Chapter 202 Yaozu in the Mountain Village (Seventeen) *Beep!* Strive to be a good person...

After successfully proposing, Song Ce immediately took the gifts to the Qin family.

Seeing the knowing smiles on Qin Zhenguo and He Meifeng's faces on the sofa, Song Ce's palms were slightly sweaty. He handed the wooden box in his hands to the two elders and said earnestly, "Uncle, Aunt, I hope you can agree to my marriage with Chu Xia. Although I am still young, I promise that I will treat Chu Xia well in the future and will not let her suffer the slightest grievance."

Qin Zhenguo paused, holding his teacup, but before he could speak, He Meifeng burst into laughter.

Over the past few years, she has genuinely liked Song Ce. He's a steady and reliable young man who never comes home empty-handed for holidays; his words and actions are impeccable. Even more remarkable is his attentiveness and devotion to his daughter. Such a wonderful son-in-law is truly hard to find even with a lantern.

He Meifeng took the wooden box, her smile lines deepening. "You child, you don't need to stand on ceremony with your uncle and aunt. Chuxia has been spoiled by us since she was little. After you get married, I hope you will be more tolerant of her."

"Mom, what are you saying..." Qin Chuxia blushed, feeling very embarrassed.

Upon hearing this, Song Ce nodded quickly, "Don't worry, Auntie, I will."

Qin Zhenguo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then gently placed the cup on the coffee table. "Xiao Ce, Chu Xia, marriage is a big deal. Have you two thought it through?"

Song Ce and Qin Chuxia exchanged a smile and said in unison, "Yes, we've thought it through."

Seeing his pampered daughter about to leave him after just graduating from university, Qin Zhenguo couldn't hold back any longer. He glared at Song Ce, "Xiao Ce, you just graduated this year, your job isn't stable yet, I'm afraid your future life will be..."

Before he could finish speaking, his wife suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"Xiao Ce, this...this won't do. It's far too valuable."

Qin Zhenguo was somewhat confused. He went over to take a look and found that it contained all of Song Ce's investments, properties, and savings over the years, with a property notarization and transfer agreement on top.

As the head of Zhenye Manufacturing, Qin Zhenguo only glanced at it and did a quick mental calculation to arrive at a rough figure. He never imagined that this seemingly gentle and shy young man would possess such a terrifyingly vast amount of assets.

Qin Zhenguo's gaze lingered on the notarized property certificate, remaining silent for a long time. He wasn't someone who valued money, but Song Ce's sudden action made him inwardly marvel at how remarkable the kid was.

He remained silent for a while, then suddenly raised his hand and patted Song Ce's shoulder heavily. "Good lad, you have a sense of responsibility! There's no need for this property transfer. Our Qin family doesn't care about these things! Just remember what you said today, and treat Chu Xia well in the future."

Upon hearing this, Song Ce's tense emotions finally relaxed. "Yes, I will definitely remember Uncle's words!"

...

Six months later, seeing Song Ce and Qin Chuxia trying on their wedding attire with sweet smiles on their faces, Song Xi couldn't help but take a picture of the soon-to-be-married couple from behind, and captioned it: "May the years to come last forever."

Some close friends naturally sent their blessings upon seeing this post, but Song Xi forgot that she still had some high school classmates from nearby villages added on her social media app, OC.

Meanwhile, in my hometown county.

Meng Chuanyang had just picked up a lamb skewer and handed it to his girlfriend when Gao Tianshi exclaimed in surprise, "Hey? Isn't that Song Xi? Her brother is getting married?"

"What?" Upon hearing this, Feng Wenzhou, who was opposite him, quickly stood up and walked behind Gao Tianshi, saying urgently, "Let me see!"

Gao Tianshi nodded, handed over the phone, and couldn't help but exclaim, "It looks like a wedding dress shop in a big city, quite the grand affair!"

Meng Chuanyang shrugged. "Getting married so early, maybe the other person is a rich and beautiful woman, and he wants to catch her fast!"

"Who knows... After all, quite a few people from our university get married right after graduation."

