77: Chapter 77 Chen Huihui's Family

Speaking of which, she changed her tune, glanced sideways at Chen Huihui, and said in a humble-bragging manner, "But there's no helping it, everyone has their own fate. Huihui, don't think it's too little; this 188,000 is actually quite decent for an ordinary family. Although it can't compare to my daughter—after all, not everyone can marry into a wealthy family and become a young mistress—for us ordinary people, as long as we can eat, that's enough, wouldn't you say?"

The thorns in these words were practically rubbing Chen Huihui's dignity into the ground.

"You—!" The chubby guy sitting next to her heard this, and his anger flared up instantly. He sprang up from the sofa, his face turning the color of liver, and pointed at Wang Xiufen, ready to retort: "Auntie, what do you mean by that? How is Huihui not as good as your daughter? Is your daughter getting married or selling herself? Besides, my Huihui..."

Just a second before the chubby guy was about to explode, a slender, powerful hand tugged at the corner of his shirt.

It was Lin Yu!

Although the chubby guy didn't quite understand Lin Yu's intention in stopping him, he had absolute trust in Lin Yu. He forced the profanity that had reached his lips back down, his chest heaving violently, and sat back down on the sofa, though the look he gave Wang Xiufen remained murderous.

Lin Yu withdrew his hand, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. A playful arc curled at the corner of his mouth, his gaze sweeping over Wang Xiufen's smug face as if he were watching a clown perform.

Lin Yu slowly set down the teacup; the porcelain cup touched the glass coffee table, emitting a crisp "ding." The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a tuning hammer, instantly making the living room even quieter.

"Auntie, your words are truly thought-provoking." Lin Yu's voice was clear and steady, his pace unhurried. "After all, a bride price of 288,000 in our Ze City is absolutely rare. It seems our cousin is truly blessed to have found such a wealthy family."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiufen lifted her chin even higher, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes blooming with delight: "That's right! Just look at how my daughter looks. My son-in-law's family is in the building materials business; they're rich! This bit of money is just a drop in the bucket for them!"

"Indeed, indeed." Lin Yu nodded along with her, then suddenly changed his tone, his eyes revealing a sense of curiosity. "However, Auntie, as far as I know, the bride price around here is usually 'taken from the groom's side and used for the young couple's family.' I'd like to ask, when the brother-in-law's family gave that 288,000, as the bride's family, how much dowry did you give back to the cousin? Did you include a BMW as a dowry, or did you give back a large portion in cash so that your daughter would have some extra money in her hands and be able to hold her head high in her in-laws' house?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Chen Jianjun, who had been watching the show, slightly changed his expression and subconsciously kicked Wang Xiufen under the table.

The smile on Wang Xiufen's face stiffened, and her eyes flickered, but she quickly forced herself to keep up that arrogant air: "Return... return how much? This bride price is the groom's gesture; why would I return it? Besides, is it easy for me to raise a daughter? That bit of money is naturally for my retirement. What, do you expect me to pay out of my own pocket to marry off my daughter?"

"Oh—" Lin Yu drew out the sound, the smile on his face deepening, though his eyes became sharp. "So that's how it is. In other words, you didn't spend a single cent of this 288,000 and kept it all? You didn't buy your cousin a car, didn't buy her a house, and even the appliances were bought separately by the groom's side?"

Wang Xiufen was put on the spot by Lin Yu's blunt questioning, her face flushing red: "How are you talking, young man? This is our family business! My daughter is going there to enjoy life; the in-laws are rich, do they even care if I return the gift or not?"

"They don't care." Lin Yu chuckled, leaning forward slightly, the sense of oppression increasing sharply. "But Auntie, you just used this to belittle Huihui, saying she has bad luck and could only get 188,000. But have you ever thought that this 188,000 was given by Li Hang's parents specifically for the couple to live on, and they even threw in a fully furnished wedding house? And your 288,000, judging by what you said, has turned into your 'retirement money'?"

Speaking of this, Lin Yu turned his head to look at Chen Jianguo, Chen Huihui's father, who had been silent, his tone becoming sincere yet sharp: "Uncle, we are all practical people. I'll just ask one thing: if it were your family marrying a daughter-in-law, and the bride's side took your 288,000 bride price and didn't return a single cent as dowry, keeping it all for the chubby guy to marry in the future, would you be happy with that?"

