Chapter 31

Chapter 31: This Time I Have It Watching Father Yu's furious expression, Mother Yu sighed and stepped forward to soothe him. "Old Yu, you've only heard one side of the story. As for what really happened, shouldn't we wait until Jiang Hai comes back to know the truth?" Yu Qingya nodded. "Dad, I also think Mom is right. Don't listen to He Wenbin's one-sided account. He and my sister-in—" She couldn't quite finish the word. Under Father Yu's sharp gaze, Yu Qingya swallowed the word "sister-in-law" back down. She said in a small voice, "Youth Lin, He Wenbin's blind date with Youth Lin didn't work out, so of course he's going to come and badmouth Youth Lin and my brother. If you believe him, wouldn't that make you someone who can't tell right from wrong?" Father Yu said, "What do you mean can't tell right from wrong? All I know is the result—your brother wants to rekindle things with Lin Meiyan." "Your brother wants to rekindle things with Lin Meiyan!" He repeated it twice, each word resounding with force, making it clear just how furious Father Yu was at this moment. "Is that not allowed?" Mother Yu, who had always gone along with him, suddenly broke down. She let go of his hand and stumbled back two steps. "Can't my son be with the person he loves?" "Has he committed some unpardonable sin? That you have to be so relentless, as if you want to drive him to his death?" Father Yu breathed heavily. "Foolish woman's sentimentality!" "Jiang Hai has a bright future ahead of him. Can he marry a woman who was pregnant before marriage with no known father, who runs a small restaurant and only has a middle school education?" "Have you forgotten? Jiang Hai is the only son in three generations of the Yu family. He's the hope of all of us Yus! He's built Jianghai Dicai into what it is today. He could clearly use marriage as a stepping stone to take Jianghai Dicai to even greater heights." "But what does he do? Five years ago I beat the lovebirds apart once, and five years later, he still wants to be with Lin Meiyan. Tell me, what good does being with Lin Meiyan do for him?" "Good?" Mother Yu stepped back two more paces, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth. "In this life, besides 'good,' do you know anything else?" "Good? If you really want to talk about good, then let me lay it out for you. Isn't the fact that your son loves her good enough? Isn't the fact that your son will be happy with her good enough?" Father Yu frowned and roared, "Foolish woman's sentimentality." "Foolish woman's sentimentality. If Jiang Hai wants to go far, can he get anywhere relying on these feelings and romance?" Mother Yu collapsed onto the sofa, tears streaming down her face. Her clothes were already wrinkled beyond repair. Like a shrew, she wailed, "I don't know if he can go far." She looked up, red veins visible in her eyes. "All I know is that if my son is with Lin Meiyan, he'll be happy. That's enough." This time, even Father Yu had no rebuttal. He closed his eyes, as if giving up the struggle—no, as if resigning himself to fate. "He's still young. He doesn't yet know the importance of power and prospects. Don't you know either?" In those words was an indescribable bitterness. When the Yu family had no power, they were meat on the chopping block, fish at the mercy of the blade. And now, the Yu family finally had power. If they didn't hold tightly onto that power and those prospects, the Yu family could very well experience a second upheaval. But they couldn't afford to go through that again. At Linji, Lin Meiyan couldn't sleep. She got up and took out the marriage certificate she'd received during the day. The bright red certificate was almost searing to the touch. As if it burned her hands, she threw it away, tossing it all the way to the very back of the desk drawer. After closing the drawer, she locked it in a somewhat conspicuous attempt to cover things up. As if doing so would make that marriage certificate cease to exist. "Mommy, what's wrong?" Qiaoqiao had been woken up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, her little head full of curly hair. "Nothing." Lin Meiyan shook her head. Qiaoqiao tilted her head. