Mr. Xiao, can I borrow your wedding invitation?

Chapter 301 Once you've chosen someone, it won't change for life.
"Ruonan, are you confused? You're giving up a perfectly good young master like Yan to marry. What are you after by following him?" Chen Wanru pretended to feel sorry for him.

Xiao Jiayang pointed at Ning Zhiyuan's nose and cursed, "You filthy bodyguard, you traitor! Our Xiao family has raised you for so long, and you've seduced my fifth aunt! Guards, arrest him!"

"Let's see who dares to touch him!" Xiao Ruonan spread her arms to protect Ning Zhiyuan.

"Fifth Aunt, are you confused? Have you been drugged by him? Don't be afraid, I'll deal with this man for you!" "Shut up! My affairs are none of your business!" Xiao Ruonan roared.

Chen Wanru pulled her son over, signaling him to mind his own business.

Lan Ruo also remained calm and observed the situation.

Xiao Shen watched the spectacle with his legs crossed. Everyone else was tense and curious, creating a rather heavy atmosphere. Only he was relaxed and at ease, as if he didn't belong to their world.

"Dad!" Xiao Ruonan looked in the direction of the old man and called out guiltily.

"Don't call me Dad, I don't have a daughter like you!" The old man always turned his back to her.

Xiao Ruonan bit her lip, "I know I was wrong, your daughter apologizes to you!"

Take a step back and bow.

The old man slowly turned around, and Lan Ruo stepped forward to help.

"Do you think an apology can make up for your mistakes? What's the point of having police then?"

Xiao Shen: Grandpa, this seems to be one of my lines!
"Ruonan, you are an adult, you have to take responsibility for your actions. You ran away for your own beautiful love, did you even consider the feelings of the Xiao family and the Yan family? How much loss will this bring to the Xiao family? Do you think marriage is like children playing house? Okay, you left, so what are you doing back here?"

The old man's words left Xiao Ruonan speechless.

Ning Zhiyuan took two steps forward, and Xiao Jiayang, thinking he was going to beat him up, quickly got into a defensive position.

But all his efforts were in vain. He suddenly knelt on the ground and said, "I'm sorry, sir. It was my idea for the fifth young lady to elope. I forced her to do it. It's all my fault. Please don't blame her! If you have any complaints, you can vent them on me!"

“Ah Lie…” Xiao Ruonan looked at him.

The old man's gaze finally fell on Ning Zhiyuan, his face suddenly turning cold. "Hmph! Jiayang is right, you are a traitor, repaying kindness with enmity, bewitching my daughter. Did you really think I would fall for your tricks? You've miscalculated! Guards, bring on the caning!"

In the Xiao family, any servant or bodyguard who commits an unforgivable mistake will be expelled from the family or punished with caning.

Few people could endure it to the end; usually, the person would faint halfway through the caning.

Xiao Ruonan refused no matter what and immediately rushed forward to stop the bodyguards who were carrying out the caning punishment, "No, you are not allowed to touch A-Lie!"

"Dad! This isn't his fault, it was my own choice, so please don't make things difficult for him!"

Seeing his daughter defending a man in front of so many people, Old Master Xiao pointed at her with exasperation, "Ruonan, you are the fifth young lady of the Xiao family, so high and mighty. Is it really worth it for a man like this? I've been through this before, and I see it clearly. This boy just wants to climb to a higher position by stepping on you. He's using you, do you understand?"

“Dad, I know you mean well, but I trust my own choices even more. Besides apologizing to you, I have something very important to say to you today…” She knelt down with Ning Zhiyuan, took his hand and raised it up, “I want to tell you that I love A-Lie, and I want to be with him. Whether you agree or not, I’ve made up my mind!”

Ning Zhiyuan stared at the girl beside him in disbelief. The floodgates in his heart seemed to be opened, and a warm current surged in, filling his heart in an instant.

"Absurd, it's practically rosewood, cough cough..."

The old man was so angry that his face turned red. Chen Wanru immediately poured water and brought it over, while Lan Ruo busied herself rubbing his back.

Chen Wanru said, "Ruonan, just listen to the old man and break up with this wild man. He only cares about the status and wealth of our Xiao family. What's so great about someone like that that you should miss? If you don't like Young Master Yan, I'll introduce you to someone else later!" Xiao Ruonan retorted directly, "I'm not like Jiayang, who can have one today and another tomorrow."

She turned her head to look at Ning Zhiyuan, "Once I've made up my mind about someone, I'll never change it for the rest of my life!"

Ning Zhiyuan held her hand tightly. At first, he had some reservations, but now, he didn't want to stay in the same place anymore. He wanted to move forward and walk towards her.

The old man, panting heavily, said, "Alright, you've grown up and are capable now. Here's what we'll do: if this kid can still stand up after the caning, I'll agree to what you asked for. If he can't, then we'll leave it to fate. I'll try my best to leave him with a whole corpse!"

“Alright! You keep your word!” Ning Zhiyuan’s eyes were firm.

Xiao Ruonan grabbed his clothes and shook her head desperately, "No, A-Lie, you'll die! Just knowing you like him is enough!" "Not enough, far from enough, Fifth Miss, wait for me!" Ning Zhiyuan smiled and patted the back of her hand.

Xiao Ruonan was pulled away, and bodyguards stood on either side of her, each holding a wooden stick more than a meter long. They raised and lowered the sticks, but Ning Zhiyuan remained motionless.

The Xiao family's bodyguards are all highly trained; one blow from them would be devastating.

Xiao Ruonan cried with heartache. She ran to Xiao Shen and begged, "Fourth Brother, please save A-Lie! He's going to be beaten to death!"

Xiao Shen shook his head helplessly, "But you also need to know that this is the only condition he can exchange with the old man. Since this is his own choice, he should grit his teeth and finish it. Otherwise, even I will look down on him. The man who is worthy of you must pass our test!"

"But Ah Lie..."

Xiao Ruonan couldn't bear to watch.

The wooden stick fell repeatedly on the man's broad back. From beginning to end, Ning Zhiyuan didn't even blink, but his hands were clenched into fists.

He knew that his and Xiao Ruonan's fate was in their own hands, and he had to hold on.

"Push yourself as hard as you can! Have you guys not eaten enough? Are you even capable of this?" Xiao Jiayang, taking revenge, snatched the wooden stick from the bodyguard's hand. "Get up, I'll do it!"

Lan Ruo turned her back, unable to bear the bloody scene. Chen Wanru stood up for her son. Old Master Xiao's face was solemn. Xiao Shen's expression was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

The sound of Xiao Ruonan crying filled my ears, making my heart flutter with turmoil.

Time passed by, and twenty minutes quickly came.

Xiao Jiayang got tired of fighting, so he took off his coat and continued.

Finally, Ning Zhiyuan collapsed to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Jiayang gritted his teeth and swung the wooden stick in his hand again.

"stop!"

Xiao Shen stood up.

Xiao Ruonan rushed over and hugged Ning Zhiyuan, "Ah Lie, Ah Lie, what's wrong? Waaah... Don't scare me!"

"Fourth Uncle, what's wrong with you..." Xiao Jiayang said with a forced smile.

Xiao Shen tapped the watch face. "Time's up!"

Xiao Jiayang was powerless to do anything.