“You brat, why aren’t you apologizing to Qingran yet?” Grandpa Lu smacked Lu Jingxuan on the back.
Lu Jingxuan pressed his lips together, his gaze sweeping over her slightly pale face. “Sorry, the situation was urgent at the time. Qiao Zhiqing was emotionally unstable, and I was afraid she might really jump. That’s why I didn’t attend to you.”
Zhao Lanzhi grew furious upon hearing such nonsense. “Weren’t there soldiers right beside you? Couldn’t the two of them calm down that Qiao Zhiqing?”
“How worried were you about her that you didn’t even care about your own fiancée’s life? You let someone else carry Qingran down the mountain. Is this how a fiancé should act?”
A woman’s reputation was everything in these times!
She dared say that what happened today had already spread throughout the village. From now on, whenever Ranran went out, people might mock her—her fiancé running to embrace another woman right in front of her, while she herself was carried down the mountain by a strange man.
How could she possibly endure this in the future?
Lu Jingxuan’s eyes turned cold as he stared at Zhao Lanzhi. “Aunt Zhao, you shouldn’t speak carelessly! How will Qiao Zhiqing face others after what you’ve said?”
Having trained in the military for several years and even been on the battlefield, Lu Jingxuan’s icy glare sent chills down Zhao Lanzhi’s spine. She also felt heartbroken—this boy she’d watched grow up was looking at her with such eyes over some educated youth!
Su Qingran stepped in front of Zhao Lanzhi and sneered, “I truly look down on you. You lack even the most basic sense of responsibility. If you dared to do it, why won’t you admit it?”
Lu Jingxuan frowned, irritation welling up inside him. “I told you I didn’t think that much about it at the time.”
“How dare you speak like that?” Grandpa Lu smacked Lu Jingxuan again. “Qingran, don’t take it to heart. This is just how he is.”
In her previous life, Grandpa Lu had died during the second year of their marriage. Su Qingran hadn’t known whether he was aware of Lu Jingxuan’s relationship with Qiao Manxue, but now it seemed he probably knew at least something about it.
Li Lan also hit Lu Jingxuan several times. “Xiao Ran, Jingxuan is straightforward—he doesn’t have all those complicated thoughts. He was wrong this time. Auntie will make him apologize to you properly.”
“You two grew up together since childhood. You can’t let this small matter create distance between you, can you?”
“Yeah, Sister Qingran, please forgive my brother!” Lu Yunxi clung to Su Qingran’s arm. “You’re going to be my sister-in-law someday! That Qiao Zhiqing is nothing!”
Su Qingran pulled her arm away, ignoring Lu Yunxi’s stunned expression.
She spoke clearly: “I don’t blame Lu Jingxuan for not saving me, because we were never really connected in the first place. He had no obligation to save me. Of course, it’s even more impossible for me to continue discussing marriage with him. I’ve made myself perfectly clear. If you still don’t understand, then there’s nothing more I can do.”
As these words fell, the entire room fell silent.
Was she breaking off the engagement?
A faint trace of mockery appeared on Lu Jingxuan’s face. Would Su Qingran really give up her engagement with him?
Impossible!
Li Lan anxiously said, “How could it come to breaking off the engagement? You and Jingxuan have over ten years of feelings between you! You can’t call off the marriage over such a small matter!”
“Besides, our family has long been prepared to welcome you as our bride.”
“Mother of the bride, won’t you say something? You can’t just stand by and watch Qingran be so willful, can you?”
Zhao Lanzhi also sneered coldly: “A minor matter? My daughter’s head was split open, and you call that minor? If she hadn’t been saved in time, my daughter would have lost her life!”
“In my opinion, the fact that Lu Jingxuan chose to catch that Qiao Zhiqing instead of saving Qingran precisely shows he doesn’t care about her at all. It’s better to call off this engagement!”
“Future in-law!”
“Don’t call me future in-law. Once the engagement is broken off, we won’t be relatives anymore.”
“I’ve already sent Dahu to fetch Ranran’s father. When he returns, our two families will formally discuss calling off the engagement!”
The Lu family members all looked displeased, while Grandpa Lu gazed at Lu Jingxuan with utter disappointment.
Lu Jingxuan kept his eyes downcast, lost in thought.
Under Lu Yunxi’s anxious gaze, Su Qingran finished the bowl of eggs with Si Ya.
Not long after, commotion arose in the courtyard.
The sun outside was blazing hot. Su Hongshan’s face was drenched in sweat, his clothes completely soaked through.
“Oh, future in-law, you’re finally back! Your Qingran wants to break off the engagement with our Jingxuan over today’s incident! This is no trivial matter! Just think about—”
Just as Su Qingran was about to retort against Li Lan, she saw her sweat-drenched second brother, his face dark, throw a punch at the unprepared Lu Jingxuan.