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on her fair little face. She couldn't help but ask, "Is it because of Uncle Yu?" "What?" "Mommy can't sleep because of Uncle Yu?" At that, Lin Meiyan was taken aback. She sat at the head of the bed, hugging her knees with both arms. In this moment, Qiaoqiao was no longer just her daughter, but a confidante. "A little." Qiaoqiao mimicked her posture, hugging a pillow and sitting beside her. "Mommy, do you hate Uncle Yu?" Lin Meiyan shook her head. "No, I don't." Hearing this, Qiaoqiao let out a sigh of relief. "If I really had to choose a daddy..." "Mommy, I can accept Uncle Yu." Compared to that big scumbag from her last life, Uncle Yu was infinitely better. When Lin Meiyan heard this, her expression went blank. Qiaoqiao stepped forward and hugged her, whispering, "Mommy, Uncle Yu is very, very good." Most importantly, he had money. That alone was enough to crush most people. Qiaoqiao had been worldly in both her lives. If she truly had to pick a father, she'd rather have a rich one. She wouldn't want a poor father, one who'd live off the money she and her mother worked so hard to earn. Qiaoqiao wouldn't accept that. She simply couldn't. Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment, stroking Qiaoqiao's face. "Do you like having Yu Jianghai as your daddy?" Qiaoqiao nodded heavily. Lin Meiyan pulled her close to sleep, speaking softly, "I understand." Understand what? Qiaoqiao wanted to ask again, but Lin Meiyan was already asleep. Qiaoqiao pressed her lips together, gently hugging Lin Meiyan and murmuring, "Mom, I don't dislike Uncle Yu, but I can't say I especially like him either." She just liked money, and coincidentally, Uncle Yu had money. She had originally thought about relying on her mother alone. But she saw how well Uncle Yu treated her mother, and she thought, why not give it a try? Her mother had suffered so much before—she deserved to enjoy happiness in this life. Enjoy happiness from her. And enjoy happiness from Uncle Yu too. In late August, Jiangcheng was scorching hot. The moment Linji's rolling shutter door opened early in the morning, the heat from outside the alley came rushing in. Gu Kaihua grimaced and panted, "Damn it, why is it so hot today?" With that, he grabbed the hose and started spraying down the ground in front of the entrance, not forgetting to cool himself off as well in an attempt to beat the heat. Ye Qiuju was setting out bowls and chopsticks inside when she heard the commotion and couldn't help scolding, "You get the storefront all wet first thing in the morning—how are people supposed to come in and buy food?" Scolded, Gu Kaihua deflated like a wilted plant and immediately turned off the hose. Qiaoqiao watched and covered her mouth to laugh. She dragged over a small stool and wiped the wooden sign that read "Mung Bean Soup—Five Cents." The chalk characters on the sign had faded and needed to be traced over again. Tasks like this that required writing and literacy were all delegated to her by Lin Meiyan. She wrote while secretly glancing at her mother. Lin Meiyan was in the back kitchen rinsing mung beans, having already loosened the alkaline noodles in advance. When their eyes met, she said gently, "Write every character clearly, and check once more for any mistakes." Qiaoqiao responded with a cheerful "Okay!" Gu Kaihua came in from outside and, seeing no one paying him any attention, patted his big belly and deliberately teased, "Oho, our little boss is so diligent today?" Qiaoqiao lifted her little chin. "Gotta make money." Hearing the laughter outside, Lin Meiyan paused in her movements. After finishing her prep work, she came out and instructed Qiaoqiao, "Once you're done with the sign, go do your homework. School starts in about ten days." Qiaoqiao reluctantly hummed in response, because compared to doing homework, she much preferred making money. Just as Qiaoqiao was about to pack up and head to the second floor, a sharp female voice suddenly came from the entrance—"Lin Meiyan!" The voice wasn't unfamiliar. Gu Kaihua stopped mopping and looked up toward the door. Auntie Wu stood at the entrance of Linji, her face ashen, clutching a handkerchief that she had twisted into a wrinkled mess, as if she had just come from a fight at someone's house. Qiaoqiao stood at the door and saw her first. Knowing she was the grandmother who introduced marriage prospects to her mother, she blinked and asked, "Grandma Wu, would you like some noodles?" Auntie Wu strode straight in, fuming. "What noodles would I eat? How could I still have the face to eat noodles today?" "Auntie Wu, who got you so riled up this early in the morning?" Gu Kaihua set the bucket aside and shielded Qiaoqiao behind him. "If someone's upset you, go find them. Why are you yelling at a child?" Auntie Wu didn't want to yell at the child—she aimed her attack directly at Lin Meiyan. "Have Lin Meiyan come out." When Lin Meiyan emerged from the back kitchen, her hands were still wet. She wiped them with a dry towel, her brow slightly