Chapter 275 - 110: Top Star of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (49)
Chapter 275: Chapter 110: Top Star of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (49)
"I’m the one who let you down. I couldn’t keep my promise to be with you forever."
"But don’t blame me. If you had treated me with even half the kindness and patience you show other men, we wouldn’t have ended up this way."
’In his eyes, it was true that Huo Tianhao’s father was a factory director, but since he’d had a falling out with his family, he had to fend for himself. How could that compare to his own bright future, with the full backing of the Tong family?’
’Besides, Director Huo’s wife was his paternal aunt. Most of the resources that should have gone to Huo Tianhao could now end up in his hands.’
’Xia Zhaoyun was just a woman, after all—shortsighted. She’d given up on a man with his potential, only to settle for a common truck driver.’
"But rest assured, Yunyun. Even after we have our own families, we can still be friends. If you ever run into any trouble, you can always come to me..."
Song Zhenbao, having just finished getting ready, came out just in time to hear this. Her face went pale with rage!
In her past life, Xia Zhaoyun’s wardrobe had been mostly simple and elegant. But for any formal occasion, she would wear a red dress that captured everyone’s attention—including Tong Yuanbin’s.
That was why today, Song Zhenbao was also in a bright red, knee-length pleated dress. She had even put on a pair of silk stockings she’d asked someone to bring for her, to cover up her legs, which weren’t particularly fair or smooth.
She wore long black gloves and had hired a professional to do her hair and makeup. After spending ages on her meticulous preparations, she had hoped to make a stunning entrance, only to be disastrously upstaged by Xia Zhaoyun!
Song Zhenbao finally, belatedly, understood what Xia Zhaoyun had meant when she’d asked, ’Are you sure?’
’Wherever Xia Zhaoyun was, there was never any chance for her, Song Zhenbao, to stand out!’
’Even though she was supposed to be the center of attention...’
Xia Zhaoyun couldn’t help but cross her arms and chuckle, looking Tong Yuanbin up and down. He instinctively straightened up and puffed out his chest, trying to make her see that he was a hundred times more outstanding than Huo Tianhao.
However, her crimson lips parted as she said lightly, "Comrade Tong Yuanbin, there’s something I’ve been holding in for a long time. I kept it to myself because I was living under someone else’s roof and it wasn’t my place to speak up."
"But seeing as you’re so wrapped up in this delusion, and because I’m worried my husband might get the wrong idea, I’m going to set the record straight in front of everyone."
"Ever since we were children, I have never once shown the slightest interest in becoming the Tong family’s daughter-in-law."
"You’re the one who was always scurrying and leaping around me like a monkey, just trying to get noticed. You tirelessly chased away my admirers, which, I admit, allowed me to live in peace."
"For that, I suppose I should thank you. The Song Family just needed a son-in-law from the Tong family. The process didn’t matter, only the outcome. And look, today they’ve gotten their wish. The whole affair has nothing to do with me."
"I couldn’t be bothered to waste my breath correcting your delusions before, and that created this misunderstanding. So, for that, I apologize."
"A woman’s reputation is more fragile than a man’s, after all. I figure the ego boost you got from posturing as my boyfriend should be enough to compensate for any harm done. We’re even..."
Her every word was like a slap across the face. The flush on Tong Yuanbin’s face drained away, leaving it ashen, then deathly pale.
The pride of both the Tong family and the Song Family was left in tatters on the floor.
And yet, they couldn’t say a word in rebuttal. Xia Zhaoyun had, in fact, always been coolly polite to everyone, never once overstepping her bounds. They were the ones who had mistaken her silence for consent and made all the arrangements on their own...
Huo Tianhao wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulder, a grin tugging at his lips. "My wife is smart, just a bit of a late bloomer. She obviously liked me but kept turning me down because of the adults’ wishes."
"If my ’death’ and Song Zhenbao’s return hadn’t shocked her into action, she might never have realized her love for me transcends life and death."
"She’s such a silly girl. She never had anyone to teach her how to navigate the world, and she was browbeaten into such timidity that she was afraid to have her own opinions. She might not be perfect in many ways, so I hope all of you, for my sake, can be a little more tolerant and understanding."
Xia Zhaoyun shot him a mock-annoyed glare and, playing along, huffed:
"What’s so imperfect about the way I handle things?"
"See? We’ve been married less than a month, we’re still newlyweds. I figured since we hadn’t made an appearance together yet, I’d take this chance to bring you and the two boys along. I even brought wedding candy."
As she said this, a festive smile spread across her face. She opened her shoulder bag and began enthusiastically handing out wedding candy to everyone she saw, not even sparing the members of the Tong and Song families.
Everyone was dumbfounded by her move. Only after a piece of candy was pressed into her hand did Song Zhenbao’s mother snap out of it. She roared through clenched teeth, "Xia Zhaoyun, you’re deliberately trying to make the Song Family miserable, aren’t you?"