Chapter 50: The Engagement Banquet-Depois de renascer, recusei-me a assumir o fardo, e a família da minha esposa enlouqueceu.(Estufar-se em uma panela de ferro.)

"What about the time?"
"You have to give me a time frame at least; you're not actually just going to feed me empty promises, are you?"
Zhao Qiang's voice came through the phone, sounding rather aggressive.

"Within three days, will that do!"
Chu Mengyao retorted, her annoyance palpable. Being manipulated like this made her deeply unhappy.
"That's more like it. Consider yourself smart. Don't worry, I'll be at tomorrow's engagement banquet on time."
Zhao Qiang seemed quite satisfied with this answer, thinking the woman had some sense after all.

"This is driving me crazy!"
"Damn man, how dare he threaten me!"
After hanging up the phone, Chu Mengyao clenched her fists tightly, her eyes burning with anger.
She paced back and forth in her room, trying to calm her racing mind.

After leaving the Chu family manor, Zhang Zihao had someone contact the local police station.
He intended to get Liu Ruyuan out first and settle her somewhere before worrying about anything else.
He absolutely could not step forward to resolve this matter himself; tomorrow was the engagement banquet, and he could not let anyone ruin it.
As for Zhao Qiang, he would definitely teach him a lesson once this was all over.
It seemed Zhao Qiang truly had no idea that the man behind Liu Ruyuan was none other than himself, which relieved him.
Tomorrow's engagement banquet could proceed normally, and it must not be sabotaged by anyone.

The next day, at the Chu family manor.
Festive lanterns hung everywhere, and crimson decorations adorned every corner.
Today was the day of the political marriage and engagement between the Zhang and Chu families. The venue was extraordinarily lively, bustling with streams of coming and going guests.
At the grand entrance, guests holding invitations filed into the Chu family manor one after another.
One could not help but marvel that the Chu family was indeed a super-prestigious clan; rockeries and fountains were arranged in exquisite order, accompanied by the ceaseless, gentle murmur of flowing water.

"Siqi, younger sister, I have a candy here, and it's very sweet."
Zhang Feiyang had been assigned by his family to greet guests at the entrance, tasked with preventing any rivals of the Zhang family from sneaking in to cause trouble.
At this moment, a seemingly flattering smile hung on his face as he hastily pulled a piece of candy from his pocket, offering it eagerly to Chu Siqi beside him.
"Thank you, I don't need it."
Chu Siqi replied coldly.
Her gaze drifted into the distance, revealing a clear and intentional alienation.

The Chu family had also sent Chu Siqi as their representative today. She had dressed meticulously for the occasion, wearing a long pink dress whose hem billowed as lightly and dreamily as clouds.
Beneath the dress, her snow-white legs were straight and slender, drawing every eye.
A high ponytail swayed with her slight movements, radiating youthful vitality.
The two of them represented their respective families; though they appeared to stand side by side, they were worlds apart in spirit.
Even though Chu Siqi loathed the idea a hundred times over, she knew she could not refuse her family's arrangements.

Standing next to Zhang Feiyang, she felt an overwhelming sense of disgust. Every single second was excruciatingly long, and she just wished this agonizing event would end quickly.
If her eldest sister had helplessly chosen a marriage alliance for the sake of the family, what did these small grievances of hers amount to?
Thinking of this, Chu Siqi bit her lip secretly, forcing herself to maintain a facade of calm.

Zhang Feiyang was utterly infatuated, repeatedly trying to strike up a conversation, only to be dodged by Chu Siqi every time.
This shameless Zhang Feiyang still refused to give up on her, staring at her with lustful eyes.
Chu Siqi's aversion to Zhang Feiyang wasn't just because he was a playboy; more importantly, she believed what her eldest sister Chu Mengyao had told her.
There wasn't a single good apple among the Zhang family's descendants, and she truly believed that Zhang Zihao was capable of doing something as vile as drugging her eldest sister.
Therefore, she had always maintained a high level of vigilance toward Zhang Feiyang.
She would never accept any food offered by him.
Who knew what kind of drugs might be hidden inside?

