Chapter 157: Chapter 157

A five-star hotel restaurant.

"...After marriage, they must live in Luocheng! Yanyan met Li Tianyao in Luocheng. In our eyes, Li Tianyao is a Luocheng local!" An Zhongbo’s voice boomed as he argued his case.

Li Shaofu was uncompromising. "Mr. An, you are marrying off your daughter, and her in-laws are in Shangjing City. If you insist on them living in Luocheng, then there’s nothing more to discuss!"

Over the years, Li Shaofu had grown accustomed to people around the Li Family obeying their every command. Hearing An Zhongbo express a different opinion, he instinctively wanted to use his authority to suppress him. He couldn’t believe it. With someone like Li Tianyao wanting a girl, wouldn’t her family be deeply grateful and eagerly present her with both hands! he thought. They’re just trying to drive up the price. He’d wait for them to state their terms!

Instead, An Zhongbo, the man in the wheelchair, suddenly slammed the cup in his hand onto the table. "If you don’t want to talk, then we won’t! Remember, you’re the one who said it!"

After speaking, An Zhongbo, afraid Li Shaofu would go back on his word, swiftly turned his wheelchair. "Yaoluo, let’s go!"

An Yaoluo very cooperatively rushed over, took hold of An Zhongbo’s wheelchair, and headed towards the door.

Just as they reached the door, it was pulled open. The first to enter were two black-clad bodyguards, followed by Li Tianyao, also dressed entirely in black.

An Yaoluo had always felt that all-black attire was monotonous and somber. But on Li Tianyao, it seemed entirely natural, accentuating his handsome features even more. Compared to Li Tianyao, An Yan, whose hand he held, looked like an innocent child in her shapeless blue windbreaker and slightly dirty white hiking shoes. The couple’s styles didn’t match at all.

"Yanyan, come over to Big Brother," An Yaoluo called out to her.

An Yan was about to go over, but Li Tianyao’s fingers tightened around her hand. She had to abandon the thought. "Dad, Big Brother, are you leaving?"

An Zhongbo nodded. "Yes. Why are you back so soon?"

From the moment An Zhongbo saw them, one thought dominated his mind: Oh no! Now that Yanyan’s back, I hope Li Tianyao won’t just sweet-talk her into agreeing to marry him!

An Zhongbo wheeled himself over and reached out to take An Yan’s hand. "Let’s go. We’re going home."

An Yan tried to withdraw her hand from Li Tianyao’s grasp again, but... alright, she couldn’t pull it free.

An Zhongbo noticed this and glared at Li Tianyao with displeasure. That damn kid! He’s squeezed my daughter’s hand until it’s red!

"Be gentler!" An Zhongbo snapped.

Li Tianyao’s thin lips tightened. His gaze swept lightly over the young woman’s hand he was holding, and then he released it.

An Zhongbo was about to pull An Yan over when Li Tianyao’s arm went around An Yan’s shoulders again, drawing her back a few steps.

Damn it. It looks like we won’t be able to leave today until this is settled, An Zhongbo thought.

An Yaoluo looked at Li Tianyao with displeasure. This man’s possessiveness is simply astounding!

Just as he was feeling displeased, Li Tianyao’s assistant, the one named Lu Feng, actually stepped forward and took over pushing An Zhongbo’s wheelchair.

Like master, like servant, indeed! he fumed internally. An Yaoluo tried to push Lu Feng aside, but to no avail! He could only watch helplessly as Lu Feng pushed his father back. He had no choice but to turn and sit back down.

Behind him, Li Tianyao wrapped his arm around An Yan’s waist and stepped into the private room.

"Ninth Brother! You’re back," a young woman with delicate features stood up. An Yan could tell at a glance that she had undergone considerable cosmetic surgery on her face. Almost no part of her face seemed untouched by a surgeon’s knife! She wore a light purple sweater dress, her pitch-black hair half-tied up. Her demeanor was gentle, with a hint of bashful delicacy. She looked to be around twenty years old, An Yan estimated.

As An Yan observed her, the young woman was also observing An Yan. She’s not bad-looking, but what on earth is she wearing? Li Qingqing thought. We’re here to discuss her marriage, and she shows up in a windbreaker? Doesn’t she have any sense of occasion?

When their eyes met, the young woman smiled and greeted her, "Hello, Sister-in-law! I’m Qingqing!"

Sister-in-law? An Yan wasn’t keen on accepting the title just yet. "Calling me Sister-in-law is a bit premature," she said directly. "Let’s wait until after the wedding. My name is An Yan."

"Ah, Sister An Yan, hello," Li Qingqing quickly corrected herself.

"Hello to you too!" An Yan nodded. She looked at Li Qingqing thoughtfully. The first An Yan had heard of Li Qingqing was from Ling Xiao, who said Li Qingqing was a patient, afflicted by a rare poison and needing to take antidote medication year-round. But looking at her now, Ling Xiao’s information seemed somewhat inaccurate. This Li Qingqing appeared somewhat delicate, true, but there was no discernible sign of illness about her! Moreover, I strongly suspect her delicate appearance is a result of all that plastic surgery! An Yan thought.

Li Tianyao, with his arm around An Yan’s waist, led her a few steps further into the room and made the introductions. "This is my father, and this is my Eldest Uncle."

An Yan nodded. "Hello, Uncle. Hello, Eldest Uncle. I’m An Yan."

The members of the Li Family were all quite good-looking. However, Li Tianyao didn’t bear much resemblance to his father. Li Tianyao must be a genetic marvel to have surpassed his father’s looks by so much, An Yan mused.

Just moments ago, Li Shaofu had been putting on airs, exuding a lofty and imposing aura as if he were ten feet tall. But the moment Li Tianyao arrived, all his arrogance vanished. Before An Yan could finish speaking, he rose to his feet. "So this is Yanyan! You look even more stunning in person than on television. Our Tianyao certainly has excellent taste. So beautiful and dignified."

His Eldest Uncle, Li Shaokang, also hurriedly said, "Miss An Yan, please sit down!"

Li Qingqing, ever so sensible, stood up and pulled out a chair for An Yan.

An Yan looked at An Zhongbo and An Yaoluo. "Why were you about to leave just now?" Content orıginally comes from novelꜰire.net

An Zhongbo replied, "We couldn’t reach an agreement. Tianyao’s father said there was nothing more to discuss!"

Li Tianyao’s gaze instantly swept towards his father.

Li Shaofu quickly explained, "My dear in-law, what are you saying? Did I mean that? I meant that the children’s marriage is a significant matter. We must be prudent and not solely consider your family’s perspective!"

An Zhongbo retorted, "If not your family, then whose? My family? She’s my only daughter!" He held An Yan’s hand. "Yanyan, Dad’s stance hasn’t changed. No matter who you marry, you must live in Luocheng. Dad was separated from you for eighteen years and finally has you back. You can’t leave Dad again to go live in someone else’s home!"

An Yan nodded. "Oh, okay."

Watching the father and daughter, Li Shaofu felt a pang of jealousy. Li Tianyao had been raised by the previous head of the family since he was young. Li Shaofu only met his son, Tianyao, for the first time when Tianyao turned eighteen and joined the army. The father and son had never had such an intimate moment together. Sometimes, he even felt like addressing him as the rest of the family did: Ninth Master!

So this time, he wanted to take advantage of Li Tianyao’s wedding to show that he, too, was a father who had his son’s best interests at heart!

With this mindset, he began to speak—