Volume One, Chapter 5: Marry the Best Man and Live the Best Life

The next day, as promised, Jiang Chenyu arrived at the Jiang family residence. From a distance, she spotted Gu Jinyan’s car, with him seated in the back today. His downcast gaze and sharply defined profile were strikingly handsome.

She quickened her pace and knocked on the door. Gu Jinyan turned his head and gave a gentle smile. “You’re here?”

Jiang Chenyu looked into Gu Jinyan’s eyes, which were clouded with a dark haze, and instinctively took a step back.

“What’s wrong with your eyes?” she asked, not out of fear but because it made her feel somewhat uneasy.

“You noticed?” Gu Jinyan replied lightly, tilting his head with a smile. “It’s a long story. Get in the car first.”

Jiang Chenyu nodded and climbed in. Only then did Gu Jinyan take out a box containing a doll and begin recounting the events of the previous day. His tone was calm and unhurried, showing no sign of panic.

“Are there no other symptoms besides blindness?” Jiang Chenyu asked suspiciously, glancing at him.

Gu Jinyan’s pupils were unfocused, less hostile than the day before. After a moment’s thought, he said, “There’s some pain.”

“Some pain?” Jiang Chenyu scoffed, recalling her experience handling similar cases before. The previous patient had writhed on the ground in agony, begging for relief—yet with him, it was only ‘some pain’? He was truly stubborn.

She rolled her eyes, gathering her energy at her fingertips before pressing them onto the doll’s “eight” character.

The character quickly vanished, and Gu Jinyan’s sight was restored.

The sudden return of his vision momentarily dazzled him, but before he could turn his head, he caught a glimpse of a mischievous smile.

“Really just some pain?” Jiang Chenyu teased with a bright smile.

Gu Jinyan remained unflustered and subtly changed the topic. “I didn’t expect Miss Jiang to be so capable.”

“Of course,” Jiang Chenyu said proudly, her tail almost wagging with pride. “I’m the most gifted sorcerer alive. I’ve been training day and night on Tiandao Mountain to change—”

She had devoted herself to altering the Jiang family’s fortune and protecting every member, earning the reputation as the most dedicated of the most dedicated on Tiandao Mountain. Speaking of it now made her seem like a clown.

Noticing her abrupt silence, Gu Jinyan asked with curiosity, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Marrying someone like you rich folks usually involves signing some agreement or contract, right? Just give me that first,” Jiang Chenyu abruptly switched the subject.

She didn’t want to say more, and Gu Jinyan didn’t press.

“There’s no agreement. Whether we divorce or if I die in the future, you can still claim your share of the property as my ‘wife,’” he said, then handed her a bank card. “There’s one billion yuan inside—my betrothal gift.”

“Ah?” Jiang Chenyu gasped and reached for it, but forced herself to withdraw her hand quickly. “Even if you gave me one billion, I still couldn’t save you.”

Normally, three flames burn within a person’s body—on each shoulder and the forehead—representing health, fortune, and lifespan. The better these are, the stronger the flames burn; if they weaken, the flames diminish until they extinguish, signaling the end.

Gu Jinyan’s two shoulder flames were already out, and the one on his forehead was barely flickering.

She might be short on money, but after witnessing the failures of other Jiang family members, she would never again try to defy fate for anyone.

“This is just the normal procedure for marriage. You don’t need to do anything for me,” Gu Jinyan said with a soft laugh, unfazed.

Jiang Chenyu hesitated but couldn’t resist her love of money and took the bank card.

If only she could meet twenty men like Gu Jinyan, she thought wistfully.

Biting her lip, she pulled out a small wooden talisman from her pocket, reluctant to part with it. “This is for you…”

It was the safest talisman made from the finest lightning-struck wood on Tiandao Mountain, crafted with years of care.

The talisman was palm-sized, carved with crescent-shaped eyes and a mouth, with a crooked character meaning “protect” at its center.

