69 Engagement

◎She doesn't choose, she wants them all.◎

After the birthday party, Liang Jiangsheng separated Liang Youwei from the other three, assigning one to the main residence while the other three returned to their own homes. His attitude was resolute and unyielding. Liang Ting'an and Liang Zhihui said nothing, but Liang Jingyi sneered. Before she could speak, her mother silenced her.

"Jingyi, don't you love your sister very much? Why aren't you happy that Weiwei has found a good home? Shao Yue was a bit fickle in the past, but he's grown up now and won't be like that again. Plus, he and Weiwei grew up together and know each other very well. They will definitely be very happy in the future. You don't have to worry about them."

He Jingshu thought her daughter was just reluctant to leave her younger sister. She patted her on the back with a smile and said, "Don't worry, Jingyi. We all live in the capital. It only takes ten minutes to get home. Youwei can still come back often. Don't be sad, ah."

Staring at those eyes that showed no second thoughts, Liang Jingyi was completely speechless.

She didn't have the courage to confess everything to her mother.

What would her mother think if she knew he and Liang Youwei were "having an affair"? A simple woman, living on her own, dependent on her husband, would react to hearing about her adopted daughter and her relationship with him without any thought of soul mate or true love. Instead, she'd likely see immorality and a disregard for ethics as the norm.

No matter how the world views He Jingshu, whether they call her a gold-digger or a person with poor thinking, Liang Jingyi and Liang Youwei are the least qualified to do so.

The grace of giving birth is as great as heaven, and the grace of raising a child is unforgettable. He Jingshu is not one of those vicious bad people. Psychologically and rationally, they can only respect and love their mother and not let her be sad.

Liang Jingyi was too embarrassed to talk about this matter, and even more embarrassed to make his mother worry and sad, and make her feel ashamed and hate him.

What's more, even if we take a step back, there is probably no soul connection between Liang Youwei and me.

My love is a twisted mixture of lust, jealousy and resentment, but what about the other person?

Liang Jingyi didn't know. She didn't even understand why Liang Youwei agreed to her and why she loved her. She was obviously not good to her at all.

Overwhelming confusion came over him, and inexplicable grievances surged even more. Liang Jingyi didn't want to lose his composure in front of them, so he gently pushed He Jingshu's hand away, turned around and left without saying a word.

"Jingyi..."

Ms. He had no idea what was going on in Liang Jingyi's mind. Seeing her leave for no reason, she subconsciously wanted to keep her, but Liang Jiangsheng grabbed her wrist.

His voice was gentle, and he soothed: "Jingyi told me in advance that he still has some work to do, so don't worry about it."

Ms. He was relieved. Thinking that her two daughters were not around, she squeezed Liang Jiangsheng's arm and said, "Then I'll go first too? Today is a big day. Don't be so rude to the two children all the time."

Finally, she kindly added.

The other party nodded: "Well, go back and rest, I'll be back later."

The door closed and only three people were left in the room.

Liang Jiangsheng glanced at the two worried twins with a mocking look: "Don't worry, it's not a life-and-death separation. We won't see each other again. The Shao family will come to propose marriage the day after tomorrow. If you three want to participate, just stay calm."

"Dad, you hate me that much, don't you?"

Liang Ting'an spoke the first words after entering the room. He looked at his father intently with a cold expression.

The corners of his thin lips lifted up. Liang Jiangsheng was even more mean than Liang Jingyi, and he was extremely cold.

"Liang Ting'an, you're much more adept at things like executing first and reporting later, and making a feint to the east and attacking in the west than I am. You even dare to use Yixing as a threat. Do you really think I'm a fool? You're a bastard who doesn't want to make money. I believe your lies."

His tone was disdainful and full of sarcasm.

"Now there are people who are willing to help recognize and raise the child, so you can be happy."

"Now, get out."

·

Two days later, at the Liang family's main residence.