furrowed. "Auntie Wu, you're looking for me?" Seeing her like this, Auntie Wu's anger flared up instantly. "Meiyan, you're something else. I kindly introduced you to a match, and you go and humiliate He Wenbin. Now his mother has come to my doorstep cursing at me!" "How am I supposed to show my face in public anymore?" She, Wu Xianlian, was also a figure in Simenkou—to have someone point at her nose and curse at her door, her old face was completely ruined. Lin Meiyan's beautiful face showed a hint of confusion. "I humiliated He Wenbin?" "When did I ever humiliate He Wenbin?" Yesterday the matchmaking simply didn't work out—they parted on good terms. Even when she came out, He Wenbin stood at the door and didn't say a single word. "If not you, then who?" Auntie Wu's face was red with anger. "What's wrong with He Wenbin? He graduated from Jiangda, works in the logistics office there, young and decent-looking. The two of you—one with a son, one with a daughter—isn't that a perfect fit?" Ye Qiuju set the rag down on the table. "Auntie Wu, that's not how you put it. If the match didn't work, it didn't work—if they were suitable, wouldn't it have worked out? Since it didn't, they're just not a good fit." The words were a bit convoluted, and they made Auntie Wu lose even more face. She had been cornered at her doorstep by He Wenbin's mother last night, cursed at for half the night—accused of introducing a woman with a child who still demanded Zhaozhui, just to toy with people. The anger had simmered all night, and now it all came crashing down on Lin Meiyan. "He Wenbin said that the moment Lin Meiyan sat down, she put on airs, and in the end, she said she wouldn't marry anyone—only take a Zhaozhui." "Which woman brings up zhaozhui on the very first blind date? Isn't that just deliberately trying to embarrass someone?" Lin Meiyan kept her eyes lowered, waiting until Auntie Wu finished before looking up. "Auntie Wu, before I went to that blind date, didn't I tell you that I wasn't looking to marry out—I only wanted zhaozhui?" The room fell quiet for a moment. Gu Kaihua immediately chimed in, "That's right, our whole family knows about this." Auntie Wu's face stiffened. Of course she remembered, but she hadn't dared to tell the He family the full story. She craned her neck stubbornly. "I didn't put it that bluntly, but can you blame me for that?" "If I'd said from the start that you wanted zhaozhui, would He Wenbin have even shown up?" At that, Gu Kaihua laughed out loud. "Listen to that, everyone, just listen." He raised his hand and called out toward the street, "Neighbors, come listen to this! What kind of talk is that?" As it happened, a few people had already gathered at the entrance of Linji to buy breakfast. Uncle Wang came over carrying his enamel mug to buy mung bean soup. He'd just reached the doorway when he heard those words. He paused mid-step. "Oh? What's going on here?" Grandma Zhang, holding her vegetable basket, also stopped. "What's all the fuss about this early in the morning?" Seeing the crowd growing, Auntie Wu's face turned even uglier. She cared more about saving face than anyone, and today of all days, she'd come precisely for the sake of her reputation. Gu Kaihua didn't care about her expression at all. He said directly, "Auntie Wu set up a blind date for our Meiyan. Meiyan made it clear from the start that she only wanted zhaozhui, but Auntie Wu didn't tell the man. Now that he's unhappy about it, she's turning around and blaming Meiyan." Uncle Wang's brow furrowed after hearing this. "That doesn't sound right." Grandma Zhang added, "Zhaozhui is a serious matter—it definitely should have been made clear in advance." "What do you people know?" Auntie Wu was flushed with shame and anger. "Wasn't I doing it for her own good?" "For my own good?" Lin Meiyan repeated the words softly. She looked at Auntie Wu, her gaze steady and unflinching. "Auntie Wu, if you truly wanted what's best for me, you should have told the other party exactly what I said." "If He Wenbin can't accept it, I don't blame him." "A blind date is supposed to be a mutual agreement—if it doesn't work out, so be it." "But you didn't make things clear, and that's what led to today's situation. Now you're turning around and blaming me for backing out—that's not fair." Auntie Wu's face flushed red and pale by turns as Meiyan spoke. More and more people were gathering outside. Auntie Cao seemed to have materialized from nowhere, craning her neck from behind the crowd. Under everyone's gaze, Auntie Wu steeled herself. "Meiyan, I admit I didn't spell out the word zhaozhui