The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

Zhou Liguang disgustedly turned his wheelchair and took a half step back, avoiding her hand, his cold gaze piercing her eyes.

"No?"

Zhou Liguang's voice was calm, his emotions completely unwavering, as if he were looking at a clown: "I'm neither stupid nor blind. If your acting skills were any better, and I didn't see the disgust and revulsion in your eyes so easily, I might actually have believed your nonsense."

If it weren't for the chilling coldness in his eyes, one would easily believe from his calm tone that he was completely unfazed by the annulment of the engagement.

Qiao Mingzhu cried even harder, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

But at this moment, the tears in her eyes were no longer feigned grievances, but simply fear and panic!

That damned Qiao Xinxin! What did she ever do to offend this crazy woman?! Ugh!

The last trace of color drained from Qiao Mingzhu's face.

Everything that happened today was completely beyond her control!

Of course she wanted to break off her engagement with Zhou Liguang!

She's only twenty years old. She's young, beautiful, and comes from a wealthy family. Why should she waste her precious youth on a cripple who can't even stand up, cleaning up his excrement and urine?!

But she also knew that she could never bear the stigma of disliking her fiancé!

If word gets out, she'll be drowned in spittle from everyone in the compound, and people will just point fingers at her and curse her!

How perfect her original plan was!

As long as she lets that country bumpkin Qiao Xinxin marry Zhou Liguang in her place, she can get away unscathed.

Even if others find out, they'll just say that Qiao Xinxin, that country bumpkin, is short-sighted and shamelessly stole her younger sister's fiancé as soon as she returned to the city.

It was Zhou Liguang who fell in love with someone else and broke off their engagement.

At that time, Qiao Mingzhu will be the most pitiful victim, betrayed by both her own sister and her fiancé!

It's all Qiao Xinxin's fault!

If she had obediently agreed to the substitute marriage, none of this would have happened!

Seeing that Zhou Liguang had gone this far, Qiao Shouguo felt his head buzzing and his temples throbbing.

He stood up abruptly, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said loudly and righteously, "No! Absolutely not! Li Guang, this engagement was personally arranged by our two families' grandfathers back then. How can we treat it like a child's game and just call it off?!"

He pointed at Qiao Mingzhu on the ground, forcing himself to save face: "Mingzhu is just too timid because she hasn't experienced any setbacks since she was little! But she's definitely not the kind of person who would betray principles for personal gain, and she absolutely doesn't look down on you in the slightest! Today's incident is all a misunderstanding!"

Qin Fangfang couldn't sit still any longer and stood up as if on pins and needles to chime in, "Yes, yes, Lao Zhou, Hongmei, this is a huge misunderstanding! Li Guang and Mingzhu grew up together since they were little, and they've had a relationship for over ten years. How can they give up on each other in a fit of pique because of such a small misunderstanding!"

Although Qin Fangfang verbally defended and explained Qiao Mingzhu, her face looked worse than if she had swallowed a fly.

Even though they usually favored and doted on their adopted daughter, at this moment, Qiao Shouguo and Qin Fangfang couldn't help but feel a strong sense of resentment and anger!

That brat Qiao Mingzhu, she usually seems so clever, how could she do something so stupid?!

How dare she lie to them!

She still used an easily exposed lie like "Zhou Liguang assaulted someone" to trick them into standing up for her!

If Zhou Liguang really laid a hand on her, that would be one thing, but at least the Qiao family could stand on the moral high ground and find a legitimate reason to forcefully dissolve the engagement.

But Qiao Shouguo never dreamed that this brat would dare to lie about something like this!

Now look what's happened! The whole family went to the Zhou family in a big fuss, only to be exposed on the spot, not only getting themselves into trouble, but also being humiliated by the Zhou family!

If this lie really offends the Zhou family to death today...

After that, Qiao Shouguo didn't dare to think about the Qiao family's situation in the compound...

Seeing that the Qiao couple were still being unreasonable and stubborn, Liu Hongmei, who had been suppressing her anger, finally exploded.

She could no longer maintain her composure. She abruptly stood up, her face grim, and pointed directly at the Qiao family, cursing, "You whole family, you're truly cunning!"

Liu Hongmei pointed at Qiao Shouguo and Qin Fangfang, her chest heaving violently, and unleashed a torrent of pent-up anger: "I really don't understand what kind of show the Qiao family is putting on! What are your plans? Are you even willing to let your daughter marry into this family?"

"If you really don't want to, then just nod your head and call off this marriage! What, do you think our Zhou family are some kind of ruthless landlords from the old society who cannibalize people? Are you suggesting we come to your door, tie your daughter up, and snatch her back?!"

She took a deep breath, her eyes red-rimmed. "If you didn't want to marry him, you could have just said so! There was no need to beat around the bush and spread rumors about my son!"

"Li Guang was injured while protecting his country; he was wounded in the line of duty! Although he injured his leg, as his mother, I am incredibly proud of him! Not everyone has the courage and vision of my son to become a true soldier!"

These words were spoken with resounding force, each one like a resounding slap across the face of the Qiao family.

Liu Hongmei's face turned ashen, and she finally glared at Qiao Mingzhu, who was slumped on the ground, with her icy gaze filled with intense disgust.

She felt utterly heartbroken.

Before her son's accident, Qiao Mingzhu would visit the Zhou family every few days, calling him "Aunt Hongmei" and "Brother Liguang" repeatedly, as if she wanted to get married into the Zhou family immediately. She would stick to Liguang like a piece of chewing gum every day.

Now look what's happened! How long has it been since Li Guang's incident? This woman changes her mind faster than flipping through a book, immediately resorting to such despicable methods to sever ties!

"Ha!" Liu Hongmei sneered, her eyes filled with regret. "I was so blind! I thought my daughter, whom I'd watched grow up, would at least be loyal and considerate, and that she'd remember all these years of affection. Turns out, I've been wasting my time being so good to an ungrateful wretch!"

"Hongmei, stop talking." Zhou Zejun sat on the sofa, his brows furrowed, and interrupted his wife in a deep voice.

But his unfathomable eyes coldly swept over the Qiao family members.

The couple's words were increasingly hurtful, showing no politeness whatsoever.

Qiao Shouguo and Qin Fangfang stood there, their faces alternating between pale and flushed, like a colorful palette.

The two had lived most of their lives and were prominent figures in the compound; they had never been insulted or cursed by anyone before.

This is a hundred times more humiliating than slapping them twice in public!

"willing!"

In the midst of this suffocating embarrassment, Qiao Shouguo suddenly raised his voice and shouted out two words with unwavering resolve.

He suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Qiao Mingzhu's arm, and, ignoring her struggles, forcibly pulled her up from the ground and roughly pushed her in front of everyone.

"Of course I'm willing! Old Zhou, Hongmei, please don't misunderstand! Our two families have been friends for decades, a bond that's like a life-or-death experience! Mingzhu and Liguang grew up together, their relationship is very deep. This engagement was arranged by the old man, it absolutely cannot be called off!"

"dad--!"

Qiao Mingzhu staggered a few steps after being pushed, and turned back to cry out in despair.

Her voice was sharp and shrill, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She looked at her father, who was always strict but also loved her, with a face full of terror.

Has Dad gone mad?! Zhou Liguang is already in this state, and he still wants to push himself into a fire pit?!