The Shao family arrived early today. Besides Song Yinbing, Shao Feng, and Shao Yue, there were also Shao Qing and his wife, Shao Sheng, and many elders from the Shao family's side branches. The relationship between the Shao and Liang families was unusual, with nearly a hundred people there, and they all knew each other pretty well.

China is a great ancient country with many traditional betrothal ceremonies handed down from generation to generation. However, things change with time. Now in the 21st century, except for families that attach great importance to rituals, few people will adopt such complicated methods.

The Song and Lu families were both politically connected, and the closely connected Shao and Liang families were also low-key and simple. Song Yinbing crossed out any steps that weren't scientifically rigorous.

Shao Feng tried to struggle, but once the two of them started arguing too fiercely, Song Yinbing would get angry and slam the table and say, "Don't believe it!" Shao Feng would then hallucinate the old General Song whom he had met when he was three years old, and immediately wouldn't dare to say a word.

What a joke! Even when his father came, he didn't dare to say a word, right? That's Old Master Song. His great-granddaughter looks exactly like him.

Song Yinbing could tolerate Lao Shao's "feudal superstitions" in his business, after all, he made her a lot of money. But if he insisted on praying to the gods for everything, Song Yinbing would never accept it. She never insisted on "matching horoscopes" or "calculating an auspicious time" for her eldest son's marriage, and the same was true for her second son.

In her opinion, a marriage can be managed by profit, sincerity, and adjustment, but not by "fate." Therefore, she particularly disliked the Qin family, especially Qin Zhenghe's behavior. They almost wanted to treat the Buddhist temple as their home, which was ridiculous.

Removing the parts with "superstitious" connotations, all procedures are carried out according to the rules of the old imperial capital.

The departure was signaled by the firing of cannons, and the welcoming carriage and the handover of betrothal gifts were all carried out in an orderly, solemn and complete manner.

Everyone wore a custom-made red suit, ranging from suits to cheongsams and evening gowns, depending on the wearer's preference. The designs were simple and sophisticated, and at first glance, they were simply beautiful.

The main hall of the Liang family is spacious and bright, more than enough to seat a hundred or so people.

Liang Youwei's outfit today was entirely her own. She wore a bright red, round-necked, double-breasted, buttoned jacket, paired with an ankle-length, A-line, modern Chinese-style maxi skirt. The volume was oversized, a favorite of hers, and the collar, cuffs, hem, and hem were embroidered with butterflies, cloud patterns, and seasonal flowers. The brocade was soft, and the sunlight shimmered like water.

She was very quiet throughout the whole process, without her usual cheerfulness and excitement. Her almond-shaped eyes were timidly restrained, her ears were flushed, and she listened to the matchmaker counting the betrothal gifts.

There is an old saying that "a man doesn't send off a betrothal gift, and a woman doesn't accept one", which means that when a man sends off a betrothal gift, the woman should avoid it. But He Jingshu knew that Liang Youwei was a person who loved to join in the fun, so she pulled out a fan with carved silk embroidered folding screen to block the conversation and let her listen in, just to entertain herself.

I guess she isn't in the mood to play with her phone at this moment?

Liang Jiangsheng stared at the screen with a frown on his face, but He Jingshu found it more and more funny the more she thought about it, and she couldn't help but lower her head and cover her lips.

Ms. He's prediction proved true. Initially, Liang Youwei was still interested in hearing what the Shao family had sent as a betrothal gift. The traditional four-color candies, the "Beijing Eight Delicatessens," glutinous rice and longans, and other food and drink items all sounded quite interesting. But once she entered the sections featuring the various livestock, antique treasure chests, jewelry and clothing, and real estate companies, Liang Youwei began to feel dizzy and drowsy.

But at that moment, her ears were filled with a clamor of activity. Aunt Gu and the others sounded particularly cheerful, saying things like, "How impressive!" and "This will definitely look great on Weiwei." Her spirits were thus lifted, and she couldn't sleep or hear well.

There was no one around to talk to, and Liang Youwei was bored, so she used her long, shiny nail tips to draw a little white cat on the screen.

