But when it was his turn, he couldn't show off like that. Even with close friends and family, he had to give them a lot of advice. Those who didn't know Li Bingjie's identity could understand, but those who did know would definitely include a warning in their advice.
Well, why do you have to sneak around to get a wife?
The Audi A8 cruised smoothly along the highway from Fuhe City to the western suburbs. Inside, Li Bingjie leaned wearily against Xu Zhengyang's chest, her face beaming with a happy smile and a blush of shyness. Of course, she wasn't the type to willingly lean against Xu Zhengyang, especially with Li Chengzong driving and Qingling in the passenger seat.
But Xu Zhengyang is now extremely shameless. When he thinks of something that makes him happy, he gently stretches out his arm and pulls Li Bingjie into his arms, stroking her soft, long hair. Li Bingjie doesn't struggle at all, letting Xu Zhengyang hold her. She thinks to herself that it feels nice to be in Zhengyang's arms.
"I didn't steal my wife, did I?" Xu Zhengyang muttered under his breath.
Li Bingjie looked up, her eyes wide as she stared at Xu Zhengyang, completely bewildered by his seemingly nonsensical remark. A moment later, she understood his meaning, her face flushing even more, and she said softly with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry."
"Hmm? It's nothing." Xu Zhengyang smiled and shook his head, gently patting Li Bingjie's hair.
The young woman in the front passenger seat, Qingling, wore a cold expression, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Who was Xu Zhengyang? His skills were simply astonishing. Indeed, as an excellent bodyguard, she often noticed someone not under her protection and immediately considered how dangerous that person might be.
Clearly, Xu Zhengyang poses an extremely high risk.
But Li Chengzong, who was driving, was thinking to himself: Your wife is practically stolen from me.
Unexpectedly, because he kept saying it, even though he didn't say it aloud, Xu Zhengyang still noticed it and glared at Li Chengzong through the rearview mirror.
Feeling the gaze reflected in the rearview mirror, Li Chengzong's heart skipped a beat. He knew there were some things that absolutely could not be known to the young lady. It was as if Xu Zhengyang's stern warning echoed in his mind: "It's good that you know!"
Li Chengzong smiled bitterly and shook his head. It seemed he felt guilty and would carry this burden for the rest of his life. Otherwise, why would he be so nervous?
In the back seat, Xu Zhengyang said with a touch of emotion, "Happiness came...too fast."
Li Bingjie smiled sweetly and shyly.
These two were different from ordinary people, so why would they care about romantic dates or moonlit walks? You understand me, I understand you, and we are of one mind – that is happiness and love.
The Audi slowly drove off the road and headed towards the courtyard house not far away.
In the dead of winter, because the residents here are no longer the same as before, the snow that had accumulated on the path for many days had not been cleared away. Only by looking at the clear tire tracks on the road could one know that this was the place where the courtyard house was originally lived.
On Xiaowang Mountain behind the courtyard house, the snow and trees created an even more desolate and chilly atmosphere.
The Qinghe River flows slowly, and occasionally the shallow water along the riverbank freezes over. Evergreen aquatic plants sway gently in the thin ice as the water ripples.
The roof tiles and eaves were covered in snow, but the area in front of the gate was swept clean. However, the path to the west of the gate and the parking space to the east were left uncleaned, with a thick layer of snow and a trail of slightly dirty snowflakes after the previously cleared snow piled up on top. There were also messy footprints on the path to the east.
Captain Wang Yonggan of the Ghost Guards explained, "Those are the marks left by the two guards in the courtyard when they exercise every day."
Xu Zhengyang nodded slightly.
The courtyard gate was already wide open, and Chen Hanzhe and Zhu Jun, dressed in black overcoats, stood inside, their faces bearing slightly helpless and bitter smiles. This was, of course, a show for Li Chengzhong, hoping that Li Chengzhong would transfer them back and stop them from doing this meaningless guard work.
The Audi A8 drove straight into the yard.
When Li Chengzong got out of the car, Qingling had already gotten out first and opened the back door. Li Bingjie got out of the car, while Xu Zhengyang got out from the other side.
The young couple stood in the courtyard, lost in thought.
"Oh, Brother Zhengyang is here." The nanny, Xiao Zhou, came out of the house and greeted Xu Zhengyang with a smile as soon as she saw him. At the same time, she looked at Li Bingjie with a puzzled expression.
"Xiao Zhou, cook a couple more dishes this morning," Xu Zhengyang said as he walked to the back of the car.
As Xiao Zhou responded, Jiang Lan also came out of the main room.
Jiang Lan used to be full of energy, looking like she was in her forties even though she was in her fifties. But now she looks much older. Because she hasn't dyed her hair for a long time, the white hairs on her head are very obvious, the wrinkles on her face are also much more obvious, and she looks very haggard.
Li Chengzong opened the trunk, and he and Xu Zhengyang took out the gifts they had bought.
