Chapter 68 Delivering the Betrothal Gifts

At that moment, Shang Qi was somewhat indecisive. She desperately wanted to stay with her parents, yet she feared the trouble the Lu family might cause. Seeing her hesitant expression, Lu Yichen felt deeply anxious. To keep Shang Qi with him, he had no choice but to force her hand once again.

He spoke up, saying, "Dad, please calm down. Don't let this upset your health. Mom's heart is still very fragile; you cannot fall ill as well!" As he spoke, his eyes darted toward Shang Qi.

Knowing Lu Yichen inside and out, how could Shang Qi fail to grasp the hidden meaning behind his words? Though she despised Lu Yichen for being so despicable, she had no choice but to swallow her anger and endure it.

Shang Qi echoed, "That's right! Dad, please don't worry anymore." She linked her arm through Lu Yichen's and continued, "No matter how much the two of you oppose this, I want to try and make a life with him."

Shang Wende was so enraged that his hands trembled visibly.

Yu Xiufen advised, "Don't get upset just yet. Talk to Qi Qi calmly."

Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Lu Shixun walked into the hospital room. Lu Yichen had not expected his parents to show up. He asked in a low voice, "Mom, why are you here?"

"If we didn't come, could you possibly have handled this?"

Immediately, Yao Minzhi said with a smile, "In-law, I've been wanting to come and see you for a long time."

Yu Xiufen had never met Yao Minzhi before and was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. Lu Yichen hurriedly introduced them, saying, "This is my mother, and that is my father."

The two elders of the Shang family were far from welcoming. The atmosphere in the room instantly turned tense. Lu Shixun said, "In-law, since there is a patient resting here, could I have a moment of your time outside?"

Shang Wende had been wanting to talk to him as well, so the two men walked out.

Yao Minzhi had always excelled at closing the distance between people. She said, "How are you feeling, In-law? I never had the blessing of having a daughter. Ever since I laid eyes on Qi Qi, I felt a deep warmth, just as if she were my own child."

Guests should be treated with courtesy. No matter how much Yu Xiufen detested the Lu family, she could not bring herself to utter overly harsh words. She replied, "Much better. Mrs. Lu, we do not consent to this marriage. The wedding cannot take place tomorrow!"

Yao Minzhi's expression clouded over slightly, and she pivoted her argument. "Qi Qi is getting married into our family tomorrow; you must be very reluctant to let her go, right? However, a daughter must eventually marry. You must already know about what happened last night. Yichen will certainly take responsibility for his actions. But if you insist on standing in their way, it will only ruin Shang Qi's future. They have already obtained their marriage certificate; if she were to divorce and remarry now, her situation would likely be even worse than it is right now!"

For the sake of her daughter's future, Yu Xiufen could not help but waver slightly. She said, "This isn't about whether I'm reluctant to let her go. What worries me most is that, given what has happened between them, they might not be able to live together in harmony."

"In-law, Qi Qi has already forgiven Chen'er. You must have faith in them!"

Yu Xiufen did not reply, pondering the matter carefully. At that moment, a nurse approached, intending to help her sponge-bathe. Yu Xiufen said, "That won't be necessary. I'll be discharging from the hospital shortly."

Yao Minzhi asked, "In-law, are the people arranged by the hospital not taking good care of you? Why are you in such a rush to leave when you haven't fully recovered?"

"I'm already fine. I just need to rest more at home."

"This cannot be treated as a child's game."

Shang Qi also chimed in, "Mom, you can't be discharged yet. If anything happens to you, what on earth am I supposed to do?"

Yao Minzhi said, "In-law, let the nurse help you freshen up first. I have already taken care of all the arrangements for tomorrow's wedding. When the time comes, we will have Dean Ye accompany us, and an ambulance will be stationed near the hotel at all times. We will definitely ensure your safety."

With that, she and Lu Yichen stepped outside first. The nurse came over to assist Yu Xiufen, with Shang Qi helping by the side. The nurse's movements were crisp and efficient, and her entire demeanor remained highly professional throughout the process. Once cleaned up, Yu Xiufen felt refreshed. Soon after, the nurse withdrew from the room.

Shang Qi thought to herself: Marrying into a wealthy family certainly comes with plenty of perks! The Lu family's arrangements are nothing more than a facade to cover up the scandal and put on a show of Yichen caring for his mother-in-law. Still, it's for the best; my mother genuinely needs someone to look after her, and it spares my father from being overworked.

Yu Xiufen remarked, "Qi Qi, I noticed Lu Yichen doesn't look well. He must have been under quite a lot of stress lately, hasn't he?"

"Mom, why on earth are you worrying about him?" Shang Qi asked with a touch of annoyance.

"If it were only a matter of my illness, I would never consent to you marrying him. Getting a marriage certificate is such a major life event, yet you didn't even consult with us beforehand. Look at how angry it made your father!"

Only then did Shang Qi realize that her mother had merely been probing her earlier. Fearing that her mother couldn't take the shock, she dared not provoke her further. Putting on a calm facade, Shang Qi said, "Mom, look at me now. Aren't I doing much better than before? Therefore, this decision was the right one."

Seeing that her daughter's spirits genuinely seemed higher than before, Yu Xiufen felt a slight sense of relief. She asked, "Tell Mom the truth: what are your true feelings about Lu Yichen?"

"Being able to stay alive is more important than anything else. Mom, please don't fret over these things. Focusing on your recovery is what matters most," Shang Qi said with a helpless sigh.

Yu Xiufen could not hold back her tears as she said, "It's all because of this illness of mine, otherwise you wouldn't have had to wrong yourself like this. Qi Qi, Mom doesn't want you to have such a difficult life after marriage."

