Chapter 87

On the day Li Zeyu and Li Yanhong held their wedding, many people came; Su Ruo also received an invitation from the battalion commander. Although she didn't like Li Zeyu and Li Yanhong, she still had to give face to the battalion commander.

The villagers said: the battalion commander gave the adjacent courtyard to Li Yanhong and her husband; after they married they lived there, which was equivalent to marrying into the family.

In this day and age, only men from poor families who cannot afford a bride will become a son‑in‑law, so doing so makes many men feel ashamed.

But Li Zeyu had his own calculations in mind, and he didn't care about it at all.

As soon as Su Ruo entered the courtyard, she saw Li Zeyu greeting guests with a beaming smile, while Li Yanhong stood shyly beside him.

Su Ruo watched the slight upturn of Li Yanhong's smile, thinking that in this life she had no such obstacle, and wondering how long Li Yanhong would be happy after finally marrying Li Zeyu as she wished.

Li Zeyu froze for a moment upon seeing Su Ruo, but quickly regained his composure.

Meanwhile, Li Yanhong couldn't hold back, rushing over to confront Su Ruo: "What are you doing here? You're not welcome—get out!"

Li Zeyu quickly stepped forward to grab Li Yanhong: "Yanhong, today is our big day; guests are guests—don't cause a scene."

Li Zeyu truly despised Li Yanhong's shrewish behavior; if it weren't for the slot at the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University, he would never have lowered himself to marry such a barbaric village woman.

From the moment Li Yanhong first saw Su Ruo, she disliked her, feeling that Su Ruo's arrival would steal all her spotlight—and that turned out to be exactly what happened.

Before Su Ruo went down to the countryside, she was the village's most admired girl—pretty, with her father being the battalion commander; who in the village wouldn't envy her?

But ever since Su Ruo went to the countryside, she stole all the limelight; now everyone only knows that Li Family Village has a beautiful village doctor, Su Ruo—who still remembers Li Yanhong?

Li Yanhong looked at Su Ruo's increasingly beautiful face with eyes full of resentment, not understanding why Su Ruo always had to outshine her—even now, at her wedding, Su Ruo had come to overshadow her.

Although Su Ruo hadn't dressed up specially today, even if she did nothing but stand there, she would still draw everyone's gaze; Li Yanhong felt that Su Ruo had deliberately come to steal her spotlight.

Because Li Zeyu blocked her, Li Yanhong grew even angrier, feeling that he favored Su Ruo, and she shouted angrily:

"I never invited her; what right does she have to attend my wedding? She's just deliberately causing trouble—can't you see that?" (Li Yanhong speaking)

After shouting at Li Zeyu, Li Yanhong turned to Su Ruo and said, "Listen to me: from today on, Zeyu is my husband; you'd better stop having any designs on him, or I won't be polite."

Su Ruo looked at Li Yanhong with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot and said, "Which of your eyes saw me interested in Li Zeyu? He's a weakling who can't shoulder a load or lift a thing, earning work points that barely keep himself fed—a useless pretty boy. What's there to like about him?"

"Li Yanhong, you've got a screw loose; stop thinking everyone is like you, treating trash as treasure and believing everyone wants to compete with you—actually, everyone's laughing at your stupidity."

Many people had come to the courtyard for the wedding banquet; upon hearing Su Ruo's words, some couldn't help but burst out laughing.

They felt Su Ruo's words were harsh, but they were completely correct.

Is Li Yanhong crazy? To think Su Ruo would like Li Zeyu—she herself likes pretty boys, but that doesn't mean everyone does!

After all, in the countryside, being good-looking doesn't put food on the table; being able to work and support a family is what's truly practical.

Everyone sighed, saying Li Yanhong had been spoiled by the battalion commander and his wife, and she would have to suffer for it later.

Li Zeyu stared at the scrutinizing gazes of the surrounding villagers, his fingers clenched into fists; he hated Su Ruo for belittling him to worthlessness.

