Huh?
Lin Tingyue looked up. Why was it so noisy around her? Had everyone discovered something, just like she had?
She swept a glance around, then lowered her head to keep digging.
[So the older brother and younger brother do have a difference. The older brother has a mole on his nose, and the younger brother doesn't, but every time the younger brother goes to see the bride, he dots one on. Hiss, he's doing it on purpose! This scumbag!!!]
Meanwhile, the bride onstage was already swaying on her feet. She bit her lip hard to keep herself from fainting. These two-these two scumbags.
No, she couldn't let them off so easily. At that thought, the bride let go of her parents' hands, gathered up her skirt, rushed to the groom, and slapped him across the face.
The bride screamed with all her strength, "Nian Zhi, you bastard!!!"
That slap stunned everyone into silence. Not a sound could be heard in the banquet hall-even the wedding march had been stopped by that slap.
[Huh? Does the bride know?]
The bride had put considerable force into that slap, knocking Nian Zhi's face to the side.
Even so, Nian Zhi didn't forget to steady the bride, who was unsteady on her feet after hitting him. He asked with concern, "A-Tong, what's wrong? Are you all right?"
He actually had the nerve to ask her?
Fang Tong felt a sickening chill wherever he touched her skin. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she threw up.
Nian Zhi was badly startled by this. Without showing the slightest disgust, he wiped Fang Tong's mouth and told the guests below, "Sorry, the bride isn't feeling well. I think we may have to postpone the ceremony."
No one had ever heard of taking a sudden break halfway through a wedding. If not for what had just happened, everyone would have thought Nian Zhi was truly a considerate husband, but
Now...
Quite a few people looked at the bride sympathetically and told Nian Zhi to take her away to rest first.
Nian Zhi scooped Fang Tong into his arms and hurried into the hotel lounge. Seeing this, Wen Jie and her husband, Nian Bang, followed.
[Ah, they're leaving already?]
As Nian Bang left, he didn't notice his wife stumble.
Watching the Nian Family disappear, Lin Tingyue was dumbfounded. She was heartbroken.
[My melon! My melon!]
Lin Tingyue immediately told Bai Yaxin, "Mom, I need to use the restroom."
[I can miss anything but this enormous melon.]
Lin Tingyue stood up with fierce determination.
Lin Xiawan stood up with her. When Lin Tingyue looked at her, she said, "Perfect timing. I need to go too."
The two left hand in hand. From behind, they didn't look at all like they were going to eat melon-they were just a little sneaky.
Bai Yaxin wanted to follow too, but Lin Rusong held her back.
Bai Yaxin protested, "They've moved to a new battlefield. What am I supposed to watch here?"
Lin Rusong pointed at his ears. "Have you forgotten? We can hear Tingyue's thoughts. It's the same here."
Wasn't that just like listening to an audio recording?
Bai Yaxin still thought watching in person would be more exciting, but just then, Lin Rusong's business partner came over with a wineglass. Unable to get away for the moment, the two had to stay.
It wasn't just Bai Yaxin's table. Similar exchanges were taking place in every corner of the banquet hall. They were all businesspeople; they had melons to eat, but business to do too.
Still, some people ran after them.
A server wondered aloud, "Why are so many people going to the restroom today?"
There were two lounges, both before the restrooms. Pretending to pass the lounge occupied by the Nian Family on her way to the restroom, Lin Tingyue found that its door happened to be ajar. As soon as she approached, she heard two slaps.
Wen Jie slapped Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan once each. Her palm went numb, and her whole body shook with anger. How could such a disgrace happen at the wedding banquet? Pointing at Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan, she said, "You two, go kneel before Tongtong and apologize!!!"
[An apology isn't going to settle this, is it?]
Wen Jie stiffened. Where had that voice come from? She looked at her husband and those two unfilial sons. Their expressions were unchanged. Was this another voice only she could hear?
Just like back in the banquet hall?
Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan exchanged a glance. Nian Zhi said, "Mom, what happened? A-Tong is just feeling a little unwell. Don't blame her."
Wen Jie snapped, "Am I blaming her? I'm blaming you! You two, apologize to Tongtong right now, then cancel the wedding."
[This mother really has her head on straight!]
Nian Zhi shook his head and said firmly, "Mom, I won't cancel the wedding. I love Tongtong. She's the only person I want to marry in this lifetime. There's no way I'll enter a marriage alliance with anyone else, so give up on that idea."
Wen Jie's eyes widened.
[Excuse me? You're so devoted, yet you're swapping lovers with your younger brother?]
[Do you think the real world is some smut novel? I seriously can't with you.]
Nian Bang hurried over to support his furious wife. He helped Wen Jie sit down to one side and poured her a glass of water. "Why cancel the wedding out of the blue?"
