“My dear in-law, you know our family’s situation. We simply cannot afford such a large dowry.”
"My daughter bought this courtyard house herself, and it will definitely be part of her dowry when she moves there."
"Besides, my wife and I have saved up some money over the years, so we'll give our daughter an extra 500 yuan as dowry. And the betrothal gifts you brought over, I'll have Xiaoxiao take them all back, not a penny less," Ma Aning said with a smile and a sincere tone.
Upon hearing Ma Aning's words, Liang Xinxing felt even more admiration for the Shen family's character. She quickly replied, "In-law, you're too kind! Actually, we weren't thinking about how much dowry we wanted; we just want our children to be happy."
Next, both sets of parents began to discuss the various details of the wedding in detail, such as the wedding venue, the banquet arrangements, the wedding procession, and so on.
After some discussion, the wedding date was finally set for May Day, which is still more than a month away.
Dai Xingyun and Shen Xiaoxiao sat side by side, listening quietly to the adults' heated discussion. Their hands, as if possessing their own will, unconsciously clasped together tightly.
A bright smile, like spring flowers, bloomed on Shen Xiaoxiao's face; it was a happiness and contentment that came from the depths of her heart.
She never imagined that her love story with Dai Xingyun would be so smooth, as if everything was predestined.
Dai Xingyun gripped Shen Xiaoxiao's hand even tighter, secretly vowing in his heart that from now on, he would do everything in his power to protect this woman who had captured his heart, until the end of his life.
After everything was settled, the family members all got up to say goodbye.
Shen Xiaoxiao and her parents saw them off to the door, watching them walk further and further away until their figures completely disappeared from sight. Only then did they slowly turn around and stroll back into the house.
In stark contrast to the warm and cozy scene on Shen Xiaoxiao's side, Chen Mengmeng was in a disheveled state.
Just as Shen Xiaoxiao and Dai Xingyun were setting their wedding date, the system, which had only ever appeared when Chen Mengmeng called for it, suddenly emitted a piercing alarm without warning.
This sudden turn of events shocked Chen Mengmeng. Her heart clenched, and an ominous premonition welled up inside her.
Ignoring the strange looks from those around her, she hurriedly found a quiet, secluded corner and whispered into the air, "System, what's going on?"
"Warning, the female lead has deviated from the plot, the system is self-destructing," the system's cold electronic voice rang in Chen Mengmeng's ears.
"What happened? Tell me!" Chen Mengmeng's head was throbbing with pain.
"Shen Xiaoxiao has deviated from the plot, and the system is self-destructing..." The system's voice came and went, as if it were being torn apart by a powerful force and could break completely at any moment.
Upon hearing the intermittent sounds, Chen Mengmeng felt a sense of foreboding.
Her eyes widened, and she asked incredulously, "You mean, if Shen Xiaoxiao is with someone else, you're going to destroy yourself?"
The system's voice was intermittent, as if it was struggling to organize its thoughts, before slowly replying, "The female lead's luck could not be seized; the main system has determined the mission to have failed..."
Before the system could finish speaking, Chen Mengmeng felt as if countless needles were pricking her head, causing excruciating pain.
She couldn't help but scream, then everything went black, and she lost consciousness.
Two girls nearby were startled by the sudden situation and rushed over to check on Chen Mengmeng.
Chen Mengmeng had her eyes tightly closed, her face was as pale as paper, and cold sweat was dripping from her forehead.
"Quick, find someone to take him to the hospital!" one of the girls shouted in a panic.
The other girl didn't care about anything else and rushed to the teacher's office for help.
Not long after, footsteps approached from afar, and the crowd quickly made way for a young male teacher pushing a bicycle.
The students quickly lifted Chen Mengmeng onto the bicycle, with two more students supporting her from behind, and hurriedly pushed the bicycle to the nearest hospital.
Upon entering the hospital, Chen Mengmeng was rushed to the emergency room. The doctors immediately began a comprehensive and meticulous examination; the beeping sounds of various instruments mingled together, creating a sense of inexplicable tension.
After a long wait, the doctors finally arrived at their diagnosis:
Chen Mengmeng only suffered a mild concussion and did not have any other serious problems.
However, to ensure her safety, the doctor advised her to stay in the hospital for observation for a period of time and be discharged after her condition stabilized.
When Chen Mengmeng slowly woke up from her coma, it was already noon the next day.
Her head was still spinning, and her thoughts were a little hazy. She tried hard to recall what had happened before, and suddenly, she remembered the system.
Chen Mengmeng desperately called out to the system in her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, she received no response.
Chen Mengmeng was extremely anxious. Ignoring the doctor's advice, she insisted on being discharged from the hospital to search for Shen Xiaoxiao's whereabouts.
She stumbled out of the ward, her steps unsteady, her head spinning and feeling nauseous.
Having finally returned to school, Chen Mengmeng went straight to her classroom.
The moment she pushed open the door, her gaze fell on Shen Xiaoxiao, who was sitting in the classroom.
At this moment, a boy named Dai Xingyun was sitting next to Shen Xiaoxiao.
With a beaming smile, Dai Xingyun handed out wedding candies to the students around him, while also announcing, "Please help take care of my little one, classmates. We're engaged and planning to get married this May Day!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Mengmeng felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She finally understood what the system meant earlier.
Her body seemed to lose its support, and she involuntarily fell forward. A male classmate next to her caught her with quick reflexes.
"You're getting married?" Chen Mengmeng stared wide-eyed at Shen Xiaoxiao, her eyes red with disbelief.
Seeing this, Dai Xingyun, who was standing next to Shen Xiaoxiao, immediately shielded her behind him and said to Chen Mengmeng without any politeness, "Excuse me, I don't think my Xiaoxiao and you are very familiar with each other, right? What right do you have to ask her in such a accusatory tone?"
Chen Mengmeng completely ignored Dai Xingyun's presence; her gaze remained fixed on Shen Xiaoxiao.
"How could you marry another man?" Her voice trembled, clearly deeply shocked.
Shen Xiaoxiao looked at Chen Mengmeng expressionlessly and coldly replied, "Chen classmate, I am indeed not familiar with you, and who I marry has nothing to do with you. Don't make me look like a heartless man."
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