Chapter Two: I Do! (New Book—Your Support Is Welcome!)

In her previous life, Tang Xue asked him the same question!
But back then, his answer was a refusal, because Li Yi had long harbored feelings for Wang Xuemei, the village beauty from the neighboring village. With his heart set on marrying Wang Xuemei, he had no interest in Tang Xue.
Although Tang Xue surpassed that village beauty in every aspect—whether in looks, figure, or intellect—Li Yi, blinded by infatuation, insisted that Wang Xuemei was more beautiful.
It was precisely Li Yi’s cold rejection that wounded Tang Xue deeply. Exhausted in body and soul, she left Nanzi Mountain Village with a heart full of sorrow and returned to her family in the neighboring province.
Unexpectedly, three months later, tragic news arrived: Tang Xue had died!
She had taken her own life—and left behind a child.
After returning home, Tang Xue discovered she was pregnant. In those days, unwed pregnancy was utterly condemned by society. The scolding from her parents and the gossip from neighbors crushed her spirit.
One cold night, she ended her nineteen-year-old life with a pair of scissors.
Upon hearing the news, the entire Li family was engulfed in grief and remorse.
Li Yi’s third sister, Li Na, burdened by guilt and hatred for her brother, left home and never returned in the following forty years, only sending money to their aging parents annually.
Their father, Li Shankui, unable to bear the shame and the loss of such a fine girl, sank into despair and died three years after Tang Xue’s death.
Li Yi himself, unable to face the village, had to leave home to make a living elsewhere.
Despite riding the wave of economic reform to become a billionaire, he was scarred by women, never married, had no children, and suffered the torment of regret every day.
It could be said that his cold-hearted decision had ruined Tang Xue’s life, and her death shattered the Li family to pieces.
In his past life, Li Yi often recalled Tang Xue’s question, each time feeling a stabbing regret.
If heaven granted him another chance, he would give a different answer without hesitation!
Tang Xue waited anxiously for Li Yi’s reply, but when he remained silent for so long, despair welled up within her.
Suppressing the discomfort in her lower body, she staggered toward the door, unwilling to see that bastard any longer!
Suddenly, Li Yi snapped back to reality, grabbed Tang Xue into his arms, and resolutely declared, “I am willing to marry you!”
Tang Xue was stunned, then trembled as she asked, “Are you really willing?”
“Really.”
Tears streamed down Tang Xue’s face as she sank to the floor and wept bitterly.
Though Li Yi agreed to marry her, she still struggled to accept the reality of her reckless loss of innocence.
Moreover, she had already received notice to return to the city. If she married Li Yi, she would lose that chance forever.
The thought of spending her entire life in this poor mountain village overwhelmed Tang Xue with sorrow.
Hearing her cries, Li Na rushed into the room and pummeled Li Yi while shouting, “You bastard! How could you make Xiaoxue cry again? Are you still hung up on that Wang girl and refuse to marry Xiaoxue?”
“If you don’t marry Xiaoxue today, don’t ever call me your sister again!”
Her words sparked outrage among the villagers and educated youth gathered outside, who began to denounce Li Yi loudly:
“That guy is utterly shameless! Xiaoxue is willing to marry him because the Li family’s ancestral grave must be smoking, but he still refuses!”
“Exactly! It’s such a shame for Xiaoxue. How could she end up with such a scoundrel?”
“That guy’s a complete scoundrel…”
Li Yi forced a bitter smile and quickly told his sister, “I am willing to marry Tang Xue!”
He strode to the door and loudly addressed the gathering crowd of villagers and educated youth:
“Uncle, Auntie, I admit that I made a mistake yesterday because I was drunk. I, Li Yi, will take full responsibility.
I hereby declare that I not only agree to marry Tang Xue but will do so with the highest bride price and a grand sedan chair procession—what I say, I will do!”
