Chapter 144: I Consent to Your Marriage

Jiang Li had intended to finish his work before resting, which would have kept him busy until two in the morning, but as soon as he received a message from Xu An’an, he set his fountain pen aside. There was no helping it; he had to listen to his wife.

Just then, his subordinates reported news of the major move Jiang Yu had been making recently: he was attempting to partner with a gambling king from the United States to open a casino. The project was currently in full swing. As long as the elder Mr. Jiang gave the nod, the plan would proceed smoothly. To show his sincerity, Jiang Yu had already handed over 500 million as a deposit; if the project failed to move forward, that money would be flushed down the drain.

Hearing this, Jiang Li felt a surge of genuine contempt for such stupidity. He didn't even need to think about it—that 500 million was destined to be lost. He would never agree to a casino project; it was not something a decent person would conceive, as it was money earned by compromising one's conscience. Jiang Li’s narrow, long eyes slightly narrowed. With Jiang Yu’s intelligence, how could he have even thought of opening a casino? He ordered his men to keep a close watch on Jiang Yu. "Find out who he’s been in contact with recently. Get everything cleared up."

"Understood."

Jiang Li had no intention of being kind enough to clean up Jiang Yu's mess. Instead, he intended to accelerate Jiang Yu’s "demise" so that he might finally realize what kind of person he really was. Once everything was arranged, Jiang Li returned to his bedroom. He didn't lie on his own side, but on Xu An’an’s, hugging her pillow; yet, it still didn't feel right. The reason was simple: a pillow was just a pillow, and it would never turn into Xu An’an. Thinking of something, a smile touched the corners of Jiang Li’s mouth as he opened a niche "tree hole" app he hadn't logged into for a long time. He hoped there would be a surprise.

...

The next morning, while Xu An’an was still sleeping, she heard a familiar voice accompanied by her mother’s laughter. Xu An’an rubbed her eyes and woke up to see a tall man sitting beside her. Even though her brain wasn't fully awake, she recognized him immediately.

"Why did you come over so early?"

Hearing Xu An’an’s voice behind him, Jiang Li turned back with a smile. The morning sun spread out behind him, making him look as if he were glowing. Xu An’an was stunned—why was he smiling like that? She felt as if, in just one night, she had missed something very important.

She sat up. "You..."

"Are you still feeling uncomfortable?" Jiang Li reached out to touch Xu An’an’s forehead. "Auntie Zhang, bring the breakfast over."

Auntie Zhang hurriedly brought over the insulated breakfast, trembling slightly. After setting it down, she retreated to the side. She was terrified of Jiang Li. Xu An’an glanced at her mother sitting nearby and found her smiling broadly, which left her feeling somewhat bewildered. She lowered her voice and asked, "Did you say something to my mom?"

"What would I have said?" Jiang Li handed her a spoon. "Eat your breakfast first."

Xu An’an was genuinely hungry, so she started eating. Jiang Li went to the kitchen himself to freshly squeeze a glass of juice. "You need to replenish your vitamins when you have a fever. Remember to drink the whole glass."

Xu An’an swallowed her porridge and asked, "You've already eaten, right?"

Jiang Li raised an eyebrow, pulled out a tissue, and gently wiped the porridge from the corner of her mouth. "I ate at home before coming over."

While the two were talking, Mother Jiang had been secretly observing Jiang Li. Indeed, the mother-in-law looks at the son-in-law and becomes more satisfied the more she sees. Noticing her mother’s gaze, Xu An’an blushed.

"Ahem, Second Master, if you have things to attend to, you should go."

"I do have to go." Jiang Li patted Xu An’an’s hair as if coaxing a child. "Be a good girl, and call me if you need anything."

After giving his instructions to Xu An’an, Jiang Li turned and sincerely said goodbye to Xu’s mother. Xu An’an watched him leave, feeling dazed; anyone who didn't know better would have thought Jiang Li was a son-in-law bidding farewell to his mother-in-law.

After Jiang Li left, her mother shot her a playful look. "If you have a boyfriend, you have a boyfriend; I’m not going to scold you. Besides, A-Li is a good child, and the most important thing is that he treats you well. I approve of your marriage; you two should get married soon."

Xu An’an’s jaw nearly dropped, and she waved her hands frantically, but she couldn't explain herself—not when every one of Jiang Li’s actions made it so easy to misunderstand. Her mother, thinking Xu An’an was just shy, didn't press the issue; regardless, she had eyes of her own and saw things clearly.

Xu An’an had intended to go home to change, as she had come over in such a rush yesterday. To her surprise, Jiang Li had brought a large bag of fresh clothes for her, including her toiletries and even her skincare products. Of course, her intimate apparel was there too. It was all brand new, yet already laundered.

Xu An’an went into the bathroom to shower, but looking at the sexy lace lingerie in her hand, she couldn't help but press a palm to her forehead. These were hardly her preferred style. They were clearly what Jiang Li liked! He always loved tearing them, and she had thought he didn't like them; turns out... well, never mind, let’s not talk about this dog of a man's hobbies.

Back at the magazine office, as soon as Xu An’an sat down, she saw Fang Nini waltzing in, carrying the latest A-brand bag, with Jiang Fei trailing closely behind her like a shadow. When they passed by Xu An’an, Fang Nini stopped and glanced at her sideways. "The interview I assigned to you—are you unwilling to go, or what? Taking leave for no reason... if you don't want to do it, just say so. Am I the kind of boss who makes things difficult for people?"

Xu An’an kept a cold face. "I took leave because I was sick. If you don't believe me, go investigate. Bring me proof if you want to slap me in the face; don't be passive-aggressive here. So what if you are my boss? I didn't do anything wrong, and if you're looking for trouble, don't blame me for not being polite."

Stung by Xu An’an’s sharp retort, Fang Nini was incensed and glared at her, but Jiang Fei stopped her, whispering to her not to lose her temper in front of so many people. Fang Nini had to suppress her rage, gritting her teeth. "Fine, then get back to work. You’d better handle that interview properly and perfectly—don't let me catch you in any mistakes!"

After delivering her threat, Fang Nini stomped off in her high heels into her office. Xu An’an glanced at her retreating figure with a cold, mocking smile. It wasn't time yet; if you want to destroy someone, you must first let them go mad. She then looked at Jiang Fei, who happened to look back at her.

Their gazes locked in the air, filled with hostility, neither willing to back down. Jiang Fei smiled provokingly at Xu An’an before pulling her gaze away and focusing on her work, a stark contrast to the sycophantic behavior she had shown while trailing Fang Nini.

Xu An’an raised an eyebrow slightly. Not bad—only a dog that knows how to grovel will ever have a chance to rise up. However, now that she had noticed this budding ambition, she would naturally have to nip it in the bud, preventing it from ever growing! After all, she was just a little cutie who loved doing "good deeds"!

Xu An’an lowered her eyes, a chill hidden within them. The dog-eat-dog show was about to begin.