Chapter 408: Chapter 408
Ye Ling and Shen Bin were sitting sweetly in the front of the car, whispering to each other, while it was Shen Bin’s friend, Li Guoqing, driving them. It wasn’t until Li Guoqing laughed out loud for the third time while driving and eavesdropping on their conversation that Ye Ling couldn’t help but glance over, finally recognizing Li Guoqing.
In the back of the car, Bai Xue had been with a stern face ever since seeing Shen Bin come to pick up the bride. She got into the car with her daughter, tightly holding her daughter’s hand, and wondered if people were purposely avoiding them as no one else was in the car with the driver. Bai Xue, unaware, could only think of Shen Bin’s dashing posture and Ye Ling in her white wedding dress getting into the car, her heart involuntarily tightening.
Ye Qian, however, felt her face burning. She knew she’d be disfavored, but such an obvious display left her disgraced. Even her father paid no attention to them, instead joining the men. Thinking of this, Ye Qian lowered her head in slight sadness. Her parents were divorced, so how would her father care about others’ views of her mother?
Then she thought about Ye Ling’s glamorous marriage to the son of a leader, and the wealthy young men coming to meet the bride, holding high positions in companies where Ye Qian did clerical work. She knew some of them, but they didn’t know her, and in their eyes, she was just another ordinary person.
"Qianqian, don’t worry. When you marry into the Liu Family, it will be even more glorious than today," Bai Xue said bitterly.
Over the years, Ye Qian had grown accustomed to her mother’s foolish remarks. She bluntly said, "How can it be more glorious than marrying the son of a leader? Uncle Liu is just a department manager, and besides, the Liu Family hasn’t even mentioned marrying me. It’s something that won’t happen. Mom, please don’t talk nonsense in the future and leave me some dignity."
To prevent the driver in front from hearing, Ye Qian lowered her voice to a whisper, like a mosquito buzzing near the ear. Although Bai Xue had difficulty hearing, she understood clearly. Seeing her daughter’s disappointed eyes, she was speechless. After all these years, she had fought for her daughter, but what had she gained? Her daughter was always overshadowed by Ye Ling, and everyone noticed. She felt like a joke, fighting fiercely only to be laughed at. Bai Xue wasn’t oblivious, but she couldn’t believe she could lose to the daughter from the countryside. But now?
There was no need to say more; everything was clear.
Her daughter’s disappointment was like a hammer pounding on Bai Xue’s heart, shattering it like glass, leaving her unable to hold on. "Qianqian, you must blame mom, don’t you?"
"Mom, today’s a joyous day, don’t overthink it. Look, we’re almost there. When you see my sister, talk nicely, don’t pick on her faults. Dad doesn’t like to see that either," Ye Qian turned away, unwilling to say more.
Bai Xue didn’t know what else to say and reluctantly closed her mouth. Soon, the cars drove into the compound, where many people were waiting outside the villa to greet the bride. Naturally, Ye Ling was the main character. A young boy ran out, placing a bag of sorghum at the car door. Ye Ling got out and stepped on it. Zhao Guodong was tasked with giving the boy a red envelope. Shyly clutching the envelope, the boy ran away. According to the tradition, the bride’s feet shouldn’t touch the ground when leaving her parents’ house, symbolizing stepping on the man’s head. The in-laws’ attention to these details earned the bride dignity.
Covered with a red veil and holding an axe, Ye Ling was carried upstairs by Shen Bin as everyone cheered. Under the emcee’s guidance, Ye Ling changed her address to call Shen Bin’s parents and put a flower on her mother-in-law. The guests then left for the hotel, while Ye Ling changed out of her wedding dress and into a red qipao handed by her mother-in-law. She headed to the hotel with Shen Bin for the toasting.
Meanwhile, Bai Lianhua and the others arrived at the hotel, immediately noticing four people sitting at a table in the center front. These four stood out due to their shabby attire, contrasting sharply with the majority in suits. Even those not in suits wore clean, decent clothes. These four looked like beggars in flight.
The older couple paid no mind to others’ opinions, curiously glancing around, while a young woman in red and green clothes haughtily held her chin up. Another young person, recognized from a previous encounter with Shen Bin, dressed more normally in a white T-shirt and blue pants, sat quietly with their head nearly touching the table.
This group of four sat alone at a table, near the main seating area, making it impossible not to notice them.
Being the bride’s mother, Bai Xue naturally sat at the main table, so Bai Lianhua and Ye Qian joined her, ending up adjacent to the four, each sitting in their own spots. Bai Xue glanced at them with disdain, while Shen Jiang, catching Bai Xue’s eyes, didn’t mind and smiled back as a greeting.
"Are these Shen Bin’s adoptive parents?" Bai Xue suddenly spoke, her voice sharp despite being low.
Ye Qian knew her mother was about to cause trouble and didn’t respond, but Bai Lianhua agreed, "Looks like it."
This table of four people from the countryside, if not Shen Bin’s adoptive parents, who else could they be?
"Why are they dressed so poorly? Shen Bin is so ungrateful to treat his adoptive parents this way?" Bai Xue finally felt she’d found fault in Shen Bin, and her attitude towards the Shen Family’s four changed immediately.
Ye Qian stood up abruptly, startling Bai Xue, "What are you doing?"
"Jiang Yan called me over; I’m going over there," Ye Qian said, turning to leave. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on N()velFire.net
Bai Xue glanced over and indeed saw the girls from the compound sitting together. She didn’t stop Ye Qian. Beside her, Bai Lianhua couldn’t help but feel envious. She wanted to leave too, but had nowhere else to go, so she stayed seated.
No one continued the earlier conversation by Bai Xue, leaving her feeling powerless. Glancing over, she saw the four from the Shen Family looking at her with gratitude, wishing to rush over and thank her verbally, which Bai Xue found distasteful, so she said nothing further.
Elsewhere, Ye Qian joined Song Mei and her friends, forcing herself to engage in conversation. Suddenly, Song Mei asked seriously, "Ye Qian, doesn’t your sister need any bridesmaids? Why didn’t she find anyone from our compound?" (To be continued. If you work, please vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)