After Being Bent by Reader

By the time Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi returned downstairs, Murong Mingshu had already finished shelling all of the walnuts and passed them to Aunt Lian in the kitchen. Aunt Lian had then used the walnuts to cook up a soup.

Murong Mingshu had always followed a healthy regimen, so she would drink soup more often whenever the weather was cold. When she served a bowl of soup to Xu Chuanchuan, she said, "Little Shi says that you use your brain often. Walnuts help with brain development, so you should eat more of them."

Xu Chuanchuan didn't think that Murong Mingshu had been shelling walnuts for her sake, so she couldn't help but be moved by this gesture.

Sun An wasn't home, so the family was at peace. Ever since finding out about her daughter's relationship with Xu Chuanchuan, Murong Mingshu had grown fonder of Xu Chuanchuan. "The New Year's is coming soon. Will you be going back to visit your parents?"

"I'll be going back with my little sister," Xu Chuanchuan said, smiling. It had already been half a month since she had returned from Xian City. She didn't know if her father's anger had subsided yet, so she thought of going back to check.

"Then, your father..." Murong Shi grew a little worried for Xu Chuanchuan when she thought about the girl's father.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi looked at Xu Chuanchuan and said, "I can go back with you if you're afraid."

However, after pondering for a moment, Xu Chuanchuan eventually rejected Murong Shi's offer and said, "It's okay. I can handle it."

...

On New Year's Day, Xu Chuanchuan and Xu Xiangxiang returned to Xian City by bus.

On the way, Xu Xiangxiang patted her chest and said, "Sis, don't be afraid. If Dad dares to hit you, I'll go tell Grandpa! He won't dare to go against Grandpa!"

Hearing this, Xu Chuanchuan hurriedly said, "You must never tell Grandpa about Murong and me!"

Father Xu had inherited his stubborn and conservative personality from Grandpa Xu. Xu Chuanchuan was already having a difficult time getting through Father Xu's hurdle. If they added Grandpa Xu into the equation, wouldn't their entire family fall into chaos?

"If he wants to beat you, just cry out your lungs. He wouldn't bear to take action once he sees that," Xu Xiangxiang proposed another suggestion.

This time, Xu Chuanchuan actually thought her little sister's idea was good.

...

This was the first time Xu Chuanchuan had been so anxious to return home. It was also thanks to her anxiety that she didn't get carsick throughout the ride back home.

By the time the two sisters got home, it was already eight o'clock, and the sky had long since darkened. After calling Murong Shi to report her safe arrival, Xu Chuanchuan made her way upstairs with Xu Xiangxiang.

As soon as Xu Chuanchuan unlocked the front door and entered the house, she saw her parents watching TV in the living room. Then, after mustering her courage, she said, "Mom, Dad, we're home."

Immediately, Mother Xu came over to help her daughters with their luggage. Father Xu, however, remained silent.

"I just heated the food, so let's eat first before you unpack," Mother Xu said.

After the two sisters went to wash their hands and came out of the bathroom, they saw their father pouring himself some liqueur and drinking by himself in front of the dining table. Then, Xu Xiangxiang walked over and said, "Dad, I'll drink with you."

However, Mother Xu quickly stopped her youngest daughter's plan, saying, "What do you think you're doing trying to drink liqueur? Eat first."

Xu Xiangxiang stuck out her tongue and picked up her bowl and chopsticks upon being chided.

Xu Chuanchuan saw that her father wore an unfriendly expression on his face, so she dared not speak up, opting to quietly sit down and eat her food.

Father Xu didn't take a single bite of rice throughout the entire meal. He only drank his alcohol and took a few bites of the cooked dishes. Then, after finishing his liqueur, he stood up and left the table.

Xu Chuanchuan thought that her father didn't wish to sit at the same table as her, so she couldn't help but feel bitter about this situation.

Sometime after Father Xu left, Xu Chuanchuan took out a debit card and gave it to Mother Xu, saying, "Mom, the Lunar New Year is coming soon. There is 30,000 yuan inside here; use it to buy whatever you want."

Surprised, Mother Xu asked, "Where did you get so much money? Did Little Shi give it to you?"

"Of course not. I earned this money myself."

"You said you were already broke after buying the massage chair. How did you save up 30,000 so quickly with that measly monthly salary of yours?"

With things as they were, Xu Chuanchuan no longer wished to keep any secrets from her family. So, she came clean and told her mother and her little sister about her part-time job as an author.

