Xiao Yuan rushed back the day after the marriage proposal.

After returning, he went with the matchmaker to Fengtai Village to meet Si Linna.

In front of the matchmaker, Xiao Yuan gave Si Linna a card.

This card contained more than 287,000, which was all the money Xiao Yuan had saved recently.

It’s not much money; in Xiao Yuan’s mind, no amount spent on marrying Anning would be too much. However, he didn’t have much money now, so giving all this to Si Linna was his way of showing he was giving his all.

Si Linna didn’t care about the amount; she was quite happy to know it was all of Xiao Yuan’s money.

On the way back, Uncle Xiao said to Xiao Yuan, "You’ve given all your money to your wife; how are you going to cover the wedding expenses?"

Xiao Yuan smiled and said, "There’s still time. I’ll find a way to earn more. Besides, you know our place is small. If my grandmother comes to stay, there won’t be enough space. After the wedding, Anning and I plan to live at my sister’s place. Earlier, when my sister returned to the village, Anning also bought a house in Fengtai Village. Though it’s a bit old, it can be livable with some tidying up. We’ll live there first and then renovate when we have time."

Aunt Xiao pulled Uncle Xiao, saying, "That’s not bad. Living apart reduces conflicts. After all, your family does have a lot of people. Your big brother plans to stay in the county. If he marries, he’ll find someone nearby. Plus, with Sanhu and your sister, the more people, the more issues there are. It’s better not to live together."

After Aunt Xiao said that, Uncle Xiao didn’t say anything more.

When they got back, Xiao Yuan shared his thoughts.

Mr. Xiao and Mother Xiao didn’t say much.

Though they felt a bit uneasy, they didn’t stop Xiao Yuan.

They understood that once children grow up and marry, parents can’t control them, just like how young birds eventually leave the nest to fly.

With Xiao Yuan back, many things could get started.

In rural weddings, there are many things to take care of, unlike in the city, where you just book a restaurant and inform relatives and friends.

Here, you need to find someone to choose an auspicious date, then inform the villagers, and also notify the relatives and friends. If they are older, you have to personally inform them.

Then there’s painting and renovating the house, and you need to host a banquet once the date is set.

In the past, the family had to find people to cook and entertain the guests for wedding banquets, which was even more chaotic.

Nowadays, there’s a popular model in rural areas, with small companies specializing in handling the weddings. Once you set the date, you book them in advance. Before the wedding, they bring everything including tables, chairs, pots, and dishes, and set up an outdoor kitchen to cook. Once the guests are entertained, they even clean up, making it easier for the hosts.

Once the date was set, Mr. Xiao specially went to town and booked the banquet with the largest wedding shop there.

Since Xiao Yuan gave his own money for the bride price, Mr. Xiao had more than enough to cover the banquet. He was determined to host a good event; after all these years, the family deserved some recognition, so he booked the best banquet.

While the Xiao family was busy, in the Capital, Anning was scolded by Qu Lan.

She rode with Qu Zhen to the Qu family. As soon as she entered, Qu Lan, wearing a stern expression, looked at Anning: "Come in quickly and tell me what’s going on with your mom. You decided to cut ties just like that?"

Anning knew for sure that Mrs. Yan had called Qu Lan to complain.

She smiled as she entered and sat down: "Uncle, what did my mom tell you?"

Qu Lan glared at Anning, "What could she say? She said you don’t even care about your parents anymore, that you’re cutting ties with them for some poor boy."

Listening to that, Anning laughed even more: "So you believed my mom? Don’t you know what kind of person she is? Over the years, haven’t you been disappointed by the things she’s done?"

Sighing, Anning continued, "When my mom married my dad, he was also a poor boy. Grandpa didn’t say anything, so why can’t I follow my heart to find a boyfriend?"

Her question left Qu Lan at a loss for words.

"Tell me, what’s really happening?"

In a soft voice, Anning said, "Uncle, I’m not some naive little girl. I’m not naive. I’ve considered everything about Xiao Yuan and me, both the good and the bad. I’m prepared for the worst-case scenario, and that’s why we decided to be together..."

She narrated to Qu Lan how she made money by investing her pocket money in stocks and futures over the years, then bought her own house: "Uncle, I’m capable of living the life I want, but my parents never consider me. They only see their own interests and expect me to sacrifice everything for the Yan family. Before, my mom insisted I break up with Xiao Yuan and get with Li Hai instead. I didn’t want to, and she wouldn’t stop."

Anning told Qu Lan how Mrs. Yan kept pressuring her, making her so unwilling that she developed a second personality. After knowing about it, Mrs. Yan, for her own interests, even hired a psychologist to try to erase the main personality entirely.

Qu Lan, furious, said, "You... why didn’t you call me back then? Such a big thing, and you didn’t say a word."

Anning, with her head down and tears in her eyes, replied, "I was afraid you’d be angry, so I didn’t tell you. I really couldn’t stay in that house any longer. If I stayed, I would’ve died of disgust."

She then mentioned how Yan Anhua and Shi Ye collaborated to forcefully marry Si Linna.

"Uncle, he’s my biological brother. For him to pull such a deed, doesn’t he have any morals? And Little Nan, that kid, even though my sister-in-law is his biological mother, in front of the whole family, he persuaded her to endure it, saying things like it’s no loss, the fat stays within the family. When he can say things like that, he’s rotten to the core. I was truly heartbroken back then. If I stayed any longer, I wouldn’t even know how I’d die."

With that, Anning covered her face and burst into tears.

Qu Lan was truly both angry and heartbroken.

Angry at the Yan family’s complete mess, heartbroken for the grievances Anning suffered.

Qu Zhen and Aunt Qu, listening on the side, were utterly stunned. They both felt it was like watching a messy soap opera, so extreme.

Aunt Qu, also feeling sorry for Anning, went over to gently comfort her, "Don’t cry, it’s alright. Your uncle isn’t mad at you, he’s just worried because you didn’t tell him about cutting ties with your family. He’s genuinely concerned about you."

"I know."

Anning, wiping her tears, nodded, "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have told you all these things. It’s not like it’s something to be proud of."

Qu Lan sighed, patting her head just like when she was a child, "If anything happens in the future, remember to tell your uncle. Don’t hide it from us."

"Okay."

Anning nodded, "Now I’m living with my sister-in-law. I don’t call her sister-in-law anymore; I call her sister. She’s my real sister."

Qu Lan knew what kind of person Si Linna was and felt at ease, for she was truly a good person with a great character.

"Living with your sister makes us feel relieved too."

He then asked Anning, "Do you and your sister have enough money? I have some here..."

Anning quickly replied, "We have enough, more than enough. My sister and I are not unproductive. We’ve both saved money over the years. My sister bought a house in Hai City, and it’s enough for us to live on. Besides, my sister now lives in the countryside, where we don’t spend much money."

Then, she cautiously mentioned her marriage with Xiao Yuan.

Qu Lan was too exhausted to be angry anymore.

"Call us when you’ve set the wedding date. Your aunt and I will definitely come to support you."

"Okay."

Anning agreed obediently.