am I going too?"
Wei Hanyun nodded. "To meet my family."
Zhong Ziyan’s hand paused mid-air, and a sense of duty instantly welled up in her.
She popped the macaron into her mouth. "Understood."
—As the contractual spouse, it was time to do her homework.
To spend her employer’s money comfortably and guilt-free for the remaining eleven months of the contract, Zhong Ziyan believed fulfilling her obligations was only right.
She spent the afternoon surfing the web, meticulously researching Wei Hanyun’s name and piecing together his family tree and relatives from various sources, gossip, and records.
Staring at the densely packed A4 sheet filled with dozens of names, Zhong Ziyan fell silent: Such a complicated family.
After dinner, Zhong Ziyan took her homemade family tree to interview Wei Hanyun.
The living room was empty.
She detoured for an eight-minute walk to the grand study—still no Wei Hanyun.
Then she spent another five minutes checking the small study in the master bedroom, but it was deserted too.
Zhong Ziyan: "..." Are we playing hide-and-seek at home??
She had no choice but to use her mental skills again, finally locating Wei Hanyun by the underground swimming pool.
The man, clad in swim trunks with damp hair, had clearly just finished a few laps.
As Zhong Ziyan descended the stairs, she felt genuine relief for the swimming pool.
The emotion moved her so much that she couldn’t resist snapping a photo and posting it on Weibo.
[Still Trying to Spend Money Today: After all this time, someone has finally used this massive pool. [Photo]]
The picture was slightly askew, showing only a portion of the enormous semi-outdoor pool and Wei Hanyun’s hand.
By the time Wei Hanyun turned at the sound of footsteps, Zhong Ziyan had already tucked her phone away and approached him cheerfully. "Before meeting your family, I have some preparations to make."
The underground floor had a flawless central air conditioning and ventilation system, maintaining a perfect temperature year-round.
"What preparations?" Wei Hanyun asked patiently.
Zhong Ziyan glanced at his damp hands and opted to hold up the A4 sheet covered in names and arrows herself. "Homework."
Wei Hanyun skimmed the page and couldn’t help but laugh. "Market research?"
"Background check." Zhong Ziyan cleared her throat, sitting cross-legged beside him. "Which of these people do I need to show special respect to? Any I should be wary of?"
"You only need to respect my mother, grandmother, second elder brother, and his wife," Wei Hanyun said slowly. "As for the rest, I believe you can handle them."
His tone was always calm and measured, each word enunciated with a composed certainty that made it impossible for anyone listening to feel flustered.
Zhong Ziyan circled four names with her pen.
Wei Hanyun, seeing she’d identified them without even asking, smiled approvingly. "You’ve done your homework well."
"Of course. I signed a contract," Zhong Ziyan said, tilting her chin up. "So, do I only need to prepare gifts for these four?"
"I’ll handle the gifts," Wei Hanyun replied.
"Me too," Zhong Ziyan tapped the paper with her pen tip. "This is the first impression." She paused, then asked Wei Hanyun sincerely, "Or do you think I should leave a slightly worse first impression?"
It wasn’t entirely unreasonable, considering they would eventually divorce.
Wei Hanyun, sitting by the poolside, thought for a moment before suddenly leaning back, resting his head on his interlaced hands.
With his palms cushioning the back of his head, he squinted up at the ceiling lights with a hint of youthful mischief. "Got it. I’ll take you shopping—my treat."
"You’re so busy," Zhong Ziyan declined politely. "Busy making money."
Aside from their unavoidable trip to the civil affairs bureau, they hadn’t gone out together even once.
"Money is meant to be spent," Wei Hanyun said with an unusually carefree attitude toward wealth. "Besides, my businesses don’t need me present to keep running."
Zhong Ziyan concluded that treating money like dirt was a luxury only the rich could afford.
If she owned a gold mine, she’d never stray more than ten steps away from it.
What if someone tried to steal it? What if the mine suddenly exploded??
"Choosing together makes us look more like newlyweds," Wei Hanyun added.
Zhong Ziyan was convinced. She glanced at the list. "Isn’t there anyone who’s itching to oppose you?"
She hadn’t forgotten the minor incident she’d helped Wei Hanyun resolve at Yansha.
Besides, given Wei Hanyun’s status—like the best-equipped team in an infinite battlefield—everyone was watching, waiting for a chance to tear a piece of flesh from him.
Even a single scrap could sustain someone for years.
"Don’t worry about them," Wei Hanyun closed his eyes, his tone calm and almost leisurely. "They won’t last much longer."
Zhong Ziyan considered this and decided it was male pride at work.
She’d find another opportunity to ask Fang Nan or observe things herself once they visited the Wei family.
Payment in exchange for service.
Since Wei Hanyun paid so generously, Zhong Ziyan naturally wouldn’t hesitate to put in the effort.
Anyone who dared touch Wei Hanyun’s money would have to answer to her.
With that thought, she glanced again at Wei Hanyun, who was resting with his eyes closed.
Dressed only in swim trunks, his broad shoulders and narrow waist were on full display, the defined lines of his abs disappearing beneath the waistband. Droplets from his damp bangs trickled down onto his wrists, but he seemed oblivious.
In this state, he looked nothing like the old-money aristocrat who never stepped out without a three-piece suit.
Even with his eyes shut, he sensed Zhong Ziyan’s gaze and reassured her, "Don’t worry. It’s just a formality."
Zhong Ziyan folded the A4 paper and arched a silent brow.
Hah. Men—the richer they were, the more obsessed with saving face.
