The Reluctant Betrothal

The tension at the Feng family's breakfast table was palpable, a heavy silence punctuated only by the clinking of cutlery. Feng Ruoxi ate her meal with an air of nonchalance, seemingly unfazed by the cold stares directed at her from her family members, particularly the twin sisters, Feng Meiling and Feng Xiuying.

Feng Zhengzhi, the patriarch, cleared his throat and spoke, his voice laced with a sense of urgency. "Okay, this tension has to end. We have to come to terms with the fact that this... brat is the one marrying into the Jiang family. We all know that we can't get on the Jiang's bad side, especially that young master Jiang. He is someone we can't afford to offend."

Zhang Lihua chimed in, her brow furrowed with concern. "Father-in-law, I think Feng Ruoxi should be the one to deny the marriage. Maybe that might help."

Feng Guiri nodded in agreement, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. "Father, my wife has a good idea there. This is the only way young master Jiang can choose another bride, if Feng Ruoxi denies marrying him."

Feng Zhaoxuan spoke up, his voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "Dear brother, I see how eager you are for young master Jiang to pick one of your daughters. But you have three daughters. Which daughter did you exactly have in mind?"

Feng Meiling and Feng Xiuying exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of anticipation and uncertainty, as they waited for their father's answer.

Feng Guiri puffed out his chest, a hint of pride in his voice. "I don't have anyone in particular, but we all know my daughters are all well-groomed."

Qiao Yingyao chimed in, her tone laced with a subtle jab. "Hmm, but I'm sure you do have someone in mind."

Zhang Lihua shot a withering glare at Qiao Yingyao, her protective instincts flaring. "Stop trying to create tension between my daughters, and as for you, Yingyao, you don't have a say in all this. You don't have a child, remember?"

The words hung heavily in the air, the silence once again broken only by the sound of Feng Ruoxi's cutlery as she continued to eat her meal, seemingly oblivious to the family's turmoil.

Feng Zhengzhi cleared his throat, his authoritative tone cutting through the tension. "Enough, let's just enjoy breakfast... And as for you, Feng Ruoxi, you will inform the Jiangs when they come here that you will not be accepting this marriage."

Feng Ruoxi raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Sure, Grandpa. I don't care about this marriage, anyway."

Feng Zhengzhi nodded, a sense of relief washing over him. "Good, good. It's settled then."

Zhang Lihua turned to her daughters, her gaze stern yet hopeful. "You three better prepare yourselves and look presentable on Saturday when young master Jiang and his grandfather come. I want you to be on your best behavior so he can take one of you as his bride."

Feng Airi, the youngest daughter, spoke up, her voice laced with a rare maturity. "Mom, can I be excluded from all this? I'm still too young to get married, anyway. Let him choose one of the twins."

Feng Guiri smiled with pride, a glimmer of affection in his eyes as he looked at his youngest daughter. "You are the most considerate one, Airi. Okay, that leaves young master Jiang with no choice but to marry one of you two girls." He directed his gaze to Feng Meiling and Feng Xiuying.

Feng Meiling straightened her posture, a determined expression on her face. "Don't worry, Father. I won't disappoint you."

Feng Xiuying echoed her sister's sentiments, her voice steady and resolute. "Me too, I will represent our family well. I promise."

Zhang Lihua beamed with pride, a satisfied smile gracing her features. "That's my girls, always mature, unlike some at this table."

Feng Ruoxi rolled her eyes, a subtle flicker of annoyance crossing her face as she stood up and grabbed her bag. "Continue planning how to fawn to the Jiang family. Keep me out of it." With that, she left the dining room, the sound of her footsteps fading into the distance.

Feng Zhengzhi frowned, his displeasure evident. "That child of yours, Feng Zhaoxuan, is very disrespectful lately. You need to discipline her well."

Feng Zhaoxuan's fists clenched under the table, the knuckles turning white. It was obvious to him that his father was favoring Feng Guiri's daughters more, but in truth, he knew how disappointing Feng Ruoxi had been. All he could do now was hope that young master Jiang didn't change his mind.

