Chapter 14 Blocking the Way

Chapter 14: Roadblock

Xie Xinyi hadn’t expected Gu Yu to return so quickly. She paused, then collected herself. “It’s done?”

Her younger sister had mentioned yesterday that transferring the household registration might be difficult, so Xie Xinyi had assumed it would take a long time. She hadn’t even finished arguing, and the two had already completed the task and returned.

She asked softly, leaning slightly toward the man with a smiling, demure expression, clinging to him like a delicate bird.

The man beside her stood tall and straight, with piercing eyes and sharp brows. As Xie Xinyi leaned in, he tilted his head slightly, revealing a strong jawline. The corners of his mouth curved into a gentle smile as he nodded.

They made a perfect pair—a striking couple. Standing together, they not only caught the eye but also moved with natural intimacy.

It seemed this man, clearly not one to be trifled with, was indeed Xie Xinyi’s partner.

She had brought her partner home, transferred the household registration, and was now about to take her mother and younger sister to the provincial capital.

So what exactly had Xu Wenxia and Old Mrs. Xie been making a fuss about earlier?

And they claimed Xie Xinyi had stolen Xie Tingting’s marriage?

This man was clearly from a big city. As Xie Xinyi had said, he surely wasn’t foolish enough to confuse his own fiancée’s name.

Besides, given the Second Xie family’s usual behavior, would they really let such a catch slip away and send their only daughter to the countryside?

The answer was obvious. The truth was clear to the neighbors without needing further explanation.

Xu Wenxia still tried to save face, but her words were quickly drowned out by murmurs from the crowd.

“Why does the color of that car look so familiar? It seems like a military vehicle.”

“A military vehicle? Then the Third Xie family’s daughter’s partner must be…”

Someone from the military?

A few people glanced at the attractive pair, then at the car parked outside the Xie family’s door, and couldn’t help but feel a wave of unease, silently worrying for the Second Xie family.

The Second Xie family, of course, knew better than to confront Gu Yu head-on. The man was famously stubborn in the military, daring to stand up even to division and brigade commanders, let alone minor players like them.

In the past, when Wang Jinzhi and Xu Wenxia went to the Gu family to scrounge, they always made sure Gu Yu wasn’t home, too afraid to face the troublemaker.

Had they known Xie Xinyi was returning with Gu Yu this time, they would never have dared to set foot here.

Wang Jinzhi, sitting on the ground, was shaking with fear, while Xu Wenxia, supporting her, kept her head down, too scared to utter a sound.

The chaotic scene gradually quieted down after the man appeared. Gu Yu, his expression cold, glanced at his wristwatch without even looking at the people inside the house.

“Are the things all packed?”

Noticing him check the time and ask this, Xie Xinyi knew it was time to leave.

She replied softly, “They’re packed,” then turned and went into the inner room to fetch the bags, pulling along her mother, who was still frozen in place. “Let’s go, Mom. It’s time for us to head to the provincial capital.”

Throughout the entire process, she didn’t once glance at Wang Jinzhi, who was sitting on the ground, nor did she pay any attention to Xu Wenxia, who was burying her head in the sand.

She had spoken her harsh words and vented her anger. Now it was time to make a clean break.

She led her mother around the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair on the ground and walked out of the house without looking back. Outside, Gu Yu naturally took the bags from her hands.

The group made their way out through the courtyard. When the neighbors asked where they were going, Xie Xinhuan made no attempt to hide her excitement, proudly saying, “My second brother-in-law came specifically to pick up my mom and me to attend their wedding.”

Her tone was proud, but her attitude remained humble. She accepted the neighbors’ envy and blessings with a smile.

As they reached the edge of the crowd, she couldn’t resist taunting Xie Tingting, who was staring dumbfounded at Gu Yu: “Well, cousin, don’t you think my second brother-in-law is handsome?”

Without waiting for a response from the girl now stamping her foot in anger, she cheerfully linked arms with her second sister and mother and got into the jeep.

The Xie family’s drama was more thrilling than a movie showing at the cinema. The onlookers had had their fill of drama. As Xie Xinyi’s family left, they prepared to disperse, but before they had taken more than a few steps, they heard a sudden exclamation from the Xie family’s courtyard.

“Wait…”

Supported by Xu Wenxia, Wang Jinzhi rubbed her sore backside with one hand while waving the other in the air. Limping, she hurried to the front of the jeep in just a few steps.

Xie Xinyi had just gotten into the car and closed the door. The engine hadn’t even started when a figure suddenly lunged onto the hood.

Wang Jinzhi spread her arms wide, blocking the front of the vehicle, and addressed the four people inside with a condescending tone of authority: “If you’re going to the provincial capital for a wedding, shouldn’t you bring an elder along?”

It didn’t matter that she hadn’t managed to leech off the Third Daughter-in-law’s family or that that wretched girl had made her fall flat on her face. But just now, Xie Xinhuan said the Gu family was here to pick up the mother and daughter to attend the wedding in the provincial capital.

The provincial capital, the Gu family, a wedding—how could such a good thing exclude Wang Jinzhi?

The moment she heard they were going to the provincial capital, she ignored the pain in her backside. She quickly had her second daughter-in-law help her up and rushed to the jeep in a few strides, then spread her arms wide like a bird taking flight, blocking the four’s path.