This seems to be the dowry that Liang Jiangsheng prepared for Ms. He. He specially used the double-sided Suzhou embroidery technique. The painting is a picture of a beauty playing with a cat. The beauty is graceful and the cat is lifelike.

Across the screen, Shao Yue kept his eyes downcast, observing Liang Youwei's condition with his peripheral vision. Seeing that she was a little tired and bored, he quietly turned his body and touched hers with his fingertips through the thin silk.

As if burned, Liang Youwei subconsciously retracted her hand, and it slid away, like a kitten whose belly was suddenly touched.

But within two seconds, she blinked again, touched it carefully, touched it once, and pulled it back; touched it again, and pulled it back again.

Through a piece of paper, Shao Yue chuckled silently, and his brows, which had been tense for a long time, finally relaxed a little.

His fingertips always stayed there, allowing her to explore and touch.

After an unknown amount of time, the list of betrothal gifts was finally read out and it was time to present the marriage certificate.

Liang Youwei, with a rosy complexion, was surrounded by the crowd as she walked out from behind the screen, her steps moderate and her posture dignified. She pursed her delicate lips, a half-shy, half-joyful smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the red and gold brocade scroll was slowly unfolded, revealing the square and powerful regular script characters.

"Mandarin ducks are in peace, the zither and the qin are in harmony. The sun and the moon shine brightly, bearing the grace of heaven; the Milky Way is a clear sign of our bond. This is our testimony, that we shall hold hands now, and for a hundred years we shall never part."

Liang Youwei blinked, feeling a little strange. She had also searched for "marriage certificate" and had never seen anything in this format.

But time waits for no one. Amid the joyful congratulations, Liang Youwei collected her distracted thoughts, fixed her eyes, and took the rosewood goat's hair brush handed to her by Shao Yue.

Roll up your sleeves with one hand and write with the other.

But in a moment, the three elegant and graceful words "Liang Youwei" appeared on the paper, in the most standard small calligraphy with hairpin flowers.

At this point, the marriage certificate ceremony is completed.

Looking at the delicate little characters and hearing people around her saying, "Weiwei's handwriting is so beautiful," Liang Youwei couldn't help but beam with joy.

Of course she is beautiful. She can only write her own name, and she practiced it a hundred times.

Shao Yue was aware of Liang Youwei's physical condition and was afraid that she would hurt herself by bending over repeatedly, so he took the initiative to propose an innovation in the content of the "change of mouth tea" - there was no need to serve tea to all the elders of the Shao family, only the two direct elders needed to be served tea.

Of course, while Liang Youwei was supposed to serve tea, in reality, it was Liang Ting'an who brewed the tea, Shao Yue who poured it, and Liang Youwei was only responsible for receiving and delivering the tea. With Song Yinbing's tacit approval, she didn't even have to bend, just call out "Dad" and "Mom" with a rosy face, and then obediently accept the red envelope from her bank card.

Who among the onlookers couldn't see that Song Yinbing and Shao Feng felt sorry for their second daughter-in-law? The laughter and congratulations became more and more obvious and enthusiastic.

After a lively morning, the Liang family took charge of lunch, which was held at the "Juhuantang" catering hotel under the Yixing Group. The whole place was booked.

Originally, Liang Youwei could handle a series of things, but now she has a child and was too excited in the morning and didn’t eat much. Now, after several processes, her complexion is so bad that even makeup can’t hide it.

Liang Ting'an looked distressed. In a corner of the hotel corridor, a tall and straight figure completely obscured her. He touched her cheek and said, "I'll tell the elders later. I'll take you to rest first, okay?"

Liang Youwei nodded, but soon shook her head again, hesitating: "But brother, will anyone see it?"

"...At least until now, we are still brother and sister."

Liang Ting'an smiled, feeling that it was better than nothing, and slowly took her arm and put it on his forearm. His tolerant voice flowed through his body like a trickle of warm water: "Don't be afraid, brother will support you."

