Chapter 11 Parting on Bad Terms

Lin Qingru was Su Yang's fiancée, and their marriage had been arranged when Su Yang was very young.

Lin Qingru's father, Lin Ze Ping, had a good relationship with Su Yang's father, Su Ping. Moreover, Lin Ze Ping had always thought highly of Su Yang. Despite the Su family's poverty and the Lin family's wealth, Lin Ze Ping still decided against all opposition to set the marriage when Su Yang was ten years old.

Over the years, Lin Qingru's attitude towards Su Yang was lukewarm, but Lin Ze Ping's support for Su Yang was absolute. It could be said that Lin Ze Ping was almost like a second father to Su Yang.

Su Yang could afford to show indifference to Lin Qingru, but he was genuinely grateful to Lin Ze Ping.

Today Lin Qingru had not met him, and Lin Ze Ping would surely not let the matter rest. Surely, there would be an invitation for him that evening, which Su Yang couldn't refuse.

Sure enough, after a short while at home, a black Mercedes stopped at the Su family's doorstep.

Lin Ze Ping, a well-known wealthy businessman in Nanluo City, was dressed in a Zhongshan suit, his partially grey hair neatly combed without a strand out of place.

"Su Yang, you rascal, you're finally back!" As soon as he entered, Lin Ze Ping burst out laughing heartily, hugged Su Yang without hesitation, and said, "Come, let me see if you've changed over these years!"

Su Yang smiled: "Uncle Lin!"

"Hahaha..." Lin Ze Ping laughed heartily and said, "Good, you haven't changed much over the years. Let's go, come home with me for dinner. You really are something, having been back for such a long time without visiting Uncle Lin, eh?"

Lin Ze Ping didn't know the situation at Su Yang's house, and Su Yang didn't want to say it, as he didn't want Lin Ze Ping to worry.

Lin Ze Ping's home was in Meilin Lakeside, a well-known affluent villa area in the city, and he owned a single-family villa there.

As soon as he entered, Su Yang saw an iron Eight Trigrams hanging on the front door. Lin Ze Ping was particularly fascinated by the Book of Changes, Eight Trigrams, and his home was filled with such books.

Upon entering the living room, they saw a middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa watching TV, Lin Qingru's mother, Fang Cui.

"Fang Cui, come over quick, look who's here!" Lin Ze Ping started shouting excitedly as soon as he got indoors.

Fang Cui's eyes flickered with displeasure upon seeing Su Yang. She remained seated saying in a tone that was neither light nor heavy, "Su Yang, you're back?"

The greatest obstacle to the marriage between Su Yang and Lin Qingru was Fang Cui. She had always looked down on Su Yang. In her view, their family was wealthy and influential, and Lin Qingru was extremely beautiful, more than a match for anyone. She had always preferred her daughter to marry the son of a city leader, or at the very least a rich man's son—that would have been a match of equal social standing. In her eyes, Su Yang had nothing, so how could he marry her daughter?

Even though Lin Ze Ping had finalised the marriage arrangement, Fang Cui had never given Su Yang the time of day. Although Su Yang had been away for three years and was now back, she didn't even rise to greet him.

"Fang Cui, entertain Su Yang for a while. I'll go cook and make some delicious dishes for Su Yang," Lin Ze Ping said.

A flicker of displeasure crossed Fang Cui's face, but she still got up to ask Su Yang to take a seat.

"Have you dealt with that issue?" Fang Cui seemed to ask offhandedly, but her question struck directly at Su Yang's heart. Su Yang had left Nanluo because of that incident, and Fang Cui was deliberately reopening old wounds.

"No," Su Yang calmly replied.

"Oh?" Fang Cui glanced at Su Yang: "So now that you're back, are you planning to settle it?"

Su Yang remained silent, smiling. He had never had a good impression of Fang Cui and she was digging into past troubles on purpose just to make things difficult for him. Were it not for Lin Ze Ping, Su Yang would certainly not entertain Fang Cui at all.

Fang Cui's displeasure grew stronger. Compared with the smooth-talking Liao Yuxuan, Su Yang was entirely different.

"What have you been doing these three years outside?" Fang Cui asked.

"Serving in the military," Su Yang replied.

"Serving in the military?" Fang Cui's eyes showed disdain: "What, you're not studying and decided to join the military instead?"

Su Yang remained silent, but Fang Cui, acting the part of an elder, lectured him: "Oh dear, what am I to do with you. While in school, you got into fights and got in trouble, and that's done with, but since you left, why didn't you focus on your studies? Why join the army? Are you trying to give up on everything? Do you know that people your age are preparing to go to university now? With the way you loaf around, are you planning to just waste your life away?"

Su Yang gave Fang Cui a cold glance and was about to speak when suddenly the roaring sound of a motorcycle came from outside.

