Chapter 23: Marriage Part 3

The room erupted. Camera flashes went wild.

Before the reporters could press for details, Yan Xinfeng stood up, a faint, almost imperceptible curve at his lips. “Until I confirm his opinion, it’s inconvenient to reveal my husband’s identity. I’m just announcing it here in hopes of your blessings. Thank you.”

With that bombshell, Yan Xinfeng nodded crisply and left the Press Conference site via the aisle cleared by his bodyguards.

At the same time, news of the billionaire Yan Xinfeng’s marriage spread from these reporters. In the Yan Residence, Mrs. Yan, who was chatting with her sister, glanced as the housekeeper stepped out to take a call and returned with a heavy expression.

“Madam,” he approached cautiously, “there’s something.”

“What is it?”

Mrs. Yan asked idly, her fingers tracing the smooth texture of her leather bag, her gaze critical.

The housekeeper didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced at the woman sitting across from Mrs. Yan. She got the hint and stood. “Speaking of which, I should head back too. Old Liu’s been complaining nonstop about me not being home these days.”

“Let’s catch up another time.”

Mrs. Yan had the housekeeper see her out. She lazily leaned back in the rattan chair in the flower hall, plucking a flower to tuck into her leather bag.

It didn’t look great. She shook her head, as if regretting it, and waved for the maid to clear the table. She didn’t look again.

She was fifty this year, but well-maintained, never having known hardship. Her face and demeanor still resembled a woman in her thirties, with a natural aloofness bred from a life of pampered luxury.

When the housekeeper returned, Mrs. Yan said, “Spit it out. What’s wrong?”

“Young Master held a Press Conference this morning.”

“I know,” Mrs. Yan frowned. “Standard procedure. His assistant mentioned it.”

“Yes, but Young Master added an extra segment at the Press Conference.”

“What segment?”

The housekeeper took a deep breath, uncharacteristically hesitant, as if unsure how to broach it. Mrs. Yan naturally noticed. “Speak plainly!”

Alright. The housekeeper crouched slightly and whispered, “Young Master said he got married.”

“What?!”

“Yes, just ten minutes ago. The related news is already everywhere.”

As he spoke, the housekeeper played the video and placed it in front of Mrs. Yan.

In the video, Yan Xinfeng, dressed in a impeccably tailored slim-fit suit, calmly announced his marriage and referred to his partner as his husband, without answering any of the reporters’ questions.

The video was only a few minutes long, but by the time Mrs. Yan finished watching it, she was already gasping for breath.

“…Very good,” she took a deep breath, her eyes blazing with anger. “My son got married, and I’m the last to know.”

Mrs. Yan turned to the butler, her gaze sharp. “Who is his marriage partner?”

The butler shook his head. “Young Master Yan didn’t reveal it.”

Yan Xinfeng had clearly not wanted anyone else to know, but the more he hid it, the more it suggested something was wrong with the matter itself.

An extremely ominous premonition surged in her heart. Mrs. Yan pondered for a moment before decisively standing up.

“Go investigate,” she instructed the butler. “He couldn’t have just grabbed anyone to marry. This person must have appeared in his social circle before. That child from the Lu Family might know something.”

However, Lu Zhao was close friends with Yan Xinfeng, a fact known to all. Even if Mrs. Yan questioned him personally, she wouldn’t pry anything out of him.

“Did the young master attend Young Master Lu’s engagement party a while ago? Did he meet them there?”

At the butler’s mention, Mrs. Yan immediately felt it was highly likely.

Her son appeared shrewd and capable on the surface, but deep down, he was almost obtuse when it came to emotions. Once he fell for someone, nine times out of ten, he ended up being manipulated. Hadn’t that Wei Tingxia been a living example?

Mrs. Yan wasn’t insistent on interfering with his final choice, but someone like Wei Tingxia was absolutely unacceptable! He had good looks but was hollow inside—greedy for money and heartless. He offered no benefit to Yan Xinfeng or the family.

Moreover… Mrs. Yan recalled the interactions she had once accidentally witnessed between the two, and a chill still ran through her heart. Wei Tingxia’s influence on her son was too profound, turning him sensitive, irritable, and completely flustered—this was no sign of a good match.

Even for the long-term interests of the family, she absolutely could not tolerate her son finding another such disaster.

Love was certainly wonderful, but once it devolved into madness, it brought only harm and no benefit.

Mrs. Yan’s mood darkened for only an instant before brightening again.

She hummed a little tune, picked up her teacup for a sip of hot tea, and thought to herself: After being so badly hurt by someone like Wei Tingxia, her son should finally see the true face of so-called love. This time, he ought to show some progress and backbone, right?

…

The press conference ended, and Yan Xinfeng returned straight to the three-story villa. As soon as he stepped through the door, he heard his own voice coming from the wall-mounted TV.

Wei Tingxia curled up on the sofa, crunching into an apple. “Listening to it… feels so weird.”

Yan Xinfeng’s heart suddenly tightened. “Where is it weird?”

“The word ‘husband’ is weird,” Wei Tingxia said indistinctly around the apple. “Not used to hearing it.”

“It’s fine,” Yan Xinfeng walked closer, his tone firm. “Call it a few more times, and you’ll get used to it.”

