After rebirth, I rejected the rich yandere lady

Xu Musen wasn't opposed to "being kept" by a spouse or climbing up with the help of others.

Human civilization could be passed down from one generation to another because they knew how to lift each other up.

If I don't rely on my father or take shortcuts, wouldn't my dad's lifelong hard-earned resources go to waste?

People don't actually despise those who are kept; they're just envious they haven't had a bite themselves.

If there's a shortcut, who would want to start from scratch?

Isn't that just unnecessarily enduring hardship?

"How nice..."

Zhu Yulan looked at his composed demeanor, indeed, being kept by a wife wasn't a big deal, especially since An Nuannuan was so obedient to him.

Zhu Yulan felt even more stifled. She took another sip of her drink, rested her head on the table, and said with some bitterness, "But everything has a price. My mom got sick and passed away early, leaving behind just us three sisters. In that home, if there's no male, you're always seen as less.

Although my dad holds the power of the family business, the other family members don't respect him, especially when it comes to us sisters trying to take over the core industries, we're always obstructed..."

Xu Musen listened silently; the notion of favoring males over females was indeed quite severe in the previous generation, especially within these affluent families with generations of accumulated wealth.

Without a male to stand firm, everything would gradually be divided up by outsiders.

Even in ordinary families where there is a preference for sons over daughters, girls often feel wronged, let alone in these large, scheming clans.

The Zhu sisters might have grown up in affluent surroundings, but they hardly felt much warmth.

"My eldest sister is very capable and treats me the best. Despite being a woman, her abilities are outstanding, earning the sincere respect of many elders in the family. She told me that all her efforts were so that my second sister and I could live freely in the future."

Zhu Yulan spoke with a drunken haze, her face finally showing genuine warmth and admiration when she mentioned her eldest sister.

But that warmth slowly turned into sadness, "However, my eldest sister inherited the same illness as my mom and departed this world just when she was about to shine brightest..."

Tears brimmed in Zhu Yulan's eyes, "Since my eldest sister left, my dad had to face the family pressure again. He wanted to train another successor. My second sister complied with the arrangements and married someone she barely knew, helping the family vie for so-called business resources..."

Zhu Yulan's second sister, Xu Musen remembered, was the beautiful woman he had met at a school sponsorship event.

"She's quite capable herself," Xu Musen said; although they had not interacted much, he could tell that her second sister was the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing.

Zhu Yulan propped her chin and let out a cold laugh, "Indeed, she is capable. Right after our eldest sister passed, she covertly maneuvered to seize all of her assets. She had the opportunity to oppose the family, yet she exacerbated the situation... she forgot all the promises she made to my eldest sister before, and now... she's taken the opportunity to seize several of my companies too.

I really don't understand... she used to be a victim of the family's internal struggles, so why is she acting this way now..."

Zhu Yulan's laugh was cold, but the sorrow in her heart was something only she fully understood. After all, they were sisters, and now they had come to this point over family interests, making her heart even heavier.

Why, even though they were family, had things come to this?

Zhu Yulan no longer had the arrogant demeanor she once had; she now resembled a little girl abandoned by her family, lost and helpless...

Xu Musen listened quietly; he couldn't judge these matters. It was like what was said about the besieged city: those inside want to get out, and those outside want to get in.

They envied each other, but each had their own difficulties.

Zhu Yulan finished her drink in one gulp, dizzy, still wanting to ask the waiter for more wine.

Xu Musen waved his hand to stop the waiter and handed her a wet wipe to clean her tears, "But at least you're still free now, and you have a good friend who cares about you."

Zhu Yulan lifted her gaze to Xu Musen gently wiping her eyes, and her icy heart seemed to thaw a little.

She looked down at the ruby wristwatch on her hand, a gift she had given herself on her eighteenth birthday.

She had thought it was gone for good, but his unexpected appearance and his unhesitating check for a hundred thousand had saved for her not just the watch but also her last ounce of dignity.

"Friends... If you can't depend on family and relatives, can you depend on friends?" Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Zhu Yulan looked at him, but now she didn't know who to trust anymore.

"Of course, you can. Relatives are predetermined; friends, on the other hand, are chosen later in life. I can't vouch for others, but I believe I'm a reliable choice for a friend," Xu Musen said with a chuckle; he enjoyed making friends, and Nuannuan was the best example.

Just as he was thinking this, a call came through.

Sweet little Nuannuan.

"Sorry, I need to take this call," Xu Musen said, picking up his phone with a gesture.

"Haha, do as you please," Zhu Yulan replied.