Volume One, Chapter 15: The Betrothal Gifts for My Daughter-in-Law—Jojo Is Worth It

Page (1/3)

Ye Qiaoqiao regained her composure, feeling very angry. No matter what, this was proof that Fu Juechuan valued her and respected her enough to bring out such a large sum of money. Outsiders had no right to question or slander him.

“Do you think Brother Fu is a fool? Flaunting so much money just for show?” Ye Qiaoqiao retorted sharply, “Brother Fu is not you.”

“I’m just raising reasonable doubts,” Xu Zhengqing said with a smirk, clearly expecting Fu Juechuan to provide a satisfactory explanation.

“You…”

“Qiaoqiao, I’ll handle this,” Fu Juechuan stepped in front of her protectively, his voice stern as he addressed Xu Zhengqing, “These are the betrothal gifts my mother left for her daughter-in-law. Qiaoqiao deserves them.”

“That’s right,” Jiang Yuangu deliberately sneered at Xu Zhengqing, “I know you envy sister-in-law, but don’t get your hopes up—you can’t have what she has.”

Xu Zhengqing’s face flushed with anger. He had never expected Fu Juechuan to have an inheritance. He was not the lowly soldier they thought he was, which made the grand engagement banquet orchestrated by Brother Zhou a laughingstock.

Needing to save face, he snorted coldly and stormed off.

Section Chief Xu’s face darkened with fury. Although the unfilial son had left, he hurried to apologize to Commander Ye.

This time, Commander Ye showed no mercy and completely ignored Section Chief Xu. The man nearly fainted from anger and vowed to punish Xu Zhengqing when he got home.

After leaving, Xu Zhengqing headed straight to the Zhou residence.

By the time he arrived, it was just past eleven o’clock. The wedding banquet had already begun, attended mostly by businessmen and lower-ranking officials. The ten thousand yuan betrothal gift Zhou Cong had brought up was still being talked about with interest.

Jiang Yao had become the object of envy among the young women who came with their parents to the engagement banquet, her face beaming with flattery.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xu Zhengqing enter the second-floor parlor of the Zhou residence with a somber expression and head upstairs.

Her eyes flickered, knowing Xu Zhengqing did not like her.

Worried he might speak ill of her in front of Zhou Cong, she quickly got up, carrying a plate of fruit, and followed him.

In the study room,

Xu Zhengqing stood in front of the desk with a grim expression.

Zhou Cong, having drunk quite a bit, had a flushed, drunken look. “Old Xu, you’re back? Did you see Fu Juechuan’s grand performance?”

“Brother Zhou, Fu Juechuan didn’t embarrass himself. He brought twenty thousand yuan as betrothal money,” Xu Zhengqing gritted his teeth and said.

“Twenty… ha…” Zhou Cong’s face twisted into a sneer, his expression slowly stiffening. His bleary eyes widened, growing serious, “You said… twenty thousand?”

“That’s right, twenty thousand, not counting the house, car, gold jewelry, and the ‘three rotations and one ring’,” Xu Zhengqing thought to himself. Fu Juechuan’s twenty thousand was a subtle jab, perhaps mocking Brother Zhou for wasting money on Jiang Yao.

Page (2/3)

Of course, he wouldn’t voice this suspicion aloud—Brother Zhou would certainly be furious.

Besides, among Fu Juechuan’s betrothal gifts, the ‘three rotations and one ring’ were the least impressive. Such a lavish display naturally shocked and made envious the military officers in the district.

Now, no one would dare mock Ye Qiaoqiao for marrying a poor soldier.

No one could say Fu Juechuan was poor anymore.

“Impossible!” Zhou Cong ground his teeth, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He suddenly stood up and angrily swept everything off the table, the crashing noise a manifestation of his fury.

“Brother Zhou, I’m not joking about this. The betrothal gifts Fu Juechuan brought are his mother’s heirlooms,” Xu Zhengqing recounted his confrontation with Fu Juechuan.

