CHAPTER 1348: CHAPTER 1347: WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER ALL ALONG

"Alright, this is the best we can do."

Liu Gaoze thought for a moment, nodded helplessly. Everyone present knew Tang Ming, so directly announcing the engagement seemed appropriate.

At this moment, Tang Ming was standing in the staircase outside the venue, chewing on a toothpick, looking conflicted as if his head was smoking from stress.

"Hey, should I go or not?"

Tang Ming sighed deeply and crouched down, still undecided on what to do.

Although this wasn’t his first engagement, the previous ones with Li Wenxuan, Su Xiaoxi, and even Lin Xue were known to be fake, so he felt no burden at all.

But this time was different. This time it was a genuine engagement, with the marriage agreement as proof. Once the ceremony was publicly held, his marriage with Liu Mengting would be set in stone, with no chance of reversal.

"Wow, I came to break off the engagement, and it turned into fulfilling the marriage agreement; I wanted to investigate my ancestry, and now the mysteries are even more confusing, totally screwed!"

Tang Ming sighed in torment, finally slapping his thigh hard, "Damn it, I’m going all in; not pursuing a beauty would be outrageous, and besides, Liu Mengting is also a beauty, marrying her wouldn’t be a loss."

Having made up his mind, Tang Ming left the stairwell with a look of heroic determination and headed towards the banquet hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please settle down for a moment."

Liu Gaoze stepped onto the stage and knocked on the microphone.

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing, quietly looking at Liu Gaoze.

"Thank you all for finding time in your busy schedules to attend my daughter’s engagement ceremony."

Liu Gaoze smiled lightly and gratefully looked at everyone, then took out the marriage agreement from the sandalwood box: "This is a marriage agreement set shortly after my daughter’s birth. Now the two kids have grown into adults, and as a father, I wish to hold a formal engagement ceremony for them today."

"Congratulations, congratulations."

A group of people immediately offered their greetings with cupped hands.

"Oh no, oh no, what should I do now?"

Chen Cang immediately ran to Liu Mengting and Li Xiaoli, lamenting sadly, "Your fiancé hasn’t shown up, and I can’t use the beauty trap on him. What should I do?"

"Yeah! Tang Ming hasn’t come either, what should I do?"

Liu Mengting also began to worry.

"Oh dear, this was not part of my plan."

Li Xiaoli rubbed her forehead in distress, "Both Tang Ming and your fiancé haven’t shown up, but judging from Uncle Liu’s intention, he seems ready to announce the marriage between Mengmeng and that fiancé according to the agreement."

"What do we do? I don’t even know the name of your fiancé, so even if I want to make an appearance, there’s no opportunity."

Chen Cang shrugged helplessly.

"Quickly think of a way, no matter what don’t let my dad read out that fiancé’s name."

Liu Mengting shouted resolutely.

After a speech, Liu Gaoze opened the marriage agreement, excitedly announcing, "I now formally announce, my daughter Liu Mengting and..."

"Oh dear, my stomach hurts!"

Just as Liu Gaoze was about to announce Tang Ming’s name, Li Xiaoli suddenly held her stomach and let out a scream.

"What’s going on?"

Liu Gaoze was startled and asked concernedly, "Mengting, is Xiaoli alright? Should we take her to the hospital?"

"What’s wrong with Xiaoli?"

Zhou Dafu and others also quickly gathered around.

"Xiaoli suddenly got sick, it seems serious, we need to take her to the hospital immediately."

Liu Mengting supported Li Xiaoli, shouting anxiously, "We’ll talk about the engagement later; I need to take care of Xiaoli."

"Nonsense! Today is your engagement ceremony; how can you leave early?"

Liu Gaoze sharply rebuked, "Someone, quickly take Xiaoli to the hospital for treatment."

Servants of the Liu Family quickly stepped forward to help Li Xiaoli leave.

Li Xiaoli clutched her stomach, and with a look of tragic determination, turned back to Liu Mengting: Mengmeng sister, I’ve tried my best, the rest is up to you.

"Thank you."

Liu Mengting looked at Li Xiaoli gratefully, knowing Li Xiaoli was pretending to be sick to buy time for herself and Tang Ming.

"Continue with the ceremony."

Liu Gaoze cleared his throat, preparing to continue announcing the contents of the marriage agreement.

"What do we do now?"

Liu Mengting anxiously looked at Chen Cang.

"I..."

Chen Cang opened his mouth, then swiftly looked at Zhou Dafu, "Fu Shao, are you having a stomach ache too?"

"Huh? No, I’m not!"

Zhou Dafu looked at Chen Cang, baffled; he felt perfectly fine, why would he suddenly have a stomach ache.

"I say your stomach hurts, so your stomach hurts."

Chen Cang’s face turned cold, and he suddenly kicked Zhou Dafu in the stomach.

"I now announce my daughter Liu Mengting and..."

"Ah!"

Before Liu Gaoze could finish, another scream echoed through the venue, and Zhou Dafu clutched his stomach and knelt on the ground, his head pressed against the floor, in deep pain.

"What’s wrong again?"

Liu Gaoze’s mouth twitched, announcing Liu Mengting and Tang Ming’s marriage was proving more challenging than obtaining scriptures from the Western Heaven, fraught with twists and turns!

"Fu Shao suddenly got sick, must take him to the hospital immediately."

Chen Cang helped Zhou Dafu up, shouting anxiously.

"Damn it, you kicked me; I’m not sick at all."

Zhou Dafu complained, his face pale; completely bewildered by Liu Mengting’s situation, inexplicably kicked, truly feeling wronged.

"In times of emergency, please bear with it for now."

Chen Cang apologized briefly, then directed his men to carry Zhou Dafu out, delaying the ceremony for over ten minutes more.

"This isn’t a solution."

Liu Mengting frowned tightly, holding Chen Cang seeking his next target, "You can’t possibly kick everyone out of the venue?"

"Then what do you suggest?"

Chen Cang became distressed, glaring fiercely at Liu Gaoze, "If I have to, I’ll knock your dad out."

"Don’t be reckless; let me handle it!"

Liu Mengting quickly shook her head. Knocking Liu Gaoze out would be losing face for the Liu Family.

"Are you going to pretend to be sick too?"

Chen Cang questioned in surprise, quickly shook his head, "In the current situation, pretending won’t help; your dad can announce your engagement regardless of your presence."

"I mean I’m going to confront my dad."

Liu Mengting glared at Chen Cang, then with a look of heroic resolve, proceeded to the stage.

"Continue the ceremony."

Liu Gaoze muttered weakly, "I now announce my daughter Liu Mengting and..."

"Dad, I have something to say."

Liu Mengting stepped onto the stage, looking at Liu Gaoze with a determined gaze.

"What do you have to say, can’t you wait until I’ve finished with the marriage agreement?"

Liu Gaoze looked at Liu Mengting with a look of melancholy.

"No, I must speak first."

Liu Mengting stubbornly looked at Liu Gaoze.

"Alright, alright, what do you want to say?"

Liu Gaoze rubbed his forehead helplessly; he had no way to handle Liu Mengting.

"Actually, actually I’ve been with Tang Ming for a long time."

Liu Mengting clenched her teeth and shouted loudly.