Mother Xu was surprised once more after hearing her daughter's revelation.

"You're writing novels? Really?" Xu Xiangxiang skeptically asked as she scrutinized her elder sister. "You don't look like an author."

"Why not?"

"You can write novels with that slow brain of yours?"

Rolling her eyes, Xu Chuanchuan said, "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

Unlike Xu Xiangxiang, Mother Xu did not doubt Xu Chuanchuan's words. Instead, she curiously asked, "How much can you make a month through writing novels, then?"

In the past, Xu Chuanchuan made between 10,000 and 30,000 yuan a month through her novels. Though, her royalties had increased substantially recently because of her latest book's good performance. However, to avoid setting any expectations, Xu Chuanchuan lied, saying, "It's roughly the same as my monthly salary."

"That's a lot," Mother Xu said.

Smiling, Xu Chuanchuan said, "I wouldn't have dared to buy a house for you all if I didn't have any additional income."

Subsequently, Xu Xiangxiang grabbed onto Xu Chuanchuan's arm and asked her elder sister many questions. She even asked for Xu Chuanchuan's pen name, saying that she would go support her online. However, Xu Chuanchuan refused to reveal her pen name, causing Xu Xiangxiang to feel depressed.

As for Mother Xu, she wasn't too interested in this topic, so she said, "You're already grown up, so you should save some money for yourself. Now that you've already paid the down payment for this house, just leave the monthly repayments to your father and me. Keep this card for yourself."

However, Xu Chuanchuan refused to take back the debit card, saying, "This is for you to buy New Year goods."

After hesitating for a moment, Mother Xu said, "Give it to your father, then."

Xu Chuanchuan had originally planned to use this money to coax her father. After hearing her mother's suggestion, she gained a little more confidence.

So, after the meal, Xu Chuanchuan took the debit card and made her way to the master bedroom under Mother Xu's urging.

When Xu Chuanchuan entered the room, Father Xu was in the midst of replacing the batteries for the air conditioner's remote. However, even though Father Xu heard Xu Chuanchuan entering the room, he didn't even look up, pretending as if she was invisible.

Then, Xu Chuanchuan put the debit card on the bedside table and timidly said, "Dad, there is 30,000 yuan in here that I saved up. You..."

However, before Xu Chuanchuan could finish speaking, Father Xu had tossed the card to the floor and indifferently said, "I have hands and feet. I don't need this money of yours."

When the card hit the floor, Xu Chuanchuan's heart also sank.

Even though her father did not scold her or hit her this time, Xu Chuanchuan felt even more uncomfortable than before.

Afterward, no matter what Xu Chuanchuan tried to say, Father Xu refused to pay her any attention. Even after Xu Chuanchuan started crying out of anxiety, Father Xu remained indifferent. He even pushed her out of the room and locked the door.

Even until it was time for the two Xu sisters to return to S City, Father Xu did not change his attitude toward Xu Chuanchuan. This situation caused Xu Chuanchuan to feel very aggrieved.

While sending off her daughters to the bus station, Mother Xu tried to console her eldest daughter, saying, "There is no hatred that lasts forever between father and daughter. Don't think too much about it and focus on your work."

Although Xu Chuanchuan still felt uneasy about the situation, she squeezed a smile onto her face when she heard her mother's words.

Two hours later, the Xu sisters arrived back in S City, and Murong Shi came to pick them up in her car. After the Xu sisters got into the car, Murong Shi asked about Father Xu's situation.

In response, Xu Chuanchuan just provided a brief and concise summary.

After listening to Xu Chuanchuan's answer, Murong Shi fell silent for a moment. Then, she noticed her lover's slightly swollen eyes, so she asked, "Did you cry?"

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? You cried several times," Xu Xiangxiang said, exposing her elder sister's lie.

Murong Shi let out a sigh when she heard this. Then, she reached out and embraced Xu Chuanchuan, saying, "It must've been tough for you."

Ever since returning from Xian City, Xu Chuanchuan's mood had been at a constant low. She couldn't help but feel that she had been unlucky recently. Then, when she shared her thoughts with Murong Shi, her lover said, "Should I ask my mom to take you to a temple and wash away your bad luck?"

Xu Chuanchuan dejectedly shook her head.

It wasn't until Ange had sent her a message saying, "I've decided to try dating her for a while," did Xu Chuanchuan's mood brighten up a little. Then, she excitedly shared this good news with Murong Shi.

