“Auntie, Ningning and I were together yesterday.” Lu Xueshi thought he still needed to stabilize Gu Ningning and that the marriage couldn’t be ruined, so he directly agreed.
“You two…” Liu Xuehong immediately flared up, “You haven’t even gotten engaged yet, how could you do such a thing?”
As she spoke, she glared fiercely at Gu Ningning.
That look wasn’t one of disappointment.
It was disgust.
However, she quickly composed herself: “Ningning, is this how Mama taught you? Are you so shameless?”
“Mama, I, I’m going to marry Brother Xueshi sooner or later anyway,” Gu Ningning’s voice was very soft.
She hid behind Lu Xueshi.
She looked at Liu Xuehong with a pleading expression.
Her delicate and weak appearance, combined with her bright and beautiful features, truly made it impossible for anyone to be angry.
At this moment, Lu Xueshi’s expression wasn’t very good.
Actually, he didn’t believe that nothing had happened last night.
But Gu Ningning was so calm, so composed.
It was completely different from what he had expected.
Even now, he couldn’t figure it out.
“You child, you’re really going to infuriate me.” Liu Xuehong put a hand to her forehead, stomping her foot in anger, then glared at Lu Xueshi, “How could you bully Ningning? Your Uncle and I trusted you so much.”
“Mama, don’t blame Brother Xueshi,” Gu Ningning spoke again, her small face a little red, “We, we grew up together as childhood sweethearts, we already have an engagement, and we’re in love.”
As she spoke, she tugged on Lu Xueshi’s hand again: “Isn’t that right, Brother Xueshi?”
Lu Xueshi’s mind was a bit muddled.
He looked down at her small, opening and closing mouth and her large, watery eyes, and his mind simply crashed.
What he wanted wasn’t this.
But he couldn’t deny it.
If he denied it, yesterday’s events would be exposed.
It would push Gu Ningning towards Lu Jingchen.
Absolutely not.
Even if it was disgusting, the person he had to marry could only be Gu Ningning.
Having made up his mind, Lu Xueshi organized his thoughts again: “Auntie, blame me if you must, it was I… young and impulsive, unable to control myself.”
“But Auntie, don’t worry, when I go back today, I’ll have my father come to discuss the engagement.”
The difficult part now was the astonishingly high amount of betrothal gifts Gu Ningning was asking for.
“We do need to get engaged quickly.” Liu Xuehong gave Gu Ningning another disdainful look, silently cursing her for being shameless.
So worthless.
She just went and slept with someone so casually.
Because of this, she couldn’t even open her mouth to ask for more betrothal gifts.
Lu Xueshi nodded busily: “Yes, regarding the betrothal gifts, we’ll do as Ningning said.”
“You’ve already discussed all the betrothal gifts?” Liu Xuehong looked shocked, “You two are so determined, why even discuss it with us?”
“Mama, don’t be angry, don’t be angry.” Gu Ningning quickly ran over, helping Liu Xuehong pat her back to calm her down, “Don’t you like Brother Xueshi and me being together?”
One must know that Gu Ningning marrying into the Lu Family was a step up.
The Gu Family naturally wouldn’t object.
Liu Xuehong raised her index finger and lightly tapped Gu Ningning’s forehead: “Shameless.”
Then she straightened her face and looked at Lu Xueshi: “Xueshi, I watched you grow up, so I naturally trust you with Ningning, but you young people must also have some sense of propriety.”
She was still bothered by what happened yesterday.
“Mama, don’t worry, Brother Xueshi will be good to me.” Gu Ningning quickly interrupted, then looked at Lu Xueshi, “Right, Brother Xueshi?”
The corners of her eyes were a little red, looking fragile and wronged.
Her voice was also soft and gentle.
It made Lu Xueshi feel like he had swallowed a fly.
What could he say? He had to marry her, he absolutely had to!
At this moment, he nodded even more forcefully.
“Alright, I’ll talk to Chief Shen tomorrow to discuss the engagement.” Liu Xuehong said, sounding like she was reluctantly compromising for her daughter.
She didn’t give Lu Xueshi a good look either: “Alright, isn’t the institute busy?”
She directly chased him away.
After chasing Lu Xueshi away, Gu Ningning hugged Liu Xuehong’s arm, very affectionately.
At this time, Gu Pingwu and Liu Xuehong had not yet recognized their biological daughter.
The atmosphere in the family was still good.
Gu Ningning also took the opportunity to act spoiled: “Mama, Brother Xueshi said the Lu Family would give twenty thousand yuan for the betrothal gift.”
“What?” Liu Xuehong was truly shocked; twenty thousand yuan at that time was no small sum.
“Brother Xueshi said he wouldn’t marry anyone else but me, and he definitely wants to give me the best. Mama, I’m your precious daughter too, my dowry should be ten thousand, right!” Gu Ningning said with a smile.
But deep in her eyes was an icy coldness.
Liu Xuehong, who was already shocked, completely lost it, her voice rising several octaves: “Ningning, what did you say? Say it again? Ten thousand yuan for a dowry? Are you crazy?”
She raised her hand to check Gu Ningning’s forehead temperature.
She was trying her best to suppress the urge to beat her daughter to death.
Gu Ningning raised her hand and held Liu Xuehong’s hand: “Mama, you can’t let the Lu Family Members look down on me, can you? The Lu Family is giving twenty thousand, plus the three major items and the villa in Chongwen District. That villa alone is worth twenty thousand.”
She always smiled, gentle as water.
She gently shook Liu Xuehong’s hand while tugging it.
She pouted and acted very spoiled.
“But where would our family get so much money?” Liu Xuehong was annoyed by her but couldn’t lash out.
Over the years, she had spoiled Gu Ningning immensely.
Giving her whatever she wanted.
Letting her do whatever she wished.
“Mama, you can borrow from relatives and friends first. Then, all that money will be mine, and what’s mine isn’t it yours and Papa’s!” Gu Ningning said with a beaming smile, “The twenty thousand betrothal gift is also for our family, isn’t it!”
Over the years, the ideology Liu Xuehong had instilled in her was to be good to her family members.
Her parents were her eternal support.
So, Gu Ningning saying she would leave the betrothal gifts for her, she didn’t think much of it.
Of course, she was tempted.
That was twenty thousand yuan.
With the Lu Family’s financial strength, they could afford it.
“When Brother Xueshi and I get married, you and Papa can also live with us in the Chongwen District villa.” Gu Ningning said innocently, counting on her fingers, “Let Brother Xueshi support you in your old age.”
These were indeed tempting.
The temptation was too great.
When Gu Pingwu returned that day, she had a heart-to-heart talk with him.
Gu Pingwu was Chief Shen’s driver, and over the years, he hadn’t been able to get a promotion.
Mainly because he lacked ability and his qualifications were too mediocre.
“What if the Lu Family isn’t willing to pay so much?” Gu Pingwu, of course, couldn’t resist the temptation of money either and was moved.
“He touched that wretched girl. If he refuses, we’ll accuse him of being a hooligan. The Lu Family cares a lot about their eldest son.” Liu Xuehong didn’t care about all that.
Mainly, the big, fragrant pie Gu Ningning had drawn for her was just too appealing.
“Alright, then we’ll borrow some from Big Brother and Second Brother, and return a bit more later. Aren’t there still quite a few treasury bonds? We can use some of those as collateral, and if we pool it together, it’ll be enough for ten thousand.” Gu Pingwu also smiled, “Finally, it wasn’t for nothing that we raised her.”
He even started to dream big.
Ten thousand exchanged for thirty thousand, worth it, absolutely worth it!