"Who are you?" Lu Chi looked at Xu Ke coldly, asking a question to which he already knew the answer.
"I'm Lin ngyao's husband. My na is Xu Ke." Xu Ke straightened his chest, asserting his claim over Lin ngyao.
"Xu Ke? You're Xu Ke?" Lu Chi withdrew his friendly expression, slipped his hands into his pockets, and scrutinized Xu Ke with a critical eye, "So you're that useless live-in son-in-law of the Lin Family. I really don't know what kind of incense you burned in your previous life to actually marry Lin ngyao."
Lu Chi spoke so loudly that it attracted the attention of everyone around, and snapped the still-stunned Lin ngyao back to reality.
Xu Ke's performance was vastly different from usual. Normally, no matter how others humiliated him, he would just comply ekly. This ti, he was so assertive, which greatly surprised Lin ngyao.
"Even a toad like can taste swan at, but what about soone like you, who jumps around under a swan's feet yet doesn't even touch a feather? Aren't you even worse than a toad?" Xu Ke retorted unceremoniously at Lu Chi's provocation.
Li Lihua suddenly rushed over, kicking Xu Ke's calf and angrily said, "You jinx, what nonsense are you spouting? Quickly apologize to Young Master Lu." She gave Xu Ke a warning glare before turning to Lu Chi with a fawning smile, "Young Master Lu, please don't be angry. This man has a screw loose. I'll make him apologize to you right away."
Lu Chi suppressed his words, instead watching Xu Ke with a look of anticipation as if waiting for a show, patiently awaiting Xu Ke's apology with a superior deanor.
Xu Ke stood rigidly, as straight as a javelin, and looked at Lu Chi coldly, showing no intention of apologizing.
For a mont, the air seed to freeze.
Li Lihua, frustrated by the lack of an apology from Xu Ke, beca flustered and yelled, "Can't you hear telling you to apologize? Are you defying now?"
"Mom, let's talk about this at ho." Lin ngyao tugged at Li Lihua's sleeve, whispering, her body irritated by the sound of snickering and the gleeful stares around them.
"Why are you pulling ? Just because he's a useless wretch, can't I say a word to him?" Li Lihua shook off Lin ngyao's hand and snapped, playing the role of a shrew perfectly.
Lin ngyao stood there, enduring the contemptuous, disdainful, and superior gazes of others. Her body felt rigid like a block of stone, while her heart was cold as ice.
Looking at Lin ngyao, Xu Ke felt a pang in his heart. He couldn't bear for Lin ngyao to feel this way anymore. Suppressing the anger in his heart, he slowly said, "I'm sorry. It was my fault. Please forgive ."
Upon hearing Xu Ke's apology, Lu Chi waved it off magnanimously, "It's nothing important. Since you apologized sincerely, let's just forget it." Lu Chi waved his hand dismissively, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain, not comprehending why Lin ngyao would willingly marry soone like this.
"What are you still standing here for? Young Master Lu has generously spared you. Aren't you going to thank him quickly?" Li Lihua glared at Xu Ke with a look of frustration, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt and disgust.
Who knows what kind of nonsense Xu Ke fed Dad back then? Suitors who pursued ngyao could have circled Luo City, but Dad insisted on marrying ngyao to such a useless man. Three years and not a shred of success, only knowing how to do housework while all the household expenses were left to ngyao. Never have I seen a man more pathetic than him.
Xu Ke clenched his fists tightly. Just as he was about to bow his head again, Lin ngyao, who had been standing stiffly, spoke, "Although his words were unintentional, I still want to thank you for not taking them to heart."
Looking at Lin ngyao's fair and delicate face, Lu Chi's eyes revealed a hint of infatuation, and he said, "ngyao, this was just a case of eting the wrong person. You haven't done anything wrong."
Lin ngyao forced a smile and turned to leave, but Lu Chi didn't pursue her again.
After taking a few steps, Li Lihua tugged on Lin ngyao's arm so hard that Lin ngyao nearly stumbled into the dining table behind her. Fortunately, Xu Ke, who had been keeping a close eye on Lin ngyao's every move, acted quickly to prevent Lin ngyao from being embarrassed.
"Thank you." Stabilized by Xu Ke, Lin ngyao gently patted her still-frightened chest and quietly thanked Xu Ke.
"Why thank him? Does a piece of trash deserve your thanks?" Li Lihua looked at Xu Ke with disdain, speaking in a mocking tone.
"Don't leave after the party; I have sothing to say to you, got it?" Ignoring Lin ngyao's reaction, Li Lihua tugged at her arm and instructed, as if the situation weren't suitable for private discussions now. If it were not for the improper occasion, she wouldn't want to wait even a minute longer. Seeing Lin ngyao nodding in agreent, she walked toward the socialite circle of Luo City.
When Li Lihua left, the atmosphere between Lin ngyao and Xu Ke imdiately fell silent. Lin ngyao looked at Xu Ke's face, wanting to say sothing but swallowing her words, only letting out a sigh instead.
Xu Ke watched Lin ngyao's departing back, a hint of disappointnt in his eyes.
Is she really disappointed in ?
The engagent ceremony was lively, but Xu Ke was like an invisible person; no one paid any attention to him, as if he didn't belong at this event.
The engagent ceremony finally concluded at dusk; the guests left in groups of two or three, Lin ngyao's family leaving by car while Xu Ke could only ride his electric bike ho.
As soon as he walked through the door, Li Lihua glared at Xu Ke, "This useless guy actually knows to co ho? Our Lin Family has supported you for three years, so you'd better divorce by tomorrow morning and let this jinx roll back to wherever he ca from."
"Mom!" Xu Ke's body stiffened, looking at Li Lihua in shock.
"Don't call Mom. You'd better look in the mirror and see what kind of ghost you are. Do you think soone like you deserves our ngyao? ngyao married you for three years, serving as your nominal wife—that's already more fortune than you deserve. What? You're not satisfied and want our ngyao to waste her whole life on you? I'm telling you, as long as I'm alive, this won't happen." Li Lihua sized up Xu Ke from top to bottom, her eyes filled with disdain and contempt without the slightest attempt to hide it.
Xu Ke hastily said, "Mom, I will provide ngyao with a better life. Please believe ."
"Tsk!" Li Lihua spat forcefully on the ground, displaying none of the composure a rich family's matron should have.
"Provide our ngyao with a better life? With your impoverished look, how can you do that? Which of what you eat, use, or live in isn't provided by our Lin Family? And you claim to give ngyao a better life? Hmph, what a joke."
"Even if you could give our ngyao a better life, how good could it be? Could it be better than the life Young Master Lu could provide for our ngyao? If you really want what's best for ngyao, you'd divorce ngyao, and quit those empty promises of working hard and progressing. Do you think I'm still a middle school student who could be swayed by a painted pie from you?"
The more excited Li Lihua beca, the more she wanted to continue, but Lin ngyao, who remained silent all along, spoke up, "Mom, I will not get a divorce."
Lin ngyao's words were like a basin of cold water poured over Li Lihua's heart, and like a thunderbolt striking everyone else's ears.
"What did you say? Say it again." Lin ngyao's sister, Lin ngchen, widened her eyes in disbelief.
This older sister, always overshadowing her since childhood, was soone she didn't like. When Lin ngyao was down, she even secretly rejoiced for a while, but that didn't an she wanted a pathetic man as her brother-in-law, dragging her to be ridiculed daily.
She thought Lin ngyao felt the sa. Who wanted their husband to be a useless wretch? But then she said she wouldn't divorce. Is she crazy?
Facing her family's incredulous expressions, Lin ngyao reaffird her words once more, "I won't get a divorce."
This ti, Li Lihua, who was shocked, finally ca back to her senses, "Are you crazy? Do you know what you're saying?"
"I know exactly what I want, and I promised Grandpa I wouldn't get a divorce."
Li Lihua wanted to say sothing, but Lin Shichang held her wrist, "Why are you pulling ?" Li Lihua looked at Lin Shichang with questioning eyes.
Lin Shichang understood Lin ngyao better than Li Lihua, her mother. Since childhood, this daughter was stubborn. Once she made up her mind, not even ten horses could pull her back, the type who would never turn back even after hitting a wall.
The father and daughter exchanged a long look across the room. Even the usually loud Li Lihua sensed sothing was off and started quieting down.
Lin Shichang examined his daughter inch by inch. Despite Li Lihua's minor faults, she was stunningly beautiful in her youth, winning Lin Shichang's heart at first sight, so he married her against his family's wishes. Their daughter, Lin ngyao, inherited their best traits, being even more beautiful than her mother when she was young. Thus, Lin Shichang treated Lin ngyao well, never fully abandoning her even when she was kicked out of the center.
But when Lin ngyao refused Li Lihua's request just now, Lin Shichang decided to give up on this daughter. A daughter destined to be tied to a worthless man might as well be a waste herself; simply put, Lin Shichang no longer saw any value in Lin ngyao.
"You're not the sa as when you were a child. You've grown, and as parents, we won't force you anymore. But let's be upfront: since you've made your decision, I hope you can bear the consequences yourself. We, as your parents, won't help you anymore."
Gazing at her father's stern face, Lin ngyao nodded.
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