How ludicrous

If there is someone who can slip past a certain formidable man's guard enough to scheme against his person, it would be his grandfather and grandmother. After all, other then not having the heart to, Zhong Lie is but a greenhorn compared to the two experienced-elders.

Zhong Lie knows his grandfather and grandmother would do something following his announcement of choosing Xu Yan as his wife the night before. He just didn't expect to be married off the next morning and only discover it after the sun has set for the day when the Civil Affairs Bureau has shut its door.

"How ludicrous. Did they expect me to accept this marriage quietly? To a stranger at that," Zhong Lie frowns as he studies the thin files on his hands. It is the official files the Civil Affairs Bureau has of the woman his grandfather has chosen, which he could only get by using his connections.

The name of his wife is Qing Lan. It is a name he often heard from his grandfather and grandmother attached to the numerous praises of how 'good' of a girl she is.

"Ah Lie, I have drunk so many high-quality teas, but only that lass' home-brew tea make me scramble for more! Truly, Lan'er is such a good girl!" Grandfather Zhong shared in one of his many talks after his visit to the tiny village.

Once, his grandfather was stranded in a far-away village so isolated from modern civilisation with only his assistant/steward. His grandfather has always disliked carrying a phone with him, so Old Steward Wu who is always by his side never forget to carry a smartphone to stay in contact.

It just so happened misfortune befell his grandfather that day, his blood pressure suddenly went up and his medication wasn't enough help. Old Steward Wu had to bring his grandfather to a hospital, but the village they were visiting was so remote there isn't even a doctor, much less a hospital.

This was when Qing Lan entered the stage. With the lack of doctor, every villagers living there had knowledge on traditional remedies, some were more adept than the rest and she happened to be one of the most knowledgable. The young girl who was only fifteen, quickly took control of the situation when she saw Grandfather Zhong writhing in pain on the ground.

Old Steward Wu described the scenes vividly, claiming how she appeared so experienced as she calmly helped Granfather Zhong. Not only she performed the necessary first-aid when faced with a person suffering from hypertension and at risks from fatal heart attacks, she stabilised his condition and made his blood pressure manageable long enough to reach the best hospital in the Capital for treatment.

Ever since that incident, his grandfather would often return to that village to visit his saviour, bringing along his grandmother at one point, who then keeps returning even without his grandfather.

"Ah Lie, I have planted and cared for so many flowers in our garden and greenhouse, I truly thought no flowers can match those I grew here! Lan'er has actually cared for so many orchids in her little garden, some are just so beautiful I have to ask her for some! She doesn't even hesitate to share such rarities with me, I really can't thank her enough! Such a lovely young lady!" Grandmother Zhong was more and more enamoured by a mere countryside-girl, almost as if she fell under a spell.

Zhong Lie is thankful that the girl saved his grandfather's life, but after his grandparents continue to visit her in that far-away village he began to think that this girl's motive in saving his grandfather may not be pure. In his opinion, she should have just accepted a sum of money and be done with it. With every praises his grandparents spoke in her regards, the more certain Zhong Lie is that the girl has hidden intention.

Now with the news of his marriage to her, Zhong Lie has confirmed that this Qing Lan deceived his grandparents so she can marry into the Zhong Family. To live a life of riches, she would even marry a stranger like him.

Why would Zhong Lie marry this countryside-girl out of the blue when he has already a suitable candidate in mind?

Xu Yan is by no means a virtuous noble woman of high-birth. She is the Xu Family's adopted-daughter only thanks to her birth father's heroic deeds towards Xu Family's current Head which led to losing his life in the process. Xu Yan's mother died during childbirth and her father's death orphaned her. The Xu Family's Head decided to take her in as his adopted-daughter after that.

Zhong Lie won't lie and say he loves Xu Yan, because he doesn't. His choice of marrying her is not related to love. Nor does Xu Yan loves Zhong Lie more than she loves his position as the Zhong Family's Heir and the privileges that come attached. The little love that is not due to that reason is placed on his charming good-looks. Everyone loves a beauty, Xu Yan is no different and he won't fault her for that.

