Linchuan City, July.
Jiang Yuzhu took off her white lab coat, requested half-day leave from her department head, gathered all her necessary documents, and drove to the civil affairs bureau.
She looked up at the newlyweds coming and going from the registration office and let out a sigh.
In the past, she never would have guessed that her marriage partner wouldn't be her fiancé of three years, but rather, a stranger she had never met.
Since a few months ago, when she accidentally discovered her fiancé Li He was having an affair with her cousin Shen Qiang, her aunt has been upset.
Convinced that it was her fault for not properly guiding her daughter, she felt guilty towards her.
She was getting on in years and even if Li He wasn't an option, there were still plenty of men out there.
However, she didn't expect that despite her owning a house and a car, her credentials garnered her only the rejects in the matchmaking market.
Never mind her approval, any man expecting her to give up her career to become a full-time housewife would not sit well with her aunt either.
Finding an appropriate man who wouldn't mind her busy work schedule and could handle getting the marriage license will suffice, whether they have feelings for each other or not was irrelevant.
If the man needed it, she could compensate him in some way.
"Xiaozhu, my grandson will be here soon, you two get along well. If he bullies you, I will definitely scold him."
Her phone pinged, displaying a new message.
Jiang Yuzhu smiled faintly, politely replying with an okay.
This was a grandmother whom she saved from an accident a couple of years ago and whom she happened to run into again at a nursing home where she volunteered a few days ago.
Upon learning that Yuzhu was about to go on a blind date, the old lady immediately introduced her grandson.
Compared to the extreme and average blind date candidates she had previously met, she figured that a grandson raised by such a sweet grandmother couldn't be too bad.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she lifted her eyes and saw a taxi drive up and stop in front of her. The car door opened.
A tall, cool-tempered man stepped out. He was dressed casually, but that couldn't conceal the radiance his face emitted.
The man looked at her, opening his thin lips, "Miss Jiang?"
She was startled, only then understanding that this man was likely her arranged marriage partner.
She had considered that her blind date might be quite handsome, especially since Granny Pei spoke so highly of her grandson's looks over the phone.
But she hadn't expected him to be so good-looking, even by entertainment industry standards.
"Are you Mr. Pei?"
Once he affirmed, she took a step forward, reaching out her hand in a composed manner.
"Hello, I'm Jiang Yuzhu."
The man peered down at her fair hand, then at her smiling face, and responded lightly.
"I guess a greeting is enough, my grandmother probably told you my circumstances over the phone, right?"
Jiang Yuzhu nodded, listening as Pei Jingchuan's icy voice rang out again.
"I have neither a car nor a house. I'm currently starting a business with a friend and I'm afraid I won't be able to offer much in bride price. Miss Jiang, are you sure you still want to register for marriage with me?"
No car, no house? This also meant there wouldn't be any financial concerns between them.
As for the bride price, she had never thought about it before.
Seeing Jiang Yuzhu not reacting, Pei Jingchuan reminded her, "I, as a person, have quite a resistance to women, and in marital life, I won't be able to have much engagement with Miss Jiang. If you're not willing, it is still possible to back out now."
However, Jiang Yuzhu just smiled, speaking calmly.
"Mr. Pei, don't worry, I won't intervene in your life excessively. But if you're not willing, that's fine too."
"I can explain things to Granny Pei."
Looking into her sincere eyes, the words he meant to speak didn't leave his mouth after all.
He shook his head, looking at Jiang Yuzhu, "Let's go in."
There were quite a few people registering for marriage today, most of them flushed with happiness, except for them. Their faces bore nothing but unfamiliarity and embarrassment.
After nearly half an hour of waiting in line, it was finally their turn.
Jiang Yuzhu gave the camera a slight smile, watching as Pei Jingchuan, at the request of the photographer, moved closer to her shoulder.
She was surrounded by a strong masculine scent, thinking to herself that marrying such a man wouldn't be a bad deal.
Even Li He, who was touted as the most handsome man in his university, didn't seem as good-looking as him, did he?
The marriage certificate was quickly processed, and the two of them left the civil affairs office together.
She took out another red booklet and handed it to the man in front of her, "This one is yours."
Pei Jingchuan took it, and then the girl took out a set of keys and handed them to him.
"This is the key to my place. If you're willing, you can move in. I'll prepare a room for you ahead of time. Later, we can add each other on WeChat, and I'll send you the exact address."
Seeing that he had taken a taxi, and thinking about the nursing home expenses of Grandma Pei being as high as thirty to fifty thousand a month, she doubted that Pei Jingchuan had much money left.
Jiang Yuzhu spoke again, "You should have a driver's license, right? I can make the down payment for you, and all you need to do is make the monthly car payments. After all, it might be quite inconvenient not having a car during the startup phase."
"As a doctor, my working hours are not fixed. If you're at home, could you help me take care of my cat? As for the monthly household expenses, it would be best if we could split them. If not, I'll give you a fixed amount each month."
Listening to this long speech, Pei Jingchuan's face became slightly stiff.
He had the feeling of being kept by the girl in front of him.
It was one thing to split the bills, but she even planned to buy him a car?
"No need, Miss Jiang. A room would be enough," he declined.
Jiang Yuzhu thought that was indeed reasonable. After all, the house prices in Linchuan were really high. Not having to rent would definitely alleviate most of the burden.
"Alright, let's add each other on WeChat first. We can get in touch later."
Once they added each other on WeChat, Jiang Yuzhu's phone started ringing. Without even having the time to say goodbye properly, she hurried back to her car.
Once in her car, she quickly sent the address of her house to Pei Jingchuan and texted him,
"I have to perform a surgery today, so don't wait for me."
Watching the girl's car drive away, Pei Jingchuan stood there for quite a long time, still in shock over the fact that he'd been brushed off by the woman he was supposed to marry.
A modest Bentley was already parked in front of him.
The driver came out and respectfully opened the car door for Pei Jingchuan. Seeing the young master's grim expression, the driver became even more cautious.
As soon as he got into the car, the old lady's call came in.
"Did you meet my granddaughter-in-law? Did you get the certificate?" the old lady inquired right away.
"I got the certificate, and I met her."
Upon hearing this, the old lady finally felt relieved. "Trust in your grandmother's judgment. Bring her home for dinner tonight. Aunt Wang has already told the chef to prepare a big table of delicacies."
Pei Jingchuan spoke in a cold voice, "I didn't tell her about my family background."
"What? Are you not planning to bring her home?" the old lady asked loudly.
"Let's observe for a year. After all, being a daughter-in-law of the Pei family is not something anyone can handle," Pei Jingchuan pressed his forehead, his voice a bit hoarse.
If Jiang Yuzhu had no ill intentions, he wouldn't mind giving her the formal status of Mrs. Pei.
But it seemed that she might not even be interested.
The old lady was infuriated, but she also knew that her eldest grandson would never back down. So she asked, "Where are you going to live with her usually?"
Upon hearing this, the man's face stiffened, and he said through gritted teeth,
"She gave me the keys to her house."
The old lady immediately burst into laughter. That girl really thought her grandson was poor.
She didn't even mind and was actually planning to let him move in. The old lady knew her judgment couldn't be wrong.
"You lucky boy, your grandmother has found you a fine girl. She's attractive and smart."
Pei Jingchuan didn't mention that Jiang Yuzhu had also offered to buy him a car. After exchanging a few pleasantries with his grandmother, he hung up the call.
He lightly pinched the keychain in his hand, recalling the girl's clean face.
—Jiang Yuzhu.
The name was quite nice.