Xue Rui trailed behind the group, and when he heard Xie Jianfeng lower his voice, he sidled up closer.

In truth, it wasn’t really eavesdropping; Xue Rui had simply slowed his pace to walk behind them.

"Dad, hurry up and tell me," Xue Rui said with a grin.

"Whoa!" Xie Jianfeng jumped, startled. He said irritably, "I thought you’d ditched me."

"Dad, you beat up Director Gu. I was just worried about you, that’s all." Xue Rui deliberately put on a worried expression.

Xie Jianfeng was disdainful. "So what if I beat him up? It’s not the first time."

"I got hurt too, you know. Aren’t you going to care about your own father? Why are you so concerned about an outsider?"

He wasn’t too surprised that Xue Rui knew who Gu Qingshan was.

After all, Xue Rui was so close to the man’s daughter; it was only normal he’d know his position.

Xue Rui said seriously, "Dad, you’re so tough, the other guy definitely got the worst of it. I was just afraid you might have seriously hurt him."

...

The group found an empty spot with no one around and sat down to chat.

"Xiaorui, don’t go running off anywhere this weekend. Our two families are going to have a meal together to resolve the old misunderstanding."

For once, Xie Jianfeng was serious.

"Oh?" Xue Rui found this interesting.

’The two families are having a meal? And they’re bringing me? Does that mean Gu Muxue will definitely be there too?’

"What misunderstanding?" Xue Rui asked.

"Back when we were in school, Old Gu and I were both pursuing your mother. In the end, your mom and I were too bad at studying, so we dropped out. Old Gu went to a prestigious university..."

More than ten years ago, both Xie Jianfeng and Gu Qingshan were in love with Ren Qunfang. The two agreed to compete for her fairly.

In the end, Gu Qingshan went to university in Jiangnan Province for his studies.

The three of them kept in touch through letters.

But during Gu Qingshan’s sophomore year, he suddenly received a wedding invitation from Xie Jianfeng and Ren Qunfang.

Gu Qingshan was devastated. On the way back to his hometown, he thought about many things...

The more he thought, the more something felt wrong. It was always Xie Jianfeng who wrote back to him; Ren Qunfang had never replied with a single letter.

He believed Xie Jianfeng had used some underhanded means to intercept all of his letters.

In the end, Gu Qingshan only had someone deliver a large red envelope of cash and didn’t attend their wedding.

"Our families’ relationship broke off starting from that moment."

As Xie Jianfeng spoke, his face was full of anger. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Damn it, couldn’t he have just come and asked me? Or asked your mom? He didn’t even bother to ask, just sat there making wild guesses! Idiot!"

Ren Qunfang spoke up, "Well, Old Gu was young and proud. How could he have brought himself to ask me?"

Xue Rui nodded. ’That’s true.’

’Who doesn’t have a hot-headed youth?’

’As the loser in love, was he supposed to shamelessly go and ask the other guy how he won?’

’But my dad isn’t exactly an upstanding guy. What if Gu Qingshan wasn’t wrong?’

"Mom, why didn’t you write back to Uncle Gu? Was it really my dad’s fault?" Xue Rui asked with a smile.

"Hey! You little punk, you doubt me too?" Xie Jianfeng was so angry he threw his slipper.

Xue Rui snatched the slipper out of the air, tossed it back to his dad, and continued looking at Ren Qunfang.

Ren Qunfang, on the other hand, looked a little uncomfortable.

"Old Gu was too good with words. The letters he wrote me weren’t like your dad’s. They were full of words I didn’t know. I couldn’t understand them even after looking them up in a dictionary, and neither could your dad. How was I supposed to write back?"

Xue Rui’s mouth twitched. He really hadn’t expected that reason.

’It was probably that kind of overly poetic, flowery language...’ he guessed.

’So Gu Qingshan lost out because he was too cultured?’

"What’s with that look on your face? Are you laughing at your mother for being uncultured?"

Ren Qunfang’s eyes narrowed in mock anger.

"No, no! I’ve seen photos of Uncle Gu from when he was young. He was incredibly handsome. Mom, why did you choose my dad?" Xue Rui quickly changed the subject.

"Hehe, well about that..." Xie Jianfeng let out a smug laugh.

"Your old man here is diligent and thick-skinned. I won over all of your mother’s side of the family. Xiaorui, you need to learn from this. This is valuable experience from someone who’s been there..."

Ren Qunfang shot Xie Jianfeng a glare, and he immediately shut his mouth.

Xue Rui was speechless. ’That’s the reason?’

’Although winning over her family is a huge advantage...’

’...in the end, it still comes down to the choice of the person you love.’

Xue Rui felt his father’s words weren’t of much use.

"Mom, tell me what you were thinking."

