CHAPTER 170: CHAPTER 170 EXAGGERATION

Luu Qi kept her head down, intently focused on her meal. Never mind getting married. I’m afraid that when it’s time to meet the parents, five daughters-in-law will be enough to make you faint. And don’t forget about me. At this point, Luu Qi couldn’t help but wonder how Xia Liang would resolve this issue in the future.

After the meal, Luu Juan grabbed the bank card she had used to save money for Xia Liang. The four of them left the house and headed for Xia Liang’s eldest uncle’s place. The two homes weren’t far apart, only a twenty-minute walk.

When they arrived at the eldest uncle’s doorstep, he was sitting at the entrance, smoking a cigarette in silence. Xia Liang noticed his uncle’s hair had grown significantly whiter and his back was more hunched.

"Uncle," Luu Qi and Xia Liang called out.

Luu Lin looked up and saw Xia Liang’s family. He forced a slight smile onto his face. "Xiao Liang, Xiao Qi, you’re here? Come inside and sit."

With that, he led the way in. The four of them entered to find their cousin and his family were all there. However, none of them showed any excitement about the upcoming wedding. Upon seeing Xia Liang’s family, they all forced smiles and offered greetings. Xia Liang’s family didn’t mind, as they knew the situation. Their cousin’s family was agonizing over the bride price.

But Xia Liang was here to solve that very problem.

Xia Weiguo and Luu Juan pulled the uncle aside. Meanwhile, Xia Liang and Luu Qi sat down next to their cousin, Luu Wenlin.

"Cousin, you’re getting married tomorrow. Why the long face?" Xia Liang asked.

"Yeah, cheer up a bit," Luu Qi added.

Hearing his younger cousins’ words, Luu Wenlin revealed a smile that looked worse than crying. "This wedding might not even happen."

Luu Qi quickly chimed in, "Brother, it’s just the bride price. What’s the big deal?"

Luu Wenlin shook his head. "No, you don’t understand."

Just as the two were about to ask what he meant, Luu Lin walked over. He gazed deeply at Xia Liang, his lips trembling slightly.

"Xiao Liang, Uncle... Uncle thanks you on behalf of your cousin!" As he spoke, he was nearly choked with sobs. His family had been worrying themselves sick over this five-cent bride price.

Xia Liang quickly helped support Luu Lin. "Uncle, we’re all family, let’s not talk like strangers. You should hurry over to your future daughter-in-law’s house to talk things over. The wedding is tomorrow."

Hearing this, Luu Lin nodded emphatically. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Now Luu Wenlin finally understood. He assumed Xia Liang had given them the money he had saved for his own bride price. He looked at Xia Liang with red-rimmed eyes, completely overcome with emotion. A grown man, just like that, began to cry.

"Xiao Liang, Cousin... thank you... Don’t worry! I’ll definitely pay you back this money in the future."

Xia Liang quickly patted Luu Wenlin’s back. "It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. Let’s go now."

"Mhm!" Luu Wenlin nodded, his confidence bolstered as he held the card in his hand. "Alright, let’s go."

He said, leading Xia Liang and Luu Qi along. This had been a demand from the bride’s side, who had insisted that marriage was a matter for the younger generation to handle.

「Half an hour later.」

"This is the place," Luu Wenlin said, knocking on the door with a hint of excitement.

The door was opened by a fashionably dressed, middle-aged woman. She was his future mother-in-law, Dai Yingyue. Dai Yingyue was startled for a moment by the two strangers, but she relaxed upon seeing Luu Wenlin. Her heart leaped with joy, assuming that his arrival meant he had gathered the money.

She immediately put on a warm smile. "Oh, Wenlin, you’re here! Come in, come in."

As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Zheng Jin sitting on the sofa. She was no fool and stood up the moment she saw Luu Wenlin.

"Darling, you’re here. These must be the younger brother and sister you mentioned. Please, sit down." She said, gesturing for the three of them to take a seat.

After taking a sip of tea, Luu Wenlin got straight to the point. "Um, Auntie, didn’t you say... the bride price was Five Cents? I’ve borrowed the money, and I’ve already booked the venue and invited all our friends and relatives, so..."

Though Luu Wenlin didn’t finish his sentence, his meaning was perfectly clear.

*Here it comes!* Dai Yingyue and Zheng Jin exchanged a look.

Dai Yingyue’s smile vanished. She clapped her hands together and said with a tone of indifference, "Well, Wenlin, Auntie has something to discuss with you, too. Our Zheng Jin has become an executive at her company. Her salary is already significant, and with a little more effort, she could make it into management. At that point, her base salary will start at three points. So, I was thinking... Five Cents for the bride price is a bit low. It should be at least One Yuan!"

"What? One Yuan?" Luu Wenlin was stunned, as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

When he mechanically turned his head toward Zheng Jin, he saw her simply nod her head, clearly indicating she agreed.

Luu Wenlin grew anxious. "But you already agreed yesterday! From Three Cents, you raised it to Five Cents! How can you go back on your word again today and demand One Yuan? Where am I supposed to find One Yuan?"

Hearing Luu Wenlin’s words, Xia Liang and Luu Qi frowned. They were starting to sense something was off. The bride price had already been raised once, from three cents to five. Xia Liang’s face darkened, though he kept his anger in check.

In response to Luu Wenlin’s outburst, neither the mother nor the daughter showed any sign of embarrassment.

Zheng Jin spoke gently, "Darling, I want to marry you, too. But my mom struggled to raise me for twenty-three long years. One Yuan, no matter how you look at it, isn’t too much, right? You see, I can’t help it. I only have one brother, and he’s also ready to get married. He has a wedding next month, and his fiancée’s family is asking for One Yuan, so we’re really in a bind."

After speaking, Zheng Jin looked at Luu Wenlin with a pitiable expression. In the past, whenever she made this face, Luu Wenlin would agree to anything she said.

At his side, Luu Qi couldn’t hold back any longer and prepared to speak up for her cousin. "You people..."

But before she could finish, Xia Liang grabbed her arm.

Luu Qi looked at him, confused.

Xia Liang simply shook his head, signaling for her to stay quiet. Although he was furious, he knew this was ultimately Luu Wenlin’s decision to make. It was obvious that Luu Wenlin truly loved this woman. Otherwise, his uncle, a man who had never bowed his head in his life, wouldn’t have stooped to borrowing money for his son.

Hearing Zheng Jin’s words, Luu Wenlin’s voice was terrifyingly low. "Just tell me everything at once. How much more for the bride price, and what else do you want me to do?"

Hearing this, Zheng Jin thought he had agreed. A hint of triumph flashed across her face. After glancing at her mother, she eagerly pulled a pre-prepared contract from a drawer.

When Luu Wenlin saw the large words "Prenuptial Agreement" on the white paper, an agonizing pain shot through his heart.

Beside him, Xia Liang’s expression grew grim, while Luu Qi’s face turned pale with rage. Is this a marriage? Isn’t marriage supposed to happen when two people love each other? Luu Wenlin has been planning their future together, but this woman, far from showing any understanding, is scheming against him right before their wedding.

Zheng Jin took out a pen. "And darling, you need to sign this..."