Filed to story: Disdained Son-in-Law, Destined Riches >>
The Smith family? That was his family.
However, he had yet to figure out if he wanted to go back to his family yet.
Anyway, Joe felt that his life was actually pretty good right then. He owned Emgrand Group and he had more than tens of billions of dollars in cash. Moreover, he had also discovered infinite possibilities from studying the Apocalyptic Book.
In contrast, he would be subjected to so many rules if he returned to the Smith family. He would not be the free man that he was right now.
Jasmine poured a glass of red wine for Joe before she poured one glass for herself. After that, she handed one glass of red wine over to Joe before she said, “Mr. Smith, I’d like to give you a toast!”
Joe took the glass of wine in his hand and he looked at Jasmine’s pink and rosy complexion before he smiled and said, “Jasmine, whenever you drink, you should always have a reason to drink. You should ask yourself if there’s anything you’d like to celebrate or commemorate or if there is something you’re upset or happy about! So, why don’t we talk about what we are celebrating or commemorating before we drink each glass of wine? What do you think of my suggestion?”
Jasmine smiled after listening to Joe’s special request. After that, she said, “Okay, let’s do that! Since this is the first glass of wine, I’ll start first!”
After that, Jasmine cleared her throat before she smiled sweetly and said, “This first glass of wine is to thank you for saving my grandfather today! I’d also like to thank you for doing me this big favor today!”
Joe nodded and smiled as he said, “Okay, then let’s drink this glass of red wine immediately!”
After he was done speaking, Joe lifted his wine glass before he gently touched it against the wine glass in Jasmine’s hand. After that, he finished the entire glass of red wine in one go.
At this time, Jasmine also finished her entire glass of red wine immediately. After that, she smiled before she asked, “Mr. Smith, why don’t you tell me why we should be drinking this second glass of red wine?”
“Okay,” Joe smiled. “This second glass of red wine is to celebrate fate and destiny! Even though there are so many people in this world, it is simply because of fate that both of us met and got to know one another! Therefore, we should celebrate fate!”
“Okay!” Jasmine replied and she smiled as she yelled out, “Let’s drink for fate!”
Immediately after that, Jasmine refilled their glasses with more red wine before she said, “This third glass of wine is to celebrate Mr. Smith’s superb skills and abilities! Today, I got to witness Mr. Smith’s ability to treat illnesses and save other people’s lives. Moreover, I’m now even more certain that it was not a mere coincidence that Jack Yaleman was struck to death by thunder and lightning! Would you like to explain yourself, Mr. Smith?”
Joe smiled in a casual manner as he said, “Well, who knows whether it was a mere coincidence or not? Only the heavens knows! As for mortals like you and me, I can only say that this is a secret that shouldn’t be revealed!”
Jasmine nodded and she laughed and looked into Joe’s eyes before she said, “Well, then let’s drink in order not to reveal this secret!”
“Let’s do it!”
After a few glasses of wine, Jasmine was already feeling a little tipsy.
Even though she could really hold her liquor, she had already drank several glasses of red wine at one go.
At this time, it was Jasmine’s turn to give her toast and say something before they drink.
Jasmine looked at Joe with her eyes wide open and a tipsy expression on her face as she said, “Actually Mr. Smith, I’ve recently discovered that you’re actually a pretty good person.”
“Pretty good?” Joe chuckled before he asked out of curiosity, “What do you mean by that? How am I good?”
“You’re good in so many ways,” Jasmine replied earnestly. “You’re so much more interesting than the other people I usually meet or encounter. Many of the people that I’ve met would usually try to flatter me or treat me well because they have some other ulterior motives. That’s the reason I think you’re a good person.”
“What?” Joe replied as he laughed. “So, do you think I have no ulterior motives for getting closer to you?”
Jasmine nodded before she replied, “I feel as though you’re a little detached from the world because you’re hiding something.”
At this time, Joe quickly asked out of curiosity, “What do you mean?”
Jasmine replied in a serious manner, “Mr. Smith, you look like a very simple and casual person but you’re actually very skillful and capable. However, despite being very capable, you’re not arrogant at all. After getting to know you better, I realize that you won’t try to show off your skills or abilities but if anyone touches your limit or challenges you, you won’t hesitate to show them what you are capable of. Moreover, the methods that you use to counter-attack or defend yourself is usually very unpredictable and quite unlike how an ordinary person would react.”
