The Wealthy and Influential Fiancé Has the Ability to Read Minds
Chapter 46
Since they had made an appointment in advance and had all the necessary documents prepared, Tang Nuan and Tang Xing’s household registrations were updated before noon.
As an adult, Tang Nuan could have opted for an independent household registration. However, when Tang Jinxin took out the household register, showing the page full of family members, Tang Nuan inexplicably decided to move her registration to Tang Jinxin’s family register.
After all, children on the household register of the head of the family could move out independently at any time, but once independent, it would be difficult to move back. Tang Nuan thought she could give it a try.
“Tang Nuan, third daughter of household head Tang Jinxin, correct?” The household registration officer handed over a thin sheet of paper.
Tang Nuan took it, looked at it, and handed it to Tang Jinxin. She watched as he solemnly placed it in the family register, and in that moment, Tang Nuan felt a sense of belonging. It was as if that thin sheet of paper gave her heart a place to rest, filling her with more courage and strength. From now on, she had parents to look after her and siblings to accompany her on her journey…
However, Tang Xing made a different choice. She wanted her household registration to be independent.
Tang Sheng’an clearly didn’t want to agree. Tang Nuan knew him too well. With the household registration in his hands, he could still control Tang Xing’s marriage decisions. Even though their family’s reputation was currently tarnished, Tang Xing, as a young woman, could still be useful, just as they had once tried to use Tang Nuan.
Fortunately, Tang Xing had her own trump card. “Let me have an independent household registration, and I’ll speak to the Jiang family to get them to let Tang Yi off the hook. I’ve been close to Sister Miao for many years; I can at least get this much done. Otherwise, the entire Tang family won’t have a good time.”
Tang Sheng’an had to compromise.
Seeing Tang Xing get her independent household registration, Tang Jinxin’s family felt relieved.
“Alright! Let’s go home. Today is a joyous day for our family, let’s celebrate properly!” Tang Jinxin said, rubbing his head with a smile. “Watch your dad show off his cooking skills today.”
Tang Fei and Tang Ben cheered first, and Ji Yun and Li Qiuqiu, who were waiting nearby, stepped forward to greet Tang Nuan, linking their arms with hers and saying hello to Tang Jinxin and Shen Jinhua.
The couple was delighted. Tang Nuan bringing her friends to meet them showed that she was beginning to want to integrate into the family.
Since they had planned to celebrate at home, they headed to the Tang family residence.
The Tang family lived in a courtyard house on the edge of the Third Ring Road. The three-entry courtyard was impressively decorated, with an ancient charm and a touch of elegance.
It was Tang Nuan’s first time visiting. As Tang Jinxin and Shen Jinhua enthusiastically introduced the place to her, they also made some lighthearted complaints about it being too understated here, the carvings not being clear enough there, and how the dragon patterns on the columns could be more attractive…
Tang Nuan felt a bit embarrassed listening to her parents’ comments, thinking that it was a good thing they didn’t renovate according to their wishes, or it would have been a disaster.
Tang Yue seemed to know what she was thinking and whispered with a smile, “Don’t worry, they are very open to advice, especially from professionals.”
Tang Nuan had noticed this as well. Probably because they hadn’t had much formal education, Tang Jinxin and Shen Jinhua had great respect for educated people, even their own children. For example, when Tang Ben explained something to them, they would listen attentively.
As they passed through the hanging flower gate into the second courtyard, the lively and bustling atmosphere became evident.
“Tang Yue, take Tang Nuan to her room. Everyone else, start preparing,” Tang Jinxin instructed, and the group dispersed.
Tang Yue led Tang Nuan to the back house in the third courtyard. There were five rooms in a row, one for each sibling and one as a guest room.
She opened the second room on the west side and said to Tang Nuan, “This is your room. We’ve kept it simple for now. If you want to make any changes, let Da Fei know and he can contact someone.”
