Chapter 2

Five minutes later, in the top-floor private room.

The clamor of the floor below was completely shut out, leaving the room so quiet that even the faint hum of the air conditioner was audible.

Jiang Yin sat on the leather sofa, her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she watched Ji Xiangwan across from her.

Since entering the room, Ji Xiangwan had remained silent, methodically removing her glasses and taking out a velvet cloth from her pocket to gently polish the lenses.

Without her glasses, Ji Xiangwan lost some of her refined air. Her long, narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes became even sharper, their depths swirling like a vortex.

She simply sat there, motionless.

"Speak. What's this 'collaboration'?" Jiang Yin didn't touch the wine glass, trying to seize control of the conversation.

"If you're here to acquire my project, forget it. I may be short on funds, but I'll never sell my life's work to some money-grubbing capitalist."

Ji Xiangwan paused, then put her glasses back on, concealing the fleeting helplessness in her eyes. She leaned back against the sofa, crossing her slender legs in a posture of languid relaxation.

"I'm not interested in your project," Ji Xiangwan said calmly, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yin. "I'm more interested in you."

Jiang Yin: "???"

She crossed her arms defensively and shrank back. "Are you crazy? I admit I'm naturally beautiful, but we're mortal enemies! You're not planning to lure me to Northern Myanmar to harvest my organs, are you?"

Ji Xiangwan glanced at Jiang Yin, her expression as if she were looking at a mentally challenged child.

"Jiang Yin, stop watching so many melodramas."

She pulled a document from her briefcase and casually placed it on the coffee table.

Jiang Yin's eyes scanned the title: Prenuptial Agreement.

"You know, at my age, those old men are always trying to set me up with all sorts of ridiculous blind dates. It's so annoying."

She looked up, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Yin as if evaluating the value of merchandise.

"Since your family is also forcing you into an arranged marriage, why don't... we cooperate?"

"Cooperate?"

Jiang Yin pointed to herself, then to the agreement, and asked in disbelief, "You mean... a marriage of convenience? With me?"

"Clever," Ji Xiangwan nodded. "You marry me, become the nominal Mrs. Ji, and help me fend off my family's pressure to get married. In exchange, I'll solve your lab's funding problems, provide you with a place to live, and..."

She paused, then held up a finger.

"...any financial support you need."

Jiang Yin fell silent.

If it were anyone else, she might have thought it was a miracle.

But this was Ji Xiangwan!

The Ji Xiangwan who had always overshadowed her, whose temper was as unpredictable as the weather, and whose methods were ruthless!

"Ji Xiangwan, are you running a fever?"

Jiang Yin tried to find a hint of teasing in her expression. "There are so many socialites in S City. The line of women who'd jump at the chance to marry you would stretch from here to the Huangpu River. Why me? Could it be..."

She suddenly hugged herself, recoiling slightly in alarm. "Could it be... you have a crush on me?"

"Hmph." Ji Xiangwan let out a cold, mocking laugh.

She leaned in, her exquisite, cold beauty filling Jiang Yin's vision as the scent of pine needles wafted over her. "Jiang Er," she said, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Yin with undisguised disdain. "I have no interest in fools like you—the kind who only have pretty faces, brains full of mush, and can't even take care of themselves."

"I chose you purely because your situation is pathetic enough and you're obedient enough. And..." She smirked, her tone venomous. "You're the Jiang family's adopted daughter. Marrying you would not only slap Jiang Lan in the face but also shut my old man up. Two birds with one stone."

"You!" Jiang Yin was so furious she wanted to throw her drink in Ji Xiangwan's face.

Yet, despite the insult of being called a "fool," she felt a strange sense of relief. It seemed this woman really just wanted a tool.

But Jiang Yin wasn't going to make it easy. They'd never gotten along, and after this latest barrage of mockery, she wasn't about to agree so readily.

Jiang Yin leaned back, her voice lazy. "Why would I agree to this? I may be down on my luck, but I'm not some rag-and-bone collector. Besides, you know we can't stand each other..."

"Precisely because we can't stand each other, we're the perfect fit," Ji Xiangwan replied, her voice steady and emotionless, as if discussing the weather. "We know each other's backgrounds thoroughly but have no emotional foundation. This means we can each go our own way after marriage. You won't have to fulfill the duties of a wife, and I won't expect you to play the part of a dutiful spouse. We'll just have to put on a show for the elders, nothing more."

Jiang Yin was about to scoff in rejection when Ji Xiangwan continued, "As compensation, two million yuan in monthly allowance."

