“I’m so happy! Xue’er, say it again! Can you say it once more?” Chang Zhuyou excitedly spun around while holding Fang Xueruo.
Fang Xueruo exclaimed and playfully hit him a couple of times, then clung to him, as if to express her wholehearted reliance on him.
“Xue’er, can you say it again?”
Fang Xueruo’s face turned red, and she turned her head away, “If you didn’t hear it, too bad!”
“I did hear it! How could I not? But I want to hear you say it again!” Chang Zhuyou placed Fang Xueruo on the sofa and knelt in front of her. “Xue’er, you’ve finally agreed to marry me! I’m so happy!” Ever since they got engaged, Chang Zhuyou had been eager to marry. He had proposed several times, but she always refused, saying that she wanted to reach the pinnacle of the entertainment industry before agreeing to marry him.
To fulfill her dream, Chang Zhuyou did everything in his power to pave the way for her success. Just when it seemed she was about to reach the top, everything crumbled in an instant, and everything his Xue’er had worked hard on was destroyed within a year. With public sentiment turned against her, she no longer had a place in the entertainment industry. He desperately wanted to restore her reputation, but he was struggling with his own troubles.
Chang Zhuyou had always been a favored son of heaven and had never been so wronged before. His life, which had always been smooth sailing, started to continuously go wrong in the past two years, and he couldn’t even protect the woman he loved. He hated his helplessness and felt too ashamed to propose again, even fearing that Xue’er would despise his current pathetic state…
But just now, Xue’er proposed to him! Was he dreaming?
“Xue’er, you said it, you agreed to marry me, right?”
Seeing his eagerness, Fang Xueruo couldn’t help but laugh, “Yes, I’ve agreed!”
“We’ll get married right away!” Chang Zhuyou clasped Fang Xueruo’s hand.
Fang Xueruo nodded, but her smile faded as a thought struck her. “But your parents…” she bit her lips, looking downhearted, “With my reputation tarnished, they… they don’t want me as their daughter-in-law…”
“Maybe it’s better if we don’t… I shouldn’t drag you down…” Fang Xueruo tried to smile bravely, “You deserve better.”
“Xue’er, you don’t need to belittle yourself. In my eyes, you are the best,” Chang Zhuyou assured her passionately. “Don’t worry, they’ll come around. My parents have always liked you, haven’t they? They just need some time.”
“With me, you won’t be wronged.” He caressed Fang Xueruo’s belly. “Besides, our child, the future heir of the Chang family, is here. Xue’er, come home with me? My parents will surely treat you well for the sake of the child.”
That’s exactly Fang Xueruo’s plan. She had hoped to use her unborn child to gain acceptance from Chang Zhuyou’s parents. The couple only had one son, Chang Zhuyou; how could they not cherish his child?
She had previously considered taking this route but eventually discarded it. Without proper status and no backing from the Fu family, living in the Chang household would lead to mistreatment. That’s why she sought to live separately. But now she realized that if she stayed close and reminded the couple that she was carrying the next generation of the Chang family, they wouldn’t dare to be too harsh. At most, they might give her a cold shoulder, but they surely wouldn’t mistreat her for the sake of their unborn grandchild.
Unfortunately, she knew from a secret hospital visit that she was expecting a daughter. If only it were a son, it would have been even better.
Fang Xueruo hesitated, “But our relationship…”
Chang Zhuyou suddenly had an idea, “Xue’er, let’s get registered first!”
“Ah?”
“Once our marriage is registered, you’ll be the rightful madam of the Chang family.” Chang Zhuyou thought this was an excellent idea and looked at Fang Xueruo expectantly.
“Can we… can we do that?”
“Yes! It’s just that I feel bad for you,” Chang Zhuyou said with guilt, “I won’t be able to give you a grand wedding immediately…”
Fang Xueruo covered his lips with her hand, gently shaking her head with a shy yet happy smile, “I don’t mind.”
They looked into each other’s eyes, full of affection.
Eventually, the two secretly registered their marriage and Chang Zhuyou promptly brought Fang Xueruo back to the Chang residence, declaring her his lawful wife.
