Chapter 3: Wang Po Proposes a Marriage

  These days are supposed to be the hottest of the entire summer, normally it should be scorching sunshine that makes people feel like they're made of water, but strangely today is overcast with thick clouds floating in the sky, and Guangzhou city also has a rare coolness.

  Xie Peishan leaned against the gate, gazing up at the flowing clouds in the sky with a worried expression. She felt like there was a huge boulder weighing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. The reason for this was still that rascal You Fei causing trouble a few days ago. Ever since he left, Xie Peishan had an extra worry in her heart, and a sense of foreboding kept swirling in her mind, making her feel like food had lost its flavor and sleep was elusive these past few days.

  Suddenly, a noisy sound came from the street corner, Xie Peishan focused her eyes and saw a group of people carrying large and small boxes with red ribbons tied on them, looking very eye-catching. A matchmaker wearing a bright red peony flower-patterned dress walked in front, twisting her waist, while a large crowd of neighbors surrounded her, laughing and chatting. The procession seemed to be getting closer and closer.

  As the crowd approached, Xie Peishan finally made out a familiar face among them, that was You Xiaogui. Xie Peishan was so frightened that she took a cold breath and didn't dare to stay outside anymore. She quickly ran back into the house and hastily closed the door.

  Xie was in the house when she saw Xie Peishan closing the big gate in broad daylight, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly ran over to ask: "Shan'er, what's wrong? Is something happening outside? Are refugees looting?"

  Xie Peishan panted heavily, looking disheveled and repeating over and over: "What to do, what to do, what to do..."

  "Hey, you'd better say what's going on quickly, look at how anxious you've made me!" Zhe Zheng urged.

  Xie Peishan looked up at Xie Zheng, her eyes filled with anxiety, and said: "Dad, You Xiaogui, he really came..." As soon as Xie Peishan's words came out, a rapid knocking sound rang out.

  Xie Zheng swallowed his saliva, composed himself, and at this moment he also had no other ideas, so he could only force himself to open the door. As soon as Xie Peishan saw Xie Zheng about to open the door for You Fei, she panicked and choked with sobs: "Dad, you can't open the door! You Fei has brought a matchmaker and gift boxes, it looks like he's here to propose, Dad, you can't push me into the fire pit!"

  Seeing Xie Peishan's panic, Xie Zheng also felt a pang of distress in his heart. He comforted her softly: "Don't worry, Father will handle it, I won't let You Fei mess around, you can rest assured!" It would be more accurate to say that Xie Zheng was comforting himself rather than Xie Peishan, as his words revealed a clear lack of confidence.

  Xie Zheng only felt a wave of numbness in his hands and feet, and he gritted his teeth to pull open the large gate. As soon as the gate opened, a bright red figure rushed towards Xie Zheng, "Ah, this must be Master Xie! I am Wang Po from Chengxi, today I have brought Young Master You to propose to you, Young Master You has taken a liking to your family's daughter, hehehe..."

  The old woman's face was heavily powdered, and the rouge on her lips was a bright red that seemed like blood. A wave of strange and pungent perfume wafted up to Xie Zheng's nose, making him almost vomit. What made Xie Zheng even more unbearable was that the old woman leaned in closer and closer to his body, making him feel like there wasn't a single place on his body that was comfortable.

  From the moment he stepped into the house, You Fei's two eyes had been fixed on Xie Peishan, staring at her with an undisguised desire to possess and lust. Xie Peishan buried her head deep in her collar, her neck flushing red, her small hands rubbing the hem of her clothes, her eyes only daring to look at the space between her shoes, not daring to look anywhere else. Yet, even so, she seemed to be able to feel You Fei's scorching gaze, and Xie Peishan felt as if her whole body was on fire, her breathing becoming rapid. Xie Peishan's accelerated breathing was almost unbearable, the beautiful scenery of her chest heaving up and down nearly causing You Fei to lose control, swallowing a large mouthful of saliva, his two eyes almost bulging out.

  Xie Zheng saw You Fei staring at his daughter and felt a twinge of discomfort in his heart. He coughed and said, "My daughter and I have been dependent on each other for over ten years. Now that she's only sixteen, it's too early to marry her off. I'm not willing to let her go!"

  "It's not small, it's not small, in a few years when the girl is older, it won't be easy to find a good family. Thank you, boss, look at Young Master You, he's young and rich, and with our precious daughter, they're a perfect match. I think we should choose a good day to settle their marriage, what do you say?" Wang Po spoke quickly and smoothly, but in his heart, Xie was thinking, "How can my good daughter marry a little rascal? How can I face her deceased mother if that happens?"

