Chapter 443 - 246: Mrs. Wen Demands a 300,000 Bride Price from Jiang Sifan, Will Lu Fan Step In?

Chapter 443: Chapter 246: Mrs. Wen Demands a 300,000 Bride Price from Jiang Sifan, Will Lu Fan Step In?

Wen Wan’s tears started falling again.

She grabbed Jiang Sifan’s arm and said, her voice choked with sobs, "Class President, please stay out of this. I’ll talk to her myself."

Jiang Sifan looked up at Wen Wan.

Her eyes were red, her face was streaked with tears, the tip of her nose was also red, and her lips were trembling.

His heart clenched painfully.

He remembered her staying with him late into the night while he worked overtime, remembered her helping him sort out all the messes.

He remembered her asking, "Class President, will you hold my hand like this in the future, too?" He had said yes.

He remembered last night on the lawn, how she’d kept her head down while tracing circles in his palm with her finger.

He took a deep breath, turned to Mrs. Wen, and said, enunciating every word, "Aunty, I can’t come up with the money right now, but I will find a way. Wen Wan is not a commodity. Her worth can’t be measured by a betrothal gift. I love her, and I won’t let you marry her off to someone else."

Mrs. Wen looked at him, remaining silent for a long time.

She turned, picked up her canvas bag, and walked away without looking back.

She stopped at the door but didn’t turn around. With her back to them, she said, "Wan’Er, it’s not that Mom doesn’t love you. I just have no other choice."

With that, she pushed the door open and left.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway grew more and more distant, until they faded away completely.

Wen Wan stood rooted to the spot, staring at the door as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

Jiang Sifan stood beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder, and said nothing.

After a long moment, Wen Wan wiped her tears and looked up at him. "Class President, do you really... Do you really see me as your girlfriend?"

Jiang Sifan looked at her and said earnestly, "Yes. You have been, ever since I held your hand the night before last."

Wen Wan lowered her head, blushing.

She whispered worriedly, "But that three hundred thousand..."

Jiang Sifan gave a wry smile and rubbed the back of his neck. "I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry."

Wen Wan shook her head, her voice firm. "I don’t want your money. I’ll figure it out myself. I can’t let you take on this debt for me."

Looking at her, Jiang Sifan felt his heart soften.

He reached out and gently took her hand in his.

Her hand was cold and trembling slightly. There were still red marks on her fingertips from where she had clenched her fist earlier.

He squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"We’ll figure it out together," Jiang Sifan replied.

Wen Wan nodded, and fresh tears began to fall.

She rested her head on his shoulder and cried for a while.

He gently patted her back and said nothing.

A breeze swept by, brushing her hair against his face. It tickled.

He didn’t pull away, and she didn’t tuck her hair back.

After a long moment, Wen Wan lifted her head and wiped away her tears.

Her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, and her face was still streaked with tears.

He reached out to wipe them away for her. His touch was feather-light as his warm fingers slid across her cheek.

"Come on, let’s head back," he said.

Wen Wan nodded.

They walked back to the studio side by side, neither of them speaking a word.

Her hand felt warm in his palm.

He held it tightly, and she didn’t pull away.

When they reached the studio door, Wen Wan stopped and looked at him.

Her eyes were still red, but she had stopped crying.

She lowered her head, looking at their joined hands, and whispered, "Class President, thank you."

Jiang Sifan shook his head. "Nothing to thank me for. Go on in."

Wen Wan let go of his hand, pushed the door open, and went inside.

He followed her in and closed the door.

The studio was quiet. A ledger lay open on the desk, a pen resting beside it, its ink long since dried.

She walked to the desk and sat down. She picked up the pen, then set it down again.

"Class President," she said suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Is there really a way for us to solve this?"

Jiang Sifan walked over to her, pulled up a chair, and sat down. He looked at her and said, "There is. Trust me."

Wen Wan kept her head down, still distraught. "Three hundred thousand is no small sum. I don’t want to put you in a difficult position."

"It’s not a difficult position for me. Your problems are my problems now." Jiang Sifan reached out and took her hand.

Wen Wan looked up at him.

His eyes were bright and incredibly earnest.

Suddenly, she smiled, a faint but genuine smile.

"Okay," Wen Wan said with a nod.