Lu Yanchen looked at me tenderly, his eyes filled with endless affection.
"You'll know later." He ultimately didn't utter the answer, leaving me feeling empty.
After a day of deliberation, the families finally agreed on the terms.
Although Su Ning'an and Fu Xici's marriage was finalized, the Fu family had a plan in mind.
They provided everything from the betrothal gifts to the wedding ceremony, but they wouldn't obtain a marriage certificate, clearly just putting on a show for the outside world.
Once Su Ning'an was no longer useful, she could be discarded at any time.
The Su and Fu families' marriage was originally considered marrying up, and the Fu family treated them with the same guarded eye as if they were thieves, which made the Su family feel deeply uncomfortable.
"What do you mean? Just getting married without a marriage certificate? What do you think of my daughter?"
Mrs. Fu was well-dressed and impeccably maintained. Especially in front of Mrs. Su, who had recently endured so much hardship, she looked ten years younger, despite being of similar age. She wore a modified haute couture cheongsam, adorned with jade bracelets, and stirred her coffee with a measured, carefree attitude.
A hint of disdain crossed her delicate face, revealing the unmistakable qualities of a mean mother-in-law.
"Do we need to reveal your daughter's true character? I thought everyone knew."
Mrs. Fu put down her spoon. "Mrs. Su, you and I both know how this marriage came about. Since you've just lost a daughter, we've already offered you generous terms. Getting a marriage certificate aligns the interests of both families. If they truly love each other, we, as elders, have no objection. The key is that this marriage lacks any emotional foundation, and they insist on getting a marriage certificate now. We, the Fu family, are not fools."
"Of course, we can't say for sure. If your daughter marries us and gets along well with our son, and they have a child, then getting a marriage certificate isn't impossible."
The Su family felt a subconscious sense of guilt when they heard about having a child. At this point, Su Ning'an's pregnancy was known only to the Lu and Su families. If the Fu family knew, the marriage would certainly fail.
The Su family had just received hush money, so naturally they wanted to fuel the fire and facilitate the marriage.
From beginning to end, Su Ning'an was like a commodity waiting to be sold, with no say.
This time, she didn't have a choice; she had to marry.
The two families set the wedding date for the fifteenth of next month, and time was running out.
Fu Xici was not friendly towards Su Ning'an. Before leaving, he said in a cold voice, "You're responsible for the wedding dress. Make sure it's of decent quality. Don't bring shame to our Fu family."
Su Ning'an got into the car with a sullen face and ignored Fu Xici the entire time.
Infuriated, Fu Xici kicked the Su family's car hard, "Little bitch, what are you so arrogant about?"
I watched the show from the side with my arms crossed. I wondered what kind of sparks would spark between this bitter couple. Judging by Fu Xici's twisted expression, such people often have serious psychological problems.
He's cowardly and least favored at home, a habit that's accumulated over the years. He's usually fine, but at the slightest provocation, he'll lash out at his family, seemingly prone to violence.
Fu Xue and Lu Shiyan seemed much more harmonious. Fu Xue was generous and gentle, and she volunteered not to have a wedding, simply getting a marriage certificate.
She was so smart and sensible, and the Lu family liked her.
The two agreed to get the marriage certificate early the next morning.
When we were alone, Fu Xue pulled me aside and spent a long time thanking me.
I knew she wasn't as gentle as she seemed, so I didn't get too involved, keeping it to a minimum.
"Sister Xue, you're so impulsive and have gotten yourself involved. You can see that Lu Shiyan doesn't like you. Won't you regret marrying someone who doesn't love you?"
"Wanwan, I can finally marry the person I love. How could I regret it?"
At that moment, I understood that marriage is like a wall.
Those outside want to get in, and those inside want to get out. After Fu Xue left, I began preparing for their wedding.
Now that the old man had recognized my status, I had to take charge of all matters at home, big and small.
Lu Shiyan knew full well that he couldn't compete with Lu Yanchen now, either physically or mentally.
The only thing he could do was obey Lu Yanchen's instructions.
Things teach people, and they learn once.
He stopped being impulsive, perhaps choosing to lie low and wait for the right opportunity.
After all, Lu Yanchen had schemed against him, and given his personality, he wouldn't let it go.
But he knew the gap between his current strength and Lu Yanchen's was too great, so he docilely relented.
I sipped tea in the tea room, the water boiling and white smoke curling up.
Lu Shiyan called me, "Auntie."
Lu Yanchen was practicing calligraphy nearby, and he reluctantly called me, "Uncle."
I smiled at him, "Little Lu, here you are. You're not feeling well. Sit down and talk."
I stabbed him hard in the heart. Although Lu Shiyan was disgruntled, she didn't say anything.
"Xiao Lu, Dad asked me to arrange your marriage. Although you won't be having a wedding, the Fu family is a large family, and we can't treat them harshly. So, we still have to handle some things privately and respectfully. What are your thoughts on the wedding house? Should we use the one you and Su Wan already had, or buy a separate property?"
I never imagined that I, once his wife, would be the one to arrange my ex-husband's wedding. This is ridiculous!
"Buy a separate one. Su Wan decorated that wedding house herself, and I won't let anyone else touch it," Lu Shiyan said in a low voice.
I curled my lips in a smile. "Xiao Lu, you really like to pretend to be affectionate. Didn't you make love with Su Ning'an in the bridal chamber on your wedding night? Isn't that enough to touch? After all, Su Wan is dead, she won't care about this."
"Bang!" Lu Shiyan slammed the table and stood up, glaring at me coldly. "How did you know we did it in the bridal chamber?"