“The study is in the front side room. You and your friends can freshen up first, and after dinner, we’ll give you a proper tour.” With that, she left the space for Tang Nuan, Ji Yun, and Li Qiuqiu.
As soon as the door closed, Ji Yun couldn’t contain her excitement and started looking around. “My dear, don’t forget us when you get rich and famous!”
Tang Nuan ignored Ji Yun’s antics. Meanwhile, Li Qiuqiu stood in front of the treasure cabinet and couldn’t help but comment, “You’ve got quite a few awards here, huh?”
Tang Nuan then noticed that the cabinet, which should have displayed various decorative items, was filled with framed photos of her trophies and certificates.
It was obvious whose idea this was. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Tang Nuan watched as Ji Yun burst out laughing, “This really reminds me of my dad. When I won first place in elementary school, he set aside a whole room just to display my awards and certificates…”
“And I bet you didn’t even fill one wall,” Li Qiuqiu quipped.
Ji Yun, used to Li Qiuqiu’s sharp remarks, ignored her and continued looking at the treasure cabinet, “You know, this actually looks quite impressive. It gives off a sense of pride.”
Tang Nuan chuckled, “These are my honors, what are you so proud of?”
Ji Yun scoffed, “That’s not fair. You’re my friend, right? Can’t I be proud of my friend?”
With that, she linked arms with Tang Nuan and said sweetly, “I heard you get almost ten million a year as pocket money? Does that mean we don’t have to struggle for investment for our film project anymore?”
Tang Nuan laughed, “I knew it. You’re never up to any good when you’re being nice.”
Li Qiuqiu disagreed, “This is about making money. If we have the opportunity, we should keep it for ourselves. Why let someone else benefit?”
Tang Nuan rolled her eyes at her friends, “Who was it that said my project was too risky when I first started?”
Li Qiuqiu replied confidently, “Your Nuanyang System has already proven your ability. We should keep the benefits within our circle.”
Ji Yun nodded, “It’ll take us a couple of months to get everything ready on our end. You can use that time to hand over the Nuanyang System.” She couldn’t help but sigh, “Once the Nuanyang System secures its funding, you’ll have a steady stream of income again.”
“Your turnaround in fortune is so complete. I’m so jealous.”
Tang Nuan paused. Actually, there wouldn’t be a steady stream of income; she was going to sell it outright. She had already signed an agreement with Ye Shuyan, and Ye’s Corporation was currently proceeding with the acquisition process…
However, as Tang Nuan touched her chest, she realized she didn’t feel as heartbroken as she thought she would. Indeed, having money gave her confidence. It made her feel that it wasn’t such a big deal; if she could successfully create one project, she could create another.
What is Ye Shuyan? Hmph!
“Speaking of Ye Shuyan, he really is incredible,” Ji Yun said. “That live broadcast was a masterstroke: it cleared Tang Nuan’s name, slapped Jiang Miao in the face, ousted Ye Er, and promoted the company’s system all at once.”
Tang Nuan couldn’t help but agree. Ye Shuyan’s actions had indeed been impressive and effective.
“I heard Jiang Miao is planning to go abroad, and Second Ye is going with her,” Ji Yun tilted her head, “I always felt there was something going on between them.”
Li Qiuqiu said, “Probably just a coincidence.” She looked at Tang Nuan, “Isn’t his departure because of your Ye Shuyan?”
Tang Nuan was taken aback, realizing that ever since things had been cleared up, she hadn’t paid any attention to the entanglements between Ye Shuyan, Jiang Miao, and Second Ye.
With this reminder, Tang Nuan suddenly realized that Second Ye and Jiang Miao were not together, but Ye Shuyan had already started targeting Second Ye…
She thought about her experiences with the Tang family, which were completely different from what was described in the book. And then there was Tang Xing. The book mentioned Tang Xing as Jiang Miao’s good friend, but from today’s events, it seemed that the so-called friendship was merely a means for Tang Xing to survive in that household. If they were truly good friends, how could Tang Xing leave for the South to start over alone when Jiang Miao was at the height of her fame?
