Jiang Ruoqi didn't have the energy to babysit. She turned and entered her office, urgently looking for water. She had rushed out this morning, and the espresso shot hadn't been diluted enough, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
She placed a transparent glass under the water dispenser, letting the stream fill it. She only took a small sip to wash away the lingering bitterness on her tongue, then put the glass down and got to work.
The glass was simple and elegant, no engraving. The clear water reflected her face, casting a rainbow halo in the sunlight.
"Sir, your iced Americano."
"...Thank you."
Duan Jinchen took the coffee blankly, still not understanding how he ended up here.
It was like a trained mechanical habit—naturally delegating work to department colleagues and wandering around. By the time he realized it, he was already here, and the order was for her taste.
One-third of the transparent iced drink cup was filled with ice cubes. Holding it in this weather was freezing. He set the cup randomly on the windowsill bar, then turned back to find a cardboard sleeve.
In the deep winter morning, the sun was visible but not warm. Even under the cloudy sky, there was no heat. The only dry warmth came from the life-saving heater.
Duan Jinchen didn't like Americanos—they were bitter and unsettling. But since he ordered it, he couldn't bring it to Jiang Ruoqi; she definitely wouldn't appreciate it.
Thinking of her, he took a big, angry sip. But it was Jiang Ruoqi's taste—icy, sour, and bitter, spreading from his tongue through his mouth and down his throat, making him grimace.
What taste.
He liked lattes; Jiang Ruoqi liked Americanos. She had been in Gangcheng for eleven years and wasn't used to the cold mainland winters, while he and his mother had settled in Xinhai, knowing all too well the bone-chilling dampness.
Duan Jinchen laughed mockingly. With their irreconcilable attitudes, how could the old man still think of setting them up?
Ridiculous, wasn't it? His pairing with Jiang Ruoqi wasn't just a pure company arrangement—it also had the ulterior motive of getting them to spend more time together.
As the party involved, he only found out now.
As the party involved... at least better than the other one still kept in the dark.
That day—last Saturday night.
The old man, along with his elder brother, condescendingly visited his and his mother's home in Xinhai. The four of them had a dinner that tasted like wax. After dinner, the old man specifically called him to the study to talk about this matter.
He said that Jiang Ruoqi was capable, knew the company well, and had a background that wouldn't make his elder brother wary. She was a bit older than Duan Jinchen, but her looks, figure, and education were top-notch, enough to make up for that.
If worst came to worst... when he got tired of her, he could just find someone new outside.
That's how these rich merchants were. Marriages weren't about true love. And even the ones outside didn't necessarily deserve the word 'love,' because in their eyes, nothing compared to profit.
"Once you're married, Seven will be a great asset for you. You can manage the company without paying any other price. Isn't that great?"
Duan Jinchen recalled his father's matter-of-fact words and shivered despite the sunlight.
He finally understood the feeling of Jiang Ruoqi's 'feudal patriarch' tone.
It was this inexplicable sense of entitlement.
Carefully select a capable, well-connected woman as a wife, then tame her into a possession, using her abilities to adorn oneself, all while hypocritically claiming that they are the ones dependent on him.
Truly hypocritical and disgusting.
Duan Jinchen didn't consider himself outstanding—he had plenty of flaws, like being arrogant and looking down on others. Compared to his father, that was nothing. In fact, his father's behavior almost made him look like a gentleman.
"Yes, just like you treated my mother. You used the concepts she originally created to build Glint, but trapped her at home, reducing a woman who could have stood shoulder to shoulder with you in your career to spending her days shopping and having afternoon tea with idle wives."
"And you? With nothing to worry about at home and someone managing your career, you just turned around and sought comfort elsewhere!"
"Your mother's and my choices are none of your concern. I've explained this before, and I won't waste more words. I haven't mentioned this to the Chen family yet. If you really can't be propped up, then forget it. I don't lack people to take over Glint."
As a business tycoon who could dominate the marketplace, he certainly wouldn't be controlled by his less favored younger son.
It wasn't that he lacked reliable heirs. If he could give Duan Jinchen a chance, he could also take away everything due to his defiance.
The conversation ended on bad terms. His father and elder brother both had properties in Xinhai, so from sitting down to leaving, it was only a few hours.
Normal. Rich families have thin bonds of affection. When words didn't align, it was better to part early for the sake of so-called dignity.
Duan Jinchen sat under the air conditioner vent, the dry heat blowing against the back of his neck. Facing the nearly noon sun, the combined assault made him feel obviously hot and restless.
He snapped back to reality, tugged at his collar, and took a big gulp of iced coffee through the straw. Unsurprisingly, the bitterness made his face twist.
The coffee shop was next to the office building, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a wide view of the street. It was past rush hour, and traffic had noticeably decreased.
Bored, he sipped his coffee and stared out the window, his mind wandering. But his peripheral vision caught a black double-R emblem Rolls-Royce Ghost pulling out of traffic and turning into the office building's underground garage, followed by a seven-seat Buffett S.
Without even needing to see who was inside, his back tensed. He grabbed his coffee cup and immediately stood up, then, very unbecoming of a rich second-generation, pushed open the door and ran off.
Two elevators side by side—one going down, the other stopping in front of him. He felt lucky there were so many elevators in the building and they came fast, so he didn't run into the person he shouldn't.
But as soon as the elevator started moving, his phone vibrated incessantly.
Duan Jinchen clutched his coffee cup, instinctively feeling guilty. He could guess who was calling. He looked at the slowly rising numbers on the elevator display, his anxiety growing.
Seriously, the old man messed with him, but he still had his mom to help. With Jiang Ruoqi, he was completely at her mercy.
Regardless of who was using whom, if he delayed Jiang Ruoqi's performance in front of the old man, she would surely make his life difficult later!
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Standing outside were several familiar high-level executives from subsidiaries.
Caught slacking off red-handed, Duan Jinchen spotted Jiang Ruoqi in the crowd, arms crossed, smiling broadly as she waved at him.
"Duan Jinchen......"