Seeing her mother thinking entirely of her well-being, Shang Qi could no longer keep up the act. The grievances locked deep within her burst forth all at once. Tears streamed down her face in a torrent, resembling a heavy downpour. Ever since the moment she obtained her marriage certificate with Lu Yichen, a heavy knot had been stuck in her chest. This bout of weeping allowed her to finally vent her pent-up anguish.

Yu Xiufen wiped away her own tears as well, saying with a heart full of pain, "Qi Qi, stop crying! If you're already crying like this now, how are you going to endure the days ahead?"

Fearing that her mother would worry, Shang Qi quickly forced back her tears. She said, "Mom, please don't be upset. I'll stop crying. No matter how life turns out, you live it just once—there's nothing that can't be endured!"

Yu Xiufen said earnestly, "Although your father strongly opposes your marriage, I suppose that if Lu Yichen treats you well, this marriage might not turn out to be so terrible after all. He saved me that day, which shows he still has feelings for you."

Shang Qi was momentarily stunned; she clearly had not expected her mother to take this stance.

Yu Xiufen continued, "Over the past few days, I've tossed and turned thinking about this: apart from that single incident, there are no other conflicts between you and Lu Yichen. Had that incident never occurred, the two of you might have gotten along wonderfully and perhaps even married of your own accord.

In the real world, a woman's reputation is of the utmost importance. With things turning out the way they have, you will find it hard to hold your head high for the rest of your life. Regardless of Lu Yichen's motives, his initiative in marrying you is not entirely without its benefits. You need to think carefully about how you will navigate the days to come!"

Stubbornly, Shang Qi retorted, "Mom, I can't just pretend nothing ever happened! I am determined to find the person who orchestrated this whole mess. As for Lu Yichen, he must pay the corresponding price as well."

Hearing this, Yu Xiufen said with deep anxiety, "Qi Qi, if that's your mindset, you simply cannot marry him. I cannot stand by and watch you throw away your own happiness."

Realizing she had made a slip of the tongue, Shang Qi hurriedly shifted her tone and said, "Mom, I was just speaking out of anger and venting. Actually, Lu Yichen and I have been in love for three years. Back then, he wasn't divorced yet, so our relationship had to remain a secret. Over the past few years, he has genuinely treated me very well."

"What? You aren't just saying this to give me peace of mind, are you?"

"No. Mom, my feelings for him didn't develop overnight. That is why I want to marry him."

Yu Xiufen still wanted to persuade her otherwise. Not wanting to listen any longer, Shang Qi said, "Mom, you need to take care of your health. Don't talk too much; lie down and get some rest."

Meanwhile, Shang Wende and Lu Shixun had walked up to the hospital rooftop. A few wooden tables and benches were set up there for people to rest. Once seated, Lu Shixun said, "In-law, I notice dark circles under your eyes. You really need to get more rest! Everything that happened last night was entirely Yichen's fault. He should have called you sooner to spare you from such worry."

How could Shang Wende be in any mood for such idle chatter? He cut straight to the point: "I do not consent to Shang Qi and Lu Yichen being married. You should just have them divorce!"

Lu Shixun smiled faintly and slowly replied, "Didn't you already agree to this in the beginning? Marriage is not child's play. How can you expect the two kids to just divorce simply because you've changed your mind?"

"Don't assume I am completely in the dark! The Lu family is in such a rush to marry Qi Qi simply to hush up the current scandal. If you refuse to let them divorce, I will go straight to the media and expose the truth."

Lu Shixun's gaze turned icy as he threatened, "You won't do that! Your daughter is now the eldest grandson's wife of the Lu family. As long as I do not agree, don't even dream of her cutting ties with the Lu family. If you still want her to live a good life after marrying in, keep your mouth shut right now. I will treat her just like my own daughter."

Slamming his hand on the table, Shang Wende rose to his feet and shouted, "Your son pulled off such a despicable stunt, and you still dare to sit here and threaten me?"

Fearing that the conversation would completely break down, Lu Shixun softened his tone and said, "There's no need to lose your temper! We are all one family now, and it's best to keep things harmonious. You can't be blind to the fact that Yichen has genuine feelings for Shang Qi. At the press conference that day, had he not arrived in time, your wife might no longer be in this world.

Because of that, he was even falsely accused of abducting Shang Qi and her mother, causing a massive uproar. Yichen genuinely brought that trouble upon himself for Shang Qi's sake. As elders, can't we let go of these grievances and give the two children a chance?"

Shang Wende was not an unreasonable man, and he was indeed grateful to Lu Yichen for saving Yu Xiufen. However, that was entirely separate from what Lu Yichen had done to Shang Qi—how could the two possibly cancel each other out?

He stated, "Two wrongs don't make a right! Mr. Lu, aren't you worried that they won't be able to make a life together after marriage? Lu Yichen is your own flesh and blood—how can you bear to use his marriage as a bargaining chip?"

Earnestly, Lu Shixun replied, "If there were truly no affection between them, I would not sacrifice my son's happiness in this manner. I am having them marry to draw a definitive period to that sordid affair, hoping they can start a fresh chapter. Otherwise, both of these young people will be ruined."

How could Shang Wende not yearn for his daughter to live a good life? With a helpless sigh, he said, "Ah! Fate truly plays cruel tricks on people! Even if they get married, that incident can never simply be treated as if it never happened."

"Actually, Yichen was once afraid that Shang Qi wouldn't be able to accept him and even opposed the marriage himself. When he did that, he completely disregarded the interests of the Lu Corporation. I believe Shang Qi will come to understand his sincerity."