Married at First Sight Chapter 4371
Zhan Yuan said, “I went there just for you. You are the only one in my eyes and heart. The Second Miss is simply the Second Miss to me. I’ve never had any inappropriate thoughts about her or any other young lady.”
Fortunately, he had always maintained a respectful distance from other women. And fortunately, Ouyang Ya had fallen in love with him in the end.
He hadn’t expected that Ouyang Ya had once considered pairing him with Ouyang
Ting.
Luckily, Ouyang Ting had no romantic interest in him—she simply admired him. “When the time comes, let my grandmother know and ask her to keep an eye out for someone suitable for the Second Miss.”
Knowing that the woman he loved once considered matching him with her sister, Zhan Yuan now took his sister-in-law’s future seriously.
He thought it best to help marry her off as soon as possible to avoid any future awkwardness.
“My grandmother has a wide network. She knows people all over the country. She was able to find someone for me from your side, and she can also help introduce a talented young man for the Second Miss.”
Ouyang Ya said, “Grandma Zhan is already very old. Let’s not trouble her with this -we can handle it ourselves.”
“Love is all about timing and fate. If it hasn’t arrived yet, there’s no use worrying.” Her sister was so exceptional-she believed a good match would come her way naturally.
“Let’s go upstairs and rest. It’s been a long and tiring day.”
Ouyang Ya didn’t continue the topic.
Zhan Yuan led her upstairs to the guest room he had carefully prepared, making sure everything was in perfect order.
“All the daily essentials are new,” he said.
Knowing she was particular about her surroundings, Zhan Yuan had asked the servants to replace her clothes with brand-new ones. Even the sheets and quilts were freshly purchased.
The toiletries were all newly stocked as well.
“This room is rarely used. When I’m home, I sometimes sleep here for a few
nights. The window and balcony face the yard the view is lovely, so I like to stay here from time to time.”
“This room isn’t used often. When I’m home, I occasionally sleep here for a few nights. The window and balcony overlook the yard, and the view is beautiful—so I enjoy staying here from time to time.”
The other rooms were already occupied by relatives and friends.
“I actually thought about giving you my room, but I was worried you might mind
sleeping in a bed I’ve used. So I arranged for you to stay in the guest room instead.”
When they got married, he planned to renovate his room and replace all the furniture with new pieces.
For some reason, Ouyang Ya’s face flushed slightly.
Noticing her blush, Zhan Yuan lowered his voice and teased, “Aya, what are you thinking? Are you imagining sharing a bed with me?”
As soon as he said that, she pinched his arm, making him yelp in pain.
Ouyang Ya quickly let go, looking slightly apologetic. “Did it hurt? I didn’t think I used that much force.”
“It didn’t hurt, it didn’t hurt. If you like, you can pinch me a few more times.”
Despite the cry, Young Master Zhan instantly claimed the pain vanished under the care of his beloved.
Ouyang Ya gave him two light taps in response.
“Zhan Yuan, we may be in a relationship, but we’re not married yet. We’re not legally bound, so we shouldn’t cross any lines. I hope you’ll respect that.”
At her core, she was still a very traditional woman.
She hoped their first time would be on their wedding night.
Zhan Yuan gently held her shoulders, looked into her eyes, and said seriously, “Aya, I’m also a very traditional man. Don’t worry if you don’t agree, I’ll never touch you before marriage.”
“Once we get our marriage certificate and become a legal couple, even if we haven’t held the ceremony yet, I will…”
“If we’re legally married, I wouldn’t object. And once we get the certificate, we’ll definitely set a date for the wedding. I won’t be like your brother and sister-in-law, who waited a year or two after getting married to hold their wedding.”
Married at First Sight Chapter 4372
“After we get the marriage certificate, we’ll probably hold the wedding within a month.”
“Yes, since our families are so far apart, where should we hold the wedding? At your place or mine? Or should we have ceremonies in both places? Even though you’re the sixth among your brothers, getting married is still a big deal, and everyone usually gets a proper celebration.”
“I don’t want you to feel shortchanged. People in Wancheng should know we’re married.” Most of his relatives and friends lived in Dongguancheng.
If the wedding were only held in her City A and not in Wancheng, Ouyang Ya
would feel Zhan Yuan was being treated unfairly.
She loved him and didn’t want him to feel neglected.
