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Good news never leaves the house, bad news travels a thousand miles.
This saying might not hold in big cities, but in a small county town where friends and neighbors are closely connected, it absolutely applied.
Huaxia people loved to watch the excitement, join in on the excitement, and spread the excitement, and in this environment, these traits had been taken to the extreme. When Xu Wenqian and her mother hurriedly arrived at the entrance of the district, it was nearly impenetrable, with people even craning their necks on flower terraces to get a look...
The sky, already gloomy, had started to drizzle at some point.
Even so, most people were unwilling to leave, preferring to brace against the drizzle to watch the spectacle unfold.
More people continued to arrive after hearing the news, including some from the adjoining neighborhood...
Seeing Xu Wenqian and her mother, the murmuring crowd naturally parted to make way, and only a former factory leader, with hands behind his back, seriously spoke to Xu Wenqian’s mother,
"Little Qian, your family and Cheng Zhe’s family need to resolve this quickly. It’s not good to keep this going; whatever it is, sit down and talk it over..."
Xu Wenqian’s mother kept nodding and went with the silent Xu Wenqian into the crowd.
By the flower bed near the district gate, a middle-aged man in a blue work uniform, about forty or fifty years old with dark skin, angrily stared at a group of people opposite him.
Standing out among them, Xu Wenqian first saw Cheng Zhe.
Having not seen him for more than half a month, Cheng Zhe looked quite haggard, with stubble and much-grown hair, and bloodshot eyes, as if he had suffered mentally.
Yet Xu Wenqian felt only cold laughter in her heart...
She knew Cheng Zhe too well. His appearance, more than anything, was an act.
In past arguments, Cheng Zhe would play the pitiful role and beg in various ways, and every time Xu Wenqian softened and would eventually forgive him.
Thinking back now, Xu Wenqian suddenly realized that perhaps her constant forgiveness and her repeated convincing herself that it was nothing more than some trifles led Cheng Zhe to develop the illusion of security in his misdeeds...
It was rather amusing; the last time Cheng Zhe’s family caused a scene, Cheng Zhe did not show up. Xu Wenqian knew he didn’t have the courage to face her, but this time he finally came.
Apart from Cheng Zhe and his parents, there were several of his uncles, aunts, and various relatives, totaling more than twenty people, including a considerable number of men; it was quite a sight.
But most strikingly, Cheng Zhe’s two cousins held a banner that read,
"Hardware District’s Xu Wenqian, gold digger and cheat, breaks off engagement, five-year love defeated by vanity"
Upon seeing that banner, Xu Wenqian, who should have been extremely furious, instead felt abnormally calm, and even inexplicably wanted to laugh...
"Dad..."
Xu Wenqian called out softly, but Xu Baosheng, currently facing off against Cheng Zhe’s family, did not pay attention to her, only turning his head angrily.
This didn’t surprise Xu Wenqian. In this moment, Xu Baosheng probably only felt ashamed, having been a workshop leader in the factory before being laid off, he held some respect in the district...
The last time Cheng Zhe’s family caused a scene, an embarrassed Xu Baosheng even wanted to hit her.
"Xu Wenqian, you finally dared to show your face!"
From Cheng Zhe’s side, along with a shrill voice, the first to speak was Cheng Zhe’s mother, Liu Fang.
Xu Wenqian never liked her, finding her snobbish, sharp-tongued, caustic, and stingy...
All the shortcomings that middle-aged women in small places might have were almost concentrated in her.
More than half of Xu Wenqian’s insistence on buying a house in Ming City before marrying was because she did not want to face this "mother-in-law" every day.
Beside Liu Fang was Cheng Zhe’s father, Cheng Long, a minor leader in a large factory following Yi County’s state-owned enterprise reform, whose face had a somewhat imposing look, now just stared with a tight-lipped expression.
Xu Wenqian’s impression of this "father-in-law" was someone who never talked much. Still, deep inside, there was something she never told Cheng Zhe.
She always felt uncomfortable under Cheng Long’s gaze...
Xu Wenqian found herself laughable. Why, despite not liking Cheng Zhe’s family, did she still think of accommodating? Why did she always have to wrong herself like this...
"Xu Wenqian, today you must give our family an explanation!"
Cheng Zhe’s mother, Liu Fang, continued to shout sharply, "Everything’s ready, the deposit for the house paid, yet you say no marriage? Your family might not need face, but we do!"
Xu Wenqian’s mother had no idea how to cope with such a situation, only mutely holding back the angry Xu Baosheng.
Thus, Xu Wenqian walked up, ignoring Cheng Zhe’s parents, continuing straight to Cheng Zhe amidst all eyes.
"Cheng Zhe, does it have to be like this?"
Xu Wenqian said softly, "Five years, I have never truly asked anything of you, so can’t we break up with some dignity?"
More peaceful than in any previous argument, Xu Wenqian’s demeanor this time only made Cheng Zhe less able to meet her eyes. His mouth moved slightly, but he said nothing...
"Xu Wenqian, how can you talk about dignity?"
Cheng Zhe’s sister-in-law, a woman with heavy makeup, sneered:
"When you were out fooling with other men, did you think about dignity? What’s wrong with our Cheng Zhe? Third Uncle and Aunt bought you a house in Yi County, over a hundred square meters, paid in full, you insisted on buying a house in Ming City, fine, Cheng Zhe also catered to you, but you, as soon as you hooked up with a rich man, instantly dumped him!"