Zhou Dang calmly continued: "Mother-in-law seems to have forgotten that Yangyang was once the 'First Lady of Jingbei City.'"
"When it comes to excellence, who in all of Jingbei can compare to my wife?"
As he spoke, he pulled Xuan Yang closer, causing her to fall into his arms, pressing tightly against his firm, warm chest.
In one day, their physical contact had reached this point, and Xuan Yang really wasn't used to it.
Her body stiff, her neck warm, she no longer wanted to keep playing the act with Zhou Dang in front of everyone.
She freed herself from his arm and instead linked her arm through his, continuing to lean against him.
She quickly took over the conversation to conclude: "Mom, Dad, whether you believe it or accept it, my marriage to Zhou Dang is a fact."
"I was wrong not to tell you in advance."
"But since things have come to this, I really can't marry Chen Xingyue. I ask for your understanding."
"Chen Xingyue is excellent. I think he will find a better, more suitable partner in the future."
"Uncle, Aunt, you don't need to worry too much."
Xuan Yang finally managed to decline the marriage to Chen Xingyue with a clear conscience.
She looked at her adoptive parents' gloomy faces and decided not to stay any longer.
"We've said everything we needed to say."
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave with Zhou Dang. He has something important to attend to."
With that, Xuan Yang gave Zhou Dang a meaningful look and tightened her arm around his.
The two moved closer, holding each other more tightly.
Zhou Dang could barely feel her softness: "..."
After a few seconds of being stunned, he swallowed and hummed, "Yeah, we have something important to do."
His voice was a little hoarse. After shifting his deep gaze away from Xuan Yang's face, he spoke more clearly: "If there's nothing else, Father- and Mother-in-law, I'll take my wife and leave."
Mr. and Mrs. Xuan exchanged glances. The latter wanted to say something but was stopped by the former.
So, in the midst of dead silence, Zhou Dang openly took Xuan Yang away.
Leaving the rest in the dining room staring at each other, momentarily at a loss for words.
...
How could this be?
How could Zhou Dang marry Xuan Yang without anyone knowing?
Did the Zhou family have no objections?
Mr. Xuan weighed the pros and cons.
Although he didn't want Xuan Yang to marry above her station, always overshadowing Xuan Yao.
But this was the Zhou family, this was Zhou Dang.
Such a marriage was rare and hard to come by.
If they got involved with the Zhou family, wouldn't the Xuan family's status in Jingbei surpass even the Chen family?
Mother Xuan was angry.
She was furious that Xuan Yang had hooked up with Zhou Dang without a word, cutting off Xuan Yao's path.
And even more furious that Xuan Yang had grown strong wings, unwilling to obey and accept their arrangements.
As for Xuan Yao, she was consumed by jealousy and hatred.
She couldn't stop cursing Xuan Yang in her mind over and over, still unsatisfied. She wanted to rush out, chase after Zhou Dang, and tell him that Xuan Yang was a 'thief.'
Again and again, she had stolen the life that should have been hers!
...
A long time passed, so long that the butler came to ask if they could serve dinner.
Only then did Mr. Xuan sigh and invite the Chen family to sit down for the meal.
But Mr. Chen had clearly lost his appetite. He glanced grimly at his cousin Chen Yinrou: "Since Xuan Yang has already married Zhou Dang, the engagement between the Chen and Xuan families is off."
"Chen Xingyue, come home with me." Mr. Chen's voice was cold, his anger barely contained.
He had never seen anyone more foolish than his son, who had let a good wife slip through his fingers and handed her to someone else.
Not only that, the brat had even thanked Zhou Dang profusely, calling him a second father.
...
As if the marriage he and his wife had arranged for him would have killed him.
What a complete fool.
A girl as good as Xuan Yang was hard to find in all of Jingbei, even with a lantern.
That Zhou boy had really gotten a great deal.