novelhk Chapter 124 The Woman Breaks Off the Engagement
Chapter 124 The Woman Breaks Off the Engagement
Chestnut Girl returned home dejectedly. As soon as she entered, she threw herself into her grandmother's warm embrace, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam. Her sobs were heart-wrenching and devastating. Her grandmother lovingly held her granddaughter, gently patting her back and humming that familiar, melodious tune. The melody seemed to possess a magical power, gradually calming Chestnut Girl's weeping, though she still sobbed uncontrollably, her body trembling slightly.
After a long while, Chestnut Girl finally stopped crying, raised her head, looked at her grandmother with red and swollen eyes, and choked out, "Grandmother, no matter what happens, I know you will always support me. But... but Gu Wanfeng doesn't care about me at all." As she spoke, tears began to well up in her eyes again.
Grandmother reached out and gently wiped away the tears from Chestnut's eyes, softly comforting her, "Silly girl, don't overthink it. If he really didn't care about you, why would he have suggested that both sets of parents meet? Maybe you've just been too tired lately, which is why you're having these illusions. Are you under too much pressure?" Grandmother looked at Chestnut with concern as she spoke.
Chestnut Girl shook her head and, sobbing, recounted the whole story to her grandmother: "Tonight, I saw him having dinner with another girl at the night market, and he even confessed his feelings to her in front of her." After saying this, Chestnut Girl could no longer hold back her grievances and burst into tears again.
Hearing this, Grandmother turned pale with anger and coughed repeatedly. She clenched her fists involuntarily and said angrily, "That Gu Wanfeng is absolutely outrageous! How could he do something so absurd! Tomorrow I will personally go to the Gu residence to confront his parents and demand justice for you!"
Seeing her grandmother's anger, Chestnut Girl quickly stood up, poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her grandmother, saying anxiously, "Grandmother, please don't be angry. Have some water and calm down. We should discuss this matter more carefully."
After Grandmother finally finished drinking the water and her breathing gradually calmed down, she slowly replied:
“Grandmother, please stop arguing with them! In my opinion, we should just call off this marriage. As for the gifts they sent, we should return them intact. As the saying goes, ‘a forced marriage is never sweet,’ and I really don’t want to force others to do things they don’t want to do.”
Hearing her granddaughter say this, the grandmother frowned and looked at her with a face full of pity, asking, "Oh dear, child, if you really do that, won't you suffer a great injustice?"
Miss Chestnut smiled gently and said softly, "Grandmother, don't worry, this little grievance is nothing. I'll just rest at home for a few days and recover. Please don't worry."
Seeing her granddaughter so sensible and well-behaved, the grandmother nodded helplessly and replied with a serious expression, "Alright, then I'll do as you say. Tomorrow you must stay at home obediently and not go anywhere. I will personally go to the Gu residence to cancel this marriage." The girl nodded obediently, indicating her agreement.
Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was the next morning. As soon as it was light, Su Yuning rushed to the factory to supervise the workers. When she took attendance as usual, she suddenly noticed that Chestnut Girl was absent.
So, Su Yuning turned to Zhou Dong with a puzzled look and asked curiously, "Hey, Zhou Dong, where's Chestnut today? Did she ask you for leave beforehand?"
Zhou Dong had just finished a long and exhausting night shift. His eyes felt heavy, as if weighed down by lead, and his consciousness was gradually fading. He was in a drowsy state. Just then, Su Yuning's voice reached his ears, but due to his excessive sleepiness, her words seemed like a distant breeze, unable to penetrate his muddled mind.
Seeing that Zhou Dong didn't react, the middle-aged man next to him gently nudged his shoulder. This nudge was like a lightning bolt across the night sky, instantly jolting Zhou Dong awake. He jumped to his feet, looking around blankly, then asked in a flustered manner, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Seeing this, Su Yuning sighed helplessly and repeated her question again: "I'll ask you one more time, why didn't Chestnut come to work today? Did she take the day off because of something?"
Zhou Dong rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head, then shook his head and replied, "I don't know. She didn't ask me for leave, and I don't know the specifics." After saying that, he subconsciously spread his hands to indicate that he really knew nothing.
Just as everyone was wondering about Chestnut Girl's absence, a slightly aged but powerful voice suddenly rang out: "I made her resign!" This unexpected statement, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, immediately stirred up ripples. Everyone's eyes turned in the direction of the voice.
An elderly woman with a full head of white hair and a weathered face slowly approached, leaning on a carved cane. Although her body was hunched, her steps were steady and powerful; her face, etched with the marks of time, revealed a dignified and indifferent air that inspired awe. The first impression this old woman gave was that she was someone you absolutely shouldn't mess with.
"Who are you?" Su Yuning asked curiously.
“I am Chestnut’s grandmother,” the old woman told her.
"Are you here to resign on her behalf?" Su Yuning asked, puzzled.
"That's right. Not only am I resigning today, but I'm also going to teach you a lesson, you shameless person!" The old woman said aggressively as she walked up to Su Yuning. Before Su Yuning could react, she was slapped twice.
"Why did you hit me for no reason?!" Su Yuning asked angrily, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Heh, what do you mean 'for no reason'? Don't you know what you've done? You've ruined other people's relationships, you little bitch!" the old woman spat angrily.
