Chapter 479 — The Kang Family Proposes Marriage (Part Two)

"This young man must be Kang Zhaolong, eh? What a fine, handsome figure he cuts!" Xiao Ji took the gift box with a beaming smile, then addressed Kang Zhaolong.

"Uncle Xiao, I am Kang Zhaolong!" Kang Zhaolong said politely.

"Mm, he is a fine match for our Xinyan!" Xiao Ben nodded as well, though inwardly he was vexed at his niece's lack of sense. How great a house was the Kang family? How could she not be tempted?

They had pleaded and reasoned with her for days on end, and still she would not agree, which left Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben quite at a loss. When all was said and done, Wang Xinyan was only a collateral relative, not a direct descendant of the Xiao family; there was nothing they could rightfully demand of her.

House arrest was no solution; sooner or later she would have to be let out. As for Wang Xinyan's parents, though at first they had been somewhat resistant to the match, once they heard the man was Divine Doctor Kang's eldest grandson, Wang Xuben had fallen into silence.

And Xiao Qinlin had never had much of a mind of her own; all these years she had followed Wang Xuben's lead. If Wang Xuben agreed, she naturally had no objection. The crux of the matter was that Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben had said: agree to this marriage, and the shareholding question mentioned in the old man's will could be dropped; refuse, and not only would part of Wang Xuben's company shares be reclaimed, but they would brazenly threaten to join hands with the Kang family against his pharmaceutical company!

Now, what Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben counted as a blessing was that only Wang Xinyan herself still resisted. Once her mind was worked around, there would be no problem at all.

"Where is this Wang Xinyan? Why not call her out so I can have a look at my future granddaughter-in-law?" Divine Doctor Kang asked, sitting on the sofa with a chuckle. As a grandfather, though this match carried a whiff of alliance-making about it, he was quite satisfied with this granddaughter-in-law.

"I'll go fetch her right now!" Xiao Ben shot his elder brother a look, then rose and went into the inner rooms.

"Little sister, brother-in-law — have you two actually managed to talk my niece around? Divine Doctor Kang has come to our house in person to propose. That is a face not just anyone could be given!" Xiao Ben said, looking at Wang Xuben and Xiao Qinlin by Wang Xinyan's door.

"Xiaoyan won't agree. I think we should just let it go..." Though Xiao Qinlin had little mind of her own, she doted on her daughter; seeing the girl unhappy, she naturally did not want the match.

"This is just why they say a woman's hair is long and her wits are short!" Xiao Ben was taken aback, then said in annoyance: "What sort of house is Divine Doctor Kang's? His eldest grandson Kang Zhaolong is the future heir of the Kang family — how could Xinyan lose anything by marrying him?"

"Qinlin, this Kang Zhaolong — I have heard of him. Excellent in both character and learning, not a single bad habit! I've been making inquiries these past days; he has never even had a girlfriend. I say he won't treat Xinyan badly!" Wang Xuben spoke up now.

Though he feared trouble for his company, he did not want his daughter to be unhappy in the future either, so he had quietly had someone investigate Kang Zhaolong. The findings had rather astonished him!

Was this a rich young master? From childhood to now, nothing but study, study, study; he already held a doctorate and was going on to a second one. And most important, he had none of those playboy habits of chasing women — from childhood to now, he had never had a girlfriend!

What a world of difference between him and his cousin Kang Zhaoming!

So once he had the investigation report, Wang Xuben no longer resisted the match. Where would one find such a good son-in-law? Not only a fine student but a fine character, and above all a fine family! With Divine Doctor Kang's backing, could his pharmaceutical chain fail to grow?

"Is that so... but Xiaoyan doesn't like him. They haven't even met — where is the foundation of feeling?" Xiao Qinlin knew of Kang Zhaolong's good character, which was why she had not refused outright, but thinking that her daughter had no feelings for him, she still hesitated.

"Can't feelings be cultivated? Besides, this is only an engagement — if it truly doesn't work out later, the engagement can be broken!" Xiao Ben said. "Right now it is just using the name of a marriage alliance to find a bit of benefit for each of us. Let the two young people meet first; who knows, feelings may come!"

"I suppose..." Xiao Qinlin thought it over, and her second brother's words were not without reason. It was only an engagement, not a marriage; let the children meet and see. If it worked, they could stay together; if not, break the engagement.

"Yes, and the whole Divine Doctor Kang family is waiting outside! Hurry and call Xinyan out!" Fearing Divine Doctor Kang would grow impatient, Xiao Ben urged her on.

"All right then!" Xiao Qinlin went into the inner room, and after a while pushed out a wooden-faced Wang Xinyan.

Wang Xinyan did not understand how her parents had been talked around by her eldest and second uncles. Betroth her to a man she had never met?

Though her father had listed any number of reasons and told her how wonderful this Kang Zhaolong was, Wang Xinyan simply did not like him. There was no way she could fall in love with a stranger!

"Dad, is your company really that important?" Wang Xinyan raised her head and looked at her father, hoping he would change his mind.

"That..." Wang Xuben was somewhat embarrassed, but the company was the work of his life, and he did not want to see it destroyed in a single stroke.

"I understand." Wang Xinyan sighed and said flatly: "I'll go out with you, but I have not agreed to the engagement."

"Fine, let's go out first and talk later. Don't say anything when the time comes — who knows, you may take one look at him and like him!" Xiao Ben said cheerfully. "Kang Zhaolong is a young man of rare talent!"

"..." Wang Xinyan said no more. There was no use in saying more; her parents had already agreed, so how was she to fight it? How was she to change it?

But she had no intention of marrying a stranger. It was only an engagement, after all, not a marriage; when the time came she would find a way to escape. Wang Xinyan would absolutely never accept a marriage arranged by her family!

What era was this? That arranged marriages still existed?

Xiao Ben brought Wang Xinyan into the Xiao family hall, and Kang Zhaolong was at once captivated by her clear, lovely figure. Never mind that he had never had a girlfriend; that had only been to put on a show before his grandfather. In truth he was a lecher at heart and had long hungered for women.

Now this Wang Xinyan would be his rightful fiancée; Kang Zhaolong no longer needed to conceal anything. However he treated her, his family would say nothing.

Wang Xinyan frowned in distaste; Kang Zhaolong's lust-filled gaze made her very uncomfortable. So this was the so-called young man of rare talent? Wang Xinyan felt a touch of contempt. If all young men of talent were like him, then things really would be in a sorry state.

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