"Siqi, don't stand on ceremony with me!"
"From now on, our two families will be one."
Chu Siqi looked exceptionally gorgeous today, so beautiful that she had stolen Zhang Feiyang's soul.
He stared at her longingly, completely entranced.
When Chu Siqi actually dressed up, her beauty was simply beyond description.
She was in an entirely different league compared to the gold-digging girls he used to pick up at school.

"Hah, who's family with you?"
"I have no desire to be family with you!"
Chu Siqi snorted, crossing her arms. She showed no appreciation whatsoever for the playboy's deliberate flattery.

"Siqi, I won't hold it against you for lying to me last time."
"Lying about what?"
Chu Siqi was speechless; he actually had the nerve to bring up what happened last time.
"I already know. That Zhao Qiang isn't your boyfriend at all. You were just lying to me back then."
"Fortunately, I found out that he's a married man. You were just trying to make me jealous, right?"
Zhang Feiyang smiled, convinced that Zhao Qiang must have been nothing more than Chu Siqi's shield.
He had pondered the reason for a long time and finally figured it out.
Chu Siqi must have been jealous, and seeing him surrounded by blossoms, she wanted him to turn over a new leaf.
On this point, Zhang Feiyang was overflowing with confidence.
Otherwise, why would Chu Siqi have gone out of her way to hire someone to fake being her boyfriend? There was simply no other reason.

"So what if you know?"
Chu Siqi found it amusing. Last time, she and Zhao Qiang had merely been in a cooperative relationship.
She had wanted to shake off Zhang Feiyang like sticky caramel, which was why she resorted to such a desperate measure to have Zhao Qiang pose as her boyfriend.
And now, that same Zhao Qiang had become her brother-in-law, so naturally, any other relationship was entirely out of the question.

"Siqi, you don't need to put up a front like this. I've already turned over a new leaf."
"I know you just wanted to make me jealous, and now I've received the punishment I deserved."
"So please forgive me!"
"From now on, I will never flirt with other women again. If you don't believe me, you can keep an eye on me."
He was a prodigal son returning home, willing to voluntarily forsake the world of fleeting pleasures.
Zhang Feiyang looked at Chu Siqi with hopeful anticipation, believing she would be moved to tears.

"Me, jealous of you?"
Her eyes widened in sheer disbelief. She couldn't fathom why Zhang Feiyang was so utterly narcissistic.
"Isn't that the case?"
Zhang Feiyang frowned, looking somewhat displeased by her reaction.

"Zhang Feiyang, are you out of your mind?"
Chu Siqi blurted out, taking a step back.
She looked at him as if he were an absolute idiot, her eyes filled with revulsion and disgust.
"Stop acting so self-righteous here. I've never had any feelings for you whatsoever. Don't think I'll believe you just because you claim to have turned over a new leaf—who doesn't know about your scandalous past?"
Chu Siqi's voice grew colder and colder; she wanted nothing more to do with Zhang Feiyang.
Even if a playboy like Zhang Feiyang truly reformed—let alone the fact that he hadn't—she wouldn't spare him a second glance.
To her, a man like that was already tainted. She truly had no idea where Zhang Feiyang got his boundless confidence.

"Siqi, just give me one more chance. I will definitely prove it to you."
The smile on Zhang Feiyang's face instantly froze. He hadn't expected Chu Siqi to be so heartless, but he remained unwilling to give up.
"Enough, Zhang Feiyang, I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense."
Chu Siqi turned her head away, refusing to look at him any longer.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up as if she had caught sight of something.
"Sister... Zhao Qiang!"
"You're here!"
A man carrying a large gift box had arrived at the entrance, and Chu Siqi hurried over to greet him.
She had almost slipped up and called him brother-in-law; if that title had escaped her lips, everyone's eyes would have been on her.
After all, today's male lead was Zhang Zihao. Who on earth was Zhao Qiang?