Shen Shuling, standing in the courtyard, leaned against the cold wooden door, but her heart was burning with passion.
She raised her hand and touched her cheek, where the warmth of Ye Sheng's fingertips seemed to still linger.
And then there was his breath, hot and scorching, as he leaned over.
That man... he's a real scoundrel!
But ironically, his shameless and domineering words and actions were like cannonballs coated in honey, blasting her heart to smithereens.
Shen Shuling stood there for a while to calm her wildly beating heart. With a sweet smile on her face, she tiptoed towards her house.
As soon as the door was opened, a dignified figure sat upright in the dim light of the living room, holding a newspaper in his hand, but not reading a single word.
"cough!"
A deliberate, heavy cough instantly froze Shen Shuling's smile on her face.
"dad."
She called out guiltily.
Shen Weijun, the father, slammed the newspaper on the table, raised his eyelids, and stared sharply at his daughter: "Where have you been? Why are you so late?"
"No... I didn't go anywhere, I just went to play with Nian'an and the others for a while."
Shen Shuling's eyes darted around, unable to look her father in the eye.
Shen Weijun snorted coldly, his all-seeing eyes seeming to see right through her: "Looking for Ye Nian'an? It looks to me like she's off fooling around with that third son of the Ye family, doesn't she?"
"dad!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Shuling immediately became displeased, her face hardening: "What do you mean by 'fooling around'? How can you say such rude things!"
"Unpleasant to hear?"
Shen Weijun's temper flared up immediately.
This precious daughter, whom we cherish and pamper, is now talking back to a brat!
“I haven’t even said anything about him yet! He’s a good-for-nothing slacker who’s always up to no good, always speculating and making a living, he’s got no integrity whatsoever! I would never accept someone like that as my son-in-law!”
The more Shen's father spoke, the angrier he became, revealing his doting father nature.
Shen Shuling's stubbornness flared up as well. She straightened her neck and refused to back down: "What era are we living in? We value free love! How come Ye Sheng is neglecting his duties?"
"He earns his money honestly and fairly through his own abilities! He's even a millionaire! Besides, as long as I like it and approve of it, that's enough!"
She paused, softened her tone slightly, and began to reason with them.
"Besides, you know better than anyone what kind of families the Ye and Chu families are. Nian'an, Xin'er, and the eldest brother of the Chu family, aren't they all excellent people? Ye Sheng... he's just a bit glib, but he's a good person!"
"A good person?"
Shen Weijun was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at her: "So you think a good person can lure you away? Let me tell you, Shen Shuling, there's no way that's happening!"
Just as the father and daughter were about to start arguing, the door to the inner room opened, and Chen's mother came out with a cup of hot tea.
"Alright, alright, what's all the noise about so late at night?"
She placed the teacup next to her husband, gave him a reproachful glare, then took her daughter's hand and said softly, "Shuling, go wash up first and get some rest."
"Okay, Mom."
Shen Shuling didn't want to argue with Shen Weijun, so she quickly made her escape.
After Shen Shuling left, Shen's mother slowly said to Shen Weijun, "Husband, don't get so angry. I've met that Ye family kid a few times. Although he's a bit mischievous, the way he looks at our daughter is unmistakable."
"Besides, what's the Ye family's current situation? With Nian'an and the Chu family helping them, that child's future won't be bad. Most importantly, our daughter likes him."
Clearly, Shen's mother had long seen through her daughter's thoughts and stood by her side.
After being told that by his wife, Shen Weijun's momentum immediately weakened by three points.
He knew, of course, that the Ye family was no longer what it used to be, and that his daughter was determined.
But the thought of his precious cabbage, which he had raised for twenty years, being eaten by that "pig" Ye Sheng made him feel suffocated!
"snort!"
Shen Weijun picked up his teacup, took a big gulp, and said in a still-firm voice, "I don't care! You want to marry my daughter? Not so easy! Just you wait!"
Shen Shuling secretly watched her father's stubborn yet soft-hearted demeanor, and secretly stuck out her tongue, but a huge weight was lifted from her heart.
She knew that although getting past her father would be difficult, it wasn't hopeless.
As long as Ye Sheng can show sincerity...
Thinking of Ye Sheng's firm yet gentle eyes, her heart burned with passion once again.
...
On the other side.
As soon as Ye Sheng returned home, he was caught red-handed by his parents and sister who were waiting in the main room.
"So, so, did you make a deal with Shuling?"
Jin Xiangyu rushed forward, even more excited than her son.
Ye Sheng grinned and nodded emphatically: "It's settled, Mom!"
"Oh! That's great!"
Jin Xiangyu slapped her thigh with joy and hurriedly pulled her husband Ye Xiang and daughter Ye Nian'an together to hold an "emergency meeting to prepare for the marriage proposal."
"We can't be careless about this marriage proposal! We absolutely have to make it a grand affair, so that the Shen family can see our sincerity and Shuling can save face!"
Jin Xiangyu started calculating, counting on her fingers.
"First, the betrothal gifts! 'Three turns and one sound' (referring to a watch, a bicycle, a sewing machine, a radio, and a smartwatch) are standard, and they must be brand new!"
"The bicycle has to be a Forever brand, the sewing machine has to be a Butterfly brand, the watch has to be a Shanghai brand, and the radio has to be a Red Lantern brand! Not one can be missing!"
In the 1970s and 80s, this was considered the ultimate wedding setup, commonly known as the "Four Big Items".
Ye Xiang listened from the side, beaming with joy and nodding repeatedly: "Yes, this is a must!"
Jin Xiangyu became more and more excited as she spoke: "The four major items alone are not enough! The betrothal money! To bring good luck, let's give 888 yuan! Cash, wrapped in red paper, to make it look grand!"
"And there's also a 'four-color gift'! Two packs of good cigarettes, two bottles of good wine, two jin of candy, and two jin of pastries! All of them have to be the best available on the market!"
"Also, get some good fabric, like polyester and corduroy, and prepare it all for Shuling so she can make some new clothes!"
Ye Nian'an added with a smile, "Mom, we also need to buy some gold jewelry for my future third sister-in-law. A gold necklace and a pair of gold earrings, that's called 'three golds,' and that's fashionable now."
"Yes, yes, yes! My daughter is so thoughtful!"
Jin Xiangyu slapped her forehead: "Buy! We must buy! Tomorrow I'll go to the county department store with your third brother and get everything ready!"
Looking at the lively scene, Ye Xiang felt both happy and emotional.
He looked at his third son, who had been the most troublesome child since childhood, now full of vigor and about to start his own family, and said with satisfaction.
"I never expected that among all our sons, it would be Asheng who got engaged first. I was always worried that with his personality, he wouldn't be able to find a suitable wife. Shuling is a steady and kind girl, which complements him perfectly. She's just the right match for him!"
Upon hearing this, a sly smile flashed in Ye Nian'an's eyes. She moved closer to her parents and teased them mysteriously.
"Dad, don't just be happy for Third Brother. In my opinion, our family will soon have two happy events in one day. Maybe even Eldest Brother's iron tree will bloom soon!"
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