After driving for a while, Zhang Jingxu seemed to think of something and suddenly asked, "Should I buy something to bring to your place?"
Yu Wanwan was tapping away on her phone keyboard, about to share the joy of her marriage with her best friend. Hearing his question, she looked up and waved her hand. "No need, you don't have to buy anything."
"But it's my first time visiting your home. It seems rude not to bring anything."
"Then... we can stop by the supermarket on the way and grab two cartons of milk."
"Just two cartons of milk? Isn't that too casual?"
Knowing that the guy wanted to be proper, Yu Wanwan explained helplessly, "You really don't need to buy anything. The fact that you're willing to marry me today already makes you a savior in my parents' eyes."
But despite Yu Wanwan's strong objections, Zhang Jingxu still dragged her to the mall. They shopped for over two hours, filling the entire trunk with food, drinks, and other items before he was satisfied.
Yu Wanwan looked at the pile of gifts in the trunk and suddenly remembered that when her brother-in-law came to propose, he had also bought this many gifts. So was this guy buying gifts according to the standards of a formal marriage proposal? When did he even research that?
As they were about to help the driver carry things into the living room, they happened to run into Yu Pingsheng, who was just returning from the company.
Yu Pingsheng slowly got out of the back seat of the car. Seeing the back of the man beside his daughter, he walked over in confusion.
"Who are you..." He looked the man up and down, feeling that he looked extremely familiar.
Noticing Yu Pingsheng's gaze, Zhang Jingxu put down the things in his hands, turned around, and politely greeted him. "Hello, Uncle Yu."
It was only then that Yu Pingsheng recognized the young man in front of him as the son of his old neighbor and good brother. He was about to call out his name when Yu Wanwan suddenly interjected, "Dad, let me introduce you. This is the son of Uncle Zhang, who used to live next door to us. And now he's also your son-in-law."
"What?" Hearing this, Yu Pingsheng's initial excitement at meeting his old friend's son came to an abrupt halt, replaced by shock.
"We got married." She said excitedly again. "Dad, your daughter is no longer a hot potato that no one wants. How about that? Happy?"
Yu Pingsheng: "..."
Ten minutes later, in the Yu family living room, the elders sat solemnly on chairs, scrutinizing the "newlyweds" standing nearby as if interrogating criminals.
Yu Suisui was the first to speak to Zhang Jingxu, her tone full of accusation. "Tell me honestly, how much did she pay you to hire you?"
Zhang Jingxu was confused for a moment. "Huh?"
"Hire? What hire? We just got our marriage certificate at the Civil Affairs Bureau. We're a legally married couple protected by the state!" Yu Wanwan said, calmly pulling the fresh certificate out of her bag and slapping it on the table.
The family then took turns examining the certificate as if appraising an antique. Finally, Yu Pingsheng looked up, still half-doubting. "So you're really married?"
"Of course we're married." Yu Wanwan said helplessly to Xu Xiangsi. "Mom, didn't I say this noon that I'd bring your son-in-law home for dinner? Why don't you believe me?"
"But you got married too fast. Mom isn't prepared at all."
Xu Xiangsi held the marriage certificate in her hand, looking at her youngest daughter with worry. When her daughter couldn't get married, she worried; now that she suddenly got married, she was also panicked.
Just last night, they had been sighing over their daughter's marriage troubles, and now, overnight, Yu Wanwan had married herself off. The process was like a roller coaster—fast and unsettling.
Yu Suisui still couldn't believe Yu Wanwan was married, mainly because she didn't believe Zhang Jingxu would willingly marry her sister.
After all, Yu Wanwan was like a little demon when they were kids, and Zhang Jingxu's entire childhood was spent being bossed around by her. There was even a time when he would run away at the sight of her.
Besides, they had been apart for ten years, and she had never heard her sister mention Zhang Jingxu's name even once. Now, suddenly getting married without warning was just too strange.
She pressed on relentlessly. "You don't have some leverage over him, forcing him to marry you, do you?"
Aside from that, she couldn't figure out why Zhang Jingxu would marry the girl who bullied him as a child.
Hearing this, Yu Wanwan immediately became unhappy. "Sis, is my image really that bad in your eyes? I'm your own sister, you know."
Amid everyone's skepticism, Zhang Jingxu spoke unhurriedly. "Uncle Yu, Aunt Xu, I'm sorry for getting the marriage certificate with Wanwan without first informing both families. But please believe me, this is not a rash decision."
