Mismatched Hearts: The Substitute Groom's Tale

Chapter 5: High Above

After Mrs. Hua's words, the faces of the senior members of the Xie family turned sour.

But what use was harsh language now that things had come to this pass?

The Hua couple left the hotel in a huff of anger and dissatisfaction.

"Zedong," the elder Mr. Xie said coldly.

"Father."

"No matter what it takes, bring that beast back to me. I want him alive or his body to be seen."

With these harsh words, the elder Mr. Xie left with a flick of his sleeve.

One hour later,

Inside the presidential suite of a seven-star hotel,

Xie Zedong, also known as Xie Dongyang, stumbled out of the room, fully dressed.

The female celebrity was nowhere to be seen, perhaps fearing media encirclement.

"Dongyang, you've caused a huge mess this time," Xie Zedong said, worry evident in his gaze.

The Xie family had two sons and a daughter. The eldest, Xie Zedong, was obedient, currently the vice president of the company, having worked by his father's side for years.

His wife, a college classmate with Canadian nationality of Chinese descent, had settled back in the country with him and they had a daughter.

But the younger, Xie Dongyang, had always been the black sheep, the proverbial prodigal son of the affluent circles.

His reputation was tainted even during his school days, rumored to have harassed female teachers, a truly deplorable record.

Old Mr. Xie had thought marrying him off might settle him down, but instead, he had stirred up even greater trouble.

As for Xie Dongyang, his cunning was unparalleled; the setup with his celebrity mistress was far from flawless.

In the end, he was just dissatisfied with the bride his family had arranged, deliberately causing a scene.

This incident not only embarrassed both the Xie and Hua families but also dragged the Jiang family into the fray, truly heating things up.

Hearing his brother's words, Xie Dongyang scoffed, "Big brother, it's not like you've only just met me. Have I ever caused small troubles?"

"You still have the nerve to say... Wait until we get home and see how father deals with you. A perfectly good marriage, and you've ruined it, leaving Miss Hua from the Hua family alone on the wedding stage. How humiliating for her, a young woman... You really dug her grave."

"Hey? Don't speak like that, big brother. I've seen the news too... That woman is no easy mark. I heard she saved face on the spot by finding a substitute groom, and her choice was excellent, wasn't it? Jiang Liuyun, right?"

"You still have the nerve to speak, isn't this all the trouble you caused?" Xie Zedong was helpless, thinking, if not for his troublesome younger brother, would Jiang Liuyun have been dragged into this?

Actually, the subsequent matters between Miss Hua of the Hua family and Jiang Liuyun were still unknown to the Xie family.

After all, that was something Jiang Liuyun and Miss Hua had discussed privately and had not yet officially announced.

They would probably be shocked again when they found out.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me for making this match? But I am surprised... This time, Jiang Liuyun, in front of so many people, with my bride, kissing and swearing oaths, let's see how he ends this, heh?"

Xie Dongyang and Jiang Liuyun had always been at odds, for a simple reason.

Because Xie Zedong always praised others in his presence, which bred a sense of resistance in him.

Now, hearing that Jiang Liuyun was cleaning up his mess, he was actually looking forward to seeing what would happen next, almost delighting in Jiang's misfortune.

Before Xie Zedong could respond, Xie Dongyang added, "Isn't Jiang Liuyun always acting high and mighty? This time, I'd like to see how he can still stand so tall."

Xie Dongyang's cancellation of the marriage was premeditated; after all, the Hua family was not as prestigious as the Xie family, so naturally, they were looked down upon.

But unexpectedly, this also dragged Jiang Liuyun into the mix, an unintended boon for him.

It felt as if the thing Xie Dongyang discarded, Jiang Liuyun picked up. In one word, exhilarating.

Xie Zedong saw through his brother's intentions but didn't say much, simply following their father's orders to bring him back. That night, Xie Dongyang endured a harsh lashing. Elder Mr. Xie was truly furious, lashing out mercilessly.

It was only Mrs. Xie's pleading that finally made him stop.

"You unfilial son, I should just beat you to death," Elder Mr. Xie gasped, holding the whip.

Xie Dongyang, biting his teeth in silent defiance, didn’t utter a sound. "Then do it, it'll save me from bothering you."

Xie Dongyang, having spent a few years in his aunt's home in Longcheng during his childhood, occasionally spoke with a Beijing accent, which only infuriated those around him even more.

"Can't you speak less and not infuriate your father to death?" Mrs. Xie, also angry, hit Xie Dongyang on the shoulder, though not with much force. She was too fond of her younger son to truly hurt him.

"Mom, this isn't my fault. You and dad decide my engagement without even asking me, setting up the banquet and inviting guests without my knowledge. I don’t even know whether Miss Hua is round or flat-faced. Are we still living in the old society? Everything decided by parents, especially dad, living like it's still the Qing dynasty. Am I a giant infant without a brain, incapable of dating, needing you to choose for me? Who is getting married here, me or you?"

Xie Dongyang’s mouth, always unforgiving, didn’t hold back his barrage of complaints.

Elder Mr. Xie grew even angrier, raising the whip again, but after one strike, he felt dizzy and collapsed onto the sofa behind him.

"Father!" Xie Zedong rushed to assist.

"How are you, dear?" Mrs. Xie also hurried over.

"Look, can't even talk without raising the blood pressure... It's like there are no human rights here," Xie Dongyang continued his rant.

"Shut up, Dongyang, father's health is poor... If you disagreed with the marriage, you should have spoken earlier. Why cause such a scene? Now both our family and the Huas lose face; you're clearly in the wrong. Wouldn't it have been better to just apologize to dad, instead of being so defiant?" Xie Zedong reproached his brother.

Xie Dongyang bowed his head, saying no more. After all, he had already suffered the lashing, and this marriage was obviously doomed.

Meanwhile, at the Jiang family estate,

The Jiang parents and Jiang Liuyun sat in their luxurious living room, silent.

Hua Sheng, changing into her clothes, descended from the upstairs.

She wore a pale red, long cheongsam, a modernized version that merged contemporary beauty with classical charm.

She wore a pair of simple pearl earrings, of excellent quality.

Her hair was neatly arranged, contrasting with her youthful face.

Hua Sheng, only 22, was indeed young for marriage.

Under everyone's gaze, she gracefully walked down the stairs and approached the elder Jiangs, bowing slightly, "Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang."

"You got it wrong, should be changing the term now," Jiang Liuyun reminded with a hint of amusement. Hua Sheng, with her head lowered, blushed slightly...