At the center of the stage, the bride's face was deathly pale, her hands trembling uncontrollably as she held onto her parents' arms.
She had felt something was off before—why did her husband's personality differ so drastically between day and night, as if he were a completely different person?
Now everything made perfect sense!
The guests who overheard these whispers began murmuring among themselves in hushed tones.
"So the elder brother by day, the younger brother by night—is it what I think it means?"
"Could it be a case of mistaken identity because the twins look so alike?"
"Even if they were confused, how could the younger brother impersonate the elder brother's girlfriend?"
"No wonder it felt so strange. Look, today is clearly the elder brother's wedding, yet the younger brother is dressed like a groom too."
Huh?
Lin Tingyue looked up. Why was it so noisy around her? Could it be that others had discovered the same thing she had?
She glanced around briefly before lowering her head again to continue eating.
[So the elder brother and the younger brother have a distinguishing feature—the elder brother has a mole on his nose, while the younger brother doesn't. But every time the younger brother went to see the bride, he would draw on a mole. Ugh, he did it on purpose, that scumbag!!!]
On stage, the bride was already swaying unsteadily. She bit her lip hard to keep from fainting. These… these scumbags.
No, she couldn't let them off so easily. With this thought, the bride released her parents' hands, lifted her wedding dress, rushed to the groom's side, and slapped him across the face.
The bride screamed with all her might: "Nian Zhi, you bastard!!!"
The slap successfully silenced everyone. The banquet hall fell into complete stillness, even the wedding march halting abruptly at the sound of the slap.
[Huh, does the bride know already?]
The bride had put considerable force into that slap, causing Nian Zhi's face to turn to the side.
Even so, Nian Zhi didn't forget to steady the unsteady bride after she struck him. He asked with concern: "Fang Tong, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
How dare he still ask her that?
Fang Tong felt her skin crawl where he touched her. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she vomited.
Nian Zhi was greatly startled by Fang Tong's condition. Without any sign of disgust, he wiped her mouth and announced to the guests below: "Sorry, the bride isn't feeling well. I think we'll have to postpone the ceremony."
No one had ever heard of a wedding being suddenly paused midway. If not for what had just happened, everyone would have thought Nian Zhi was being a considerate husband. But now…
Many looked at the bride with sympathy, allowing Nian Zhi to take her away to rest.
Nian Zhi scooped Fang Tong up in his arms and hurriedly carried her to the hotel's lounge. Seeing this, Wen Jie and her husband Nian Bang followed after them.
[Ah, they're leaving just like that?]
Nian Bang didn't notice his wife stumble slightly as they departed.
Watching the Nian family members disappear from view, Lin Tingyue stared in astonishment, feeling utterly distraught.
[My gossip, my gossip!]
Lin Tingyue immediately decided and said to Bai Yaxin: "Mom, I need to use the restroom."
[I can't miss out on this juicy gossip no matter what.]
Lin Tingyue stood up with determined vigor.
Lin Xiawan stood up along with Lin Tingyue. Lin Tingyue looked at her, and she said: "Perfect timing, I need to go too."
Hand in hand, the two of them walked away. From behind, they didn't look like they were off to snoop for gossip—they just seemed a little sneaky.
Bai Yaxin also wanted to follow, but Lin Rusong held her back.
Bai Yaxin complained, "They've all changed locations. What am I supposed to watch here?"
Lin Rusong pointed to his ear and said, "Have you forgotten? We can hear Tingyue's inner thoughts. It's the same here."
Isn't that just like listening to an audio recording?
Bai Yaxin still felt watching the scene live would be more exciting, but coincidentally, Lin Rusong's business partner came over with a wine glass. The two of them were temporarily unable to leave and had no choice but to stay.
It wasn't just Bai Yaxin's situation—similar conversations were happening in every corner of the banquet hall. After all, everyone was a businessperson; they wanted to enjoy the gossip, but they also had business to attend to.
However, some people still ran after them.
A waiter wondered, "Why are so many people going to the restroom today?"
There were two lounges, both located before the restrooms. Lin Tingyue pretended to be on her way to the restroom and passed by the lounge where the Nian family was. Coincidentally, the lounge door wasn't fully closed. As soon as Lin Tingyue approached, she heard two slapping sounds.
Wen Jie had slapped both Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan. Her palm was numb, and her entire body trembled with rage. How could such a disgraceful incident happen at a wedding banquet? She pointed at Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan and said, "You two, go kneel before Tongtong and apologize!!!"
[This isn't something an apology can settle, is it?]
Wen Jie froze. Where did that voice come from? She looked at her husband and those two rebellious sons, but they all appeared normal. Was it a voice only she could hear again?
Just like earlier in the banquet hall?
Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan exchanged glances. Nian Zhi said, "Mom, what's going on? A'Tong is just feeling a bit unwell. Don't blame her."
Wen Jie snapped sharply, "Am I blaming her? I'm blaming you! Both of you, go apologize to Tongtong immediately, and then call off the wedding."
[This mother really knows what's important!]
