The sparkling crystal chandelier hung from the four-meter-high dome of the Lily Hall. A T-shaped stage was set up in the hall, covered with a brand new, perfectly fitted red carpet, and bouquets of red roses were placed on both sides of the stage.
On the thirty banquet tables, each had two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes, a bottle of Wuliangye, and two large bottles of Coke and Sprite.
After Hu Qian pushed Luo Meihong’s wheelchair into the Lily Hall, she scanned the room with a complicated expression.
She had once accompanied her father to a wedding of a prominent figure’s daughter. The scale was grand; the hall had two floors, and the bride descended slowly from the second-floor staircase in her wedding dress, her veil trailing on the ground, almost as long as the bride herself.
She clearly remembered that at that wedding, every table had a bottle of Maotai, which was much more expensive than Wuliangye.
She remembered these details vividly because she had thought that when she got married, she would have a similar grand occasion.
But now…
Hu Qian even felt that her own wedding might not be as grand as her aunt’s.
Thinking of this, Hu Qian felt a tightness in her chest.
Hu Xingfa, who had already found his name card and sat down, asked Hu Qian, “Hu Qian, have you seen Liu Chen and your Aunt Liu Fang?”
Hu Qian shook her head, not mentioning that she had seen Liu Chen in the corridor earlier.
Luo Meihong, sitting in her wheelchair, spoke up:
“Why are you looking for those two women?”
Hu Xingfa glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot, then explained to his mother:
“That woman, Liu Fang, I heard her wholesale business is doing quite well now, earning hundreds of thousands a year. If I remarried her, Mom, you would also have someone to look after you, and those hundreds of thousands would be ours too.”
Upon hearing that Liu Fang was now earning hundreds of thousands a year, Luo Meihong nodded in approval:
“Alright then, these years after the divorce, she should have realized how difficult it is for a woman to work hard on her own.”
Hu Qian heard the conversation between mother and son clearly and even felt the urge to laugh.
Liu Chen and her mother, earning hundreds of thousands a year, what else could they do but come back to remarry her father?
If their father’s income of one to two million a year was still there, one could say it was for the money’s sake, enduring it.
But now, their father’s company’s excavators had been repossessed for debt, leaving only five, and their family car had also been repossessed. Their annual income combined was probably less than that of Liu Chen and her mother.
Why would they remarry?
Luo Meihong was about to say something more when suddenly the crystal chandeliers in the Lily Hall dimmed, music began to play, and a beam of light shone onto the main doors of the hall.
The doors slowly opened, and Hu Min entered, her arm linked with Liu Fang’s.
Liu Fang was wearing a dark red qipao today, which accentuated her fair and smooth skin. Her black hair was styled up, and her face was adorned with heavy makeup applied by a makeup artist for half an hour, which, under the spotlight, made Liu Fang’s features even more three-dimensional.
She exuded the aura of a Xinjiang beauty.
Of course, that was also thanks to Liu Chen secretly using the mascara and contour brush rewarded by the system.
But Hu Xingfa didn’t know this; he only felt that Liu Fang looked even prettier than when he saw her on New Year’s Eve.
Had she learned to be bad after getting rich and gone for plastic surgery?
The wedding ceremony was successfully completed. Hu Min cried like a fountain on stage, and Wang Dong vowed to take good care of her for the rest of his life, which barely comforted her.
The elderly Mrs. Wang, sitting in the audience, looked displeased when she heard her grandson making such vows.
“On such a joyous occasion, crying incessantly, you are diminishing your fortune!”
These words happened to reach Luo Meihong’s ears, as she sat in her wheelchair with her back to Mrs. Wang. Although Luo Meihong usually disliked Hu Min, thinking her daughter was unlucky, her dislike was one thing.
But if an outsider spoke ill of her daughter, that was unacceptable!
In the past, Luo Meihong would have started a quarrel right away. However, after half a year of tempering her temper in the nursing home, she now knew that apart from her own family, outsiders would not be polite to her.
So, Luo Meihong merely turned her head and said to Hu Qian, who was sitting beside her, “Some people, lacking fortune in their destiny, love to say others have diminished their fortune. Those with true fortune wouldn’t say such things.”
Liu Chen, sitting at a table separated by one from the two main tables, was somewhat surprised by the exchange between the two elderly women. She had almost thought Luo Meihong would flip the table and start a fight again. She didn’t expect that after more than half a year, Luo Meihong had evolved!
After the ceremony concluded, the crystal chandeliers hanging from the dome lit up again. The curtains of the Lily Hall were also opened by the staff, and light flooded the entire hall.
Hu Xingfa also saw Liu Fang walking from the backstage area to a table near him. Beside her was the flamboyant man he had met on New Year’s Eve.
To match Liu Fang’s dark red qipao today, Chen Long was specially wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit. Walking together, anyone with a discerning eye would know they were a couple.
