CEO's Ugly Flash-Marriage Wife Hides So Many Identities
Chapter 39: Husband and Wife as One

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Husband and Wife as One

Pei Liyan imperceptibly raised his eyebrows, feeling that Qiao Rui was particularly sharp.

This girl, so rustic in her ways, sometimes spoke with cutting sharpness, putting others in a difficult spot, yet it was this directness that sometimes made him anticipate her reactions.

At times, he inexplicably wanted to see how Qiao Rui would react.

Seeing her so guarded, Pei Liyan smiled lightly, his handsome face carrying a hint of amusement, "Actually, you don’t need to be so wary of me. I’ve said before that husband and wife are one, and now we are essentially on the same battle ship."

Qiao Rui said, "Oh, if you put it that way, I too will be honest, I’m fine, and I can handle my grandpa’s matter."

"Really?" Pei Liyan’s tone conveyed disbelief. "Your grandpa would easily agree to you not speaking up for him?"

Qiao Rui’s expression remained as plain as usual, without any emotion. "Of course he won’t agree. He also wants me to convince you to fund them with five billion."

"Then do you really plan to plead with me on behalf of your grandpa?"

"Not planning to."

Pei Liyan was taken aback, seemingly even more surprised. "And the reason?"

Qiao Rui glanced at him again, saying, "If you’re unwilling to finance, then it means his project isn’t prospective or valuable."

Quite sharp, Pei Liyan thought appreciatively.

"If that’s the case, even if I ask you, you wouldn’t agree." Qiao Rui said calmly, "Businessmen chase profits. Mr. Pei, you certainly wouldn’t pass up a chance to make money. If you give it up, it must be after weighing the pros and cons and finding it unworthy."

Pei Liyan narrowed his eyes.

He hadn’t expected the girl before him to have such insights.

It indeed took Pei Liyan by surprise.

Qiao Rui was very clear-headed.

Her clarity contrasted starkly with her appearance.

Looking up at Qiao Rui, Pei Liyan saw in her eyes behind the glasses no admiration for himself, only lucidity.

Seeing her like this, a faint smile spilled from Pei Liyan’s dark eyes.

Alongside it, there was also a hint of reluctance.

A country girl, uninterested in him? That was illogical.

He, Pei Liyan, had been spurned by a country girl.

Thinking about this, he felt reluctant.

The more reluctant he felt, the more a variety of emotions surged into his heart.

Qiao Rui, seeing him silent and his gaze shifting complexly towards her, felt quite puzzled. What was he really thinking?

It couldn’t be that he was brewing some big move, right?

Qiao Rui couldn’t help but take a few more glances at Pei Liyan.

This man had a face like a portrait, sculptural features, extraordinarily three-dimensional, hard for anyone to look away from.

If she hadn’t been prepared, she might have been smitten.

After all, everyone likes beautiful things, not to mention a successful and handsome man.

A top contender among Qingcheng’s young men, who wouldn’t want to take an extra look?

Perhaps realizing that Qiao Rui was watching him, Pei Liyan suddenly came back to his senses and met Qiao Rui’s gaze.

He smiled and spoke, "How can you be so sure I won’t agree?"

Qiao Rui gave him an expression that screamed the obvious.

Everything was already in motion, and here he was, being melodramatic, totally unnecessary.

She certainly didn’t have the spare time for melodrama.

Pei Liyan lightly coughed and spoke again, "Alright, I admit you’ve seen through my thoughts. The project your grandpa wants to start indeed lacks prospects. Putting five billion into it, with a seventy-five percent possibility of it being wasted and only a twenty-five percent chance of success, I don’t see it favorably."

Qiao Rui was taken aback, not expecting Pei Liyan to be so cautious.

She wasn’t actually speaking up for her grandfather, just expressing her sentiment. "Sometimes, risk and reward are proportionate, Mr. Pei being so cautious was beyond my expectation."

"You don’t have to mock me," Pei Liyan said with a deep voice, "there are many projects, I don’t need to take risks for this one."

"Half a billion is a risk?" Qiao Rui muttered to herself, it seemed that the Pei Family wasn’t all that great.

Her expression and tone unequivocally displayed her skepticism towards the Pei Family’s financial foundation and Pei Liyan’s risk-taking abilities.

Seeing her like this, Pei Liyan’s eyes darkened.

"Taking risks isn’t out of the question, but it depends on whether it’s worth it."

"Oh, true to a businessman’s nature," Qiao Rui tugged at her lips.

Pei Liyan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

He probably realized he had shown his emotions and quickly composed his expression, then looked at Qiao Rui.

Qiao Rui was looking straight at him.

Even through the spectacles, one could sense Qiao Rui’s expression, as if saying: you’re just a man who likes to show off.

Pei Liyan sat motionless in his chair, with over a meter between them across the dining table, a usual sneer formed on his handsome face, his cold gaze was intimidating.

"You’re right, I am a businessman, naturally, I wouldn’t engage in a losing deal," Pei Liyan admitted candidly.

Qiao Rui nodded and lowered her head, tugging at the corner of her lips.

Indeed.

A businessman chases profits, an eternal truth.

She finished the rice in her bowl in one go, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and said indifferently, "I’ve finished eating, Mr. Pei, please excuse me."

After speaking, she prepared to head upstairs.

Pei Liyan looked up at her, seeing the irony she could hardly conceal, yet still pretending to be nonchalant, he spoke, "If you try hard and convince me, maybe I could take that risk of half a billion for the Qiao Family."

Qiao Rui stopped in her tracks, turned her head to look at Pei Liyan with a calm tone, "Then I can only say, Mr. Pei, this game of yours is quite messed up, I’m not playing."

"The reason you’re not playing is because the Qiao Family doesn’t matter much to you," Pei Liyan said sternly.

Qiao Rui was taken aback, lowering her gaze to her toes.

The Qiao Family meant more to her than being just trivial, it’s just that the feelings were incredibly complex.

She didn’t want to explain anything right now.

"You think whatever you want," she said with a light smile, "I just don’t like sudden changes. Since you said spouses are one, during our marriage, I don’t want to overcalculate with you, I just want a peaceful life. I hope Mr. Pei can accommodate that."

Pei Liyan watched her with half-closed eyes, his demeanour unruffled.

Qiao Rui didn’t know what he was thinking, nor did she wish to guess what this man had on his mind.

She didn’t want to be a pawn in someone else’s game.

They all treated her like a pawn, but she had the right to refuse, at least to carve her own path on the chessboard.

Pei Liyan seemed to hear a touch of sadness in Qiao Rui’s downcast voice, considering her tough years and the Qiao Family’s attitude towards her, he could probably understand why she held such a cold attitude towards the Qiao Family.

"Your grandfather agreed to your marriage to me, probably because he had some leverage over you," Pei Liyan said, "From what I know, Grandpa Qiao’s tactics are pretty formidable."

Thinking through her life, Qiao Rui smiled bitterly, "Since I can’t offend either of you, I’ll stay neutral. If that’s still not satisfactory, you might as well kill me!"

Pei Liyan didn’t expect her to give up.

He was clearly taken aback.

Qiao Rui said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I won’t involve myself in your affairs, I’m going upstairs, Mr. Pei, enjoy your meal."

After saying this, Qiao Rui immediately went upstairs.

Watching the girl’s figure ascend the stairs, Pei Liyan sat in front of the dining table, motionless.

It was unclear how much time had passed before the phone rang.

He picked up the phone.

From the other end came Elder Pei’s deep, aged voice, very authoritative, "You’ve had the girl stay at your place for several days now, isn’t it time to come back and visit?"