Wang Qiqi sat below the stage watching the wedding ceremony, genuinely wanting to blurt out that it was entirely too cliché. In her opinion, no matter how well a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony was executed, it was just a massive hassle for the newlyweds. And for the guests seated around the tables, staring at a spread they couldn't touch, it was a significant burden. If they started eating, it seemed impolite, but if they waited, it was already almost seven o'clock, and everyone was starving.

Wang Qiqi watched the groom’s father, Han Jun's father-in-law, clutching his script, standing on stage, constantly talking, constantly dabbing his eyes to feign excitement, and ceaselessly thanking every guest present. Wang Qiqi shook her head and whispered into Han Tao’s ear, "It's such a waste that he isn't going into politics." It was just the customary address from the parents of the couple—a few simple words would suffice. But he was treating it like an annual corporate review or some major policy address. Wang Qiqi glanced around and noticed that at some tables, guests had already started eating and drinking without waiting for the speaker to finish. She looked back at the food on her own table and could only sigh softly. At this moment, she regretted it—why did she have to sit in such a prime viewing location? If they had moved back just a little, Wang Qiqi guaranteed she would have already started digging in.

"Just bear with it a bit longer," Han Tao said, equally speechless at the man still holding forth on stage. "How about you grab a bite now?"

Wang Qiqi stifled a yawn and covered her mouth with her hand. "Forget it, I’ll wait. That would be too awkward. If I just hold out a little longer, it’ll be over." Wang Qiqi thought that the moment she picked up her chopsticks, a murderous glare would surely fly her way. Forget it; there was no need to let some old battle-axe ruin her appetite over a little food.

"Thank you all for coming to my daughter's wedding today. Now, please, eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves." Ding Meina’s father finally uttered the words everyone had been waiting for.

Luo Hongjuan watched her nephew’s wedding with deep emotion. It wasn’t for any other reason, but at least both sets of parents were present, and the scene on stage looked grand. When her own son and daughter-in-law married, Luo Hongjuan felt the proceedings had been rather desolate by comparison.

"Hongjuan, look how lively Junjun’s wedding is, both sets of parents here..." Old Mrs. Han was quite pleased with her grandson’s wedding. The event was vibrant, and the venue looked upscale. She noticed Luo Hongjuan’s expression while watching the stage wasn't good and quickly deduced the reason.

Wang Qiqi hadn't noticed Luo Hongjuan's distress until she heard the old woman speak. Turning to look at her mother-in-law, she flared up. "Having both parents present is wonderful, but does that mean children without both parents shouldn't marry? Besides, not every wedding needs to be like this; they could have chosen a garden buffet or just eloped on a trip." Hmph. Since the mother-in-law hadn't given much in the way of a red envelope, and she had no intention of returning any gift money later, Wang Qiqi felt treating them to such a fine meal was an absolute waste of money. She’d rather use the funds for a vacation.

"Hmph, how can a Chinese person not have a lively wedding?" Old Mrs. Han snorted several times, clearly displeased. "Taotao, if you are still my grandson, you absolutely must have a lively wedding. Look how festive your cousin's wedding was." Old Mrs. Han had received many compliments today, and naturally, she wanted to replicate the atmosphere.

A lively wedding? Han Tao looked at the scene—it was lively, but the question was, did he need such grandeur? "Who knows about the future? Besides, Qiqi and I plan to develop our careers in the States. Once work gets busy, who will have time to come back to China to hold a wedding?"

"If you don't have time to prepare, you can have your brother prepare it; you're close cousins." Old Mrs. Han thought this way they could gain a good reputation, and moreover, the more lavish the wedding arrangements, the more opportunities there were to fuss over details—the thought made her quite happy.

"Han Jun and I are only cousins, and we rarely see each other. If I were to plan a wedding, there’s no need to bother Han Jun," Han Tao felt weary just thinking about it. This old woman’s mind hadn't cleared up at all after yesterday’s incident, still trying to drag Han Jun into his affairs. "Besides, I am marrying into her family. Qiqi’s relatives will help handle the arrangements; there's no need to trouble the Han family."

The moment Han Tao spoke those words, the relatives at the same table erupted. They exchanged glances, knowing that marrying into the bride's family meant abandoning the Han surname, and any children born would not carry the Han name. Old Mrs. Han had assumed her grandson’s words yesterday were just an outburst of anger, but she hadn't expected him to stick to this tune today. She was displeased. "How does my marrying into her family involve your aunt? I told my mother long ago that I intended to join the Wang family." Han Tao wouldn't mention what Xue Hong had said to prompt his decision to marry out. "Besides, haven't you long worried that my mother would remarry and change the Han surname? I think you made peace long ago with the idea that I or my children wouldn't be surnamed Han. Why get so agitated now? Regardless of whether the child takes the Han name or the Wang name, they are still my children."

Old Mrs. Han couldn't tell if Han Tao was being sincere or not, but she certainly couldn't reveal the threats Xue Hong had made to Han Tao over the phone in front of so many relatives. If she did that, her younger daughter-in-law would lose all face. If she couldn't handle the younger daughter-in-law, surely she could handle the elder one?

Old Mrs. Han turned to Luo Hongjuan, who was passing vegetables to her daughter-in-law, and said unhappily, "Hongjuan, why didn't you mention such a big decision to me?"

Mention it? Luo Hongjuan thought she had only learned the news yesterday herself! But she wouldn't say that. "In your heart, Mom, isn't Junjun the only grandson you have? As long as he marries and enters the Han family line, that’s fine. As for Han Tao, my only expectation for him is to be happy. As for what our future grandchildren are named, I don't care, as long as they call me Grandma." Hmph. Since her son detested the Han surname so much, why should she provoke him into unhappiness? "Mom, eat more. You need to keep your strength up; in a few months, you'll be a great-grandmother. You need to be there to watch him grow up and get married."

"Exactly, Grandma. You shouldn't worry so much about the younger generation's affairs. You just need to quietly await the birth of your great-grandchild now," Han Tao, unwilling to argue with certain people, interjected simply. "Besides, it’s just a surname. You already came to terms with it long ago, thinking I would change my surname. Now, there's no need to get so worked up."

Han Tao had effectively silenced Old Mrs. Han. What else could she say? She had said those things, based on her biased reasoning. What grounds did she have today to insist Han Tao shouldn't marry out? According to the young man, if he wasn't allowed to marry out, the Han family should give him what was rightfully his—a request Old Mrs. Han couldn't fulfill, simply because she had already transferred the house belonging to Han Tao to her younger grandson. "I don't mean to worry; I was just thinking of how hard your mother worked her whole life..."

Hearing his grandmother bring up his mother, Han Tao's face darkened. "I know my mother suffered, and I know why she suffered. But it's alright; as her son, I will certainly take good care of her. I believe heaven will surely bring retribution upon those who were unkind to my mother; they won't have an easy time. After all, what people do, heaven watches." How dare she mention how hard his mother worked in the past now? Had the old woman forgotten that one of the reasons for her suffering was her? "Grandma, don't you agree? Rest assured, I will treat my mother well, and I will remember everyone who was good to my family."

Old Mrs. Han looked at her grandson, as assertive as he was yesterday, and shut her mouth. She was genuinely afraid that if she continued talking, her mind might give out. She switched topics to the bride's family's standing with the relatives beside her, focusing heavily on how fortunate her granddaughter-in-law was: both parents alive, the family owned a company, a house as part of the dowry, and they planned to buy a car once the child was born. The surrounding relatives were more interested in the veiled conversation between the grandmother and grandson. The ambiguity suggested some hidden secrets, but after a few rounds of verbal sparring, they backed off, feeling helpless. However, they wouldn't let Old Mrs. Han off the hook entirely. They were convinced something major had transpired earlier; otherwise, the conversation at the table wouldn't have been so guarded. But that was fine; they knew the content of their discussion wasn't impossible to uncover elsewhere, so they followed her lead as she changed the subject.

Han Tao didn't care about Old Mrs. Han's provocations. He focused intently on eating. "Mom, this dish is excellent. Qiqi, you like this dish." In Han Tao’s view, since he was paying for the meal, he should eat his fill to recoup at least half the cost. As for Grandma mentioning Ding Meina's good fortune, Han Tao inwardly hoped that the grandson she held in such high regard wouldn't do anything foolish that might upset a certain elderly person. However, judging by the Ding family's attitude today, Han Tao suspected they weren't pushovers. Even though they provided a house as a dowry, it was purchased before the marriage. According to Qiqi's interpretation, as long as they had a notarization done, it was Ding Meina's pre-marital asset, having nothing to do with Han Jun. What was the old Han family gloating about?

Wang Qiqi treated everything Old Mrs. Han said as mere nonsense; hmph, whether she liked it or not wasn't even on her list of concerns. "You eat more too. You need to work hard and earn money. Once we're in the States, your hard work will be what supports Mom and my future happiness." Wang Qiqi knew that Old Mrs. Han’s displeasure stemmed from her belief that Wang Qiqi was hoarding Han Tao’s earnings, but so what?

Han Tao simply smiled at Wang Qiqi's words. He knew full well that what Qiqi said was said in anger. Many people who didn't understand the situation might think Qiqi had married well, but he knew Qiqi earned quite a substantial income herself; she would live comfortably even without him.