Tang Nuan began to reconsider. Maybe the so-called storyline she knew wasn’t the truth. To confirm, it would be simple enough to ask Ye Shuyan directly about his feelings for Jiang Miao and the history between them.
This thought sparked a sudden urge in Tang Nuan to confront Ye Shuyan and get the answers…
The sounds of laughter from the courtyard interrupted Tang Nuan’s thoughts. She quickly shook her head, deciding against the idea of crossing boundaries by questioning Ye Shuyan. After all, now that she no longer needed to guard against Tang Sheng’an’s family, breaking off the engagement seemed like the safest choice.
“What are you thinking about? Why the frown?” Ji Yun waved her hand in front of Tang Nuan’s face. “Let’s go help out. Just sitting here feels awkward.”
Tang Nuan peeked outside and saw everyone busy with preparations. She decided to join them, bringing Ji Yun and Li Qiuqiu along. The matter of breaking off the engagement would need more careful consideration, but for now, she would take things one step at a time.
In the kitchen, Tang Jinxin, Shen Jinhua, and Tang Yue were busy cooking. When they heard that the girls wanted to help, Shen Jinhua didn’t hesitate to point them toward the courtyard. “Go help Tang Fei and Tang Ben make dumplings. With so many of us, we need a lot.”
Tang Fei and Tang Ben had already set up a large table in the courtyard, with the dumpling dough and filling prepared in advance.
When Tang Nuan and her friends arrived, they gathered around the table under the shade of the trees, listening to the cicadas while unintentionally frustrating Tang Fei and Tang Ben.
Although Tang Nuan could cook simple dishes, she wasn’t skilled at making dumplings. Growing up, their household help always made the dumplings. Ji Yun, on the other hand, was simply clumsy.
Tang Ben stood beside them, trying to guide them. “Yes, just like that. The rolling pin goes in front, the dough behind. Hey, hey, don’t pull on it!”
He picked up the oddly shaped dumpling skin that Tang Nuan had rolled out, half amused and half exasperated. “Alright, Sister Nuan, let’s forget about rolling the skins. Let’s just start wrapping the dumplings.”
With that, he was about to go get some dumpling skins from Tang Fei. But Tang Fei, wary, said, “If you want to wrap, roll your own skins! Don’t use mine! We need to have some that look decent!”
It turned out he was planning to make special cute dumplings for Tang Nuan, using spinach juice and pumpkin juice to make jade and tiger skin dumplings. Given the effort involved, he wasn’t about to let them ruin it.
But Tang Ben didn’t care and quickly snatched a few skins, handing one each to Tang Nuan, Ji Yun, and Li Qiuqiu.
Seeing how Tang Nuan and Ji Yun were wrapping the dumplings, Tang Fei looked as if they were using gold instead of dough skins.
Surprisingly, Li Qiuqiu turned out to be quite skillful.
Li Qiuqiu proudly straightened her posture, “Never underestimate a stay-at-home girl’s survival skills.”
Tang Fei, feeling a sense of relief, called her over, “A fellow enthusiast, I see. Come on, come help me out, and let’s not let them mess up everything.”
The group laughed and joked, surprisingly not feeling tired at all. When it came time to eat, everything tasted especially delicious. Ji Yun was particularly ingratiating, “Uncle, your home is wonderful. Can I come here often?”
Tang Jinxin naturally had no objections. He was so pleased that he even brought out some alcohol to share. Tang Fei and Tang Ben went as far as to bring out a sound system, singing and dancing to liven up the atmosphere.
The fun continued into the afternoon. When it was time for Tang Nuan to leave, the Tang family brought out gifts.
Tang Jinxin and Shen Jinhua were the most extravagant, gifting Tang Nuan a sports car.
