"Momo, it's not like what you think, listen to me explain..."
Zhang Zheng stood up and reached out to grab Yan Mo's hand.
Yan Mo did not look at Zhang Zheng's parents, glared at Zhang Zheng, shook off his hand, and left with her parents.
She earned over one hundred thousand a year working in Haicheng, and Zhang Zheng's work was also quite good; although he earned less than her, his salary was at least eighty thousand, if not one hundred thousand, a year. Moreover, Zhang Zheng's family was not considered poor, so a betrothal gift of 88,000 was not an issue at all.
It wasn't that the family didn't have the money, but rather that they felt she, as a daughter-in-law, was not worth those 88,000.
Back home, Yan Zhiyuan sat on the sofa and made a final decision: "If the Zhang family won't pay this 88,000, then this marriage is off. Yan Mo, did you hear that? You are so outstanding; even without him, Zhang Zheng, you can still get married."
"Dad!"
Yan Mo naturally stood on her parents' side; after all, she was also full of anger toward Zhang Zheng's parents.
"Momo, your dad is right. That mother-in-law of yours clearly doesn't want to pay the betrothal gift and is deliberately using your seven-year relationship with Zhang Zheng as a pretext," Su Yunxiu said. "What do you mean you've lived together for seven years? Isn't it just because she thinks you won't marry anyone but her son that she's acting like this and not taking our family seriously?"
"What mother-in-law?" Yan Zhiyuan frowned, his anger intensifying. "You aren't even married yet, don't go around acknowledging relatives; she doesn't deserve it! Even if she did bring out that 88,000, I wouldn't want to marry Momo off to them anymore. They clearly aren't easy people to deal with. If Momo really married into that family, she would be mistreated."
Seeing her parents so angry on her behalf, Yan Mo quickly poured two glasses of water for them.
Yan Zhiyuan took a sip of tea, and his anger was somewhat extinguished.
Su Yunxiu also drank some water to calm down, placed the cup on the coffee table, held Yan Mo's hand, and said earnestly, "Momo, your dad is right. Their family doesn't take me or your dad seriously, which means they don't take you seriously either. Even if you married into that family, you wouldn't have a good life. Although our family isn't wealthy, we are much better off than them. Your dad and I never disliked their family's conditions, but she, on the other hand, disliked that you had lived with her son for seven years and didn't even want to give a betrothal gift."
"Mom, it's my fault. I shouldn't have lived with Zhang Zheng before marriage." Yan Mo felt some regret.
Su Yunxiu squeezed her daughter's hand harder and comforted her, "This isn't your fault. Isn't it popular for young people to live together before marriage nowadays? However, Zhang Zheng has been quite good to you over the years, and he always brings things to see your dad and me during holidays. It's just that his parents are the problem. If you two really get married in the future, it's best not to live with your mother-in-law."
"Mom, that won't happen. If Zhang Zheng and I get married, we will live in Haicheng and only return to Nancheng during holidays; we won't see them many times." Speaking of this, Yan Mo remembered Zhang Zheng's inaction at the dinner table and felt discouraged. "Mom, I'm starting to not want to get married anymore."
"It's good not to marry. If you don't, Dad will find you someone better. The moment you break up with Zhang Zheng, Dad will arrange a blind date for you," Yan Zhiyuan said with a hint of pique. "I told you before that I could find you someone reliable, but you said you and that kid Zhang Zheng were college classmates and fellow townsmen, that it was fate, and that it was a free-choice love. In the end, this is the result of your free-choice love? They don't want to give a betrothal gift, but they still want your dowry?"
Yan Mo's face burned with embarrassment at her father's words. She had only dated Zhang Zheng before and hadn't met his parents many times; even when she did, they were always warm and caring. She didn't expect them to show their true colors as soon as marriage was discussed.
"Oh, Zhiyuan, don't be so impatient!"
Su Yunxiu wanted to speak well for her daughter. "At least they have a seven-year relationship. Since their family proposed getting married this year, it means their feelings are stable. Getting married means passing the seven-year itch, which isn't a bad thing."
"Hmph, not necessarily," Yan Zhiyuan snorted. "It's fortunate that your mother instructs you every day to protect yourself and not get pregnant before marriage. Otherwise, their family would definitely rely on the fact that Momo is pregnant and carrying their family's seed, and they wouldn't even mention the betrothal gift."
Su Yunxiu didn't want her daughter to feel embarrassed and comforted her, "Momo, your dad is doing this for your own good."
"I know!"
As the two were talking, Yan Mo's mobile phone rang; it was a call from Zhang Zheng.
Yan Mo was in the middle of her anger and hung up on Zhang Zheng's call in front of Su Yunxiu.
He called again, and Yan Mo hung up again.
Soon, a text message from Zhang Zheng arrived: "Dear, today's matter was a bit of a misunderstanding. I'm downstairs at your place. Can we talk again?"
Catching a glimpse of the text message, Su Yunxiu sighed, "Go ahead, have a good talk. If he agrees to give the 88,000 betrothal gift, it shows some sincerity. You have a seven-year foundation of feelings, so this marriage can still happen. Our family doesn't lack his betrothal gift money; whatever he gives will be yours, and your parents will give you a dowry as well. Whatever the man gives as a betrothal gift, our family will give as a dowry. However, don't mention the dowry to Zhang Zheng yet; see what his attitude is first."
Yan Mo nodded; her mother was indeed right.
After a seven-year marathon of love with Zhang Zheng, she was reluctant to part with the feelings that had grown day by day.
Seeing her daughter about to leave, Su Yunxiu quickly called out to her, "Momo, your parents are your strong backing. As long as it is your true choice, your dad and I will support you. What Mom wants to say is that your parents gave birth to you so you could live a smooth life, not to suffer grievances."
Yan Mo's heart was filled with emotion: "Okay, Mom, I will take one more step back. As long as Zhang Zheng says he will give me the 88,000 betrothal gift, I will marry him!"
88,000 is the betrothal gift, but it is also Zhang Zheng's sincerity in marrying her.
When she arrived downstairs, she saw Zhang Zheng as expected.
The residential complex where the Yan family lived was a high-end complex in Nancheng, with one elevator per household and very few households in each building, so there weren't many people around. The two decided to talk about this matter in the quiet garden of the complex.
After sitting down on a bench, Yan Mo held her breath, waiting for Zhang Zheng to speak.
"Momo, I feel that we have been together for seven years, and our feelings are very deep. It's different from those arranged marriages where people only talk about betrothal gifts. I have always felt that you are not that kind of materialistic woman, so Momo, let's just get married, and then I'll take you on a honeymoon, won't that be fine?"
"Zhang Zheng, I thought not giving a betrothal gift was your parents' idea, but it turns out you think the same way." Yan Mo's heart went completely cold. "People who meet through blind dates can give 188,000, so why is our seven-year relationship not even worth 88,000? Zhang Zheng, do you think that because you've slept with me for seven years, you've had enough? You're fine with it if it doesn't cost money, but you're too lazy to marry me if it costs money?"
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