A dark storm riled up in her eyes. Fu Renshu was trying Wei's number for a long time, but it didn't connect. That further blew up her fuse.

  Shi Zhen urged. "Mr. Jiang, you have to say something. This cannot go on any longer."

  Jiang Weizhe glanced at him. "Wei will say whatever he has to."

  "But we cannot reach him at all!"

  His blank expression didn't twitch a bit as if saying, 'So?'

  At a corner, Fu Renshu was desperately trying Wei's number again and again, but to no avail. The Old Madam was shooting death glares towards him, making his blood curl.

  Boss please, I beg you! Pick up the phone! Just once, please pick up my call!

  Ruomei, who couldn't stand on the podium any longer, politely bowed and left the stage. She had never felt so humiliated before. Their questioning gazes and sarcastic words were too harsh to bear. She hurriedly walked towards where all the elders were.

  "Mom. Dad. Where is Wei?" She asked in distress.

  Shi Cuifen held her hands. "Don't worry, dear. Wei will be here. He is stuck in traffic, unfortunately."

  She was stunned. "Traffic? I-I thought Wei is already here…"

  "No, he isn't. But he is coming back as soon as possible."

  Ruomei bit her lip. "Mom. All the guests are talking about Wei. I am getting a bad feeling of this."

  "Don't think negatively, Ruomei! Everything will be fine."

  The situation was turning more dire and finally, many of the guests came forward, asking questions.

  "This is strange. Why hasn't the ceremony started yet?"

  "Where is Jiang Wei?"

  "We have been waiting for so long now."

  "This is the first time that an event in the Jiang family has been delayed."

  "Didn't the Old Madam always take care of such customs?"

  "Poor Shi Ruomei. She is waiting for an hour now. Look, how embarrassed she seemed on the stage."

  The Old Madam gritted her teeth and scowled at Jiang Weizhe. "I see. Your son is as pathetic as you! He knows nothing but to embarrass the family just like you did!"

  Jiang Weizhe didn't seem affected at all.

  Cold sweat broke out on Fu Renshu's forehead and he prayed that pick his call.

  His prayers were finally answered.

  "Renshu."

  "Boss! Thank God you finally picked it up! I was trying your number for so long!"

  "I told you I don't want any disturbance with Lihua," his voice had turned icy.

  Fu Renshu sobbed. "Apologies Boss! But the ceremony has already started here, and everybody is waiting for you! I told the Old Madam that you are stuck in traffic somewhere. But that excuse isn't helping anymore. Old Madam urgently wants to talk to you."

  "Hm."

  Fu Renshu peeked at the crowd before whispering, "Boss. If possible, please don't talk about Song Lihua and that you are with her. You know our history with the Song family. Your absence is a big issue here. If everyone knows about Song Lihua, it will get even more complicated," he urged.

  Silence.

  "If they know about her and storm to meet her immediately, the Old Madam would definitely spill out about Song Jia and not just her but the Song family too. Song Lihua will know the truth and that is not good for you. We cannot hide her forever, but we need to think of a suitable time to explain this news to the Old Madam because it will be a huge deal."

  Wei agreed. "I understand."

  Fu Renshu sighed in relief.

  "Fu Renshu! Is that Wei on the line?" The Old Madam snatched the phone from his hand. She saw the name as 'Boss' and her temper worsened.

  "Jiang Wei! How dare you humiliate the Jiang family like this! Do you know what time it is!" Her infuriated voice thundered in the room.

  Ruomei was startled.

  Wei! It's Wei!

  The Shi family quickly rushed nearer to the Old Madam to hear the conversation.

  "The ceremony was supposed to start at exactly seven PM and it's already eight now! Where are you!? The guests have already started talking about you. How could you embarrass me like that? I want you here right now!" Her jaw clenched in fury.

  But as opposed to the Old Madam's outrage, Wei plainly said, "I cannot be there."

  Silence.

  Everybody was dumbfounded. Ruomei's eyes widened in disbelief while Shi Zhen and Shi Cuifen had their mouths opened in utter shock.

  The Old Madam gravely said, "Cannot. Be. Here?"

  "En."

  "Jiang Wei! Do you think this is the time to joke?"

