The Heiress's Game

A week before the wedding, a fierce argument broke out in the study of the second branch of Yun Jingbai's family mansion.

Bai Jingchuan sat behind a rosewood desk with a wedding schedule spread out in front of him, which detailed the time and order of each part, such as the couple's vows, speeches by both sets of parents, and the exchange of rings.

He picked up a pen and added a name after the "Speech by the Groom's Parents": Meng Wanqing.

Bai Junze stood opposite the desk.

"Dad, I have no objection to you giving a speech as the father, but she can't."

Bai Junze can accept his father giving a speech as the groom – it's a matter of blood ties and tradition, and he accepts it.

But Meng Wanqing is different. He is no longer the little boy who needs to look up to his father. At the age of thirty-three, he will no longer wrong the person he cares about most for the sake of superficial filial piety.

She is your stepmother.

Bai Jingchuan put down his pen. "Legally, she is my legal wife."

"What kind of talk is it if the groom's parents don't go on stage at your wedding? Sheng Nan and Cui Qinghe were allowed to give speeches, so why can't Wan Qing and I?"

"You can do it. But she can't."

Bai Junze's answer was exactly the same as before.

Bai Jingchuan took a deep breath, and the veins on his forehead began to throb faintly.

He suppressed his anger, stood up, walked to the window, stood with his back to his son for a while, and then turned back to speak again, trying to persuade his stubborn son with reason.

"You should know that a marriage that occurs under those circumstances is perfectly legally valid."

When Wanqing met me back then, I didn't remember anything. A man who couldn't even remember his own name was saved by her and taken care of by her for so many years. There were feelings between us.

Shengnan has let go of everything. Even your proud mother has let go of everything. She has long since moved on with her own life.

What else can't you let go of? Wanqing is my lawfully wedded wife, and your stepmother.

I won't allow anyone to ignore her contributions to this family over the years; you must give her that face on your wedding day.

"I am not a judge, I do not discuss the law."

Bai Junze stood in front of the desk, his tone still the same calm that drove Bai Jingchuan crazy.

"The law says you are husband and wife, that's a matter for the law. The law can regulate a person's behavior, but it can't regulate a person's feelings."

I witnessed firsthand what my mother went through during those years, and I also personally experienced what I was like during those years. Perhaps you don't remember, but I do.

Bai Jingchuan's face darkened. "Junze, are you blaming me?"

"I don't blame you. I understand your situation and respect your choice, but understanding doesn't mean acceptance."

Bai Junze looked at his father and said, "For you, Aunt Meng was the one who gave you a home when you were most helpless."

To me, whether you have amnesia or not, she is the one who made my mother and me sad.

It took me a long time to accept this fact, but what I accept is your marriage to her, not that I accept her taking my mother's place.

"My mother only has Zhuo Shengnan. On the wedding day, she and Uncle Cui will attend as the groom's mother and stepfather, and they will also give speeches on stage."

This is the most basic thing I can give her.

"If I were to have Aunt Meng and my mother standing on the stage together, it would be a betrayal of her to me."

"You're being stubborn!" Bai Jingchuan finally couldn't help but slam his hand on the table, making the teacup jump.

"You know Shengnan would never think that way! She has her own family now, and she and Wanqing are always very polite to each other when they meet at family gatherings—"

"That's her dignity, not Aunt Meng's."

Bai Junze interrupted him, "My mother grew up in the Bai family when she was ten years old. The greatest skill she learned was to maintain her dignity in any situation."

She can politely clink glasses with Aunt Meng at family gatherings, but that doesn't mean she doesn't mind.

Bai Jingchuan opened his mouth, as if he wanted to refute, but found that he really couldn't refute it.

"You'll soon be a married man, and you'll understand that marriage is never a simple choice."

Then you'll know what it means to be powerless and to be caught in a dilemma.

"Wanqing is your stepmother, and will also be your wife's stepmother-in-law in the future. That's an unchangeable fact. Couldn't you tolerate that for even ten minutes during the wedding?"

"No," Bai Junze replied crisply.

"I won't let my wife face that kind of embarrassment at the wedding. She won't have to worry about who to call 'Mom' during the tea ceremony, or be arranged to stand in a line when taking photos."

"Nonsense! She's been married to me for so many years, given you younger siblings, and everyone in the Bai family calls her Second Madam! And now you're telling me she can't take the stage?"

Bai Jingchuan felt like he was going to be driven crazy by this arrogant and unruly son.

Bai Junze refused to budge an inch, saying, "There's no room for negotiation on this issue. If you insist on having Aunt Meng on stage, then Yun Jin and I can cancel the wedding."

Bai Jingchuan was so angry that he stood up, took a few steps, sat down, stood up again, and finally picked up his pen.

He crossed out Meng Wanqing's name heavily on the wedding schedule, slammed the pen on the table, and walked out of the study without looking back.

Bai Junze came out of the study and walked along the second-floor corridor toward the stairwell.

The door to the game room at the end of the corridor was half open, and the sounds of younger siblings laughing and playing could be heard from inside.