clearly. In fact, Qiuju knew about it too." Ye Qiuju frowned. "I did know, but it was your idea at the time—you said we couldn't mention it then, or the man wouldn't agree to meet. You wanted Meiyan to bring it up during the meeting itself. She said it on the spot, and the match didn't work out. Isn't that perfectly normal?" "Old Wu, I used to think you were a reasonable person, but now it seems—" not entirely. A failed match was never just one person's fault. Auntie Wu was left with no way to save face. She wiped her face with her hand. "But you all should think about it yourselves—can Meiyan really afford to be picky?" She'd originally thought that by playing matchmaker, she could curry favor with the He family. Little did she expect that not only would the match fail, but she'd end up offending them instead. Gu Kaihua's face turned cold. "Watch your mouth." Auntie Wu acted as if she hadn't heard. Angry and frustrated, she continued, "Did I say anything wrong? She's unmarried with a child, and the child's father is unknown. Not to mention Meiyan isn't young anymore, and all she has is a small restaurant." "He Wenbin, at the very least, works in the logistics office at Jiangda—a college graduate with a proper job." "But her? If she wants zhaozhui, fine, but there's no need to humiliate people like this." Qiaoqiao stood off to the side hugging her little stool, her small face darkening. She was about to speak when Lin Meiyan reached out and held her back. "Qiaoqiao, go inside." Qiaoqiao refused, clutching at her mother's clothes, her eyes reddening. Ye Qiuju couldn't hold back anymore. She stepped forward. "Auntie Wu, you're up in years. Saying things like this in front of a child—aren't you afraid of losing years off your life?" Auntie Wu sneered. "Why would I fear that for telling the truth?" "A perfectly good blind date, ruined like this." She'd originally thought Lin Meiyan was clever, but clearly she wasn't at all. Now that things had turned out this way, she'd truly lost both the bait and the fish. Auntie Cao, who'd been watching the commotion from the side, chimed in with a sarcastic remark. "That's right. Even for zhaozhui, you need to see if the other party is willing." Gu Kaihua shot her a glare. "Cao, are your ears itching for a scratch again?" Auntie Cao shrank back a little but still refused to back down. "I didn't say anything wrong." Seeing someone agree with her, Auntie Wu's courage swelled a few notches. She looked at Lin Meiyan's pretty face, then thought of the rumors circulating around Simenkou lately. She paused before speaking. "Meiyan, don't say Auntie Wu didn't warn you." "Everyone around Simenkou knows by now—you've been getting pretty close with that boss from Jianghai Dicai." "You can't have your cake and eat it too, you know." Without giving Lin Meiyan a chance to respond, she continued rattling on, "Grandma Zhang was just saying the other day that the Jianghai Dicai boss renovated your place, sent flower baskets, and even had his secretary running over here." "Don't you dare compare He Wenbin to the Jianghai Dicai boss? There's no comparison. Besides, if you had something going on with the Jianghai Dicai boss, you should've said so earlier. Why wait until the matchmaking meeting to bring it up?" "Isn't this just leading people on?" Grandma Zhang stood in the crowd, her face changing color. "Hey, hey, hey, when did I ever say that?" Auntie Wu ignored her, keeping her eyes fixed on Lin Meiyan. "You don't actually think a big boss like that would take a liking to you, do you?" Lin Meiyan's face finally turned cold. But Auntie Wu was on a roll now. Gone was the warmth she'd shown as a matchmaker, replaced by a hint of resentment. And she truly was angry. Angry that Lin Meiyan couldn't seize such a good opportunity. Angry that she'd introduced the match and ended up thoroughly offending the He family because of it—now she'd never be able to curry favor with them again. At that thought, Auntie Wu let out a cold laugh. "What status does he have? The boss of Jianghai Dicai, drives a car, has who knows how many people under him." "And you? You're just someone who runs a restaurant on Simenkou Hengjie." "People like us, ordinary folks, should match with ordinary folks. He Wenbin was already good enough, and you still looked down on him. Do you really think the Jianghai Dicai boss would marry you?" When she finished, the area in front of Linji fell completely silent. Grandma Zhang's hand holding her enamel mug froze mid-air. Uncle Wang was so anxious he slapped his thigh. He couldn't listen anymore and cursed back, "Wu, what's wrong with