  "I never joke. I cannot be there. I never agreed to this engagement."

  His words had stunned everybody to their core except Jiang Weizhe and Fu Renshu. Ruomei felt as if she was hallucinating.

  What is Wei saying?

  The Old Madam was aghast. "Jiang Wei! What nonsense are you spouting!?"

  "I never agreed to this engagement," he calmly repeated.

  Shi Zhen quickly said, "Haha Wei. Are you pulling our legs? Today is your ceremony with Ruomei and is this your way to have a little fun with your elders?"

  "Not interested," his impassive voice came from the other end.

  He froze.

  "W-Wei, this is really not the time to say all these things. All the guests are waiting for the ceremony to start."

  "I don't like to repeat myself," he coldly said.

  Sweat began to form on his forehead. "How can you say that you didn't agree to this engagement? You were present when we discussed Ruomei and your marriage…"

  "I won't marry her."

  Ruomei froze. She rapidly blinked her eyes. Her heartbeat skyrocketed in her chest. She trembled and goosebumps crawled on her skin.

  "W-Wei you…"

  Shi Cuifen quickly held her. "Ruomei! Don't be afraid. I think it's just a misunderstanding, dear."

  Suddenly, the Old Madam stomped her stick hard. "Jiang Wei! What is happening? Are you drunk? Are you in your senses? We are talking about your engagement here and you are saying you never agreed to it?"

  "Yes."

  Shi Zhen asked, horrified, "But you did agree! Didn't I ask you that day and you nodded your head? The Old Madam and I were talking about it in front of you."

  "I wasn't paying attention to the discussion. As for nodding my head, I agreed to something else, not for taking her as my wife."

  Ruomei stumbled from her spot and almost collapsed, but Shi Cuifen caught her. "Ruomei! Please hold onto yourself."

  "Mom…what is he saying? I-I don't understand."

  Shi Cuifen cried and hugged her. "Ruomei don't worry…" but she didn't have the same reassurance as before. His words shook her too.

  The Old Madam was at a loss for words. "Why do you think your agreement even matters!? I decided that you will marry Shi Ruomei! I never asked your opinion about it! I chose her for you and that's that!"

  "I don't," there was still no distress or panic in his voice.

  Fu Renshu gulped and got worried for him.

  This is getting bad…


  "I will marry the woman I want. She isn't Shi Ruomei."

  "Jiang Wei!"

  Shi Ruomei burst into nervous laughter. "Wei you are really joking, right…? Y-You said that you want to-"

  She felt a little hesitant saying that in front of all the elders here.

  Clutching her trembling hand into a fist, she said, "You wanted to sleep with me…"

  Her head lowered in embarrassment, but she had no choice. She was sure that now Wei wouldn't have anywhere to run. After all, she had heard it herself.

  "I will never say that to you."

  She stiffened and her countenance paled. "Wei…… how can you deny it? I-I heard it myself in your office that day! You said that you wanted to sleep with me!"

  On the other side, Wei blinked his eyes, and he faintly remembered the day when Ruomei had barged in his office much to his displeasure. He recalled he was thinking about having sex with Lihua.

  "I see. I did say that…"

  Ruomei's lips burst into a bright smile. "See? I-"

  "But I didn't mean it for you."

  Silence.

  The Shi couple was horrified and so was the Old Madam.

  Shi Zhen gritted his teeth. "Wei, Ruomei is your fiance! Of course, you would mean those words for her!"

  "I said I don't have any fiance. I never agreed to it."

  Tears rimmed her eyes. "Wei……you cannot say that……If not me, for whom would you say it? O-of course you don't have any girlfriend."

  "I have. My words that day were meant for her."

  Silence. Absolute silence.

  The bomb Wei dropped was so sudden and intense that nobody could say anything for a long time. It were two simple words, but its effect made them feel as if the earth shook beneath them.

  The Old Madam was the first to recover from the shock. "What nonsense!" Her face reddened in pure anger and threat. Her old body was shaking in rage.

  Fu Renshu panicked for a moment, but he felt relieved that Wei didn't mention any name.

  "It's not," his voice modulation didn't change at all. "So, I don't agree with this engagement. I will only marry my woman and nobody else."