Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: Disappeared to Avoid an Arranged Marriage?

“No, I have to go out.” Shen Sisi put down her bowl and decisively handed Niuniu over to Zhao Shilan. “Aunt, could you please feed Niuniu?”

Niuniu was chewing on braised pork when she was suddenly passed to her great-aunt. She widened her big eyes, seeing her mother so flustered for the first time.

Shen Sisi stood up, wrapped a red scarf around her neck, and was about to leave.

Chen Jianguo slammed down his chopsticks in anger, nearly hitting her. “It’s noon, and you won’t even eat your meal. Where are you going?”

Startled, her heart pounded wildly, but she didn’t hide anything. “I’m going to look for him.”

Those words seemed to strike a nerve. Chen Jianguo’s face darkened instantly. “You’re not going! You’ve already been dumped, and I’ve been played for a fool. Isn’t that shameful enough?”

Listening to his hysterical roar, Shen Sisi showed no sign of retreat. “No, Senior Gu isn’t that kind of person.”

Without caring about her uncle’s expression, she opened the iron gate and slipped out, her mind racing to recall exactly where Gu Chengfeng’s aunt’s house was.

She vaguely remembered it was in the county party committee’s residential compound but wasn’t sure which building.

Anxious, her pace quickened involuntarily.

Before she could leave the yard, a firm grip caught her.

Chen Jianguo, scowling, caught up and grabbed her arm. “Come back with me, do you hear?”

Summoning all her strength, Shen Sisi struggled desperately to break free from his rough hand. “I’m not going back!”

Chen Jianguo’s expression twisted into a snarl, but he lowered his voice. “Shen Sisi, don’t make me lay a hand on you here…”

“Go ahead, try it if you dare!” she retorted, lifting her chin defiantly, fearless and even a bit arrogant.

For a moment, he was stunned, then his fury exploded.

Rebellious, utterly rebellious!

“I’ll hit you if I have to. I’m your elder; it’s only right I teach you a lesson…” He raised his arm skillfully and angrily struck out.

Shen Sisi spun swiftly, perfectly evading his blow.

Chen Jianguo lost control, lunging at empty air and falling flat on his face.

“Uncle, you really think I’m just going to stand here and be your punching bag?”

She dusted off the sleeve he had grabbed.

Ignoring him, she was eager to leave once things settled.

Chen Jianguo lay sprawled, dizzy from the fall.

Seeing neighbors gathering to watch, he clutched his chest and wailed dramatically, “No justice… my niece’s hitting her uncle in the street—someone’s going to die…”

Shen Sisi froze momentarily, then realized he was faking it.

His cry drew a crowd, and they started blaming Shen Sisi, blocking her way.

“Younger ones hitting their elders like that—aren’t you afraid of divine punishment?”

Shen Sisi, furious, pinched her thigh hard to steady herself and said calmly, “Uncle, you say I hit you—where exactly? Do you have proof?”

Chen Jianguo hesitated, then crowed like a ruffled rooster. “Do I really need proof after what I’ve been through?”

Compared to his frantic anger, Shen Sisi remained remarkably composed.

She glanced around, tears suddenly welling up as her voice choked. “Who doesn’t know you’re fierce? You beat your wife every other day. Why on earth would I dare hit you, let alone knock you down? Who would believe that?”

Those initially indignant were quickly swayed by her few words.

“Yeah, everyone knows Old Chen never loses out—he’s the bully, not the victim.”

“Sisi is skinny as a sheet—how could she take down a big brute like you?”

“Spreading this around is just embarrassing…”

Chen Jianguo cursed bitterly and shot a glare at Shen Sisi.

He had wanted to save face for this girl but ended up losing all dignity.

Angrily, he scrambled to his feet and pointed at Shen Sisi, shouting curses. “Isn’t this all your fault? What kind of lousy man did you find? You promised to bring the betrothal gift before noon—where is he?”

“You didn’t even show your face or send a message before dumping him. How can you shamelessly chase after him…”

“Shen Sisi, you’ve got no shame, but I still have some. My daughter Tingting’s about to get engaged—how do you expect her to marry now?”

The onlookers, initially confused by Chen Jianguo’s shameless street act, now understood everything.

Their glances at Shen Sisi were complicated.

Some sympathetic, some pitying, others disdainful or mocking.

“So she ran away from a marriage…”

“Yesterday they were hand in hand in the courtyard; today it’s over.”

“Tsk tsk, I told you—who’d want a secondhand girl like her? And she even asked for a betrothal gift… She’s young and foolish; Old Chen was just dreaming!”

The crowd buzzed, and Shen Sisi’s gaze darkened deeply.

Years of misunderstandings and ridicule had toughened her heart beyond harm.

Yet today, somehow, it ached faintly.

“He wouldn’t run away from the wedding, wouldn’t break his word!”

Shen Sisi muttered dazedly, but her words were drowned by the surrounding noise.

“Don’t be silly, girl. He’s not coming. He probably ran away and is hiding already.”

Still, she wished Gu Chengfeng would regret fleeing.

The thought of him possibly having met with an accident or trapped by some hardship suffocated her.

“No, I have to go see for myself…”

Ignoring everyone’s blockades, Shen Sisi tried to push through.

“Come back…” Chen Jianguo yanked her hair fiercely, about to strike, when a roaring engine approached from afar.

Beep beep!

A piercing horn blared through the compound, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Seizing the moment, Shen Sisi wrenched her ponytail free.

The farce was abruptly interrupted by a vehicle.

Everyone turned to watch a silver truck adorned with red ribbons slowly enter.

Such a vehicle was a rarity in Lin County—there weren’t two like it. Usually, deliveries were made by carts, tricycles, or tractors at best.

This was the first time a small truck had driven into the compound.

The crowd, fascinated, gathered around to peer curiously.

“Whose truck is this?”

Soon, the driver pulled the handbrake and jumped down, addressing the throng, “I’ve come from the provincial capital, specially to deliver the betrothal gifts. Could you tell me which household Chen Jianguo belongs to?”

From the provincial capital and bringing betrothal gifts.

Everyone immediately thought of Chen Jianguo’s prospective son-in-law—Yang Huaidong.

Even Chen Jianguo believed this and wondered why Huaidong suddenly arrived with the gifts.

He quickly straightened his clothes, dusted off the mud, and strutted forward proudly.

He looked as pleased as a peacock fanning its tail.

The crowd quickly surrounded him, praising enviously.

“Look at that, a groom from the provincial capital! Betrothal gifts arriving by truck—there must be plenty!”

Chen Jianguo’s grin stretched ear to ear. “Ah, my Huaidong is thoughtful. A big family really is different…”

“Old Chen, you’re lucky! Your daughter Tingting is really something…”

They lavished compliments on Chen Jianguo and his daughter, their eyes growing even more pitying when glancing at Shen Sisi.

Both were sisters, but Chen Ting was a proper young lady, a star of the cultural troupe with a different standing.

Unlike Shen Sisi—unmarried with a child and abandoned by a man.

How ironic!

Shen Sisi knew exactly what they were thinking but didn’t care.

Just as she planned to slip away, she heard the driver calling her name.

“Comrade Shen Sisi, which one is Comrade Shen Sisi? Please sign here.”