Feng Wenzhou stared at his phone screen, looking at the photo again and again with wide eyes, his brows furrowed. "I remember Song Xi's brother. He used to be a troublemaker when he was in high school. I didn't expect him to get married right after graduation."

Meng Chuanyang mumbled through a skewer of lamb, "Wenzhou, you don't understand. With our background, youth, strength, and looks, that's our biggest asset! Who knows, that guy's younger brother might already have his eye on a city girl!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his girlfriend gently nudged his arm and whispered, "Alright! Stop talking behind people's backs."

Meng Chuanyang pursed his lips and didn't reply, but his eyes glanced at the phone in Feng Wenzhou's hand, a disdainful smile on his lips.

Gao Tianshi looked at the dazed Feng Wenzhou and couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder, comforting him, "Wenzhou! Don't think about Song Xi anymore. She's now in a prestigious university, and you probably won't have any contact with her anymore! Look at what Song Xi wrote in her application, 'May the years to come last forever,' she's really cultured!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Chuanyang stroked his chin. "Speaking of which, Song Xi was one of the top students in our year. She went to study at Beijing Medical University right after graduating from high school. Her future is limitless! I don't think she has any chance with you!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Wenzhou's expression immediately changed, and even the atmosphere at the dinner table quieted down.

"Chuan Yang, that's enough!" Gao Tianshi quickly broke the awkward silence at the table, poured a full glass of beer for each of them, and chuckled, "Back then, she couldn't even get enough to eat at school. Who would have thought that she would be like a completely different person after going to Beijing? I hope she has a better life in the future!"

Meng Chuanyang scoffed and glanced at Feng Wenzhou leisurely. "Change to someone else? I think she's forgotten her roots. My third aunt's house is right across from hers in her hometown. The other day, my third aunt said that she and her brother abandoned their father in their hometown and haven't come home even once in several years. Isn't that forgetting her roots? It's extremely unfilial!"

Seeing that he wanted to say more, his girlfriend quickly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Alright, maybe something happened in their family. Why are you, an outsider, saying these things?"

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore, alright?"

Feng Wenzhou ignored their gossip, took out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. He scrolled from the first to the last, only to find that Song Xi's number was long gone.

Seeing this, Gao Tianshi leaned over and asked, "Wenzhou, what are you looking for?"

Meng Chuanyang threw the skewer on the table, his expression cryptic. "Tianshi, Wenzhou is definitely looking for Song Xi's number! Wenzhou, I'm not trying to criticize you, but why are you looking for her? She's a city girl now, why would she remember us country classmates? Maybe she's doing well now and doesn't want us to benefit from her success! Humph, I heard that her family didn't give her a single penny during her four years of university, and we have no idea how she paid her tuition, right, Tianshi?"

Upon hearing this, not only Meng Chuanyang but also Gao Tianshi was enraged. He suddenly looked up and glared at Meng Chuanyang: "Chuanyang, you'd better watch your words. Song Xi has already had it tough enough. Everyone has their difficulties growing up. You shouldn't talk about her like that."

Meng Chuanyang glared back defiantly, "What? Do you also like Song Xi? Want to stand up for her?"

"You're talking nonsense!"

And so, the two started arguing back and forth. Meng Chuanyang's girlfriend tried to mediate, and the barbecue stall owner came over with freshly grilled eggplants, smiling and trying to smooth things over: "Hey, you two brothers, have you had too much to drink? Let's talk things out."

Meng Chuanyang's girlfriend quickly pulled him down to sit and apologized to Gao Tianshi repeatedly, which barely calmed the small incident. However, the atmosphere clearly cooled down and was no longer as warm as before.

After a few rounds of drinks, seeing that the food on the table was almost gone, Feng Wenzhou and Gao Tianshi made up an excuse and left. Meng Chuanyang sneered at this, muttering, "Tch, what are you pretending for?"

After dropping his girlfriend off at home, Meng Chuanyang drove his family's secondhand van, bought a box of milk and biscuits from the supermarket, and drove straight to his aunt's village.

