“What does it matter if it’s two girls? As long as I like it, isn’t that enough?”
The environment Si Yina lived in was something Jiang Lai could not even imagine. Si Yina carried too many expectations from her parents; they desperately hoped she would soon be able to stand on her own and become someone who could take full charge, so they could hand the entire group completely into her hands.
When one possesses a starting point that others can never hope to reach, it means that from the moment of her birth, Si Yina could not make decisions for certain things herself. It meant that in this regard, she had no right to choose for herself.
This was a stark contrast to a small figure like Jiang Lai. Jiang Lai’s expectations for her own child were very simple: as long as she could be happy, she would let her decide everything else. She would never force her own will upon her child.
But Si Yina’s family could not reach that level of understanding. Her personality was also incredibly strong; once she set her mind on something, almost nothing could change it. This was especially true regarding her sexual orientation. No matter how those around her tried to persuade her, or how much her parents threatened her, she would never change the thoughts in her heart.
However, she couldn’t simply throw a tantrum in front of her parents. She could only hope to change their perspective within a limited timeframe. Moreover, with technology being so advanced now, even two women could have offspring in the future, so there was no need to worry about Carrying on the Family Line.
Si Yina had investigated these matters thoroughly over the past few days. She had compiled all her recent findings into a report and handed it over to her parents.
As things stood, Si Yina understood that these facts alone were far from enough to move her parents. She needed to raise the stakes even higher.
Although her parents were very strict and had planned every step of her future path since she was a child—a sense of control that was suffocating—it also meant that they had truly poured a vast amount of emotion into her. Otherwise, they wouldn’t place such importance on her.
Si Yina knew very well that the decision she wanted to make next was selfish; she was exploiting her parents’ feelings for her. But other than this, she couldn’t think of any other way.
“Since I was little, I have followed the path they set for me so obediently. Can’t I have my own thoughts on this one matter?”
Because Si Yina had always followed the path arranged by her parents, she felt as though she were nothing more than a Puppet, devoid of her own ideas. Although it was a bright future, the feeling of being controlled by others had become increasingly unbearable as she grew older, fueling her resentment toward everything.
Si Yina enjoyed making her own decisions. She loved the feeling of being in control of everything and everyone because that was how she could feel the existence of her own consciousness.
“Help me. As long as you are willing to help me resolve this problem, I will waive that one favor. If this issue can be completely settled, I guarantee I will never harass you again. I won’t harass the people around you either, including Xu Ruobing.”
Regarding the candidate for the Fake Relationship, Si Yina had contemplated for a long time. The only person she could and wanted to choose was Jiang Lai.
Jiang Lai was the cleanest candidate around her. As long as the deal was handled properly, there was no risk of a backstab. Even though the two of them had been arguing just last night, they were about to become each other’s most trusted partners.
“I agree, but this time, you are absolutely not allowed to go back on your word.”
Jiang Lai knew this was a good deal. Regardless of whether she succeeded, it would allow her to move further away from Si Yina. Besides, she was currently on the other woman’s Island, stuck in a wolf’s den with no other choice.
“If you violate the agreement between us again, even if I can’t take you down with me, I will definitely make sure you aren’t comfortable.”
“I can write a contract.”
“That works too.”
Jiang Lai sometimes helped her sister-in-law with work. The most common task in the firm wasn’t going to court for lawsuits, but handling various disputes and contract issues. Consequently, through osmosis, Jiang Lai had learned a lot about the legalities of contracts.
An agreement like this wouldn’t have any legal effect even if written in a contract, but it was still much better than a mere verbal promise.
Just as Jiang Lai’s mood slightly improved, Si Yina looked at her relaxed expression and reflexively threw a wet blanket over it. “But do you know what kind of couple relationship I want?”
“I understand what a relationship is, of course.” Even in a pretense, while Jiang Lai couldn’t treat Si Yina the way she treated her wife, she had seen how other people acted when they were in love. She naturally knew how couples got along. If she couldn’t manage it, she could always learn online.
“Rest assured, I will do what I promised.”
“But what I want isn’t the kind where we just pretend. My parents’ shrewdness is beyond your imagination. If you think you can fool those two just by faking it, then you really underestimate my family.”
If they were to act, it would take at least the acting caliber of someone like Xu Ruobing to pull it off. Obviously, the current Jiang Lai was nowhere near that level.
“What I want is for you to love me deeply, to the point where I am the only one for you in this life.”
“The only one for me?”
Jiang Lai tried to conjure such an emotion in her heart. She reached out and lightly touched Si Yina. If it weren’t for her professional ethics, Jiang Lai likely would have shown an expression of pure disgust during that simple touch.
Because the moment she touched Si Yina’s hand, she felt a chill run through her body. It was a clear, physiological revulsion. It seemed this job would be much more difficult than she had imagined.
Si Yina naturally noticed the difficulty Jiang Lai was displaying, but she wasn’t angry. Regardless, there would be plenty of opportunities over the next two days to cultivate their feelings.
At least she was very satisfied today. Having received the answer she wanted, Si Yina cleared the bowl and spoon and carried them out of the suite. Her mind was entirely occupied with plans on how to cultivate their relationship next.
Jiang Lai watched Si Yina leave as quickly as she had arrived. Her initial anxiety and unease had vanished. At least she wouldn’t be subjected to any inhumane treatment for the time being.
Once the door was completely closed, Jiang Lai immediately turned on the phone she had been longing for. After restarting it, the phone was flooded with concerned messages from her sister-in-law, along with some messages from Xu Ruobing and her daughter.
Jiang Lai looked at the messages from these important people, and only then did her heavy heart finally find some relief.