chapter 2 Engage

"Having made a promise, there was no turning back now," Mila Hai thought, taking a few days to ponder before deciding. Having made it, she had no regrets. Upon hearing her words, William Zhan promptly displayed his ID to the staff, requiring no further persuasion. Mila Hai acted likewise. Swiftly, the duo completed the wedding procedures, which lasted less than ten minutes. As Mila Hai received the marriage certificate from the staff, William Zhan retrieved a set of keys he had prepared long in advance from his pocket. He handed them to her, saying, "The house I purchased is in Minyuan Garden. According to Grandma, your bookstore near Guan City Middle School is not far from there. A ten-minute bus ride will take you home." "Do you possess a driver's license? If so, acquiring a car might be prudent. I can assist with the down payment, and you can manage the car loan monthly. Owning a vehicle will simplify your commute to work." "I'm occupied with work. I leave early and return late, sometimes for business trips. Take care of yourself, and do not worry about me. After I receive my salary on the 10th of each month, I'll transfer the household expenses to you." "And, to avoid unnecessary attention, let's keep our marriage a secret for now." While William Zhan was accustomed to giving orders in the corporate world, he rattled off these statements without allowing Mila Hai to respond. Initiating, he handed her the house key, which she accepted without hesitation. "I possess a driver's license, so there's no immediate need to purchase a car. I typically use an electric scooter for my daily commute. I recently replaced the battery, and it would be a shame not to utilize it." "Alright, Mr. Zhan, should we split things down the middle?" Mila Hai and her brother-in-law had a close relationship. The brother-in-law often proposed a fair division, but he constantly felt that his sister was taking advantage. Who knew how long it took to care for a child, shop for groceries, cook, and maintain the household? Men who hadn't experienced this often believed their wives had it easy, managing childcare and cooking at home. Given their sudden marriage, Mila Hai and William Zhan had never met today, making a fair split more suitable. William Zhan didn't hesitate, stating firmly, "Since I've married you, I can support you and our family. We don't need to split things down the middle." Mila Hai smiled and said, "Then so be it." She wouldn't take advantage without contributing. Living in his house meant saving on rent. William Zhan glanced at the time on his wrist, telling Mila Hai, "I'm quite busy and need to return to the company. I can lend you my car temporarily to drive home, or you can take a taxi back, and I'll reimburse you for the fare. Oh, and my grandma, I'll arrange for my brother to be picked up." "By the way, let's add each other on WhatsApp for easier communication." Mila Hai took out her phone, exchanged WhatsApp details with William Zhan, and said, "I'll take a taxi myself. You go and attend to your business." "Alright, I'll contact you if anything comes up." Before leaving, William Zhan handed Mila Hai two hundred dollars for the taxi. She initially declined, but she instinctively accepted the money upon his stern look. Having obtained their marriage certificate, the newlyweds did not depart from the Civil Affairs Bureau together. William Zhan emerged first. He came out and headed straight back to his car. "Where is my son-in-law?" Upon seeing only her grandson emerge, Grandma Zhan asked suspiciously, "You went in together, why didn't you come out together? Are you having second thoughts? Or is Mila Hai having doubts?" After fastening his seat belt, William Zhan handed his marriage certificate to his grandma, saying, "We've got the certificate. I'm swamped with work at the company and must rush back for a meeting. I gave her two hundred dollars and told her to take a taxi home." "Grandma, I'll take you to the nearby intersection, and then I'll have the bodyguard escort you home." "No matter how busy you are, you can't leave Haitong alone. Don't drive off yet. Wait for Mila Hai to come out and take her back. Then you can head to work." Grandma Zhan insisted she wouldn't leave. She wanted to stay with her grandson-in-law. But her cherished grandson had already gotten into the Rolls-Royce and ignored her protests. She could only watch as her eldest grandson drove away in the luxury car. In reality, William Zhan was the prince of the Guan City business community, the head of the wealthiest family in Guan City, with a fortune in the hundreds of billions! "You rascal, you're so ruthless!" Grandma Zhan scolded her eldest grandson, muttering fiercely, "It would be best if you truly fall in love with Mila Hai someday, and Grandma will await the day you regret your actions." No matter how angry she was, she couldn't summon her eldest grandson. Grandma Zhan hurriedly called Mila Hai, who was already on her way home in a taxi. "Mila Hai, William is genuinely swamped with work. Don't argue with him." Mila Hai touched the marriage certificate tucked in her pocket and said, "Grandma Zhan, I understand. I won't mind, and you don't need to feel guilty. He covered my taxi fare. I'm on my way home now." "You've already gotten the certificate, and you still call me Grandma Zhan." Mila Hai paused momentarily, then corrected herself and called her grandma. The old matriarch cheerfully agreed. "Mila Hai, we're a family now. If William ever dares to mistreat you, tell Grandma, and Grandma will give him a piece of her mind." It wasn't easy to win a daughter-in-law for her grandson. The old matriarch wouldn't tolerate her grandson mistreating others. ..