When Aunt Meng saw her nephew from her maternal family come all the way to see her carrying gifts, her face lit up with a smile as bright as a peony. She took out a watermelon she had just bought that day, cut it up, and handed it to Meng Chuanyang, saying with a loving smile, "Yangyang, what would you like to eat? Auntie will make you something."

"Third Aunt, you don't need to bother. I just had barbecue with my classmates in the county town." Meng Chuanyang smiled and followed his Third Aunt into the house, his eyes involuntarily glancing at the empty room. "Where's my Third Uncle? He's not home?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Meng wiped her hands and sat down to the side, smiling as she said, "Your third uncle just went out. He said he was going to Old Song's house for drinks and won't be back for dinner tonight. Perfect timing, I pickled a jar of salted eggs half a month ago. I'll give some to your mother when I leave."

Meng Chuanyang waved his hand and sat down on a stool in the room. "Third Aunt, is the Song family you mentioned the one across the street?"

Aunt Meng nodded and smiled, "Have you forgotten? His family has a daughter named Song Xi, who was in the same class as you in high school!"

Meng Chuanyang said "Oh," and scratched his head casually. "I have a vague impression. She was that girl who was particularly good at studying. I think she even got into a prestigious university, right, Third Aunt?"

Aunt Meng curled her lip, picked up a palm-leaf fan from the side and fanned herself vigorously, "Tch, that's her!"

As the aunt and nephew were talking, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate. Uncle Meng, the third aunt's husband, staggered in, his flushed face still reeking of alcohol. He paused for a moment when he saw Meng Chuanyang, then chuckled and said, "It's Yangyang! When did you get here?"

"I just arrived a little while ago." Meng Chuanyang got up and moved a chair for his uncle. "My classmate gave me a few packs of cigarettes a couple of days ago, and I was thinking of giving you two packs, Uncle."

As he spoke, he pulled out two packs of expensive cigarettes from his pocket and handed them over with some reluctance, "Uncle, have you been drinking?"

Seeing this, Uncle Meng quickly took the cigarette, his smile widening. He wiped his face, sat down, picked up the iced tea on the table, gulped down a large cup, and then replied with a smile, "Yeah, I had two cups with Old Song from across the street."

Meng Chuanyang's eyes lit up, and he said casually, "It seems he's happy about his son's wedding!"

"Yangyang, what did you say? Old Song's son is getting married?" the couple asked in unison.

"What? Aunt and Uncle, you don't know yet? It seems Uncle Song is really good at keeping secrets!" Meng Chuanyang sneered inwardly, but didn't stop talking. "That's right, after all, the wedding is a very important event, so he probably wanted to tell you later!"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Meng suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "Old Song is such a tight-lipped guy! I have to ask him!" With that, he picked up a palm-leaf fan and strode out.

At that moment, Song's father was cleaning up the leftover food on the table. He had just wet the rag when he saw Meng's third uncle, who had just returned home, coming over again, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

"Old Song, isn't that a bit unfair of you? What kind of relationship do our two families have? You're keeping such a big thing from us?"

Mr. Song put down the rag, looking bewildered, and asked, "Old Zhou, what have I been hiding from you? I can't quite understand what you're saying."

Uncle Meng was also taken aback when he saw this. He squinted at Song's father for a long time before asking uncertainly, "Old Song, Xiao Ce is getting married. You... didn't know?"

"What did you say??"

Upon hearing Uncle Meng mention Xiao Ce's upcoming marriage, Song's father's expression visibly changed. He asked in a trembling voice, "Old Zhou...who is Xiao Ce marrying? How do you know?"

"It was my wife's nephew, Yangyang, who said it! Old Song, why didn't Xiao Ce go back to his hometown to hold such a big event as his wedding? And how come you, as his father, didn't even know?"

Mr. Song's face turned pale and then red from his old neighbor's words. He slammed his hand on the table, his chest heaving violently, and gritted his teeth, saying, "I... I'll make a call and ask tomorrow."

"Okay then! I'll head back now."

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Author's Note: [Peeking while covering face][Peeking while covering face]