Chapter 25: The Wedding Proceeds as Planned-Após ter sua máscara de oxigênio retirada, renasci e não serei mais um saco de sangue, viverei só para mim(O som da flauta é suave e prolongado.)

Li Meilan, emboldened, glared back at Mother Liu with annoyance. "Don't talk nonsense. We haven't officially gotten engaged yet, and I haven't even received your bride price."

Father Liu replied with a dark expression, "The formal betrothal ceremony is today. We’ve already prepared the matchmaker, the money, the gifts, and the new clothes for your entire family. We’ve spent a significant amount of time and money on this; it’s not as simple as whether you’ve accepted the bride price or not."

Liu Gang also stood his ground, looking as if he would not let the matter rest.

Xiang Fuqiang and his wife retreated, clinging to one point: "Are you trying to extort us? We haven't taken a cent of your bride price."

"Beep, beep."

The bus that had departed at three yesterday afternoon and returned at eight this morning finally arrived.

Ignoring the Liu family, Xiang Fuqiang and his wife rushed to the driver to ask, with the Liu family following closely behind.

This time, they received a definitive answer: Xiang Di had indeed boarded this bus at three o'clock yesterday afternoon. As for where she went, no one knew.

She had truly run away.

The couple’s faces were contorted with rage, and they began cursing Xiang Di, calling her ungrateful, a wretch destined for divine retribution, a white-eyed wolf, and worse.

The Liu family looked as if they had been cuckolded.

Father Liu grabbed Xiang Fuqiang by the collar. "You need to give us an explanation."

Li Meilan wouldn't stand for it and shoved him away. "What explanation? We haven't taken a single cent from you."

Seeing Li Meilan strike back, Liu Gang immediately used it as a pretext to seize Xiang Fuqiang by the throat. "You dare push my father?"

The timid Xiang Fuqiang was not as sharp-tongued as Li Meilan, but he was quicker-witted. "Liu Gang, calm down. We aren't the only ones at fault here; you deceived us about your own situation as well."

Li Meilan realized what he was doing and followed suit, emboldened. "That's right! My Xiang Di was driven away by your dirty secrets. If it weren't for that, she never would have left without a word."

Xiang Fuqiang nodded in agreement. "Making a scene won't benefit anyone. If you still want this marriage, we should discuss it calmly."

Liu Gang exchanged a glance with his parents and nodded slightly. As long as the engagement wasn't called off, anything could be discussed.

Father Liu asked deliberately, "Now that your daughter has run off, how are we supposed to discuss this?"

Li Meilan puffed out her chest with false confidence. "I know my daughter. She’s as honest as they come; she must have gone back to the electronics factory."

Mother Liu remained relentless. "And what if she’s with some other man? We must lower the bride price."

The thought of the 260,000 yuan made her heart ache; it was all the hard-earned money and savings she and Father Liu had set aside for their funerals, while Liu Gang had only been spending and never earning for years.

A crowd had already gathered, and upon hearing Mother Liu’s words, they cast subtle, knowing glances at the couple.

Li Meilan and Xiang Fuqiang’s faces burned with shame, but when it came to money, they were absolutely unwilling to yield.

Li Meilan grew angry from the embarrassment. "If it weren't for your Liu Gang messing around and being so old, my daughter wouldn't have fled her own wedding. Don't you dare smear her name. Not a single cent of that bride price is being deducted."

The Liu family backed down, terrified that the couple might start shouting about Liu Gang’s sordid affairs.

The two sides found a more private spot and eventually agreed that Xiang Fuqiang would accompany Liu Gang to the factory to find Xiang Di.

The marriage was to proceed as planned, but Liu Gang had to coax Xiang Di and promise he would turn over a new leaf.

None of them stopped to consider what would happen if Xiang Di had not returned to the factory.

The plan was set for the following morning to travel to the electronics factory in G City, and Xiang Fuqiang and his wife headed back to Mutian Village with long, dejected faces.

Ye Nanxin had heard the explosive news of Xiang Di’s escape the night before and immediately recalled seeing Xiang Di and Xiang Yu meeting Zhang Xiaoyan in the woods.

Xiang Di had been crying so bitterly that it had to be linked to the flight. Her intuition told her it was definitely Xiang Yu’s idea.

She had been waiting early on the road that led back to the village, having heard since dawn that the couple had rushed off to town.