Zhang Zheng knew that Liang Qingzhou was the son of his mother's aunt from her maternal home, and was his mother's younger male cousin. There was no doubt that as a nephew, he should address him as Maternal Uncle.
This Maternal Uncle's family had a bit of money in Nancheng, and his mother had even used a back door to get into the Maternal Uncle's factory.
"Maternal Uncle."
Zhang Zheng called out unwillingly. Clearly, Liang Qingzhou was only two years older than him, yet he was already his elder.
This elder had been at his wedding just a couple of days ago, and today he had married his ex-girlfriend. He simply did not believe it wasn't intentional.
"Maternal Uncle, why did you marry her?" Zhang Zheng asked with an unkind tone.
Liang Qingzhou had never thought much of this nephew to begin with. He raised the corners of his mouth and asked instead of answering: "Why can't I marry her?"
This single sentence left Zhang Zheng speechless. That was right; Yan Mo was just his ex-girlfriend now, and she had nothing to do with him anymore.
Moreover, he was the one who had gotten married first, so he had the least right to speak about who Yan Mo married.
"Let's go, don't embarrass yourself here." Zhang Zheng's wife squeezed over and pulled the livid Zhang Zheng away.
Seeing this, the others also dispersed.
Liang Qingzhou turned around and asked seriously: "Now that you've vented this frustration, do you feel good?"
Yan Mo was stunned by the question, but she quickly realized what he meant.
In any case, the two of them were in a Marriage of Convenience, so Yan Mo had nothing to pretend about. She nodded and said very naturally: "Good!"
"You've had your fun, now it's my turn." Liang Qingzhou leaned his mouth against Yan Mo's ear. The fresh scent of mint lingered around her, making her dizzy.
"What?" Yan Mo overthought it, and her face turned red instantly.
"Where did your mind go? My meaning is, I cooperated with you to vent your frustration, and now it's your turn to cooperate with me to toast the guests." Liang Qingzhou's tone was flippant, but his expression was a look of business as usual.
"Fine, I'll cooperate with you." Yan Mo didn't hesitate either. "But why didn't you tell me you were Zhang Zheng's uncle?"
Liang Qingzhou didn't care: "What's there to say? It's not a direct maternal uncle, just a cousin."
One second, the two of them were still staring each other down; the next second, they both put on a mechanical smile to welcome the guests.
In the Banquet Hall, guests from both the Yan and Liang families were present. Yan Mo followed Liang Qingzhou as they wove through the guests, toasting table by table.
The Master of Ceremonies led the two of them as they moved through the Banquet Hall. Liang Qingzhou's behavior was appropriate, and Yan Mo displayed a standard smile at the right moments.
Just as they reached one table, a middle-aged woman spoke in a sarcastic tone: "Qingzhou, your marriage is so sudden. This young woman looks quite young; we hadn't heard of her before."
Yan Mo's heart tightened. Just as she was about to speak, Liang Qingzhou put his arm around her waist and said with a smile: "Auntie, it was love at first sight for us. It's just how things go when feelings develop quickly. My wife is a good young woman, and it is my Good Fortune to be able to marry her."
Hearing this, the middle-aged woman's wrinkles twitched, and she forced a laugh while raising her glass.
Yan Mo hadn't reacted for a moment when Liang Qingzhou put his arm around her waist, and she used her gaze to warn Liang Qingzhou that he had crossed the line.
Liang Qingzhou didn't care, and he gave her a look that meant she had to cooperate.
When they reached another table, the first person Yan Mo saw was Zhang Zheng's mother, Guo Wenying.
She saw that the gaze Guo Wenying directed at her was complicated, but it was mostly filled with a rage that could erupt at any moment.
It had to be said that Yan Mo felt incredibly satisfied at that moment, as if the pent-up frustration of several months had been released the instant she saw Guo Wenying's eyes turn red.
Sure enough, people live for a breath of air.
In that sense, this marriage of hers was worth it.
