Galen Allison is one of Helena’s four children, and he is the most outstanding among them in all aspects, already designated as Helena’s successor. His paternal lineage comes from the wealthy Alva family, a family of large business owners.
These wealthy individuals engage in business marriages, often resulting in multiple children at once. They mostly do not personally bear the burden of carrying fetuses, as they can’t handle it, so surrogate mothers are responsible for carrying and giving birth to all the children, who are healthy and robust.
These children of the same age start competing from birth to become heirs in the future. The successful ones will inherit the vast majority of the wealth, while the unsuccessful ones will have to settle for lesser positions, unable to touch the core power and assets.
Helena’s husband is the brother of the current head of the Alva family. She gave birth to four children at once, and Galen became Allison’s heir. One of his sisters failed to defeat him but took a different path to defeat a group of Alva peers, becoming the designated heir of the Alva family and adopting the Alva surname.1Galen became the Allison heir while his sister became thre Alva heir
“The project is at a critical stage, and he really has no time to spare.” Jiang Miao said all this nonsense that everyone knows with a straight face.
Jiang Miao is talented and beautiful, and Galen Allison pursued her.
It’s clear to Jiang Miao that Galen Allison, this playboy, will eventually form an alliance with another prominent family. Jiang Miao simply cannot respond to him, remaining indifferent to his every invitation and gesture of goodwill. There have been rumors in the company that Jiang Miao has extremely high standards and has something going on with him.
“Haha, Galen, you’re just wasting your effort.” Helena mercilessly mocks her own son.
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“Kkydt?” Mydyjy nyzzle.
Kkydt Ykys vwadle yde qszzsole.
“Are you that intimate with your son too?” she asked.
“Mocking me, huh?” Tanaka said.
“What’s there to mock?” Jiang Miao said. “Look at Helena and Galen, aren’t they intimate?”
“But they’re wealthy, with marriages and families,” Tanaka shrugged. “And us? Let’s say we’re elite in society, but to put it plainly, we’re just employees. Doing things that don’t befit our status always invites ridicule as overstepping our bounds.”
So, if one isn’t wealthy, does that mean ordinary people don’t deserve marriage, family, or even intimate relationships born of blood ties?
Jiang Miao found it all very twisted. It’s just that the benefits she has gained from this societal structure over the years have obscured this twisted reality.
As Helena stood on the steps, raising her glass to give the toast, Jiang Miao returned to Yan He’s side.
Yan He said to a woman standing close to him, “Look, my companion is back.”
The woman turned to look at Jiang Miao, surprised. “Dr. Jiang?”
Jiang Miao smiled. “Dr. Harrison.”
Harrison’s voice was a bit loud, and someone in front turned around, frowned, and raised a finger to his lips: “Shh…”
Harrison quickly hushed.
Jiang Miao walked over, and Yan He lifted his arm. Jiang Miao gritted her teeth, put on a smile, and hooked her arm through his.
Harrison said in frustration, “Oh, it’s you.”
Jiang Miao smiled and nodded at her. Harrison, feeling resigned, raised his cup in acknowledgment, then turned and walked away.
Jiang Miao and Yan He, like everyone else, appeared to be focused on listening to the host’s toast.
Yan He slightly lowered his head and asked in a lowered voice, “An acquaintance?”
Jiang Miao smiled, “One of Tanaka’s underachievers.” She and Tanaka were currently working on a project obtained from defeating Harrison’s attempt to take over.
Yan He smirked.
Jiang Miao glanced at him and whispered through her teeth, so only they could hear, “Quite the charmer.”
Yan He smiled, “After all, I don’t have the power of invisibility.”
Proud, isn’t he?
Just as Helena finished her toast, raising her glass, “Cheers to everyone having a good time tonight!”
The crowd applauded and raised their glasses.
Yan He also took champagne from the passing waiter’s tray and handed it to Jiang Miao. They both raised their glasses and took a sip with the crowd.
With this toast, the dinner officially began. Conversations filled the air.
Jiang Miao released Yan He’s arm, gently swirled her glass, and put the half-empty glass back on the waiter’s tray, teasing, “It’s evident, Major, you’re experienced. Tell me, how long did it take you to convince a woman to go to bed with you? What’s the shortest record?”
Yan He slightly raised his face to look at the ceiling, pondered for a moment, then lowered his head, “2 minutes?”
