The family of three was enjoying their breakfast, chatting and laughing happily.
Xu Jianguo and Jiang Yumei both took leave from their work and waited for the Xiao family to come and deliver the betrothal gifts.
Hearing the knock, Tang Wenya thought Xiao Tingshen had arrived and got up to open the door with a smile. She knew Xiao Tingshen was coming today, but she didn't expect him to arrive so early.
Upon opening the door and seeing Zhao Jingyu, Tang Wenya was taken aback for a moment, then her heart leaped with joy. She peeked into the stairwell and asked Zhao Jingyu, "Did Tingshen send you? Where is he?"
Zhao Jingyu ignored her and led the two young men into the house. He walked up to Xu Jianguo and smiled, "Uncle Xu, I've come to deliver the betrothal gifts."
Xu Qingning and Liang Yufeng followed behind and entered the house with different expressions.
Xu Qingning just confessed her pregnancy to Liang Yufeng in the hallway. Liang Yufeng was furious, but since things had come to this, she could only swallow her anger for the time being.
How could Xu Jianguo be such a father? His daughter has gone through such a terrible ordeal, yet he still has the mind to eat at home. She wants to flip their table right now.
The living room was crowded and small, so Xu Qingning led Liang Yufeng into the bedroom without making a sound. Zhao Jingyu would handle things outside, so she didn't plan to get involved.
Liang Yufeng held Xu Qingning's hand with a mixture of anger and heartache, quietly listening to the sounds outside the door.
"Please sit down, please sit down!" Xu Jianguo assumed that Xiao Tingshen had sent them, so he ignored Xu Qingning and Liang Yufeng. He warmly invited Zhao Jingyu to sit down and directed the two young men, "Oh dear, you've worked hard too. Let's put it in the hallway first, there's too much..."
He knew Zhao Jingyu; he was Xiao Tingshen's classmate and had even come to Xiao Tingshen's house to play before, but he had a very bad impression of Zhao Jingyu.
I heard that when Zhao Jingyu's two older brothers went to the countryside, they started families there and have not been able to return to the city since.
As the third child in the family, he didn't go to the countryside. Instead, he idled away his days with a group of hooligans, doing nothing. His father had no choice but to ask someone to find him this job, and only then did he stop.
For this reason, Xu Jianguo once privately told Xiao Tingshen to stay away from people like Zhao Jingyu, lest he be corrupted by them.
But since it was Xiao Tingshen who sent Zhao Jingyu to deliver the betrothal gifts, he had no choice but to greet him with a smile.
Jiang Yumei was overjoyed. She led the two young men to the stairwell and told them to put it in a conspicuous place. When she saw some onlookers coming down the stairs, she deliberately said loudly, "It's fine to put it here. There's no room inside."
The agreed-upon dowry was a pig's leg and sixty yuan.
Who knew the Xiao family would be so resourceful, adding so much to the dowry? Looking around the No. 3 State-owned Cotton Mill residential compound, no other family had asked for such a large dowry for their daughter.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yumei warmly invited everyone to come in and sit down: "Don't stand outside, everyone, come in and have some tea!"
"Congratulations on your family's happy occasion! We won't go over to join in the fun."
"That's right, you get busy!"
The group didn't go inside, but they didn't leave either; they just huddled together in the hallway, whispering among themselves.
"When did Zhao Jingyu start dating Xu Qingning? How come he's already sending betrothal gifts so quickly?"
"I don't know, I thought it was the Xiao family's betrothal gifts!"
"Yes, I also thought it was from the Xiao family."
"It must be from the Xiao family. You actually believe what Zhao Jingyu says?"
"Oh, all of you, stop guessing and let's wait and see."
...
Jiang Yumei only had eyes for the generous dowry of whole pigs and sheep, and didn't pay attention to what they were saying. She happily went back to her room to make tea to entertain them.
Zhao Jingyu opened the gift box, revealing a thick stack of ten-yuan notes, and placed it on the table: "Uncle Xu, this is a gift of two hundred yuan. I hope you can grant my wish to be with Qingning."
Xu Jianguo and Jiang Yumei exchanged a glance, paused, and asked in unison, "What did you say?"
"Uncle and Aunt, I'm here today to deliver the betrothal gifts regarding Qingning and me." Seeing that the two had misunderstood, Zhao Jingyu smiled knowingly. "Wasn't I clear enough?"
"Didn't Ting Shen send you?" Tang Wenya was also stunned. Xiao Ting Shen said he would come today; they had agreed on it.
"Miss Tang, do you have some misunderstanding about my relationship with Xiao Tingshen? He and I are classmates, but I am not his servant. What does it have to do with me whether he gives betrothal gifts or not?"
Zhao Jingyu glanced at her casually, then said to Xu Jianguo, "Uncle Xu, I only have three days left on my vacation. I won't be back for about six months. I want to get married to Qingning within three days."
Tang Wenya's face turned red and then white.
Zhao Jingyu wasn't actually sent by Xiao Tingshen?
What about Xiao Tingshen?
Why isn't he here yet?
System: "Don't worry, Xiao Tingshen is on his way and will be here soon."
Tang Wenya wasn't afraid, but rather embarrassed.
Xiao Tingshen's betrothal gifts are definitely not as much as Zhao Jingyu's. She is the female lead, and she cannot lose to Xu Qingning.
This Zhao Jingyu is something else. Why did he have to send it today instead of earlier or later?
System: "Xiao Tingshen came with his mother, which shows his sincerity. Zhao Jingyu's parents live in the countryside, how can they compare to Xiao Tingshen's parents? Don't worry, we won't lose."
Like a thunderclap out of nowhere, Xu Jianguo was caught off guard and didn't even have time to react: "What? You said you're going to marry Qingning?"
"Yes." Zhao Jingyu took a sip of tea, his expression calm.
"When did you and Qingning start dating?" Jiang Yumei asked in surprise, unable to contain herself. "She...she was just going to the clinic for an abortion..."
Xu Jianguo coughed suddenly and glared at Jiang Yumei. It was better not to talk about such a shameful thing.
Jiang Yumei bit her lip and realized that Xu Qingning must have secretly met with Zhao Jingyu.
Otherwise, would Zhao Jingyu have arrived so timely?
Other people's children just can't be raised.
No matter how good she is to Xu Qingning, Xu Qingning will never open her heart to her. Such a big thing, yet she kept it a secret!
Ironically, Xu Qingning even bluffed and asked Xu Jianguo for fifty yuan for an abortion, and Xu Jianguo actually gave it to her, thinking that once he paid, the matter was over...
When did this brat become so scheming?
"I don't agree with your relationship." Xu Jianguo was not as quick to react as Jiang Yumei and firmly refused. "I have already spoken with the educated youth office. Xu Qingning will be going to the countryside to work in two months. Of course, more importantly, you two have no emotional foundation."
Xu Jianguo didn't even consider Zhao Jingyu, that petty hoodlum, a scoundrel.
Even if Xu Qingning has a child, it's not his place to be the one to take over, no matter how much the dowry is.
"Uncle Xu, Qingning's child is mine." Zhao Jingyu looked at Xu Jianguo expressionlessly. "Even without a foundation of love, I think I should still take responsibility for her, shouldn't I?"
Thank you so much for the generous donation from Jin Jiu Yin Shiba!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
