Chapter 9: The Prospective Mother-in-Law’s Setup Scam

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Lu Meiqin, embroiled in an argument with Song Jianshe, was surrounded by neighbors and paid no attention to Shen Nanzheng. Shen Nanzheng listened from outside the crowd for a while and roughly understood the situation.

It turned out that Song Jianshe wanted to get the household registration booklet from Lu Meiqin to register Wenxin and Fu Kaiyu’s marriage. Not only did Lu Meiqin refuse, but she also humiliated both him and Wenxin in front of everyone.

Wenxin, tears brimming, said, “Mom, this isn’t the old society anymore. The idea of childhood betrothal is outdated. I’m not stealing my sister’s marriage. Kaiyu wants to marry me, and I want to marry him. If you’re angry, you can scold me or hit me, but please help us get married first?”

Fu Kaiyu also defended her, arguing, “Aunt Lu, what good does it do you to hold onto the household registration booklet and stop us from registering? I don’t like Song Wenran. Even if you don’t allow me and Wenxin to register, I won’t marry Song Wenran.”

“Pah!” Lu Meiqin placed her hands on her hips. “You’re dreaming! Our Wenran doesn’t like you at all. Don’t flatter yourself. If it weren’t for that childhood betrothal you two had, she wouldn’t even speak to you. But now that you’re mixed up with Wenxin, that betrothal is void! You can marry Wenxin, but don’t hide behind the name of childhood betrothal!”

“Though Wenxin is fostered in our family, she is still listed on our household registration. There’s no reason for her to marry you without explanation or discussion, sneaking off to get a marriage certificate like this is unacceptable! Your parents might agree, but I won’t, and neither will the factory leaders!”

“Besides, you’re old enough to marry, but Wenxin isn’t! She won’t be eighteen until next month. Even if you want to get the marriage certificate, it’s impossible. Don’t think you can trick your way through!”

“I’m already eighteen,” Wenxin cried, her tears like scattered petals, pitiful and fragile. “You don’t need to use that as an excuse to stop us from marrying. I call you mom too—why do you always target me and look down on me?”

Today’s marriage was Wenxin’s best chance to fight for herself.

If Wenran didn’t help her avoid being sent to the countryside and the marriage didn’t happen, she would indeed have to go.

Having finally convinced Fu Kaiyu’s parents, they couldn’t let the household registration issue become a stumbling block.

Wenxin looked at Fu Kaiyu. “Kaiyu, you celebrated my birthday just last month; mine has already passed, right?”

“Yes!” Fu Kaiyu quickly agreed. “Aunt Lu, please show the household registration booklet to everyone. We can’t just lie through our teeth!”

Fu Kaiyu’s mother, Wan Xin, didn’t want her son to lose face and couldn’t help but speak up: “Meiqin, I’m sorry. The feelings between the children aren’t ours to control. Since Wenxin and Kaiyu love each other and will marry sooner or later, please let the children marry!”

“Let them marry? How could I not want that! Have you found a matchmaker? How much dowry do you plan to give? I’m not Wenxin’s birth mother, but she calls me mom. She belongs to the Song family; I can’t just let her degrade herself trying to cling on.” Lu Meiqin brandished the household registration booklet. “Also, whether she’s eighteen or not depends on the booklet. Her birthday is indeed past, but the booklet records her as three months younger. At least wait until the date on the booklet before talking about marriage!”

Wenxin was stunned.

She hadn’t expected her age to be understated by three months on the household registration.

Lu Meiqin’s argument was well-founded, and the crowd grew restless.

Those who knew thought she was anxious about marriage to avoid being sent to the countryside; those who didn’t, assumed there was a secret pregnancy forcing an early wedding.

There were all kinds of rumors, and Wenxin’s face flushed so deeply it seemed she might bleed.

After the household registration was transferred, she hadn’t looked carefully at the booklet.

She didn’t know if Lu Meiqin’s claims were true or false.

But after such a scene, regardless of the truth, the Fu family wouldn’t allow the marriage today.

She was furious to the point of despair!

