Ma Hehua glanced at Axiu with disgust, as if she were looking at something dirty.

"Little sister, I am Brother Fa Gui's fiancée. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ah Xiu had a faint smile on her face. As she spoke, she reached out her hand to shake hands with Ma Hehua, trying to show her generosity and poise.

"What? Fiancée? Go to hell, don't talk nonsense."

Ma Hehua's temper exploded like a powder keg. She clenched her fists, her face flushed red, and glared angrily at Axiu.

"Father, is this really your fiancée?" Ma Lihua asked, her brows furrowed, her eyes filled with doubt and curiosity.

"No, no, I only have your mother in my heart. She is the one I love the most."

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Li Fagui's forehead, and his heart tightened.

He knew nothing about what happened back then, and he had no intention of following the path his parents had laid out for him.

He knew that he should be in control of his own life, and as for this Fan Axiu, it was wishful thinking to think he could get anything out of him; he wouldn't give her a single penny.

He looked at Ma Hehua with a firm gaze, trying to convey his determination, while at the same time keeping a wary eye on A Xiu's reaction, afraid that she might say something shocking again.

When Ah Xiu heard Li Fagui's denial, the smile on her face froze instantly, and a hint of embarrassment and resentment flashed in her eyes. Her hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, unsure whether to go forward or backward.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly plummeted to freezing point, with everyone harboring their own thoughts amidst this unexpected situation.

Ah Xiu never expected that her brother Fa Gui would have such a side, and she was very jealous.

If she had married Brother Fa Gui back then, Brother Fa Gui wouldn't have dressed so shabbily.

"Alright, this man is getting out of control if he's not disciplined. Lotus, keep a close eye on him. If anything really happens, give him a good beating."

Ma Linghua crossed her arms, her eyes exuding an undeniable authority, and as she spoke, her gaze was fixed on Li Fagui like a sharp arrow.

Li Fagui was already feeling guilty because of the chaotic situation, and being stared at by Ma Linghua like that made him tremble even more.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and the pork he was carrying on his shoulder swayed so much that it almost fell to the ground.

His forehead was instantly covered in beads of sweat, glistening under the light, as if a manifestation of his inner turmoil.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something in his defense, but found his throat dry and unable to utter a sound.

He could only stand there like a child who had done something wrong, his eyes darting around, unable to meet Ma Linghua's gaze.

Ma Hehua listened to her mother's words and nodded vigorously.

She put her hands on her hips, straightened her back, as if declaring her sovereignty to Li Fagui.

The people around were also taken aback by this sudden scene, and the living room instantly fell silent except for the tense or varied breathing of the crowd.

Li Fagui knew that Ma Linghua was not joking. His fate seemed to hang on Ma Linghua's decision. If he made the slightest mistake, the imagined "big fight" could come mercilessly, and his position and situation in the family would suddenly become precarious.

Ah Xiu, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. This... is this still Fa Gui? He was so aloof when he was little.

"Sister Wang, get ready to cook! The master and the others will be back later." The old lady gave the order.

"Yes, Madam." Aunt Wang accepted the order and left.

The three members of the Ma family sat in the living room, their legs casually crossed, their eyes occasionally glancing around at the villa and the carefully tended flowers and plants inside.

"Tsk! The Fa Gui family is really disgusting, arranging marriages and forcibly seizing property. It's a good thing they came here; if they had stayed in this house, who knows what problems would have arisen." Ma Linghua's face was full of disdain, and her words were full of contempt.

"Mom, Fa Gui said he went to change his clothes, I don't know what he was doing? And that Ah Xiu, doesn't she know how old she is, still acting like a baby, it's so disgusting."

Ma Hehua frowned, her tone full of annoyance.

Ah Xiu, who happened to be coming downstairs, overheard everything. She stopped in her tracks, her face turning pale and then red.

"Oh! You heard me? That's good, saves me the trouble of reminding you." Seeing this, Ma Linghua not only showed no remorse, but deliberately provoked him.

Ah Xiu gritted her teeth, thinking to herself, tomorrow is the New Year, and her purpose in coming here was to ask the old lady for a favor. Now she was being humiliated like this, but the situation was beyond her control, so she could only endure it for the time being.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger, and secretly vowed: I'll endure it for now, and once I get through this difficult period, I'll teach them a lesson—a bunch of ignorant bumpkins.

She tried to remain calm and continued to slowly descend the stairs, as if she hadn't heard anything, but her slightly trembling hands betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

At midday, the weather was bitterly cold, as if the whole world had been frozen. Everyone was busy with their own things, but the three members of the Ma family were leisurely lying on the sofa in the living room, enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

Shangguan Wenyan stood alone in the backyard. The biting wind howled past, but he seemed oblivious, simply gazing at the bare trees with cold indifference in his eyes, as if pondering something profound in the cold. He murmured to himself, "It's almost here, the time is almost up."

Inside the house, a table full of colorful and delicious dishes was served one by one by the servants. The three members of the Ma family were delighted to see the sumptuous food.

"The master is back!" A loud shout suddenly came from outside.

Then, an elderly man with white hair but a vigorous spirit slowly entered the crowd's view.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!