NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: Setting Boundaries
Chapter 45: Setting Boundaries
“But… you can’t… I can’t… You’re already married, but Xiaofei isn’t yet. You two have been brothers since childhood—you can’t do this…” Wang Xu’s voice trembled with panic.
She knew what Lu Yuan was capable of. The young man spent his days idly at home with no serious occupation. If he followed through on his threat, not just this potential match but all future prospects would be ruined. Who knew what other schemes he might be plotting besides this one? His reputation for causing trouble throughout the compound was well-established.
What woman would dare marry into their family after such stories circulated?
Wang Xu hadn’t expected such shamelessness from Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan casually waved the insole in his hand. “I said the same thing myself. Xiaofei and I are brothers—we definitely shouldn’t do this. But when I heard what you said earlier, Auntie… all your praise was reserved for your family at our expense. What was that about?”
“No, no,” Wang Xu hastily backpedaled. “I wasn’t speaking to you. I was chatting with someone else and didn’t realize you had returned. I won’t say such things again—truly, I won’t.”
Lu Yuan tilted his head thoughtfully. “It’s not about whether I’m present or not. The issue is that your perspective is flawed. When two people marry, should they focus solely on money and status? Shouldn’t compatibility matter? What happens when people only consider financial conditions?”
Wang Xu could offer no response. She could only nod along with Lu Yuan’s reasoning.
“Besides,” Lu Yuan continued, “you’ve been claiming my wife was destined to be your daughter-in-law. That’s not right, is it? Liyan merely agreed to a blind date at your house—she never committed to marrying your son. After meeting me, she chose me instead. There’s nothing improper about that. Until she had actually married Wang Xiaofei, she couldn’t rightfully be called your daughter-in-law, could she?”
Wang Xu stood silent, unable to counter his logic and unwilling to try.
“Yes, yes,” she nodded repeatedly. “It’s my fault. It’s my fault.”
Lu Yuan rose to his feet, glancing around at the gathered neighbors. “Auntie, there are many witnesses here now, including the third dean. Please tell everyone: whose wife is Su Liyan? Does she have any connection to your family?”
When trapped, one must yield. Though seething with anger, Wang Xu recognized her predicament. Her son still needed to find a wife!
Finally, she stood and announced that Su Liyan was indeed Lu Yuan’s wife and had no connection to her family.
Fury burned within her as she made this declaration. *Just wait,* she thought bitterly. *We’ll settle this after my son is married!*
The onlookers couldn’t help but smirk at the scene. Wang Xu had long been the compound’s resident troublemaker, whose tantrums gave headaches to all three deans. Now Lu Yuan had effectively silenced her.
Lu Yuan dangled the shoe insole casually. “I’ll be taking this with me. We’re neighbors, after all—we should help each other. You’ve taken plenty of good things from my house before.”
Wang Xu, eager to end the confrontation, nodded repeatedly and confirmed she was giving it to him.
As soon as she said this, a cold system voice echoed in Lu Yuan’s mind:
【BITE】
[Congratulations to the host for successfully taking advantage of the situation, triggering a special multiplier and earning 200 yuan]
[The reward has been distributed to the host system space. Please check it carefully]
Lu Yuan couldn’t suppress a grin. This felt wonderful.
He had tested this system before. The action had to be performed publicly, with the other party willingly giving the item. This triggered the system reward. Stealing or forcibly taking items wouldn’t qualify as “taking advantage”—that would be breaking the law, and the system wouldn’t reward such behavior.
Lu Yuan took the insoles and returned to his beautiful wife. With a smile, he pinched her charming face. “Now everyone knows you’re my wife.”
He had been looking for an opportunity to put Wang Xu in her place, knowing how much her constant comments bothered his wife. This had been the perfect moment to settle everything at once.
Su Liyan embraced Lu Yuan, her voice sweet and tender. “I always have been. For a lifetime.”
Their affectionate display made the third dean, who was waiting for his promised pig’s head, feel almost uncomfortable with its sweetness.
Soon the three of them entered the house. Lu Yuan and the third dean sat in chairs in the living room. Lu Yuan opened a bottle of boxed wine, and they each took a sip. Meanwhile, Su Liyan went to the bedroom, closed the curtains, changed into comfortable house clothes, and brought her things to the kitchen.
“Hmm, Golden River brand?” The third dean examined the bottle with surprise. “This costs five or six yuan. Your father-in-law must be quite wealthy.”
Lu Yuan smiled casually. “When a daughter gets married, who wouldn’t want to celebrate properly?”
The third dean blinked but said nothing more. *Is that what they call “eating dumplings”? That’s real wealth!* But he wasn’t entirely surprised. He knew about Su Liyan’s family history—they had been affluent before her father was executed and their property confiscated. Who could say whether some valuable items had remained hidden during the searches? After years of frugality, spending lavishly for a daughter’s wedding seemed reasonable.
The dean privately thought that Lu Yuan was simply taking advantage of his wife’s family resources.
Soon Su Liyan emerged from the kitchen with sliced pig’s ear and a plate of peanuts for the men to enjoy with their drinks. She appeared slightly nervous—the third dean’s presence suggested her husband had some purpose in mind.
“By the way, Dean San,” Lu Yuan asked as he sampled the food, “where are the best preschool classes in the area?”
The third dean answered without looking up from his plate. “Qing Hai Tang is good. Many teachers from our school work there part-time.”
Lu Yuan nodded seriously, mentally noting to investigate tomorrow.
After another sip of wine, the third dean looked at Lu Yuan curiously. “Why are you asking? Is your wife pregnant? Even so, isn’t it rather early to consider schooling?”
Lu Yuan waved dismissively. “No, my sister-in-law wants to transfer from the countryside to attend school in the city. It’s too late for this year—we’ll have to wait until next spring. I thought she could come to the city for the next six months to acclimate to urban life. But we shouldn’t waste that time, so a preschool class seems appropriate.”
He leaned toward the dean with a smile. “Dean San, I’d pay you extra, of course. When my sister-in-law arrives, she could attend preschool during the day and visit your house for two hours after dinner for additional tutoring. I’ll give you five yuan monthly.”
Time was limited—they had only six months to prepare her properly for school next spring.
The third dean was momentarily stunned. This was an excellent opportunity! Easy money! But still…
“You have money for this?” he asked Lu Yuan directly.
Lu Yuan grinned. “My in-laws do.”
The third dean couldn’t help but curl his lip. “You’ve really got it figured out, haven’t you, kid?”
—
That night in the bedroom, Lu Yuan gasped sharply.
He propped himself up slightly on the bed, looking at Su Liyan with surprise. “Why… why are you so enthusiastic tonight?”
Su Liyan’s face was flushed as she continued her attentions without pausing. Her eyes held a seductive shyness as she whispered, “I want to serve you well in the future. I’ll make sure you feel satisfied every day.”
After these words, she lowered her head again.
Lu Yuan could only stare in confusion. What brought this on?