Even more infuriating was that Li Yanhong caused a scene on her wedding day, ruining her own marriage—what good could that do her?

Li Yanhong treasured Li Zeyu like a jewel in her heart; hearing Su Ruo disparage him so much, she couldn't bear it, rushed forward, and was about to fight Su Ruo.

At that moment, the battalion commander heard the noise and came out, scolding: "Enough! It's your wedding day—what are you making a fuss about? If you don't want to marry, then don't."

Upon hearing that, Li Yanhong immediately submitted; she had struggled so long to finally marry Li Zeyu—how could she give up now?

Besides, if she didn't marry Li Zeyu, what would become of the child in her belly? Li Yanhong didn't want to be stigmatized in the future as having a bastard child.

But Li Yanhong had never suffered such humiliation before, especially not on her own wedding day, and she said, feeling utterly wronged:

"Dad, why are you only scolding me? It's clearly Su Ruo's fault—she's jealous that I'm marrying Zeyu and deliberately came today to cause trouble."

The battalion commander painfully closed his eyes, feeling his daughter was beyond help, blaming himself for having spoiled her too much, which turned her into a love‑obsessed fool.

"Su Ruo is the guest I invited; if you have any complaints, take them up with me! Or do you think every woman in the world is after your man?"

"Why did you invite her?" Li Yanhong stared at the battalion commander, her face full of shock, as her father clearly knew how much she disliked Su Ruo yet still let her come to cause trouble.

The battalion commander invited Su Ruo because he valued her background and hoped to use her to connect with Zhou Feng and Wang Liangping.

But how could he say such a thing openly? Moreover, even if he did, his daughter wouldn't understand; she'd only think he was deliberately sabotaging her wedding for personal gain.

The battalion commander, too weary to argue with Li Yanhong, turned to Su Ruo and said, "Sorry, Doctor Su, Yanhong doesn't understand; I'll personally bring her to apologize another day."

The battalion commander lowered his stance to the point of almost putting Su Ruo on equal footing with him; Su Ruo knew he would do this not because of her own merits, but because of Zhou Feng and Wang Liangping behind her.

But since everyone had already said that, Su Ruo didn't press the matter further, for fear of appearing too aggressive.

But before Su Ruo could speak, Li Yanhong flared up beside her: "Dad, are you senile? She insulted me—why are you apologizing to her?"

Li Yanhong simply couldn't understand why her father would be so deferential to Su Ruo, an educated youth.

The battalion commander's blood surged with anger as he pointed at Li Yanhong and shouted, "Shut up!"

Li Yanhong had never seen her father so furious; she was startled into silence, but tears of resentment streamed down her face, quickly ruining her makeup.

Her foundation and blush smeared across her face in a garish mess, looking as ridiculous as a monkey's butt.

She glared at Su Ruo and said, "My wedding is ruined—are you satisfied now?" Then she burst into tears and ran into the house.

Su Ruo was utterly speechless; if Li Yanhong hadn't come over to provoke her, Su Ruo wouldn't have bothered with her at all!

Forget it—what's the point of arguing with a fool?

Su Ruo told the battalion commander, "Since the newlyweds don't welcome me, I won't stay for the banquet—I'm heading back."

The battalion commander also realized that, with things having come to this, letting Su Ruo stay would only embarrass her, so he said ruefully, "She's just a child who doesn't know better—don't take her words to heart."

Su Ruo said on the surface, "It's fine, it's fine…" but inside she couldn't stop thinking, "How old is Li Yanhong that she's still acting like a child, about to become a mother?"

On her way back, Su Ruo's mood was unaffected; Li Yanhong's scene actually saved her a dollar's worth of gift money.

Who thought she'd stay for the communal stew? She went back to enjoy Zhao Di's braised rabbit meat—doesn't that smell great!

Su Ruo thought the matter was over just like that, but she never expected that that night Li Yanhong would actually stir up fetal qi and blame everything on her.