"When did I do that kind of thing?" Su Yuning asked, looking aggrieved. Everyone else stared wide-eyed at the spectacle, and Zhou Dong quickly urged, "Those who need to work, go back to get off work; those who need to go home, hurry up and don't join in the fun." Only then did the onlookers disperse.
The old woman calmly and slowly said, "Girl, I heard you went to the night market with that young master from the Gu family yesterday? And you even had dinner together. Is that true?" Upon hearing this, Su Yuning hurriedly nodded and replied, "Yes, Grandma, that's true. I admit it. There's not a single lie in it!"
Upon hearing this, the old woman's face instantly darkened. She glared at her and angrily questioned, "Then did he confess his feelings to you?" Su Yuning looked at the old woman's fierce appearance and, though somewhat afraid, nodded obediently and replied softly, "That's right."
Before she could finish speaking, a sharp "smack" rang out, and the old woman mercilessly swung her hand, slapping Su Yuning hard across the face. Instantly, Su Yuning felt a burning pain on her cheek, which quickly swelled up. She covered her injured cheek with her hand, looked up at the old woman with a wronged expression, and asked in a tearful voice, "Grandma, couldn't you let me explain what happened before you hit me?" Seeing Su Yuning's expression, the old woman restrained herself slightly and stopped her attack.
Su Yuning took a deep breath, composed herself, and continued to explain, "Mother-in-law, he did confess his feelings to me, but I didn't accept him! He was in love with me unilaterally, so how could I stop him? Are you going to put all the blame on me?!" As she spoke, Su Yuning felt more and more wronged, and she couldn't help but tremble with anger.
However, the old woman remained unmoved, still snorting coldly and muttering, "Hmph! As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. You're definitely involved in this too. Don't think I don't know you're no pushover either!" After saying that, the old woman turned and left, cursing, leaving Su Yuning standing there alone.
Watching the old woman's departing figure, Su Yuning felt helpless and wronged, with nowhere to confide in. In the end, she could only silently walk to a deserted corner, quietly squat down, cover her mouth tightly with her hands, and let her tears flow like a burst dam.
On the first day of the seventh lunar month, the sky was overcast, as if foreshadowing something unusual that would happen that day. Sure enough, after leaving the factory, the mysterious old woman immediately came to visit the Gu family, bringing with her a generous gift that they had carefully prepared.
When the old woman stepped through the gates of the Gu residence, Mr. and Mrs. Gu had already arrived upon hearing the news, their faces beaming with warm and friendly smiles as they welcomed her into the living room. Mrs. Gu was especially attentive, not only ordering someone to bring out delicate and delicious pastries but also personally brewing a pot of fragrant hot tea to express her heartfelt welcome to the old woman.
"Oh dear, we were so surprised and unaware of your presence, Auntie. We are truly sorry for not welcoming you properly. We are extremely rude and ask for your forgiveness!" Madam Gu said with a smile, her words filled with apology and respect.
However, the old woman was completely unmoved. She glanced expressionlessly at the snacks and tea on the table, then replied arrogantly, "Don't give me that insincere talk! I'm not here for a casual chat; I'm here specifically to annul the engagement!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu, who had been all smiles, froze instantly. She wondered if she had misheard, so she quickly asked, "What...what did you just say? I don't think I heard you clearly."
Seeing this, the old woman raised her voice and shouted again, "I'm here today to annul the engagement! Your Gu family's young master was confessing his love to another girl behind my precious granddaughter's back, and my sweet granddaughter just happened to catch him in the act! Such behavior is simply intolerable, so this marriage must be called off!"
At this moment, Mr. Gu, who had been silent all along, finally couldn't help but ask, "Auntie, could there be some misunderstanding here? Did my good-for-nothing son accidentally say something wrong and make you angry? If that's the case, I will definitely teach him a lesson and make him apologize to you."
The old woman snorted coldly and replied indignantly, "Hmph, if it were just a simple slip of the tongue, it wouldn't have come to the point of annulment. But the problem is, he actually did something so absurd, openly betraying the engagement. How can someone of such poor character be worthy of my beautiful, gentle, and kind granddaughter? This marriage absolutely cannot continue!" After saying this, the old woman glared fiercely at Master Gu, seemingly blaming them for failing to raise their son properly.
"Auntie, have you asked Miss Chestnut what she thinks? In my opinion, she is gentle, quiet, and elegant, a perfect match for a domestic life. To be honest, I would be very reluctant to let her break off the engagement." Madam Gu asked the old woman in front of her with a smile and a gentle tone.
However, the old woman remained resolute and replied loudly without hesitation, "There's no need to say more! This marriage must be called off!" Her voice was as loud and firm as a bell.
Seeing this, Mr. Gu quickly picked up a cup of tea and handed it to the old woman, gently advising her, "Auntie, please have some tea to calm down. After all, as the saying goes, 'It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage.' Please have mercy and let this young couple be together."
Unexpectedly, the old woman remained unmoved. She slammed her hand on the table and roared angrily, "Hmph! Do you all think my daughter is weak and easy to bully? Let me tell you, this old woman is not so easily fooled! This matter is settled, don't waste any more words!" In an instant, the atmosphere in the room became extremely tense.