Desperate Pretense At Being Poor

Chapter 86 – Unpredictable Future

To celebrate Old Master Fu’s birthday, the Fu Family made arrangements to hold a birthday party for him.

Although the yearly celebrations held on his previous birthdays were quite ostentatious but this year is his 80th birthday, so it should not be the same as usual.

So after months of discussions, the Fu Family finally decided to hold the birthday party on a luxury cruise ship.

However, no matter what gimmick is used to hold this kind of celebration, in the end, it will always be the same.  It tends to turn into a business meeting between wealthy families where resources are exchanged and current trends are discussed.

Of course, many celebrities in the entertainment industry have made inquiries long before this and used their connections to try and get someone to bring them to the party.  It is as if stepping into this venue is equivalent to stepping into high society.

As the Second Young Master of the Fu Family, Fu Zhihuan had just returned from Jiang City this year and ended his rigid relationship with his family, so he was summoned by Old Master Fu for an intimate chat.  As a result, Fu Zhihuan could not take care of Wen Ruan at this particular time.

However, Wen Ruan did not mind and walked around the banquet hall holding a glass of wine in her hand.  Then she stood behind the group of constantly gossiping sisters to eavesdrop.

Ever since she and Fu Zhihuan got engaged, the stories about her in Tong City had gradually lessened and it was probably due to concern over the power held by the two families.  Up to now, not many people dared to make up stories about them.

Therefore, the group of sisters also naturally shifted their discussion target…….

“Is An Xuyin here as well?”

“Don’t you think this An Family is thick-skinned?  Not long ago, they wanted to snatch Wen Ruan’s man and now they came over so eagerly to attend Old Master Fu’s birthday party.  Are they not afraid others will laugh at them?”

Wen Ruan lowered her eyes, took a sip of the red wine, and made a move to leave.  She looked disinterested and did not seem to be stirred by this matter.

However, at this moment, a female voice with a hint of sarcasm sounded.  “You consider this to be thick-skinned?  There’s something even worse that you’re unaware.’

“What is it?”

“Do you know who the An Family has set their eyes on this time?’

“Who?”

“Xie Yanchi.”

Wen Ruan’s foot slipped and her high heels nearly broke off.

***☆☆☆***

Ten minutes later, when Wen Ruan finally found Xie Yanchi in the crowd, she realized that what those chattering little sparrows mentioned was not a lie.

Xie Yanchi was standing and leaning lazily against the side of the table holding a tall wine glass in his hand.  His index finger was tapping against the wall of the glass and he was slowly twirling the remaining red wine in the glass.

A smile shone in his eyes and he seemed to have an air of laziness around him while he responded perfunctorily to the words of the person opposite him.

Mr. An and An Xuyin were standing in front of Xie Yanchi who was showing a smile that Wen Ruan found very familiar and he was talking nonstop.

Although they were separated by a good distance and Wen Ruan could not hear what they were talking about, she was still able to make a guess.

Rubbing her temples helplessly, she walked towards them.

As she got closer, their conversation gradually became clearer.

“Then when will Xiao Chi have time?  Uncle has always wanted to invite you to dinner.”

“Let me check.”  Xie Yanchi laughed softly, took out his phone, and swiped the screen with his thumb several times.  Then he tsk lightly and leisurely replied.

“It’s a little troublesome, I don’t have time these two days.  Tomorrow, I have to watch a modeling show and then in the evening, I have a dinner date with Shirley and the next morning, I have to play golf with Judy.  It seems only the day after tomorrow……”

Speaking up to this point, he thought for a while and then added.

“No, no…….Lily’s new drama is going to start filming the day after tomorrow and I’ve promised to visit her.”

“……”

Mr. An was silent for a long time and the corners of his lips twitched.

Xie Yanchi seemed to be able to guess what he was about to say, so he straightened up and said in a tone that was lacking in seriousness.

“You should also know that little girls are very difficult to coax.  A promise can’t be broken.”