The word "Get lost!" that had been on Jiang Yin's lips died in her throat, twisting into a knot.

Two million... enough to buy several cell incubators! Or even upgrade all the lab's mice to imported feed!

Seeing her waver, Ji Xiangwan adjusted her glasses and delivered her final trump card: "Furthermore, Ji Group will fully sponsor all future equipment upgrades for your laboratory. I won't interfere with your research projects, claim authorship, or ask for credit—only provide funding."

Bang.

Jiang Yin heard the magnificent walls of her inner fortress, the one called "pride," crumble into dust, leaving not even a speck behind.

This isn't my sworn enemy! she thought. This is a living Bodhisattva, radiating holy light and saving all beings!

But... Jiang Yin still felt a knot of resentment in her stomach.

If she agreed, wouldn't she be forever under Ji Xiangwan's thumb?

"What? Scared?"

Ji Xiangwan raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Yin with casual provocation. "That's right. Second Miss Jiang has always been timid. You can't make this kind of decision. Go home and obey your sister—go through with the arranged marriage."

A provocation.

A blatant provocation!

But Jiang Yin had always been susceptible to this kind of tactic, especially from Ji Xiangwan.

She absolutely couldn't let Ji Xiangwan look down on her!

"Who says I'm scared!"

Jiang Yin shot to her feet, snatching a pen from the coffee table. She looked less like she was signing a marriage contract and more like she was signing a death warrant.

"Listen carefully, Ji Xiangwan! I'm sacrificing myself for science! For the advancement of human medicine! Not for your stinking money!"

A fleeting smile flickered in Ji Xiangwan's eyes, too quick to catch.

"Mm, how noble of you."

Jiang Yin flipped open the contract and signed her name with a flourish, each stroke of the pen fierce and defiant, as if she were stabbing the paper. The ink bled into the page, leaving a trail of bitter humiliation.

On the last page, she suddenly stopped.

She looked up, glaring fiercely at Ji Xiangwan, and held up five fingers, demanding, "Two million is too little! I want five million! And I want a month's salary in advance, right now!"

She held her breath, anxiously awaiting Ji Xiangwan's reaction.

She was afraid Ji Xiangwan would think her demands were too excessive, but if she could get five million, she could do so much more...

"Okay."

Ji Xiangwan's agreement was so swift, so decisive, that Jiang Yin felt as if she had fallen into some kind of trap.

But the next moment, she saw Ji Xiangwan take out her phone and operate it right in front of her.

Two seconds later, her phone buzzed: Your account received 5,000,000.00 on October 24th.

Counting the zeros, Jiang Yin felt that even if she were asked to make a heroic sacrifice right now, it would be worth it.

What old woman? What arranged marriage? What archrival?

In the face of this colossal sum, it all seemed like nothing!

With this money, she could finally slap those who had looked down on her right across the face!

"Pleasant cooperation, Jiang Er... oh, no, dear... wife." Ji Xiangwan put away the agreement, stood up, and extended her hand to Jiang Yin.

The hand was long and fair, with clearly defined knuckles and perfectly rounded nails. A cool-toned mechanical watch adorned the wrist, so beautiful one might be tempted to bite the back of it.

As Jiang Yin gazed at the hand, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Feeling awkward, she extended her hand and lightly brushed Ji Xiangwan's palm with her fingertips, then quickly withdrew it as if burned.

"Don't call me that! We're not even married yet!"

"Tomorrow morning at nine. See you at the Civil Affairs Bureau." Ji Xiangwan remained unperturbed, glancing at her watch and smiling.

Only after Jiang Yin stumbled out of the club, clutching her phone in a daze, and hailed a taxi did the realization hit her.

Wait, how does Ji Xiangwan know my cells are dying?

How does she even carry the agreement with her? And... how did she know I'd be here today?

...Whatever!

With this five million, she'd buy the most expensive incubator! Two! One for culturing cells and one for display!

At the top floor of the Cloud Tower, before the floor-to-ceiling window.

Ji Xiangwan swirled half a glass of red wine in her hand, watching the taxi disappear into the vibrant night.

She removed her glasses and gently rubbed the palm where Jiang Yin had touched her. In eyes that had always been cool and restrained, a near-greedy emotion now surged.

The cold detachment of the refined scoundrel was gone, replaced by the deep satisfaction of a desire fulfilled.

She gazed out the window, a determined curve tugging at the corner of her lips, her voice low and pleased:

"Got you..."