Chapter 47 Is This Right?

With a burst of laughter, Tian Miao failed to hold it in and snorted with amusement.

She quickly covered her dainty mouth and waved her hands repeatedly, signaling the two of them to continue and ignore her.

Liu Yuting drew in a sharp breath.

Li Qi's demeanor today was off, and things seemed far more difficult than she had anticipated.

However, it was fine. She knew she was pretty. Ever since she was a child, countless boys had slipped her love letters, pens, notebooks, erasers, popsicles, twisted crullers, Xiao Taoqi hard candies, Huluwa soft candies, Dada bubble gums, and elastic chocolates...

She had countless simps, and Li Qi had always been the cream of the crop among them.

She would not fail.

Therefore, her tone turned plaintive and pitiful.

"Li Qi, you've changed. Do you not like me anymore?

Have you really not understood my feelings for you over the past five years?

I'm a girl, and I get shy. How was I supposed to know whether you were a good person or a bad one?

I was only testing you."

Li Qi habitually chimed in,

"Aside from the Party and the people, no one is qualified to test me.

A broken pot has its matching broken lid, and a broken person has their matching lover.

If you find me unappealing, it just means I'm not your cup of tea!"

"Well said, beautifully said."

Tian Miao couldn't help but applaud Li Qi mentally. The way he threw those snappy lines was so invigorating!

Liu Yuting's emotions were sent into complete disarray by the two of them.

What was happening here? Was she just a part of their little game?

Going by her usual temperament, she would have already turned on her heel and left, waiting for Li Qi to figure things out before coming back to coax her.

She would have made him suffer for a full week before deigning to speak to him again.

Yet now, she was the one asking him for a favor.

So she had to swallow her pride, forcibly suppress the rising anger in her chest, and continue in a soft, gentle voice,

"Li Qi, look at you, saying those things again.

I know you have resentment in your heart, blaming me for not treating you well enough these past few years.

Heaven and earth as my witness, I, Liu Yuting, can swear to the heavens today: in my heart, you are the most special one."

Li Qi shook his head.

"Burning newspapers at a grave—are you trying to fool the ghosts?

I'm the most special one in your heart? Special because I know how to simp?

Giving without expecting anything in return is why I earned a spot in your heart?

Just spell it out: what on earth do you want?

I'm in a hurry to go home for dinner, and I don't have the time to stand here and talk nonsense with you."

Tian Miao frowned slightly. Li Qi's language was truly a bit too crude. What would happen if he talked like this when meeting her father in the future?

On second thought, when her father scolded the soldiers under his command, his language was even coarser than Li Qi's.

Never mind, then. This guy is so handsome.

Tian Miao was completely transformed into a devoted fangirl.

Seeing that Li Qi was getting further and further off track, Liu Yuting realized she wouldn't achieve her goals today by acting coy and pathetic. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, she blurted out,

"Li Qi, you've pursued me for five years, and I know your feelings. Let's get married!"

As soon as these words left her mouth, not only was Li Qi dumbfounded, but even Tian Miao was startled.

Back in those years, although the legal marriage age was twenty-two for men and twenty for women, in the vast rural areas, it was nothing new for two families to negotiate bride price gifts, host wedding banquets, and have two eighteen-year-olds live together.

It was the sort of affair where "the officials do not prosecute unless the victims complain."

Still, Liu Yuting wanted to marry him?

No matter how one looked at it, this was like a weasel wishing a happy New Year to a chicken—with no good intentions.

Therefore, Li Qi's face did not show the ecstatic joy Liu Yuting had anticipated. Instead, he shook his head.

"Did you take the wrong medicine today, or are you possessed by a ghost?

Why the sudden urge to get married?

I haven't even brushed my teeth yet..."

Liu Yuting immediately took action, grabbing Li Qi's arm.

Li Qi's rugged body gave a slight shudder. Liu Yuting's hand felt bonelessly soft, and she still carried that familiar fragrance.

Had this happened a week ago, if Liu Yuting had pressed herself against him like this, he probably would have lost control right then and there...

At this moment, however, having returned from rebirth and having whispered sweet nothings with a woman of Tian Miao's caliber, his immunity was already higher than an eight-story building.