Jiang Miao: “…”
“One minute staring at her,” Yan He said, “One minute walking over and inviting her.”
He sounded sincere, not like he was lying or boasting.
But Jiang Miao still didn’t quite believe it. She knew that her ex-boyfriend, Chen Borent, took at least fifteen minutes to flirt with someone. So, Yan He’s claim of two minutes seemed exaggerated, didn’t it?
Could he really make his invitation sound so charming?
“If possible, I’d love to hear how eloquent your invitation is,” Jiang Miao said, though she didn’t utter the words “I don’t believe you”; it was written all over her face.
Yan He raised an eyebrow, then handed his drink to a passing waiter. With his hand in his pocket, he leaned close to Jiang Miao, bending slightly to whisper in her ear, lips gently moving…
Jiang Miao’s blood rushed to her head! Her face felt like it was on fire!
She panicked and turned around, just as a waiter carrying fresh drinks passed by. She grabbed a glass and gulped down a large sip — trying to calm herself down.
But she choked on it: “Cough cough cough!”
“Take it slow, breathe,” Yan He smirked, pulling her half into his embrace and gently patting her back to help her catch her breath.
People around glanced over at the sound, seeing this couple and noticing the man’s affectionate gestures, couldn’t help but show knowing smiles.
Jiang Miao finally caught her breath, straightening up with Yan He’s arm for support, only to realize she was practically in his embrace. She suddenly felt the urge to use her strength to pummel this guy to death!
How blind was she to think of him as ascetic?
As she lifted her gaze, she saw the high collar that confined his slender neck, the military button that exuded magnetism, all so well-fitted. Then, she looked up at the wide-brimmed hat, and Jiang Miao understood — it was all about the uniform!
With the brim down, hiding the eyebrows, only revealing the eyes, it gave a restrained feeling of sharpness.
The clothes’ lines were firm and powerful, tightly wrapped, as if they were containing all the human warmth and vitality, leaving only a symbolic sense of determination for others.
Of course, it would give people the wrong impression!
Tanaka brought someone over, “Jiang!”
Yan He glanced up, and Jiang Miao also turned at the sound.
First, Jiang Miao saw Tanaka, then she noticed the tall man beside him. The man had brown hair and blue eyes, with deep features and a rugged, mature appearance. Tanaka was right; he was indeed the type Jiang Miao liked. At that moment, he was also looking at her, his blue eyes openly revealing admiration.
“This is Joe Arthur, whom I mentioned to you before,” Tanaka introduced them to each other. “Joe, this is my partner, Dr. Jiang Miao.”
“Pleased to meet you, Doctor. I’ve heard Tanaka mention you often,” Joe reached out his hand first.
Jiang Miao shook his hand politely. “I’ve also heard Tanaka mention you often, Mr. Arthur.”
Joe Arthur’s appearance was quite good, probably a bit older than her, with a broad forehead and a completely mature male appearance. Well, when you think about it, he looked quite compatible with Tanaka.
No, no, he’s a straight guy! Can’t forget that!
Joe smiled and said, “Just call me Joe.”
He had the rugged appearance that Jiang Miao liked, with warm and dry palms that made people feel comfortable. Considering his private relationship with Tanaka, Jiang Miao happily accepted, “Just call me Jiang.”
Then she introduced him, “This is my partner, Major Yan He.”
Joe reached out his hand. “Hello, Major Yan.”
Yan He also extended his hand. “Hello, Mr. Arthur.”
“Major Yan is…?” Arthur kept smiling as he sized up Yan He.
Yan He slowly said, “I’m her…”
“Parenting partner!” Jiang Miao rushed to say, flashing an eight-tooth smile.
Joe’s expression softened. “Ah.”
Yan He smiled. “Currently cohabiting.”
Their handshake lasted a bit too long, and at the end of this conversation, Joe noticeably furrowed his brows, as if he were enduring something, as if he had gritted his teeth.
Jiang Miao’s heart skipped a beat as she reached out and placed her hand on Yan He’s arm. “Major Yan, could you help me get a sweet wine instead?”
All three men present were more astute than her, and her mid-sentence change of request seemed abrupt. Tanaka raised his fist, pretending to clear his throat, and turned his head away.
“Of course,” Yan He said, extremely gentlemanly as he released Joe and took the glass Jiang Miao handed him, then turned to find a waiter.
