"Mother-in-law, please calm down first. This is what happened…"
Wang Hua carefully recounted the entire incident, looking at the Fang family with hopeful anticipation, wishing for their understanding. She and Xu Qingzhou were also victims in this matter.
Unexpectedly, Liu Bailan waved her hand dismissively after hearing the story, her face turning ashen as she pulled Fang Yao to sit on a stool.
Her tone was cold and unyielding, devoid of empathy: "Our family's precious daughter is not unwanted! If Xu Manjiang mistook the bride, you could have simply sent Fang Yao back to us! Changing the groom without even notifying us—what does the Xu Family take my daughter for? She is not a piece of pork for you to pick and choose from during the New Year!"
Wang Hua's cheeks flushed red from the scolding. As a mother herself, she understood Liu Bailan's feelings. Realizing belatedly how rash the marriage swap had been, she showed remorse.
"It truly is my fault. I shouldn't have finalized the marriage directly. I should have sent Yao Yao back first and then had Qingzhou come over to formally propose again. Mother-in-law, I am truly sorry. I sincerely apologize to everyone here." After saying this, Wang Hua pulled Xu Qingzhou along and bowed respectfully to Liu Bailan and the Fang family.
"Mom!" Seeing Wang Hua and Xu Qingzhou being so humble, Fang Yao tugged at Liu Bailan's sleeve.
She knew her mother was venting her grievances on her behalf. Unable to hold Xu Manjiang accountable, Liu Bailan directed all her anger toward Wang Hua and her son. However, since Fang Yao had agreed to the marriage herself, she felt she should speak up for them fairly.
"The Xu Family didn't force me. I was willing to marry Qingzhou, and I also demanded compensation from Xu Manjiang."
"Be quiet! You have no say in this!" Liu Bailan's expression not only failed to improve but grew even colder and more severe.
Fang Yao had never seen her mother this angry before, so she had no choice but to stand aside and remain silent.
Liu Bailan then turned her gaze to Wang Hua and her son on the floor, speaking firmly: "You should leave. I do not acknowledge this marriage. Take all the betrothal gifts with you. Even if my daughter remains unmarried for the rest of her life, I won't let you treat her with such disrespect!"
Wang Hua panicked instantly and urgently called out, "Mother-in-law…"
Xu Qingzhou held her arm and stepped forward on his own. From the moment he entered, he had remained respectfully quiet, not interrupting the elders.
But now, if he took no action, his wife-to-be would slip away, so he could no longer afford to hold back.
"Mom, I, Xu Qingzhou, consider myself an upright man. Once I have set my heart on Fang Yao, I will live faithfully with her for the rest of my life. The reason I didn't send her back that day was because I considered that she had already entered my bridal chamber and performed the wedding ceremony with me. With so many guests witnessing her marriage to me, the union cannot be denied. However, rest assured, although we live together, I respect her wishes and have not forced any marital relations upon her. This also gives us time to get to know each other."
Xu Qingzhou stood tall in his military uniform, speaking with solemnity and sincerity. Even his own mother, Wang Hua, was taken aback by his words.
Liu Bailan, as the mother-in-law, remained completely detached. It took her a long moment to process that Xu Qingzhou's address of "Mom" was directed at her, sending shivers down her spine!
She instinctively rebuked him: "Who are you calling 'Mom'? I said I don't acknowledge this marriage. I am not your mother!"
"Mom…" Fang Yao couldn't stand by and watch her mother escalate the situation, so she had no choice but to side with her husband's family again: "Qingzhou and I have already submitted our marriage report to the military. A military marriage cannot be revoked."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bailan was so furious she gritted her teeth and pinched Fang Yao's arm hard.
"I told you to shut up!"
Fang Yao clutched her sore arm, casting pleading glances at the other family members.
Unfortunately, her father Fang Jianguo was notoriously henpecked and dared not defy his wife, pursing his lips without uttering a word.
