Fan Zehao, without waiting for his wife to speak, refused even more decisively: "No, I won't allow it."
His precious treasure, the one he held in the palm of his hand, was about to be snatched away. He couldn't agree, not now at least.
Seeing his resolute and firm refusal, Helian Zhicheng felt a chill spread through him. His once fiery passion turned to ice, his blood seemed to freeze, and his head buzzed. Trembling, he asked, "Why?"
He spread his hands, like a stroke victim, and stammered, "There must be a reason for your refusal!"
Fan Zehao was about to say there was no reason, but Helian Zhicheng beat him to it: "Didn't you and your wife agree that as long as the child agreed, you wouldn't obstruct it further? Why the sudden change of heart? Brother, this doesn't seem like your usual style!"
Hearing this, Fan Zehao became flustered and angry. He waved his hand: "Don't lecture me. She's my daughter getting married, not yours. You can't understand a father's heart."
With that one sentence, he successfully choked Helian Zhicheng. The two men stood glaring at each other, neither willing to back down.
Helian Zhicheng pursed his lips and said dryly, "Why are you angry? Girls are born to be married, that's an eternal truth. Besides, can you keep your daughter forever?"
"When a man is grown, he marries; when a woman is grown, she marries. Even if you keep her now, she'll still get married eventually. Furthermore, even if Yumeng gets married, she won't be marrying outside the inner city. What are you so anxious about?"
Helian Zhicheng's words successfully drew the attention of the couple. Both looked somewhat stunned.
Zhao Jiaqi glanced across at the somewhat fawning Helian Zhicheng and then turned to Duan Yao beside her. Frowning, she asked Duan Yao, "Sister-in-law, what does Brother mean by that?"
What did he mean by marrying outside the inner city?
Duan Yao looked a little embarrassed and chuckled, "My husband and I have been thinking. We only have one son, and coincidentally, he's inherited his father's devotion. He's determined to marry Yumeng, and for the sake of the two children, and for the future of Dingbeiliao, we've reached an understanding with Jinli."
Hearing this, Fan Zehao felt a tremor, an indescribable feeling.
He asked, "What understanding?"
Now it was Helian Zhicheng's turn to speak. He held Fan Zehao's hand and carefully cautioned him, "After you hear this, you must not get angry, nor call us villains, and certainly not lose your temper."
He rambled on and on, but not a single word was what Fan Zehao wanted to hear. Fan Zehao frowned and blurted out, "Speak quickly if you have something to say, and fart quickly if you need to."
Helian Zhicheng's old face flushed with embarrassment. He didn't get angry. After all, he was the one asking for a favor. He immediately and obediently said, "From now on, Jinli will live in the inner city with Yumeng. We will never force them to go to Dingbeiliao. Of course, if they come back to visit for a while, we'll be delighted."
Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi exchanged glances, both thinking, "Is that all? It's probably not that simple."
As expected, he continued, "However, once they have children, those children must return to Dingbeiliao with us."
This...
Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi wanted to find an excuse to object, but after much thought, they couldn't find a valid reason to prevent their grandchildren from returning to their country.
The room fell silent. After a long pause, Zhao Jiaqi finally asked, "Has Yumeng discussed this with you?"
Duan Yao shook her head, "No, we only discussed it with Jinli. He said as long as Yumeng agrees, he has no objections."
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi felt a slight sense of relief. As a mother, her children were her darlings after they were born. How could she possibly let them out of her sight? Therefore, this marriage could wait.
Thus, Zhao Jiaqi changed her tune, "It's still too early to discuss this matter. After all, we haven't agreed to this marriage yet. Let's wait until Yumeng comes of age."
With that one sentence, the marriage was completely postponed.
Helian Zhicheng and Duan Yao saw that the couple was truly unwilling to open their mouths, and they lost confidence, feeling very dejected.
Their son was so outstanding. In Dingbeiliao, there were not thousands, but at least a hundred people who wanted to marry him.
Now, to be looked down upon like this! Where could they find justice?
The two left Songhe Garden with crestfallen faces. After they left, Zhang Cuihua, uncharacteristically, broke her silence on the matter.
She asked the couple for their intentions: "Yumeng is about to come of age. What are your thoughts as parents? Tell me, so I can have a better understanding."
This... Seeing that her mother-in-law was speaking with a hint of anger, Zhao Jiaqi pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Mother, I'm not opposing this marriage. It's just that Yumeng is still young, and I'm reluctant to let her get married."
Fan Zehao felt the same way. "She's still a child at home. Once she's married, she'll be an adult. Mother, think about it. She's only fifteen. She's grown up with me in the military camp. How can she be a good wife and mother? My wife and I are thinking of finding a governess for her after she comes of age to properly guide her, so she'll be valued by her in-laws when she marries."
Zhang Cuihua listened to her son and daughter-in-law's lengthy explanation. In essence, both of them didn't want their daughter to get married.
She shook her head and disagreed somewhat, "What's wrong with being fifteen? I was married to your father at fifteen and gave birth to you at sixteen."
After saying this, she said earnestly, "Whether the in-laws value her or not doesn't depend on the child, but entirely on the husband's attitude. As long as Jinli likes our Yumeng and knows how to protect her, that's enough."
"Besides, Jinli and Yumeng have known each other for a long time. They know each other's character through and through. If Jinli liked someone who was scholarly and virtuous, he wouldn't have fallen for our Yumeng. How can you two, being so intelligent, not understand this?"
The couple lowered their heads after being lectured. They certainly understood the logic, but their hearts still felt uneasy.
"Alright, you two are not young anymore. I think you still need to ask Yumeng's opinion on this matter. If she wants to get married, let it be her wish. If she's not in a hurry, you can wait another year or so. She'll have to get married sooner or later anyway."
That last sentence was a stark reminder to Zhao Jiaqi that no matter how many years they kept her, their daughter would eventually get married. They couldn't raise her like a son.
"Mother, that's not necessarily true. What if I insist on Yumeng marrying into our family?" Fan Zehao retorted stubbornly.
After saying this, Fan Zehao thought it was a feasible idea and began to discuss it with his wife in front of his mother.