The Wedding Will Go On as Planned
Qin Yue Yue covered her face and started to cry, and Lin Donghe, seeing this, couldn’t bear it any longer. He demanded, “Hand over that recording!” But before he could make a move, Lin Chuan punched him, knocking him to the ground. Lin’s eldest uncle, furious with his son’s behaviour, kicked him as well. “Serves you right! Have you no conscience? Remember when we were struggling to get by, with barely enough to eat and freezing cold? It was your cousin who sent money from the army to help us through those tough times. And it was your second uncle’s family who supported you, helping you become the village head. And this is how you repay them?”
At this point, Father Lin shouted, “Enough! Both of you, leave!”
Qin Yue Yue, now more frightened than ever, looked at Lin Donghe lying on the ground, then at Lin Chuan. She suddenly approached Lin Chuan and said, “Brother Chuan…”
Lin Chuan glanced at Su Su, who was still on the kang, and instinctively took a big step back. “Call me by my name,” he said coldly.
“Lin Chuan, can we resolve this peacefully?” she pleaded.
“What do you want now?” he asked, his patience wearing thin.
“I’m saying, let’s not make the annulment public and let everyone gossip. Can we wait until I leave for university next year?”
Lin Chuan looked at her in disbelief, but before he could respond, Su Su interjected, “No way. What about our wedding plans?”
Mother Lin turned to look at Su Su, surprised by her seriousness. Was this girl really considering marrying into their family? Whether it was a windfall or not, she couldn’t let Qin Yue Yue take advantage of them any further.
“Everyone here has seen the truth. It’s clear that these two were secretly conspiring together, trying to take advantage of us and stage this whole drama. My son, Lin Chuan, did nothing wrong—it’s them who are at fault. Since they’ve already arranged a bride for us, we’ll proceed with the wedding, but it won’t be with Qin Yue Yue. As for what we tell everyone outside, that should be easy enough. Su Su, why don’t you come up with a reason?” Mother Lin figured that Su Su, being well-read, could craft a good excuse.
Su Su hadn’t expected Mother Lin to throw the ball in her court. Blinking her big eyes at what might be her future mother-in-law, she noticed the woman’s eyes were red, as if she might cry. Given everything she’d been through tonight, Su Su couldn’t refuse. Besides, the reason was practically ready-made.
“That’s simple,” Su Su said with a smile. “Comrade Qin has been accepted into university and is about to embark on her studies. As someone who’s about to receive a modern education, she believes that arranged marriages are outdated, and since she doesn’t have feelings for Lin Chuan, she decided to call off the engagement. As for her and Lin Donghe’s relationship…” Su Su pulled out the recording device and twirled it in her hand. “I won’t say anything publicly, but if you cause any more trouble, don’t blame me for what happens next.” She then slipped the recorder back into her pocket.
Even the most naive person could understand that if Qin Yue Yue used that excuse to break off the engagement, her remaining time in the village would be far from easy. Her face turned pale as she quickly said, “We can’t say that.”
“Lin Chuan,” Su Su called out.
“Here,” Lin Chuan responded immediately, snapping to attention as if he were still in the army. He was so nervous that he almost saluted. Sweat began to bead on his forehead.
Su Su softened her tone, realizing she might have come on too strong. “If she doesn’t agree to that, you could always share the recording with…”
“I agree. Let’s do it your way,” Qin Yue Yue interrupted, clenching her fists. But when she looked at Su Su, her eyes were filled with resentment. Lin Chuan, however, moved to block her view, showing an unexpected protective side.
It turned out Lin Chuan could be this protective, but Qin Yue Yue had never seen him act like this toward her.
Feeling disheartened, Qin Yue Yue turned to leave, but Mother Lin stopped her. “I remember we gave you betrothal gifts before. I won’t ask for anything else, but that hundred yuan was meant for my daughter-in-law, not for you.”
“I won’t keep the money. I’ll return it tomorrow,” Qin Yue Yue replied with a flash of pride, then turned and ran out.
Lin Donghe wanted to chase after her, but his father called him back. Lin’s eldest uncle then turned to Father Lin and said, “My son was in the wrong, and I’ll deal with him when we get home. As for your family’s matters…”
“We’ll handle them ourselves,” Father Lin replied, glaring at Lin Donghe before sighing and reaching for his tobacco pipe, which was quickly snatched away by his son.
The memory of a painful past came to Father Lin, and he glanced at Su Su, who was still on the kang. He seemed to understand something—perhaps this was fate. There was nothing he could do to change it.
Once everyone had left, Mother Lin finally had a chance to light an oil lamp. She looked over at Su Su, who now seemed much quieter, clearly worn out from the ordeal.
“Dear, I’m sorry you had to go through this. I promise this won’t get out. You’re welcome to stay with us. From now on, we’ll be like your real parents, and Lin Chuan will be like your real brother.”
“…” No, Su Su didn’t want a brother like that. But when she glanced at Lin Chuan, she noticed he had turned away, seemingly uninterested in discussing the matter further.
“But I already said I would marry him. And besides, if I don’t, what will you do?” Su Su pointed out. The wedding had already been announced, and relatives and friends were set to arrive. Unlike modern times, you couldn’t just cancel a wedding on a whim. Travel was difficult, and some guests would be traveling for a day or two just to get there. What would happen if the wedding was called off?
Father Lin sighed, but before he could respond, Lin Chuan suddenly took two steps forward and stood by the kang. “Comrade Su, you have to understand that if we get married, you’ll be my wife. There will be no turning back.”
His tone was firm, almost intimidating.
“What… you actually want me to back out?” Su Su swallowed nervously. Earlier, she had spoken out of impulse, but now that she thought about it, marrying him didn’t seem like a bad idea. But Lin Chuan’s fierce expression made it clear he wasn’t thrilled about it. His bulging veins made her reconsider—if he didn’t want this, then maybe they should just forget about it. They could take their time and see what happened. After all, the engagement was off, and she could slowly build a relationship with him later.
Lin Chuan hesitated, then finally said, “No, I don’t want you to back out.”
“Actually, about this… What did you say?” Su Su’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I don’t want you to back out,” Lin Chuan repeated. Only a fool would want that.
Both Father Lin and mother were stunned. They knew Su Su had spoken in anger to get back at Qin Yue Yue, but now it seemed like things were taking a serious turn.
“I said, I don’t want you to back out. But you need to be sure about what you’re saying. Are you serious about this?” Lin Chuan’s body was tense, but his words were straightforward, expressing his true feelings.
“I… I always mean what I say. So, do you want to marry me or not?”
Su Su took Lin Chuan’s words seriously and didn’t want to seem like she was being too casual about it.
Lin Chuan felt like he had just struck gold. He had lost one fiancée, but now he had gained a wife out of the blue. And not just any wife—one who was young and educated. If he didn’t marry her, he’d be a fool.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.” His voice was deep and resonant, making Su Su shiver.
She suddenly realised that she had practically forced him into marriage in front of his parents.
But the most surprising part? She had actually succeeded. Blushing furiously, Su Su covered her face, unsure of what to do next.
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