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Song Jianshe, who always maintained a good impression in public and never argued loudly with Lu Meiqin, had reached his limit.

He tugged her arm. “Stop making a fuss. I overlooked the birthday on the household registration booklet—that was my fault! I’ve already told the Fu family that the dowry won’t be short a penny. I just haven’t had the chance to tell you. Hurry and apologize to Director Fu and the others!”

“So you’re treating me like an outsider! I’m still Wenxin’s nominal mother. You two just skip over me and finalize the marriage between father and daughter?” Lu Meiqin shrugged off his hand. “What’s the difference between that and an unmediated union? What about the face of our Song family?”

“Shut up!” Song Jianshe shouted angrily. “Don’t embarrass yourself!”

“Fine, I’ll embarrass myself! I’m leaving!” Lu Meiqin no longer wanted to argue. Without the household registration booklet, they couldn’t register the marriage anyway.

Everyone exchanged awkward glances.

Director Fu was even more embarrassed and angrily left, hands behind his back.

Wan Xin pulled Fu Kaiyu and left quickly.

Fu Kaiyu wanted to comfort Wenxin a little, but Wan Xin wouldn’t give him the chance!

Wenxin wanted to reason with Lu Meiqin but feared ruining her image in the eyes of Fu Kaiyu and the others. Besides, any argument with such an unreasonable shrew was pointless.

The marriage was definitely not going to happen!

Seeing Fu Kaiyu being pulled away, she cried and ran out of the residential compound.

Song Jianshe, worried about her, hurried after her and casually glanced at a figure in green army uniform but didn’t pay much attention.

Wearing green army uniform these days wasn’t unusual; no one suspected it was for Wenran.

Shen Nanzheng had witnessed the farce and found it quite entertaining.

Especially listening to the would-be mother-in-law firing off words like a machine gun—it was oddly satisfying. With a mother-in-law like that protecting the bride, as long as she didn’t go to the countryside, she wouldn’t suffer injustice.

He had come at the right time!

If he was to marry her daughter, nothing could be missing—not even the matchmaker or the dowry.

Luckily, he had prepared everything in advance.

But he was a little disappointed not to see the bride.

He glanced toward the apartment building where she lived, then turned to leave.

Just then, he bumped into Lu Meiqin, who was walking briskly.

He quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Lu Meiqin was distracted, and since he just turned around without moving, the fault was partly hers.

She said shyly, “I should apologize—I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Shen Nanzheng was very sincere. “No, no—it’s my fault for blocking your way. I should be the one apologizing.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Lu Meiqin said, finding Shen Nanzheng more and more agreeable.

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The green army uniform was pleasing to the eye, his voice pleasant, and his appearance very agreeable.

At her age, she had never seen such a handsome man.

Handsome yet manly, distinct features, and an impeccable figure.

He exuded an aura that seemed out of reach, yet his manner of speaking was so easygoing.

If he were her son-in-law, she’d probably wake up smiling every day.

Shen Nanzheng was good at seizing opportunities. Seeing the smile in her eyes, he politely said, “Auntie, please wait for me.”

Lu Meiqin was speechless.

Before she could react, Shen Nanzheng had already hurried to his jeep.

He then took out a beautiful box and handed it to her.

“Auntie, as a token of apology, please accept this box of chocolates.”

Without giving her a chance to refuse, he quickly got back into the jeep.

Knowing her protective nature, she probably wouldn’t want to eat the chocolates herself.

So, the chocolates would surely end up in the bride’s hands.

Thinking that his bride would get to enjoy the chocolates he bought made him inexplicably happy.

Lu Meiqin stood frozen for a long moment before reacting.

Chocolates—she had heard of them.

Such foreign goods could only be bought at the Friendship Store with overseas remittance certificates, and ordinary people couldn’t even enter the store.

Only foreigners, returned overseas Chinese, and officials with status were eligible.

So this soldier must be someone of status?

Good heavens!

Are people of status this generous, giving away foreign goods so casually?

Such precious items can’t be given away lightly.

She herself wouldn’t dare eat them, so she tucked the box close and hurried home.

Delicious things always had to be tasted by her daughter first.