Nian Zhi shook his head firmly and said, "Mom, I won't call off the wedding. I love Tongtong. She's the only one I want to marry in this lifetime. I won't agree to an arranged marriage with anyone else, so you might as well give up."
Wen Jie's eyes widened in disbelief.
[Excuse me? So deeply in love, yet you're playing musical chairs with your brother, huh?]
[Do you think the real world is some cheap porn novel? I've had it with you.]
Nian Bang quickly stepped forward to support his furious wife. He helped Wen Jie sit down and poured her a glass of water. "Everything was fine. Why do you want to cancel the wedding all of a sudden?"
[Great, here comes the peacemaker.]
Lin Tingyue rolled her eyes. She hated peacemakers the most.
Wen Jie took a sip of water, clutching her chest as she said, "Go ask your two sons what they've done."
There was no way she could bring herself to say it.
Nian Bang tried to persuade Wen Jie, "We've all seen how much A'Zhi loves Tongtong. No matter what, let's get through the wedding first."
[How can you say that, you old fool? Your family has already scammed the bride, and you still expect her to marry into your family?]
Nian Bang didn't notice Wen Jie's grim expression and continued, "So many guests are here today, and I invited quite a few reporters. If we cancel the wedding, our company's stocks might even plummet."
[I hope they crash and burn.]
Lin Tingyue couldn't take it anymore. Just as she was about to step in and intervene, a dark figure brushed past her. The newcomer kicked the door open, tackled Nian Zhi to the ground, and began punching and kicking him while shouting, "You heartless bastard! I entrusted my daughter to you, and this is how you repay me?"
[They're fighting? So it's the bride's father! Good, good—he's giving him what he deserves!]
[These two scumbags had it coming!]
The bride's mother arrived late, supporting her daughter as they entered. Standing coldly at the doorway, she noticed Nian Yuan trying to stay uninvolved and icily reminded, "Old Fang, don't forget—there's another one."
Just as Nian Yuan tried to retreat, Fang Liang grabbed him and landed a solid punch.
Nian Bang stood frozen nearby, wanting to intervene but too afraid to act. He timidly pleaded, "In-laws, please stop! In-laws, what are you doing?"
[Is he trying to mediate or fan the flames?]
[Stop fighting~ Take it to the dance studio if you must~]
Back in the banquet hall, Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong burst into laughter upon hearing this. They joked about sending Lin Tingyue to acting school—she certainly seemed skilled at drama!
"Pah!" The bride's mother, Qin Lian, spat on the ground. "Who would acknowledge in-laws like you shameless people? What do you take my daughter for—a plaything?"
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Wen Jie stepped forward with an apologetic smile. "Tongtong's mother, we were only—"
"I don't want to hear it from any of you! We've already called the police!"
At the mention of the police, Nian Bang dropped all pretense and sneered, "The police? What evidence do you have?"
[Wait, why is this old geezer asking that?]
[Did he already know?]
[He knew and didn't stop it? This old man is shady too!]
What's shady about him?
[Yikes, no wonder Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan turned out like this—it runs in the family.]
Runs in the family?
Qin Lian tugged at Fang Liang, who was still wrestling with Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan on the floor.
[Nian Bang was promiscuous in his youth and only married Wen Jie when he couldn't keep it up anymore. Even after marriage, he never stopped fooling around. He may seem to have only two sons, but there are plenty more outside.]
[Yikes, now that illegitimate children can inherit, with so many splitting the assets, will there be anything left for Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan?]
[Looks like they lost a bride, but they're about to lose everything down to their underwear—hahahaha serves them right!]
"Nian Bang!!!"
Wen Jie's voice cracked with fury as she yanked his hair, only to pull off his wig.
Nian Bang frantically covered his head and snapped, "Wen Jie, have you lost your mind?"
"Lost my mind? I'll kill you!"
Despite Nian Bang's attempts to shield himself, Wen Jie's nails scratched his face bloody. His eyes rolled back, and he seemed on the verge of fainting.
[Don't faint! Don't faint! What if he kicks the bucket?]
Wen Jie pinched Nian Bang's philtrum hard, jolting him back to consciousness.
Nian Bang couldn't die yet—not until he was stripped of all his assets. She wouldn't leave a single cent for those illegitimate children!
In the end, Nian Bang was taken away in an ambulance, while Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan were hauled off in a police car.
[Nian Bang might croak, and Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan are definitely headed for jail—what a bleak future for all of them.]
[Serves them right for doing evil—karma always catches up, every single time.]
The Lin family members turned to look at Lin Tingyue upon hearing this. "You're the one who always gets it right."
The wedding banquet ended in confusion before it even began, so the four of them found a Western restaurant across from the hotel to eat. Inside the restaurant, melodious violin music was playing.
[Listen to good music, eat good steak!]
Bai Yaxin couldn't hold back and quickly lowered her head to avoid letting Lin Tingyue see her laughing.
As they were eating, Lin Tingyue suddenly pointed at someone outside the glass window and said, "Isn't that Second Brother?"