Before Father Lu died, he clasped Lu Ye’s hand and urged him not to let down the daughter of the woman who had saved his life.
Lu Ye had thought his life would always be like this—that he’d never be worthy of getting close to the girl he truly loved.
But who could have expected it? Heaven had smiled on him. That woman had changed her mind and made a fuss of her own accord, and he had only gone along with what she wanted. It couldn’t be said that he’d let her down.
Thinking that in just fifty days he would be able to bring Lin Xiaoxiao home as his wife filled Lu Ye with warmth.
After dinner, Lu Ye took out a thick paper envelope and handed it to Father Lin.
“Father-in-law, this is the bride price I’ve prepared for Xiaoxiao. There are six hundred yuan inside.”
“Take one hundred of it to deal with the old Lin family. The other five hundred is the bride price I truly want to give for marrying Xiaoxiao. Thank you for being willing to entrust her to me!”
Father Lin and Mother Lin were both stunned. Father Lin hurriedly pushed the money back.
“Xiaoye, we’re marrying off our daughter, not selling her. We already feel terrible that Xiaoxiao’s grandfather demanded two hundred yuan as such an exorbitant bride price.”
“Take the money back. Just treat Xiaoxiao well from now on.”
“As for the hundred yuan for Xiaoxiao’s grandfather, I had no choice if I wanted to split up the household. Just consider it a loan from you. I’ll pay you back soon.”
Lu Ye was naturally stronger than Father Lin, but he worried that pushing too hard might hurt him and make Lin Xiaoxiao angry.
So he didn’t struggle with Father Lin. Instead, he simply stuffed the money into Lin Xiaoxiao’s arms. She, too, was stunned by his lavish gift. A smile tugged at his lips.
“Father-in-law, please don’t be so formal with me. Being able to marry Xiaoxiao is already the greatest surprise of my life!”
“This is the bride price I’m giving Xiaoxiao. There’s no reason to take it back, and there’s no question of paying it back.”
Lin Xiaoxiao reluctantly squeezed the thick bundle in her hands, then held it out to Lu Ye anyway.
“You don’t have to give me so much money. Our marriage is a matter between our two families, and I agreed to it myself. I’m not marrying you for your money.”
Lu Ye wrapped his hand around her small one and pushed the money back toward her.
“I know. But Xiaoxiao, this bride price is how I show my sincerity in marrying you. I’ll only ever feel that I haven’t given you enough. Will you take it, just to put my mind at ease?”
“Besides, once we’re married, everything I have will be yours anyway. It makes no difference whether I give it to you now or later.”
Lin Xiaoxiao looked up at the man. His face was so solemn and earnest, as if he had no idea he was saying something so romantic.
Somehow, that only tugged harder at her heartstrings.
Father Lin watched his daughter and Lu Ye holding hands, then cleared his throat. He calmly stepped forward and separated them before speaking.
“In that case, Xiaoxiao, you can keep the money. Take it with you when you marry and use it to build your own little household.”
Lu Ye reluctantly withdrew his hand. He still wanted to say more. He’d offered such a large bride price partly because he wanted to welcome Lin Xiaoxiao home in grand style, and partly because he’d deliberately wanted to help his father-in-law’s family, which had fallen on hard times after splitting from the extended family.
Father Lin could see that. His objection to Lu Ye’s habit of constantly putting his hands on his daughter eased a little.
But he still raised a hand to stop Lu Ye from speaking.
“Xiaoye, I know you mean well. But if you consider me your father-in-law, don’t say another word!”
“Your mother-in-law, your two brothers-in-law, and I all have hands and feet. We don’t need to live off our daughter’s bride price!”
“If you keep insisting, you’ll be saying you look down on me and don’t believe I can provide for this family!”
At that, Lu Ye said no more. He simply replied, “All right. I’ll do as you say, Father-in-law!”
“It’s getting late. You and Mother-in-law have had a long day. Get some rest. I won’t keep you.”
After saying his goodbyes, Lu Ye looked only at Lin Xiaoxiao, his eyes full of reluctance.
“Xiaoxiao, I’m leaving.”
For some reason, Lin Xiaoxiao felt her cheeks grow hot. As if possessed, she actually offered, “I’ll walk you out?”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She sounded as if she couldn’t bear to part from him.
But before she could come up with an excuse to take it back, Lu Ye’s eyes lit up, and he immediately smiled. “All right!”