He had already sacrificed a lot for her.
Zhan Yuan said, “We’ll hold wedding banquets in both places-invite family and friends, share a toast, and receive their blessings.”
He didn’t personally mind, but he knew the elders in his family would care deeply. So they would celebrate with both families.
Ouyang Ya nodded. “When the time comes, let’s have the banquet in Wancheng first, then return to my city. I’m the one marrying you, not the other way around.” Zhan Yuan smiled. “You make the call. I’ll go along with whatever you want. Even if we skip Wancheng, I wouldn’t mind-but the elders in my family might.”
“Of course. Marriage is a major life event, not something casual. Everyone wants to be a radiant bride or groom and celebrate in style.”
Zhan Yuan pulled her into his arms.
“Aya, thank you for thinking of me.”
“What are you thanking me for? You’ve been just as considerate. A relationship needs mutual understanding and care.”
A good relationship or marriage has to be nurtured by both partners. It can’t be one person giving while the other simply receives. Eventually, that imbalance leads to disappointment and possibly a breakup.
They held each other quietly for a while, then Zhan Yuan gently released her and leaned down to kiss her soft lips.
They embraced briefly before Zhan Yuan gently released her. Then he leaned down and kissed her tender lips.
After the passionate kiss, Zhan Yuan spoke softly, “I’ll run the bath water for you and hang your clothes in the closet.”
Ouyang Ya watched him walk into the bathroom, and soon the sound of running water filled the air.
He was so considerate, attentive, and thoughtful.
A man like him-who could be both a gentleman and a homemaker, skilled in business, balanced in strength and grace, and from an excellent family background-seemed almost too good to be true. If she hadn’t met him herself,
she wouldn’t have believed such men actually existed.
Usually, men like this only show up in novels-as the male leads.
If her life with Zhan Yuan were a novel, he would undoubtedly be the male lead,
and she the naturally gifted female lead.
With the heroine’s halo, she felt invincible-like an indestructible cockroach. Hahaha.
At the moment, she had no romantic rivals.
In fact, she considered herself luckier than any heroine in a story.
In novels, the heroine always faces numerous love rivals-scheming women who try every dirty trick to tear the couple apart.
Zhan Yuan finished preparing the bath and returned from the bathroom. Noticing she hadn’t taken her clothes, he picked them up and brought them in, hanging them up for her.
Ouyang Ya stepped into the bathroom and said, “You’re so thoughtful. It makes me feel like my hands are useless-I don’t do anything.”
Zhan Yuan smiled affectionately. “Your hands are meant for signing important things. You need to take care of them. I’ll handle everything else. Just relax.” “And I should thank you for giving me the chance to take care of you. Plenty of men out there would kill for this opportunity, but they don’t have it.”
Zhan Yuan knew many men had once longed for Ouyang Ya.
But she was too difficult to win over. Eventually, they all gave up, unable to conquer her.
Married at First Sight Chapter 4373
“Okay, okay, your mouth tonight is as sweet as honey, and your words always sweeten my heart.”
Ouyang Ya smiled and pushed him out of the bathroom. “You should go back to your room, take a shower and go to bed. We still have to go to the hospital to see your sister-in-law and nephew tomorrow.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Zhan Yuan still couldn’t bear to leave.
Finally, Ouyang Ya gave him a goodnight kiss, and he reluctantly returned to his
room.
Ouyang Ya took a comfortable bath and sat on the bed. She looked at the time and saw that it was just past eleven o’clock, which was still very early for her. She seldom goes to bed before twelve o’clock.
He took the phone and sent a message to Ouyang Ting, asking about the company.
Ouyang Ting did not reply to the message, but called her instead.
“Big sister, haven’t you slept yet?”
Ouyang Ting is on her way home.
“It’s only eleven o’clock. I won’t go to bed so soon. I feel like I can’t sleep if I lie down so early. I am a miserable person and need to stay up late.”
Ouyang Ting smiled and said, “Sister, if you say something like that, be careful to get beaten. You are obviously very happy, but you still complain about being a miserable person. How can you embarrass those who are truly miserable?” “Sister, how are the Zhan family members treating you? Are they all very friendly?”
Ouyang Ting asked with concern.