Fang Bin's eyes darted between the cigarettes and liquor and Fang Yao's face a few times before he grinned and said, "Mom, I think the new brother-in-law is pretty good. Look at his height, his looks—what's not better than Xu Manjiang? Little sister herself said she's willing, so why are you still making a fuss here?"
After speaking, Fang Bin quickly nudged Fang Tong with his elbow.
Fang Tong chimed in, "Mom, since little sister is willing, we shouldn't stand in the way. I think brother-in-law genuinely cares for her. Why not give him a chance and see how he behaves in the future?"
Just as Liu Bailan was about to speak, Old Master Fang, who had been sitting by the bed, stood up. He walked over to Xu Qingzhou with his hands behind his back and asked him a few questions.
"How old are you this year?"
"Twenty-five."
"How many years have you been in the military?"
"I enlisted at sixteen, so it's been nine years now."
"What about your father? Why is it just you and your mother here today?"
"My father passed away when I was twelve. The only elders in the family are my mother and my grandmother. My grandmother has trouble walking, so she couldn't come, but she kept reminding me yesterday to sincerely apologize to everyone on her behalf."
Old Master Fang took out his water pipe from his pocket and was about to put it to his lips when Xu Qingzhou quickly pulled out a matchbox and eagerly lit it for him.
The wrinkles on Old Master Fang's brow eased slightly. He looked Xu Qingzhou up and down, and his aged eyes crinkled with a few more folds.
"You're a fine young man. Accomplished and responsible at such a young age!" Old Master Fang raised his hand and patted Xu Qingzhou's shoulder twice.
Then, turning to Liu Bailan and the rest of the Fang family, he made the final decision on the marriage.
"Bailan, our daughter has grown up. She has her own opinions. Since she's willing to marry this young man and has brought him home for us to meet, let's accept this marriage."
Liu Bailan's face tightened, and she turned away angrily, but she didn't voice any further objections.
After Old Master Fang took charge, Old Madam Fang began arranging how to host Xu Qingzhou and his mother, as well as the return-to-maternal-home banquet to be held the next day. With the groom suddenly changed, relatives also needed to be notified in advance to avoid any awkward mishaps.
Old Madam Fang assigned this task to Fang Tong and Fang Bin. Liu Bailan reluctantly went to the kitchen to prepare the meal, dragging Fang Yao along with her before leaving.
"What am I supposed to say about you, girl? You managed to stumble into the wrong bridal chamber in a daze, and then silently agreed to the Xu Family's marriage swap. From now on, just the gossip outside will drown you! And besides, with Xu Manjiang, we were already at a disadvantage in the matchmaking. Now you've switched to Xu Qingzhou, who has even better conditions, and you dare to enter a military marriage with him. Aren't you thinking about the future? What if he treats you poorly and refuses to let you go? What are we supposed to do then?"
Only then did Fang Yao realize that her mother's opposition to the marriage swap wasn't about so-called face but stemmed from worry about the vast difference in their families' circumstances. She feared that Fang Yao might be bullied by Xu Qingzhou in the future and that they wouldn't be able to stand up for her.
Tears welled up in Fang Yao's eyes as she took her mother's hand, her voice instantly choked with emotion.
She couldn't speak of the painful experiences from her past life, so she could only compress all that hurt and attribute it to the mistake on her wedding night with Xu Manjiang.
"Mom, Xu Manjiang is nothing but a fickle-hearted scoundrel who loves the new and tires of the old. I should be grateful I didn’t marry him. Xu Qingzhou is outstanding, but I don’t think I’m lacking. What he wants is simply a partner who can live steadily with him, so I’ll do my best to build a life with him. Don’t worry, I’ll work hard and improve myself, and I’ll definitely make you proud! I won’t let you worry or be disappointed."
The tears welling in Liu Bailan’s eyes could no longer be held back, and she tightly embraced Fang Yao.
"Good child, Mom believes in you. You’ll surely make a good life for yourself…"