Chapter 51: I’m Missing a Wife

His sudden interruption startled Jiang Mian, and she looked over in his direction.

Wen Jinhuai did not look at her; he merely turned his head slightly to look at the old master. "The matter between Jiang Mian and me, we will discuss it privately."

Ah? Is this right?

Jiang Mian blinked, somewhat dumbfounded. No, what kind of development is this? What is happening right now?

She swallowed hard, trying her best to suppress her wildly beating heart. She simply couldn't handle every single word she was hearing at the moment.

Old Master Wen nodded approvingly. "That's true. Young people's business, I won't meddle in it. You should put some real effort into it yourself, too."

"Understood, Grandpa." With that, he set down the teacup in his hand and cast his gaze toward Shen Xiyao, who was happily watching the drama unfold from the side.

"Today is your big day; you should go downstairs and mingle. Why don't you let Xiyao help you down?"

The implication was clear: he wanted to talk to Jiang Mian alone.

Shen Xiyao stood up abruptly, smiling broadly as she reached out to support the old master's arm. "Grandpa Wen, let's head down!"

Old Master Wen stood up, and Jiang Mian, being the junior, naturally stood up as well.

She offered a slight bow and took a step back to the side.

Wen Jinhuai stood up and accompanied them for a couple of steps, not walking too far. He watched as Shen Xiyao helped the old master out the door, which Shen Xiyao then closed with utmost thoughtfulness.

The room fell silent. Jiang Mian felt a thin layer of sweat forming on her back.

Lowering her gaze slightly, she turned to look at Wen Jinhuai. Although she knew he wouldn't do anything to her, she felt inexplicably nervous.

Seeming completely unaware of her expression, the man walked back and sat down.

"Have a seat, Miss Jiang." Unlike the tone he used while speaking with the old master earlier, his voice now carried a hint of seriousness.

Jiang Mian sat down as instructed, only to hear him say, "Does Miss Jiang know that President Jiang wants to talk business with me?"

Her scalp tightened instantly. Jiang Mian raised her eyes and instinctively clenched her hands.

"I know." There was nothing to hide about this; Jiang Zhouyi's intentions were practically written on his face, making it hard for her to feign ignorance.

Besides, the Jiang Corporation originally belonged to her parents. Seeing it now fallen into Jiang Zhouyi's hands already filled Jiang Mian with profound irritation.

Wen Jinhuai poured a cup of tea, walked over to Jiang Mian's seat, and handed it to her. "Have some tea. There's no need to rush."

She took it and murmured a soft thank-you, though her mind was elsewhere.

How could Jiang Zhouyi possibly let go of such a prime opportunity today? She knew very well that Jiang Zhouyi had countless ways to force her into submission, just as he had forced her to hand over the Jiang Corporation to him in the past.

And those old fogies in the company were hardly pure and kind either.

The more she thought about it, the worse her mood became, and she couldn't help tightening her grip on the teacup.

Lowering her gaze, she noticed a tiny tea leaf floating on the surface of the tea in her cup, drifting motionlessly right in the middle, unable to reach any shore.

Just like her, trapped within this tiny body of water with nowhere to anchor.

Jiang Mian blinked and took a small, bitter sip.

"When President Wen brings this up to me, what kind of reaction are you expecting from me?"

Would people in such high positions ever empathize with those at the bottom? Unlikely.

Yet Wen Jinhuai seemed somewhat different from the corporate leaders she was familiar with; he was almost refreshingly unconventional.

Recalling what had happened when she gave Wen Jinhuai a ride home last time, Jiang Mian harbored a sliver of hope in her heart.

Wen Jinhuai chuckled. Startled, she looked up to see that he had already returned to his seat.

Perhaps because the tea was scalding hot, he reached up to loosen his tie, turning his head with a smile. "Miss Jiang, do you have no plans for yourself?"

Her current predicament?

"I don't really understand," she shook her head.

"You don't understand, or you don't want to understand?" Wen Jinhuai pressed.

If she really wanted to analyze it thoroughly, Jiang Mian could certainly say a few things, but she couldn't read Wen Jinhuai's true intentions.

Some people were like smiling tigers; one should never try to second-guess their psychology, but rather figure out how to avoid risks in front of them.

Especially now, when Jiang Mian had zero bargaining chips.

Once you provoke someone who shouldn't be provoked, there is no turning back. She had no retreat left to begin with.

Gritting her teeth, Jiang Mian chose silence.

Wen Jinhuai knew that forcing her to answer this question was meaningless. In fact, he saw through her predicament much more clearly than she did herself.

To take a step back was a mistake; to take a step forward did not guarantee a win.

"My grandfather is very satisfied with you. You saw it yourself."

"The Jiang Corporation wants to cooperate with me, and there is no reason not to pocket profits delivered right to one's doorstep."

"I just don't know how Miss Jiang intends to choose?"

She looked up. Wen Jinhuai looked somewhat leisurely, as if he were merely making casual conversation.

Yet Jiang Mian knew very well that a single word from him could sometimes determine the life or death of a small enterprise.

That was something her parents had guarded with blood and sweat; it could not be completely severed in her hands.

Wen Jinhuai's implication was clear: the piece of meat that was the Jiang Corporation had already been delivered to his mouth, and he would accept it either way. However, he was willing to consider *whose* hand he would accept it from.

Would it be the Jiang of Jiang Zhouyi, or the Jiang of Jiang Mian?

"What does President Wen want?"

Wen Jinhuai raised his eyes and smiled, knowing that Jiang Mian was quick on the uptake. Anyone praised as a star pupil by Professor Chen must have a flexible mind.

He raised a hand to support his chin, half-closing his eyes as he looked at her. *Ah, Jiang Zhimu was right; Jiang Mian is a rare beauty.*

"How much is Miss Jiang willing to give?"

"If President Wen can help me take back the Jiang Corporation, how about thirty percent of the future profits?" She knew she had to be willing to make sacrifices.

However, Wen Jinhuai frowned slightly and shook his head lightly.

She took a deep breath and continued, "Forty percent."

If it went any higher, the Jiang Corporation might as well be renamed Wen.

Wen Jinhuai knew this was already her limit, but he simply wanted to test the extent of Jiang Mian's sincerity.

Clearly, her sincerity was absolute.

"Miss Jiang, my grandfather is pressing me hard to start a family, and I need a wife. If you are willing, we can enter into a contractual marriage, and I won't take any of the future profits of the Jiang Corporation."

"Marriage?" Jiang Mian froze in astonishment.

Yet he had said he wouldn't take the future profits of the Jiang Corporation.

Frowning, Jiang Mian weighed the options. Compared to being able to wrest the Jiang Corporation back from someone like Jiang Zhouyi, her own marriage seemed... acceptable?

Furthermore, Wen Jinhuai was the very man countless socialites in the capital were desperate to marry.

All things considered, wasn't she the one profiting?

As she was still pondering, Wen Jinhuai added another sentence, "Of course, if you prefer not to, we can keep it private. The contract will be tentatively set for two years."

Jiang Mian looked up. Wen Jinhuai's proposal was quite considerate of her, but was he really in such a rush just to appease Old Master Wen?

"Is President Wen only doing this to deal with Old Master Wen? Just that?"

He raised an eyebrow and suddenly smiled. "If I said I like you, would you believe it?"