"Brother, won't you blame me?"

Liang Youwei raised her face and asked softly, her fingers gently wrapping around his.

How could I not blame you?

Liang Ting'an held her fingertips, placed them on his lips and kissed them softly: "It doesn't matter. Because love is the greatest."

"...Then, hug me." Liang Youwei sniffed and shook his suit sleeve.

Liang Ting'an paused for a second, then leaned over and said, "Yeah."

Everything was taken in by the pair of peach blossom eyes at the end.

·

Until the lunch banquet was over, the "engagement day" was considered a complete success.

The two families returned to the Liang family in the afternoon to continue discussing more detailed matters.

In the small flower hall, sunlight poured in softly. Liang Youwei poked Shao Sheng, who was wearing a sweatshirt and trousers beside her, and asked curiously in a low voice: "Why are you here too? Isn't there any mandatory requirement in the afternoon?"

As expected, Comrade Xiao Shao would be more suitable to wear something more youthful. Although the suit he wore in the morning looked handsome, it always had a sense of immaturity and lacked a certain feeling.

"Sister Weiwei, this is a big deal for you and my second brother. I'm a member of the Shao family, so of course I have to participate in the whole process." Shao Sheng's eyebrows were dancing with joy, and he whispered, "I didn't even sleep in this morning just to join in the fun. I got up at five. Normally, when I'm in the group, I get up at eleven."

Liang Youwei was curious: "Get up at 11 o'clock? Can idols sleep on the air now?"

"That's not possible. It's mainly because we train in the afternoons and evenings, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., an eight-hour workday. Plus, I read fan mail, news, and keep up with hot topics, so I usually don't go to bed until 1 or 2 a.m.."

Shao Sheng covered his lips and explained his idol's daily life to her, observing from the corner of his eye whether the elders across from him were looking over. Ms. Liang had warned them not to disturb the elders while they were busy.

Liang Youwei felt very curious. She held up her chin, and her gold-sprinkled satin cuffs hung loosely, revealing a small section of her white wrist. From time to time, she touched the sparse branches of forsythia in the Ru kiln vase.

"But if you stay up late for too long, won't your skin be damaged?"

Shao Sheng pretended to think: "It will definitely break down, so I always have a regular schedule. For example, if I stay up late these two days, I will pay more attention to skin care, eat well, exercise seriously, and go to bed early in the next two days."

"That's great. Shengsheng, it seems like you've become more self-disciplined since becoming an idol."

"Hehe, right? Fans like me to dress up nicely. I have a very good aesthetic sense now."

"How good can it be?"

"They say I look like a trendy guy from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, or Shanghai!"

"Wow, it's by the sea, it must be humid!"

"Beautiful women think alike!"

"Why a beautiful woman? Shouldn't it be a hero?"

"Sister is a girl, Xiong is a boy, but beauty can be either man or woman."

The two were chatting animatedly when finally one of them couldn't stand it anymore and coughed lightly.

Shao Sheng was used to being brainless. He said "eh" and looked at the girl who was a million miles away: "Sister Jingyi, are you feeling unwell?"

The seating arrangement this afternoon was quite strange. Sister Weiwei was actually very far away from her brothers and sisters, and not very close to her second brother. Instead, I was her "deskmate".

When Liang Youwei heard Shao Sheng mention her name, she felt bad and quickly pulled the innocent boy's arm: "Shengsheng, my sister just cleared her throat, she's fine."

"Oh." Shao Sheng rubbed the back of his neck nonchalantly, wondering why Liang Jingyi rolled her eyes at him. But then again, she seemed to have rolled her eyes at Qin Zhen-ge too. I just saw that the other night.

Alas, maybe I am born to dislike everyone.

Song Yinbing glanced at the "Children's Area" and gently placed the sunflower-shaped table lamp back on the tray. The blue-white glaze collided without making any sound.

"Jingshu, now that the list of betrothal gifts and dowry has been finalized, shouldn't we discuss the wedding date? It's also important when the two children will get their marriage certificate."