As Feng Ruoxi walked towards the school gate, she could feel the weight of the family's expectations and the underlying tension that had permeated the breakfast table. Her lips tightened into a thin line, a flicker of frustration and annoyance flickering in her eyes. She had never asked for this, never wanted to be a part of this power struggle within the Feng clan.

As she stood waiting for a cab, a car slowly pulled up beside her, the window slowly rolling down to reveal Jiang Yukan in the backseat. Feng Ruoxi couldn't help but feel a sense of reluctance as she met his gaze, her natural instinct to reject this unwanted arrangement.

"Need a ride?" Jiang Yukan asked, his voice calm and composed.

Feng Ruoxi considered her options for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of accepting the offer. On one hand, it would be easier to avoid the drama and tension at the Feng household, but on the other, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about being alone with the man who had been thrust into the role of her future husband.

After a moment of hesitation, Feng Ruoxi shrugged and replied, "A free ride? Yeah, sure." She hopped into the car, her body language tense and defensive.

Jiang Yukan glanced at her, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "Are there not enough drivers or cars at the Feng household?"

Feng Ruoxi sighed, a flicker of exasperation crossing her features. "It's a long story," she muttered, her tone clipped and guarded.

Jiang Yukan nodded, sensing the girl's discomfort, and turned his attention to his phone, his fingers tapping away at the screen.

Suddenly, Feng Ruoxi's phone chimed with a message, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as she recognized the sender's name - "Hawkeye007." She quickly opened the message, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she began chatting with her friend, the back-and-forth banter and humorous memes providing a much-needed distraction from the tension of the morning.

Jiang Yukan noticed the change in Feng Ruoxi's demeanor and couldn't help but comment, a hint of playfulness in his tone. "Is my future bride flirting with other men?"

Feng Ruoxi's smile faded, and she frowned, quickly putting her phone down. "What makes you so sure that I am your future wife?" she retorted, her voice laced with a subtle edge.

Jiang Yukan chuckled, a confident smile spreading across his face. "It's a done deal. By next week, you'll be Madam Jiang."

Feng Ruoxi scoffed, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "Yeah, I'm so excited," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jiang Yukan's smile widened, and he tilted his head, studying her expression. "Well, your face is telling a different story."

Feng Ruoxi rolled her eyes, a surge of frustration bubbling up within her. "Who still does these arranged marriages, anyway? It's the 21st century, not the 1800s," she countered, her tone laced with exasperation.

Jiang Yukan shrugged, a casual air about him. "But we have to fulfill our ancestors' wishes, right?"

Feng Ruoxi snorted, a sardonic smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, right."

The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence, with both Feng Ruoxi and Jiang Yukan occasionally glancing at their phones, small smiles or smirks flitting across their features as they engaged with their respective digital conversations.

As the car pulled up to the school, Feng Ruoxi reached for the door handle, eager to escape the confines of the vehicle and the discomfort of Jiang Yukan's presence. "Thanks for the ride," she muttered, her hand on the door.

But just as she was about to exit, Jiang Yukan gently reached out and grasped her arm, his touch causing Feng Ruoxi to instinctively stiffen. "Don't be so negative about this whole thing," he said, his voice soft yet resolute. "You never know, you might learn to appreciate having me as your husband."

Feng Ruoxi scoffed, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. "Yeah, whatever," she retorted, pulling her arm free and stepping out of the car, her stride purposeful as she made her way towards the school gates, not even sparing a glance back at the man who had just been thrust into the role of her future husband.

As she walked away, Feng Ruoxi couldn't help but feel a sense of unease and frustration settling in the pit of her stomach. This arranged marriage was not of her choosing, and the thought of being bound to Jiang Yukan for the rest of her life filled her with a sense of dread. But with the weight of her family's expectations and the power of the Jiang clan hanging over her, Feng Ruoxi knew that she would have to tread carefully, lest she find herself on the wrong side of this high-stakes game.