Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter One: Marriage Proposal

“Shi Nian, I’m here to offer you a marriage proposal,” Yun Nan casually uttered from where she sat on the opposite side of Shi Nian’s office desk.

Shi Nian was just then signing a document and his hand twitched at her words, causing the last stroke of his name ‘Nian’ to drag out a little.

He frowned and looked up at the beautiful woman before him and then politely reminded her, “We’ve only just met for the first time today.”

“Indeed,” Yun Nan nodded and continued, “But we both know of each other. You have an engagement with the daughter of the Yun family, but you don’t want to marry Yun Liu. However, you can’t disobey your elders, so you keep delaying it.”

“That won’t work for long. I’m the real daughter of the Yun family; this engagement is between you and me in the first place. You’ll be free from your predicament if we get married.”

Shi Nian looked at Yun Nan and asked calmly, “Miss Yun, you wish to discuss a collaboration with me?”

Yun Nan smiled; it was certainly a pleasure dealing with intelligent people, “That’s right.”

Shi Nian was dazzled by her bright smile and decided to hear her out. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He then raised his eyebrows and stated, “What’s in it for me?”

Yun Nan gave him the ‘marriage agreement’ she’d prepared beforehand.

Shi Nian flipped it open and read it carefully whilst Yun Nan’s voice flowed past his ears like a stream as she listed the main points within the agreement.

“The term of our collaboration is five years. Once the five years are up, we will divorce and the fault in our ‘relationship’ will be mine—we can say that I was unfaithful.”

“You will have absolute freedom during these five years and I will act as your wife in all your activities and social gatherings, with family or in public. I will present myself properly and never embarrass you. However, behind closed doors, we are strangers and will not interfere with each other.”

Shi Nian placed the document on the table and pointed at a paragraph with the pen in his hand and said, “And in return, you request that I provide you with a safe haven and give you the help you need?”

Yun Nan nodded, looking very relaxed as she answered, “That’s right. I find myself in need of support from a bigshot like yourself.”

Shi Nian steadily gazed at Yun Nan as he probed, “You went missing when you were a child, hence your parents adopted Yun Liu. You returned to the your family two years ago, right? I’d expect the Yun family to pamper and spoil their princess as compensation for those lost years so why are you seeking aid from me? Despite the engagement, no one can force me if I insist on not going through with it.”

He spoke truly; Shi Nian was a talented man with great influence that few wished to tackle. At the age of eight, Shi Nian was accompanying his grandfather as he attended board meetings. When he was sixteen, he opened an overseas branch company by himself. At twenty-five, he had already secured the position of chairman of the Shi Corporation.

Shi Nian experienced great storms in his life, but he’d never met anyone who dared to come up to him and brazenly negotiate conditions like Yun Nan did, especially when she looked like a young girl barely into her adulthood.

“But your grandfather can’t afford to wait any longer!” Yun Nan smiled. “His greatest wish currently is to see you get married, right? My adopted sister, Yun Liu, always wanted to take the engagement for herself. If you like her, I wouldn’t be here discussing this with you but since that’s not the case, Shi Nian, why not concede and give this collaboration a chance?”

“It’s only for five years; it’s not a loss for you and it will make your grandfather happy. All I want is the title of Mrs. Shi so that I can break free from the Yun family; I’m not interested in you or your money. It’s all written clearly in black and white; it’ll be a clean break when we get divorced. What do you think?”

Honestly, this agreement was flawless, and Yun Nan’s words hit his soft spot.

Shi Nian pondered for only a moment before he signed the agreement. He handed it back to Yun Nan, who took it with a cheerful smile and said, “I look forward to working with you!”