Murong Shi wasn't surprised at all to hear that Ange and Fang Qin had begun dating. Then, she passed something to Xu Chuanchuan, saying, "It's an invitation from Linda. She and her husband will be holding their wedding next month."

Xu Chuanchuan's and Murong Shi's names were written on the invitation card. The black letters and red background gave the card a festive look. Revealing a smile, Xu Chuanchuan said, "Linda must be thrilled."

Then, Murong Shi added, "She is asking you to be her bridesmaids."

"Why me?" Xu Chuanchuan was puzzled.

"Most of her friends, relatives, and colleagues are married already, so she couldn't get enough people for her bridal party. It just so happens that you are still single in the legal sense."

Linda's relationship with Murong Shi was better than her relationship with Xu Chuanchuan. However, Linda dared not ask Murong Shi to be her bridesmaid. After all, Murong Shi would end up stealing the spotlight with her beauty.

Becoming a bridesmaid required one to choose out a bridesmaid's dress. Linda had invited Xu Chuanchuan to go pick out a dress on Saturday, so Murong Shi had woken up Xu Chuanchuan early that morning to help the latter massage her slightly swollen face. Then, Murong Shi told Xu Chuanchuan to go apply a facial mask.

Finding the task troublesome, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "I'm just trying on a dress. Is there a need to do all these things?"

After applying a facial mask onto Xu Chuanchuan's face, Murong Shi said, "It'll be easier to apply makeup if your skin is in good condition. You'll also look better in photos."

"I also need to put on makeup?"

"Mhm."

Xu Chuanchuan had never been a bridesmaid before, so she obediently listened to whatever Murong Shi said.

By the time Xu Chuanchuan could remove her facial mask, Murong Shi had already finished putting on makeup for herself, so she proceeded to help Xu Chuanchuan with her makeup. She even fixed Xu Chuanchuan's hairstyle, giving her a better look.

Before leaving the mouse, Murong Shi rubbed Xu Chuanchuan's stomach and pondered for a moment. Then, she said, "I think you should skip breakfast."

Is there a need to go so far? Xu Chuanchuan thought to herself.

Afraid that Xu Chuanchuan would get carsick, Murong Shi stuffed a piece of chewing gum into her lover's mouth before driving the car to the bridal shop.

Xu Chuanchuan heard that bridal parties would generally have around six bridesmaids. However, when they arrived, they only saw Linda and her husband. So, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Are the others not here yet?"

In response, Linda said, "There's nobody else coming. It's just the four of us."

"Huh?" Xu Chuanchuan was confused by this situation.

The bridal shop they visited was the largest bridal shop in the city. It had many wedding dresses, and the price ranged from tens of thousands to several million.

Every woman had a dream wedding dress in her heart. As soon as Xu Chuanchuan entered the shop, she was instantly attracted by the beautiful wedding dresses on display. However, although she wanted to try touching them, she was afraid of getting them dirty, so she simply looked at them from afar.

"Aren't you going to try some?" Murong Shi asked in a whisper.

"Aren't we here to choose a bridesmaid dress?"

Overhearing Xu Chuanchuan's words, a female staff member standing nearby walked over and said, "I'm sorry, miss, but this is a bridal shop. We don't have bridesmaid dresses here."

What are we here for, then? Xu Chuanchuan wondered.

By this time, Linda and her husband had already left to check out the wedding dresses in the shop. So, Murong Shi held Xu Chuanchuan's hand and said, "Let's go; we'll go try some as well."

There are so many beautiful wedding dresses here; there's no harm in trying some of them, right?

Murong Shi's words successfully persuaded Xu Chuanchuan.

However, even though Xu Chuanchuan had only regarded Murong Shi's suggestion as one of her lover's whims, Murong Shi had asked the staff member to bring them the most expensive wedding dresses in the store. Dumbfounded by this situation, Xu Chuanchuan asked in a hushed voice, "Wouldn't it be bad if we dirty it?"

"It's fine. It's very clean here, so you won't dirty it."

Xu Chuanchuan was rendered speechless. In her mind, Linda was the protagonist here today. The two of them also didn't need a wedding dress. So, wouldn't the shop's staff have a lot to say if they tried on expensive wedding dresses without buying anything?

However, Murong Shi did not give Xu Chuanchuan any time to think. She quickly picked out two dresses that caught her fancy and brought Xu Chuanchuan to the dressing room.