“Ah!” Lu Yunxi happened to be nearby. She stumbled backward in fright, letting out a sharp scream.
No one had expected Su Junze to suddenly attack. The punch landed squarely on Lu Jingxuan’s face.
Su Junze was a farm laborer with exceptionally strong hands, and this time he had used almost all his strength.
Lu Jingxuan grunted in pain, clutching his nose as blood gushed forth.
“Jingxuan!” Li Lan shrieked, supporting her son with one hand while glaring furiously at Su Junze. “Su Junze, how dare you hit someone?”
“Future in-law, your second son is completely lawless! Our Jingxuan is a soldier!”
In these times, assaulting a soldier was indeed illegal.
Su Yuanfeng stepped forward and said, “Auntie, my second brother acted out of concern for our younger sister. He was too agitated. As you know, he’s always been closest to her. Not just him—all of us were furious when we heard the news. Please don’t hold it against him.”
Hearing this, Li Lan’s face turned pale then flushed with anger. She was about to speak when Grandpa Lu interjected, “Enough! Quickly stop Jingxuan’s bleeding!”
“Yes, yes, stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding.” Li Lan flusteredly grabbed a towel to staunch the flow.
Grandpa Lu sighed. “Qingran, Jingxuan deserved that punch. I also feel you were wronged today. Junze hitting him was justified.”
“But you two grew up together since childhood. Are you really going to call off the engagement over this matter?”
Su Qingran remained unmoved, calmly replying, “Yes.”
The Su family members breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had feared Su Qingran might soften.
“Call it off then!”
Being repeatedly criticized and humiliated, Lu Jingxuan’s pride was severely wounded.
In the past, it had always been Su Qingran clinging to him relentlessly. He was far too proud a person to endure such disgrace.
Moreover, he had been punched by that wretched Su Junze!
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Su Qingran was merely putting on airs. She had always been so infatuated with him—how could she possibly agree to break off the engagement so readily?
She must be waiting for him to lower his head and apologize!
She always enjoyed playing these petty mind games—utterly contemptible!
“Jingxuan!” Grandpa Lu glared angrily at Lu Jingxuan. “What nonsense are you talking, child? Qingran grew up with you since childhood—how can you just dismiss all these years of feelings like that?”
“It was her decision to call off the engagement,” Lu Jingxuan replied coldly, pressing a towel to his nose as he glanced briefly at Su Qingran.
Even if the engagement weren’t called off, Su Qingran would have to beg him first!
“Ridiculous!”
Su Hongshan was equally furious at Lu Jingxuan’s words. He and his wife had long believed Lu Jingxuan wasn’t someone to entrust their daughter’s future to—arrogant and selfish, he would only bring their daughter hardship.
“Since both children have decided to end the engagement, we as elders can’t ignore their wishes,” Su Hongshan declared firmly. “Let the engagement be called off, then.”
“Yes, yes! Call it off quickly!” Su Junze clapped in agreement.
While the Su family agreed, the Lu family did not—especially Li Lan and Lu Yunxi, who were still coveting Su Qingran’s dowry!
Li Lan, forgetting her son for a moment, hurriedly turned to Grandpa Lu. “Father, say something! Qingran is such a wonderful girl—don’t you want her as your granddaughter-in-law?”
Su Qingran’s qualities were unmatched in the entire Su Village: beautiful, capable, and doted on by her family. Just imagine the dowry she would bring! What was so great about that Qiao Zhiqing anyway? A fallen capitalist’s daughter—once involved, there’d be no escaping her! Her son had clearly been bewitched by that vixen!
Truthfully, losing the marriage alliance wasn’t the main issue. With her son’s qualifications, he could surely find someone better in the army. What worried her was the possibility of the Su family making life difficult for them later. Though her son was accomplished, he hardly returned home throughout the year and could offer little beyond financial support. The complexities of rural life were numerous!
Lu Yunxi grew anxious too. “Brother, say something! I only want Qingran as my sister-in-law!”
Su Qingran sneered inwardly. In her previous life, after she was confined to the hospital, Lu Yunxi had visited her once—haughty and full of pride. Of course, as the sister of a high-ranking official, she had every reason to be arrogant. Back then, she had looked down on Su Qingran and declared, “Mansnow is the only one worthy of being my sister-in-law. Know your place and divorce my brother quickly—give up the position of Lu fu ren for Mansnow!”
As Lu Jingxuan remained silent, Grandpa Lu raised his cane and struck him hard. “You fool! Apologize to Qingran at once!”
The blow was fierce, drawing a muffled grunt from Lu Jingxuan.
Zhao Lanzhi snorted disdainfully, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Old Master, with such actions, people might think my Ranran is desperate to marry your Lu Jingxuan!”
Lu Jingxuan didn’t respond but fixed a heavy, meaningful gaze on Su Qingran.
Su Qingran understood his intent—he wanted her to speak up and end this farce.