[Great, here comes the fence-sitter to muddy the waters.]
Lin Tingyue rolled her eyes. She hated people who muddied the waters most of all.
Wen Jie took a sip of water and clutched her chest. "Go ask your two sons what fine things they've done."
She certainly couldn't bring herself to say it.
Nian Bang tried to persuade Wen Jie. "We've all seen how much A-Zhi loves Tongtong. Whatever the case, let's finish the wedding first."
[What kind of talk is that, you old geezer? Your family has already defrauded the bride, and you still expect her to marry into your family?]
Nian Bang didn't notice Wen Jie's ugly expression. He continued, "We have so many guests here today, and I invited quite a few reporters too. If we call off the engagement, our company's stock might even drop."
[Let it drop you dead.]
Lin Tingyue couldn't stand it anymore. Just as she was about to go in and draw her blade to help, a black shadow swept past her. The newcomer kicked the door open, tackled Nian Zhi, and rained punches and kicks on him, cursing as he hit him. "You inhuman bastard! I entrusted my daughter to you, and you actually did something like this!"
[A fight? Oh, it's the bride's dad! Yes, yes, yes! Hit him, good!]
[These two bastards are just begging for a beating!]
The bride's mother arrived a little later, supporting the bride. She stood in the doorway and watched coldly. Noticing Nian Yuan staying out of it, she reminded him icily, "Old Fang, don't forget there's another one."
Nian Yuan had just been about to step back when Fang Liang caught him and punched him outright.
Nian Bang stood to one side, dumbfounded. He wanted to stop it but feared he couldn't. Cowering nearby, he offered a feeble reminder. "In-law, stop hitting them. In-law, what are you doing?"
[Is he trying to stop the fight or fan the flames?]
[Stop fighting~ If you want to fight, take it to the dance studio~]
Back in the banquet hall, Bai Yaxin and Lin Rusong both laughed when they heard that. They wondered whether they should send Lin Tingyue to acting lessons. She sounded quite good at acting!
"Pah!" The bride's mother, Qin Lian, spat on the floor. "Who's in-laws with shameless people like you? What do you take my daughter for? A plaything?"
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Wen Jie stepped forward with an apologetic smile. "Tongtong's mother, we were only..."
"I don't want to talk to you. We've already called the police!"
At the mention of the police, Nian Bang stopped concealing things. He asked darkly, "The police? What evidence do you have?"
[Wait, why is this old geezer asking that?]
[Did he know all along?]
[He knew and didn't stop them? There's something wrong with this old geezer too!]
What? What was wrong with him?
[Hiss, no wonder Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan turned out like this. It's hereditary.]
Hereditary?
Qin Lian tugged at Fang Liang, who was still grappling with Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan on the floor.
[Nian Bang loved fooling around when he was young. He only married Wen Jie after he couldn't keep it up anymore, and marriage didn't stop him from sleeping around either. He looks like he only has two sons, but he actually has a whole pile of children outside.]
[Hiss, illegitimate children can inherit property now too. With so many people each getting a share, will there be anything left for Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan?]
[It looks like they're losing a bride, but really, they're about to lose even their underpants. Hahahahaha, serves them right!]
"Nian Bang!!!"
Wen Jie's voice nearly cracked with her roar. She marched over and grabbed Nian Bang's hair, only to yank his wig off.
Nian Bang frantically covered his head with his hands and snapped, "Wen Jie, what are you going crazy for?"
"Going crazy? I'll kill you!"
Although Nian Bang kept shielding himself with his hands, Wen Jie's nails still raked his face. Nian Bang's eyes rolled back; he was actually about to faint.
[Don't faint! Don't faint! What if you croak?]
Seeing this, Wen Jie pinched the spot above Nian Bang's upper lip hard, forcibly bringing him around.
Nian Bang couldn't die yet. He had to wait until he left the marriage with nothing. She wouldn't leave a single cent for those illegitimate sons and daughters!
In the end, Nian Bang went into an ambulance, while Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan went into a police car.
[Nian Bang might croak, and Nian Zhi and Nian Yuan are definitely going to eat prison food. They all have unfortunate futures ahead of them.]
[See, you can't do bad things. They get caught every single time.]
Hearing this, the Lin Family looked at Lin Tingyue. Wasn't she the one catching them every single time?
The wedding banquet ended in confusion before the meal had even begun. The four found a Western restaurant across from the hotel and went there to eat. Melodious violin music played inside.
[Listen to good music, eat good steak!]
Bai Yaxin couldn't hold it in anymore and hurriedly lowered her head so Lin Tingyue wouldn't see her laughing.
As they ate, Lin Tingyue suddenly pointed at someone outside the window. "Isn't that Second Brother?"
Chapter 12
Who else could that smartly dressed man in formal attire outside the window be but Lin Shengyan?