NOVPUB
Chapter 236: Chapter 236: The Rice is Fully Cooked
Si Boyi listened to Zhang Lijuan’s ordeal, his heart aching to the point his eyes reddened. He never imagined Zhang Lijuan’s feelings ran this deep for him, daring to confront Chen Jinlan for him and venture here in the dead of night, regardless of the danger. Was she trying to break his heart?
His emotions were a whirlwind, but words failed him, especially given his sister and Zheng Xiaoshuang were present, making it hard for him to articulate anything.
Having heard Zhang Lijuan’s story, Si Xiaohui’s expression soured, she stammered with wide eyes, "Since your mother disagrees, why did you run over here? If she’s going to discover you’re not home as soon as dawn breaks, and create a huge fuss, will my mom even survive that?"
It was unexpected to see Si Xiaohui being so selfish, only fixating on how Lin Fengying would find it challenging, without considering Zhang Lijuan’s daring late night trek.
Zhang Lijuan gritted her teeth in annoyance but understood throwing a fit at this point was ill-timed. Drawing in a deep breath, she said, "Xiaohui, I came intending to prove my determination."
She stared intently at Si Boyi as though she’d made a substantial decision, "Boyi, even if you can offer me nothing, I still want to be with you. Since my mother is against reducing the dowry, I won’t go back. We can simply live together."
"I...Lijuan...you..." Boyi’s face turned red, his mouth moved but no words came out. He never imagined that Zhang Lijuan would be so bold as to suggest eloping with him.
Truth be told, witnessing such audacity, Si Boyi was more petrified than thrilled. Being traditional-minded, he found this situation to be inappropriate and feared it would damage their reputation if word got out.
He had never before encountered such a headstrong declaration of love.
Moreover, if Chen Jinlan’s daughter, who she’d raised for over twenty years, ended up fleeing to his home, wouldn’t that lead to his home getting ransacked?
Houses away against the pressure of Chen Jinlan, Boyi was left in a state of panic, unable to decide how to handle the situation.
"Are you out of your mind?" Si Xiaohui screamed after hearing Zhang Lijuan’s words. She roared, "You may lose face, but my family still upholds its reputation. If you come here like this, wouldn’t your mom kill my mom? If you want to marry my second brother, convince your mother to lower the dowry, otherwise you two are over. Return home at the break of dawn and don’t mention coming here. It would cause a hindrance in my brother’s match-making."
As she spoke, Si Xiaohui smugly pulled Zheng Xiaoshuang forward. "My second brother is extremely eligible; there’s no shortage of potential brides, and look at the lovely girls around us."
Si Xiaohui and Zheng Xiaoshuang were becoming closer day by day, spending most of their time together, as close as sisters. The thought of Xiaoshuang becoming a part of the family was indeed pleasing, if it wasn’t for Zhang Lijuan creating obstacles, she would have matched them up already.
Zheng Xiaoshuang, with her sweet beauty, appeared alluring beside Boyi. She was undoubtedly prettier than Lijuan.
Zheng Xiaoshuang had merely desired some excitement, not expecting Si Xiaohui to inadvertently direct the conversation towards her. Feeling uneasy, she retorted, "You continue, I’m going to bed."
Boyi was equally uncomfortable and watched Xiaoshuang retreat into her room, then whispered to Xiaohui, "You should also go to bed, avoid muddling up the conversation."
Si Xiaohui yawned, glared at Lijuan, and declared, "Fine, whatever, I’m going to bed. I’ve no interest in your affairs." She had said all that she had wanted to.
The hall was now left with Si Boyi and Zhang Lijuan. Si Boyi noticed her upset expression, knowing she was angry, but being poor at dealing with conflicts, he finally managed to say, "Lijuan, don’t misunderstand, Xiaohui often speaks without thinking, I will talk to her about it."
After Si Xiaohui’s intervention, Lijuan’s sense of crisis heightened. She was glad she came when she did; if she continued with the silent treatment angle, the likelihood of their relationship falling apart was high.
At this point, causing a fuss wouldn’t help, securing Boyi’s love was the primary goal.
"Brother Boyi, I’m not upset with Xiaohui. She was right; me coming here without any contemplation was indeed too impulsive. I just want to know, do you think I am shameless? If you say so, if you say you don’t want to marry me, I’ll leave this instant, and I promise not to cause any trouble."
She pledged that she would leave immediately if Boyi were to utter those words, only she knew in her heart that she was determined to take the plunge this time and would not give up until her goal was achieved.
Considering her present condition, if she were to lose Boyi, it would be very challenging to find someone as good in the future.
Zhang Lijuan was indeed commendable in her strategy of using retreat as a means of advancement, nabbing Boyi completely.
"How could I think you’re shameless?"
She had come here to see him, and although he found the idea of eloping hard to accept, if he were to reject her now, that would be cruel.
Steeling himself, Si Boyi braced and declared, "Lijuan, as long as you’ve made up your mind to be with me, I won’t let you down. But I must repeat, I can’t afford the television and bicycle."
He couldn’t compromise his older brother and sister-in-law’s wellbeing for his marriage. Doing so would equally be heartless, and he wouldn’t be able to face his brother in the future.
Zhang Lijuan said with a hint of complaint, "If I really held any importance to those materialistic things, would I have come here in the middle of the night?"
After listening to her, Boyi sighed in relief, realizing that as long as Zhang Lijuan’s moral compass aligned with his, they would be fine. However, the thought of Chen Jinlan left him with a pounding headache, "What about your mom?"
Zhang Lijuan bit her lip and said with a blush, "Don’t worry about my mom. Once we’ve made an irreversible decision, she’ll have to agree."
Under the dim light, Boyi’s face turned redder than Lijuan’s. He said sheepishly, "Lijuan, be careful with your words. It wouldn’t do get overheard."
Zheng Xiaoshuang and his sister were in the next room, both unmarried. Would there be a significant difference between them making love here and doing so elsewhere?
After much consideration, he decided it would be best to discuss this with his older brother when he calls, for he was learned and had wise insights. His approach was also more comprehensive.
Zhang Lijuan couldn’t believe Si Boyi was still so cautious, even though she’d practically thrown herself at him. She gritted her teeth, took the impulsive route, and pushed him on the bed. She bit her lip, appearing distressed as if she was on the verge of tears.
"Boyi, I’ve left my dignity behind and put myself out there, yet you don’t seem to have the courage. Are you planning on watching me marry someone else?"
"L- Lijuan, get up first." Boyi was overwhelmed by all the night’s happenings, especially when Lijuan suddenly pinned him down. He blushed profusely, darting his eyes around, unable to meet her gaze.
Lijuan had made up her mind about him, but he could not disregard his humanity and act recklessly according to the situation!
After a while, seeing Lijuan not get up, he sat upright, almost pushing Lijuan off the bed, and quickly maneuvered her towards Si Xiaohui’s room to spend the night in.