Ren Qunfang covered her mouth and chuckled. "Was Old Gu ever short on girls? There was a huge, colorful crowd of them trailing behind him."

"Mom, how could those common girls ever compare to you?" Xue Rui laid on the flattery.

"You’re just a sweet-talker." Ren Qunfang pinched Xue Rui’s nose.

"Actually... it was nothing much. I just felt I wasn’t good enough for Old Gu," Ren Qunfang said calmly.

"Not good enough?" Xue Rui was surprised. ’With looks like that, how could she not be good enough?’

"The old photos at home were all taken by Old Gu with his camera. How could our family afford a camera back then?"

"Old Gu was handsome, cultured, and from a rich and powerful family. Your grandpa was just a farmer, and I was just a village girl."

"Besides, we had nothing in common. So I never even considered him."

Ren Qunfang said honestly.

Xue Rui suddenly understood.

’That’s right. The gap in their financial status and cultural level was just too wide. Gu Muxue’s grandfather was a city leader, while his own maternal grandfather was just a farmer...’

"Honestly, that Old Gu. He hasn’t contacted either of us in all these years," Xie Jianfeng complained.

As the "victor," how could he take the initiative to find Gu Qingshan? If he did, it would be like mocking the loser.

And Gu Qingshan was too proud, not to mention he’d found a wife who looked a lot like Ren Qunfang, like a "substitute."

A defeated man like that would be even less likely to seek out Xie Jianfeng.

"Fangfang, Old Gu’s wife looks a bit like you. He said back when he was feeling down, he subconsciously chose the one among his pursuers who looked most like you."

"And then the punk got married and had a kid in college! And he didn’t even invite me!" Xie Jianfeng cursed.

However, his expression soon softened.

"What’s even more of a coincidence is that Old Gu’s daughter looks exactly like you did when you were young. Our two families are truly fated to be connected. And our Xiaorui is even pursuing their girl..."

Ren Qunfang slapped Xue Rui on the back. She already knew about this; Xue Xiaying had told her.

She felt a bit uncomfortable. ’Why chase a girl who looks so much like his own mother when she was young?’

’If they get married in the future, looking at her daughter-in-law will be like looking in a mirror.’

But since her son liked her, she didn’t say anything.

’It really is too damn coincidental!’ Xue Rui muttered to himself.

"Honey, will it be awkward when our two families meet?" Ren Qunfang was a little nervous.

Xue Rui frowned. ’That really is a problem.’

’It’s like showing up to a party in the same dress—the less attractive one is the one who’s embarrassed.’

’This time, it’s their faces that are "colliding," and it’s three women at once. That’s really...’

’I wonder if Gu Qingshan’s wife can accept this reality.’

’After all, how many women could accept being just a "substitute"?’

"Old Gu said he already laid his cards on the table with his wife. She agreed to the dinner yesterday," Xie Jianfeng said with a wave of his hand.

His brother was doing well. He had a harmonious family, an educated and sensible wife, and such a beautiful daughter.

Xie Jianfeng was genuinely happy for Gu Qingshan.

"Old Gu is my sworn brother. We agreed back then that if one of us had a son and the other a daughter, they’d get married. But now he’s backing out."

"Xiaorui, you have to work hard and win over Old Gu’s daughter."

Xie Jianfeng instructed with a serious expression.

Back in the day, the wuxia craze was rampant among boys. Loyalty was paramount, and the friendship between men was considered even more profound than romantic love.

They even made pacts to arrange marriages for their unborn children.

However, as they grew older and self-interest gradually took over, such pacts naturally became void.

Xue Rui thought this was perfectly normal. Gu Qingshan was the one growing the cabbage, and Xie Jianfeng was the one raising the pig. No one growing cabbage wants a pig to come root it up.

"So... you came to find my maternal uncle to get a fake medical certificate?" Xue Rui asked with a strange look on his face.

"Right. Old Gu didn’t hold back at all when he beat me. I want to make him feel guilty for a while and use it to swindle his daughter over to our side," Xie Jianfeng said with a roguish grin.

Xue Rui’s eye twitched. ’That sounds exactly like something his old man would do.’

"Dad, Uncle Gu was originally going to make his daughter transfer schools. How come after you two fought, she’s not transferring anymore?" Xue Rui asked curiously.

’Could it be because the two of them have reconciled?’

’So now they’re just going to let this "pig" stay right next to the "cabbage"?’

"Oh, that."

Xie Jianfeng grinned smugly. "I told him that wherever his daughter transfers, I’ll transfer you there too."

Xue Rui’s face was filled with admiration.

’How could there be such a shameless person in this world?’

’But then again...’

’With that kind of persistence, what girl couldn’t he win over?’