""

Then he half-squinted his eyes and smiled as he raised his chin towards An Xuyin who was standing at the side.

“Don’t you agree, Miss An?”

Wen Ruan looked at Mr. An’s stiffening expression and the back view of An Xuyin as she was led away.  For a while, she felt a little distressed.

It’s good no matter who you set your sight on but why did you set your sight on this ancestor, Xie Yanchi?

Xie Yanchi tapped the wine glass with his index finger and did not turn his head.  He just raised his voice slightly and said slowly.

“They have left, why are you still watching from behind?”

“……”

She walked up to Xie Yanchi and stood in front of him then poked his shoulder and made fun of him.

“Are you really going on dates with those Shirleys, Judys, and Lilys?  Are you not afraid that Uncle will skin you alive?”

“How can it be?”

Xie Yanchi chose a small individual sofa and sat down.  He nestled on the sofa and laughed.

“It was just an excuse.  The only entertainment I have these days is to get together with Old Zhang and the others to play the game Fight the Landlord.”

""

Of course, Wen Ruan knew that Xie Yanchi was only spouting nonsense and he randomly made up an excuse.  She sighed and sat down in front of him.

“You spoke so casually.  I don’t know how many people heard you and if this spreads out tomorrow, I don’t know how many people will make up a few peach blossom news for you.”

“It doesn’t matter.”  Xie Yanchi straightened up with a lazy smile and placed the wine glass on the table.

“Anyway, my reputation is not worth a lot of money.”

Wen Ruan wisely stopped talking.

“Did you bring that thing with you?”

“Are you not confident about the way I handle things?”  Xie Yanchi said with a smile.  “I’ve already helped you to take out the household registration book last night.  It’s now in my car.  I’ll give it to you after the party is over.”

She felt relieved but then she seemed to remember something and raised her eyebrows.

“I have to remind you that you mustn’t tell my parents about me taking away the household registration book!”

“I know, I know!  Didn’t you use money to shut me up?  Trust is important in business.”   Xie Yanchi nodded perfunctorily and asked casually.  “But why are you hiding this from your parents?  They can’t be any happier, so why would they stop you?”

“……It’s not that they would stop me.”

Wen Ruan knew that if her parents and Fu Zhihuan’s parents get to know about this, there would be a lot of fanfare.

Before this, when the two families gathered for a dinner together, the two pairs of parents who were very particular about rituals had shown great concern over their marriage registration.

For example:

“It’s a serious affair for two people to be able to come together and get a marriage certificate.  It can’t just be taking a photo, stamping the certificate, sealing it and taking it away and then consider the matter done.”

“That’s correct.  I feel we should arrange for a bridal car.  No, it should be a convoy of bridal cars to accompany them until they reach the Civil Affairs Bureau.  Then the red carpet should be laid out and we can arrange for the drones to spin and scatter flower petals.”

Wen Ruan imagined the scene and was mentally tortured.

She was afraid that before she could get her certificate, she would be locked up for causing social disorder.

So after a discussion last night, they decided to stifle the whims of their parents in the cradle and will inform their parents after getting the certificate.

***☆☆☆***

Wen Ruan was sitting and leaning against the bench in the hall of the Civil Affairs Bureau.  While waiting for Fu Zhihuan who was parking the car, she was playing Happy Xiaoxiao* and at the same time, pricked up her ears to eavesdrop on the people around her.

(Happy Xiaoxiao is a mobile game.)

The Civil Affairs Bureau is a magical place where people who are getting married or divorced sit together in rows.

Most of the people who came to divorce could be spotted at a glance.  The couple would be sitting and facing opposite directions like enemies with their arms folded while they would show gloomy expressions as if they would explode at a touch.

“Although this sounds ugly, I must make clear my stance first.  The children will belong to me as they are my family’s descendants.”

“The children belong to you?”

The middle-aged woman sitting at the side suddenly raised her voice, lifted her arm aggressively, and slapped the man.

