Chapter 386: Du Haicheng’s Provocation
The wedding at the Ye family’s ancestral home was still in full swing. Since all the guests were already seated, the sudden arrival of Li Yi, Jiang Longcheng, and Zhang Xinyao naturally made them the center of attention.
On the one hand, the Ye family was a prominent clan, and arriving after the banquet had already begun was somewhat impolite.
On the other hand, it was because of Zhang Xinyao. Amidst a sea of blue, black, and green, Zhang Xinyao, clad in a brown wool coat, was a real eye-catcher.
Add to that her flared pants, which accentuated her curves to perfection—it was impossible for her not to stand out.
Of course, what left everyone most speechless was the dynamic between Zhang Xinyao and Jiang Longcheng.
Jiang Longcheng was seen holding Zhang Xinyao’s hand and striding ahead, while Li Yi trailed behind, looking like a little sidekick.
Everyone present clearly knew who Jiang Longcheng was.
It was no secret in their circle that this playboy had no intention of getting married, much to the disappointment of many prominent families hoping to form an alliance with the Jiang clan.
Yet here he was, bringing a woman to such a grand occasion—the implication was all too clear.
In an instant, many began asking about Zhang Xinyao’s identity!
Everyone was curious: just which family’s daughter was fortunate enough to have caught the eye of the Jiang family’s third young master?
Jiang Longcheng paid no heed to others’ opinions. He simply took Zhang Xinyao by the hand and strode confidently into the inner chambers.
Then, under the stunned gazes of the entire Jiang family, he and Zhang Xinyao sat down at the table reserved for the Jiang clan’s relatives.
No sooner had they sat down than Jiang Longcheng’s mother, Wu Yongmei, hurriedly asked, “Longcheng, who is this young lady…?”
Before she could finish, Jiang Longcheng spoke up: “Dad, Mom, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Third Uncle… let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Zhang Xinyao. I brought her here to meet everyone on this joyous occasion of Jianhua’s wedding!”
Although Zhang Xinyao was a little nervous, she stood up and said, “Hello, everyone. My name is Zhang Xinyao, and I’m from Qin Province!”
Hearing Jiang Longcheng directly refer to Zhang Xinyao as his “girlfriend,” everyone except Li Yi and Ye Lingyun—who had known about the situation all along—was taken aback.
Jiang Longcheng’s marriage had long been a thorny issue for the Jiang family; at 28, he was definitely considered an “older bachelor” in this day and age.
If it weren’t for the Jiang family’s status, in a rural area, a man of that age who hadn’t married yet would have at least a 70% chance of remaining a bachelor.
He’d either have to marry a widow or a woman with some sort of issue—in short, it would be very difficult to find a normal woman.
Jiang’s mother, Wu Yongmei, was taken aback at first, but then she sprang to her feet with a look of delight and pulled Zhang Xinyao close to her.
“This girl is truly beautiful. Good, good, good! If Longcheng ever dares to mistreat you, Auntie will stand up for you!”
“Thank you, Auntie!” Zhang Xinyao said, blushing.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xue, standing nearby, rubbed Li Yi’s hands as she asked, “Did you and Third Brother just go to the shop to pick up Sister Xinyao?”
“Yeah, Third Brother wanted to use this opportunity to make our relationship official!” Li Yi said.
“That’s a good idea—everyone’s home today!”
Standing nearby, Jiang Shiying asked in surprise, “Xiao Yi, isn’t that girl the one from your shop? What’s the deal between her and Longcheng?”
“Third Brother has taken a liking to her, and she’s agreed to go out with him!” Li Yi replied.
“Huh, this kid’s finally come to his senses—that’s rare!”
Li Yi remained silent. He really wanted to say that not only had the guy finally wised up, but he was also playing the field quite extensively.
But upon reflection, he held back; it was best not to get involved in such matters!
“By the way, Dad, have you already contributed to the wedding fund?” Li Yi asked.
“I have. Since you weren’t back, I went ahead and paid your share too!” Jiang Shiying said.
“How much? I’ll give it to you later!”
Jiang Shiying shot him a look, then turned to Jiang Xue beside him and said, “My precious daughter is all yours now—why are you being so nitpicky over a few bucks?”