your mouth? No filter at all?" Auntie Cao, on the other hand, was enjoying this. She'd long been annoyed by Lin Meiyan's recent good fortune, and hearing Auntie Wu lay it all out felt satisfying. Ye Qiuju's hands trembled with anger. She was about to curse back when Lin Meiyan spoke first. "Auntie Wu." Her voice wasn't loud, but it drew everyone's attention. Lin Meiyan stood at the entrance of Linji, the steaming kitchen behind her. Her face was pale, but her back was straight. "I have never looked down on He Wenbin because someone happens to be the Jianghai Dicai boss." "And I've never strung anyone along." "I said Zhaozhui because Linji was left to me by my father." "My father had no sons. The Lin family name can't end with me." "I live my life with Qiaoqiao—no stealing, no robbing, no deceiving, no hiding." "Zhaozhui is hard, but hard doesn't mean I should lower my head and marry out." "And it definitely doesn't mean you can twist my words, and when things don't work out, dump the dirty water on me." These words were clean and sharp. Auntie Wu was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. Gu Kaihua stopped smiling too. He looked at Lin Meiyan, as if seeing Lin Tonghe from years ago. When Linji had fallen on hard times, Lin Tonghe had been just this unyielding—otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to hang himself rather than bend. Auntie Wu, blocked by Lin Meiyan's words, grew more embarrassed. Unwilling to admit defeat, her lips moved and she forced out a line. "Pretty words." "If you're really that capable, then go find a man willing to do Ruzhui." She raised her hand and pointed outward. "Go on, find one. Let everyone see—who would give up being a proper man to become a live-in son-in-law at the Lin family?" "He Wenbin won't do it, and the Jianghai Dicai boss certainly won't either!" The moment those last words landed, the sound of a car engine drifted from the mouth of the alley. It wasn't loud, but at that moment, it was unmistakably clear. Everyone instinctively turned around to see a black sedan pulling up in front of Linji. Secretary Shen got out of the passenger seat first. The moment he stepped out, he sensed something was off about the atmosphere at Linji's entrance. A crowd was gathered, Ye Qiuju's face was grim, and Gu Kaihua looked like he was about to roll up his sleeves and throw a punch. Secretary Shen's heart skipped a beat. Trouble. The boss was making his first official visit, and something had already happened. He walked over quickly and asked with concern, "Youth Lin, what's going on here?" Lin Meiyan was startled to see him. She hadn't expected Secretary Shen to show up at such a coincidence. Secretary Shen glanced toward Auntie Wu, his smile polite but not quite reaching his eyes. "What was this auntie just saying?" Auntie Wu's voice caught in her throat the moment she saw Secretary Shen. She recognized him, and so did the neighbors. Because all the preliminary work for Jianghai Dicai's second phase had been handled by Secretary Shen shuttling back and forth. Uncle Wang muttered, "That's the secretary from Jianghai Dicai, isn't it?" "That's him," Grandma Zhang replied in a low voice. "I've seen him. He's been to Linji several times." Auntie Wu still tried to save face. "What I said—what's it got to do with you?" Secretary Shen, seeming good-natured, replied, "Originally, it had nothing to do with me." He paused. "But I just happened to hear something about our Jianghai Dicai boss." At that, Auntie Wu's expression shifted slightly. Secretary Shen continued, "You said our boss wouldn't take a liking to Youth Lin?" Auntie Wu, having her words repeated in front of everyone, couldn't save face anymore. "I—I was just talking off the top of my head." "Just talking off the top of your head?" Secretary Shen's smile remained unchanged. "Auntie, you can say whatever you like over a meal, but you can't just say whatever you please." "Standing here in front of all these neighbors, accusing a female comrade of being involved with a man in some unclear way—if word of this gets out, it will ruin her reputation." Auntie Wu was choked speechless, a lump forming in her chest. She had been scolding Lin Meiyan so fluently just now, never expecting Secretary Shen to show up suddenly. Auntie Cao couldn't help but interject from behind, "Secretary Shen, don't you go speaking up for Lin Meiyan either. Everyone knows you're from Jianghai Dicai, so of course you'd take her side." Secretary Shen turned to look at Auntie Cao, still smiling. But that smile sent a chill down Auntie Cao's spine. Sure enough, the next second she heard