Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 871 - 872: Kidnap the Bride?

Chapter 871: Chapter 872: Kidnap the Bride?

"I’m telling you, Xiaoqiang, you’d better just confess that you’re really out of money. With your wife, it’s best to be a bit more prudent," Li Gang offered a piece of advice.

Wang Xiaoqiang said, "It’s our wedding, it’s only right to make sure everyone is satisfied. She can’t help it either."

"Alright then, one’s willing to punch, the other’s willing to take it. I won’t say more," Li Gang remarked.

Only then did Wang Xiaoqiang answer the phone, with an inevitable hint of nervousness in his tone, "Wife, what’s the matter now?"

"Husband... I really didn’t want to tell you, I... I’m too embarrassed to say it. Right now, about my uncle... sigh."

Hearing the helpless and aggrieved voice of his wife, Wang Xiaoqiang quickly said, "Wife, don’t be anxious. Just tell me, what do they need now? I will find a way to satisfy the request."

Li Gang rolled his eyes so much they almost reached the back of his ears, and Song Xiaodong was somewhat speechless, but he could only make a gesture to Li Gang, indicating him not to talk too much.

"Husband...you’re really good to me."

Wang Xiaoqiang thumped his chest, brimming with manly bravado, "I am your husband after all. If I’m going to marry you, I have to make sure you’re brought home with honor. How could I allow you to marry me with grievances? Go ahead and tell me."

"Mmm, it’s like this. My uncle’s family isn’t well-off and they want to attend my wedding but can’t afford to come. Originally, our family should help with that. But I misspoke and said since my uncle is attending our wedding, we should be responsible. We will cover the expenses. But as you know, I don’t have any money, so... I’m hoping you can help cover the cost of the flight tickets for my uncle’s family, so they can fly over here tonight."

"I see... Okay, how much would that be?"

"It’s fifteen thousand yuan."

"What?" Wang Xiaoqiang suddenly cried out, "Are plane tickets that expensive now?"

"Economy class would definitely be cheaper, but there are no seats left in economy, so we can only buy business class, that’s why it’s expensive. I know it’s tough for you. If it’s too much trouble, then forget it, we don’t have to invite... them over." There was a hint of grievance in the tone of Wang Xiaoqiang’s wife.

"No, no, that wouldn’t be good. Since you’ve agreed, it would be wrong not to let them come. Alright then, I’ll transfer the money to you right away, and you can book the tickets."

"Ah, husband, you... you’re really too good to me. I... I’m missing you already."

"Heh heh, you’ll have your chance to perform tomorrow." Wang Xiaoqiang was thoroughly flattered by his wife’s cajoling.

"Mm-hm, I will definitely put on a good show tomorrow night to satisfy you."

Her voice was so coy it turned Wang Xiaoqiang’s bones to jelly.

"Such a sly one!" Li Gang couldn’t help but blurt out.

"Hey, Gangzi, who are you calling sly?" Wang Xiaoqiang rolled his eyes.

"Of course, I’m calling you sly," Li Gang retorted irritably, but in his heart, he was cursing the woman. Mocking Wang Xiaoqiang was okay; after all, they had been brothers for years and he wouldn’t get angry. But cursing someone’s wife, that would definitely be a no-go.

After Wang Xiaoqiang transferred the money, thankfully his wife didn’t make any more demands. But with all this fuss, of the one hundred thousand yuan Song Xiaodong gave, there probably wasn’t much left.

Wang Xiaoqiang said, "Dongzi, Gangzi, you guys need to help me with the wedding procession tomorrow morning."

Song Xiaodong said with a smile, "If you didn’t let me go, I’d be the unhappy one."

"Heh heh, good, good. You guys should also get some rest early tonight."

After Wang Xiaoqiang left, Song Xiaodong and Li Gang chatted for a while before going to bed early and getting up at 5 in the morning to accompany Wang Xiaoqiang, the groom, to fetch the bride.

Wang Xiaoqiang’s wife’s home was in a regular neighborhood and was on the first floor. Wang Xiaoqiang started knocking on the door.

"Want to come in? Hand out the red envelopes quickly."

"That’s right, without red envelopes, don’t even think about entering."

Sounds of young men jeering came from inside.

This was entirely normal. Wang Xiaoqiang hurriedly handed out several red envelopes and passed the first challenge.

After entering, they began the wedding ceremony rituals. Wang Xiaoqiang presented the brides’ side with the red envelope containing eighteen thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight yuan, as agreed upon the day before. Then he went to knock on the bride’s door, where he was once again extorted for red envelopes.

Fortunately, Wang Xiaoqiang had prepared plenty of red envelopes this time, or else he really would have been in a tough spot.

Song Xiaodong had seen the bride in a photo the day before. Of course, one couldn’t tell much from wedding photos, and now with her heavy makeup, her true appearance was still not discernible. However, Song Xiaodong felt that the woman’s gaze was somewhat cold; the way she looked at Wang Xiaoqiang lacked the joy and excitement of getting married.

After another series of rituals, they finally took the bride and her family to the hotel, and everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Of course, Wang Xiaoqiang also handed out the promised red envelope of twenty thousand yuan.

The wedding ceremony began, and Song Xiaodong watched with great interest. Although it was just an ordinary wedding, seeing Wang Xiaoqiang getting married made him genuinely happy for him.

But just when the wedding was halfway through, a man suddenly strode onto the stage, snatched the microphone from the host’s hands, and shouted, "Lili, I don’t agree with you marrying him, come with me now."

"Gasp!" Everyone was stunned all at once.

Song Xiaodong was even more gobsmacked, wondering what was going on. Was this a wedding crash? Having crashed weddings twice himself, could it be that he was witnessing karma on his friend?

"Ah! Shen Long!" The bride, Ma Lili, immediately let out an exclamation of surprise and delight shone in her eyes.

This caused Song Xiaodong’s face to darken, while the expression on Wang Xiaoqiang’s face on stage had become indescribably ugly.

"Shen Long, what are you doing here?" Ma Lili asked, stuttering.

Wang Shenlong looked at Ma Lili and said, "Lili, forgive me for dumping you before, but I regret it now. I can’t bear to see you marry someone else, it would crush me. I know you don’t love him; come with me instead."

Seeing that Ma Lili appeared somewhat moved, Wang Xiaoqiang quickly grabbed her and then glared at Wang Shenlong, saying, "Lili is now my wife, please leave now or I’ll call the police."

Wang Shenlong glanced at Wang Xiaoqiang and said with disdain, "Who do you think you are to deserve Lili? Listen, Lili, if you come with me, I’ll give you an apartment of a hundred square meters and a car worth three hundred thousand yuan. You don’t have to stay with such a poor wretch."

Wang Xiaoqiang angrily retorted, "Don’t insult Lili with your dirty money."

Wang Shenlong sneered, then turned to look at Ma Lili’s parents sitting below the stage, saying, "Uncle and Auntie, not only will I give Lili an apartment, I will buy you one as well. Tell me, would you rather marry Lili off to him or to me?"

"Really?" Ma Lili’s mother stood up abruptly, her face full of delight.

The relatives and friends on Wang Xiaoqiang’s side burst into an uproar, all looking at Ma Lili’s mother with astonishment. This woman actually asked such a question—could it be that she was truly considering letting Ma Lili be with Wang Shenlong?