8 Chapter 8 : The Old Songs’ Regrets

As expected from the old Song Yingpei, he indeed has the devil's ears. He managed to get the scoop so fast about Hongqi visited Xiulan's office today. He was beaming with joy. His smile was so wide that it attracted unwanted hateful attention. Someone suddenly threw some soil at his face.

He's currently in the garden with his wife, Song Qingge. Helping her cut out some weeds and plow the garden soil from the flower bed when his wife suddenly threw some soil on his face and he doesn't know why.

"Hey! Why did you do that?" he angrily asked and wiped away the soil from his face.

His wife frowned at him and sighed.

"Remove that grin on your mouth! Are you really sure you want Xiulan to marry that man? You were so angry a few days ago about the bad comments against our child and now you are smiling. It's really a good thing no one exposed her name but you have to remember that all of this happened because she's involved with that man. For god's sake he's also dating an actress! Why you didn't know about that!? Do you still want to pursue it?!" Song Qingge said a lot and angrily scolded Yingpei. She has been trying to understand the situation and her final verdict was to cancel the wedding.

Everything was not right! She didn't have any idea that Hongqi was in a public relationship with Gong Yuming. Out of all the actresses why does it have to be that harlot! She knew that actress since her friends would always talk about that girl in a very bad light.

Some of her friends' daughters were either a model or a budding actress. Most of the popular advertisers were getting Yuming due to her privilege as fastest and hottest A-list celebrity. Her friends' daughters were now left with scrapes and cheap ads because of her. They all thought that she was doing some magic work behind the scenes.

Now that she knew Hongqi was dating that woman, she suddenly changed her view on Hongqi.

As she remembered, he was dating the glamorous and intelligent Wang Cuifen before. She knew that they broke up and Hongqi became a bachelor. But she never thought that they have broken up because of Gong Yuming. It was such a major turn off for her!She only knew all of these a few days ago when Yuming's fans attacked her daughter.

At first she was indeed fine with Hongqi as Xiulan's future husband. The Songs and the Xings were good pals during their younger years. Both families have businesses that were involved together.

Qingge also thought that Xing Hongqi was quite a dashing man and very respectable. But all of that faded when Gong Yuming entered the picture. She shuddered by just thinking about it. She doesn't want to let her daughter get lump up with those two.

"Cancel the wedding immediately!"Qingge exclaimed when she saw her husband getting all quiet.

"Darling… we can't do that. Hongqi is the best for our daughter." Yingpei muttered. "Didn't you like him as well for our dear Xiulan?" He added.

Actually, he wanted to cancel everything but agreeing to a dumb proposal about that billion worth penalty made everything complicated. He wished that he could turn back the time and never agreed to anything Hongqi said. He also wished he never pestered Hongqi for two years. What a waste. He could have pestered somebody else.

There were a lot of bachelors that are good in business. Why did he never think about it two years ago? All he could think of that time was to pass their company to someone great in business management and Hongqi was the perfect man to do that. The Xings has a good relationship with the Songs and Yingpei thought it was a win-win situation.

But looking at the mess he saw a few days ago, he felt like it sucks to be him right now.

His wife angrily stands up and threw the trowel at the flower bed with such force. His wife suddenly pointed her finger at him and with a disgustful expression on her face.

"You! Are you really hearing yourself?! Our cinnamon roll daughter will be wed to a man who has a relationship with the likes of Gong Yuming! A high class harlot!" Qingge angrily declared. She was so frustrated. How can her she let her pure daughter be with someone who's dating a cheap woman! So disgusting!

"Hey. Don't say such slandering stuff like that. As much as I want to cancel everything, we really can't my darling." Yingpei calmly said. He's about to say something trivial so he must calm his wife first.

Yingpei held his wife's hands and brushed his thumb at the back of her hand to comfort her.

"Please explain why we can't cancel it." Qingge seriously looked at her husband. Her eyes were like a tiger's and the way she looks at him, it's like she's ready to claw him if he says something stupid.

Yingpei sweated. How can he reveal everything when his wife is ready to hit him with anything her hands can hold of? It's good that most of the gardening tools are a few inches away from them.

"I… I uh…" Yingpei stuttered. He doesn't know how to confess such pitiful news to her.

"Spill it! Damn it!" Qingge was getting impatient.

"Its… it's about…" Yingpei was hesitant tosay it.

Qingge went to get the trowel and was ready to hit Yingpei if he still didn't talk yet.

"Ah wife, please not the face! We can't cancel because we have to pay Hongqi a wooping five billion yuan if we try to cancel the wedding. I'm so sorry your husband is such an idiot. I was just really desperate for a good son-in-law. He was the best out there, right?" Yingpei revealed and gave an unsure smile towards his wife.

Qingge was left dumbstruck with the information she got from her husband. She suddenly thought why she married an idiot, or why her husband became an idiot. For pete's sake was it because they were old that her husband's brain became a turnip and can't think straight anymore?

