Chapter 38

New book uploaded, seeking favorites and recommendations.

Zhu Jishi remained silent. In fact, he did not want to get married in Europe, because he... opposed the bourgeois marriage system! On this point, he was completely in agreement with Engels.

Isabel smiled faintly and said seriously, "Now there are also people who oppose the marriage system. They believe that the ceremonies approved by the state and held in churches are superfluous and unnecessary. For example, your good friend Engels is one of them. Jason, you wouldn't be the same, would you?"

Zhu Jishi was slightly stunned and said softly, "Isabel, we Easterners have our own marriage system, which is different from the West."

"Is that so? I feel like you've been eyeing me, don't you want to marry both me and Romana?" Isabel, the Countess, smiled more seductively and said softly, "I've heard that in the East, wealthy and powerful men have many wives. Marrying a pair of sisters is nothing, and some even marry a mother and daughter! Jason, is that true?"

Zhu Jishi smiled and said, "Maybe, but I haven't heard of anyone marrying a mother and daughter."

After a pause, he continued, "However, although Westerners practice monogamy, they can still have many lovers, right...?"

Isabel turned around and looked at Zhu Jishi with a melancholy gaze, saying, "Jason, are you saying that I and Romana have had too many lovers, which doesn't fit your Eastern moral standards? You... wouldn't want us sisters to be your lovers, would you?"

Zhu Jishi seemed to have a bit of that idea, but it was just a fleeting thought. He came from the 21st century, not the Qing Dynasty, so he naturally wouldn't pursue a life with many wives and concubines—though this sounded a bit fake.

Zhu Jishi said calmly, "Isabel, perhaps some Eastern men have such thoughts, wanting to gather all the beauty in the world for themselves. But I am different from them..."

"You are the same as them, with the same thoughts!" Isabel interrupted with a smile, "Your thoughts can't hide from me, because I see the desire in your eyes, for me and for Romana. Is that right?"

Zhu Jishi was speechless. This Countess was a master at reading men's minds, and he, a modern man from the 21st century, was no match for her. Forget it, if he had already had the sister, he shouldn't think about the younger one. Her sister was also very charming, and her thoughts were simpler.

Thinking of this, he withdrew his hand from the Countess's thigh, and the desire in his eyes faded.

The Countess noticed and nodded slightly, as if praising Zhu Jishi, saying, "You know I am a rose with thorns. Just for this, you are better than Robert and Will. But a rose has thorns, and when it's time to pick it, you should still pick it!"

Zhu Jishi looked at the Countess in confusion. Her eyes became even brighter as she explained, "Don't underestimate women! Don't forget, the current ruler of the British Empire is a queen! Female Grand Dukes, Duchesses, Marchionesses, and Countesses are not uncommon in Europe. Moreover, socializing is very important in Europe. A member of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal Academy is certainly part of the upper class, but what status you have in the upper class depends on the thoughts of the 'hostesses' of the Omarque Club."

"Status in the upper class? What does that mean? What's the use?" Zhu Jishi's social circle had always been limited to university classmates and teachers. He didn't know that relationships, connections, and backgrounds could be obtained through socializing... otherwise, even if you had money, you wouldn't have the means to bribe! In 19th-century Europe, the social circle of the British upper class was a field of fame and fortune, and the complex relationships and unwritten rules were far beyond what an outsider like Zhu Jishi could understand.

Isabel didn't have the patience to explain everything to him and changed the topic, "Romana told me you plan to merge the shares of your pharmaceutical company and rubber products company to form a holding company?"

Zhu Jishi nodded, "I plan to have Kosper serve as the CEO of the holding company and give him 10% of the shares."

Isabel smiled slightly, "You're doing the right thing. Kosper has a large family behind him, and they have considerable influence in the New World and many friends and in-laws in Europe. Through their connections, your drugs can quickly gain a foothold in Europe and the New World." She paused and looked at Zhu Jishi, "Give Romana some shares too, and let her be your lover. Take good care of her for me."

Zhu Jishi nodded gently, "I have the same plan and intend to give her 10% of the shares."

Isabel pondered for a moment and said slowly, "If you want me to be your lover, and if I want 5%, would that be too much to ask?"

Zhu Jishi nodded; this request was indeed not excessive. Without Isabel's help, it would be hard to say whether Zhu Jishi could even stand his ground in Britain, let alone achieve today's success.

"Isabel, I can give you the shares."

"Do you want to go to bed with me?" The Countess winked at Zhu Jishi. Zhu Jishi was taken aback and shook his head, "Isabel, what kind of person do you take me for?"

"You don't want me?" Isabel blinked at him, then suddenly smiled bitterly, "Jason, I'm different from Romana. I am one of the 'hostesses' of the Omarque Club, essentially a high-class socialite, but I won't give up this profession."

How does this sound like a prostitute who has given up on herself? Zhu Jishi thought.

"Deceiving the wealth of men in the British upper class is my way of life," Isabel looked at Zhu Jishi and smiled, "Are you disappointed?"

"Are all the 'hostesses' of the Omarque Club like you?" Zhu Jishi changed the topic.

"Most are not," Isabel shook her head and smiled, "The Omarque Club is not a brothel! In fact, most of the 'hostesses' are very wealthy and do not rely on men for a living. They come to the Omarque Club for entertainment... seducing European celebrities is a form of enjoyment for them. There are also many young men from the upper class who, despite having little wealth, find well-paying and respectable jobs through their connections."

Is this woman telling the truth? Zhu Jishi was a bit skeptical. However, Isabel was not lying to Zhu Jishi. The British and European upper classes were indeed a place of luxury and debauchery, though not all men and women in the upper class were adulterers... but there were many such people. For example, Lord Palmerston, the British Foreign Secretary who advocated the Opium War against China, was a British politician who rose to prominence through the Omarque Club. In his youth, he was a poor nobleman burdened with debt from his father, but he "conquered" three of the seven most noble 'hostesses' in the Omarque Club, including the "Grand Tutor" of Queen Victoria, the sister of Lord Melbourne (the mother of Lord Melbourne was also a 'hostess' of the Omarque Club with countless lovers). He used their wealth and connections to become a rising star in British politics and later became Prime Minister. However, he was despised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for having an affair with the Queen's maid in Buckingham Palace.

"It seems you don't like the Omarque Club much?" Isabel looked at Zhu Jishi's expression, "But the European upper class is like this. If you want to achieve something in Europe, you have to learn to adapt. Otherwise, what can you do?"