Zhou Cong narrowed his eyes. “You were fooled by his words. If he really had such heirlooms, he wouldn’t be so stingy as to not buy a watch. The one on his wrist is a relic from twenty years ago. He deliberately made up an excuse and boldly said it out loud so everyone would instinctively believe him.”

“Arrange for someone to investigate. Start by checking how he bought the color TV. Jewelry might be heirlooms, but a color TV requires factory approval to purchase.”

“Even if he’s a second lieutenant, asking acquaintances for help would be a violation.”

“He only decided to get engaged to Ye Qiaoqiao two weeks ago. In such a short time, even if he got approval, the goods might not be available.”

“Brother Zhou, you make a lot of sense.” Xu Zhengqing’s eyes lit up as he listened to Zhou Cong’s reasoning. No wonder he could be a big boss—he was truly clever. He knew he had chosen the right person to follow.

“Brother Zhou, I’ll start investigating right away.”

“Go ahead.” Zhou Cong had already sentenced Fu Juechuan in his heart. He was just waiting to see Fu Juechuan fall and go to jail, so Ye Qiaoqiao would regret it deeply.

Outside the study,

Jiang Yao pretended to have just arrived and bumped into Xu Zhengqing as he came out. “Zhengqing, when did you get here? I happened to bring some fruit—want some?”

“No need.” Xu Zhengqing gave Jiang Yao a cold look, angry that Brother Zhou had spent over two hundred thousand on such a worthless woman. He snorted and strode away.

Jiang Yao’s face darkened as Zhou Cong called for her inside.

Instantly, she put on a fragile smile. “Brother Zhou, I see you’ve drunk quite a bit and must be feeling unwell. Have some fruit to sober up.”

As she walked into the study, still digesting the news of Ye Qiaoqiao’s twenty-thousand-yuan betrothal gift, she couldn’t help but zone out. Eventually, Zhou Cong impatiently kicked her out.

Jiang Yao was inwardly suffocated with frustration.

—

At the Ye residence,

After the banquet, the guests left after lunch. Commander Ye asked Xie Wu to arrange for the cooks and soldiers to clean up the tables, chairs, and utensils and return them to the mess hall.

He then called Fu Juechuan into the study to talk.

Ye Qiaoqiao looked up anxiously at Fu Juechuan’s retreating figure as he went upstairs.

Xie Lin closed her book beside her and teased, “What’s the matter? Already missing your fiancé after such a short time?”

“I’m not,” Ye Qiaoqiao quickly averted her gaze and coughed lightly, unwilling to admit she was somewhat worried that her father might pressure Brother Fu about his background because of the betrothal money.

To be honest, she only felt she had brought trouble to Brother Fu.

If it weren’t for her standing up for herself, how could he have been forced to bring out such a large betrothal gift? He had only wanted to keep a low profile and conceal his identity while serving in the military.

Though she didn’t know why Brother Fu did it, it was his private matter.

At least in her previous life, Brother Fu only revealed his identity after being promoted to regiment commander—five years later.

Upstairs,

Just as Ye Qiaoqiao had imagined.

Commander Ye asked Fu Juechuan to sit in the chair opposite him, his tone gentle. “Juechuan, can you now tell me where the money you prepared for the betrothal gifts came from?”

He was more experienced—this was 1984, and anyone with assets exceeding six hundred thousand yuan was mostly a businessman who had suddenly become wealthy after the reform and opening up, or someone involved in illegal activities like antique smuggling.

“Dad, it really is my mother’s inheritance,” Fu Juechuan said quietly, a faint trace of guilt in his eyes.

He had originally intended to tell Commander Ye about his background.

But… while preparing the betrothal gifts…

He had just made a call home, only to be met by his father in the capital, who reproached him and urged him to quickly return and meet the woman he had chosen.

His father had never been patient enough to talk things through.

He hung up immediately.

He knew he could not break his agreement with his father: no one in the military district must know he was the son of a high-ranking officer.

Otherwise, his father would interfere in his personal affairs.

“Dad, my uncle went to Harbor City and started a company there,” Fu Juechuan said after a long pause, revealing a name, “My uncle’s name is Zhong Wen.”