CHAPTER 251: CHAPTER 251: SORRY TO PUT YOU THROUGH THIS

But it didn’t affect the pleasant chat between them at all.

The room door suddenly opened, and a female comrade dressed in a red dress and wearing white kitten-heeled sandals walked in.

"Yang Lihua, Qiqiang asked me to come and check first. Are you ready? If you are, I’ll let him come over."

"Deng Jiaxin, you are clearly Lihua’s classmate, why do you insist on siding with Chen Qiqiang?" The female classmate who was talking to Lin Xiang initially frowned in dissatisfaction, and her gaze towards the newcomer was unfriendly.

Deng Jiaxin ignored her, still maintaining an arrogant posture, "Yang Lihua, your hairpin looks quite nice, huh? Let me wear it."

Yang Lihua covered her precious hairpin with her hand, "Deng Jiaxin, what do you want to do!"

"It’s just a hairpin, why so stingy?" Deng Jiaxin pouted, "I’ll go call Qiqiang then."

After speaking, she turned and left.

"Lihua, can you really tolerate this?" The female classmate Zheng Miaoyin exclaimed discontentedly, "Ever since finding out you’re dating Chen Qiqiang, Deng Jiaxin has been hanging around you constantly. Can you really put up with it?"

Deng Jiaxin and Yang Lihua, along with Zheng Miaoyin and two other female classmates, were all classmates.

Back in school, Deng Jiaxin, relying on her father’s position as a village government leader, always looked down on them and never interacted with them. Despite being classmates for years, they hardly exchanged words.

But after the news of Yang Lihua dating Chen Qiqiang spread, Deng Jiaxin surprisingly actively sought out Yang Lihua, insisting she had known Chen Qiqiang for years and wanted to play matchmaker.

"Since you’re dating Chen Qiqiang, what’s it to her? Does she really have special status to flaunt around? I say she just can’t stand you doing well!"

Yang Lihua bit her lip, her eyes slightly downcast, lost in thought.

Lin Xiang sorted out the situation from their conversation.

So, Deng Jiaxin is just a backstabber?

"Lihua, speak up!"

"What can I say?" Yang Lihua frowned, "I’m about to get married. Can I really tear apart our relationship over this?"

Zheng Miaoyin opened her mouth, "Fine, I won’t say anymore, okay?"

Lin Xiang didn’t know what had actually happened between them, so seeing Yang Lihua clearly didn’t want to talk, she didn’t interject either.

Lunch was set for one o’clock, and the Yang family’s courtyard was already bustling with people helping out, chatting lively and filling the air with a unique festivity.

It should be a joyful day, yet because of Deng Jiaxin’s earlier arrival, the atmosphere in the room felt slightly awkward.

"Lihua, let me redo your hair," Lin Xiang proactively broke the silence, "I’ve seen girls in Beijing tying side ponytails paired with diamond hairpins and hair accessories. It looks beautiful."

"Yes, yes, the hair accessories are red too, very appropriate!" Zheng Miaoyin added.

Yang Lihua nodded, moved a chair, and sat in front of Lin Xiang.

Yang Lihua’s hair was a bit dry, and it took Lin Xiang quite a while combing it before it was smooth. Just as she tied the side ponytail, the bedroom door was pushed open from the outside, and the unwelcomed Deng Jiaxin stood at the doorway again.

She raised her chin, looking triumphantly at Yang Lihua, "Qiqiang is here, he wants to see you, come with me."

Lin Xiang frowned, "Today is Lihua’s bridal feast. According to Li Hua Team’s customs, the groom shouldn’t be here, it’s contrary to the tradition."

Whether it was a breach of protocol was secondary; Deng Jiaxin’s tone implied Chen Qiqiang coming to see Yang Lihua was a favor to her.

Lin Xiang understood why Zheng Miaoyin and three others disliked Deng Jiaxin.

This felt wrong.

Yang Lihua also felt uncomfortable, "Well, he’s here, isn’t he? My parents and brother-in-law are in the courtyard, I can’t meet him today."

"Your customs are so outdated!" Deng Jiaxin pouted, "Anyway, I’ve never heard of any pre-wedding rule about not meeting in town. Yang Lihua, do you want to come with me to see Qiqiang or not? If you don’t, he’ll be angry."

Yang Lihua’s face showed a conflicted expression.

She didn’t want to go.

But she was afraid of Chen Qiqiang getting angry too.

Thinking it over, Yang Lihua got up and followed Deng Jiaxin, despite the disapproving looks from Zheng Miaoyin and the three others.

"That Deng Jiaxin clearly just can’t stand Lihua doing well! She’s so stubborn, why go out now?"

Lin Xiang also stood up, "I’ll go take a look."

Previously, Mrs. Yang asked her to find out more about Chen Qiqiang. She asked Secretary Hu and learned that Chen Qiqiang had a decent character and was considered a competent talent in the cotton spinning factory, but the current situation seemed not so good.

Mrs. Yang was entertaining guests in the courtyard when she saw Yang Lihua coming out. She asked in surprise, "Why are you coming out now? Didn’t I say you don’t need to show your face today?"

It’s quite ironic that today is supposed to be Yang Lihua’s bridal feast, yet she was told she didn’t have to show up.

It seemed more like using the guise of hosting her bridal feast as an excuse for a party.

"Mom, Chen Qiqiang is here, he said he wants me to go over for a talk."

"So, Qiqiang is here, he must have something urgent for you, go have a look."

While Yang Lihua was talking to her mom, Lin Xiang came alongside.

She proactively linked arms with Yang Lihua, "I’ll go with you."

Yang Lihua turned to her and gave a smile, but the smile looked a bit bitter.

Not far from Yang’s place, Chen Qiqiang and Deng Jiaxin stood facing each other.

The distance between them couldn’t have been more than an arm’s length.

It’s unclear what Chen Qiqiang said. Deng Jiaxin laughed so hard that she almost hit him playfully with her small pink fist.

Yang Lihua stood still, witnessing this scene, hurriedly turning her back, taking several deep breaths.

Tears still welled in her eyes.

Lin Xiang quietly handed over her handkerchief, and after Yang Lihua wiped her eyes, she asked, "Lihua, is there something you want to confide in me?"

"Pardon the embarrassment," Yang Lihua blurted out, "Chen Qiqiang doesn’t like me at all. His true love is Deng Jiaxin. But Deng Jiaxin’s father holds a high position and looks down on Chen Qiqiang’s ordinary family background, so even though they’ve known each other for years, there’s no chance they could be together."

Chen Qiqiang is the pinnacle of what Yang Lihua’s family can reach.

Yang Lihua is Chen Qiqiang’s fallback after a love he couldn’t have.

Neither had deep affection for each other, but both families approved, and since Yang Lihua felt she was getting older, marrying someone with good conditions was good enough.

However, after getting closer to Chen Qiqiang, she realized he had always loved Deng Jiaxin.