“George may know, but he naively believes there is love between you two and refuses to sign these documents. You can fool George, but you can’t fool me. If you don’t want to sign, so be it. I won’t let George face such an embarrassing situation,” Old Ivan said contemptuously.

He was convinced that Ji Ya was only after the money.

Ji Ya felt dizzy with anger. These documents would transfer all of George’s assets into a new trust fund, with George as the beneficiary. During the marriage, Ji Ya could share the fund’s earnings with George, but if the marriage failed, she wouldn’t be entitled to any properties or shares.

What she could take was half of the annual earnings of about $200,000.

In other words, being with George meant access to $100,000 per year, and if divorced, she would only get that year’s $100,000.

Of course, George’s annual earnings weren’t just $200,000. For the real substantial family trust fund, where the Wilsons were trustees, Ji Ya couldn’t get a penny of these truly valuable trust earnings.

About $100,000 a year wasn’t that little.

American wages generally were only two to three thousand dollars, and how much could one save after taxes?

What Ji Ya could enjoy from this marriage was already an American middle-class lifestyle.

The middle class couldn’t necessarily save $100,000 a year… Old Ivan thought he was being very generous. It would sound too harsh to give nothing, and $100,000 a year was an appropriate amount.

The bulk of the assets remained untouched, and $100,000 was just spending money to keep George happy.

Ji Ya had always won people over with her grace. No one discussed money with her – how vulgar to talk about money, as if it would desecrate Ji Ya!

Except for Old Ivan.

This old rogue!

Ivan Wilson, at his age, was beyond caring about anything.

He didn’t believe in excuses, didn’t need face-saving pretenses, blatantly exposed the truth, with all conditions written in legal documents – take it or leave it!

Old Ivan hoped Ji Ya would refuse. Not signing these would prove that Ji Ya’s claims about not caring about money were all lies, wouldn’t it? Then George couldn’t keep deceiving himself and would have to wake up!

“You can choose not to sign…”

Old Ivan tempted her.

Document after document, piling up together, formed an airtight net.

Old Ivan could afford the best lawyers, and Ji Ya alone had no way to resist.

She sneered, “Even $200,000 annual earnings is too much. You shouldn’t give George anything at all. Can’t we make a living in China on our abilities?”

Ji Ya signed several documents quickly, then threw down the pen:

“I’m waiting for your supplementary agreement. I won’t take the $100,000 either. George and I will split expenses going forward.”

Split expenses.

Each party earns and spends its own money.

Old Ivan applauded, “If you can do as you say, I will greatly admire you and apologize to you in the future, proving that you married George truly for love.”

Having achieved his goal, Old Ivan didn’t mind saying some pleasant words.

If Ji Ya could say nice things about not wanting money, couldn’t Old Ivan do the same?

In any case, the purpose of calling George and Ji Ya back to America was half accomplished. As long as Ji Ya signed these documents, she wouldn’t be able to extract George’s premarital assets.

Old Ivan happily packed up the documents and left, while Ji Ya felt a breath stuck in her chest, making her very uncomfortable.

If she could put herself in others’ shoes, she would understand why Xia Xiaolan had insisted on fighting with her over a “small matter” back then. What seemed perfectly reasonable to Ji Ya was unacceptable to Xia Xiaolan.

It was the same now. Ji Ya was proud, but Old Ivan had more right to be proud. This was truly the tables turning – Ji Ya didn’t respect others, and finally, someone appeared who didn’t respect her!

In America, Old Ivan couldn’t care less about what connections the Ji family had in China. He just straightforwardly did as he pleased… similarly looking down on and disrespecting Ji Ya. What could Ji Ya do?

Either endure it.

Or be ruthless.

Or get lost!

Ji Ya didn’t want a divorce and didn’t want her enemies to laugh at her. Her personality couldn’t endure it, so she could only choose to be ruthless!

Old Ivan said he’d give her $100,000 a year, and she even refused it.

She’d rather not take that $100,000 than have Old Ivan pointing fingers at her.

She even proposed splitting expenses after marriage!

After Old Ivan left, he threw the stack of documents in front of George:

“I told you, if she was smart enough, she would agree to sign the agreement. Of course, if you had brought it up, your marriage would probably end immediately. Since you still want to maintain this marriage, let me be the bad guy.”

George couldn’t hold his head up after Old Ivan’s words.

Ever since Ji Ya took out a loan of several million yuan from the bank on her own, George had disagreements with her.

If she dared to borrow 5 million yuan the first time, wouldn’t she dare to borrow 10 million the next time?

Now it was yuan, but what if it became dollars in the future?

George wasn’t sure if he could handle it.

Taking out loans without consulting your partner was terrible behavior.

George had to think of himself, so he called lawyers to China.

In China, there were many gaps in this area of law. George hadn’t actually made a decision, but his parents noticed his actions and Old Ivan acted decisively, simply giving it a push.

That’s what led to Ji Ya signing the property waiver today.

Everything, including Cynthia’s dismissal of Ji Ya, and Old Ivan waiting for Ji Ya to take the bait… it wasn’t just in Old Ivan’s calculations, he hadn’t hidden anything from his son George either.

George knew everything.

“I feel very despicable.”

Ji Ya signed the property waiver documents.

Old Ivan didn’t care at all, “My son, do you like being noble? Do you know how bloody the process of wealth accumulation is? Noble people are just not smart people. They work diligently but can only work for the rich all their lives… If you want to be noble, you should donate all your wealth to the poor!”

Want to be poor?

Can you be poor?

Old Ivan believed George was just talking. George had never been poor, and once he became poor, George probably couldn’t stand it for even a day.

No need for hypocritical quibbling, everyone values money!

…

Old Ivan was right, everyone does value money.

GMP values clients, isn’t it also because clients can make money for GMP?

As a partner at GMP’s New York office, Andrew Kissinger was the highest earner in GMP’s New York office. Every project was related to his earnings, and for this, he was willing to put in all his effort to secure every commission.

Xia Xiaolan could afford not to care about Kissinger’s promised performance bonus.

But she cared about the internship opportunity at GMP, cared about every opportunity that could help her progress… Taking a step back, as an intern at GMP, could she not follow the partners’ arrangements?

Making her deal with male clients might suggest impropriety.

Making her deal with female clients like Mrs. Wilson was a very reasonable request!

So President Xia, who wouldn’t bow for money, after accepting the theater renovation commission, had to fully invest herself, watching musicals at the theater with Mrs. Wilson – it was perfectly normal!

In 1986 Broadway, what could Xia Xiaolan and Mrs. Wilson watch?

At this time, “The Phantom of the Opera” had not yet appeared on Broadway, the most popular show was the equally classic “Cats”!