"That would definitely not be okay!" Chen Jianguo was an honest man, but that didn't mean he had no temper. He slapped his thigh hard, his face darkening. "Marrying off a daughter is not selling a daughter! The bride price is the capital for the two children to start a new life. If you keep it all, what does that make it? That's selling your children!"

"Exactly!" The chubby guy, who had been holding back his anger, finally found resonance. He pointed at Wang Xiufen and shouted loudly: "I knew it! Auntie, you still have the nerve to talk! Is that marrying off a daughter? That's wholesale! You swallowed all 288,000, aren't you afraid of choking? What's wrong with Huihui getting 188,000? This money is Huihui's. You treat your daughter like a cash cow; we are pampering Huihui!"

"You—you all—!" Wang Xiufen was trembling with rage, her fingers pointing at Lin Yu and the chubby guy shaking. "You are slandering me! This is jealousy! My daughter has high market value!"

"Whether one's value is high or not isn't determined by the selling price, but by character." Li Guodong, who hadn't said much until now, spoke up. After all, he was an executive; his aura was steady, and with a few words, he suppressed Wang Xiufen's arrogance. "Sister-in-law, we are all elders; let's not hurt the children's harmony over this bit of money. Besides, these days, treating bride price as a business doesn't sound good when it gets out, does it?"

Wang Xiufen opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found that the expressions of those around her had changed. Liu Fang, Chen Huihui's mother, even gave her a cold look and shielded her daughter beside her.

Lin Yu watched Wang Xiufen's deflated appearance and gently patted the chubby guy on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down. He picked up the teacup again, took a sip of tea, and calmly added the final blow: "Auntie, actually, you were right about one thing just now. It really is fate. Huihui has good fate; she met a man like Li Hang who knows her well and is willing to give everything to treat her well, and she also met reasonable in-laws. As for some people, they took 288,000 but lost their dignity. Whether that's good fate or not, only heaven knows."

Seeing that the timing was right, Li Guodong hurriedly looked at Chen Jianshe and his wife and said: "Let's get back to the main topic. If there are no problems on your side, I think the day after tomorrow is a good day. It's the weekend, so it won't interfere with the children or the relatives' work. Shall we set the wedding engagement?"

Chen Jianshe, his wife, and Chen Huihui's uncle exchanged glances and nodded. Chen Huihui's uncle said: "That's fine, but won't the time be too rushed?"

Lin Yu: "The hotel and venue arrangements are already set. It's just a matter of Huihui and the chubby guy going shopping this afternoon, and both parents inviting friends and family. There is enough time."

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously tense atmosphere was instantly broken. The gloom on Chen Jianshe's face was swept away, replaced by surprise and emotion. He hadn't expected the groom's side to be not only generous but also so efficient, clearly showing that they cared about Huihui.

"Oh my, this... this is too thoughtful!" Chen Jianshe rubbed his hands in excitement and turned to look at his wife, Liu Fang: "Mother of our child, look at this..."

Liu Fang's eyes also reddened, and she nodded repeatedly: "Thoughtful, too thoughtful! Since the children have arranged everything, what else is there for us parents to disagree with? As long as Huihui isn't wronged, we'll listen to you!"

Wang Xiufen, who had been sulking, felt as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was pinched by her husband, Chen Jianjun, under the table.

Chen Jianjun was a shrewd man. Seeing that the situation was one-sided and that Li Guodong and Lin Yu were clearly not people to be trifled with, continuing would only lead to embarrassment, and his older brother's family would blame him.

"Ahem," Chen Jianjun cleared his throat, a forced, awkward smile on his face. "Since the groom's side is so sincere and the arrangements are so proper, let's listen to the children. The day after tomorrow... the day after tomorrow is a good day, suitable for marriage. I think it works!"

Hearing this, the chubby guy was so happy he couldn't close his mouth, and the urge to fight from just a moment ago instantly turned into a silly grin. He grabbed Chen Huihui's hand, his voice trembling with excitement: "Huihui, did you hear that? The day after tomorrow! We're getting engaged the day after tomorrow!"

Chen Huihui looked at the honest, big boy in front of her, then at the loving Li Guoqiang and his wife, and finally, her gaze fell on Lin Yu, her eyes full of gratitude. She knew that without Lin Yu's words just now, she didn't know what kind of mess today's scene would have turned into. She nodded gently, her cheeks flushed: "Mm, I'll listen to my dad and uncle..."