Chang Zhuyou’s parents were furious. They had finally found a well-connected family as their son’s match. While the other party was not as good as the Chang family, they were willing to support the Chang family through their troubles and married their only daughter to Chang Zhuyou. But this unfilial son had sabotaged their plans!
The Chang household was in an uproar. Eventually, Fang Xueruo got her wish and moved into the Chang residence. As the future head of the family, Chang Zhuyou held a lot of influence in the family, and thus the servants didn’t dare mistreat Fang Xueruo. As far as Fang Xueruo was concerned, her life in the Chang residence was quite comfortable.
Of course, Fu Yunruo was unaware of these developments. She saw the Chang Group frequently mentioned in the news and heard rumors about their potential bankruptcy. Initially, she couldn’t believe it. Wasn’t Chang Zhuyou the domineering CEO male lead? With his protagonist aura, how could he go bankrupt?
But the insider news she got from some friends confirmed the rumor wasn’t baseless. There are no permanent friends in the world of business, only permanent interests, and many powerful corporations were currently eyeing the Changs’ assets, ready to capitalize on their downfall. Furthermore, the Chang family’s overbearing actions and their unrelenting attitudes had earned them a lot of enemies over the years, who were now coming back to haunt them.
The most damning fact was how a well-funded consortium was now targeting the Chang family from all sides of the market, leaving them completely vulnerable. Onlookers from other influential families were shocked and wary, as no one knew exactly when or how the Changs had provoked such a powerful figure.
Consequently, when the Chang Group fell into trouble, not a single person was willing to risk extending a helping hand. It was a classic case of kicking someone when they’re down.
The bankruptcy of the Chang Group and the subsequent downfall of the Chang family came as expected to many, but the speed of their collapse was a shock. With Chang’s financial chain broken, they were unable to repay their massive debts, and soon were served with a slew of lawsuits… when Chang Zhuyou’s father heard the reports, he collapsed on the spot.
The Chang family was finished. Before the year had even ended, they were forced to declare bankruptcy, and their assets were liquidated to cover the massive debts.
Chang Zhuyou watched as their ancestral home, where they had lived for years, was seized and prepared for auction. The sharp cries and wails around him made his ears ring continuously.
Fang Xueruo had just begun to establish herself in the Chang household when this catastrophe struck. She was stunned, unable to believe it. How could this happen? The Changs were so powerful; how could such a family fall?
Chang Zhuyou’s mother, seeing Fang Xueruo standing in her white dress, dazed, was filled with deep-seated hatred. She lunged at Fang Xueruo, blaming her for the family’s misfortune. “It’s all your fault! You brought disaster to our family! Why did you have to ruin us? It’s all your fault!”
Fang Xueruo instinctively protected her face as the sharp nails came at her.
“You’ve brought our family to ruin; are you happy now? Why don’t you just die, you disaster!”
“It wasn’t me… It wasn’t…” Fang Xueruo tried to dodge, but she couldn’t avoid the onslaught.
Others stood by in panic, watching coldly from the sidelines.
Finally, Chang Zhuyou snapped back to reality and protected Fang Xueruo, pushing his mother away and shouting, “Enough!” The two words showed the veins popping on his neck from the strain.
His mother was stunned, then collapsed on the floor in a heap, crying without caring for her image, “What sin did I commit to deserve this?”
Fang Xueruo leaned against Chang Zhuyou, her mind in turmoil, still feeling like this couldn’t be real. The news of the Chang family’s financial crisis was true… They owed a mountain of debts, and even selling all their assets might not be enough to cover them… And she… she had voluntarily jumped into this fire pit…
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Fang Xueruo’s abdomen, and she realized she was soaked below. Clutching her belly, she cried out in agony, “It hurts…”
Chang Zhuyou, anxious and panicked, asked, “Xue’er, what’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”
“My stomach…” Fang Xueruo’s face wrinkled in pain.
Chang Zhuyou quickly scooped her up and rushed out, “Hang in there, Xue’er! I’ll take you to the hospital right away!!”
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