Chapter 75 : The Li Family’s Hongmen Banquet

After seeing Yun Siying in the morning, Xu Ziying’s eyelids kept twitching. She had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. As soon as work ended, she rushed home with Li Gang. The moment she entered her room, she went straight to the hiding place where she had stashed the money, only to find it empty once again. Only the poison powder she had placed beside the money remained.

“Old Li! Old Li! Something’s happened! The 200 yuan we just got yesterday is gone again!” Xu Ziying cried out in panic, her voice cracking as she stood there, frozen with fear.

Li Gang, who had just stepped into the yard to wash his hands, heard her frantic shout. Ignoring the dirt still on his hands, he bolted into the bedroom. When he saw the empty hiding spot, a chill ran down his spine.

“You hid the 200 yuan here?”

“Yes! Our house has been robbed again. How are we supposed to live like this?” Xu Ziying nearly collapsed. She thought of Yun Siying rejecting the marriage proposal from the Xue family. That meant they’d probably have to return the 200 yuan but now the money was gone. How could she possibly explain this to the Xue family? That was two hundred whole yuan! Where would she find that kind of money?

“This is strange. I didn’t even close my eyes last night, and I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary,” Li Gang said, uneasy and at a loss.

“That 200 yuan is gone. And with the attitude of that wretched Yun Siying, if we push her too hard, she might go report us to the police. That would mean we’d have to return the Xue family’s 200 yuan,” Xu Ziying said nervously.

She gave instructions: “Don’t go to work this afternoon. Go to the Youth Courtyard and tell Yun Siying that if she truly refuses this marriage, she can come here and explain things directly to Xue Zhiqiang. After that, we won’t bother her anymore.”

Soon evening came, and Yun Siying saw Shu Ruxue arriving to deliver the message. It seemed the Li family was getting desperate, she’d have to go and see what they were up to.

“Siying, you’re here. Zhiqiang has already arrived. Come in and have a seat, dinner will be ready soon,” Xu Ziying greeted warmly when she saw Yun Siying walk in.

“Thank you, Aunt,” Yun Siying said calmly as she entered the room. She noticed that not only were Li Gang’s family members present, but also Xue Zhiqiang and Shen Subai.

“Yun Siying, you’re here,” Xue Zhiqiang said, quickly standing up to offer her a seat. He then sat down beside her.

“Everyone, take a seat. Siying, since you don’t want to marry Zhiqiang, then let’s drop the whole thing. If you don’t want to acknowledge us as family, we won’t force you. But we still hope you’ll share one last meal with us as a gesture of goodwill,” Li Gang said, looking at Yun Siying with hope in his eyes.

“If I eat this meal with you, will you really stop bothering me?” Yun Siying asked, scanning the room. She sneered internally, already preparing her next move.

“Yes, Siying. We’re sad too, but this is your choice, and we’ll respect that,” Xu Ziying promised.

“Alright. Then I’ll have this meal with you,” Yun Siying said as she looked at the dishes on the table. The food looked quite good.

“Siying, I knew you weren’t that heartless. Don’t worry, nowadays people advocate for free-choice marriages. We won’t push for arranged ones anymore. Your parents have thought it through and just want you to be happy,” Shu Ruxue said, offering a polite smile.

Xue Zhiqiang sat beside her, listening to her rejection with a bitter heart. Though he felt disheartened, he wasn’t ready to give up yet he still intended to pursue her.

“Siying, the meat is delicious you should eat more… The egg is good too, try it I made it especially for you… And the braised pork tastes great, have some,” Xu Ziying said, attentively placing food into Yun Siying’s bowl.

Yun Siying accepted all the dishes and ate happily, all while keeping her mental focus on the people around her. When Xu Ziying went into the kitchen and brought out several bowls of sweet soup, Yun Siying noticed her adding extra white powder into two of them. A cold sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Just as she expected, the bowls placed in front of her and Xue Zhiqiang were the ones spiked. She had no intention of helping others, she could only mind her own business. In truth, she had only gotten dragged into this because of the man sitting next to her. Thinking this, she immediately felt at ease.

Using her mental power, she knocked over a stack of bowls in the kitchen. The loud clatter drew everyone’s attention. Seizing the moment, Yun Siying, unable to ignore her conscience, kicked Xue Zhiqiang under the table and quickly switched her bowl of sweet soup with Shu Ruxue’s. Xue Zhiqiang followed her lead, swapping his bowl with Shen Subai’s. Only after he had done so did he realize what he’d just participated in.

Connecting it with Yun Siying’s earlier actions, he suddenly understood she clearly disliked the Li family and didn’t trust them at all. She had suspected them of trying to drug her. But what puzzled him was, why had she warned him? Did this have something to do with him?

The truth was clear, the Li family had no intention of returning the 200 yuan betrothal gift. They had planned to use this underhanded trick to bind the two of them together. Once that happened, Yun Siying would have no choice but to marry him. The thought sent a cold chill down his spine. Whether or not the Li family had truly gone that far, he realized he needed to be cautious. Yun Siying was still alert and didn’t trust anyone easily.

By the time the other three returned, he and Yun Siying had already switched the sweet soups. Yun Siying asked with concern, “Auntie, it sounded like something happened in your kitchen. Do you want to go check?”

“It’s fine. Probably just a bowl fell,” Xu Ziying replied, looking troubled, and went into the kitchen to check.

“It’s all good, all good. Let’s drink the sweet soup,” Li Gang said, quickly picking up his bowl and downing it in one gulp.

Yun Siying also took a sip and said with a smile, “Uncle Li, your soup is really sweet.” Then she too gulped down the entire bowl.

Seeing that, Xue Zhiqiang also quickly drank his. Yun Siying looked at him with a hint of approval if he hadn’t been a soldier with decent character, she wouldn’t have bothered warning him.

Just then, Xu Ziying returned to the main room and said, “Minglang, Xiaohu and the others want to play with you.”

“Mom, I’m going out then!” Li Minglang shouted, draining his sweet soup and running off. Ever since he had fallen into a toilet, his friends hadn’t wanted to play with him. But now Xiaohu had come looking for him, he was overjoyed.

“It’s still early,” Xu Ziying said. “I’ll go fetch another load of water. You young folks stay and chat.”

“Uncle Li, I’ve finished eating. I won’t trouble you any longer,” Yun Siying said as she stood up, pretending she was about to leave.

“Siying, you rarely visit. Stay a little longer and go back with Ruxue and Subai. It’s not safe in the village at night,” Li Gang said, trying to act casual, though anxiety flickered in his eyes.

“No need. I have to get back early to rest. I’m working early tomorrow, can’t delay the autumn harvest,” Yun Siying replied firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

“You really are a stubborn one. Let Zhiqiang walk you home. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe,” Li Gang said, eyes gleaming. He knew the drug’s effects were about to kick in if the two of them were alone together, things would unfold just as he had planned.

“Thank you, Comrade Xue,” Yun Siying said with a bright smile, then walked out of the Li family home alongside Xue Zhiqiang.