The eldest sister was not in the company, so she was the most tired one. A lot of work that should have been done by the eldest sister was temporarily taken over by her. She didn’t even have time to call her elder sister in the whole afternoon to ask about her meeting with the parents.
“Very good. They treated me very well and were very nice. They treated me as a distinguished guest and a family member. They were not shy at all. I was very happy to be with them.”
“Ruotong is right. The atmosphere of the Zhan family is really good and warm. I liked the atmosphere of the Zhan family the first time I came here.”
Ouyang Ting smiled and congratulated her sister, “Sister has met the parents and
will probably get married soon. I congratulate you in advance.”
“It’s too early. Zhan Yuan and I haven’t even gotten our marriage certificate yet, and even our elders haven’t met each other yet.”
“Soon, after you meet her parents, Zhan Yuan will urge his family to come over and propose marriage. By the end of tonight, we will definitely be able to drink at the eldest sister’s wedding.”
“Have fun in Wancheng, sister. There’s nothing wrong at the company. We can handle it.
Don’t worry, sister.”
After chatting for a while, Ouyang Ting finally answered her sister’s question. “The only thing that makes me unhappy is that Long Tuo still shamelessly comes
to pester me. Seeing him makes me lose my appetite. How can there be such a narcissistic and shameless person?”
Ouyang Ting complained about Longtuo to her sister on the phone.
After her sister finished complaining, Ouyang Ya said, “Don’t pay attention to him. He has evil intentions and great ambitions. Both father and son are of the same kind. There is no good person in their family.”
“I’m just too lazy to pay attention to him. It seems that I have to find a formal boyfriend. If nothing else, at least he can help me fend off other suitors. It’s really annoying to be entangled by a disgusting man.”
Ouyang Ya smiled and said, “Just now I was talking to Zhan Yuan about your
major life event. Zhan Yuan said that he would ask his grandmother to keep an
eye out for you and introduce you to good men. He and I will also keep an eye out for you.”
“Sister, among your future uncles, are there any suitable ones for me? I’m also very good, why doesn’t Grandma Zhan like me?”
Married at First Sight Chapter 4374
Ouyang Ting said jokingly, “It’s great that we are sisters in my parents’ home and sistersin-law in my husband’s home.”
“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but Zhan Yuan’s brothers all have significant others, and he has three younger brothers who are still young. Grandma Zhan isn’t in a hurry to find wives for them.”
Ouyang Ting laughed, “Sister, I’m just joking, don’t take it seriously.”
“Yes, last time I went to Fengchen Villa, I met several unmarried young masters of the Jun family. The seventh young master of their family is a good match for you. When we chat one day, I will ask Grandma Zhan to help you introduce him to someone else.”
“Sister, are you serious? I’m just kidding. I don’t want to get married, at least not now. Wait until I’m thirty, and see if I’ll change my mind.”
Ouyang Ting screamed. She didn’t expect that her sister was serious and really wanted to introduce her to a boyfriend.
In fact, she wanted to stay single and be an old aunt for the rest of her life.
Anyway, her parents and brother would not chase her away.
She has plenty of assets, so she can live a happy life without getting married. “Of course I’m serious. I won’t joke with you. You’re only a little younger than me. I’ve found a good home, and I hope you can be happy too.”
“The family tradition of the Jun family is as good as that of the Zhan family. The men in their family are also excellent and good-looking. They are a perfect match for you. The seventh and eighth young masters of the Jun family are about the same age as you.”
“If you are willing, I will arrange for you to meet with Jun Qi Shao and Jun Ba Shao. It’s up to you to see which one of them you like.”
Ouyang Ting: “…Sister, I’m not in the mood for love right now, please forgive me. Besides, the young master of the Jun family will have no trouble finding a wife, how can I be so picky among them.”
“You really don’t care about emotional matters?”
“It’s absolutely true, sister. We have been sisters for more than 20 years. Don’t you know what kind of person I am? I will never lie to you.”
Ouyang Ting said seriously: “Sister, please don’t match people up randomly.”
“If the young master of the Jun family and I are destined to be together, I don’t even need you to help me matchmake. We can still get to know each other across thousands of miles.”
“If there is no destiny, even if someone introduces you, there will be no follow-up. When it comes to relationships, just let nature take its course.”
“Sister, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up first. I’ll be home soon.”
“I am so exhausted today. I just want to fall asleep right away.”
Ouyang Ting hung up the phone immediately after she finished speaking, fearing that if she was too slow to hang up, her elder sister would really introduce her to the young master of the Jun family.
She loves to joke and tease her sisters. In fact, she really doesn’t want to get married. After getting married, it will not be as comfortable as being a daughter in her parents’ home.
If she marries into a family like her Ouyang family, where there are more women than men, and they are still trying hard to have a son even in their thirties or forties, she will simply become a tool for having children.
As a strong woman, Miss Ouyang said she could not accept it.
Women of our parents’ generation gave birth to one child after another in order to have a son, and only stopped when they reached an advanced age where their lives were in danger.
My father’s generation had several brothers, but in the end they only had two boys and a lot of girls.
Although her parents did not favor sons over daughters, Ouyang Ting knew that her parents had expressed regret more than once that she was not a son. If she and her elder sister were both sons, the Ouyang family would not have had to go through the experience of being nearly bankrupted by a scheme.
After having two younger brothers, their parents wanted them to take over. Since they were still young, they let the older sisters protect the Ouyang family’s business for their younger brothers.
Ouyang Ting also loved her two younger brothers very much, but she did not like the custom that the family property must be given to her sons.
Who says daughters are inferior to sons?
Married at First Sight Chapter 4375
Now she, her eldest sister, and her third and fourth sisters are supporting the Ouyang family’s company together. They also don’t forget to develop their own private businesses, because they are afraid that they will be marginalized when their younger brother takes over in the future.
No matter how good the relationship between a sister and brother is, that is before interests are involved. Once interests are involved, who knows if the
brother will be on guard against her and plot against her?
Ouyang Ting felt that it was better to live alone and be free.
After the eldest sister got married and had children, the elders could enjoy having grandchildren and would not urge her to get married.
However, her parents were not in a hurry for her to get married. They said that it was her turn to decide her marriage and that she could fall in love freely. But she knew in her heart that it was because her two younger brothers were still young and unable to take over the family business.
They need her and her sisters to continue to manage the family business, and want to keep her for a few more years.
If she is in a relationship, and if the person is from the same city, it would be better.
From other places, haha, she dared to say it, her parents were the first to jump out and object.
I won’t really let her marry freely.
The car returned to the Ouyang family mansion.
The door of the mansion opened, the car drove into the villa, and finally stopped at the door of the second room.
In the mansion late at night, even though the street lights in the yard were on, it was quiet.
The servants have all gone off work.
Their working hours are from 6 am to 10 pm.
After get off work, if the employer needs them, it will be considered overtime. Generally speaking, when Ouyang Ting and her friends come back late at night, they don’t need help. They can get whatever they need themselves without having to be served by anyone.
Even if they need to have some midnight snack, they can make some simple snacks for themselves.
Only Ouyang Ya would alarm the chef, but Ouyang Ya seldom eats midnight snacks.
Ouyang Ting got out of the car and entered the house. After she entered the house, the driver drove the car into the garage and parked it. His work for the day was completed and he could go back to the dormitory to rest after get off work. The hall was also quiet, but the lights were still on. It was not Ouyang Ting who turned them on, but her mother was still sitting in the hall.
Seeing that her mother had not gone to bed yet, Ouyang Ting guessed that her mother was deliberately waiting for her to come back.
She walked over, sat down next to her mother, put her arm around her shoulders, and asked affectionately, “My dear mother, you are still awake so late, are you waiting for your daughter to come back?”
The second wife patted her hand lovingly and said, “I was waiting for you. Why are you back so late? It’s almost twelve o’clock.”
Ouyang Ting leaned back on the sofa and was about to cross her legs, but her mother glared at her and she put them down.
“Tingting, you are a rich lady, a lady from a noble family. Even at home, you have
to pay attention to your sitting posture and maintain your image.”
The second wife was talking about her daughter.
She knew that her daughter’s true nature was very unrestrained, but she was
restrained by rules and the status of a lady from a noble family.
Born in the Ouyang family, a wealthy family in the city, the daughter must abide by such rules.
This is my daughter’s life.
“If I can’t relax at home, then what am I going home for? Isn’t it said that home is a safe haven in life?”
Married at First Sight Chapter 4376
Ouyang Ting complained.
Her mother was a very rule-abiding person.
She always wears makeup, high heels, and neat clothes at home, and she only takes off her makeup when she goes to bed.
It was late at night, and the mother was still waiting for her to come back. She had not even taken off her makeup. She always maintained a dignified, generous and
noble image.
Ouyang Ting didn’t know if her mother would feel tired carrying it like this, but she felt very tired anyway.
“My eldest sister is on vacation for a few days, and I will take over her work. I am very busy, so I will be late when I come back. Tonight is still early, but I may be back very late in the next few days. Mom, if you have anything, you can call me. You don’t have to wait here so long.”
The second wife complained: “I called you, but after just a few words, you said you were busy. You went out in the morning, and I didn’t get up yet. I couldn’t see you, so I could only wait for you to come home at night.”
“Nothing much, I just heard that the eldest young master of the Long family has been pursuing you. How is he? Is he good? Do you like him?”
“The Long family is in H City, adjacent to A City. The closest drive is only an hour. The city center of the two cities is a little further away, and the drive takes two hours, which is not very far.”
“Compared to the distance between your eldest sister and Zhan Yuan’s home, it’s already very short.”
“If the eldest young master of the Long family is sincere to you, why don’t you give
it a try.”
Ouyang Ting immediately sat up straight and looked at her mother.
Being looked at like this by her daughter, the second wife felt a little uncomfortable and asked, “Why are you looking at me like this?”
“Mom, did you accept benefits from Long Tuo? Why would you speak for him?”
The second wife immediately patted her on the back and said, “Is mom that kind of person? Mom thinks you are just a little younger than your eldest sister. She has found a partner now and will probably get married this year.”
“Your life is about to start, but Mom doesn’t want you to marry far away. Even if you marry to H City, Mom thinks it’s too far. But you haven’t taken a fancy to any of the young talents in our A City.”
“Mom was thinking that if the eldest young master of the Long family is okay, you might as well give it a try. I heard that he goes to the company gate every day to wait for you to get off work, and gives you flowers and gifts. He seems very sincere.”
“The Long family is the richest family in H City. They are more powerful than our Ouyang family. They shouldn’t be eyeing our family property.”
Besides, the real head of the Ouyang family is Ouyang Ya, not his own daughter. The daughter was just helping Ouyang Ya share some of the burden.
Ouyang Ting rolled her eyes speechlessly.
The second wife caught her daughter rolling her eyes, patted her again, and
gently scolded her: “Don’t roll your eyes, it’s not ladylike.”
“Mom, you are the second wife of our Ouyang family. You usually go out to meet
people from the outside world and mix in the rich circle. It is impossible for you not
to know that Long Tuo is only the son of the acting head of the family.”
“He is not the rightful eldest son of the Long family. The real eldest son of the Long family died long ago.”
“It’s true that the Long family is the richest in H City, but what does that have to do with Long Tuo’s family? His father is only the acting head of the family. He has no token, no clan seal, and can’t even mobilize the elites of the Long family.” “Once the child of the Long family’s direct descendant is found and comes back, everything in the Long family will return to that child. Long Tuo and his son will just be helping others.”
“As for the character of the acting head of the Long family, I don’t think highly of him. He was the mastermind behind the massacre of the Long family’s direct descendants.”
“How can the son of such a cruel person be any good? Don’t say that I don’t like Long Tuo.
Even if I like him, I will break up with him and dare not marry into a family like that.”
“There are too few males in our family. Jun and Jian are only a few years old. No matter how capable we sisters are, the men will look down on us. Once Long Tuo and I are together, our family may suffer the same tragedy as the direct descendants of the Long family.”
Married at First Sight Chapter 4377
“Mom, do you really think Long Tuo likes me? He seems to like everything about our Ouyang family.”
“He doesn’t truly love me. He just thinks I’m easier to pursue than my older sister, so he keeps bothering me every day.”
“Anyway, Mom, please don’t bring up Long Tuo in front of me again. I don’t like him, and I’ll never give him a chance, let alone marry him.”
Ouyang Ting noticed her mother had suddenly become anxious. It was because the affair between her older sister and Zhan Yuan had gone public. Her mother grew uneasy after seeing her eldest daughter find such an outstanding man from a respected family.
Deep down, maybe she felt jealous and envious of her sister.