Turning his head, he saw a white Audi parked in the courtyard; Lin Qingru, with flushed cheeks, got out of the car, while Liao Yuxuan stuck his head out from the driver's seat, laughing and chatting with Lin Qingru.

Noticing Su Yang watching from inside the house, he provocatively pulled on Lin Qingru's hand, as if they were an affectionate couple. Lin Qingru did not resist, only smiling and playfully hitting Liao Yuxuan a few times.

Fang Cui's eyes brightened; she had a favorable impression of Liao Yuxuan. He came from a good family with money and power and was her ideal son-in-law.

When Lin Qingru entered the house and spotted Su Yang, a flash of displeasure crossed her face. She didn't even say a word to Su Yang and went straight into her room, carrying her bag.

Su Yang's expression remained calm; having decided to give up this engagement, Lin Qingru's matters had nothing to do with him anymore.

Before long, two more people arrived, Lin Qingru's second uncle and third aunt. They too looked at Su Yang with disdain, having been specially invited by Fang Cui to target Su Yang that evening.

Soon, Lin Ze Ping had prepared a table full of food. Everyone took their seats, and Lin Ze Ping lifted his glass, laughing heartily, "Everyone, I am truly happy today. It's been three years, and Su Yang has finally returned; this has been my greatest concern over the past three years. Come on, let's all have a drink to celebrate!"

Su Yang raised his glass, but the others in the room remained motionless.

The third aunt scoffed, "It's not like he's returning in triumph, so what's to celebrate? You make it sound like it's something glorious!"

Lin Ze Ping furrowed his brow and said, "Third Aunt, what you're saying isn't right. After all, Su Yang is Qingru's fiancé, and we are all family!"

At these words, the expressions of several people in the room changed. Lin Qingru turned her head away, refusing to look at Su Yang. Fang Cui and the others, however, glared coldly at Su Yang, full of dissatisfaction.

"Brother-in-law, what era are we living in that you're still playing with these outdated arranged marriages!" the second uncle said mockingly. "Besides, Qingru is still young. Talking about a fiancé now, aren't you afraid of becoming a laughingstock if word gets out?"

The third aunt was even more direct, "Brother-in-law, an engagement should be between equals. What's the status of Su Yang's family, and what qualifies him to be engaged to Qingru?"

Instantly, Lin Ze Ping's face turned cold and he said sternly, "This is my family's business, and it's none of your concern!"

"Brother-in-law, I know you've never considered us family, but Qingru is my niece, and I must get involved in her affairs!" the second uncle raised his voice.

The third aunt arrogantly looked at Su Yang, "Su Yang, I heard you've been in the army for the past three years? What, couldn't find anywhere else to go, so you hid in the military? Stopped studying? People your age should be thinking about university now, what are you planning to do? Oh, went to the army to build up some muscle so you can work as a laborer in the future?"

Su Yang frowned and was about to speak when Lin Ze Ping suddenly slammed his hand on the table.

"You two, if you continue to meddle in Qingru's marriage, get out of my house!" Lin Ze Ping shouted angrily.

The second uncle and third aunt looked timidly at Fang Cui, whose face was filled with anger as she said, "Old Lin, is this how you treat my family?"

"If you don't accept it, get out with them!" Lin Ze Ping snapped back.

Fang Cui was dumbstruck; she hadn't expected Lin Ze Ping to have such a furious temper over this matter. After a moment of silence, she suddenly began to wail, "Fine, fine, I'll leave, I'm leaving right now. I've lived a life of hardship with you and just when we're starting to enjoy better days, you want to kick me out. What, tired of me and looking to replace me with a new mistress?"

Lin Qingru trembled with rage and suddenly turned to Su Yang, shouting, "Su Yang, what the hell are you back here for? Are you set on turning my house upside-down? What did I ever do to you that you won't stop harassing me? Please, I beg you, have mercy, just leave me be, will you?"

Su Yang's face turned icy as he stood up to speak, but at that moment, Lin Ze Ping suddenly smacked the table and roared, "This marriage is settled. No one stops it unless I die!"

Having said that, Lin Ze Ping's eyes rolled back, and he fainted outright.

"Uncle Lin!" Su Yang quickly went over to support Lin Ze Ping as the others stood there in shock.

Su Yang took out acupuncture needles and pricked two of Lin Ze Ping's points, and Lin Ze Ping finally came to, groggily. He grabbed Su Yang, his voice choked with sobs, "Su Yang, Uncle Lin is sorry. But no matter what, even if it costs me my life, I will ensure your marriage to Qingru!"

At this point, what more could Su Yang say? Lin Ze Ping was very emotional at the moment; if Su Yang chose now to back out of the engagement, Lin Ze Ping might die from sheer rage right here. Moreover, Lin Ze Ping had been good to Su Yang, so he couldn't let him down at this juncture.

It seemed that this matter would have to wait for another opportunity to discuss it.