The dressing room was large, and it could easily fit both of them. After helping Xu Chuanchuan put on her dress, Murong Shi visually inspected her lover for a moment before nodding in satisfaction and saying, "Beautiful."

There were mirrors on both sides. When Xu Chuanchuan saw herself in a wedding dress for the first time, she couldn't help but be shocked. She also had to admit that Murong Shi had a good eye. The dress Murong Shi had chosen for her fit her body very well. The style also wasn't overly complicated, and the skirt wasn't very fluffy. Overall, Xu Chuanchuan found herself looking very sweet in the dress. The only problem was that her waist was a bit too thick... It was fortunate she didn't have any breakfast.

Xu Chuanchuan dared not move around in the dress. If she accidentally dirtied or damaged it, she wouldn't have enough money to pay for it even if she sold herself.

While Xu Chuanchuan was standing stiffly in place, Murong Shi swiftly changed into her own wedding dress.

Compared to Xu Chuanchuan's dress, Murong Shi's dress looked much cleaner with fewer decorations. Even so, it did not reduce her sexiness by the slightest. After all, apart from the important parts, the other parts of the dress were hollowed out and replaced with white lace. Xu Chuanchuan nearly had a nosebleed when she saw this alluring sight.

After rubbing her nose and making sure she didn't have a nosebleed, Xu Chuanchuan looked at the person in front of her and exclaimed, "How beautiful..."

In Xu Chuanchuan's opinion, this revealing wedding dress was practically tailored for Murong Shi. The dress emphasized Murong Shi's perfect figure and enchanting face, making it impossible for others to look away from her.

Waving a hand in front of Xu Chuanchuan, Murong Shi asked, "Stunned?"

Xu Chuanchuan mechanically nodded.

Murong Shi smiled and helped Xu Chuanchuan put on her veil. In turn, Xu Chuanchuan clumsily helped Murong Shi put on hers.

After putting on each other's veils, Murong Shi opened the dressing room's door and pushed Xu Chuanchuan out of the room.

To Xu Chuanchuan's surprise, Linda was standing outside the dressing room. Upon seeing her boss and her boss's lover, Linda vigorously clapped and said, "Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!"

At this time, Linda had also changed into a wedding dress of her own. Though, her husband was nowhere to be seen.

Her wedding dress exposed her shoulders and back, so Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but grow embarrassed when standing in front of Linda.

Meanwhile, Linda pointed to the left and said, "Head over there. That place is spacious and perfect for taking pictures."

Xu Chuanchuan thought Linda was suggesting for them to take a group photo as a memento. However, she later saw Linda taking out a camera and pointing it at them, saying, "There are flowers behind you. Chuanchuan, take out a few stalks of lilies."

Xu Chuanchuan followed Linda's instructions and grabbed a few stalks of lilies from behind. Then, she carefully held them in her arms and smiled at the camera.

"Ready?" Linda asked.

"Wait, we're missing something," Murong Shi interrupted. Then, she grabbed Xu Chuanchuan's right hand and slipped something into Xu Chuanchuan's ring finger.

When Xu Chuanchuan saw a platinum ring appearing on her ring finger, her eyes widened in shock. Before she could make sense of what was going on, Murong Shi took away the lilies in her hand and replaced them with another platinum ring.

Smiling, Murong Shi stretched out her right hand and said, "Stop daydreaming and help me put it on."

Xu Chuanchuan was utterly dumbfounded as she looked at the simple ring in her left palm. Then, blinking her eyes, she asked, "When did you buy them?"

"On the day you went home."

Xu Chuanchuan looked at the wedding dresses she and Murong Shi wore. Then, she looked at the two rings in her hands, seemingly coming to a realization. Even so, she still found the situation to be incredible.

"You..." Xu Chuanchuan tried to speak up, but no words came to her mind.

Suddenly, Murong Shi leaned forward and looked into Xu Chuanchuan's eyes. Then, she softly said, "I might not be able to officially marry you in this life, so you can think of today as our wedding day."

"..." Although Xu Chuanchuan had already guessed it, she still couldn't help but be thunderstruck when hearing Murong Shi's words.

Xu Chuanchuan felt as if something was stuck in her throat. As she looked up into Murong Shi's affectionate eyes, her own eyes started watering.

"Don't try. You're going to ruin your makeup," Murong Shi said. Then, she raised her ring finger and smiled, "If you're willing to, put it on for me."