My Life with Narration

Chapter 419 - 413: His Taste in High School Wasn’t That Great Either

Nowadays, there are a few things young men and women cannot avoid when getting married.

Cars, houses, and dowries.

The first two are manageable; at the very least, you still have the right to use them, but dowries are quite surreal, with varying prices in different regions.

Speaking of dowries, none suffer more than those from Jiangxi. In Jiang City, the dowries are only at a mid-range level, though occasionally, there are high demands.

Clearly, Ning Tong was one of them.

She was smart and knew what she wanted, and she was also aware of her capabilities, so she chose to marry at her prime.

In university, she dated guys with better conditions than Zhang Chao, not just one or two. Their family backgrounds were significantly better than Zhang Chao’s, but eventually, she found out those were good for dating, not for marriage, so she decisively chose Zhang Chao.

Since she was in it for this purpose, it was natural for her not to take little dowry when getting married. She initially wanted five hundred thousand, but Zhang Chao’s parents disagreed. After rounds of negotiation, knowing she couldn’t push too hard, they settled on 260 thousand.

It looked like half, but that was just the dowry, not including other things like gold jewelry, clothes, diamond rings, and renaming fees.

Zhang Chao’s parents were well aware of her intentions. They weren’t young or foolish. It was just that their son was willing, and they had the means. Even so, the house and car were under Zhang Chao’s name, and the restaurant was under his parents’, having almost nothing to do with Ning Tong.

The lively scene, in truth, was preceded by disagreements between the two families.

As for the dowry, what was that? Zhang Chao didn’t see any, and Ning Tong didn’t think about it.

Shen Yi’s words, seemingly directed at Su Qing, were actually aimed at Zhang Chao, as both she and Ning Tong were at the table. The distinction was clear; she completely overshadowed her in every aspect.

Most importantly, Shen Yi didn’t start by saying she didn’t want a dowry; instead, she asked about local customs in Jiang City first, appearing not only unforced but also very natural, even giving off the impression that marrying her might not need a dowry at all.

With her rich experience and high emotional intelligence, she effortlessly navigated such occasions like a dimensional reduction strike. Before she put in any effort, the other party was already overwhelmed.

Besides, what she said wasn’t false; her own conditions genuinely didn’t care for that bit of dowry. Compared to money, finding someone she liked was the hardest.

Anyway, after the whole maneuver, Su Qing didn’t say a word and still became the object of everyone’s envy.

"Damn it, what’s he showing off? Doesn’t even know his own name just because he found a girlfriend," inside a makeshift dressing room in a utility room in the hall, Zhang Chao kicked over a chair, cursing.

Beside him were Ning Tong and Yang Zhiming.

Ever since Shen Yi came down, the situation reversed, making Zhang Chao’s chest almost explode with anger, especially seeing such a beautiful woman like Shen Yi leaning on Su Qing. He was practically grinding his molars.

A woman far prettier than his wife by countless times, with excellent conditions, was so devoted to someone he always looked down on. This feeling broke his mindset a bit.

Especially when Shen Yi mentioned the dowry being twice the bride price in front of everyone, the first thing that came to mind was his wife’s family’s attitude when they demanded a car, a house, and a dowry.

He couldn’t help but think like that; it was subconscious to compare, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

It was a complete, all-round defeat, being compared by someone he despised, making him furious even on his wedding day.

So, he could only find an excuse to change clothes after a while, taking his wife from the table. For the first time, he somewhat regretted inviting Su Qing.

Originally, he wanted to use his wedding and his family’s status and Ning Tong to frustrate Su Qing, but in the end, the one embarrassed and angry was himself.

"Come on, Brother Chao, don’t be mad. I bet Su Qing is just posturing. We know what he’s like. Even if he became an online celebrity, so what? His girlfriend is probably one he paid to hire.

Think about it, how could a woman with a house in the capital, with such a body and looks, be interested in him?

And that girlfriend’s getup doesn’t look proper at all; who knows where she came from?"

The implications were obvious, questioning Shen Yi’s identity, saying it in front of everyone on purpose.

As for the remark that Shen Yi didn’t look proper, it was purely prejudice.

Many people are like that; seeing pretty or attractively dressed women, they reflexively think they’re improper, then comfort themselves, saying you shouldn’t marry too pretty a woman, just an ordinary one.

It’s all bullshit. Who doesn’t want to marry a pretty wife? It’s just fear of being insufficient or unable to keep a pretty one, or not being able to find one, so they start slandering—such is human nature.

"I also feel like there’s something off with Su Qing’s girlfriend; it feels a bit deliberate. But still, honey, it’s our wedding day, and we invited everyone over, so we shouldn’t let people think we’re petty, right?" Ning Tong thought and tried to persuade as well but didn’t expect it to backfire.

Hearing this, Zhang Chao flipped his eyes: "What, you think I’m petty too? I just can’t stand him showing off on my wedding day, it’s so disgusting, even bringing a woman to flaunt, hmph!"

Sneering, he agreed with Yang Zhiming, believing Shen Yi was definitely not Su Qing’s girlfriend. Even if she were, she couldn’t be legitimate and might as well be a night club staff.

Hearing these words, Ning Tong pursed her lips. She wasn’t foolish; she felt that ever since the incident, Zhang Chao’s gaze toward her had changed, showing a hint of disdain.

As the facts proved, her feelings weren’t wrong. Comparisons between people are most fearful, just as she silently compared her husband to Su Qing in her heart. Zhang Chao, after seeing Shen Yi, subconsciously compared her to his wife.

As a result, both of them realized that they seemed to be even less satisfied with their partners. Although it wasn’t very intense at the moment, this feeling would take root and sprout like a seed.

[Due to jealousy, the already fragile relationship between Zhang Chao and Ning Tong developed cracks. This will speed up their divorce process, timeline: within three years.]

The sudden narration left Su Qing stunned for a moment, and then he glanced towards the dressing room, a strange look flashing in his eyes.

Nowadays, people are so restless, and the divorce rate remains high. From the narration, even without this incident, the two would divorce eventually, just that it would take a little longer. He just didn’t know the reason.

Do you know why it’s important to choose an auspicious day for a wedding? Because after getting married, there won’t be any more good days.

"Old Su, you’ve really pissed off Old Zhang today, haha, but I like it," Zhu Lidong leaned over and whispered, handing over a cigarette.

This guy is a bit chubby, looks quite cheerful, and wasn’t exactly a stellar student back in school. But he got along well with everyone, especially the girls in class. His relationship with Zhang Chao was so-so, and of course, it was the same with him.

"It’s just a coincidence!" Su Qing took the cigarette and replied, but the next second, as he looked at the cigarette in his hand, he turned to glance at Shen Yi.

He knew that Shen Yi wasn’t very fond of his smoking habits. Nonetheless, he was surprised when Shen Yi saw him holding a cigarette. Instead of stopping him, she casually took a beautifully crafted lighter out of her bag.

With a "snap," she lit it for him, then smiled and turned to chat with some of the girls from the class, inquiring about his embarrassing stories from school. It didn’t take long before the few girls who came were fast friends with her.

That social skill is truly impressive.

Even though it was a small gesture, it indeed earned him a lot of face in front of all the male classmates.

"Wow, Old Su, you can do it. Your wife lit your cigarette for you, shows your status at home!"

"How did you do it? Teach me, I’ll listen on my knees!"

"Qingzi, why don’t you open a class?"

This is Shen Yi, a high-EQ sister who knows exactly what to do and when to do it. Especially in front of her man’s friends, she has to give him face.

An hour later, Su Qing stood up with Shen Yi: "Everyone, you go ahead and eat, we have something to do this afternoon, so we’ll get going!"

"Why leave? Don’t go, Old Su. I found a place for us classmates to have a few drinks tonight. After all, it’s hard for us to gather together!" Zhang Chao quickly said, but in truth, he couldn’t wait for him to leave.

Su Qing naturally knew what he was thinking, and then said, "My girlfriend had a couple of drinks and isn’t feeling well. I’ll take her back to rest. You have fun!"

"Oh, I see. Alright. By the way, you didn’t drink, right? How about I drive you?"

"No worries, I gave the car to Wang Xing. I’m going to walk with her!"

"Then I’ll give you a lift!"

Outside the restaurant, Zhang Chao and Ning Tong stood side by side in their wedding attire, but their original luster was overshadowed by another pair in black clothing.

Watching the two leave made Zhang Chao more and more uncomfortable. As he saw Su Qing about to leave, he looked around, finding no one nearby, and finally couldn’t help but speak:

"Su Qing!!"

"What’s the matter?"

"Don’t think that picking up some woman makes you think you’re something. What’s with the act? Just became an internet celebrity, not a star. Don’t think I don’t know you found her on purpose to put on a facade!" Zhang Chao said with a gloomy face, casting a glance at Shen Yi while speaking.

"Su Qing, I know you and Zhang Chao don’t get along, but today is my wedding after all, and we invited you. I really didn’t expect you would bring a woman here to disgust me. I truly misjudged you!" Ning Tong also added in a low voice, her expression equally unpleasant.

They were well aware of Shen Yi’s actions that embarrassed them, and naturally, they were upset. That’s why they chose to confront them when they came out, and both of them now believed Shen Yi was brought on purpose by him.

Hearing this, he and Shen Yi exchanged a glance, and Shen Yi even exclaimed in surprise:

"Is he... at his wit’s end?"

Su Qing: "Pretty much!"

"So are we tearing faces now and not planning to associate in the future?"

"Seems like it!"

The two continued talking among themselves, leaving Zhang Chao and Ning Tong hanging. Just as Zhang Chao was about to speak again, Shen Yi suddenly said: "If that’s the case, then I’ll start putting on a show!"

Saying this, she stepped forward to stand in front of Ning Tong. With the advantage of height, she looked Ning Tong up and down from a bird’s-eye view and then shook her head and said:

"His taste in high school wasn’t all that great!"