“Chenchen, come and eat this three-eyed crab. Mom will peel it for you.” Liu Fang said, picking up a three-eyed crab from her bowl, intending to peel it.
Just then, Liu Fang felt a gaze fixed on her, sticky and as if she were being stared at by a rat from a gutter.
Seeing Liu Fang frown, Chen Long, sitting beside her, thought she had hurt her hand while peeling the crab and reached out to take the crab from Liu Fang.
As Wang Dong reached out, he was stopped by a loud shout:
“Stop!”
The voice was not quiet and was still clear above the background music.
Even Liu Chen looked towards the source of the voice.
Hu Xingfa, who had dressed up for the occasion, was wearing a horizontally striped polo shirt, black suit pants, and black leather shoes. His hair had also been newly cut.
Of course, after dressing up like this, Hu Xingfa, who had arrived by taxi with full confidence, had to admit, despite his reluctance, that Chen Long was dressed even more flashily than him.
However, these details didn’t matter. As long as he made a move and spoke, Liu Fang would surely come running back.
Liu Fang, sitting in her chair, looked at Hu Xingfa approaching her, feeling annoyed.
“Hu Xingfa, may I ask what you need? If there’s nothing, we are going to continue eating.”
Liu Fang tried her best to politely ask Hu Xingfa to leave. It was Hu Min’s big day, and she didn’t want any unpleasantness with Hu Xingfa to mar the occasion.
However, Hu Xingfa didn’t care. In his mind, Liu Fang still loved him; otherwise, why wouldn’t she have remarried after so many years of divorce?
Hu Xingfa smiled in what he thought was a charming way and said,
“I’m here to talk to you. And by the way, you are the mother of the child, after all. Letting a strange man have physical contact with you will be laughed at by relatives if they see it.”
Liu Chen’s gaze shifted from Hu Xingfa to Chen Long.
What would Chen Long’s reaction be when someone called him a stranger next to her mother?
As expected, as soon as Hu Xingfa finished speaking, Chen Long placed his arm on his mother’s shoulder, leaned his upper body slightly towards Liu Fang’s back, and looked at Hu Xingfa standing beside them with Liu Fang, saying, “It’s understandable that this brother is a bit blind, otherwise he wouldn’t have left a woman as wonderful as our Ah Fang. However, if you’re blind, you should see a doctor. Look at our outfits today.
These are proper couple’s outfits, do you understand?
Alas, it’s fine if you don’t understand. You just need to know that I am not the stranger you are talking about. I am Ah Fang’s boyfriend, her future husband, and you are the one who should leave Ah Fang’s life.”
After this long speech, Chen Long didn’t forget to turn his head and ask Liu Fang in her ear, “Ah Fang, do you think I’m right?”
In front of Hu Xingfa, Liu Fang naturally wouldn’t contradict Chen Long. She smiled and nodded, then looked seriously at Hu Xingfa and said, “Chen Long is right, Hu Xingfa. We’ve been divorced for so many years. I don’t think there’s any need to interfere in each other’s lives.
Please return to your seat. It’s Hu Min’s wedding today, and I ask you not to cause any trouble.”
According to Hu Xingfa’s usual temper, he would have stormed off indignantly after hearing such harsh words.
But after hearing this, Hu Xingfa remained standing. Liu Fang’s brows truly furrowed now.
As expected, not only did Hu Xingfa not leave, but he also started lecturing.
“Liu Fang, do you think at your age, a divorced woman with a daughter, why would a middle-aged man like Chen Long pursue you?
Haven’t you considered what makes you better than young girls?
In terms of skin, you’re already forty, right?
In terms of figure, that love handle around your waist, even if your clothes cover it well, what’s the use?
In terms of talent, you didn’t even finish high school.
What does Chen Long want from you? At your age, why are you still so clueless?”
Liu Fang didn’t answer. She also reached out and pressed Chen Long’s hand, stopping him from speaking. She wanted to see what kind of nonsense Hu Xingfa, acting so abnormally today, was going to spew!
Seeing Liu Fang not retort, Hu Xingfa felt even more triumphant. He believed he had surely touched upon Liu Fang’s deepest fears!
If he just persevered a little more, put in a little more effort, he could make Liu Fang realize that.
In this world, the only safe place for her was by his side, back as his wife.
Thinking of this, Hu Xingfa put on a look of deep affection on his face.
“Xiaofang, in this world, besides me, who else can tolerate you?
Remember when we were expecting Chenchen, living in a single room in a self-built house.
Remember after we got married, I went out to work, and you just stayed home to take care of the child and do chores, never having to work so hard like you do now running a shop.
You’ve had enough of throwing tantrums these past few years. Come back, return to my side. We are a couple from our youth who will grow old together.
We…”
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Liu Fang’s cold snort.
“Hmph, Hu Xingfa, after all this, you’re here to ask me to remarry?
Oh, then I’ll be blunt with you, so you don’t waste your time.
In this world, even if you were the only man left, I would absolutely never be with you!”