Thus, he resolutely took a step back.

This movement nearly caused him to bump right into the embrace of Tian Miao, who had been keeping a slight distance to watch the show.

This time, however, Tian Miao did not step back. Instead, she furrowed her brows tightly.

Initially, she had assumed this little woman Liu Yuting was just a bittersweet childhood memory or a childhood sweetheart from Li Qi's past.

She hadn't taken her seriously at all.

She believed that with her own charm, capturing a naive fledgling like Li Qi would be a matter of minutes.

Since this man had barged into her life in such an overbearing manner, she had no intention of letting him leave.

Yet now, Liu Yuting's sudden mention of marriage felt like an attempt to poach her man!

Tian Miao could not possibly allow such a thing to happen, so her aura quietly shifted.

Liu Yuting remained completely oblivious. Li Qi's repeated refusal to dance to her tune had already worn out her patience.

Furthermore, she was internally berating herself: was she being a bit too proactive?

After all, forced pursuits never yield sweet fruit; perhaps lowering her attitude had provoked an adverse reaction in Li Qi?

Hence, her expression shifted slightly, and her tone slowly regained its usual arrogance.

"Li Qi, are you even a man?

I see that you like me, and your family background is simple, making you someone I can rely on.

That's why I want to marry you.

Do you have any other objections?

The neighbors in the alley have all witnessed the two of us together over the years—do you intend to become a heartless cad?"

The soft flesh around Li Qi's waist was pinched hard by Tian Miao from behind, who gave it a sharp twist.

Deep down, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This was truly an unprovoked grievance. For the past five years, Liu Yuting had kept him hanging without offering a single benefit; how on earth had he become a heartless cad?

He spread his hands in resignation.

"My family is dirt poor right now, and we're also facing a mountain of debt. Have you thought this through? Do you really want to marry me?"

Liu Yuting instantly pulled a long face.

"Li Qi, how did you turn out like this?

Spouting lies with a straight face, completely shameless.

Didn't the mine just send ten thousand yuan to your family a few days ago?

I'm not asking for much—just give me a bride price of 8,888 yuan, and I will marry you.

You don't need to feel pressured; I'll leave the rest of the money for your family. We won't need to prepare a house, a bicycle, a flashlight, or any of the major three appliances.

If your family finds it troublesome, we can even skip the wedding banquet for now.

I've taken a liking to you as a person, and I'm willing to live my life with you."

Upon hearing this, Li Qi understood everything in an instant.

Since they weren't old enough to obtain a marriage certificate, with no banquet and no cohabitation, this bitch was clearly treating him as a sucker and wanted to scam a sum of money before running off.

He shook his head like a rattle-drum.

"That money belongs to the mine and was given to my family; my dad has other plans for it.

Besides, who asks for a bride price of 8,888 yuan nowadays? Even 800 yuan is considered a huge sum.

Why are you asking for so much? Are you edged in gold or something?"

The soft flesh on his waist was pinched again. Tian Miao felt that Li Qi's speech was too vulgar, yet she didn't find it annoying at all; instead, she thought it rather amusing.

Perhaps this was what love was like—even a fart from the person you loved smelled sweet...

A look of poignant sorrow appeared on Liu Yuting's face.

"Li Qi, it's not like you don't know my family situation. My mother is never home, running around all day yet unable to make any money.

My dad drinks and plays mahjong all day long, ignoring me entirely.

Whenever he gets drunk, all he knows how to do is beat people.

I don't want to stay in that house for even another minute.

I know 8,888 is a bit much, but am I asking for the money?

What I want is an expression of your attitude; I just want to secure some peace of mind for myself.

To let me leave the bitter days of the past, and give me hope to keep living.

Is there really something wrong with that?"

Li Qi looked at her in utter bewilderment.

"Your life is hard, and you get beaten by your dad—those are all your personal matters.

What did I do wrong?

Did your life turn out this miserable only after you met me?

Why on earth should I take my family's money to heal your trauma?"

Liu Yuting looked at Li Qi with eyes full of pity.

"Because you love me. And isn't love supposed to be about giving?"