"Let's go, we're going home right now!" Upon stepping out, Tang Yanran immediately pulled Zhang Zhili back home.
Song Siming's mind raced, and he promptly instructed the bodyguard, "Go, take my car from the parking lot and give it to Mr. Zhang!" The bodyguard hesitated for a moment. It was the brand-new Rolls-Royce that had just arrived today, and it was his first time driving to the airport to pick up Song Siming.
The bodyguard hurriedly chased after, but couldn't find Zhang Zhili's figure, and could only return empty-handed. Song Siming was about to get angry when Li Jiang smiled and said, "You'll see them again next time!"
Although Tang Yanran's car was hit, it was only superficial damage and didn't affect its ability to drive. "Get in!" Tang Yanran didn't hesitate to push Zhang Zhili into the car after retrieving it.
As the car sped away, Tang Yanran couldn't help but glance at Zhang Zhili from the corner of her eye. The current Zhang Zhili seemed very unfamiliar to her.
Or rather, Zhang Zhili had always been a stranger to her.
When Zhang Zhili was brought to the Tang family, he was a mentally ill patient. The information Tang Yanran knew about Zhang Zhili was only a few sparse sentences, nothing extraordinary. He was a senior college student who, just before graduating, experienced a sudden change in his family. His parents were killed by roaming robbers during a home invasion. Overnight, he lost both parents and fell into mental illness.
During their three years of marriage, Tang Yanran had mostly treated Zhang Zhili as a fool to take care of. But now, the fool had transformed into a confident and composed young man. Watching him protect her, watching him speak confidently in front of the wealthy Song Siming and the skilled doctors, the complex emotions that arose from this contrast couldn't be explained in just one or two sentences.
In no time, the car stopped in front of a well-known local restaurant. Tang Yanran quickly touched up her makeup in the car, adding a touch of charm to her already delicate features. Zhang Zhili looked a bit entranced; she was truly a beauty!
"Is Uncle's birthday banquet crowded?" Zhang Zhili suddenly asked.
Tang Yanran pursed her lips. "It's not a full birthday celebration, so not too many people were invited. If you don't want to go, you don't have to."
Zhang Zhili chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Are you afraid I'll embarrass you?"
"No!" Tang Yanran's face changed slightly, but she didn't explain further. "Our marriage, I know you were forced into it. If you want a divorce, I agree!"
Zhang Zhili thought for a moment and said, "Although I have no complaints about you, and you're beautiful, willing to marry me for your father's promise and take care of me for three years, a woman like you can't be found even if you light a lantern. But I won't force you."
Tang Yanran got out of the car with a cold face and walked straight to the restaurant door.
Zhang Zhili couldn't understand what this meant. Tang Yanran didn't leave either; she stood at the entrance of the restaurant, clearly waiting for Zhang Zhili.
Women's hearts are truly hard to understand!
Zhang Zhili got out of the car with a wry smile and followed her inside.
They were led to a large private room on the second floor, where two large round tables were filled with relatives and friends.
Father-in-law Tang Dapeng and mother-in-law Zhang Yuehong were seated at one of the tables. Zhang Yuehong's expression turned visibly unpleasant upon seeing Zhang Zhili.
Tang Yanran went around introducing Zhang Zhili to the elders. Zhang Zhili didn't know any of these relatives, so he could only mimic their actions, looking somewhat foolish. The relatives at the table showed mocking looks and were indifferent to Zhang Zhili.
Tang Dapeng smiled and waved, indicating for Zhang Zhili to sit beside him. Tang Yanran also sat beside her mother, Zhang Yuehong.
The main guests at this table were Uncle and Aunt, originally meant to be the protagonists of today's celebration, but the one toasting and enjoying the limelight was their son-in-law, Han Feihu.
Han Feihu, around thirty years old, had a very affluent appearance, and his mannerisms showed he was a man of the business world.
"Thank you all for attending my father-in-law's birthday banquet. Let me drink first!" Han Feihu said as he raised his glass and downed it, looking very hearty.
