C7

"Morning." As Yizhou came downstairs, he saw Nannan sitting in the living room, playing on her phone. Nannan habitually greeted him.

Yizhou glanced at her and then looked away, as if he hadn't seen her at all. Nannan didn't mind and continued to focus on her phone. Thankfully, there was still a signal here; otherwise, she wouldn't survive. The place was big, sure, but it didn't feel like a place meant for living.

"Hey, where are you going?" Seeing Yizhou about to leave, Nannan couldn't sit still. She quickly got up from the couch. It didn't matter if he left, but she was hungry. This place had nothing, and she hadn't brought any clothes to change into. Her stomach was growling.

"Going to work. What else would I be doing?" Yizhou looked at her, not wanting to engage, yet she kept approaching. The thought of Yu'er made him uneasy. He could avoid it once, but not forever. Was he really going to marry that girl?

"Before you go, leave this month's living expenses and whatever else. Raising a kid is expensive, and I don't have a job right now." Nannan held out her hand, looking as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"I'll give the money to Elder Ji. If you need anything, ask him. But it's tied to my phone number. I'll only spend money on the kid, not you." Yizhou didn't refuse. He had plenty of money, but he didn't want to make it easy for her.

"What do you mean by that? Aren't you a CEO? Why so stingy?" Nannan looked at him, frustrated. She didn't expect him to be so tight-fisted. That money was nothing to him.

"I earned that money myself. Why should I spend it on you? Just because you're carrying my child, I'll spend on them, but not on you," Yizhou replied, looking at her with a hint of satisfaction.

"Fine, have it your way." Nannan shot him a glance and turned to go upstairs. She actually had money on her; she just wanted to see if she could get some out of Yizhou. She hadn't expected him to be such a miser, holding onto every penny.

"Hey, didn't you say you wanted to marry me?" Zheng Yizhou suddenly asked. At least she wasn't as difficult as Deng Yu'er; maybe marrying her wouldn't be such a bad choice.

"Yeah, I did. Why?" Xia Nannan paused. She really didn't feel like dealing with this penny-pincher right now. It's just money; she'd figure it out herself.

"I agree. Let's get our marriage license today," Zheng Yizhou continued. He was clear-headed and knew what he wanted. Xia Nannan might not be perfect, but she was straightforward. Deng Yu'er, on the other hand, had grown up with him, yet he never knew what she was thinking.

What?

Xia Nannan stared at him, a bit stunned. How could he suddenly want to marry her? Wasn't it too fast? Even though her goal was to marry him, she wasn't prepared for this.

"Let's go." Zheng Yizhou stepped forward, pulling Xia Nannan along. He was about to marry this woman without much thought. He sensed that Xia Nannan didn't really like him. If she did, she wouldn't act this way. It must be for the money, given the reality of the world, and he wasn't short on cash.

Throughout the journey, Xia Nannan's expression was dazed. What was Zheng Yizhou thinking, saying one thing and doing another? Shouldn't she be happy? Moo Yongrong, here I come.

"Zheng Yizhou, you don't like me, do you?" Xia Nannan suddenly asked, a bit afraid that he might actually have feelings for her.

"You're overthinking it. I just happen to need a wife, and you showed up. There are plenty like you out there. How could I possibly like you?" Zheng Yizhou glanced at her neckline with a mischievous smile.

"Pervert." Xia Nannan quickly covered her chest with her hands, glaring at Zheng Yizhou. She had been serious about their conversation.

"Why the act?" Zheng Yizhou rolled his eyes. A woman who went through so much trouble to be with him was now pretending to be shy over something so trivial. Who would believe that? Since she had already made her move, there was no point in acting like an innocent girl.

"Who set this up?" Nannan turned her head away, refusing to look at him. Just like family, all equally annoying—Moo Yongrong and Yizhou...

Nannan glanced at the red marriage certificate in her hand. She had rushed into marriage, something she always thought would be romantic and unforgettable. Instead, she had hastily gone through her first marriage, all thanks to Moo Yongrong. She really ought to thank her.

"Let's go. Why are you just standing there? Isn't this what you wanted?" Yizhou said, pulling Nannan toward the mall. Her outfit was entirely made up of cheap online finds, definitely not suitable for meeting the family.

"Oh." Nannan followed Yizhou numbly. Yes, this was what she wanted, but why couldn't she feel happy? She had waited so many years to see justice served.

"Give her a makeover," Yizhou instructed the store clerk, then looked down at his phone, sneaking in some work. His success wasn't just due to his family background; it was also the result of his own efforts.

"Yizhou, why does this look feel so strange?" Nannan fiddled with her newly styled wavy hair. She wasn't used to this look; she rarely spent time on her appearance. She had only learned makeup to get closer to Yizhou.

"It seems like you're not too thrilled about marrying me," Yizhou remarked, inadvertently voicing his thoughts. Nannan looked quite beautiful, especially with a touch of elegance.

"Getting married like this, without a wedding dress, ring, or ceremony—who would be happy?" Nannan complained. The wedding she imagined was nothing like this.

"I'll give you all that. For the next ten months, play the role of my wife seriously, and it won't be a problem. Plus, I'll reward you generously afterward," Yizhou added, implying that they would divorce in ten months and go their separate ways.

"That's a piece of cake." Nannan made an OK gesture, her face relaxed, and Yizhou noticed every detail. This was no big deal. Ten months was more than enough time for her to turn the tables on Moo Yongrong.

Yizhou watched her, a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Did she really not like him? Was it just about the money? Well, that was fine. They both had their own goals, things they wanted to achieve. It was just a matter of mutual benefit.