The ancient war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in a wealthy family

"The color of this cheongsam is too bright. The daughters-in-law of our Zhan family are very low-key and reserved..." "And this pearl necklace is too ostentatious. If you don't know, you might think you are here for a fashion show!" As soon as I stepped into the Zhan family mansion, I was stopped by a woman with shrewd eyes and eyebrows. She looked me up and down, and her tone was full of criticism.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, secretly complaining: Who is this old woman? She's trying to intimidate me right off the bat. But I forced a smile and softly explained, "Grandma is right. I'm new here and don't know much about these rules. I'd appreciate your guidance in the future."

"Guidance? I wouldn't dare give advice to Miss Bai." The woman snorted and glanced at me. "I'm just a grandma from a side branch. How can I say anything bad about you?" Her tone was sarcastic. Although she didn't criticize my clothes, her words revealed more dissatisfaction. I took a deep breath and decided not to argue with her, treating it as a fly blocking my way when I first arrived.

However, this is just the beginning.

It was at that evening's family gathering that I truly witnessed the depths of the rich. The vast dining room was filled with elegantly dressed people, clinking glasses, and seemingly a scene of joy and happiness. But as I followed Zhan Yu into the restaurant, the lively conversation seemed to pause. Everyone's gaze fell on me, filled with scrutiny, curiosity, and even a subtle hint of hostility.

I greeted everyone politely, but received only a few perfunctory responses. For the next few minutes, I felt isolated behind a transparent barrier. People around me chatted and laughed, but no one approached me. The occasional whisper from the next table was nothing more than sarcastic remarks like "low-born" and "shrewd tactics." I maintained a polite smile, but my grip on my knife and fork tightened involuntarily.

At this moment, my phone suddenly vibrated, and a news push popped up - "Surprise! The poor daughter of the Bai family married into a wealthy family. Is it true love or other motives?" My heart trembled, and I subconsciously looked at Zhan Yu...

I clenched my phone fiercely, my fingertips turning white. My chest felt like a huge rock was pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. The news article featured a photo of Zhan Yu and I entering the Zhan family mansion today. I was dressed in a moon-white cheongsam, while Zhan Yu was dressed in a suit and tie. A talented couple, they seemed like a match made in heaven to outsiders. But the headline was so jarring, portraying me as a vain and scheming woman, as if I had gone to such great lengths to marry into the Zhan family just for their immense wealth.

"What's wrong?" Zhan Yu noticed my abnormality, turned his head slightly, and there was a hint of doubt in his tone.

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in my heart, and handed him the phone, "Look for yourself."

Zhan Yu glanced at it nonchalantly, his brows furrowed slightly, but soon relaxed again. He said in a calm tone, "Don't pay attention to this kind of news. The innocent will be innocent."

"Ignore it? My reputation has been ruined, how can you tell me to ignore it?!" I stood up suddenly, unable to suppress the grievance and anger in my heart anymore, and my voice couldn't help but rise a few notches.

Zhan Yu seemed to be startled by my reaction. He put down the wine glass in his hand, looked up at me, and a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. "Keep your voice down. Don't forget what kind of occasion this is."

I looked at him, my heart icy. Was this the man I'd fallen in love with? Faced with my grievances and anger, all he cared about was whether my reaction would affect his family's image.

"Family, family, is that all you see in your eyes?" I smiled bitterly, tears welling up in my eyes. "In your eyes, what am I?"

Zhan Yu was silent for a few seconds, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed, stood up, walked to my side, and patted my shoulder gently. "There are a lot of things going on in the company recently, and I'm a little upset. Don't think too much about it." After that, he turned and left the restaurant, leaving me standing there alone, tears silently sliding down my cheeks.

I forcefully wiped away my tears and looked around. The curious and mocking gazes pierced my nerves like needles. I told myself to stay calm and not let anger cloud my mind. I didn't marry into the Zhan family to be a pawnbroker, much less to be manipulated. I needed to get to the bottom of this. I needed to protect myself and the people I cared about. I took a deep breath and turned to the butler who was clearing the dishes. "I want to understand the structure and business of the Zhan Group..."

The restaurant gradually emptied. I suppressed my rage and tried to appear calm. I walked over to Butler Liu, who was directing the servants to clean up the mess, and casually asked, "Butler Liu, I'm new here and unfamiliar with the Zhan Group. Would you mind introducing me to it when it's convenient?"

Butler Liu was visibly stunned. He pushed his reading glasses up on his nose and regarded me with a scrutinizing gaze, as if he were looking at a young, ignorant girl. "Young Madam, you're joking. You're the young madam of the family. The chairman and the young master will naturally take care of the company's management. You don't need to bother with these menial tasks."

How could I not hear the evasiveness in his words? I sneered inwardly, but kept my composure. "Butler Liu is right, but after all, you follow your husband wherever he goes. Since I've married into the Zhan family, I naturally have to contribute to their cause, don't you agree?"

I spoke in a more firm tone. Butler Liu's face changed slightly. He wanted to say something, but Granny Sun's sarcastic voice came from the side: "Oh, Miss Bai is really virtuous and considerate, but our Zhan family is so big and powerful that not just anyone can interfere. Think about it..."

She deliberately dragged out her voice, glanced at me sideways, and then continued, "Thinking back, in order to cooperate with the Zhan family, your father did..."

"Grandma Sun!" I interrupted her harshly. The Zhan family could look down on me, but I would never allow anyone to insult my family. I looked her straight in the eye and said word by word, "I respect you as my elder, but please be more respectful when you speak. I'm marrying Zhan Yu, not the Zhan family's money, and certainly not their power!"

My words were so powerful that the surroundings suddenly became quiet. Everyone looked at me in surprise, as if they had not expected that I, who had always been patient, would suddenly explode.

Granny Sun's face turned pale and blue, and she pointed at me, speechless for a long time. I didn't bother to pay attention to her anymore, so I turned and walked towards the study. Since they don't want to tell me, then I'll find a way myself. Now that I'm here, I won't let anyone push me around! I pushed open the study door, my eyes swept over the rows of folders on the bookshelf, and I already had an idea in my mind...

The study was silent, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Since they want to trap me in a "golden cage," I'm determined to forge a key to open it myself! With a keen eye, I began searching the bookshelves. The Zhan family is involved in numerous industries, from its initial roots in real estate to its current ventures in finance, technology, and entertainment. Understanding them all in a short period of time is no easy task.

I casually pulled out a copy of the "Zhan Group Annual Financial Statements." The densely packed numbers and charts gave me a headache. It seemed like quick success was out of the question. I needed a more systematic, in-depth approach.

At that moment, an exquisite photo frame on the desk caught my eye. In it, Zhan Yu, dressed in formal attire, stood proudly on the podium. It was the award ceremony for his "Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year" award. I picked up the frame, gently caressed his face with my fingers, and a smile crept into my lips.

Zhan Yu, you are always so outstanding that I can't help but want to get close to you and catch up with you. I won't let you down. I will definitely be your strongest backing and fight alongside you!

I put down the photo frame and my eyes fell on a file folder on the corner of my desk. Unlabeled, I curiously opened it and found a project plan titled "Strategic Cooperation on Digital Transformation for Zhanshi Group." I quickly scanned it and discovered it was a major transformation project underway at Zhanshi Group, aimed at achieving digital transformation through a partnership with Spark Technology.

Spark Technology… I seem to have heard this name somewhere before. I tried to recall, and suddenly a light bulb went off! Isn't this the company founded by that genius senior from the Computer Science Department next door during my college years? I heard he founded this company right after graduation, and in just a few years, it has grown into an industry upstart, garnering significant attention from the capital market.

If I could learn about the Zhan Group's digital transformation plan from him, I would have a deeper understanding of the entire group. With this in mind, I immediately dialed a long-forgotten number.

"Hello, is this Senior Lin? This is Bai..." A familiar voice came from the other end of the line, with a hint of surprise and joy: "Xiaobai? Is it really you? Long time no see!"