Secretary Shen say calmly, "So this auntie also thinks our boss looks down on Youth Lin?" Auntie Cao stubbornly retorted, "Isn't that obvious? A big boss like President Yu—what kind of young woman couldn't he find?" "Exactly." Auntie Wu chimed in like she'd found an ally. "Secretary Shen, I know your boss looks after Linji, but looking after is looking after, and marriage is marriage." "A man like President Yu—surely he wouldn't actually marry a woman with a child, would he?" Secretary Shen had been waiting for exactly this. He slowly straightened up, pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and smiled with a refined, scholarly air, like a Maitreya Buddha. "Auntie, that's where you're wrong again." Auntie Wu was taken aback. "Where did I go wrong?" Secretary Shen glanced at Lin Meiyan. She kept her eyes lowered, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her apron. He turned back to Auntie Wu, enunciating every word clearly. "Our boss isn't someone who can't marry." "Rather, our boss already got the marriage certificate with Youth Lin yesterday." The entrance of Linji erupted at once, and even the stifling air around seemed to grow hotter with the commotion. Uncle Wang's enamel mug nearly slipped from his hand. "What?" Grandma Zhang was also stunned for a moment. "Got the—got the certificate? What certificate?" Auntie Cao's eyes went wide. Her first reaction was, "Impossible. Don't you try to fool us with that kind of talk!" Auntie Wu's face turned even paler. She swallowed hard and said, "That's right, Secretary Shen. You can talk nonsense about food, but you can't talk nonsense about things like this." Secretary Shen said unhurriedly, "I'm saying that our boss, Yu Jianghai, already got the marriage certificate with Youth Lin yesterday. Legal husband and wife, stamped by the civil affairs office." With every word he spoke, Auntie Wu's face grew a shade whiter. Gu Kaihua reacted the fastest. He straightened his back at once and pointed at them with his index finger. "Did you hear that?" He pointed at Auntie Wu, then at Auntie Cao. "If anyone dares say our Meiyan is involved with someone improperly again, I, Gu Kaihua, will be the first to object!" Auntie Cao's face cycled through shades of green and white. She wanted to argue back, but Secretary Shen had spoken too clearly. Auntie Wu's lips trembled. "That's impossible." "Why is it impossible?" Secretary Shen tilted his head. "Weren't you just saying that the Jianghai Dicai boss wouldn't take a liking to Youth Lin?" "But our boss didn't just take a liking to her." "He was even afraid Youth Lin wouldn't want him." Another collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Lin Meiyan's ears turned red at the roots. She felt Secretary Shen was being far too blunt. Qiaoqiao, on the other hand, was so excited she nearly clapped. "Uncle Shen, that was so well said!" Auntie Wu and the others were flushed with embarrassment, their faces as sour as if they'd just lost a parent. Because all those words she'd said earlier, after Secretary Shen's rebuttal, felt like slap after slap landing right back on her own face. Auntie Cao still wouldn't give up. "So what if they got the certificate? It's still President Yu who married her. She talked about Zhaozhui, but didn't she still end up married off?" The moment those words left her mouth, the door on the other side of the car was pushed open. Yu Jianghai stepped out of the vehicle. Today he wore a dark suit, impeccably tailored, with long limbs and a tall, handsome bearing. The moment he appeared, the noisy crowd instinctively parted to make a path for him, and even the previously clamorous Auntie Cao fell into an involuntary silence. It was as if some people were born to be the center of attention—just by appearing, their commanding presence inspired awe. Secretary Shen was no exception. He immediately stepped aside. "Boss." Yu Jianghai gave a soft "mm" in acknowledgment. He didn't look at Auntie Wu first, nor at Auntie Cao. He walked straight toward Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan stood at the entrance, her face somewhat pale. She said nothing. Yu Jianghai came to her side and asked in a low voice, "Did they make you feel wronged?" Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together and said nothing. Yu Jianghai looked at her. He didn't press the matter, only turned his gaze toward Auntie Wu. The look was faint, but it made Auntie Wu's heart tighten. Auntie Wu forced the corners of her mouth into an overly ingratiating smile. "Pres—President Yu." Yu Jianghai didn't respond. Auntie Cao shrank back half a step. Uncle Wang whispered to the person beside him, "It really is President Yu." "So Meiyan really married President Yu?" "Not married, right? Didn't they just say Zhaozhui?" When that last remark was spoken, everyone turned in unison to look at Yu Jianghai. Auntie Wu also seemed to seize on that last sliver of hope, forcing a dry laugh. "President Yu, I was only looking out for Meiyan just now." "She said she wanted Zhaozhui, and that really isn't appropriate." "A man of your standing—surely you can't actually come to the Lin family as a live-in son-in-law?" Yu Jianghai finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud—it was even calm. "Why not?" Auntie Wu froze. How was she supposed to answer that? Yu Jianghai looked at her. "Lin Meiyan said from the very beginning that she wouldn't marry out—only Zhaozhui." "She didn't deceive anyone." "You knew she was looking for a son-in-law to marry into her family, yet you didn't tell the man." "Now that the matchmaking has failed, you come to Linji to make a scene, calling her picky and saying no one wants her." "Auntie Wu." He called out, his voice devoid of anger. Yet Auntie Wu felt more flustered than if Gu Kaihua had been yelling at her. Yu Jianghai continued, "You owe her an apology." Auntie Wu's face flushed red. "I-I was just being scolded by the He family, and I got anxious." "What does the He family scolding you have to do with her?" Yu Jianghai asked in return, and Auntie Wu was completely at a loss for words. Secretary Shen interjected at the right moment, "Auntie, the He family came to you because you didn't explain things clearly." "You came to Youth Lin because you didn't dare admit to it." "That's called misdirected anger." Gu Kaihua's eyes lit up as he slapped his thigh. "Secretary Shen, you've hit the nail on the head!" "Isn't it misdirected anger? She didn't explain the matchmaking properly, yet she blames our Meiyan for being too picky." Grandma Zhang nodded along. "This matter really isn't on the Wu family's side." Uncle Wang also said, "Matchmaking should be clear from the start; you can't hide things." The onlookers chimed in one after another. The words that had been weighing on Lin Meiyan moments ago now all fell back onto Auntie Wu. Auntie Wu's face burned. She could only look at Lin Meiyan dryly and say, "Meiyan, Auntie Wu was just anxious a moment ago." Lin Meiyan looked at her. "Auntie Wu, I know being a matchmaker isn't easy." Auntie Wu's face had just relaxed a little when Lin Meiyan continued, "But difficulty isn't a reason for you to come to my door and bully me. Auntie Wu, since my father passed away, I've treated you as an elder, and I've treated the neighbors here in Simenkou who watched me grow up as elders too." "Even more so, as family." I treat you as family, yet you bully me like this—the implication wasn't spoken aloud, but everyone understood it clearly. Auntie Wu was no exception. She opened her mouth but ultimately didn't dare keep cursing. Auntie Cao saw Auntie Wu losing the battle and tried to quietly back away herself. Gu Kaihua had sharp eyes and spotted her immediately. "Auntie Cao, where are you going?" Auntie Cao's expression changed. "I-I'm going to buy groceries." Gu Kaihua sneered. "Weren't you just saying that getting the marriage certificate doesn't count as Zhaozhui? President Yu is right here now—why don't you ask him?" Auntie Cao didn't dare ask at all, but Yu Jianghai had heard. He looked at Auntie Cao and said calmly, "You just said that getting the certificate means I married her?" Auntie Cao forced a dry smile. "I-I was just saying that casually." "Then listen carefully." Yu Jianghai stood at the entrance of Linji, his voice clear enough for everyone in the alley to hear. "It's not that I married Lin Meiyan." Everyone was stunned. He turned his face and looked at the Linji signboard. The sign had just been repainted, gleaming brightly under the morning sun. Yu Jianghai's gaze fell back on Lin Meiyan. "It's that I've married into the Lin family as Ruzhui." "From today on, I am Lin Meiyan's husband, and the son-in-law who has married into the Lin family." The moment these words fell, even the auntie selling vegetables by the door stopped in her tracks. The surrounding area was so quiet it was almost unnatural. Auntie Cao, Auntie Wu, Uncle Wang—all of them couldn't help but look over. Qiaoqiao poked her head out from the kitchen doorway. She had been holding back from speaking all this time, but now hearing Yu Jianghai say this, her eyes lit up instantly. She ran out on her little short legs, hugged Lin Meiyan's leg tightly, then looked up at