Ms. He nodded. "I mentioned this to Lao Liang last night. He said there's no time to lose and that May would be a good date. As for getting the marriage certificate, it'll only take a few minutes. It all depends on the kids' own decisions."

She had gotten her marriage certificate quite casually back then, seemingly while eating hot pot, when Liang Jiangsheng asked her if she wanted to be with him forever. She thought he was a wealthy man, so of course she nodded immediately, saying yes, and that she was willing to be with him for the rest of her life.

Who knew that Liang Jiangsheng would take her to get her marriage certificate just after lunch? His clothes and makeup were changed on the spot, so fast! Not counting the costume change, the whole process took only five minutes, and she became Mrs. Liang, Mrs. Jiang.

Unlike his two mothers, Shao Feng and Liang Jiangsheng are not only fathers, but also pure-blooded businessmen. In addition to the "orders" between the two parties, what they are more concerned about is the prenuptial agreement.

For families in their circle, marriage is of paramount importance. Their interests are intertwined and intertwined, and any slight change can affect the entire body. There is no room for carelessness, and they must be meticulously calculated and carefully divided.

It's not just a cent, but hundreds of billions or trillions. Who wouldn't feel pain when seeing this?

So, Shao Feng interrupted, his voice steady and very frank: "Jingshu is right. Things like the wedding and getting the marriage certificate should be left to the young people themselves. We adults should focus on solving their worries."

Liang Jiangsheng understood what he meant immediately, paused for two seconds, and then naturally agreed: "Yes. I've drafted a prenuptial agreement, and the Shao family will draft another one. The two combined will be good."

Shao Yue frowned and interrupted: "Dad, Uncle Liang, Weiwei and I can do these things ourselves, there is no need to trouble you."

What this means is that you should just argue over the dowry and gift, and don't worry about their future life.

"Xiao Yue, the elders have their own reasons for doing things, and the younger generation should not interfere or criticize." Shao Qing, still dressed in formal attire, smiled and said slowly, "Dad, Uncle Liang, let's continue our conversation."

Zhao Lingti, who was sitting next to him, also smiled. She placed her fair, soft palms on her knees and said gently, "Yes, Xiaoyue is young after all and doesn't know the importance of marriage. Dad, Shao Qing and I have been working on our prenuptial agreement for a long time, so we can use it as a reference."

Liang Ting'an put down the Dongpo teapot and said calmly, "Sister Ling Ti is right. Our families have been friends for a hundred years. Brothers should settle accounts and make things clear. Only then can we live together for a long time."

Of course a prenuptial agreement must be signed, and it is best to directly write "divorce after the child is born" on it.

Zhao Lingti smiled faintly and nodded at Liang Ting'an. But then another thought struck her, and her brows raised slightly. "But, Mom and Dad, Uncle Liang and Aunt He, it's already the end of March. If we schedule Xiaoyue and Xiaowei's wedding for early May, wouldn't that be too hasty? We might not even be able to get the wedding dress made properly."

She and Shao Qing's wedding took a full year to plan and ensure everything was perfect. There were so many things to do before the wedding: premarital checkups, choosing clothes, taking photos, deciding on guests, arranging the banquet—everything was a hassle.

Take wedding dresses alone, for example. I had to go through at least five or six, both Chinese and Western styles. The customization and alterations alone would have taken at least two or three months to complete, and that's not counting the matching jewelry.

But as far as she knew, the little girl from the Liang family loved beauty very much. If the clothes were not good-looking, the little girl would definitely be unhappy.

He Jingshu finally reacted after hearing this.

Yes, it's only been a month, and even custom-made ones are very troublesome. Weiwei can't just buy a ready-made wedding dress, right? How could her daughter endure such an injustice?

Why is Liang Jiangsheng in such a hurry to schedule it for May 1st? She glanced at him with dissatisfaction.

Isn't this all your daughter's fault? Holding a wedding while pregnant? That's shameful.

