The night before the wedding.

Li Weiyi sprawled across the sofa, tilting her head while cracking sunflower seeds and watching TV.

Mother Li and Li Xiaoyi stood behind the sofa. Mother Li nudged her older daughter with her elbow, seemingly lowering her voice but actually not at all: “Look at her—does she have any semblance of someone getting married and becoming someone’s wife tomorrow?”

Li Xiaoyi found it amusing and asked: “Weiyi, aren’t you nervous?”

Only then did Li Weiyi slowly sit up, toss the seed shells into the trash, and pat her hands: “What’s there to be nervous about? We’ve been together for eight years. If I don’t marry him, who else would I marry? Just going through the process, switching houses to sleep in, that’s all.”

Mother Li’s finger poked her forehead: “Don’t you dare say that in front of Ah Chan.”

“I know, I’m not stupid. Forever united in heart, together till white-haired old age—oh my, I’m so excited.” Li Weiyi tossed another seed into her mouth.

Mother Li was about to die of frustration from this shameless younger daughter. She turned and went to the room to continue admiring and counting the several sets of formal wear and jewelry to be worn tomorrow.

But as she walked, her steps suddenly stiffened.

Wait, did her younger daughter just say they’d been together for eight years?

It was now June 2022, which meant in 2014 when Li Weiyi was still in her senior year of high school, the two had already gotten together?

That nineteen-year-old Zhang Jingchan, so excellent, steady, and sensible, hadn’t he promised them as a couple that he would only pursue Li Weiyi after she entered university?

Mother Li gritted her teeth and turned to look at the room full of brilliantly gleaming formal wear and jewelry. In the end, she snorted and smiled.

This was the large flat where Li Weiyi and Zhang Jingchan lived together. The Li family hadn’t bought property in Xiang City. Every time Father Li and Mother Li came, Zhong Yi treated them like his own parents, welcoming them home to stay and helping take care of the children. After the wedding villa was prepared, Zhang Jingchan transferred ownership of this apartment to Li Weiyi’s name, and now it served perfectly as the bride’s family home for the wedding.

That’s why Li Weiyi said “switching houses to sleep in”—her marriage was just moving from Zhang Jingchan’s left hand to his right hand.

The doorbell rang.

Li Xiaoyi said curiously: “Who would come this late?”

Opening the door, Li Yunmo stood at the entrance in a suit looking presentable. Li Xiaoyi immediately blocked him: “The bride pickup is tomorrow morning!” She looked behind him, afraid Zhang Jingchan had also come. Wedding customs had particular rules—couples shouldn’t meet the night before the wedding.

Li Yunmo smiled and said: “Brother Chan didn’t come. He’s the most rule-abiding.”

Sister-in-law Li Xiaoyi had also heard her sister mention the eight years of dating earlier. Besides, she hadn’t been oblivious to the signs back then, just hadn’t said anything. Hearing this, she smiled ambiguously: “Mm, he’s the most rule-abiding.”

Li Weiyi snickered.

Li Yunmo happily walked in: “I just came to see sister-in-law and have a few words of advice for her. Actually, I should count as part of the bride’s family—sister-in-law ranks ahead of Brother Chan for me.”

Li Xiaoyi also went to the room, leaving space for the two of them.

Li Yunmo also grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and cracked them together with Li Weiyi, asking about some wedding preparations. After Li Weiyi answered everything, she said: “Just say what you have to say directly. Don’t beat around the bush.” This kid couldn’t hide anything on his face.

Li Yunmo seemed to find it hard to speak. He ate a few more seeds with his head down and said: “Sister-in-law, did you and he sign a prenuptial agreement?”

Li Weiyi glanced at him: “What if we did? What if we didn’t?”

Li Yunmo’s face grew even redder. He scratched his head and said: “I’m not saying I distrust Brother Chan—these years, how he’s treated you has been beyond words. But Brother Chan has reached this position after all, and his equity holdings add up to around twenty to thirty billion. Although you’re also excellent in your field, in this marriage, you’re the disadvantaged party. I think that regardless of before or after marriage, you need to secure enough protection for yourself.”

Li Weiyi stared at him without blinking, humbly seeking advice: “So how much do you think I should get?”

Li Yunmo steeled himself and said: “At least one to two percent.”

Although only one to two percent, that was already very, very much.

Li Yunmo said with some struggle: “I don’t think Brother Chan will change his heart in the future either, but life is still long. He stands at too high a position, and there are too many people who want to get something from him. Too many schemes, too many temptations. Besides, Brother Chan’s thoughts are too deep. A few years ago, I felt I could still know what he was thinking, but now I can’t guess at all.”

Li Yunmo’s words actually carried a somewhat chilling feeling, showing the intimidating authority Zhang Jingchan now held in the group and in his subordinates’ hearts.

But Li Weiyi rolled her eyes: “You’re overthinking. You couldn’t guess what he was thinking before either.”

Li Yunmo: “……”

Li Weiyi laughed and pushed his shoulder: “But the fact that you came today to tell me these things shows you’re truly on my side. Good brother, I didn’t misjudge you.”

Only then did Li Yunmo become happy, though he acted nonchalant: “The one who knows your heart is Li Yunmo.”

Li Weiyi laughed heartily, then said: “However, you can rest assured. What you mentioned, he’s already given.”

Li Yunmo’s heart skipped two beats, and the fire of gossip blazed: “How much did he give?”

Li Weiyi: “Anyway, more than what you said… quite a bit more.”

Li Yunmo: “Damn!”

Li Yunmo and his father Li Jinxiong held nearly 10% of Huicui Group’s shares, but once Li Weiyi completed this marriage, she would surpass them to become an even larger shareholder.

In the end, the poorest one is still me, this single dog!

Li Yunmo suddenly said solemnly: “He’s given you his life.”

With Li Weiyi holding so many shares, if one day she allied with opponents to stab Zhang Jingchan in the back, Zhang Jingchan might not even be able to keep Huicui.

Li Weiyi sat quietly with a half-smile: “He said this is the imperial sword he’s giving me.”

That was a month ago when Zhang Jingchan came with a lawyer to see her, handing over a thick stack of documents. Li Weiyi flipped through them and said: “This is too much. Didn’t you only owe me a hundred million?”

Zhang Jingchan smiled faintly while drinking tea, and the lawyer also smiled. Chairman Zhang said: “What’s owed is owed, what’s gifted is gifted.”

Li Weiyi asked the lawyer to excuse himself first.

“You’re making me a bit uneasy this way. It really is too much,” she said.

Zhang Jingchan had just returned from the company, still in his suit without even removing his tie. His tall, lean figure leaned at an angle, hands resting on his knees, elegant within the coldness. He said: “It’s not only to make you happy, but also to cut off my own retreat.”

Li Weiyi was stunned.

He lowered his eyes, a few fingers tapping lightly on his knee: “At the beginning when I pursued you in the loop, you said you never thought about being with me, that we weren’t from the same world, that under normal circumstances, I would never consider being with you.”

Li Weiyi: “Just sign the agreement if you’re going to sign it. Why are you bringing up old accounts……”

Zhang Jingchan remained unmoved and continued digging up the past: “In this life, we got together in 2014. Over all these years, how much jealousy have you suffered? Although in the end, I was always the one who suffered, but Li Weiyi, you truly lack a sense of security.”