"Mom," Li Bingjie called softly. Then, she clasped her hands together, blushing, and walked over.
"Oh, oh." Jiang Lan's eyes instantly filled with tears. She walked down the steps, opened her arms, hugged her daughter, and choked out a sob.
Xu Zhengyang coughed lightly.
Jiang Lan suddenly realized what was happening, quickly wiped away her tears, and said with a smile, "Quick, let's go inside, it's so cold..."
Li Chengzong did not enter the house, but went to the west room with Zhu Jun and Chen Hanzhe.
Qingling followed them into the main hall and living room.
In the living room, a simple meal had already been laid out on the table, and they were preparing to have lunch. Unexpectedly, Xu Zhengyang and the others arrived without even saying hello.
Xiao Zhou, being very sensible, quickly tidied up the table and prepared to cook a new meal.
Jiang Lan also quickly went to help with the arrangements, just like a typical woman in a family who is busy when guests arrive.
Li Bingjie was quite puzzled. What was wrong with her mother?
"Auntie, please don't bother, have a seat." Xu Zhengyang said politely with a smile.
"Ah? It's nothing, it's nothing," Jiang Lan quickly said. Then she saw Xu Zhengyang give her a subtle wink and immediately understood. She forced a smile and said, "I'll go wash my hands. You guys sit down first."
On the sofa, Li Bingjie frowned slightly, looked at Xu Zhengyang with a puzzled expression, and whispered, "Zhengyang, what's wrong with Mom?"
Although the voice was soft, it was full of doubt and a hint of dissatisfaction.
Xu Zhengyang let out a long sigh, held Li Bingjie's small hand, and said calmly, "Isn't she alright like this now?"
Li Bingjie was taken aback, and lowered her head to say, "But, but..."
"I know." Xu Zhengyang patted Li Bingjie's small hand.
This matter could no longer be kept secret forever. The incredibly intelligent Li Bingjie knew her mother all too well; how could she not see through the deception? Moreover, Jiang Lan was, after all, her mother, and that bond of kinship was something that could never be severed. Furthermore, Jiang Lan truly loved her daughter.
Fortunately, Li Bingjie did not press the matter further. She understood her mother, and she also understood Xu Zhengyang.
Just as Xu Zhengyang said, isn't Jiang Lan good as she is now?
To be fair, Li Bingjie had to admit that her mother was doing a good job. However, due to some forceful coercion, her mother's personality had changed drastically, which Li Bingjie was somewhat unwilling to accept.
Xu Zhengyang thought helplessly, "If Li Bingjie knew that her mother, because of provoking him and blaspheming God, only had two years left to live, and that she would suffer from illness and die in the last year, how would Li Bingjie feel? Sigh..."
Jiang Lan brought in a cup of hot tea and smiled as she poured it for the two of them. She then sat down on the sofa opposite them. She seemed to have just noticed Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie holding hands intimately, and she was momentarily stunned.
“Auntie, Bingjie and I are getting engaged.” Xu Zhengyang said with a smile, “We hope you can agree. We’ve already spoken to Uncle Li, and he asked us to come and ask you.”
"What?" Jiang Lan's eyes widened instantly. She had considered that her daughter and Xu Zhengyang would eventually be together, and no one could stop Xu Zhengyang. But she never expected that, having just been knocked down from her high position, she would suddenly be marrying her daughter.
This is tantamount to adding insult to injury, or rubbing salt into a wound.
But what could she do?
"He...he agreed?"
"Mm." Xu Zhengyang nodded.
Li Bingjie blushed, lowered her head, and pulled her hand away from Xu Zhengyang's.
Jiang Lan bit her lip, enduring the excruciating pain in her heart, took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "Bingjie, are you willing?"
Li Bingjie lowered her head so much that her face was almost touching her chest.
"All right."
Jiang Lan smiled, a very bitter smile.
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 240: They're all adults now.
It was the twelfth lunar month, and the weather was freezing cold. Water would freeze instantly.
On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the sun shone brightly and the sky was clear, a rare sunny day in winter.
The courtyard of Xu Zhengyang's house in Shuanghe Village was unusually lively. The festive atmosphere dispelled the chill and made the entire courtyard and surrounding area much warmer.
In the place where Xu Zhengyang lived, the local customs did not involve grand engagements. Instead, relatives from both sides, the matchmaker, and close friends were invited to the house for a meal and drinks. The couple would then set a wedding date. This was the engagement ceremony.
It's naturally different from weddings, where relatives, friends, and neighbors gather. Well, the more people, the more lively, the better.
However, Xu Zhengyang's engagement was still much grander than the engagements of other families in the village.
The main room, the east room, the west room—every large room was furnished with rented round tables and stools; several large stoves were also built under the locust trees on the east side of the courtyard gate. Several large pots were set up, steaming hot… It was no smaller than a wedding scene in an ordinary family, except that they were missing red flags hanging on the door, couplets pasted on both sides, and loudspeakers placed on the roof.
