Jiang Xingyao sneered. “Hmph! You should be telling yourself that. Stop dragging your feet. Just looking at you makes me annoyed. Hurry up and go write the statement.”
Liu Zhilan still wore an arrogant expression. “You’re still too young. Sooner or later, you’ll regret this until your heart breaks!”
Jiang Xingyao couldn’t be bothered to argue with her.
When they arrived at the neighborhood committee, Liu Zhilan wrote the statement, and Jiang Xingyao specifically made sure she pressed her fingerprint on it and had the neighborhood committee stamp it as well.
In this era, that piece of paper was practically as good as a notarized document.
With it, as long as Jiang Xingyao refused to undergo a DNA test with anyone from the Shen family in the future, no one could claim that she was the Shen family’s biological daughter.
……
Sunday was a day off.
Everyone rarely got the chance to sleep in, so it wasn’t until after eight in the morning that sounds gradually began coming from the courtyard.
By the time Jiang Xingyao got up, it was already nine.
Her three brothers were washing clothes and scrubbing shoes by the washbasin, while her parents were busy working in the kitchen.
Jiang Xingyao walked over. “Mom, Dad, what are you making? It smells so good!”
Jiang Jiandong ladled out a bowl of eight-treasure porridge and handed it to her.
“We have some free time today, so we’re going to fry some crispy pork, radish meatballs, and crispy fish for you all. Drink a bowl of porridge first to fill your stomach. The meatballs will be ready soon.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Xu Xiangmei asked, “Didn’t you say the Xie family was coming to deliver the betrothal gifts? Is it today?”
“I think so.”
“This morning, I went out and bought some vegetables—chicken, fish, pork belly, beef, and two pounds of shrimp. Do you think that’s enough? If it isn’t, I’ll have your father go buy a roast duck.”
“That should be plenty. Just make a few home-style dishes according to our usual standard of living. Besides, Xie Jingsi only said that he’d have someone come over to deliver the betrothal gifts. He and his parents probably won’t come themselves. If that’s the case, there won’t be anyone staying here for dinner.”
“Okay, I understand. We’ll have the ingredients ready anyway.”
Just then, a loud voice suddenly rang out from outside.
“Lili! Lili!”
Xu Xiangmei said irritably, “That sounds like Zhao Hewen. He’s certainly devoted to Shen Jiaoli, but unfortunately, the Shen family doesn’t think much of him at all.”
Jiang Xingyao remembered that Zhao Hewen had said he was going to propose to Shen Jiaoli. She quickly carried her bowl of food outside and brought a stool with her.
This was the drama of the year. There was no way she was going to miss it.
Sure enough, it was Zhao Hewen.
He was dressed in a gray suit with a tie.
He held a bouquet of roses in one hand and a small red box in the other, his entire face glowing with happiness.
His single shout had brought everyone in the courtyard outside.
Seeing him like this, Shen Jiaoli was somewhat stunned.
“Hewen, what do you want with me?”
Zhao Hewen smiled as he walked up to her, his voice filled with excitement.
“Lili, there’s something I’ve thought about for a very, very long time. Today, in front of your parents and all your neighbors, I have to say it out loud and let everyone witness our happiness together.”
Before anyone could react, he dropped to one knee.
Then he opened the little red box.
Inside was a gold ring.
He held the ring and flowers out to Shen Jiaoli.
“Lili, I love you! When we were little, I especially loved playing with you. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized that what I’d felt for you all along was a love carved into my very bones.
“Lili, marry me! I’ll cherish you, love you, and treat you well for the rest of my life!”
Zhao Hewen had confessed his feelings to Shen Jiaoli many times before, but she had never given him a direct answer.
On one hand, she looked down on Zhao Hewen. On the other, she couldn’t bear to give up the way he treated her so well. More importantly, she wanted to use Zhao Hewen to provoke and suppress Jiang Xingyao, showing off her own superiority.
But this time, Zhao Hewen had actually come to her home to propose. Shen Jiaoli could no longer avoid giving him an answer.
“Hewen, get up first.”
But Zhao Hewen remained kneeling upright.
“If you don’t say yes, I’ll stay on my knees and never get up.”
Liu Zhilan couldn’t even be bothered with the usual pleasantries.
“Hewen, we all live in the same alley. We see each other every day. Don’t make things too awkward.
“Our Lili is never going to marry you. Go find yourself a good wife!”
“Why?” Zhao Hewen asked. “Auntie Liu, I am the man who loves Lili most in this world. We grew up together, we’ve always loved each other, and no one is more suited to her than me!”
Liu Zhilan proudly lifted her chin.
“But our Lili doesn’t like you.”
“Impossible!”
Zhao Hewen looked at Shen Jiaoli with humility and hope.
“Lili, you do like me, don’t you? You once said that even when we were eighty years old, we’d sit side by side and watch the sunset together.
“Marry me, and then we can watch the sunset together every single day.”
Right now, all Shen Jiaoli could think about was marrying into the family of the steel mill director. She was terrified of having even the slightest connection with Zhao Hewen.
She said coldly, “That was nothing more than a casual remark between friends. Zhao Hewen, I don’t have the slightest romantic feelings for you. Even if you kneel until your knees are ruined, I still won’t marry you.
“Please leave immediately. Stop pestering me here and don’t throw away what little dignity you have as a man.”
Zhao Hewen did have some of a scholar’s pride and arrogance. He finally stood up, but his eyes were filled with confusion as he asked Shen Jiaoli, “Why? I have a good job, and I don’t look bad either. Lili, why don’t you like me?”
Shen Jiaoli didn’t answer.
Jiang Xingyao, however, was more than happy to stir things up.
“Because you don’t have a father who’s a factory director! She looks down on your family because you have neither power nor influence, and you don’t make much money. She’s planning to become a rich young lady!”
“Shut up!”
Zhao Hewen glared at Jiang Xingyao with a flushed face.
“Lili isn’t someone who looks down on the poor and fawns over the rich! You’re just jealous of her and deliberately trying to smear her character!
“Jiang Xingyao, let me tell you something. No matter what you say or do, I’ll never like you. Even if Lili doesn’t marry me, I still won’t marry a wretch like you!”
“Fuck you!”
Jiang Qingjun’s sneaker came flying through the air and smacked Zhao Hewen right in the face.
“You son of a bitch! Who the hell are you calling a wretch?”
Jiang Qinghuai brought over a basin of water and dumped the whole thing over his head.
“Take a good look at yourself first! My sister kindly tried to warn you, and instead of being grateful, you actually dare to insult her?”
Jiang Qingze wasn’t about to stand there and watch either. He kicked Zhao Hewen.
“You’ve bullied my sister since we were kids. If my sister hadn’t been stupid enough to keep protecting you back then, the three of us brothers would have beaten you half to death a long time ago!”