The two rode their bicycle through streets and alleys, drawing plenty of attention from passersby.
In this era, riding a “28-inch bicycle” with a beautiful wife sitting on the back was already eye-catching enough.
Not to mention the bicycle was loaded with gifts cigarettes, liquor, candy, and tea hanging all over the handlebars and frame. Anyone could tell at a glance this was a well-off family making a formal return visit to the bride’s home.
As usual, Su Wan smiled brightly and greeted acquaintances along the way, looking like the happiest young wife in the world.
But the moment they entered the residential compound of the ceramics factory, the atmosphere changed.
It was just after breakfast, and many residents were downstairs strolling around. Several recognized Su Wan at once and were about to greet her with a smile, when their eyes shifted to the man riding the bicycle and their expressions froze.
“Eh? Wait… isn’t that Lu Ming?”
“Did she change husbands? She really changed husbands?!”
“It really is…!”
A group of women gathered together, whispering excitedly with disdain and curiosity in their eyes.
“That girl from the Su family really has no shame. Just yesterday they said she swapped grooms on the wedding night, and today she’s brazenly bringing him home? And she can still smile like that… how shameless…”
“But that young man looks pretty good though. Handsome, tall way better than that pretty-boy Lu Ming.”
“Oh please, you don’t know who he is? That’s the notorious Lu Zhaoye! The ‘living King of Hell’ from Guanghua Street! I heard he used to be involved in shady business kills without blinking…”
“What? Really? Then the Su family is in for some drama. I heard her father is furious… no wonder.”
By the time they reached the apartment building, the smile on Su Wan’s face had begun to fade.
She looked up at the familiar second-floor window that was the place she grew up, and also the place that had become her nightmare.
Even after being reborn, just thinking about Su Jianmin’s always dark, explosive face made her spine tense instinctively. Cold sweat formed in her palms.
At that moment, a warm, broad hand gently rested on her back.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
Lu Zhaoye’s deep, steady voice sounded beside her ear, as if he had seen through all her fear and pretenses.
Su Wan looked up in surprise and met his calm, steady gaze. Strangely, her panic eased quite a bit.
She took a deep breath, then naturally looped her arm through his strong one and softly said, “Thank you.”
By now, many neighbors had gathered around.
Watching Lu Zhaoye unload gifts from the bicycle cigarettes, Maotai liquor, tins of malted milk, canned goods they all clicked their tongues in amazement.
“Wow, Su Wan, your new man is really generous! All this must cost a fortune. What does he do for work?”
A gossip-loving woman, Aunt Liu, asked sourly.
Su Wan, still holding onto Lu Zhaoye’s arm, smiled flawlessly and replied,
“Aunt Liu, are you asking so carefully because you want to introduce business to my husband or are you planning to audit him for the tax bureau?”
Aunt Liu choked instantly, her expression awkward.
“You… you child, Auntie was just asking out of concern…”
“Then don’t worry about it,” Su Wan said lightly. “I’m lucky enough to enjoy it, so I can afford it.”
With that, she ignored the crowd’s stares and led the way upstairs.
Lu Zhaoye followed behind her, carrying the heavy bags expressionlessly, like a protective guardian deity.
When they reached the second floor, Su Wan took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
The door opened immediately.
It was Sun Guilan.
Seeing her daughter and son-in-law standing at the door, she forced out a smile uglier than crying, glancing nervously into the house while half-blocking the doorway.
“Xiaowan… Zhaoye… you’re here…”
Before Su Wan could speak, a roar suddenly came from inside the house, shaking the doorframe.
“Who’s here?!”
Sun Guilan trembled and called inside,
“It-it’s our daughter and son-in-law…”
“Get out! Who told them to come?! I don’t have such an shameless daughter! Tell them to get lost!”
Su Jianmin’s furious shouting echoed clearly from inside.
Su Wan’s expression stiffened as she stood awkwardly at the doorway.
Sun Guilan panicked, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Xiaowan, quickly… you should leave first. Your father is in a rage right now…”
At that moment, Lu Zhaoye stepped forward.
He wrapped an arm around Su Wan’s shoulder and completely ignored Sun Guilan’s attempt to stop them, forcefully pushing into the doorway with her.
“Since we’re already here, there’s no reason not to come in.”
Sun Guilan couldn’t stop them and could only watch helplessly as they entered the living room.
Inside, smoke lingered thick in the air.
Su Jianmin sat in the center of the sofa, smoking with a dark expression, looking as though someone owed him millions.
Opposite him sat a woman with fashionable permed curls, wearing a tight red sweater and crossing her legs while casually cracking sunflower seeds.
It was Su Wan’s maternal aunt, Sun Yujiao.
Seeing Su Wan and Lu Zhaoye enter, Su Jianmin shot up from the sofa, ready to explode.
But when his eyes landed on Lu Zhaoye’s tall, intimidating figure, the curse words stuck in his throat.
Especially when he noticed the large bundles of gifts in Lu Zhaoye’s hands his gaze flickered.
Maotai? Great Wall cigarettes? All top-tier goods.
His momentum dropped instantly, though he still forced himself to sit back down and snorted coldly at Su Wan.
“Don’t think bringing a few cheap things means this is over! You’ve completely embarrassed me!”
Su Wan looked at her father’s blustering expression and sneered inwardly, but said calmly,
“Dad, returning home with gifts is etiquette. If you don’t like them, then we didn’t consider things properly we can take them back later.”
“You dare!” Su Jianmin glared again.
At that moment, Sun Yujiao spat out a sunflower seed shell and chimed in sarcastically,
“Oh, Xiaowan, that’s where you’re wrong. Don’t you know why your father is angry? You finally married into the Lu family, and yet you suddenly changed husbands on the wedding night? How embarrassing is that? Your father has lost all face…”
She glanced up and down at Lu Zhaoye with obvious disdain.
Su Wan immediately turned her smile sharp.
“Auntie, this is my family matter. My husband and I came to visit my parents today. Since when is it your turn to speak here? Someone who didn’t know better might think you run this house.”