He paused, looked at Yu Wanwan beside him, and his tone softened. "Actually, I've liked Wanwan for a long time."
Hearing him recite the lines she had taught him beforehand, Yu Wanwan nodded in satisfaction. Yes, that's it—since a long time ago, you've been deeply attracted by my charm.
Zhang Jingxu continued, "Although she used to bully me when we were kids, she was actually very loyal. She would always call me over whenever she had good food or fun things to play with. She even stood up for me when older kids tried to steal my money. From that moment on, I vowed that I would marry no one but Yu Wanwan..."
He went on with a look of deep affection. "Recently, I heard that Wanwan was going on blind dates. I was so afraid she would marry someone else, so I immediately came back from the U.S. And coincidentally, she was willing to marry me, so I didn't hesitate to get the certificate with her. Uncle Yu, please trust me. Although we got the certificate in haste, I really value this marriage. I promise you that I will treat her well and always protect her."
As soon as he finished, the room fell into silence.
The most shocked person was Yu Wanwan herself. She looked up at the man who had just made a "passionate confession" in front of everyone, completely bewildered and confused.
She had only told him to say that he had a crush on her for a long time, not to go into such detail. This guy had secretly added lines! But... it was good—more details made it more believable.
Seeing her parents look to her for confirmation after hearing this, Yu Wanwan forced out a sweet but awkward smile and linked her arm through Zhang Jingxu's. "He... confessed to me like this at the restaurant this afternoon. My first thought was that I had to marry him, so we went to get the certificate."
There was a few seconds of silence in the air. Then, Yu Pingsheng, after thinking calmly, broke the silence with a hearty laugh. "So that's why you bought so many things to bring over—it was a proposal! Ha ha, you two really know how to give me a 'surprise.'"
In fact, the two families had arranged a childhood betrothal, but as the children grew up, the originally lively Zhang Jingxu became introverted, while the originally gentle Yu Wanwan became rebellious and willful, often bullying him. She would either force him to kiss frogs or drag him out to play, and he would come back covered in injuries.
Yu Pingsheng had been thinking of calling his old buddy to ask if Zhang Jingxu had a girlfriend, but considering how his little demon had treated him as a child and Yu Wanwan's cursed constitution, he never had the nerve to bring up the betrothal.
Unexpectedly, today, the two gave him a surprise.
He stood up and patted Zhang Jingxu's shoulder meaningfully. "Xiao Xu, you know, our Wanwan has always been willful since she was a child. In the future, I'll have to ask you to be more tolerant of her."
Zhang Jingxu assured him, "Don't worry, Uncle. I will."
Yu Pingsheng looked at him, liking him more and more, and pulled him into the tea room for a heart-to-heart talk.
Seeing her daughter marry someone she knew well, Xu Xiangsi finally felt relieved. She immediately went to the kitchen to instruct the maid to go to the market and buy more high-end seafood.
The whole family was busy celebrating Yu Wanwan's marriage.
Only Yu Suisui remained skeptical of their marriage. She pondered it over and over, feeling there was something fishy she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Yu Wanwan let out a sigh and sat down in a chair. From her position, she could see Yu Pingsheng and Zhang Jingxu in the tea room. Watching the man handle her father's questions with ease, they seemed to be chatting happily.
Yu Wanwan stared at his back and his occasional profile, suddenly thinking that this guy was actually quite handsome. Compared to the weak little boy he used to be, his features were still the same, but his jawline had become much more defined, and his brow exuded masculinity. His looks were totally her type.
From despising him as a weakling in childhood to admiring his looks now—it only took ten years for a man to transform. This guy was really a dark horse.
As she watched, she couldn't help taking out her phone. She first captured the pile of "betrothal gifts" in the living room, then slowly moved the camera to the man chatting happily with her father in the tea room.
She didn't film his face, only his straight, upright back and a brief glimpse of his profile for a second.
After recording, Yu Wanwan quickly checked the 15-second video and found it extremely satisfying.
She selected a super sweet BGM for the video and wrote a caption with just four words: "Long time no see." Finally, she added the tag "ideal type" and published it on her alt account, where she usually recorded her daily life.
After doing all that, Yu Wanwan put down her phone as if nothing had happened. Thinking about how her ex, who constantly stalked her account, might see the video and get so angry his mouth would twist, Yu Wanwan felt a strange sense of satisfaction from getting revenge.
Stupid jerk, did you really think no one would want me?
Author's Note: