200 yuan. For Chen Yang, it was really nothing to mention.
So, when Chen Yuanchao asked who would give the 200 yuan bride price, Chen Yang shouted without hesitation: "I'll give it!"
"You'll give it?" Chen Yuanchao rolled his eyes in anger. "It's already this late, and my own son is still talking big. Our whole family works ourselves to the bone all year round and still can't earn 200 yuan. With your idle and carefree lifestyle, you think you can come up with 200 yuan? Dream on!"
"Don't even think about marrying her. Since you wronged them first, you should show an attitude of admitting your mistake."
As he spoke, Chen Yuanchao walked to the woodshed next door. After a while, he came out carrying a gleaming wood-chopping knife.
"Don't blame me for being heartless. Come in with me and see if An Yu forgives you! If she doesn't forgive you, I'll send you on your way personally! Then... I'll come along, and the two of us will go to the Yellow Springs together to apologize to your Uncle Lin!"
Chen Yuanchao had served in the military. Even though he was over fifty, he hadn't lost a single bit of his fighting spirit. He was also extremely loyal and devoted to his friends. He felt that although his son had made a mistake, he, as the father, was also partly responsible for what had happened today. Therefore, Chen Yuanchao had made up his mind: they must give the Lin sisters an explanation in their own way.
Seeing his father's resolute decision was also beyond Chen Yang's expectations. He even wondered if he had foreseen this scene in his previous life, which was why he had slipped away unnoticed. It was not too late to slip away now—but this would make the tragic fate of both families inevitable. This went against Chen Yang's original intention of being reborn.
Since they couldn't run away, they couldn't lose their lives either. Chen Yang understood: the only way to break this deadlock was to get Lin Anyu to agree to marry him. Then, by earning 200 yuan for the bride price, he could marry Lin Anyu in a grand and glorious way, thus avoiding all tragedies!
Chen Yuanchao carried a machete and walked to the door of the room, but did not go in directly. He turned to look at Chen Yang. Chen Yang walked to his father's side, took a deep breath, and strode into Lin Anyu's room.
Now, Lin Anyu sat against the wall, with an overcoat draped over her upper body. With her mother Liu Shufang's comfort, she had stopped crying, but lowered her head, her shoulders trembling, her beautiful face still streaked with tears.
Only, upon seeing Chen Yang enter, Lin Anyu instantly became agitated. "Get out!" She screamed sharply, like a frightened kitten.
How did he get in? When Chen Yang came in, Liu Shufang (Chen Yang's mother) was also very annoyed. She had finally managed to calm Lin Anyu down a bit, and now this brat has run in—isn't that a bad thing?
Inside the room, the dim kerosene lamp flickered on and off. It reflected his mother's old clothes pieced together from tattered rags. The Chen family had been poor for too long. His mother hadn't worn a new piece of clothing in many years. Her old clothes were covered in patches. Even so, his mother was still trying her best to clean up her son's mess and maintain the family.
"Mom, your son is unfilial!"
This moment, Chen Yang could no longer suppress the guilt in his heart. He couldn't help but kneel down before his mother, tears welling in his eyes.
Liu Shufang didn't expect this—her son was actually apologizing to her. She covered her mouth and nose, took a deep breath, and then said tremblingly: "The person you should really apologize to is An Yu. Admit your mistakes properly and don't let us down."
"I see!"
Chen Yang remained kneeling, but shifted his upper body and turned his head toward Lin Anyu.
"Get away! I don't want to see him!" Lin Anyu was so frightened that she shrank under the covers, her whole body trembling.
Chen Yang felt very uncomfortable. He knew that he had done something terrible while drunk.
"An Yu, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have treated you like that. You are innocent in this matter, please don't do anything rash. I know you're holding a grudge. I'd give you my life if you could just calm down!"
"What did you say?" Liu Shufang exclaimed in surprise. She jumped off the bed, ran to Chen Yang, and said sternly: "Are you deliberately causing trouble? Do you have to destroy this family before you're satisfied?"
What had happened today wasn't a big deal, but it wasn't insignificant either. Liu Shufang knew that the importance of the matter depended entirely on Lin Anyu's decision. Although Chen Yang was wrong, Liu Shufang really didn't want this matter to escalate into a fatality. If it had to be this way, she would rather give her own life to atone for the mistakes her son had made.
"An Yu, it's because Auntie didn't educate Chen Yang well. Auntie knows you've been wronged. As long as you can vent your anger, you can do whatever you want. If that still doesn't work, how about I give you my life in return?"
Liu Shufang walked to the bedside, bent down, and spoke to Lin Anyu, who was huddled under the covers, in a consultative tone.
Lin Anyu did not respond. After a while, her crying could be heard from under the covers. Liu Shufang also started crying. The mournful cries of the two women echoed in the room.
Throughout the process, Chen Yang remained kneeling on the ground, bowing his head deeply in remorse.
A long time passed. Lin Anyu's crying subsided. She crawled out of bed, her face streaked with tears, staring at Chen Yang kneeling on the ground, her eyes filled with intense and unyielding hatred.
"Auntie, I don't want you to die!"
Upon hearing Lin Anyu's words, Liu Shufang's body suddenly trembled. She quickly straightened up, hastily wiping away her tears, and asked anxiously: "An Yu, what do you mean by that... are you trying to kill Chen Yang?"
"I don't care about anyone's life." Lin Anyu shook her head painfully, her face deathly still.
Chen Yang's heart skipped a beat when he heard this.
"That..." Liu Shufang was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened in horror. "An Yu, don't do anything rash!" She hugged Lin Anyu tightly and couldn't help but burst into tears again.
At this moment, Chen Yuanchao, carrying a machete, entered the room from outside.
"An Yu, it is my Chen family who has wronged you. Your uncle will now seek justice for you!"
After saying that, Chen Yuanchao walked towards Chen Yang carrying the machete.
Chen Yang instantly felt a chill run down his back. He didn't expect that before he could even speak, his father was in such a hurry to send him to his death. This was ridiculous. Did he really have to slip away unnoticed?
"Chen Yuanchao, what do you think you're doing? Put the knife down right now!"
At a critical moment, his mother stepped forward. Like a mother leopard protecting her cubs, she pounced on Chen Yuanchao, trying to snatch the wood-chopping knife.
But Chen Yuanchao seemed to have made up his mind. He gripped the wood-chopping knife tightly and approached Chen Yang step by step. It was clear that if they didn't stop it soon, someone in the Chen family would really die.
Thinking of the care the Chen family had given her these past few days, Lin Anyu couldn't bear to stay silent and spoke:
"Uncle, please let Chen Yang go..."