Village Party Branch Secretary Feng Kai was the first to voice support: “Good, that’s what a man should say. On behalf of the brigade, I declare that if you two marry, we will allocate an extra plot of land to your family.”
Suddenly, a female educated youth with two braided pigtails in the crowd asked, “When will you marry our Xiaoxue?”
Li Yi recognized her as Zhang Xinyao, one of Tang Xue’s close friends.
After some thought, Li Yi replied, “Marriage is a sacred matter. I don’t want Xiaoxue to suffer any grievances, so our family will prepare carefully and marry her with full honor.”
“How long will it take? Give us a definite answer.”
“In a month. A month from now, we will hold a wedding banquet and invite everyone.”
“Since Xiaoxue has agreed, we’ll wait for you. If you dare to back out, even if Xiaoxue doesn’t pursue it, we will report you to the county authorities!” Zhang Xinyao warned.
“All right.”
Seeing that the matter was settled, Secretary Feng said, “Fine, it’s decided. Everyone disperse.”
The crowd, finding no more entertainment, gradually dispersed.
Though the onlookers left, the atmosphere in the Li household remained heavy.
This incident not only tarnished Tang Xue’s reputation but also humiliated the Li family.
With many children and barely enough food to sustain them, the family was poor, and a wedding would be a significant financial burden. Where would they find the money?
After the crowd dispersed, Li Shankui gathered the entire family to discuss the wedding arrangements for Li Yi.
In the dim, low-ceilinged room, Li Shankui squatted by the stove while Zhang Yuehong and Li Na flanked Tang Xue, whose eyes were red from crying. Only Li Yi sat perched on the edge of the kang bed.
“Tell me, how do you plan to hold this wedding?” Li Shankui asked his son.
Li Yi glanced at the haggard Tang Xue and said, “Let’s listen to Xiaoxue’s wishes first.”
Li Na chimed in, “Yes, let’s hear what Xiaoxue wants.”
Tang Xue opened her mouth but ended up saying nothing.
Zhang Yuehong hurriedly encouraged, “Xiaoxue, just tell us your requests. Auntie will do her best to accommodate you.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Tang Xue bit her lip and said, “I don’t want to notify my parents about the wedding...”
“That won’t do. How can you get married without informing your parents?” Zhang Yuehong exclaimed.
“I... I don’t want them to see me get married like this.”
“But how long can you keep such a thing hidden? And haven’t you already received the notice to return to the city? Your parents must have received it too. You can’t hide this forever.”
“Auntie, I will write them a letter saying there’s been a change in the county, and my return has been postponed until next year. I’ll keep it hidden as long as I can.”
Before her mother could say more, Li Yi interrupted, “We’ll do as Xiaoxue wishes.”
Then he asked Tang Xue, “Do you have any demands regarding the bride price?”
“You know your family’s situation. No bride price is necessary; just clean up the room you live in, and that will be enough.”
Before she finished, both Li Shankui and Li Yi simultaneously said, “No.”
Li Shankui took a couple of puffs from his dry tobacco: “Child, this whole thing is our fault. You’re willing to marry into the Li family—that’s eight generations of blessings from our ancestors. We can’t let you marry in with such hardship.”
“I’ll take charge: 88 yuan bride price, a watch, three new sets of clothes, and all the bedding must be new!”
Li Yi added, “I won’t say much else. Whatever others have, you must have too; whatever they don’t, I’ll try to give you as well. In short, I will marry you with full honor and never let anyone speak ill of you behind your back.”
Hearing Li Yi’s words, Tang Xue felt a faint stir in her heart.
Her only reason for demanding Li Yi marry her was because she had already lost herself to him; marrying him was her sole option.
But she knew Li Yi well: uneducated, idle, a life of drinking, gambling, and womanizing, always scheming and deceiving. Though he hadn’t committed great evil, his many flaws were notorious.
Even Li Na, her own sister, looked upon him with disdain.
So Tang Xue never expected such resolute words from him. For a moment, her emotions were tangled and complex beyond measure.