Billiards hall.

Jiang Rou fiddled with her newly styled big curls, showing them off to Ma Huiwen and Ji Tingting.

"A newly opened hair salon gave me a 20% discount, and I still only spent a little over 50 yuan. Do you want to go? I can recommend it to you."

Ji Tingting held a cigarette between her fingers, blew a smoke ring, and then snorted:

“I wouldn’t dare. Last time my dad saw me smoking, he almost beat me to death. I’m still not out of the family, and I still have to ask him for money. I have to play the role of a good girl.”

Ma Huiwen said with a helpless expression:

“You all know that my father emptied the family’s savings before he passed away, and my mother is sick. My meager salary is barely enough to make ends meet, and I dare not think about anything else.”

Ji Tingting gave a sneer: "Isn't there a bald guy who keeps pursuing you? Just go for it and let him support your mother."

"Don't even mention that bald guy. I know his family situation all too well; it's worse than mine. If I were to marry him, I'd be jumping into a well and a fire pit." Ma Huiwen put on a sour face.

Then he looked at Jiang Rou and said, "Rou Rou, I wish I were as lucky as you. You have a husband who gives you money to spend, and you can also find a gigolo outside. You can just eat, drink, and have fun every day."

Jiang Rou sighed: "You only see me eating meat, but you don't see me getting beaten. My parents are both sick, and the monthly cost of a nanny is fifty yuan. My two good-for-nothing brothers didn't even show up for the New Year."

Sometimes I even envy you. What if you get lucky one day and meet a rich and handsome man? You'd be better off marrying than I am.

Hearing her say that, Ma Huiwen felt secretly pleased.

He thought of Gao Baoliang, whom he had met at the ice rink.

He is indeed tall and handsome, and his clothes don't suggest he's poor, but unfortunately, he already has a girlfriend.

As the group chatted, seeing that it was almost noon, Ji Tingting stubbed out her cigarette and jumped off the pool table.

"I promised my dad I'd attend a wedding, so I'll talk to you guys about it now."

Ma Huiwen followed her out, saying, "We're going the same way, let's walk together."

The two of them took a bus together and headed towards Huaifu.

At this moment, Gao Baoliang changed his dejected state from the previous days and began to shave, wash his hair and face. He even asked Wang Xiufen to embroider a red flower on his coat.

Wang Xiufen looked worried: "Baoliang, since things have come to this, try to think more positively and find someone better. With your qualities, there are plenty of good girls out there."

Others also came to persuade him.

As before, once he sets his mind on something, nothing can stop him.

Finally, Lin Chen lost his temper and yelled at him:

"You have to go. If you don't, you're a coward. Anyway, we've decided to just give a gift and not show up. You can take the money with us."

However, I'm warning you upfront: you're not allowed to cause trouble. If anything goes wrong, we won't take responsibility for you.

Gao Baoliang found some face cream and applied it to his face with a grin:

"I'm not going to cause trouble; I'm going to offer my blessings. That Li Jiabao has a bright future ahead of her, and I'm going to congratulate her on finding a perfect husband."

Jiang Ning knew that the more indifferent he appeared on the surface, the more his heart was bleeding.

But what convinces a person is never reason, but rather a wall.

What truly awakens a person is not preaching, but hardship.

Only by personally experiencing that pain can he break free from his cocoon and transcend his obsession.

Around 11 a.m., Lin Chen took him to the Huaifu Hotel on his motorcycle.

The place has been decorated anew, with red ribbons and the character for "double happiness" everywhere, creating an unprecedented scene.

Lin Chen put him down and left.

Jiang Ning and Lin Qiao had known each other for a while, but only recently did she learn that Lin Qiao's father was a leader working in the municipal party committee.

Perhaps Meng Jiao didn't want to appear too special, but it was precisely this deliberate concealment that showed she actually valued this identity.

After her argument with Gao Baoliang, things could never go back to the way they were before.

As soon as Gao Baoliang entered the hotel, there was a gift registration desk in the lobby.

He took out three red envelopes and slammed them onto the table.

"This is Jiang Ning's, five hundred yuan. This is Lin Qiao's, five hundred yuan. This is mine, one thousand yuan."

The three red envelopes were so bulging that they almost burst the red paper.

Most others were offering five or ten yuan, but their large sum attracted a lot of onlookers.

The person receiving the money quickly counted it, afraid of making any mistakes.

When everyone saw Gao Baoliang dressed in a well-fitting suit and a crisp woolen overcoat, with a bright red flower embroidered on his breast pocket, they began to discuss among themselves.

"If you didn't know better, you'd think he was the groom!"

"What good is it if he dresses well or has a lot of money? I heard that Li Jiabao has been appreciated by the municipal party committee leaders and will soon be transferred to the municipal party committee's organization department."

"With power in your hands, will you ever have to worry about money?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Baoliang was so angry that it felt like a huge rock was pressing on his chest, and he couldn't breathe for a long time.

The wedding began at 11 o'clock.

He sat at the banquet, coldly watching the podium.

Meng Jiao looked more radiant and beautiful than ever in the latest trendy white wedding dress with lace trim.

Standing next to her was Li Jiabao, who was smiling smugly.

He watched her bow, watched her toast her parents and in-laws, and could no longer suppress the sorrow in his heart. He grabbed the bottle and drank it down.

He didn't know when the wedding ended, nor did he notice Meng Jiao's surprised and sad expression when she saw him.

She was so upset that she didn't offer any toasts and went back to her room.

Inside the room, she kicked everyone out and burst into tears.

She longed to meet Gao Baoliang and explain everything to her.

But what's the use of having more now?

Let's leave it at that!

After he's heartbroken and sad, he'll completely forget about her.

She doesn't deserve him!

Gao Baoliang was unaware of Meng Jiao's thoughts, nor did he know how much he had drunk. In the end, he was kicked out.

After he came out, he passed out drunk by the roadside flowerbed, where he was encountered by Ma Huiwen.

Seeing that he was so drunk that he was unconscious, Ma Huiwen booked a room at a nearby guesthouse and let him lie down on the bed.

"Here, have some water."

Ma Huiwen tried to help him up and give him water, but he pushed her away.

She was furious.

When Ji Tingting and I arrived at the entrance of the Huai Mansion, we saw him come in.

She watched the commotion from outside out of curiosity, and saw him take out a thousand yuan as a gift.

At that moment, she thought to herself, "This man is so rich."

Later, she saw that his partner was getting married, but the groom was not him.

She was overjoyed. He was rich and had just broken up with his girlfriend. Wasn't this her chance?

Pushed away, she wasn't angry at all. Instead, she knelt down beside him and slowly began to take off her clothes.

"Brother, what's there to be afraid of if your girlfriend marries someone else? I'll come and comfort you."

Gao Baoliang was in a daze and tried to push her away but couldn't muster the strength.

Just then, the door was kicked open.