Gu Jinyan smiled faintly, ignoring her pleading gaze, and said, “Thank you, I like it very much.”

He was doing it on purpose.

Jiang Chenyu couldn’t explain the strange thought that came to her, but his smile was truly handsome.

Obtaining the marriage certificate was simpler than she imagined. Following the staff’s instructions, Jiang Chenyu filled out two forms, took a photo, and was handed the red booklet.

In the photo, there was a noticeable distance between them, and because of their nervousness, they sat stiffly, resembling two well-behaved children side by side.

It was oddly endearing.

Satisfied, Jiang Chenyu casually tucked the marriage certificate into her pants pocket.

Gu Jinyan then handed her a key. “This is the key to my apartment. Shall we check out the place first, or should I help you move your things directly?”

“I have some things to do. Why don’t you send me the address? I’ll come by myself tonight, if that’s okay,” Jiang Chenyu said cautiously, glancing at him. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go with him; her phone kept vibrating incessantly.

There was no doubt who was calling.

Fortunately, Gu Jinyan didn’t ask further and nodded. “Where are you going? I’ll take you.”

“No need. I can manage on my own,” Jiang Chenyu declined without hesitation. Their line of work had confidentiality agreements; she couldn’t casually reveal client information.

Gu Jinyan didn’t insist and thanked her again before instructing the driver to depart.

Jiang Chenyu finally couldn’t resist pulling out her old phone, which kept vibrating—it was her master urging her to work!

…

Meanwhile, at the Jiang residence.

The phone on the table rang incessantly, leaving Jiang Chao overwhelmed.

After ending a call, Jiang Daming angrily threw his phone aside and glared fiercely at Jiang Chao. “If you don’t want to answer, just turn the phone off. Why all this noise?”

Jiang Chao wanted to explain but dared not resist. He quietly hung up the calls and switched off all the phones.

Once Jiang Daming’s expression calmed, he spoke. “Son, after the Qin family terminated their contract, other partner companies also proposed ending cooperation one after another today. Our orders suddenly dropped by nearly one-third. Could there be a problem with our products?”

“That’s impossible. Our goods have the best cost performance in the entire capital. Their cancellations are just following the Qin family’s lead. We’ll use the opportunity at the old man’s birthday banquet to negotiate with Mr. Qin. It’ll be resolved soon,” Jiang Daming said, unsure if he was reassuring Jiang Chao or himself. “Don’t worry. The Jiang family’s luck has always been better than others. We’ll surely turn this crisis around.”

Jiang Chao nodded, agreeing with the last statement.

Indeed, the Jiang family’s fortune was somewhat better than others’, always managing to weather storms and reap the biggest profits—it was as if heaven favored them.

Despite this optimism, Jiang Daming couldn’t fully contain his temper and shouted upstairs, “Are you two ready yet? It’s time to leave!”

“All set,” Chen Ping led Jiang Xue’er out of the room. “Xue’er is older now. Since we’re attending a high-society banquet, she must dress well and make a striking impression. Otherwise, how will she invite wealthy families with eligible bachelors to her birthday party in a few days?”

Jiang Xue’er blushed shyly. “Mom, I don’t want to marry. I want to stay by your side forever.”

“Silly girl, there’s no future staying with me. You’re so wonderful—you should marry the best and live the best life,” Chen Ping said proudly, delighting in her ‘prized creation.’

No matter how wealthy the Jiang family was, they were still nouveau riche, looked down upon by the elites.

Their wealth was insignificant in the capital, where gold was everywhere.

Just as the Qin family, with its century-old legacy, held themselves aloof, they didn’t even regard the Jiang family. The invitation to the banquet was purchased through intermediaries.

If Jiang Xue’er could marry into the Qin family, it would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, and the Jiang family would share in the benefits.

With various thoughts in mind, they carried their gifts and arrived at the Qin family villa’s entrance.

Just as they got out of the car, they saw Jiang Chenyu in a dispute with the security guards, instantly angering them.