"What can we do? That brat hasn't said a word in the past two years except for sending some money back. He was forced into the engagement back then, and now it's obvious he doesn't want to admit it. We two old bones can't give that girl an explanation either. Let's just leave their business alone." Mr. Xu sighed and went back to his room.
Mrs. Xu absentmindedly tidied the table, "What's all this about?"
Back home, Qian Ahua stomped her feet in anger: "Junqi, look at this! This is the good family you're supposed to marry into! Xu Wenhua won't come home, and his parents are bullying us like this. It's outrageous!"
Shen Junqi nodded slightly, her eyes lowered, tears welling up in her eyes, about to spill over in the next second.
Her voice trembled slightly as she asked softly, filled with helplessness and confusion, "Mom, what should I do? Wenhua hasn't come back yet. Am I just supposed to keep waiting like this?"
Upon hearing her daughter's question, Qian Ahua couldn't help but sigh heavily.
She frowned and analyzed with a serious expression, "In my opinion, the Xu family is probably trying to delay the process, hoping that we will take the initiative to break off the engagement."
"Otherwise, how could two whole years have passed without a single letter being sent?"
Shen Junqi bit her lip tightly until it turned white, feeling even more remorseful.
In fact, she knew that the Xu family's attitude was that they didn't want to go through with the marriage.
But she was already in dire straits, with no way out.
As night fell, the Shen family's old house was shrouded in a cold and quiet atmosphere, completely devoid of the lively and festive atmosphere that other families should have during the New Year.
The room was dimly lit, making it feel particularly oppressive and gloomy.
Qian Ahua sat alone in the center of the main room, cursing incessantly: "Hmph, the Xu family is really going too far! Do they really think my Shen family is easy to bully? Today I went to their house to inquire about the situation, and they all had that weird and sarcastic look on their faces."
"Alright, stop nagging! Can't you see our daughter is already heartbroken enough!"
Shen Zicheng looked distressed and responded weakly to his wife. He was filled with anxiety but felt helpless.
Shen Junqi kept her head down the whole time, looking as wilted as a frostbitten eggplant.
Large tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks, falling one after another onto the cold ground.
She knew her mother was so anxious out of concern, but those words were like sharp daggers, mercilessly piercing her already wounded heart.
"Mom, please stop talking," Shen Junqi said, her voice choked with emotion.
A sudden flash of intense hatred crossed Shen Junqi's eyes.
She clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth, saying, "Mom, don't worry! I will never put up with this again."
"Once the New Year is over, I'm going to find Xu Wenhua right away and have a serious talk with him to get to the bottom of things!"
"If he's truly determined not to marry me, then I will never let him off easily. I will make him pay a terrible price, even if it means mutual destruction!"
Hearing her daughter's resolute words, Qian Ahua felt heartbroken.
She stared at her daughter's face, which was flushed red with anger, and nodded vigorously, saying, "Good, my good daughter, that's how you should be tough!"
"If Xu Wenhua dares to just throw you aside like a rag without even giving an explanation, we can't let this go!"
"If all else fails, we can just storm up to his boss and make a scene, letting everyone know that he's a heartless and irresponsible person who starts something and then abandons it."
"At worst, we can just break off the engagement and call it off. We absolutely cannot let him have an easy time as a soldier. Let's see if he dares to be so arrogant and domineering again!"
At this moment, the small house of the Shen family is filled with a strong festive atmosphere.
The family of three was happily gathered around the wooden table, which, though somewhat old, was spotless, enjoying a very sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner.
This New Year's Eve dinner was truly a feast for the eyes and ears, with everything imaginable.
The table was laden with a variety of delicious dishes, including fragrant braised chicken and roast duck, as well as tender and succulent steamed fish that made one's mouth water.
In addition, there were fresh green vegetables carefully grown in their own rooms, a lush and green scene that looked particularly tempting.
Although there are only three people in the family, they still happily cooked a total of ten dishes, taking the meaning of "perfection" and hoping that everything would go smoothly and perfectly in the new year.
As Ma Aning kept putting food into Shen Xiaoxiao's bowl, she would occasionally look up at her daughter with a hesitant expression.
Shen Xiaoxiao noticed her mother's strange gaze. She put down her chopsticks and asked in confusion, "Mom, what's wrong? Is something on your mind?"
"If you have something to hide, just say it! Look at you, you're making people feel really awkward." Shen Xiaoxiao couldn't stand it anymore.
“Then I’ll tell you, daughter. Do you still remember Xu Wenhua?” Ma Aning looked at her daughter earnestly and asked.
Upon hearing her mother's words, a figure flashed through Shen Xiaoxiao's mind, and she nodded, saying, "Mom, I remember him. Why are you suddenly talking about him?"
After thinking for a moment, Shen Xiaoxiao recalled some things about Xu Wenhua.
Shen Zishan and his wife, sitting to the side, exchanged a glance. They could tell from their daughter's reaction that if they hadn't brought up this person today, their daughter would probably have forgotten about him long ago.
Ma Aning continued, "You know your cousin, she used some means to scheme and make Xu Wenhua her fiancé."
"But two whole years have passed, and Xu Wenhua still hasn't come back to marry her!"
At this point, Ma Aning couldn't help but sigh and continued, "Look, your cousin is extremely anxious. After all, she'll be 27 after the New Year, which is already considered an old maid."
"So, early this morning, she and your second aunt went to the Xu family to inquire about the situation."
After Ma Aning finished speaking, she picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip of water, seemingly because she was thirsty from speaking so quickly.
"The two families must have parted on bad terms. I saw them come back in a huff today, and it seems they didn't even cook New Year's Eve dinner. I didn't see them cook at home," Ma Aning said.
“Your uncle’s family also went there. I don’t know what they were talking about inside. When I passed by, I could hear them shouting loudly inside.”
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