Li Yi chuckled and said, “Hehe, you can choose not to accept it, but I can’t not give it!”
“You little rascal…”
Just as they were speaking, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.
Li Yi looked out and saw several young men suddenly walking in. Leading the group was none other than Du Haicheng, whom he had met the other day.
News of the feud between the Ye and Du families had already spread throughout the entire capital. There were even rumors that the second son of the Du family was entangled with Lin Ying, the daughter-in-law of the Ye family—that the sixth son of the Ye family had stolen her away.
For Lin Ying’s sake, Du Haicheng, the Du family’s young master, had gone so far as to risk a war with the Ye family by disrupting the gathering organized by Ye Jianhua. Now, the Du and Ye families were on the brink of conflict.
In short, all sorts of chaotic rumors were swirling everywhere, with people speculating about everything under the sun.
So, when Du Haicheng suddenly appeared at the wedding, he naturally caught the attention of all the guests.
Ye Jianhua, who was in the middle of toasting the elders and guests with his bride, also spotted Du Haicheng and immediately went to confront him—he wasn’t about to let that bastard ruin his wedding.
Seeing this, Lin Ying immediately followed her husband out!
Jiang Longcheng, seeing this, didn’t hesitate either. He immediately called out to Li Yi, and the two of them followed them out as well.
“Du Haicheng, what are you doing here? You’re not welcome at Ying’er and my wedding!” Ye Jianhua said coldly.
Although Ye Jianhua was pointing his finger in his face and telling him he wasn’t welcome, Du Haicheng wasn’t the least bit upset.
He flashed a sly, mischievous smile and said nonchalantly, “It doesn’t matter to me whether you welcome me or not—I’m not here to congratulate you anyway!”
He then glanced at Lin Ying and said, feigning gentleness, “Ying’er is my junior sister. As her senior brother, I simply must make an appearance at her wedding!”
As he spoke, he clapped his hands.
Immediately, a young henchman behind him walked in, holding a long, rectangular box!
The box was rectangular in shape, not very large, but exuded an antique charm and was clearly quite valuable.
Du Haicheng then opened the box, revealing the gift inside.
When Ye Jianhua and Lin Ying saw what was inside, their expressions changed instantly.
Inside the wooden box lay a fan. Though it was not unfolded, its ribs were inlaid with numerous jewels, and at the bottom rested a milky-white jade carving—likely the fan’s pendant.
My goodness, the sight of all that glittering jewelry was truly breathtaking.
But anyone with even a modicum of social savvy knew that Du Haicheng hadn’t come to present a congratulatory gift—he was clearly provoking them!
“Fan” (扇) sounds like “disperse” (散)—the implication was crystal clear!
Moreover, fans are only used in the summer; once the cool autumn season arrives, they’re cast aside and forgotten, so the fan carries a connotation of heartlessness.
No matter how exquisite or expensive your fan may be, it’s best not to give one to newlyweds—you’re just asking for a beating.
“Du Haicheng, grab your junk and get the hell out of here, or I won’t hesitate to break your legs and make you crawl back…”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the bride, Lin Ying, spoke up: “Mr. Du, we are merely university alumni. We weren’t in the same class, nor did we study under the same professor, so I cannot accept the title of your junior. Please do not refer to me as your junior again!”
“Furthermore, your gift is far too valuable. Brother Jianhua and I simply cannot accept it. Please take it back!”
Just as everyone thought Du Haicheng wouldn’t let it go and was sure to make another move, they saw him cast a complex glance at Lin Ying, then a faint, enigmatic smile appear at the corner of his mouth.
Then, under everyone’s astonished gaze, he immediately turned and walked toward the exit.
Seeing this, Ye Jianhua clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resentment and anger!
Just as he was about to explode, Li Yi suddenly grabbed his arm and said calmly, “Don’t get angry. If you resort to violence, you’ll fall into his trap. Let’s get the wedding over with first!”
“But…”
“No ‘buts’ about it. Nothing is more important than the wedding today. Listen to me!” Li Yi said.
“Alright!”
With that, Ye Jianhua took Lin Ying back to the wedding reception and continued toasting the guests.
The wedding continues!