“You really have the guts to say this kind of words!  We’ve been married for five years but have you ever held a steady job?  Did you raise the children?  What did you use to raise the children?!”

The man felt guilty and at the same time, felt he had lost face.  With a slap on the chair’s armrest, he stood up and reached out his hands to strangle the woman’s neck.

“Don’t be too much!  I spent a lot of money on the betrothal gift when I married you!”

The sound of jeers rose in the hall and immediately a few staff came forward to pacify the couple.  However, looking at the expressions on the faces of the staff, it seemed to be the norm and they were not surprised by the scene.

Wen Ruan sighed and without raising her eyes, she swept her thumb lightly over the phone screen and eliminated the last square.

Although she did not handle a lot of divorce cases, she had been exposed to many related cases.

It is quite common to see a couple in a passionate relationship slowly drifting apart and turning into enemies.

“Oh my God……..Honey, how can there be such a disappointing man?!”

Sitting in front was a couple who looked like they were here to get their marriage certificate.  They looked behind and then the woman softened her voice as she leaned against the man’s shoulder coquettishly.

“Honey, you’re still the best.  You’ve never made me worry.”

The man pinched the woman’s nose dotingly and then said with a smile.

“Of course, I have to give my precious baby a good life.”

Although the words spoken were sweet nothings, at least they looked like a normal couple.

With this thought, Wen Ruan lifted her hand and entered the next level of Happy Xiaoxiao.

However, at this moment, a text message notification sounded.  After a moment of silence, the couple that was acting lovey-dovey just now exploded.

“F**k, you’d better explain who is this ‘little strawberry’!”   The woman who was still calling out ‘honey’ in a sweet tone just a moment ago jumped up abruptly.  “Give me an explanation on what this line ‘do you want to continue tonight’ means?!”

The smile on the man’s face froze and he said uneasily.

“That’s…….that’s just a client.”

“Client?”  The woman sneered and then lifted her hand to fling the phone onto the floor.  The incomparably clear cracking sound made the people around shrink their necks in fright.

“Are you f**king playing with me like a monkey?  You took my money and lied to me saying that it was for investment but you ended up raising a woman outside, is that right?”

The man’s face turned red and he looked around the place.  Perhaps he felt ashamed so he lowered his voice and said.  “Dear, don’t be angry, I’ll explain it to you slowly.”

“Explain your ass!  F**k the marriage!  Men are nothing good!  Let’s meet in court!”

After speaking, the woman left the Civil Affairs Bureau in her high heels, simply and neatly.

“……”

Wen Ruan’s leisurely and carefree mood in playing the mobile game was erased by the series of happenings.  As she watched the young couple leave one after the other, she reached out her hand to rub her chest and was overwhelmed with complicated feelings.

……..Feelings in a relationship are never certain.  One second two people can be like glue sticking to each other and the next second, they can’t wait to scratch the other person’s face.

“Little girl, are you here to get married?’

At this moment, an elderly grandmother who was sitting at the side suddenly started to speak slowly with a smile.

Wen Ruan was stunned for a moment and then nodded.  She hesitated and then asked.

“You are……..”

“I’m here to get a divorce.”  The grandmother laughed and patted her thigh.  “Are you thinking that I am creating trouble by coming here at this old age and it’s embarrassing?”

Wen Ruan shook her head.  “No.”

The old grandmother sighed, leaned her head on the chair, and said in a tone that sounded like she was reminiscing.

“My daughter knows about this and she thinks that both of us are crazy.  But in fact, the feelings in a relationship are the most uncertain.”

“It has been so many years and it’s not that we haven’t shared sweetness.  If we don’t especially desire to be together, how could we have ignored everything and gotten married?  However, over time, the feeling of freshness vanished and the enthusiasm for each other also disappeared.  Only the shortcomings gradually magnified and finally become thorns in the heart.”

Wen Ruan was silent for a while.  Then she chuckled softly, raised her eyes, and asked.

