Ji Shigong's heart was filled with self-mockery. For the past few days, he had been foolishly contacting other shareholders of the Ji Group.
He treated them to meals and gave them gifts, humbling himself like a grandson to curry favor with those old fellows.
His intention was to use their shares to force Ji Shiyou to step down, even if he didn't die.
He imagined Ji Shiyou resigning as president of Ji's and him taking his place. Now, he realized how ridiculous it was.
He felt like an idiot, played by those old guys. He wondered how much they were laughing at him.
Ji Shiyou's mother had left him shares that accounted for sixty percent of the company.
He had absolute authority within Ji's Group.
He didn't need to consider the ten percent of shares held by those old fellows at all.
His frantic efforts and expenses were like a circus act to them.
As Ji Shigong was feeling dejected, Zhao Xinning and He Ling also wore expressions of unwillingness. At this moment, the old lady in the main seat spoke again.
"Mingyue, you are now married and the rightful mistress of the Ji family.
I am old and no longer wish to be bothered. These matters will be handed over to you.
From now on, all external dealings of the Ji family, household expenses, income, social obligations, and servants will be your responsibility.
Everyone's monthly allowance will be managed by you. You will have to work hard from now on.
The Ji family will be managed by you, and I can finally relax."
The old lady picked up a small wooden box, took out a tiny seal, and pointed to a stack of account books on a tray.
Since Ji Shiyou's mother passed away, Madam Ji had resumed managing the household. Even after Zhao Xinning moved in,
Madam Ji only had her represent the Ji family in social events, without giving her any household management authority.
Now, handing over the seal and account books to Mingyue, who had just joined the family, showed her great trust.
The old lady was shrewd. She had revealed the shareholding situation of the Ji family in front of everyone earlier.
Then, handing over the household management authority to Mingyue was intentional. She did it on purpose.
It was a clear warning to Zhao Xinning and the others, telling them plainly that the Ji Group had nothing to do with them.
They should not harbor any foolish ambitions, and furthermore, Mingyue was now the mistress of the Ji family.
If they still wanted to be parasites and live a comfortable life in the Ji family as before,
they would have to depend on Mingyue's goodwill, as their monthly allowances were now in her hands.
Zhao Xinning was a sharp woman and understood the old lady's intentions. Therefore, despite her face turning ashen with anger, she said nothing more.
Ji Shigong and He Ling had not yet emerged from their state of disappointment, looking dispirited.
Besides, they dared not offend Mingyue at this moment.
Ji Dechun was indifferent. Whoever was the mistress wouldn't stop him from eating, drinking, and having fun. He just wanted to go back to his room and sleep.
Thus, the tea ceremony concluded, and everyone dispersed, returning to their respective rooms.
"Mom, we've lost, utterly defeated.
Why am I an illegitimate child, not born to the main wife? I hate my identity."
Ji Dechun returned to his room to sleep, while Zhao Xinning followed Ji Shigong to their room.
Closing the door, Ji Shigong sat on the sofa, looking dejected.
He was consumed by jealousy, pounding his fist heavily on the armrest of the sofa.
"Lost? Who will have the last laugh is yet to be determined.
Look at you, so uninspired. How can you be my son, Zhao Xinning's son?
Even if all the shares are in their hands, so what? As long as the person is dead, and they have no children,
then your half-brother will be the heir, and the Ji family will still be ours.
I brought you into the Ji family, and I can make you inherit everything in the Ji family.
Everything will be ours sooner or later."
Zhao Xinning's eyes gleamed with ferocity, a cold smile on her lips and a contorted face. He Ling felt a chill run down her spine.
She involuntarily took two steps back, wondering if she was in danger.
"Mom, you mean...? Hahaha!"
Ji Shigong first looked at his mother with a questioning gaze, then the two of them exchanged a smile.
Meanwhile, Mingyue, holding the tray and returning to the third-floor bridal suite with Ji Shiyou, was a little dazed.
She thought she had entered the wrong room. The originally bright red room had changed.
All the red decorations were gone, and the overall furnishings had been altered, becoming fresh and simple.
"Did you do this?"
It went without saying that this was their room, and besides her, only Ji Shiyou had the right to change it.
"It wasn't me. I was with you the whole time, how could I have done this?
I instructed Zhenlu to arrange it. I don't like bright red; it makes me dizzy.
So I changed it without consulting you. I'm sorry."
Although he could tell Mingyue didn't like it and had specifically changed it for her, Ji Shiyou stubbornly claimed it was because he didn't like it.
Mingyue placed the tray on the coffee table and entered the bedroom. She saw that the bed linens had also been changed to the coarse linen she liked.
Her heart warmed. Ji Shiyou was just being stubborn; this was clearly done to please her.
Looking at the labels on the bed linens, they were from Kevin's company, the designer of the clothes she was wearing.
Although they were mass-produced and not as valuable as the clothes, they were still quite expensive.
Moreover, very few people in China knew about this brand and liked such coarse fabric products.
Few people would buy them, so Ji Shiyou must have instructed Zhenlu to purchase them to cater to her preferences.
Mingyue's good impression of Ji Shiyou increased, and she happily left the bedroom.
"Shouldn't you put these away? Just keep the seal and the account books. Otherwise, I'll have to give them back to you in three months.
Since I promised to be your contract wife for three months, I will do my best to help Grandma manage the household.
I will hand over the accounts clearly when I leave in three months, so you don't have to worry."
Pointing to the items on the tray, Mingyue said to Ji Shiyou, who was sitting on the sofa.
She was satisfied with Ji Shiyou's care and could only cooperate well during these three months.
To resolve Ji Shiyou's internal and external troubles, she thought of it as repaying him.
"No need. Even if you leave, these are rightfully yours, and you can take them.
Mingyue, let me ask you something. Is this how you intend to leave?
Even if you do, there's no need to keep mentioning three months.
You don't have to remind me; I haven't forgotten. When the time comes, I will definitely let you go!"
Ji Shiyou, who had been smiling, suddenly turned grim, shouted at Mingyue, and then turned to enter the bedroom.
He slammed the door shut, leaving Mingyue bewildered, not knowing what had happened.
"Is he crazy? Did I say something wrong? I thought he was a warm guy.
Turns out he's moody and unpredictable. That one point I added earlier is now deducted.
Fortunately, it's only three months. If it were longer, I'd have to teach him a lesson."
Mingyue muttered softly, thinking to herself that it was only three months, so she wouldn't dwell on it.
She picked up the tray and went to Ji Shiyou's mother's room, opening the safe filled with jewelry.
She wasn't here to look at jewelry; she had plenty of such things and wasn't interested.
She came here to place the property deeds and share certificates inside, then locked it up.
She wouldn't take these things. She would put them together and hand over the key when she left.
Then, she took the stack of account books to the study on the third floor.
Since she had promised Madam Ji to manage the household, she would do her best to fulfill her duties, starting with familiarizing herself with the account books.
Mingyue studied them for two hours when she felt the study door open, and a head poked in.