Although Joe swiftly withdrew his hand and put it in his pocket, Jiang Miao still caught sight of the red marks on his hand from being squeezed.
Jiang Miao cursed Yan He in her heart!
Still, she had to maintain a polite smile in front of Joe and asked, “Where are you from, Joe?” He had a distinct accent, obviously not from the capital star system.
“In fact, I’ve just been naturalized as a citizen of the Gita Republic,” Joe said.
Jiang Miao gasped in surprise. “You’re actually a foreigner?”
It’s no wonder Jiang Miao was surprised; she had traveled more than twenty years through time and had never encountered a “foreigner” before.
In the ancient era of Earth, she lived on a small planet where she could still watch news channels reporting on the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Japan. But in the interstellar age, the Gita Republic was more than just a few planets.
The Capital Star System alone had twelve planets! Just the Capital Star had three moons! All developed into human living areas. Not to mention the six major star regions adjacent to the Capital Star System and the twenty-one remote star regions!
With hundreds, if not thousands, of news channels online, continuously rolling news about various regions of the Gita Republic, there was hardly any news about foreign countries.
Jiang Miao only had a concept of “foreign countries” because of the occasional frontline war news. At least she knew that there were battles going on, that beyond the Gita Republic’s controlled star territories, there was the Nash Republic and several other scattered political forces.
As for the more distant human colonies mentioned in history books, they were really far away. It took over a hundred years for a round trip, and the last contact with other colonies was several hundred years ago.
“Now I’m not a foreigner anymore, I’m a citizen just like you, Jiang,” Joe joked.
“Sorry…” Jiang Miao apologized for her earlier slip of the tongue.
“It’s just a joke,” Joe said. “I’m from the Stellar Free Zone. Jiang, do you know about this place?”
Jiang Miao: “Um…”
Actually, she knew a little, but in Jiang Miao’s faint impression, it was a chaotic area with many criminal and dark forces?
Jiang Miao couldn’t explain where this impression came from. It seemed like she hadn’t seen any news or articles specifically introducing the place; all she had were bits and pieces of information.
With this impression in mind, she didn’t know what to say to compliment the other person’s hometown.
“Haha. Definitely don’t know,” Joe said knowingly. “Compared to the Gita Republic, it’s just a small place.”
Thankfully, Jiang Miao managed to (she thought) maintain her emotional intelligence and quickly changed the subject: “Being able to naturalize citizenship, Joe’s genes must be very excellent, right?”
Tanaka came to the rescue: “Of course, not inferior to yours and mine.”
“I guess so,” Jiang Miao sighed with relief, finally avoiding embarrassment.
“What line of work are you in, Joe?” she asked out of politeness.
“I’m a businessman, involved in minerals, routes, and various other aspects,” he said. “There’s no specific area; if I see a business opportunity, I’ll invest.”
Jiang Miao exchanged a couple of social compliments with Joe, and Yan He brought a glass of sweet wine for her.
“What are you talking about?” he handed the drink to Jiang Miao, standing by her side.
Tanaka chimed in with a smile, “We were talking about Joe’s naturalization. He’s from the Stellar Free Zone.”
“Oh,” Yan He seemed quite familiar with this Free Zone. “The front lines have been pushing toward that area these past two years. Many trade routes in the Free Zone have been blocked, causing the economy to decline rapidly, and many legitimate businessmen have gone bankrupt.”
“I’m fine,” Joe raised an eyebrow. “Even before that, I had already shifted the focus of my business to the Gita-controlled areas.”
Yan He nodded. “In times of war, leaving one’s homeland to seek a more stable life is indeed a better choice.”
“Indeed. Although the frontline soldiers are brave and fearless, the enemy is not to be underestimated. Life is not easy in wartime conditions,” Joe sighed. “I have great respect for the frontline soldiers. I truly hope that every soldier can be as fearless as they are, instead of indulging in the comfort of the rear.”
Jiang Miao felt a chill in the air.
Both of these people were sharp in their words.
Yan He was wearing a new uniform obtained after reporting at the garrison base, different from the black uniforms of the border troops. It was navy blue, the uniform of the garrison army, the very “comfortable in the rear” soldiers that Joe mentioned.
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I thought I’d like Tanaka’s crush, but now I just wanna pat Tanaka on the back in sympathy because with the way it’s going he doesn’t seem like a good guy
I’m with you person abouve