Lin Xiaoxiao: …
She could only force herself to put the money away, then leave with him.
They walked side by side beneath the setting sun, their shadows stretching long behind them.
Lin Xiaoxiao felt awkward and didn’t know what to say.
Suddenly, a large, rough hand enveloped her small one. Surprised, Lin Xiaoxiao looked up at him.
Only then did she realize Lu Ye had been watching her the whole time. His gaze was so heated it was almost frightening.
When he saw her looking, he didn’t sheepishly pull his hand away. Instead, he pried her fingers apart and laced them with his, as if he meant to keep her bound to him for the rest of their lives.
“You…” Lin Xiaoxiao’s cheeks burned. All she could manage was a tiny, questioning sound.
Lu Ye’s lips curved. “Can’t I hold your hand, fiancée?”
His low, enticing voice gave Lin Xiaoxiao goosebumps, and her heart skipped out of rhythm. For once, she even stumbled over her words.
“If you—you want to hold it, then hold it!”
A low chuckle reached her ears. Feeling embarrassed and annoyed, Lin Xiaoxiao looked up at him.
The man didn’t have his usual stern, fierce expression. Instead, he wore a bright, dazzling smile, warm as the summer sun.
Lin Xiaoxiao forgot her embarrassment in an instant and stared at him again.
His smiling voice drifted over to her.
“Xiaoxiao, I regret not pushing your grandfather harder and bringing you home as my wife tomorrow. I want to take you home right now.”
Lin Xiaoxiao’s face turned scarlet. She couldn’t help pushing him with her free hand, scolding him like a bristling little kitten, though she only seemed angry.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
His smile deepened. He caught the little hand that had pushed him and held it too.
“All right, I was getting ahead of myself. Don’t be mad, Xiaoxiao. Did you hurt your hand?”
Lin Xiaoxiao felt as if she were about to start smoking.
Was this really the same Lu Ye Lin Pandi had called cold and uninterested in women? Had something possessed him when he went into the water?
She’d lived two lifetimes, and just a few words from him had made her blush and sent her heart racing. Was that normal?
Lin Xiaoxiao was struggling to keep up. Fortunately, Lu Ye stopped radiating so much heat. He let go of one of her hands, though he kept the one with their fingers intertwined firmly in his grasp.
“All right, I won’t tease you anymore. Weren’t you walking me out? Come on.”
“We can stop by my place so you can see if you like it. If there’s anything you don’t, I’ll tear it down and rebuild it over the next two months.”
Lin Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief and didn’t refuse.
She let him lead her along.
They walked that way for a while, the air between them both intimate and awkward. Lin Xiaoxiao secretly glanced up at his sharply defined profile a few times, then couldn’t resist breaking the silence.
“Thanks for helping today. If you hadn’t, splitting up the household wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”
Lu Ye lowered his eyes and looked at her gently. “You don’t need to thank me. What’s yours is mine.”
Lin Xiaoxiao lowered her head again, her face turning red.
He was too good at this. This man was far too good at this!
Lin Xiaoxiao admitted defeat and decided not to talk to him for a while. If they kept chatting, she really would be steaming.
When they reached Lu Ye’s home, he still didn’t let go of her hand. He led her around to show her the place.
Lu Ye’s home was actually the biggest and finest brick-and-tile house in the village.
Years ago, when the collective economy wasn’t as strictly controlled as it was now, Lu Ye and his father often went hunting in the mountains and sold what they caught. They made a lot of money and built this imposing brick-and-tile house.
Since this was where she would live in the future, Lin Xiaoxiao didn’t feel embarrassed about looking around.
After seeing the whole place, she thought it was already perfect. There was nothing that needed changing.
She’d meant to say she was going home, but Lu Ye still wouldn’t let go of her hand. He walked her all the way back and escorted her to the entrance of the shabby little courtyard where the Lin family lived.
Only then did he release her hand and pat her head.
“Go on back. Your older cousin is getting married tomorrow, and I’m worried she’ll bully you while you’re at home. I’ll come get you early tomorrow morning and take you to my place for the day.”
Take her there to do what?
Lin Xiaoxiao barely managed to keep the question to herself. She hurriedly waved goodbye to him.
When she got home, Mother Lin gave her a teasing look.
“Well, well! Didn’t our little girl go out to see someone off? How come he’s the one who brought you back?”