Shen Jinhua said, “I saw you have a racing badge. Do you like cars?”
Tang Nuan was taken aback. She had indeed raced cars before, seeking the adrenaline rush during her rebellious years when she felt neglected. However, after getting engaged to Ye Shuyan, she had to play the part of a well-behaved fiancée and had stopped racing.
She had forgotten where she had tucked away that racing badge, but Tang Jinxin and Shen Jinhua had noticed it. They had taken the time to carefully look through her awards, even if they were just photos.
Maybe it was because she was relaxed, or perhaps it was the alcohol, but with her mind slightly tipsy and out of control, Tang Nuan couldn’t help but hold onto Tang Jinxin’s large hand as she accepted the car keys. “Dad…”
It was the first time she had called anyone that, and Tang Jinxin froze for a moment, his eyes instantly turning red. He reached up to pat her head, choking up as he said, “Yes, my good daughter.”
Tang Nuan suddenly felt like crying again. Shen Jinhua stepped forward and hugged her. Tang Nuan murmured, “Mom.”
“Yes, Mom is here,” Shen Jinhua said, stroking her hair. “Whenever you want to come back, just come back. This is your home.”
Tang Nuan nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed because she was crying.
Tang Yue and Tang Fei decided to put all the gifts in her sports car. Tang Yue also called for a driver to help drive the car back for her.
Meanwhile, Ye Shuyan, who had been distracted all day thinking about the gift he wanted to give Tang Nuan to celebrate, finally decided to leave work early. He felt restless, especially in the afternoon, knowing Tang Nuan would be coming home soon.
As he was lost in thought, the driver suddenly said, “Huh? President Ye, isn’t that Miss Tang?”
Ye Shuyan immediately spotted Tang Nuan. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a bright red convertible sports car, smiling sweetly at the young man in the driver’s seat, chatting happily with an innocent and coquettish expression.
A surge of inexplicable anger shot through Ye Shuyan’s head. He pushed open the car door and strode over, “Tang Nuan!”
Tang Nuan saw him and smiled brightly, “Brother Shuyan? What are you doing here? I thought you were busy.”
Ye Shuyan narrowed his eyes, “So you’re just having fun by yourself, huh?”
His gaze fell on the young man in the driver’s seat: average looks, average build, and even more average in a sports car. What was she so happy about?
“I’m not playing around. I was just parking, but I couldn’t find a spot,” Tang Nuan said.
Tang Nuan did have a parking spot, but since she didn’t have a car, she had long forgotten where it was. Plus, with the alcohol in her system, her head was a bit fuzzy, so she was directing aimlessly.
Ye Shuyan noticed her different demeanor and, leaning in, caught a faint scent of alcohol. He said coldly, “Get out of the car!”
Tang Nuan, sensing his bad mood, felt a surge of anger herself. She grabbed the car door and said, “No!”
Just as Ye Shuyan was about to glare at her, the young man in the driver’s seat quickly got out, handed the keys to Ye Shuyan, and said, “Hello, sir. I’ve parked the car. I’ll be leaving now.” He then pulled out a folding bike from the back seat and left.
Ye Shuyan: …
He looked down at Tang Nuan, who proudly said, “My parents gave me this car.”
Ye Shuyan: …
Taking a deep breath, he got into the driver’s seat and parked the car in his empty spot.
From the passenger seat, Tang Nuan clapped her hands in delight. “Wow, Brother Shuyan, you’re amazing!”
Ye Shuyan looked at her sparkling eyes, and his anger suddenly dissipated.
He rubbed his forehead in vain as if things seemed to have gotten complicated…
The author has something to say:
Ye Shuyan: This sports car is incredibly low-class.
Tang Nuan: This is a gift from my parents. It’s my beloved car!
Ye Shuyan: … Well, after a close look, it’s actually not bad.
Everyone is watching to see how Ye Shuyan will handle it, hahaha.