Chapter 37: Chapter 37: What is this tactic? Chapter 37: Chapter 37: What is this tactic? But at the scene, apart from Zhou Shuyan and Lu Youxi, it seemed that nobody else could remain calm.
Once Lu Youxi spoke, the entire place fell silent.
Including those villagers who stood in layers inside and out, watching the excitement, all quieted down, they all involuntarily opened their mouths wide, as if they could swallow an egg whole.
Liu Yushu was at a loss for words as she looked back and forth between Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan.
Although Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan were no longer holding hands, Liu Yushu’s gaze still involuntarily fell on their hands.
She didn’t even know what she wanted to see, she just instinctively looked over.
It was only when she saw their bare fingers that Liu Yushu realized, she was looking for rings.
Neither of them wore wedding rings on their hands.
She and Lu Zhenguo did have wedding rings, two silver ones.
Normally, for convenience while working, and because silver rings easily oxidize and discolor, Liu Yushu didn’t wear hers usually, she kept it locked up in a drawer.
Liu Yushu even thought about, in order to gather university tuition for Lu Youxi later on, selling that silver ring.
No matter how much it would sell for, whatever she could gather would be something.
But now, Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan didn’t even have wedding rings.
The Lu Family, stingy as they were, had at least provided silver rings.
Lu Youxi married Zhou Shuyan without a word, not even wearing a symbolic ring.
Even one bought from a jewelry stall would do!
“What did you say!” In the quiet yard, a shocked shout suddenly erupted.
It was from Lu Zhenguo.
He looked at Lu Youxi and Zhou Shuyan in disbelief.
His most promising and sensible daughter had secretly married this man from the village with a dubious background, who couldn’t even remember his own name!
Lu Youxi glanced at Zhou Shuyan, who pretended it was real, and said, “I like him, and he likes me, so we got our certificate. It’s perfect since I need to report to Jing University soon, Xu Mai will go with me, which is convenient for working in the city.”
Zhou Shuyan seriously nodded, “I’ll work, then I can earn money for Youxi’s university. The Lu Family won’t need to spend a dime.”
The Lu Family: “…”
You don’t even have an ID card, and you want to find work in the Imperial Capital?
What are you thinking?
“Youxi, but his background is unclear!” Liu Yushu hurriedly said.
“He can now remember some things,” Lu Youxi said. “Dad, Mom, don’t worry, he isn’t a person of unclear background. The police have also helped him find his identity, even got his ID card made. How else could we have gotten our certificate?”
Only then did Liu Yushu come to her senses.
Yes, how else could they have gotten their certificate!
“Then he…” Liu Yushu wanted to ask about Zhou Shuyan’s specific situation, where he lived, what his family was like?
It couldn’t possibly be worse than their own.
Lu Youxi interrupted Liu Yushu first, “Mom, I’ll tell you about Xu Mai’s background later. But you relax, Xu Mai isn’t a person of murky origins, marrying him isn’t a loss for me. I know who he is, where he’s from, what his family does, what job he previously had, I’ve confirmed all this clearly before getting the certificate with him. He has a legitimate job in the Imperial Capital, going back there means just returning to his old job, earning money for my tuition.”
Zhou Shuyan raised an eyebrow; Lu Youxi had crafted quite a believable story.
He wondered whether she had thought this through in advance or had just come up with it on the spot.
But Zhou Shuyan had already planned it, given the Lu Family’s situation, it was impossible for them to afford Lu Youxi’s university fees, so he had already planned to take responsibility for Lu Youxi’s university expenses.
Getting a certificate with Lu Youxi was a way of repayment, but Lu Youxi had saved his life, Zhou Shuyan believed that any help within his ability was justified.
Lu Zhenguo opened his mouth and wanted to ask more, but Lu Youxi didn’t give him the chance, looking mockingly towards Lu Zhenjia and Lu Family’s elders, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, I’m truly sorry, I’m already married, but there’s no way I could marry Foolish Hu.”
“I can’t be forced to divorce just so that I can marry Foolish Hu, can I?” Lu Youxi scoffed.
“That’s right, you can’t force someone to divorce!”
“Forcing Lu Youxi to divorce and marry Foolish Hu would be blatantly trying to use Lu Youxi to make money. These people’s consciences have really been eaten by dogs.”
“Who are you calling Foolish Hu!” Foolish Hu’s mother didn’t like it when others called her son a fool; her son was just a bit intellectually challenged, not that foolish. Hearing Lu Youxi and the villagers watching the spectacle call him “Foolish Hu,” Foolish Hu’s mother immediately frowned and started shouting towards the outside.
“Your son is a fool, and I can’t even speak the truth!” someone in the crowd, unable to watch any longer, spoke up loudly.
“No one discriminates against a fool, but you insist on bringing disaster upon this fine young lady, that’s shameless!”
“Yes indeed, and still coveting someone destined for Jing University!”
Aunt Liu followed, “If this young lady genuinely liked your son, we wouldn’t have said anything, and sincerely wished you well! But you concealed your intentions from the young lady when you came to propose, planning to drag her into marriage when she plainly doesn’t fancy your son, who’s about to head off to the Imperial Capital for university. That’s too much!”
“How was I to know she wasn’t aware!” Although Foolish Hu’s mother had long colluded with the husband and wife of the Lu Zhenjia, she couldn’t admit it at this time, “When the Lu Family discussed it with me, of course, I assumed that Lu Youxi was informed and willing.”
Of course, no one believed what Foolish Hu’s mother said.
Immediately someone outside shouted, “What are you daydreaming about? Which girl accepted into Jing University would fancy your fool? Keep dreaming that he’s some treasure!”
“Who says!” Foolish Hu’s mother fumed.
Just as she was about to go out to settle the score with the person who had just spoken, she heard Lu Youxi say, “Aunt Hu, I originally had a not-so-good reputation in Hexing Village. The rumors about me and Xu Mai were rampant in the village, everyone said I and Xu Mai were having an affair, even Sister Xiao Fen of Zhou Family saw me and Xu Mai entering a house and shutting the door tightly. Did you know about this?”
Foolish Hu’s mother was suddenly at a loss.
She was uncertain about why Lu Youxi was suddenly bringing this up.
Which young woman would voluntarily speak about baseless rumors concerning herself?
Lu Youxi, after all, was about to attend university at Jing University, wouldn’t she fear such talk spreading, making it sound unpleasant at school?
It was really strange, coming from Lu Youxi, yet she was the one bringing it up voluntarily.
Foolish Hu’s mother wasn’t sure what Lu Youxi was scheming, she quickly and repeatedly pondered in her mind, ultimately deciding she should pretend to be unaware.