Chapter 60 Jiang Mian, Call My Name

"Yaoyao, actually there is something very important I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Shen Xiyao was sitting in the passenger seat, sipping her milk tea with a somewhat distracted air.

As everyone knew, the milk tea abroad was sickeningly sweet and practically undrinkable; domestic milk tea was simply much better.

She had been drinking it quite a bit in the few days since her return, and the cup in her hand was actually bought for her by Jiang Mian on the way here.

Jiang Mian paused, looking at the red light ahead, and slowly pressed the brake.

As the car came to a stop before the crosswalk, Shen Xiyao subconsciously looked up, and then Jiang Mian's voice rang out beside her ear.

"I'm going to register our marriage certificate with Wen Jinhuai, this afternoon."

"What?"

"Who?"

"This afternoon?"

Three exclamations in rapid succession.

Fortunately, Jiang Mian had prepared herself in advance, so she wasn't too startled by Shen Xiyao.

She reached out, pulled out a couple of tissues, and handed them over, a hint of helplessness in her tone: "Yaoyao, wipe that up. Don't be too excited."

The milk tea she had just swallowed almost didn't go down. Shen Xiyao glared at her, took the tissue to wipe her mouth, looking rather indignant.

"Mianbao, sweetheart, my dear, you're not joking, are you? Marrying Wen Jinhuai? And today?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Shen Xiyao finally confirmed that this wasn't a dream, nor a joke, but a solid reality.

Yet she couldn't understand: "No, you two? When did this happen?"

"Weren't you guys still unfamiliar with each other the day before yesterday? A one-night stand?"

Jiang Mian drove forward, nearly hitting the brakes from the shock of her words, but managed to steady her mind and keep driving.

"Yaoyao, what on earth are you thinking?" She glanced quickly at Shen Xiyao through the rearview mirror, looking somewhat resigned. "A contractual marriage."

Shen Xiyao bit her straw, her brows slightly furrowed: "He's entering into a contractual marriage with you—what benefit does that bring him?"

It wasn't that she felt Jiang Mian fell short of Wen Jinhuai in any way; in her eyes, her best friend naturally deserved the very best.

Yet Jiang Mian's current predicament was clear to any observant person. Why on earth would Wen Jinhuai choose to enter a marriage of convenience with Jiang Mian at a time like this?

Purely to take advantage of her?

Well, you couldn't really say that. After all, whatever that man wanted, he would obtain through his own competence; taking advantage of a young woman was simply not something he would do.

She was still lost in wild thoughts when Jiang Mian spoke up again: "The benefits for me are quite substantial. To put it accurately, I need him, and that's why I'm marrying him."

"Then that's wonderful! I support it!" Shen Xiyao clenched her fists and waved them twice in the air, blinking as a smile bloomed on her lips.

"Mianbao, Wen Jinhuai has countless resources. Feel free to use them boldly without needing to hold back for his sake."

Jiang Mian smiled without speaking. Relying on Wen Jinhuai's resources wasn't really the point; what she truly needed was the backing of his name and reputation.

She didn't want to take too much advantage of him, lest she find herself unable to repay it later.

Upon arriving at the airport, Shen Xiyao got out to retrieve her suitcase. Jiang Mian could only accompany her as far as the departure gate; she was not allowed to go any further.

"Mianbao, who knows how long it will be before we meet again after this parting!" Clinging to Jiang Mian with a pitiful look in her eyes, tears threatened to spill.

Jiang Mian raised a hand to pat her back and sighed.

Then, as if thinking of something else, a teasing note crept into her voice: "I heard that Zou Xi's next match is at the stadium not far from your university. You're in such a rush to go back—could it possibly be because...?"

She dragged out the final three syllables, dripping with utter mockery.

Shen Xiyao couldn't help but swat at her lightly, looking somewhat embarrassed: "Oh, how can you say such a thing about me?"

"Well, though it is true that wanting to watch his match is part of the reason, it's definitely not the main one!"

Her advisor's recent experimental project was at its busiest stage, and managing to take leave to return for Elder Wen's birthday banquet had already been quite difficult. Over there, they were urging her to hurry back.

Of course Jiang Mian knew; she had merely been joking just now.

She couldn't bear to see Shen Xiyao cry in front of her, as it always made her heart ache with a succession of sharp pangs.

Such a radiant girl as Shen Xiyao deserved to remain happy all the time.

"I know, I know! Don't work too hard after getting back, and if the chance for romance comes along, go ahead and date someone."

Naturally, both of them knew who "someone" referred to in that context.

Even so, such matters ultimately depended on fate.

"Mianbao, some things cannot be forced. I'll leave it to destiny." She smiled, gave Jiang Mian one final embrace, and then turned to head toward the boarding gate.

A person like Zou Xi had always stood in such lofty positions, and being a public figure as well, he surely wouldn't date anyone so casually.

After all, he had always remained single.

Still, with someone as exceptional as Shen Xiyao, what kind of person couldn't she find? She certainly wouldn't hang herself from a single tree.

Watching Shen Xiyao walk away until her figure vanished from sight, Jiang Mian finally turned around.

Only now did she have the chance to check the message Wen Jinhuai had sent her.

"I've made a reservation for this afternoon. If it's convenient, let's have lunch together."

Glancing at the time, indeed, lunchtime was just an hour away: "Alright."

Consider it a way to cultivate some mutual affection in advance?

Affection wasn't particularly necessary, but she waved her hand and walked out of the airport clutching her phone.

As she emerged, an airplane was just taking off behind her, soaring almost straight up into the heavens while a massive roar echoed directly overhead.

How many people leaving their homes were being carried by this very flight?

She had no way of knowing.

Once inside the car, Wen Jinhuai sent her an address. It was the name of a restaurant she hadn't seen before, though it was quite close to the city center.

"Let's meet here; I happen to be in the vicinity."

"Okay," she replied with a single word as usual.

By the time she drove from the airport to the city center, it was nearly time for their appointment, and Jiang Mian still needed to find a parking space.

The restaurant was located on the sixth floor of a shopping mall, and finding it proved quite easy since this entire district was a high-end luxury zone.

Those who dined around here were generally high spenders, so the interior decoration and overall aesthetic were enough to deter ordinary people.

When Jiang Mian reached the entrance, Wen Jinhuai was already there. He sat on a bench by the door with his legs crossed, his head slightly lowered as he looked at his phone.

"Mr. Wen." She walked over slowly, tilting her head slightly as she called out to him in a soft, tentative voice.

Wen Jinhuai looked up, appraised her briefly with a glance, and then spoke: "Did you send Yaoyao to the airport?"

"Mm, yes." She blinked. Did many people know about Shen Xiyao's departure abroad today?

The very next second, however, her gaze drifted downward to land on his phone screen, where she caught sight of their WeChat chat interface.

If she wasn't mistaken, he seemed to be talking to Shen Xiyao right at that moment?

To be accurate, it was a one-sided bombardment by the other party.

Well, Jiang Mian felt rather awkward standing there right then.

"Um, I only thought that this matter..."

Before she could finish, Wen Jinhuai raised a hand to interrupt: "I don't mind. It's only natural to discuss this with a close friend."

She licked her lips and lowered her gaze.

"However, Jiang Mian, call me by my name."