"Good! Good! Good!" Li Guoqiang said "good" three times, his face blooming with joy. "It's lunchtime; we can't talk on an empty stomach. Let's go, let's go eat out, chat while we eat, and we can sort out the remaining matters."

Lin Yu stood up upon hearing this, smoothed his shirt cuffs, and said in a gentle tone: "How about we go to Junlin Yunding? Let Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen try the dishes again. After all, the engagement banquet is the day after tomorrow; tasting the food in advance allows for timely adjustments if they are dissatisfied with anything."

Chen Huihui waved her hand quickly, her cheeks flushing with a faint red: "No need to try, didn't we just try the food? Where else in Ze City is better than Junlin Yunding International Hotel?" As she spoke, she secretly glanced at the chubby guy beside her.

Chen Huihui's mother, Liu Fang, also chimed in, reaching out to pat her daughter's hand: "That's right, I heard Junlin Yunding is a five-star hotel, exquisite and delicious; there's no need to go to the trouble again."

The chubby guy, who had been sitting on the side without speaking, suddenly chimed in. He scratched his head and smiled honestly: "Actually, Min Shi Wei Tian isn't bad either. Their braised pork and steamed sea bass are top-notch. The portions are generous, the taste is authentic, and it's comfortable to eat there."

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, a knowing smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Alright, let's go eat at Min Shi Wei Tian for this meal."

Wang Xiufen's tone carried a hint of sarcasm upon hearing this: "The most popular places right now are Junlin Yunding and Min Shi Wei Tian. Both require booking three days in advance. If we call last minute, it would be a miracle if we can book a private room. We'll just have to squeeze in the lobby; how embarrassing that would be."

"Hehe, it's fine, just find any place to grab a bite," Chen Jianshe laughed.

Lin Yu ignored Wang Xiufen and walked to the balcony to make a call. His voice came through the half-open door, clear and steady: "Xiaotang, prepare a private room for 12 people for me, somewhere quiet. I'll be there in ten minutes or so..."

Hanging up the phone and returning, Lin Yu smiled at everyone: "Let's go, the 'Jinxiu' private room has been reserved."

The smile on Wang Xiufen's face stiffened, but she felt a bit uneasy. She had originally wanted to wait and see Lin Yu make a fool of himself, but he had managed to secure a private room that others couldn't book even after breaking their heads over it with just one phone call. That was quite a lot of face.

The group went downstairs, and considering they wouldn't return after the meal, everyone decided to take their own cars.

Chen Jianjun drove a black Honda Odyssey. It was a very good car for an ordinary family, spacious and decent. Chen Jianjun fastened his seatbelt and glanced through the rearview mirror at the chubby guy's family, who were preparing to get into their car.

"Jianjun, what are you dazing off for? Hurry up and follow, don't keep them waiting." Wang Xiufen sat in the passenger seat, urging him while touching up her makeup.

"Yeah, coming." Chen Jianjun replied, and just as he was about to start the engine, his gaze unintentionally swept across the rearview mirror again. He froze, his mouth slightly agape, with an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

He saw that the chubby guy's family had also gotten into a business van. He recognized it as a Toyota Alphard; the pitch-black, polished car body reflected a cold and noble luster in the sunlight. The huge chrome grille looked like an imposing face, highlighting its luxury and dominance.

"This... this..." Chen Jianjun stared at the car, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice trembling.

Seeing that he hadn't moved for a long time, Wang Xiufen turned her head impatiently: "What's wrong with you? Has your soul been snatched away? What's so good about that car? Isn't it just a Toyota? It looks square, not even as good-looking and streamlined as our Odyssey."

Chen Jianjun turned his head abruptly, staring at his wife with wide eyes, as if he had heard some huge joke. His tone was full of disbelief and loss of composure: "You don't know jack! Look closely at what kind of car that is! That's a Toyota Alphard! In our Ze City, that car costs over a million to get on the road! It could buy three or four of mine!"

"How... how much?" The powder puff in Wang Xiufen's hand dropped onto her lap with a "pat." She followed her husband's gaze and looked at the Alphard again, and her expression changed instantly.

Just a moment ago, she thought the car was bulky, but looking at it now, where was it bulky? It was clearly "imposing"! Where was it square? It was clearly "noble"!

"Over a million..." Wang Xiufen muttered to herself, her heart feeling as if it had been hit hard by something. They were low-key, yet they went out in a million-dollar nanny van!