"You! You what!?" Qingge exclaimed and she screeched like she heard the most obnoxious thing in her whole life. There was a monetary involved and not just some petty amount but billions! She was ready to hit her husband.

Yingpei quickly dashed away from his wife and ran inside the mansion.

"You come back here! Ahhh! I can't believe you sold off our daughter like that! Imbecile! I'm going to castrate you!" she cried while she angrily followed her husband inside the mansion.

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After a few days, the old Songs immediately called their youngest daughter, Xiulan, for an emergency meeting. Qingge must let her daughter know how stupid her father was. Xiulan must know that she'll be marrying a scammer, Qingge thought.

No, Hongqi was not actually a scammer but his proposal was the greatest scam ever and Qingge never thought her husband would fall for such tricks. She really can't help but curse her husband.

"I'm pretty sure you're bewildered by this sudden meeting, my dear." Qingge calmly said while elegantly slicing the meat on her plate.

They were having lunch in the garden. The weather was great and the flowers were blooming beautifully. The mood supposed to be good but Qingge can't help but have a sour mood because of her husband.

"I didn't know there was a meeting. I thought this was a usual lunch time." Xiulan innocently said.

Qingge can't help but let her sour mood get worst. Her pure, innocent daughter will be marrying a beast. Her beautiful, angelic daughter. Qingge cried in her heart.

"Xiulan… I'm pretty sure you knew that Hongqi has a woman named Gong Yuming right?" Qingge sharply said and snapped out of her self-loathing.

"Uh… yes mother. Is our wedding cancelled?" Xiulan said and there was a hint of happiness in her tone.

Qingge sensed that happiness in her tone and she suddenly felt bad for her daughter. Her daughter also doesn't want this marriage. As expected from her Xiulan, she was indeed smart. She has common sense. But even though she was smart, they still can't cancel this wedding. Qingge's sour mood has multiplied.

"No… we wanted to cancel it but we can't dear. Really unfortunate." Qingge said and discernibly looked at her husband to urge him to speak.

Yingpei felt his wife's tormenting gaze. He cleared his throat before revealing the sad truth to his innocent daughter.

"Xiulan, listen." Yingpei commenced. Xiulan seriously looked at her father and paid attention to whatever he will say. She already has a hint that he will say something depressing and she was indeed right.

"Your wedding with Hongqi must continue. I have done something pathetic and stupid. We can't cancel since me and Hongqi agreed I will pay him five billion yuan if we cancel the wedding. If your marriage ended in a divorce then we will pay him twenty billion yuan. I know it's the most stupid thing to agree on but he will be a big help to our company." Yingpei explained. He sweated a lot while talking so he wiped his forehead. He even tried to say something good about this proposal but his wife suddenly kicked his foot and gave him an expression that he should shut up now and let their daughter talk.

Xiulan was calm while listening to her father. Like what she expected, he said something dumb and depressing. She also thought that her father was indeed aging backwards. His decision making was getting rusty. She suddenly felt bad for her dad. He should be resting but no one in their family would even want to succeed him.

"Dad… I understand that you are very desperate to find a successor. Hongqi is indeed the best man for that position." Xiulan faintly smiled at her father. "I will accept this marriage but in the name of business only. I will be someone who will take care of him until our last breath. But please don't expect me to give him a child or consummate this marriage. Who knows if he has a disease or what. I also would like to stay away from his personal dramas. I notice that he's really popular like a celebrity. I don't want any of his limelight." Xiulan calmly said while looking straight at her parents' eyes. She was serious with her declaration.

"Dear… " Qingge wanted to say something but she was speechless. She never thought that her daughter will accept this so calmly and lightly. She knew her daughter was aloof and cool but to this extent to be this calm in this kind of situation? She suddenly wants to worship her own daughter.

"Mom… if ever me and Hongqi accidentally consummate our marriage. Please always remind me that I'm stupid." She said to her mother and smiled at her. Xiulan wants her mother to calm down.

Her mother snorted. "I will, my dear." Qingge smiled at her daughter. She wanted to say more but she doesn't know what to say.

"Xiulan, I'm deeply sorry I put you in this situation. You know how much I love you and I wanted the best for you. But this time I miserably failed. I won't ask for forgiveness. I will try hard to fix this and protect you. We can actually pay for the penalty but it is not the right time to withdraw a huge amount of money. I'm really sorry." Yingpei deeply apologized to his daughter.

"It's fine, dad. Don't stress. After my wedding, I want you and mom to take it easy. Since we have Hongqi succeeding the company, let him do all the work." Xiulan endearingly said but there was a tinge of coldness when she mentioned Hongqi. "I will be fine. I promise you." She charmingly smiled and gave assurance to her parents that she will be okay.

Xiulan thought that marrying Hongqi will end all the complication of the damned situation. She thought of herself as a sacrificial lamb. It will only take one person to balance everything and it will be her.

She will do everything to make this marriage work and last until they are seniors. She will take care of Hongqi like a dutiful wife but she will never give her heart to him. He can have all the women except her.