After that, Jasmine continued speaking, “Most importantly, I really don’t understand why you’d choose to become a stay-home son-in-law of the Wilson family when you’re actually so capable and talented. The Wilson family is just a regular and second or probably third-rate family. I think you can definitely do much better because you have so much potential in you. Don’t you feel that way at all?”
Joe did not answer her question but he asked her another question instead. “Then, where do you think I belong if not in the Wilson family?”
Jasmine replied seriously, “I think that someone like you should be married to a prestigious top-notch family. I believe that many powerful and wealthy families would be dying to marry their daughters to you because you are so skillful and capable.”
At this time, Joe smiled before he replied, “What’s the point in that? If someone were to get married because of the family’s interest, then there would be no element of love in the relationship at all. Why would someone in a powerful and wealthy family be willing to marry a person she has no feelings or affection for? Moreover, if the guy marries into her family, wouldn’t he be living under the control and command of her family for the rest of his life?”
Jasmine replied naturally, “Of course! This has always been the way it is in all the powerful and wealthy families. They’re always particularly strict with their daughters. For instance, the children of powerful and wealthy families would always be required to attend the top aristocratic school in the city to have excellent knowledge and good social etiquette. Our families have also strictly forbidden us from contacting any members of the opposite sex and we’re not allowed to fall in love with someone else on our own.”
“What?” Joe asked in surprise. “We’re in the twenty-first century now! Why does it seem as though the wealthy and powerful families are more feudal compared to those people in the past?”
“This is not feudalism,” Jasmine replied in a serious manner. “This is the survival rule for upper class families.”
“The law of survival?” Joe asked. “What do you mean by that?”
At this time, Jasmine quickly explained, “We need to have joint partnerships and collaborations, and we also exchange resources with other prestigious families. Therefore, there is only one rule in the Moore family, that is, all direct members of the Moore family have to obey the marriage arrangements that the elders in the Moore family decides on. There’s no room for any discussion on this matter.”
“In the past, the Moore family had even set a rule that the members of the Moore family would have to intermarry within the family, with all marriages arranged between the cousins. Therefore, it is normal for one cousin to marry another to prevent wealth dilution or money from leaving the family. However, since there’s now a prohibition on marriages between relatives within three generations in this country, this rule has already been cast aside. However, there are some of my blood relatives who still marry our own cousins abroad.”
“Our family rule has already been greatly relaxed and we’re no longer required to marry our own cousins. However, we’re still required to marry someone from a similarly wealthy and powerful family. Even though the other party’s family cannot be more powerful than our own, their status should not be much lower than our own.”
After that, Jasmine sighed as she continued speaking, “Our family believes in the value of cooperation and they’ll always find ways so the men from other families would marry into our family and similarly, the woman from other families would have to marry into our family. All members of the Moore family would have to focus on the interest of the Moore family as a whole and we’re not allowed to disobey any marriage arrangements made by the elders in the family.”
Joe sighed when he heard Jasmine’s explanation. After that, he said, “It seems as though there are also many troubles that you face as a member of a powerful and wealthy family. It seems as though the more money a person has, the greedier they become.”
Joe knew that he would also be placed in a similar position if he were to return to the Smith family now. The Smith family would definitely try to exert control over his life and they might even look down on the Wilson family. If things got complicated, Joe believed that the Smith family would also attempt to force him to divorce Claire just so they could get him to marry another woman from a similarly wealthy and powerful family instead.
It seemed as though he really should not return to the Smith family.
As he thought about this matter to himself, Joe suddenly asked, “By the way, Jasmine, I think you’re also at the age where you should be getting married. Has your family already arranged for your marriage yet?”
Jasmine shook her head before she replied, “Well, the elders were initially making the necessary marriage arrangement for my cousin Reuben. His marriage was decided on a long time ago and my grandfather has arranged for him to marry the daughter of a very wealthy and powerful family in the northern region. However, when Grandpa was about to arrange my marriage, he fell seriously ill and they decided to postpone this plan instead. Since my grandpa is already recovering, I believe he’ll start planning my marriage soon…”