“Haha.”

Wei Tingxia kept a straight face as he let out two laughs. “Do you think you’re funny?”

“I’m serious,” Yan Xinfeng said as he took off his coat and sat beside him. “I originally planned a separate press conference, but there was a scheduling conflict, so I put it after the partnership announcement.”

In the end, the main purpose of this press conference had been to announce the company’s upcoming partnership. Representatives from the new tech company in Northern Europe would arrive in A City in a few days to discuss specifics, and Yan Xinfeng truly had no other time to spare.

“When are they coming?” Wei Tingxia asked casually.

Yan Xinfeng replied, “In three or four days.”

Wei Tingxia pressed, “What’s the name of the lead?”

“Anders Eisenhoth,” Yan Xinfeng read out the name. “Know him?”

Wei Tingxia snorted a laugh. “Don’t know him, but just the name sounds like bad news.”

Yan Xinfeng caught the malice in his tone but didn’t think it was a problem—Wei Tingxia had that kind of temper.

“Don’t say that to his face,” he cautioned. “Or it’ll put me in a tough spot.”

Wei Tingxia nodded obediently and reached back to pat his new husband’s nape. “Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

He wouldn’t curse Anders in front of Yan Xinfeng, but behind his back, he’d kick Anders into the sea and make sure he couldn’t climb out.

The company under Eisenhoth’s control wasn’t small. Were they paying people to enjoy a vacation at the company? For him to come personally for partnership talks, it was obvious he was some idle bastard looking to make trouble for Wei Tingxia in A City.

Wei Tingxia vowed earnestly, “I’m going to shove his head into a sewer.”

System 0188 was rather intrigued: [You two have only met a few times. By normal logic, you shouldn’t have a good impression of each other, yet you’ve developed such deep feelings.]

“Where’s the depth?”

[He cares about your emotional state,] 0188 gave an example. [He handles things for you. The crime gang that caused Yan Xinfeng and his father’s car accident—he stepped in to resolve it for you.]

“Stop right there!”

Wei Tingxia held up one finger. “First, that’s not caring, that’s loving drama. He’s just making trouble for me.

“Second, he stepped in because I promised to forever give up inheriting Eisenhoth. Not that I wanted that surname anyway—it’s too ugly.

“And third, the most important point: I discovered the crime gang’s whereabouts myself. They just happened to flee to Northern Europe at the time, and since I was eager to cut ties, I had him step in.”

Wei Tingxia flopped back onto the sofa in dissatisfaction and took another bite of apple. “Don’t make it sound like I’m useless.”

[I would never make such a judgment,] 0188 said sincerely. [Your accomplishments prove your capabilities.]

That was more like it.

Wei Tingxia’s mood improved again. Like a satiated cat, he lazily rubbed against Yan Xinfeng’s shoulder.

Yan Xinfeng watched the mood shift from bad to good beside him, a bit nervous, wondering if he’d said something wrong earlier. He probed, “Is there anything you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“Afraid you’ll be bored at home. You can go shopping.”

“No need,” Wei Tingxia refused flatly, his gaze still glued to the TV. “I’m fine here.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Yan Xinfeng’s heart sank.

After dinner, he made an excuse with a phone in hand and entered the study. After hesitating several times, he called Lu Zhao.

Lu Zhao had already watched his press conference, so he picked up after just two rings.

Xu Wei’s cheer came through the line: “Congratulations on your marriage!”

Yan Xinfeng’s expression softened. “Thanks.”

“No problem!”

A brief murmur of conversation sounded on the other end, then Lu Zhao took the phone. “What’s up? Something wrong again? Marital disharmony on your wedding night?”

“No,” Yan Xinfeng denied. “But I have a question.”

Lu Zhao, now promoted to relationship advisor for the two, asked, “What question?”

“He’s not spending my money anymore.” Yan Xinfeng’s voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tension.

“…”

Lu Zhao fell silent.

After a long while, he said slowly, “Your relationship history leaves me speechless.”

Normal people wouldn’t see a partner not spending their money as a world-ending crisis, but Yan Xinfeng would.

“Maybe he just isn’t someone with high spending desires?” Lacking experience, Lu Zhao guessed wildly. “Don’t overthink it. Thinking won’t help.”

“I doubt it.”

Yan Xinfeng paused the topic and shifted. “Has she contacted you?”

Lu Zhao knew exactly who this “she” was. “Not yet. She might wait until your partnership with Eisenhoth is finalized before stirring up trouble.”

That was bad, but Yan Xinfeng was prepared.

“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll treat you to dinner when you’re back.”

“Of course. I earned it.”

The call ended. Yan Xinfeng exhaled a deep breath of stale air, walked to the desk, and opened his computer to review the partnership details with Eisenhoth once more.

This partnership was a project his father had poured his heart into before his death, pushing it with all his effort. Just as dawn seemed near, disaster struck—they were ambushed on the road, one dead and one injured. The company was left crippled, and the deal stalled until recent years when it restarted.

Thus, even if only to honor his father’s spirit in heaven, Yan Xinfeng had to make it happen.

At that moment, Wei Tingxia paced to the garden downstairs. After confirming no one was around, he quickly dialed a number.

The phone rang twice before being hung up.