Trying to argue her point, the second wife said, “You haven’t even tried to get to know Young Master Long. How can you be sure whether he’s sincere or not?” “Your eldest sister is the one who truly leads this family. Your marriage won’t impact our business.”
“Master Long is clearly pursuing you-he knows exactly what he’s doing.” “You’re already in your twenties. If we round up, that’s practically thirty, and you still don’t have a boyfriend. I wasn’t worried at first, but after seeing your sister engaged, I started to feel anxious.”
“You’re no less capable than your elder sister. If she can marry a good man, then so can you.”
The second wife clearly saw that her niece had secured a promising match, and suddenly began to worry about her own daughter’s future.
“When Zhan Yuan first came around, I could tell you admired him. Why didn’t you ever become a couple with him? He’s the most outstanding young man I’ve ever seen.”
Ouyang Ting replied bluntly, “That’s only because Mom knows Zhan Yuan is the sixth young master of the wealthiest family in Wancheng. If I didn’t know his background and he was just my sister’s private chef, would you still let me be with him if I liked him?”
“I begged my sister to fire Zhan Yuan long ago, just to keep him and me apart.” “I admire Zhan Yuan, and I still do, but I don’t have any romantic feelings for him. It’s purely admiration-nothing more.”
The second wife was left speechless after her daughter’s rebuttal.
She had to admit it was true.
If her daughter genuinely liked Zhan Yuan, but he was just an ordinary chef, she would have firmly opposed the relationship from the start.
Marriages are better when they’re between people of equal social status. “Long Tuo is definitely not sincere toward me. I won’t give him a chance-I don’t like him. Mom, no matter how anxious you are about my future, you can’t expect me to sleep with every man that shows interest, right?”
“Your daughter isn’t so desperate that just any man can sleep with her. If I want to find a boyfriend, I’ll choose someone who is truly exceptional-someone who isn’t eyeing our family’s wealth.”
The second wife’s face flushed with embarrassment at her daughter’s blunt words.
It felt like she was acting out of desperation, grasping at whatever option seemed available.
She only saw the Long family’s influence behind Long Tuo, without considering his true identity. He wasn’t the actual heir of the Long family.
His father wasn’t the true head of the Long family either.
Once the rightful heir returned, everything Long Tuo and his father controlled would be handed back to the legitimate successor. Only then would the rightful heir become the real head of the family.
The wealth and power of the Long family belonged entirely to the direct bloodline. No matter how much the collateral branches envied them, it was useless-those branches had always relied on the main line for survival.
It was the direct descendants who first built the family’s fortune. Others got jobs and opportunities simply because they shared the family name. They couldn’t suddenly claim the legacy built over generations just because they had larger numbers.
That would be both selfish and ungrateful.
Married at First Sight Chapter 4378
Long Tuo’s father was an ungrateful man.
“Mom, have you heard about Jiang Chengfeng’s family?” Ouyang Ting asked. The second wife replied, “Mom rarely goes out. Jiangcheng is so far from here— how would I know what happened to the Feng family over there?”
Ouyang Ting then explained the situation to her mother.
She said, “The acting head of the Long family is afraid he’ll end up like the head
of the Feng family-making things easier for the legitimate branch, Zhengyi. So
he arranged for his eldest son to pursue us sisters.”
“It’s all about securing their future. It’s their way out.”
“If they marry into our family, and the rightful heir of the Long family returns alive
to reclaim his inheritance, would Long Tuo and his father dare to refuse? After all, they’re holding the family’s leadership tokens.”
“The elites of the Long family recognize only the tokens, not the person. They follow whoever holds them.”
“As in-laws, how could we not help Long Tuo? Our Ouyang family would get dragged into it. If things go wrong, we could become collateral damage. Their real goal is to gradually infiltrate our business through marriage.”
“When the time is right, they’ll take it for themselves. Our family fortune was built over generations-it didn’t just fall from the sky. When Grandpa passed away, neither Dad nor Uncle could stabilize the situation.”
“Back then, everyone connected to us-and even the senior executives-wanted to carve up our family’s assets.”
“Mom, have you forgotten the crisis we faced in those years?”
“If my sister and I hadn’t turned the tide, we might have nothing left today.” “Does Mom really want to go through all that again?”
Second Wife: “…Of course not. There’s no way I’d want to experience that again.”
