Chapter 134: I Have No Intention of Preying on an Heirless Family

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: I Have No Intention of Preying on an Heirless Family

"As for my temperament, I’d say it’s quite good. My colleagues and superiors have always rated my interpersonal skills very highly."

"So far in our relationship, I’ve mostly been the one providing the emotional support."

"Are there any other points? I think that’s it, right, Sir?"

"Yes, that’s about it." Zhang Zhe nodded.

Now, both the man’s and the woman’s situations were laid bare.

The man’s greatest advantage was his future prospects.

As long as he didn’t run into any major personal issues and Ali didn’t go bankrupt, hitting an annual salary of a million yuan by the time he was around thirty-five was practically a sure thing.

This was a logical conclusion based on his past academic and professional experience.

The woman’s greatest advantage was how well-rounded she was. She had a bit of everything, making her the ideal standard for most high-quality men looking for a partner.

If you put her profile in a matchmaking agency, she would meet the requirements of the vast majority of men.

She was a hot commodity on the matchmaking market.

Based on their current circumstances, the man was clearly in the weaker position. This was likely why the woman had been the one leading the conversation during their call.

"So, my man, tell me. What are your thoughts?"

Zhang Zhe believed that given the man’s education and intelligence, he should be able to analyze the gap between them.

It was just a matter of whether he would be honest about it.

"SIGH—" The man sighed before speaking. "To be honest, the gap is huge."

"The only difference between me and one of those ’phoenix men’ from the countryside is that my parents have made it clear they don’t need me to support them in their old age. They plan to live with my older sister."

"But I know they’re just saying that because they don’t want to be a burden to me."

"What kind of only son earns hundreds of thousands a year in a big city while his parents live with their son-in-law? It just doesn’t make sense. I feel like this whole thing could get very complicated."

"As for my girlfriend’s family background, it’s true that they’re very well-off, but I don’t feel the gap is so vast that it’s insurmountable."

"If her family was worth, say, fifty million, I probably would have run for the hills long ago."

"Huh?" the woman exclaimed in surprise. "You actually thought about running away?"

"Young lady, it’s not your turn yet," Zhang Zhe reminded her. "Besides, this man here has already had his doubts for some time."

"That’s right." The man was very candid. His future was bright, so he had no reason to deceive her into marriage. He spoke his mind. "The night I heard about her family’s circumstances, I was already debating whether or not I should end the relationship."

"But I felt that breaking up abruptly wouldn’t be good for either of us, which is why I suggested we find a professional Matchmaker to analyze our situation."

"My man, I appreciate your honesty." Zhang Zhe was very pleased with the man’s attitude.

’This is how a reasonable person acts,’ Zhang Zhe thought. ’He’s rational and not just selfishly calculating his own gains.’

"Then let me be honest with you, too. From a marital perspective, your gut feeling was right."

"I should end this relationship, right?" the man asked immediately.

The woman beside him tried to say something, but he cut her off. "Hold on, let me finish talking with him first."

"Sir, is that what you’re implying?"

"Correct." Zhang Zhe nodded. "Your personality is a bit sensitive, and your pride is a little too strong. With a mindset like that, you can’t ’marry up’."

"Marrying a woman who is better off than you isn’t all that different from being a live-in son-in-law."

"Think about it. What kind of man is suited to be a live-in son-in-law?"

Zhang Zhe listed a few conditions. "Someone whose family doesn’t need him to carry on the family line, who can accept distancing himself from his own parents, who needs help from his wife’s family, and who has a softer personality and less pride."

"You don’t meet a single one of these requirements."

"An audience member in the stream said you’re the type to swindle a family out of their inheritance. But let’s be honest, are you really the kind of person who would be willing to lie low for decades just for her family’s fifteen million, wait for her parents to pass away, and then divorce her?"

"At least, not at this stage in your life, right?"

"I wouldn’t," the man said with a small laugh. "I understand what you’re saying, Sir. You’re right, my personality is a bit sensitive. If we got married, just facing my parents-in-law would be an issue."

"Right. You’re still lacking a bit of confidence."

Zhang Zhe’s situation was actually somewhat similar to this man’s. His partner was also better off than he was.

Both were small-town study whizzes, both were dating partners from wealthy families, and both women even had master’s degrees from 211 universities.

But Zhang Zhe had a much better upbringing, so he wasn’t as prone to feelings of inferiority.

"Then what kind of person should I be looking for?" the man asked. "I’m at the age where I should be getting married. Next year, I plan to buy one of those ’talent apartments’ in Lin’an, the kind where you share ownership with the government."

"Could you help me analyze that as well, Sir?"

"Don’t you dare analyze that!" the woman finally blurted out, shouting, "I’m still here! How can you two already be talking about other women?"

"Sir, isn’t it my turn yet?"

"I have something to say! I can’t hold it in anymore."

[Sis, do you not understand what they’re saying?]

[Honestly, this guy is a good person. Everything he said to Brother Zhang is perfectly reasonable.]

[Girl, just give it up.]

[Sis, you’re a great catch. You deserve better.]

"Then go ahead and speak," Zhang Zhe said, a bit exasperated. It was clear the woman was letting her heart rule her head.

"Okay. What I’m about to say is very important."

"And you need to listen, too!" This was clearly directed at the man beside her, who quietly replied, "Okay, I’m listening."

"My parents said that as long as I’m the one who likes you, they’re willing to foot the bill for my happiness. They’ll provide a marital home for us, and they can take care of the kids later on."

"Do you understand what your parents mean by that?" Zhang Zhe asked with a smile.

"What do you mean, ’what do they mean’?"

"When they say they’re ’willing to foot the bill for your happiness,’ the subtext is that they don’t approve of this match," Zhang Zhe explained, reluctantly analyzing it for her. "And when they offer to help raise your kids, it’s a way of telling his parents not to come over."

"Get it?"

[This girl’s parents have really done all they can.]

[Parents from highly educated families are like that. I feel like if her parents and his parents met, they wouldn’t even be able to have a conversation.]

[Sis, in a marriage like this, the pressure on you two would be immense.]

[The guy has already said to let it go, so why are you still pushing for it?]

"Oh, so that’s what it means."

"I get it now, but I don’t think that’s what’s crucial here."

The woman still held firm to her opinion, and she had her reasons.

"Sir, I know that from a practical, matchmaking standpoint, I should find a local guy from Lin’an whose family is on the same social and economic level as mine. That would be more stable."

"But I’ve met plenty of other guys, and none of them are as exceptional as he is."

"That’s obvious. Of course he’s exceptional. A P7 at Ali isn’t a dime a dozen. But he comes with too many risk factors."

"If you want a stable marriage, it’s obviously better to have as little risk as possible."

"Do you understand that?"

"I mean, I understand, but... what risks are you talking about? I don’t see any," the woman asked, confused.

"My man, should I tell her the truth?" Zhang Zhe asked the man for his opinion. "Or do you want to do it?"

"You say it, Sir. If I say it, she’ll just think I’m trying to manipulate her."

"Alright, I’ll say it then." Zhang Zhe gathered his thoughts. "Sis, I want you to imagine a scenario. He gets laid off at thirty-five and is at home looking for a new job. His parents fall ill. And on top of that, your child gets into a fight at school."

"Can you handle all of that at once? Comforting your disheartened husband, arranging for your in-laws to see a doctor, and properly disciplining your child?"