“I understand this too.  I’m just curious……..why are you telling me this?”

The old grandmother squinted her eyes and started to laugh.  A long time later, she straightened up with a hand holding her waist and said emotionally.

“It’s just that looking at you children is like seeing myself when I came with him back then.  I can’t help but want to say a few words of persuasion.”

“Look at that two children who were here just now.   They came to get their certificate on an impulse and in the end, they almost ruined their lives.  So……”

“I like him very much.”

Wen Ruan spoke abruptly and interrupted the old grandmother.  She smiled apologetically and said very seriously.

“Although I can’t predict the ending, I know that when I’m with him, the joy and happiness I feel is genuine.”

“I have no way to predict the future but I know what I should do and I definitely won’t have regrets.”

The grandmother was stunned for a moment.  She opened her mouth but did not say a word.

She lowered her eyes as if she was thinking about something.

Not far away, an old gentleman was walking over to them with a cup of water in his hands.  When he handed the cup of water to the grandmother, his hands were trembling.

“Drink some water.  There’s still a long queue ahead of us.”

The grandmother did not speak.  A long time later, she sighed and said slowly.

“……..Let’s go back.”

After living for decades, in the end, she realized that she was not as good as the little girl who could see everything in life so thoroughly.

“Wen Ruan.”

At this moment, Fu Zhihuan’s voice sounded behind her.

Wen Ruan turned back.  Her eyes lighted up with a smile, her lips raised slightly and she waved.  Then she ran towards him in high spirits.

“Come!”

“Don’t run so fast.”  Fu Zhihuan smiled helplessly.

When Wen Ruan was running toward him, he stretched out his hand to hold her hand and then wrap his arm around her shoulder gently.

""

“Are you not afraid of spraining your leg?”

“It’s only a few steps, how can I be so delicate.”  Wen Ruan said.  “Come, let’s take our wedding photo.”

“Just now, did you meet someone you know?”

Fu Zhihuan asked as he and Wen Ruan walked side by side to the place where wedding photos were taken.

She shook her head and recalled.

“No, but the couple in front of me broke up on the spot just now.  It was very pitiful.”

He chuckled and asked.  “Why?”

“It seems……..because there was a little strawberry in the man’s phone.”

When Wen Ruan said this, she squinted her eyes and her tone sounded a little threatening.

“I seem to remember that you were chatting to a girl with the image of a little pink loli head last night.”

Fu Zhihuan pinched his browbones then lowered his head and laughed.  Then he took out his phone and handed it to Wen Ruan.

“If you’re so curious, why not take a look at it yourself?”

""

She folded her arms.

“I don’t want to look.  The book says that the failure of a relationship between couples starts with looking at the phone.”

Speaking up to here, she paused again and then added in a soft voice.

“But if you beg me, I can reluctantly agree to take a look.”

He laughed and then stopped.  He bent down, gently pulled Wen Ruan’s right hand over, and placed it lightly on the ‘home’ button on his phone.

The screen flashed and the phone was unlocked.

“Huh?”  Wen Ruan was puzzled.  “When was my fingerprint saved in the phone?”

“Some time ago, while feeling bored, I saved it while you were sleeping.”

Fu Zhihuan put the phone in Wen Ruan’s hand and then scratched her nose lightly.

“……Lest you have to make the effort to guess the password when you want to look.”

Wen Ruan countered stubbornly.  “Who wants to look at it?”

Very naturally, he replied in a tone that held a smile.  “Um, I’m begging you to look.”

“……”

Wen Ruan lowered her eyes and looked at the screen of the phone and then her lips curled up slightly.  She could not hold back and burst into laughter.

She shook her head, turned off the screen, and put the phone into Fu Zhihuan’s hand.  Then she stretched her waist and continued to walk.

“Come, let’s take our wedding photo.”

Love is actually a choice with a foreseen ending.

No one knows what the future will hold.

But if the person who shares her future is Fu Zhihuan, she is willing to take a gamble.

Without hesitation……..