Hearing his son speak, the village chief breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked his wife to prepare a lavish meal, determined to drink with his son that night until they were both drunk.
Just as the food was served, Wu Caiwei arrived uninvited. Seeing the young lady suddenly appear at their home, the couple exchanged knowing glances. Li Shengxu didn't object and introduced Wu Caiwei to his parents.
The village chief’s wife warmly invited their guest to be seated. From Wu Caiwei's demeanor, they sensed her noble bearing and recognized her extraordinary status. Though they didn't know how the two had met, they had a good understanding of their son. He had returned much more composed. The village chief felt that his son possessed the presence of a distinguished young master, and people instinctively deferred to him. It was clear their relationship was significant. Their son had been away for many years, likely unmarried, so a young lady accompanying him was a welcome relief, alleviating their deepest concern. For so many years, their son had been missing, and there had been much gossip in the village. It was unlikely any young woman would have agreed to marry him, given that he might have done something wrong or even served time in prison.
Initially, the village chief had planned to share drinks with his son. However, with Wu Caiwei joining them, and his son needing to cultivate their relationship, he didn't insist on drinking with him. Still, he couldn't help but have a few extra cups, his heart filled with joy. Li Shengxu wasn't his biological son, but he had raised him as his own for many years.
After the meal, the village chief, drunk, retired for the night. His wife began washing the dishes in the kitchen. Li Shengxu then revealed his true identity to Wu Caiwei. At this moment, he finally understood his adoptive father's profound intentions. When he was studying at the private school, he had been the most gifted student, and his teacher had said he had a talent for scholarship, suggesting further studies if circumstances allowed.
However, upon returning home, he told his father, who vehemently opposed the idea. "Our farmer's children," he had said, "where would we find the money to pursue the title of scholar? It's a bottomless pit. We sent you to study so you could read and write, to avoid a life of toiling in the fields. Now that you have learned, you should go out and work to ease the family's burden."
Though deeply disappointed, Li Shengxu admitted that compared to the village parents, his adoptive parents had done more than enough. If he had known about their financial situation, he would have resented them, but his parents had always claimed poverty, so he had no other thoughts. Now, he realized this was his birth mother's wish.
Li Shengxu wished to uncover the truth of his origins and live without regrets. Wu Caiwei immediately understood his desire and nodded in agreement. Having experienced countless lifetimes together, they had seen every kind of romance. In this brief life, they decided to fulfill their wishes.
As Wu Caiwei was leaving, she intended to leave some money with the Li family. However, the village chief insisted they had their own funds, and Li Shengxu waved her away, suggesting they discuss it later. Wu Caiwei nodded.
Watching her depart, the village chief grumbled, "How could you let the young lady visit our home for the first time without offering a gift, and then let her pay? You didn't refuse her then. You've changed so much after being away."
Li Shengxu smiled and calmly replied, "It's true we're not married yet, but in my heart, she is already my wife. And I owe my freedom to her; otherwise, I would have lost my head long ago. It's not that I didn't want to stop her, but because I know she already considers you both her parents and wishes for you to live a good life. Besides, she has plenty of money; these funds mean nothing to her. Father, didn't you say we have money? Take it out and spend it."
The next moment, his head was lightly struck. The village chief said irritably, "She might be generous, but you shouldn't be. That money is for your wedding. If it looks too shabby on your wedding day, it will embarrass you and me."
The village chief's heart swelled with happiness. He hadn't expected that his future daughter-in-law would be so thoughtful before even entering their home. She was wealthy and influential, yet she didn't look down on them and instead strove to ensure they lived well. To him, this was the greatest blessing. Since she cared for him, he had to care for her too. Their son's wedding might be modest, and he personally didn't care, being older and thick-skinned. But what would her family think if they saw such a situation?
"It's alright," Li Shengxu said, a hint of melancholy in his smile, "They only have her in their family. When we get married, we'll just have a simple ceremony with close relatives and friends." He wondered if he would even live to see his wedding day.
The village chief opened his mouth, disagreeing. Although his son was getting married late, it was his first marriage, and he wanted to make a grand affair. He wanted to show Liu Qingqing the happiness her rejection had cost her, to let everyone see how wrong she was to have not chosen his son. His son had found someone better, and he wanted to silence the gossiping tongues in the village.
Seeing his father's expression, Li Shengxu suddenly remembered Liu Qingqing and quickly told him how she had been implicated by him and had already passed away. The village chief sighed, having assumed Liu Qingqing had eloped, deeming their family unworthy. He felt a pang of guilt towards the Liu family and prepared to offer them some compensation, but Li Shengxu stopped him. He knew that if they offered compensation, the Liu family would soon pester them. In their eyes, their daughter was insignificant; only their son mattered.
Liu Qingqing's parents were at home, cursing her. They heard that a richly dressed lady in a carriage had visited Li Shengxu that afternoon, indicating he had made connections outside. Their own Liu family, having been constantly attacked by the village chief over the years, had seen no improvement in their lives. Their daughter had caused Li Shengxu grief, and they didn't know how he would retaliate. Had they known this would happen, they should have strangled Liu Qingqing at birth to prevent her from bringing disaster upon them.
They decided to avoid Li Shengxu whenever they saw him. To their relief, when they encountered the village chief again, he acted as if past grievances didn't exist and happily announced that his son would be married soon.