“Alright then, it’s not fair for you to criticize Long Tuo. You don’t even know him. I only heard that he’s been pursuing you persistently, and since you don’t have a boyfriend, I just brought it up casually.”
“If he’s not suitable, then let it go.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for someone better. If I come across anyone who seems like a good match, I’ll let you know.”
“But don’t marry far away. Mom doesn’t want you or your sisters to move too far. Our family can’t do without you girls.”
The second wife truly didn’t want her daughter to marry far from home. “Actually, your aunt was hesitant to let your elder sister marry far away too. But Zhan Yuan worked in our household and lived with us for quite some time-it felt no different from him being part of the family. That’s why your aunt eventually accepted it.”
“If he hadn’t worked with us, your aunt never would’ve agreed to the marriage. Your elder sister may be strong and capable, but she still had to think about our family—our parents and your younger brother.”
“The Zhan family is wealthy and thriving, and they didn’t mind Zhan Yuan staying here long-term.”
At this point, the second wife sighed again. “Tingting, the more I think about it, the more I feel Zhan Yuan really is a good match.”
“Mom, no matter how good Zhan Yuan is, he’s still my future brother-in-law. He came here for my elder sister. Please don’t say things like that again-it could
make people think I’m trying to steal him.”
Ouyang Ting reminded her mother firmly.
She was genuinely concerned that her mother didn’t realize the seriousness of such remarks. Repeating them might cause misunderstandings, damage the relationship between her and her sister, and even lead to internal rifts within the Ouyang family.
“Grandma Zhan had met my elder sister long ago and thoroughly looked into her before arranging for Zhan Yuan to pursue her. He came under the pretense of being a chef, but in reality, he was here to win his wife.”
Married at First Sight Chapter 4379
The second wife pursed her lips and said, “Mom is only saying this to you. I won’t mention it to anyone else, especially not to your aunt.”
“My daughter is excellent—there’s no need for her to compete with anyone over a man.”
Still, it felt a bit regrettable.
She had missed out on such a promising son-in-law like Zhan Yuan.
“By the way, how did the old lady of the Zhan family come to know your elder sister? I heard she’s already in her early eighties, yet she still travels around looking for wives for her grandchildren.”
The second wife was clearly intrigued by Madam Zhan.
Ouyang Ting replied, “I don’t know Madam Zhan personally, so I’m not sure. All I know is that she took a liking to my elder sister, and Zhan Yuan did too. I don’t have any romantic feelings for Zhan Yuan. Mom, please don’t say things like, ‘It’s a pity we missed out on him’ in the future.”
“It’s too easy to be misunderstood.”
“Got it,” the second wife nodded.
She was only speaking privately to her daughter. It was late at night, and the rest of the household was asleep-no one else could hear their conversation.
Besides, she was merely expressing a sigh of regret, not seriously encouraging her daughter to compete with her sister for a man.
Her daughter was outstanding and had her own dignity. She didn’t need to fight over a man with her own sister.
As her daughter had pointed out-if Zhan Yuan weren’t a wealthy young master, would she have approved of the match? Probably not.
Even for the eldest son’s family, that kind of decision would’ve been difficult. Her niece Aya was a proud and capable woman. As the head of the Ouyang family, no man-not even an extraordinary one-could easily win her heart. That’s why marriages are best when they’re between people of equal social standing.
That’s why marriage is best between people of equal social standing. “Mom, it’s late. Go upstairs and get some rest.”
“Alright. You should head up too and try not to stay up too late. If it gets too overwhelming, let your third and fourth sisters share some of the workload.” The second wife felt sorry for her daughter, seeing how exhausted she was. Ouyang Ting was silent for a moment, then said, “They’ve already helped a lot. It wasn’t until today that I truly realized how much my eldest sister has been carrying. Her workload alone is equal to that of two or three of us.” “That’s true. As the president of the group and the head of the family, she bears enormous pressure and faces everything head-on. Even so, the company sometimes suffers losses. But in business, that’s just how it is—there are always ups and downs.”
“Aya has done an outstanding job.”
The second wife had no complaints about her niece.
If Ouyang Ya hadn’t stepped up at such a young age and taken on such a critical role, the family wouldn’t enjoy the stability they have today.
She felt a bit ashamed to admit that many members of her own family once tried to carve up a portion of the Ouyang family’s wealth.
Caught between her husband’s family and her own, she had been deeply conflicted—so much so that she lost sleep and couldn’t eat properly.
In the end, she chose to face the challenges alongside her husband and children.
She even returned to her parents’ home and had a huge argument with her parents, siblings, and extended family-and didn’t go back for a long time afterward.
Ouyang Ya worked hard and achieved real results, proving to everyone that the daughters of the Ouyang family are not weak, and can shoulder major responsibilities.
Since then, the second wife’s maternal relatives had backed off.
Now, although she’s resumed normal contact with her mother’s side of the family, she remains cautious and keeps her guard up.
Married at First Sight Chapter 4380
Her own daughter was also a pillar of the Ouyang family. If her relatives still tried to seize the family’s assets, it would only end up hurting her daughter.
A child is always a mother’s greatest weakness-her Achilles’ heel.
“That’s right. No matter how outstanding someone is, even a business genius, there will be times when they stumble. It’s normal for a company to suffer losses
in one or two quarters. What’s important is how we adjust our strategies afterward and turn things around.”
“I have confidence in both myself and my elder sister,” Ouyang Ting said, expressing her respect for the hardships her sister had endured.
“Go to bed early.”
The second wife didn’t add anything more. She got up, gave her daughter a few parting instructions, and headed upstairs.
When she returned to her room, her husband had already woken from a nap. Seeing her walk in, still wearing makeup, he asked, “You’re still up? Where did you go? Or did something happen?”
It was still pitch-black outside-nowhere near dawn.
“It’s still early morning. I was waiting for Tingting to come back so I could talk to her. She leaves early and comes back late every day. As her mother, I feel like I haven’t seen her in days.”
“Tingting is busy. Don’t bother her if it’s not important. What did you say to her?” The second wife sat at the dressing table and began removing her jewelry. “Aya has a boyfriend now, and Tingting is just a bit younger than her. Lately, the young master of the Long family from H City has been pursuing Tingting.”
“I asked her if she was interested. But she said she didn’t like men with the surname Long and that nothing would come of it. She told me not to worry about her personal life.”
Her husband responded, “Why are you getting involved in her business? She has her own mind. That so-called young master of the Long family-what nonsense. He’s just the son of a criminal. With what his father has done, there’s no way our daughter can marry into that kind of family.”
“There’s no solid evidence.”
“You really think there’s no evidence? Of course there is. People say: ‘If you don’t want others to know, don’t do it.’ Just wait. One day, he’ll face the law and be punished severely.”
“Do you really think there’s no evidence? There has to be. If you don’t want others to find out, then don’t do it in the first place. Just wait-sooner or later, he’ll be caught and face the full weight of the law.”
“Tingting is right not to like that boy from the Long family. He’s not worthy of her.” The second wife sighed. “We think some of our local young talents are good, but Tingting doesn’t like any of them. Honestly, I have no idea what kind of man she’s looking for.”
“Back then, those people stirred up trouble from behind the scenes, using our own relatives to try and split up the Ouyang family. Tingting is smart. She’s been in the business world for years-do you really think she doesn’t know what happened?” “She’s right to look down on local young talents. In fact, I don’t even want her to marry one. If we’re all in business in the same area, it’s easy for interests to clash.”
Relatives can quickly become enemies.
“You mean Tingting should marry far away? I really can’t bear the thought. Ajun and Ajian are still young, and our family’s business depends heavily on Aya and the others.”
“Even putting business aside, I still can’t bear the idea of my daughter marrying far away. She’d rarely come home. To be honest, when our parents passed away from illness, the daughter who married far away was still on her way back.” “You could invite a son-in-law to live with us, or arrange a dual-residence marriage. Normally, they’d live together, have two kids—one with the father’s surname, the other with the mother’s. On holidays, each could return to their own family to visit their parents.”
“That way, both sides are taken care of.”
The second wife fell silent.
It’s not easy to find a man willing to marry into your family. Most capable men wouldn’t agree. The ones who do are often either lacking ability or scheming “Phoenix men” looking to climb the social ladder. Once successful, they often abandon their wives and turn against the in-laws who helped them.
“I’m done talking. I’m going to take off my makeup, shower, and get to bed.” With that, the second wife stood up and headed off to remove her makeup.