Liang Jiangsheng's forehead veins throbbed, and he closed his eyes: "In another hour, someone will deliver the wedding dress collection. We can decide on it today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. A month will be enough to make it."

"We can pick out wedding dresses later?" Shao Sheng's eyes lit up instantly when he heard this, and he excitedly joined in the conversation. He raised his hand and volunteered: "Mom, can I join?"

Song Yinbing chuckled, and said in a doting tone: "What kind of aesthetic sense can a boy like you have? You still want to meddle in girls' affairs and help your sister-in-law choose a wedding dress. Aren't you afraid of being embarrassed if it gets out?"

Shao Sheng didn't care: "What's so embarrassing about it? Second brother will definitely follow suit. Besides, I will help my wife choose in the future, so just treat it as a rehearsal. Sister Weiwei, is this okay? Is this okay?"

His eyes sparkled as he sought the opinions of the Liang family members.

Liang Youwei couldn't help laughing: "Okay, I believe in your aesthetic taste."

"Don't worry, sister. My aesthetics are absolutely great! If it really doesn't work, I can take a photo and post it on my fan group. There's strength in numbers, and they're smart and beautiful, so they'll definitely be able to help."

His words sounded too childish to everyone, successfully breaking the tense atmosphere in the hall and causing laughter.

Liang Youwei didn't think so. She nodded seriously and said, "Of course it's possible. I've seen a lot of videos before, of star-chasing girls making notebooks, videos, and wallpapers. The color matching and hand-drawn pictures are very suitable. This is very difficult."

"Right, right!"

Shao Yue looked at the two of them chatting back and forth like two happy and free little sparrows, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.

…

None of the three Liang siblings wanted to help Liang Youwei choose a wedding dress for someone else, so they decided to work on a prenuptial agreement. Liang Youwei, Shao Yue, his two wives, and Shao Sheng were responsible for choosing the wedding dress.

"Shengsheng, your photography skills are pretty good now. Your hands don't even shake."

Liang Youwei did what she said. Shao Sheng suggested that fans help her choose. The moment she got the lookbook, she took the initiative to spread it out and let Shao Sheng take pictures.

Everyone loves beauty, just like some people may not necessarily buy things, but they are also happy to go shopping.

Shao Yue sat next to her, and from time to time he reached out to adjust the angle of the lookbook to make it easier for them to play.

"Weiwei, have you ever thought about what kind of wedding dress to wear? I think they all look good on you."

In order to see the details clearly, Ms. He turned on the projection screen, allowing the model show and live catwalk to be played in a loop, pausing and zooming in from time to time.

Liang Youwei had never thought about this problem. She thought without hesitation: "Why not try all kinds of materials?"

She doesn't choose, she wants them all.

Song Yinbing didn't have a daughter, so thinking of how much Shao Yue valued and cherished Liang Youwei, she took her with equal care, coaxing her like a child: "Morning gown, wedding veil, welcoming veil, host veil, toast dress... at least five sets of clothes. Weiwei should pick them out by category. Different styles are needed for different occasions, right?"

Liang Youwei handed the wedding dress collection in her hand to Shao Sheng and thought seriously: "Well, auntie is right, I need to think about it carefully."

"Are you still calling me aunt?" Song Yinbing smiled, her tone playful.

Liang Youwei was stunned. Looking at those peach blossom eyes with a smile on their ends, she couldn't help but blush and said hesitantly: "...It's Mom."

"That's right. Weiwei is so good."

Song Yinbing glanced at her son who was grinning to the side and felt even more satisfied.

【Author’s words】

The marriage certificate setting was written by Shao Yue himself. Isn't his character a "hexagonal warrior"? He needs to be shaped [shy]

ps: This article has not yet reached the end of the main text, the "after marriage" Shura field is more exciting hahahaha, Qin Zhen's role is really full of "mistress feeling", Shao Yue calls Weiwei "wife", and he also calls her "wife"