"Hello?" Jiang Man answered the phone, her voice crisp.
On the other end, the voice was very respectful, "Miss Lisite, we heard you have returned to the country. We had previously mentioned inviting you to the National Research Institute. How have you considered it?"
Jiang Man frowned slightly.
She was happy to serve the country.
However, plans had changed, and she intended to resolve the mess she was currently involved in and then return to her adoptive father's side.
"The country really needs talent like you. Rest assured, any request you make, we can fulfill!"
Jiang Man remained silent, then thought it over.
"Alright, I agree."
In the end, she compromised with her own patriotic fervor.
"Then, Miss Lisite, could you please provide your address? You set the time, and we will come to pick you up."
Jiang Man knew that the address of the institute was confidential.
She would need to be escorted by the military to enter the institute.
"The day after tomorrow, the address is Rong Mansion No.8."
Having said this, Jiang Man then hung up the phone.
She had not even had time to catch her breath when her phone displayed another message.
[Miss, Lu Corporation has sent someone again to invite you, asking if you are interested in joining them. You can set your own terms.]
[Not interested.]
Jiang Man quickly replied, turned off her phone screen, and put it back in her pocket.
Between the National Research Institute and Lu Corporation's research department, she would definitely choose the former.
"Young madam, your room is ready. What would you like for dinner?" soon after, the butler came over to ask.
Jiang Man waved her hand, not wanting to trouble anyone.
She was not the real mistress of the house and had no right to make demands.
"I'll order takeout." She said indifferently.
"Ah?" The butler thought he had heard wrong.
But lifting his eyes and seeing the girl's cold, indisputable attitude, he could only nod respectfully, "Very well, young madam."
One would think that the young madam, accustomed to days of hardships, would be craving delicacies from the mountains and seas.
He really didn't understand how poor people thought.
…
At night, Jiang Man ordered a spicy hotpot for herself.
Her adoptive father had taken her abroad when she was ten years old.
In those ten years abroad, she had missed the local delicacies every day.
The Chinese food in Country M, she really could not agree with it.
Things like "General Tso's Chicken" and "Li Hongzhang Chow," these were modified Chinese dishes and not authentic at all.
Just as Jiang Man was slurping her meal, enjoying it immensely, a commotion arose outside the villa.
Following that, the butler stirred up a fuss, leading a group of people outside.
Soon, an old lady was ushered in surrounded by people.
Jiang Man paused, chopsticks in hand, unsure whether to eat or not.
Finally, she politely waved to the old lady.
Lu's old madam was very affable. Seeing Jiang Man, knowing that this was her grandson's wife, she was so delighted she could barely hide her smiles.
She did not care about family backgrounds. The Lu family had flourished to this day on its own strength, never needing to sacrifice their children's happiness for strategic marriages.
What they valued most in a daughter-in-law was her character.
Lu's old madam really believed in first impressions.
She liked Jiang Man from the first moment she saw her!
Especially after hearing about her deeds, that she willingly took part in a substitute marriage to repay the kindness of her abandoning biological parents, agreeing to marry a sixty-year-old man.
Such sacrifice and devotion showed how kind-hearted the girl was.
"Hello, young lady, I am Zhou'er's grandmother!" Lu's old madam introduced herself, coming over to the dining table.
She glanced at the takeout Jiang Man was eating and frowned but didn't say much.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Man immediately stood up and bowed to the elderly lady.
"Hello."
Seeing her so polite, Madame Lu liked her even more.
"Don't mind it, Zhou'er is just a workaholic! Neglecting you on the very first day of marriage. Don't worry, I'll talk to him about it later!"
"It's okay," Jiang Man waved her hand. "I'll wait for him to come back. We both mistook each other for someone else, a complete mix-up, truly a laughing matter."
"I know." Madame Lu looked Jiang Man up and down, and liking her tall and attractive appearance, her fondness grew.
She thought to herself, with such a handsome man and a beautiful woman, the children they'd bear would certainly be gorgeous!
"This is fate decreed by heaven for you two! My girl, although there was a mix-up with your marriage partner, you are legally married, real spouses! Don't worry, we will make up for the betrothal gifts and wedding later, ensuring you enter the Lu Family with splendor!"
"???" Jiang Man didn't speak, looking curiously at the old lady.
Surprised that the old lady already knew about the mistake but still wanted to proceed with the wrong match?
Madame Lu smiled, knowing what Jiang Man was worried about, and then revealed the whole story from beginning to end.
"Jiang Man went to say her farewells to me in the afternoon and then headed to the airport. She is a good girl too, but she and Zhou'er were not fated to be. You are different. You are a daughter-in-law sent from heaven to our Lu Family!"
"Uh," Jiang Man took out a tissue, wiped her mouth clean, and tidied up the uneaten takeout. "Grandma, let's just wait for Lu Xingzhou to return."
Misunderstanding her, Madame Lu quickly grabbed Jiang Man's hand. "Don't worry, that boy listens to me, he will definitely accept you!"
But I don't accept him.
Jiang Man was both crying and laughing.
But seeing the elderly lady so enthusiastic, she didn't want to dampen her spirits with a bucket of cold water.
Thus, Jiang Man chuckled dryly and chose not to say more.
It's best to wait for Lu Xingzhou to come back, and let the people directly involved discuss it face to face.
"Manman, let me tell you, Zhou'er is very pure-hearted, he hasn't even dated at thirty! You just go for him, he definitely won't resist!"
"..." Jiang Man was at a loss for words by the old lady's far-flung topic.
Yet, Madame Lu was tireless and couldn't stop praising her grandson to the skies.
Listing his accomplishments as a genius from childhood, admitted to Tsinghua Youth Program at thirteen, and off to Harvard in the U.S. at seventeen.
Skilled in horse riding, martial arts, swimming – a master of eighteen martial arts.
An incredibly nice personality, warm and generous, blah blah blah.
Jiang Man was so bored she started yawning incessantly.
Madame Lu reluctantly quieted down only when Jiang Man had completely fallen asleep.
Looking carefully at the clear and pure face in front of her, she took out her phone and snapped a photo.
Somehow, this mistakenly chosen granddaughter-in-law had charmed her at first sight.
The grandson was not young anymore; managing to 'bag a younger bride' – kind and young – was like his ancestors had sent blessings from their graves for the Lu Family!
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Haicheng.
Lu Xingzhou, tired from his journey, stayed in a presidential suite at a five-star hotel.
After freshening up, his phone rang.
Picking it up, he saw a photo of a girl sleeping.
Beneath the photo, there were a few lines of text.
[I really like this girl. Just make do with this mistake! Although you're ten years older than her, it's better than her marrying that sixty-year-old man. I think with this comparison, she won't look down on you.]
Lu Xingzhou couldn't help but laugh and cry.
He was a billionaire, a dominant CEO chased by countless girls across Beicheng and the nation; who would dare to scorn him?
It seemed his grandmother was the only one in the world who thought he couldn't find a wife.
It wasn't he couldn't marry; he simply disdained the gaudy and commonplace, and thus remained single.
[I don't care, Manman has already run off, but you must keep Manman! If you don't, then you're no grandson of mine!]
"..." Lu Xingzhou pinched the bridge of his nose, utterly vexed.
His grandmother was forcibly pushing him, making him love against his will.
But with his charm, Jiang Man surely wouldn't reject him!