No matter what conflicts may have occurred between relatives in the past, they are still relatives after all. This engagement is a big event, and it is necessary to inform them. These relatives, of course, will not and dare not refuse, and are even more reluctant to sever ties with Xu Zhengyang's family. On the other hand, the neighbors must be invited, and Xu Zhengyang's friends need to come and help entertain the guests. After all the work is done, two separate tables will be set up in the evening for a meal and drinks to celebrate.
Yuan Suqin and Xu Neng were overjoyed. Their lives had been full of ups and downs over the past few years, with moments of joy and sorrow. Now, their son was getting engaged. What is the greatest wish of parents?
Isn't it all about having children who can get married, start their own families, and live a good life?
The news of Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie's engagement came so suddenly, as if a beautiful and accomplished bride had suddenly fallen from the sky. How could they not properly arrange the engagement?
Besides, making the event more lively and grander would be a good way to show respect to the in-laws.
Although only Jiang Lan, an important figure, came from the in-laws' family, along with two guards and a nanny to make an appearance, the Xu couple still couldn't be careless. After all, the engagement ceremony at home was over, and they still had to go to the capital. Their father-in-law had sincerely invited them all to come, so they couldn't make it too shabby, could they?
That makes sense, after all, engagements should be celebrated with a banquet at the bride's home.
Well, this is a special case, so let's just call it a special case.
In the west wing of the main room, a bedroom specially prepared for Li Bingjie, was a room divided into inner and outer sections by a wooden partition wall. Li Bingjie and her mother, Jiang Lan, sat on the sofa in the outer room, exchanging pleasantries with the women from the Xu family and their relatives who came and went.
In fact, Jiang Lan didn't like this kind of scene. Although it was lively, it was also a bit noisy, and she couldn't get used to the enthusiasm of these rural women.
People are reciprocal, so these rural women could see and understand this, and therefore did not linger in the house trying to win their favor. Although Jiang Lan and her daughter did not treat them coldly, they both smiled and were very polite.
Finally, the room became quiet for a while.
Jiang Lan sighed softly.
Li Bingjie looked at her mother and said softly, "Mom, you..."
"It's alright, Bingjie, Mommy's happy, really happy." Jiang Lan smiled and hugged her daughter, tears welling in her eyes. Now, Jiang Lan had completely come to terms with it. All along, she had been so doting and loving towards her daughter—her love had been selfish, excessive, and narrow-minded, reaching an extreme. Now, thinking about it, wasn't her daughter marrying Xu Zhengyang the best outcome?
In terms of excellence, although Xu Zhengyang's background, education, and some superficial qualities are really not up to par, his daughter is happy with him. Moreover, Xu Zhengyang is so excellent in all aspects that he is "abnormal". Who can compare with him?
Besides, it's her daughter's choice and she's happy. Xu Zhengyang is a loyal and affectionate person, not the kind of womanizer.
In terms of family background, both sides are well-off, not to mention materially. In terms of character, the father-in-law is an honest and kind man, and the mother-in-law is also a kind-hearted person. Although their overall qualities are not good, their good hearts are more important than anything else.
"Mom, I'm sorry." Li Bingjie said, tears streaming down her face.
She could imagine that for her mother, with her personality, to undergo such a drastic change in mindset in such a short time, she must have been under immense external pressure, perhaps even forced coercion. And the only person capable of doing all this was Xu Zhengyang, a deity.
The reason is simple: who is Jiang Lan? Li Lao and Li Ruiyu can be considered the strongest of the strong, right? In all these decades, how could they have changed Jiang Lan's personality even a little bit?
However, Li Bingjie could not blame Xu Zhengyang for anything.
It wasn't that Li Bingjie harbored too much resentment towards her mother; it was simply due to her unique personality. She always viewed people and situations with extreme fairness. She was well aware of her mother Jiang Lan's actions. Given Xu Zhengyang's temperament, it was largely because of Li Bingjie that he showed leniency towards her mother—in fact, from another perspective, he was helping Jiang Lan. Regardless of what he did, it ultimately led Jiang Lan to this point. Wouldn't it be the best outcome if she could truly change her personality, relax, and stop thinking about how to be competitive, getting stuck in a rut, and hurting others while suffering herself?
"Bingjie, as long as you live a good life from now on, Mom has nothing else to worry about." Jiang Lan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, raised her hand to wipe her daughter's tears, cupped her daughter's face, and showed a sincere, genuine, and kind smile. "Before, it was Mom who was wrong..."
Li Bingjie opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but Jiang Lan shook her head and said with a smile, "Let's not talk about these things. Today is your engagement, so you should be happy, shouldn't you?"
"Mmm." Li Bingjie nodded, but couldn't stop the tears from welling up again.