The air suddenly grew still.
At the office entrance, Sister Qin and a few gossipy colleagues exchanged glances, their hands retreating from the candy bag.
Du Dawei was seething inside but forced a smile as he explained, "Yuting and I are getting married soon. We've had a minor misunderstanding recently—she's just throwing a little tantrum."
Sister Qin and the others clearly didn't buy it; their colleague, known for her sweet and obedient nature, was far more credible. They had only taken the candy earlier to share in the celebratory spirit, not because they actually wanted the treats.
Du Dawei grabbed a handful of candies and tried to distribute them, but everyone politely declined.
"I'm getting older—can't have too much sugar," Sister Qin was the first to refuse.
"Ah, I have cavities, so I shouldn't either."
"I don't really like sweets."
Not a single candy left Du Dawei's palm. He inwardly wished he could beat Mu Yuting senseless, but he had to keep up appearances. The bulging veins on his nostrils, however, betrayed his suppressed anger.
Mu Yuting finally finished her work on the computer, saved and closed the document, then strode out of the office to confront this shameless opponent.
At this time, Du Dawei was 27, with a slightly dark complexion, average features, and a neither-fat-nor-thin build—no beer belly yet. He wore a high-end branded down jacket that cost several months of his salary, carried a large bag of brand-name candies, and had his hair meticulously styled, looking every bit the respectable gentleman.
Spending beyond his means to present a polished image had long been Du Dawei's hobby. How else could a short, poor, and unattractive man like him land a beautiful, wealthy girl? Even if such women weren't interested, he refused to "settle" and only aimed upward, searching for the wealthiest only daughter within his reach.
Years in the workforce had taught him the harsh reality: he came from a poor family, had a younger brother, was neither handsome nor healthy (suffering from hepatitis B), and possessed mediocre professional skills—his chances with a "perfect catch" were slim. So, he lowered his standards and set his sights on Mu Yuting, the only daughter of a comfortably well-off family, gentle and naive.
At 25, Mu Yuting had delicate features, fair skin, refined eyebrows and eyes, and long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her red mid-tier brand down jacket complemented her complexion, making her look like a college student—both in appearance and demeanor.
She stood calmly opposite Du Dawei. At 168 cm tall in flat shoes, she was nearly the same height as Du Dawei, who claimed to be 172 cm, and might even have been slightly taller.
"Yuting, I'm here to pick you up after work," Du Dawei said with feigned ease, smiling and winking as if he were just coaxing a sulky girlfriend—his fiancée.
The colleagues, keenly perceptive, tactfully excused themselves, pretending to return to their offices to work while actually hiding nearby to eavesdrop.
Mu Yuting didn't mind them listening; she intended for these colleagues to learn what a fraud Du Dawei was, to prevent this scoundrel from manipulating public opinion and stirring up trouble.
"Du Dawei, we've already broken up. You shouldn't keep harassing me." She knew that in front of their (eavesdropping) audience, she had to assert her stance clearly first.
"Yuting, we've set a wedding date. If there's anything you're unhappy about, just tell me and I'll change, alright? My parents are old and sometimes joke around—don't take it to heart. I apologize on their behalf." Du Dawei put on a sincerely earnest expression.
Sister Qin and the hidden colleagues exchanged knowing looks—so it was the age-old, unsolvable "mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law" problem.
"We've already broken up. Do you think we broke up just because of your parents' 'jokes'? Your parents demanded my family provide two apartments as dowry and even wanted to take my family's property through me, their only daughter. You call that a joke?" Mu Yuting spoke calmly, her expression serene.
How could that be considered a "joke"? It was practically leeching off the entire family of an only daughter! So greedy! Sister Qin couldn't help but shake her head. No wonder even a well-behaved girl like A-Ting would get angry.
"My parents are elderly and didn't get much education. They just don't know how to express themselves properly. They didn't mean any harm."
"If they didn't mean any harm, how could they come up with such a detailed plan? Then the one with ill intentions must be you. It's you who wants to scheme for my family's property."
"I'm a college graduate, with a bachelor's degree. My mindset is on a completely different level from theirs. Don't worry, I would never covet your family's property..." Du Dawei tried to defend himself but was immediately cut off.
"Really? How can you prove it? Empty words mean nothing." Mu Yuting deliberately provoked him.
"Then how do you want me to prove it?" Du Dawei felt a headache coming on. After just a few days apart, the well-behaved girl had suddenly turned into a prickly opponent, not so easy to fool anymore.
"I'll propose three things. If you can accomplish all of them, I'll consider it a sign of sincerity."
After a moment's hesitation, Du Dawei gritted his teeth and said, "As long as they're not unreasonable or impossible demands, fine." Before marriage, he could promise anything he wanted. It wouldn't be too late to go back on his word after they were married and had children. As long as he had the child as his "get-out-of-jail-free card," wouldn't the woman be at his mercy!
"The first thing: we go to the hospital together for a health check, get the reports on the spot, and exchange them right there."
Du Dawei's eyes flickered uneasily. Could she have found out about his infectious disease? Otherwise, why would she keep bringing up a health check? How did the news about his illness leak? His family had always kept it tightly under wraps, afraid it would ruin his career and marriage prospects.
"The second thing: sign a prenuptial agreement and have it notarized. List all potential issues and conflicts, along with solutions for each, in black and white. Everything will be executed according to the agreement. The prenup will include a premarital property agreement."
Du Dawei tightened his grip on the bag of candy, his eyes unconsciously turning fierce. Who taught her about prenuptial agreements? Could it be that bitch of a best friend of hers! Damn it! If they notarize a premarital property agreement, there'd be no way to get his hands on her money. What would be the point of getting married then!
"Once you've done the first two things, I'll tell you the third." Mu Yuting's attitude remained gentle, her speech unhurried. She still seemed like the well-behaved girl, but in reality, she was ice-calm, each condition hitting right where it hurt.
Du Dawei fell silent.
Sister Qin and a few other colleagues were also stunned, whispering among themselves.
"I never thought A-Ting, who always seemed so well-behaved, would be so sharp."
"Maybe her elders advised her. Marriage is like a woman's second birth. The first one you can't choose, but the second one is your own decision. You have to be extremely careful."
"Being alert and smart is better than being foolish and getting tricked," Sister Qin sighed.
The colleagues hid by the wall, murmuring amongst themselves. Mu Yuting didn't catch the specifics, nor did she care. All she could do was state the facts and clear up the rumors. As for what others thought or said, she couldn't control it, and she couldn't be bothered to try.
"Haven't you made up your mind yet? Are these two tasks really so difficult?" Mu Yuting glanced at her phone and said, "There are only ten minutes left before I clock out."
Du Dawei, provoked by her indifferent attitude, blurted out what had been weighing on his mind: "You're just looking down on me because I'm poor, making excuses to give me a hard time!"
"You call this giving you a hard time?"Does being poor justify acting entitled and comfortably encroaching on others' property?"
Comments
Post a Comment