Chapter 20: Forced Marriage Visit
Liu Siyan must have already spoken to the driver, otherwise the driver wouldn't ignore someone bringing a stranger onboard.
The car went from the school gate to the city expressway, before turning into a road that even Ye Xiaofan didn't know the name of. This area was full of mansions, all small estate villas.
As the car entered the small estate, Ye Xiaofan couldn't help but be full of emotion. He had originally thought Liu Siyan's family was wealthy, but didn't expect them to be rich to this extent.
A neatly manicured, lush green lawn, a swimming pool larger than the one at his home, and various exotic flowers and plants surrounded the center of the estate where a towering three-story mansion stood.
Ye Xiaofan was utterly stunned.
"Your home is really big. Whoever marries you wouldn't have to strive for a lifetime," Ye Xiaofan exclaimed as he got off the car.
"Is that also what you think?" Liu Siyan's beautiful eyes flashed as she asked softly.
"Eh, I have this issue. Even if I remain single forever, I won't live off anyone. It's a matter of principle."
"Then why are you sighing? Let's go." Liu Siyan chuckled charmingly.
Clearly, Xiaofan was willing to accompany her home to perform this act, and she was pleased.
"Why aren't you coming?" Seeing Xiaofan hadn't followed her, Liu Siyan turned back to look: "Don't tell me you're thinking of running away now?"
"I wouldn't run, but I do feel a bit nervous. When I get nervous, I have the urge to pee, you see..." Xiaofan said helplessly. When nature calls, there's really no choice.
"There's a restroom by the garage. Uncle Xu, could you please take him there?"
"Alright, young miss."
"Come quickly, I'm heading up to change clothes first. They'll be here soon, I'll greet my dad first."
"Got it."
With that, Xiaofan got back into the car, following Uncle Xu to drive to the garage area.
"Uncle Xu, you've been driving many years, haven't you? You drive very steadily." Xiaofan wasn't usually talkative, but for the fifty-something man before him who drove with remarkable skill, he couldn't help conversing.
"You've got a good eye, young man. I got my license at eighteen, originally wanted to be a race car driver, but conditions back then were tough. Later, as I got older, I had to drive a cab for a living. When my boss wasn't as successful as now, he'd often call me to pick him up. Now he's a big boss, he invited me to be his driver. Thankfully, thanks to the boss, my two daughters and son graduated university smoothly. My two elder daughters found jobs, while my youngest son is still interning. They all say I shouldn't work anymore, but I'm not someone who abandons those who helped me, plus the work isn't tiring. Honestly, meeting such a good-hearted boss is my fortune."
Uncle Xu was indeed chatty, having found someone to talk, he immediately started sharing a whole heap of things.
"Young man, judging by your looks, you drive too, don't you?" Uncle Xu asked with a smile.
"Yeah, sort of. Last summer, after I turned eighteen, my dad had me get my driver's license, saying if I didn't get into college, I should just drive a cab in the city." Xiaofan openly shared.
"True, driving a cab is tough, but business is good, it can afford a family's living expenses. Hey, turn left ahead to find the restroom."
"Thanks, Uncle Xu."
When Xiaofan came out from the restroom, he saw Uncle Xu muttering and swearing to himself on the side.
"What's wrong?" Xiaofan approached and asked.
"Well, the boss originally had only three cars, but this car should've been brought by guests. Normally, guest cars park at the other side of the garage, but here they've taken up space. Young man, you go on ahead, I have to park the car properly." Uncle Xu said with a slight apology.
"Alright."
Everything seemed normal, nothing particularly odd. Yet, after walking a couple steps, Xiaofan suddenly sensed something wasn't quite right.
Guests? The guests coming to Liu Siyan's house today should be Zhang Qiang and his family, right? Could it be they've already arrived?
Thinking of this, Xiaofan couldn't help but quicken his pace, maybe Liu Siyan was worried about how to handle things now.
Meanwhile, inside the Liu Siyan's villa.
Ye Xiaofan's guess was indeed correct, Zhang Qiang and his grandfather, Zhang Yongchang, had already arrived at Liu Siyan's house.
In the second floor hall, Liu Zhenghua was conversing with Zhang Yongchang, their topics only involving business exchanges.
After Liu Siyan went upstairs, Zhang Yongchang immediately shifted the topic to the main matter.
"Ah, this must be your lovely daughter, huh. Oh my, she's really quite graceful and beautiful. No wonder my grandson is always thinking of her." Zhang Yongchang's words both praised Liu Siyan and brought up his grandson Zhang Qiang's feelings to Liu Zhenghua.
"You chat first, I'll go change clothes." Liu Siyan, coming from a prominent family, knew guests were guests no matter who they were. Having been brought up strictly, she understood proper conduct.
Zhang Qiang's gaze followed Liu Siyan as she went to the third floor, only retracting it after she came back changed.
"Since Siyan's back, I'll be frank. Our visit today must already be known by Mr. Liu — we're here to propose for my grandson to marry her." Zhang Yongchang didn't hesitate to bring up the main subject.
Though Liu Siyan maintained a calm expression, inwardly she felt anxious, surprised they'd come already and hadn't wasted any time on the main topic.
"Yes, Uncle Liu, I like Siyan, hope you can marry her to me." Zhang Qiang promptly continued his grandfather's words.
Though spoken earnestly, there was an underlying forcefulness to the speech.
"Old Mr. Zhang, our Siyan just turned eighteen this year, wouldn't discussing marriage be too soon?" Indeed, Liu Zhenghua didn't express a supportive stance towards this marriage proposal.
"Hey, eighteen is not young anymore. Back in the day, Qiangzi's grandma married me at sixteen." Zhang Yongchang swiftly dismissed this concern.
"But Siyan is going to college, wouldn't this…"
"That's no problem either. We can set the engagement first and arrange the marriage after she graduates, there's no rush."
As expected, Zhang Yongchang was quite the cunning fox, prepared with answers to these excuses.
"But…"
"Refusing repeatedly, is it because you think little of our Qiangzi?"
Not allowing Liu Zhenghua to continue, Zhang Yongchang grabbed the initiative.
"No, no, why would that be the case? You must know, Siyan's mother passed early, and I was constantly busy with business, hardly caring for her. We've never properly discussed marriage matters." Liu Zhenghua, constantly conceding, spoke in a consultative tone.
"Isn't that what we're doing now? Look, if our families unite, it'll greatly benefit Liu's Zhenghua Enterprise. If issues arise, I can support you over there. Furthermore, don't worry about Siyan being mistreated, although our company isn't as big as Zhenghua Enterprise, Qiangzi has enormous potential. When I retire, he might succeed me. With our families uniting, we'd be unmatched in H City."
Indeed, what Zhang Yongchang said was true. Any enterprise would consider an alliance with the Zhang Family an substantial advantage. His presence commands respect.
"Am I not making sense?" Seeing Liu Zhenghua fall silent, Zhang Yongchang pressed further, eager to finalize the matter.
"Yes, yes, it makes sense. I never imagined Old Mr. Zhang placed such high hopes on Qiangzi, it's rare, indeed…" Liu Zhenghua, seeing no option, shifted the topic.
Liu Siyan at this moment felt quite anxious, torn between fearing her father might impulsively agree, internally shouting: Xiaofan, why aren't you here yet?