Did they think they could leave her behind to enjoy themselves? Not a chance.

Wang Jinzhi clung to the hood, still using her status as an elder to pressure them. Xie Xinyi’s mother, sitting in the back seat, immediately frowned. Xie Xinhuan anxiously stuck her head out the window. “Grandma, what are you doing?”

The car couldn’t move, and they couldn’t leave. Seeing this, Wang Jinzhi grew even more emboldened, her tone becoming increasingly brazen. “So you still remember I’m your grandmother? Going to the provincial capital to enjoy the festivities—attending a wedding—and you don’t even invite me? I’m the elder of the Xie family!”

Paying respects to elders during a wedding was a tradition passed down through generations in their area.

Xie Xinyi’s mother was still alive, but everyone knew that if there was an elder in the family, they should be honored.

Now that Xie Xinyi was taking her mother to the provincial capital for the wedding, shouldn’t she, as Xie Xinyi’s grandmother, be taken along as well?

That wretched girl might be stubborn, but even she couldn’t withstand the neighbors' gossip.

And given Li Jiyun’s weak personality, even if her daughter didn’t care about rumors, how could she, who still had to live in Fruit Lane, endure it?

Didn’t she still have a young daughter who hadn’t even been engaged? If word got out that the Third Xie family’s daughter disrespected her elders, Xie Xinyi might be married off, but what about her younger daughter? Could she remain unmarried forever?

Wang Jinzhi knew she had them cornered. Sure enough, after hearing her words, the four opposite her not only frowned but Li Jiyun went pale with fear.

She leaned forward and tugged at her daughter’s sleeve in the front seat, about to suggest that she and her younger sister shouldn’t go to the provincial capital. But before she could speak, her younger daughter, sitting beside her, suddenly sat upright.

“Who says you must bring an elder to a wedding? Besides, the Gu family doesn’t even…”

Xie Xinhuan, fuming, was about to open the car door and get out to argue with Wang Jinzhi, but the moment her hand touched the handle, Xie Xinyi stopped her.

Xie Xinyi hadn’t spoken since Wang Jinzhi threw herself onto the hood. She kept her head down, fidgeting with her nails as if the whole affair had nothing to do with her and whether they could leave or not didn’t matter.

When Xie Xinhuan looked at her in confusion, she shook her head, signaling her not to get out of the car.

Xie Xinhuan’s cheeks puffed with frustration, but in the end, she could only sit back down indignantly.

Wang Jinzhi had long known that Xie Xinyi, like her mother, was always putting others first. She had recognized this trait early on and had easily taken advantage of it, making up a story to snatch the martyr's certificate from the mother and daughter.

Li Jiyun and her mother were no match for her, yet they still dreamed of leaving her behind to enjoy a life of luxury in the provincial capital—as if!

She gave them no chance, lunging onto the hood of the car and threatening, "...If you don’t take me with you, then you’ll have to run this old lady over."

Not caring that the neighbors were watching, she slid down from the hood and plopped down less than a meter in front of the car.

Xie Xinyi had never in her life seen someone make such an outrageous request. She glanced sideways at the visibly impatient man in the driver’s seat and deadpanned, "In that case... maybe we should just run her over?"

Run her over?!

At that, not only Old Mrs. Xie was shocked—even Xie Xinhuan’s jaw dropped.

Wait, was this still her delicate, helpless older sister?

Damn, she’s bold!

Were they really going to run her over...?

She looked at Old Mrs. Xie in disbelief, then at her older sister with equal shock, before placing her last hope on her seemingly level-headed brother-in-law.

Whoa, whoa, whoa—what was her brother-in-law doing? Why was he turning the key?

Huh… why’s the car turning on?

Wait… why’s his foot on the accelerator? And why was his hand on the gearshift?

Hold on… did he just release the handbrake?

As the car roared to life with a low rumble, Xie Xinhuan stared nervously at the calm couple in the front seats, took a deep breath, and slowly closed her eyes.

If we’re going crazy, fine—let’s go crazy together!

Xie Xinhuan shut her eyes tightly, gripped the handrail, let out a scream, prepared to rot in jail, and waited… and waited… and…

Nothing happened!

The gruesome scene she had imagined never came. Instead, when she opened her eyes, all she saw was a figure scurrying around, holding her butt.

"Murder! Murder! Granddaughter murdering her granny!"

Wang Jinzhi had been lying on the ground, legs crossed, plotting how to squeeze money out of them when the brat came begging. But instead of anyone begging, the car started.

The engine’s roar sounded like an omen of doom in her ears, making her heart race and her hair stand on end. And it wasn’t just the noise—after a "clunk," the car lurched forward, startling her so much she shot up from the ground.

They were really trying to run her over!

She never expected the car to start, let alone that they’d dare to attempt murder in front of so many witnesses. Terrified, she scampered away, screaming incessantly, afraid they would actually kill her.

But just as she was scrambling wildly, the car that had seemed intent on hitting her coolly drove right past her and headed straight for the end of the alley.

Wang Jinzhi, who had frightened herself for nothing: "…"

Slapping her thigh in fury, she yelled to the heavens, "That damn girl tricked me again…"

Author's note: