1292 I Want to Make You Stay 170 (1/2)
While walking, he said to her softly, ”Our family is very strict and uptight about social etiquette. We try to avoid making noises when we walk, as far as possible. You may be wearing stilettos, but you should still try to take lighter footsteps.”
She answered, ”No, that's your family rule, not mine. I'm not a member of your family so I don't have to follow it, at least not until I gain your family's approval.”
”You're so willful.”
Donggong Lianzhi brought her to a large mansion. They walked toward the door in the middle, and he said, ”This mansion belongs to my grandparents. My family would usually gather here at this time, lest the two of them feel lonely. This has already become an unspoken rule.”
”Oh.”
”My grandparents dislike me, so they would naturally be prejudiced against you too, but that doesn't matter. It's always been difficult to survive in a huge family.”
An Xiaoning glanced at him, feeling a little tense. However, she had been through all sorts of events and was not afraid of the Donggong family at all.
The moment they entered, An Xiaoning almost gasped in shock. Although she had heard about all his family members, she did not expect to see so many of them at once. Almost all the members were present, except those who could not make it.
An Xiaoning felt as if she had just witnessed an ancient family that was largely extended.
”Good morning, Grandpa and Grandma,” Donggong Lianzhi greeted.
Instead of standing next to him, she glanced at all the eyes on her dauntlessly without uttering a single word. She did not rush to introduce herself because she knew that someone would definitely ask about her.
”Who's this woman who's dressed so awfully?” an elderly lady remarked while sitting on a high chair and glaring at them coldly.
An Xiaoning almost choked the moment she heard the snide remark. I'm dressed so normally, how is this awful!?!
What an overbearing elderly woman who throws her weight around!
At this very moment, it was her turn to speak.
An Xiaoning replied, ”I don't think there's anything wrong with the way I'm dressed. Did you forget that you're dressed in red too, Madam? I don't think you should be criticizing yourself like this.”
The elderly Mrs. Donggong looked down at her own outfit and humphed before rebuking, ”Who gave you the audacity to mock me!?!”
”You've gotten me wrong, Old Madam. I was just stating facts. I didn't mean to be disrespectful to you at all. I didn't comment about your outfit or call it awful the moment I saw you, did I? I didn't play the age card and say that you're bullying me because I'm young. I was just stating facts from an objective viewpoint. Lianzhi and I came here today to announce something important to you guys.”
”Who do you think you are? Who allowed this woman in my house!?!”
”I'm nobody. I'm Lianzhi's girlfriend. I heard that you guys have arranged a marriage for him. Please call off the engagement. This is what I came here to talk about today,” she said while holding onto Donggong Lianzhi's arm.
The patriarch finally broke his silence and chastised, ”What an arrogant little lass. Who are you to jeopardize our family matters? Lianzhi, she may be unsure of our rules since she's an outsider but how could you not know? We can't just make changes to your marriage. You'd better handle this woman properly. If you don't, I'll have to punish her myself.”
An Xiaoning drawled, ”I'm carrying your family's flesh and blood. Old Mr. Donggong, are you sure you want to break us up?”
Donggong Lianzhi looked at her in shock. She didn't rehearse this bit with me beforehand!
”What!?!” The patriarch flew into a rage and stood up immediately.