  Xun thought for a moment, and then Xie Zheng said: "Wang Po, I still can't agree to this marriage. I think Brother You should find another family's daughter instead!"

  "Old ghost, you're openly trying to refuse the marriage!" Ye Zhiming's eyebrows rose, his eyes scanned the room, and his loud voice made everyone's ears buzz. Ye Zhiming didn't just shout with his mouth, the large chopping knife in his hand swooshed out, and with a fierce chop, it cut down a five-inch wide piece of the table top in the hall.

  Xie Zheng's face changed color, and Yu Fei couldn't help but feel satisfied with Ye Zhiming's tactics. Yu Fei gave He Tianhao a look, and He Tianhao nodded in understanding, chuckling as he walked over to Xie Zheng's side, pulling him aside and lowering his voice: "I'm telling you, Old Xie, you've seen my brother's temper before, when he gets angry even our big brother can't stop him. You think about it, if not for your own sake, then consider your precious daughter's - we just need to lightly scratch her face, and she'll be ruined!"

  "You, you..." Xie Zhengqi's body was trembling with anger.

  "Haha, of course, our big brother is so fond of your daughter, how could he bear to slash a knife on her flower-like face? However, I also dare not guarantee that you will continue to be tough, if you provoke our big brother, it will be difficult to say what will happen. In the world of Jianghu, anything can be done, so we should still prioritize harmony and mutual benefit. No matter what conditions you have, they can all be negotiated, everyone has their own interests, it's better than you being stubborn alone, don't you think? Haha!" He Tianhao laughed.

  Xie Zheng glanced at Ye Zhiming, who was staring at him with a big knife. He himself didn't care about his own life, but if Shan'er had really been hurt like He Tianhao said, then he would be guilty of a great sin. After thinking for a moment, Xie Zheng finally nodded.

  Xie Zheng took Xie Peishan's hand and the father-daughter duo walked into the inner room. As soon as they entered, Xie Peishan spoke with a sob: "Dad, I don't want to get married, I don't want to get married!"

  "Ah!" Xie Zheng let out a sigh, and then stopped talking. Xie Peishan saw Xie Zheng like this and became anxious, hurriedly asking: "Dad, what's wrong? Did those people say something to you? You mustn't listen to them, none of those people are good, you mustn't believe their words! Ah, Dad, you mustn't believe!"

  Seeing Xie Peishan's flustered face, Xie Zheng felt a pang of heartache. After a moment of silence, Xie Zheng sighed and said: "Shan'er, you'd better accept You Fei's proposal!"

  Xie Peishan looked at Xie Zheng incredulously, unable to believe that such words would come out of his mouth. In her mind, Xie Zheng should be doing everything in his power to protect her, but instead things had turned out like this. Choking back tears, Xie Peishan said: "Father, don't you want me anymore?"

  Xie Peishan's words were like a sharp stab to Xie Zheng's heart, he could feel his heart bleeding. Xie Zheng gently stroked Xie Peishan's head and said in a low voice: "Shan'er, Dad has no choice either. We are just the lowest-level small citizens, grass-roots people with no backing or support. Even the little hooligans outside can play us like puppets on strings. What ability do we have to resist them? I think we should just give in to them, ah, Shan'er!"

  "Dad, you're pushing your daughter to her death!" Xie Peishan rushed into Xie Zheng's arms and burst into loud sobs. Xie Zheng's wrinkled old face was also streaked with tears, as if he could hear his heart shattering like glass, the shards piercing his body with such pain.

  Waiting outside, You Fei also heard the crying of Xie Zheng and his daughter. He didn't want to see the woman he loved sad, but he would rather get the woman he liked. After a while, Xie Zheng walked out shakily, and in people's eyes, Xie Zheng seemed to have aged several years in just a moment. His eyes were dull, and he sighed weakly: "You Xiao Ge, I agree to the marriage, Wang Po, you choose a good day to settle things!" After finishing speaking, Xie Zheng seemed to have lost all his energy, leaving only an empty shell without any vitality.

  At this time, the happiest one was You Fei. He was so happy that he wanted to jump up to the sky, holding back his urge to shout loudly. You Fei's face was filled with smiles as he turned around and left. "Hey, big brother, are you leaving just like that?" He Tianhao shouted. Ye Ziming said in a low voice, "What's the point of talking so much nonsense? Put down the gift box and hurry up to catch up!"

  "Hmph, you really think old thoughts!" He Tianhao said in a low voice, but his feet didn't stop, closely following the already distant You Fei, Ye Zhiming shook his head and left.

  The onlookers, seeing that the matter had been settled, also dispersed. Only Wang Po was left inside, incessantly chattering about which days were auspicious, while Xie Zheng sat beside her, listening blankly with a lost soul.