"Han Ge, you're doing big business now. If you have the opportunity, please take care of us more!" someone said.
"Yeah, I heard that you did a project before that was with the Song family, the richest family. Doing business with them means even a bit of profit leaking from the Song family's fingertips is enough for us to live on for several lifetimes!"
"When you become successful in the future, don't forget us poor relatives!"
"Heh, I'm just a construction worker, earning some hard-earned money. You're all flattering me too much!" Han Feihu said, although his eyes couldn't hide his satisfaction.
Most of the people present were working-class, except for Han Feihu and Tang Dapeng, who was considered a businessman. However, the Tang family was in the business of medicinal herb cultivation, and Tang Dapeng was generous. Moreover, he was in business with his father and brothers, so the profit he received was not comparable to that of big businessmen.
Everyone continued to flatter Han Feihu.
Even Uncle and Aunt joined in the lively atmosphere, and Aunt, in particular, was very excited. After getting married, she and Zhang Yuehong had always had a poor relationship.
Before, Zhang Yuehong used to boast about how her daughter married into a wealthy family and taunted her, but now she ended up marrying someone with a mental illness. On the contrary, her daughter and son-in-law had both the people and the money. Aunt gloated provocatively with her eyes.
Zhang Yuehong was so angry that her face turned green. She lowered her voice and complained to Tang Yanran, "She can really talk big. She only took on a landscaping project for the Song family's property. Forget about being the richest, even the project manager probably hasn't met her a few times. She dares to brag like this, isn't she afraid of tripping over her tongue when the wind blows hard?"
Tang Yanran touched her forehead, feeling a headache, and didn't respond. Tang Dapeng served Zhang Zhili several pieces of braised pork. Zhang Zhili ate the dishes one after another.
Seeing the performance of the three people in the family, Zhang Yuehong became even more angry, especially when she looked at Zhang Zhili, the more she looked, the more displeased she became.
Han Feihu was making a name for himself. If Zhang Zhili couldn't even make progress, even if his mental illness was cured, it would be enough for their whole family to burn incense. This gap made her feel sour like she had eaten a lemon.
Aunt Liu Xuefeng saw Zhang Yuehong's unnaturalness and looked smug. "Sis, your Zhili is such a trouble! He can't find a job, and no one dares to hire him! But Feihu is in construction and doesn't mind. Should we let him work for Feihu? Otherwise, it's also a problem for you to support him!"
"Mom, I'm not trying to undermine your face, but this won't do. Nowadays, our construction sites are also strict, and we can't hire sick people! Han Feihu smiled apologetically.
"Oh, you can't even work as a laborer!" Liu Xuefeng elongated her tone, with a strange tone.
Tang Yanran, seeing Zhang Zhili being humiliated like this, frowned and said, "Zhili's illness has already been cured."
Cured?
The people present were dubious, and some still doubted Tang Yanran's tough words. Zhang Zhili didn't say much, just smiled.
Tang Dapeng didn't take it seriously either, and joked, "Then today is really a good day. Big brother's birthday, and my son-in-law's illness is cured!"
"Come on, let's all have a drink to celebrate!"
Zhang Yuehong was so angry that she gritted her teeth. Tang Dapeng always liked to gloss over things.
Han Feihu smirked and said, "With the illness cured, it's even more necessary to work! Men have the responsibility to support their families, right, Zhili?"
Zhang Zhili nodded perfunctorily.
"We're brothers-in-law, and I'll help if I can! Brother, now that you're cured, being a laborer or something isn't suitable anymore."
"I have a construction site in northern Myanmar that needs a manager. Brother, would you like to consider it? You can earn up to 500,000 a year!" Han Feihu said arrogantly, with a look that suggested he was promoting him because they were relatives.
Tang Dapeng frowned, but before he could speak, Zhang Zhili squinted and smiled. "I heard it's quite chaotic over there, and many high-paying jobs are just baiting people over to abduct them. Brother-in-law, you're not trying to bring me over to sell me, are you?"