Chapter 442 - 246: Mrs. Wen Asks Jiang Sifan for a 300,000 Bride Price, Is Lu Fan Going to Intervene?

Chapter 442: Chapter 246: Mrs. Wen Asks Jiang Sifan for a 300,000 Bride Price, Is Lu Fan Going to Intervene?

Tears immediately welled up in Wen Wan’s eyes.

She shook off Mrs. Wen’s hand and took a step back. "Mom, I’m not going back. If you took their money, you can return it yourself. I’m not going back for a blind date."

"What do you mean, return it yourself? After I raised you all this time, you think you’ve grown up and can do as you please? There’s a family emergency, and you won’t even come home for a visit?" Mrs. Wen’s expression darkened, and her voice grew louder.

Wen Wan’s tears streamed down her face. "Mom, you always do this! ’Family emergency, family emergency’—what emergency? You just want me to go back and get married, don’t you? I won’t do it!"

"What’s wrong with getting married? What else can a woman do? The Liu family is well-off, and they offered a three-hundred-thousand-yuan betrothal gift. You won’t be losing out if you marry him. If you don’t go back, how am I supposed to pay back that three hundred thousand?" Mrs. Wen demanded, her face flushing.

Wen Wan’s tears fell even faster. She wiped them away, her voice choked with sobs. "Mom, how could you do this? I’m still in school! I’m only eighteen, and you’re already in such a hurry to marry me off? You took that three hundred thousand, not me. You figure out how to deal with it."

Mrs. Wen panicked, stepping forward to grab her daughter’s arm. "You’re coming home with me! We have to leave today! I’ve already bought the tickets for this afternoon!"

"I’m not going! Don’t force me!" Wen Wan struggled, pulling her arm free.

The mother and daughter scuffled in the office, and Mrs. Wen’s grip left red marks on Wen Wan’s arm.

Tears streamed down Wen Wan’s face, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to yield.

As Mrs. Wen paused to catch her breath, Wen Wan slipped a hand into her pocket, found her phone, and navigated to Jiang Sifan’s contact.

She quickly typed out a message.

Wen Wan: [Class President, my mom’s here. She wants to take me home. She says she took three hundred thousand from someone. Please come quick!]

After sending it, she clutched her phone, waiting for a reply.

The phone vibrated a moment later.

Jiang Sifan: [Where are you? I’ll be right there.]

Wen Wan: [Third floor of the academic building, in Teacher Bai’s office.]

Jiang Sifan: [Wait for me. Don’t be scared.]

Reading his words, Wen Wan felt a little calmer.

She put her phone away and looked up at Mrs. Wen.

Mrs. Wen stood with her hands on her hips, glaring angrily. Her chest heaved, causing her bright red, padded cotton jacket to puff in and out with each breath.

"Mom, I’m not going back. Just give up," Wen Wan said. Her voice was calm, but her hands were trembling.

Mrs. Wen sneered. "You’re going back whether you want to or not. Today, even if I have to tie you up, I’m putting you on that train."

Jiang Sifan was panting heavily when he arrived.

He had run all the way from his workshop. The office was on the third floor, and he’d taken the stairs two at a time. He stopped at the door to catch his breath before pushing it open.

He saw Wen Wan standing by the door. Her eyes were red, her face was streaked with tears, her nose was flushed, and her lips were trembling.

Mrs. Wen stood across from her, hands on her hips, her face livid.

His heart clenched. He walked over to stand beside Wen Wan.

"Ma’am," he said, looking at Mrs. Wen.

Mrs. Wen looked him up and down, her expression souring. "You’re the class president?"

"Yes. My name is Jiang Sifan." He nodded, still catching his breath.

Mrs. Wen snorted. "So you’re the one pestering my Wan’Er all the time?"

Jiang Sifan froze for a second, glancing at Wen Wan.

Wen Wan kept her head down, saying nothing.

He took a deep breath and replied, "Ma’am, I’m not pestering her. We’re classmates and business partners. When she’s having difficulties, I can’t just turn a blind eye."

"Business partners? Can you make a living off that? Wan’Er is coming home with me, so you’d best stay out of our business." Mrs. Wen let out an ugly laugh.

Jiang Sifan’s expression changed. "Home? Home where?"

Mrs. Wen replied, "Back to our hometown. Her grandfather isn’t well, so I’m having her come back to see him."

Jiang Sifan looked at Wen Wan, who lifted her head. She looked back at him, her eyes red, and slowly shook her head.

He understood. This wasn’t about visiting her grandfather; it was about a matchmaking meeting.

He turned to face Mrs. Wen, his voice calm. "Ma’am, Wen Wan doesn’t want to go home. Please don’t force her."

"Force her? I’m her mother! What’s wrong with me telling her to come home? Who the hell do you think you are? This is our family’s business, and it’s got nothing to do with you!" Mrs. Wen retorted angrily.

Jiang Sifan looked her in the eye and said, enunciating every word, "Wen Wan is my girlfriend. Her business is my business."

Mrs. Wen froze, her gaze shifting from Jiang Sifan to Wen Wan.

Wen Wan raised her head to look at Jiang Sifan, her eyes still rimmed with red, but she said nothing.

Her lips parted as if to speak, but she swallowed her words.

"You two... are together?" Mrs. Wen’s voice dropped, the anger on her face draining away, replaced by surprise and uncertainty.

"Yes," Jiang Sifan replied.

Wen Wan said nothing, but she reached out and gently squeezed Jiang Sifan’s hand.

Her hand was cold and still trembling, but her grip was firm.

Mrs. Wen stared at their joined hands, her expression shifting rapidly.

She was silent for a long moment. The office was so quiet that the ticking of the wall clock was audible.

She lowered her gaze to her own calloused hands, noticing the dirt still lodged beneath her fingernails.

She looked up, first at Wen Wan, then at Jiang Sifan. She suddenly spoke, her voice low but every word crystal clear. "Fine. If you’re together, then you come up with a three-hundred-thousand-yuan betrothal gift. If you can pay it, Wan’Er can be with you. If you can’t, she’s coming home with me today."

Jiang Sifan’s face went white.

Three hundred thousand yuan. He couldn’t afford it.

The workshop had just gotten started, and all their earnings had been reinvested into it.

He only had a few thousand yuan in his bank account—not even enough to be considered a down payment.

He lowered his head, his fists clenching tight.

Seeing his reaction, Mrs. Wen sneered. "Can’t pay up, can you? Then don’t act like you’re some big shot. Stay out of Wan’Er’s business."