Yu Jianghai. "Daddy." The little girl's voice was soft, but those two words rang louder than everything said before. The onlookers were struck again. Grandma Zhang clutched her chest. "Oh my, Qiaoqiao is already calling him daddy." Uncle Wang shook his head as he watched. "This couldn't be more real." Auntie Cao's face turned pale. Auntie Wu was completely speechless. She had just said no one wanted Lin Meiyan, that the boss of Jianghai Dicai would never fancy her, and that he would never marry into her family. Yet not only did he come— He admitted it in front of the entire street. He married in. Married into the Lin family. Secretary Shen took in everyone's expressions from the side, feeling immensely satisfied inside. That's right. The boss didn't talk much normally, but when he did say something, it should crush these people until they couldn't utter a single word. Gu Kaihua was so happy his mouth was practically splitting ear to ear. He announced loudly, "Did you all hear that?" "President Yu said it himself—he's married into our Lin family!" "If anyone dares say our Meiyan has no one who wants her again, I'll recite today's words right back at her!" Ye Qiuju found him embarrassing and tugged at him, but there was a smile in her eyes too. Lin Meiyan's cheeks, however, were burning. She hadn't expected Yu Jianghai to declare this so solemnly in front of so many people. She couldn't help but look up at him, then look again. Yu Jianghai looked down at her. "Is saying it like this alright?" Lin Meiyan lowered her eyes and said softly, "You've already said it." Yu Jianghai looked at her reddening earlobes, and finally a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. His voice was husky as he said, "Then I'll say less in the future." He paused, then deliberately added, "Say less in front of outsiders." Lin Meiyan, "..." Gu Kaihua overheard and started coughing, choked by this wave of joy. Auntie Wu could no longer stay. She clutched her handkerchief, lowered her head, and said in a dry voice, "Meiyan, I was wrong today." "I didn't explain things clearly, and it caused trouble between you and the He family." Lin Meiyan no longer pressed aggressively. She simply nodded. "Auntie Wu, take care." Auntie Wu's face showed embarrassment. She knew this meant she wasn't welcome to stay. She turned to leave, but Gu Kaihua added one more line, "Auntie Wu, from now on, speak and act more clearly. Don't bully people just because you're an elder." Auntie Wu stumbled, nearly falling, and hurriedly squeezed through the crowd. Auntie Cao wanted to leave too. But Secretary Shen said slowly, "This auntie, don't speak carelessly next time." Auntie Cao's face turned green. She instinctively glanced at Yu Jianghai, then quickly nodded. "I won't say anything more, won't say anything more." With that, she grabbed her vegetable basket and ran. Gu Kaihua clicked his tongue from behind. "Runs faster than a rabbit." As the onlookers dispersed, they couldn't help looking back every few steps. After today's events, Simenkou Hengjie would probably be buzzing with gossip within half a day. Lin Meiyan and the boss of Jianghai Dicai had gotten their marriage certificate. It wasn't Lin Meiyan climbing up the social ladder. It was Yu Jianghai who said it himself—he was marrying into the Lin family as Ruzhui. Before leaving, Uncle Wang hadn't forgotten to buy Reganmian. He placed the money on the counter and couldn't help sighing, "Meiyan, if your parents knew you got married, they'd be very happy." Lin Meiyan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her heart ached with bitterness. Yu Jianghai glanced at her, then reached out and gently held her hand. Lin Meiyan froze for a moment. She looked down at their hands, and though Yu Jianghai said nothing, his eyes seemed to say, Don't be afraid, I'm here. Lin Meiyan didn't pull away. She looked at their intertwined hands and made no resistance. Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju both keenly noticed this. The two exchanged a subtle glance. Gu Kaihua understood immediately. He took the initiative to invite, "Yu, Zong"—he swallowed the last word. "Jiang Hai, come inside with me." Yu Jianghai nodded. Holding Lin Meiyan's hand, he walked confidently into Linji, witnessed by the elders and neighbors. As he stepped through the doorway, he looked up at the Linji signboard. This time, everything was completely different. Seeing that he wasn't moving, Lin Meiyan asked softly, "What's wrong?" Yu Jianghai held her hand, their fingers interlaced. He lowered his eyes. "Yanyan, this time I came—do I have a proper title now?"