"Big Brother!" Bai Wenxiong looked up and saw him, his eyes lighting up.

"Why are you back today?"

Bai Yining also looked up at him, her voice as soft and sweet as her mother's, with a unique coquettish tone characteristic of Taicheng:

"Big brother, why don't you stay for dinner? Mom made abalone chicken soup today, it's so delicious!"

Bai Junze looked at his half-siblings, gently patted Bai Wenxiong's shoulder, and said to Bai Yining, "I can't today, I have something to do."

"Big brother—"

"I have something to do, you guys eat by yourselves."

Footsteps came from the other end of the corridor, lightly treading on the carpet.

Meng Wanqing carried a bowl of stew up the stairs and gave Bai Junze a perfectly timed smile.

She takes good care of herself, and her voice is as soft as a mango smoothie in Taicheng in the summer, each word coated with a layer of sweet but not cloying icing:

"Junze is back? There's a cordyceps and fish maw soup in the kitchen, it's good for clearing heat and moisturizing the lungs. You must be exhausted from preparing for your wedding lately."

Stay for dinner. Your dad specially asked the kitchen to prepare several of your favorite dishes today.

Yi Ning keeps asking when her older brother will come back, and Wen Xiong says he hasn't played ball with her in ages. It's family, after all, it's rare for us to get together.

"No need, I have plans for tonight."

He said his voice was calm and polite.

Meng Wanqing's smile remained unchanged, as did the smile in her eyes, and her hand holding the small porcelain cup remained steady and firm.

She never showed any dissatisfaction or embarrassment in front of Bai Junze. No matter how many times she was rejected, she would still be the same gentle and considerate person the next time they met.

"Wait a minute, I'll go get a thermos and fill it with some for you to take with you—" She turned to leave.

"Really, there's no need." Bai Junze had already turned and walked towards the stairs.

With a deep roar, the black Maybach drove out of the wrought iron gate of the Bai family's second residence and merged into the traffic of Yun Jing at night.

Instead of returning to his apartment, he drove to the riverbank.

The wind is strong along the river at this time of year, causing the reeds on the bank to bend down and bounce back in unison.

He leaned against the car door and lit a cigarette, the red glow of the cigarette butt flickering in the wind.

He rarely smokes and has almost no addiction to cigarettes, only smoking on rare occasions.

The lights on the opposite bank of the river shattered into a flowing sheet of gold dust on the water's surface.

He recalled Bai Jingchuan's words, "You and your mother are the same, never willing to back down even half a step"—perhaps his father was right. But some things, if you back down even half a step, you're no longer yourself.

When the cigarette burned out, he stubbed it out and took out his phone to make a video call.

Gu Yunjin's face was reflected on the screen. She was still in Xingyao's office. She looked a little tired, but her eyes lit up the moment she saw him.

"Still at the company so late?"

"Nan Zhenquan just sent over the supply chain plan for the jewelry line. I'm not satisfied with many of the designs. I'll go back after I look at it."

She tilted her head and looked at his face.

"What are you doing by the river? The wind is so strong, what happened?"

"It's nothing. I went home and discussed the wedding with my dad. There were some disagreements about the procedures, but we've already resolved them."

He flicked his cigarette butt into the nearby trash can, speaking calmly as if he were talking about what he had for dinner.

Gu Yunjin didn't press him further; if he didn't want to talk about it, there was no point in asking.

If he wants to speak, he will do so without being asked.

"No matter what the disagreement is, you won't back down."

"Um."

"That's fine then, anyway, he can't change anything."

She changed her posture, rested her phone on the stand, and picked up the proposal with both hands to continue reviewing it.

"We can handle things on our side ourselves. By the way, the florist sent over a few arrangement plans today, I'll send them to you later."

"And where are we planning our honeymoon? I checked the schedule, and we can free up a few days after the wedding—"

Bai Junze leaned against the car door, listening to her list the wedding preparations one by one.

The river breeze blew across the screen, carrying her voice a little far, but he could hear every word clearly.

After hanging up the phone, he put his phone in his pocket and stood gazing at the myriad lights across the river for a while.

He thought his father must be furious tonight.

Meng Wanqing would likely gently persuade him, saying, "Junze is just being immature," and "Don't hold it against the child." Bai Jingchuan would remain silent for a long time, then mentally make a mental note of this.

But in the end, Bai Jingchuan could only make Bai Junze angry.

In terms of assets, Bai Junze's own company has long been among the world's top 500 companies, and he can stand firm in Yunjing without relying on Bai's Group.

In terms of connections, he has been working in the business world for many years, and he holds the core resources and decision-making power in his own hands.

In terms of influence within the Bai family, the old man had long ago transferred the vast majority of the shares to his name.

Aside from getting angry and slamming his fist on the table, the father couldn't control anything.

He was no longer the father who could control everything, and Bai Junze was no longer the little boy who needed to look up to his father.

He has his own career, his own bottom line, and the people he wants to protect.

Bai Junze got out of the car, stubbed out his cigarette in the sand table on the trash can, got back in, restarted the engine, and drove away from the riverbank.