"Auntie, please drink our wedding wine." Yan Mo deliberately tried to Stimulate Guo Wenying.
"Cough, you got the generation wrong, wife. Zhang Zheng calls me Maternal Uncle, and this person in front of us is my older female cousin. You should call her older female cousin just like I do."
Yan Mo understood and quickly changed her address, saying generously: "Older female cousin, please drink our wedding wine."
Guo Wenying, who had just been blushing, turned pale instantly.
Before, Yan Mo had always called her Auntie, but now she was calling her older female cousin?
Yan Mo looked at Guo Wenying in front of her, whose face turned red and then white. She pretended not to see it and followed Liang Qingzhou to the next table.
After the toasts, Yan Mo was finally able to go to Zhao Luoluo's table to eat. In the past, she had always attended other people's weddings, but today she was eating at her own, so there was no need to be polite.
After eating and drinking to her heart's content, it was finally time to go home.
She understood that once she left the Nanhao Hotel, she could only take Liang Qingzhou's car to go home with him.
For this year, she had to fulfill the contract well.
After bidding farewell to her parents and relatives, she got into Liang Qingzhou's car. The atmosphere inside the car was eerily quiet.
Yan Mo secretly glanced at Liang Qingzhou. She was still pondering how his intimate actions at the wedding violated the contract, but then she remembered that the contract also stated she had an obligation to cooperate with Liang Qingzhou in performing as a loving couple in front of parents, relatives, and friends.
Liang Qingzhou drove with focus and said in a low voice: "You performed well today; you didn't make me lose face."
Yan Mo hummed: "That's right, I definitely act according to the contract."
Hearing this, Liang Qingzhou turned his head and glanced at her.
Five minutes later, the car arrived downstairs at Qing Zhou's home.
Liang Qingzhou took her upstairs, opened the door, and went into a large Room: "This Room is the new bridal chamber our parents set up for us temporarily. I have my own house, but I'm usually alone and don't spend much time at home, so I've always lived with my parents. Our marriage was rushed, so that house couldn't be prepared in time. Before you go to Haicheng, you have to sleep in this Room with me. Don't worry, this bed is two meters wide, so it won't stop us from maintaining distance."
Yan Mo nodded. Looking at the warmly decorated new bridal chamber, her face couldn't help but turn slightly red. She felt a bit awkward inside, but it wasn't good to argue; after all, the contract didn't say they couldn't sleep in the same Room. She braced herself and agreed: "Fine, that's how it will be."
She had gotten up at five in the morning, and the wedding had been so long. It was already afternoon, and Yan Mo's eyelids were barely staying open. On top of that, she had eaten a lot, so she was feeling a bit sluggish and really wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep.
"Um, I'm going to sleep for a bit, you don't mind, right?" Before getting into bed, Yan Mo still asked for Liang Qingzhou's Opinion.
Liang Qingzhou looked at her tired appearance and nodded, "Please do, I'm going to the Study Room to handle some work."
After saying that, he gently closed the door and went out.
Yan Mo slept soundly. When she drowsily opened her eyes, the Room was already dim, with only a sliver of neon light from the street outside the window.
She sat up, still dazed from sleep.
At this moment, the door was gently pushed open, and Zhou Xiulan walked in with a smile, "Are you awake? Then I'll turn on the lights."
As a new daughter-in-law who had slept for the entire afternoon, Yan Mo felt embarrassed herself.
She thought Zhou Xiulan would come in and lecture her with the airs of a mother-in-law, but she didn't expect Zhou Xiulan to just say softly: "Since you're awake, get up and have dinner."
Yan Mo was a bit flattered and quickly nodded, "Okay, Auntie, I'll get up right away."
"Still calling me Auntie? Didn't you change how you address me during the wedding?" Zhou Xiulan smiled.
Yan Mo had a face full of embarrassment. Thinking of the thick stack of money she had received for the change of address, she still braced herself and called out: "Mom."
Zhou Xiulan was so happy she couldn't stop smiling: "Hey! Good child!"
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