There are some requirements for a 'good' daughter in-law that are the same wherever the place, and other then her high-education background, Zhong Lie can confidently say Xu Yan satisfies none of the remaining requirements. Which is why he understands why his Grandparents and parents are so against his announcement of making Xu Yan his wife.

Xu Yan is an ambitious woman. She is not satisfied with her status as the Xu Family's adopted-daughter, so she threw herself to her studies so she can attend and graduate from Peking University, one of the best universities in Country C. As the Xu Family's adopted-daughter, she helps out in Xu Family's Company. However, a woman of ambition she is, Xu Yan also builds her own Company which is still operating under the scope of Xu Family's influence.

To climb her way up to the top, there is nothing too immoral to Xu Yan. If reaching the top means she has to step on others or to drag others down, she will gladly do it. The only limitation Xu Yan has is herself. She treasures herself the most and would never slight her person by using her body to achieve her ambitions.

Other men may get turned off by Xu Yan when he learned of her nature, but Zhong Lie is not any other man. Many have said he is a cold-bastard and Zhong Lie doesn't deny this. To him, other then his family and few close friends, nothing else matters. Anything that threatens what few he holds dear is swiftly dealt with, and no retribution is too severe.

For someone like Zhong Lie, Xu Yan's ruthlessness to anyone who stands in the way to her ambitions is worthy of his respect and admiration. There is nothing wrong of desiring and wanting more in life. The only wrong is when one desires more without putting equal efforts to get it.

Xu Yan has shown tremendous efforts by being accepted and later graduated from Peking University despite of her low-birth. She works hard to further her career, not minding dirtying her hands to do it.

Qing Lan is simply fortunate, she happens to save Grandfather Zhong with more luck than efforts. She wishes to enter the Zhong Family, but she has done nothing that would reward her such merits.

Zhong Lie has long believed that in this lifetime, he would never love a woman other then the women in his family. The most he could feel for a woman is admiration and respect, which Xu Yan has. While all he feels for Qing Lan is disdain.

When Xu Yan asks him to be her boyfriend, Zhong Lie agrees without much thought beyond finally having a more permanent date to take to parties and gatherings.

When Xu Yan later declares she is his girlfriend and soon-to-be fiancé in a celebration party hosted by the Zhong Family before numerous people, Zhong Lie only nods his head.

The reason why Zhong Lie chooses Xu Yan to be his wife is clear and reasonable to him. He even takes the time to explain his thought process to his grandparents and parents after the conclusion of the party. They are still against him, which is expected, but Zhong Lie is confident he can change their minds given time.

Stubborness runs in the family, so when he heard the reason behind Zhong Lie's decision, Grandfather Zhong is even more resolute in finding his grandson the Best Woman to marry instead of settling for Xu Yan and Grandmother Zhong agrees with him.

Never been one to waste time, the next morning, Grandfather Zhong registered Zhong Lie's marriage with a stranger named Qing Lan.

The picture of the girl attached in the report is of a beautiful girl in her early-twenties. There is nothing deceiving about her appearance, the willow-leaf eyebrows are free from human-interference, her enchanting light-grey eyes are bright and shiny without a hint of malice, the tiny-button nose resting on her fair countenance is lovely. Even Zhong Lie admits she is a natural beauty.

It is noted here that Qing Lan is orphaned when she was ten-years old and there are no other relatives registered under her name. Zhong Lie assumes she must have struggled a lot after her parents' death and her desire to marry into a wealthy family originates from there, dreaming of a life where she no longer has to work and be uncertain of the future.

Zhong Lie may have sympathised with her misfortunes, but he would not forgive her for deceiving his grandparents and using their favours to marry into the Zhong Family. Qing Lan had saved his grandfather once, so he would be more lenient towards her, but he would never accept her into the Zhong Family for that reason alone.

When tomorrow comes and his grandparents return with his wife, Zhong Lie would see to it that this countryside-girl learns her place.

There is a reason why Zhong Lie is feared in the Capital and the girl would soon learn that when it comes to harming those he holds dear, there is no retribution too severe.